Stomach 9, What’s That?
March 16, 2008
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I was talking about some of the posts the other day with one of my students and realised I’d been talking about pressure points and using these names without actually describing them so, time to rectify that.Stomach 9 is a really nice little pressure point positioned in the neck, just to the side of the windpipe and just above the bone of the collar bone.
I find a good guide for this is to straighten your fingers out and hold your hand so that it’s vertical, the little finger down, the thumb up. Then put your thumb out to the side, you should then find that as you slide your hand down the side of your attackers neck your thumb should slide nicely into place directly onto Stomach 9, I find that I get a better reaction if the angle of attack is about 40 - 45 degrees upwards. Hurts quite a bit.
Tags: jujitsu, jujitsu techniques, jujitsu training, martial arts
How Effective Are Pressure Points In Combat?
March 11, 2008
Pressure points are great, you can have great fun with them, it is possible to cause a massive amount of pain with them, but what is strange with them, and also worrying when it comes to relying on them, is that points don’t work on everyone.
You can get one person, or even 90 % of people, and one particular point, say Lung 5 for example will work really well and give you that impact that you are looking for, that extra bang for your buck, but then you get that one person who though you may stop the punch, you don’t cause them the pain you are looking for, or you get that person who feels nothing of the pressure points in the arms or legs which can be very dis-concerting, especially when that same point hurts you like hell. So does that mean you can’t use them in a combat situation?
My opinion, for what it’s worth is that you can use them, but don’t rely on them, and that’s for a number of reasons, the main one is the point mentioned above, a second reason is that in a fast moving, high octane pressure situation thinking of the combinations of points you might want isn’t practical,it’s going to get you hurt, but, there’s always a but!
You can train to hit a specific point, repetitive training is going to train your muscles so that in a pressure situation then instinct will take over, thats fine, and perfectly do-able, but if you try to make it complex it’s the same as everything, the more there is, the more there is to go wrong.
Some of these pressure point demonstrations you see, where a person gets knocked out by a light touch on multiple points at the same time, how achievable is that going to actually be in a real situation? when both participants are moving around and punches are flying in at you, personally I’m very sceptical about that. Go for a pressure point, but give yourself an effective anatomical back up just incase.
For example, you can aim for Stomach 9, one of my favourites, if you miss, you’ve got the trachea. Or Small Intestine 16, another good one, if you miss then you’ve got the carotid.
Rely on them alone and you could be heading towards a world of trouble.
In a fight situation, would you rely on one punch, or would you be throwing a few until they went down?
Tags: Combat, JuJitsu, JuJitsu Techniques, Martial Arts, Pressure Points, Self Defense
Money In The Martial Arts
March 3, 2008
I guess I’m lucky, I started Martial Arts as a hobby, it turned into a way of life, I do have a full time job that pays the bills but still carry on teaching because I love the art, and enjoy passing on the knowledge, keeping it going and seeing my students develop.
Now I know some people have chosen to make a living from teaching and that I have no problem with, quite the opposite, I’d love to do the same, however, there are those out there who forget what it’s all about beyond the money and that I do have a problem with.
I’ll give you two examples of things I have seen in the last week alone that I have an issue with.
Firstly, a job advert I was passed, it was for a salesman, someone dedicated, and paid to go out there and sign people up to lessons on a monthly basis and get paid a salary for it!!!
Secondly, a kid who’d got a Black Belt in under a year!
Seriously, whats that all about then!!!
Maybe I’m too idealistic or rose tinted or naive, not sure but it just doesn’t seem right to me.
Tags: jiujitsu, judo, jujitsu, karate, martial art
Chokes vs Strangles
March 1, 2008
It’s seems odd to me still when I get people from different arts coming in and don’t know there is a difference between a choke and strangle.
Wrong on my part I know, you’re never going to know unless you are told, and why would you be told if you don’t do the things?
There are many arts that don’t strangle people, and many people just starting out who think it really odd that we do, though it is funny to see their faces when that all too familiar choking sound is forced from your Uke’s throat, there is that initial reaction where they jump back panicking and let go.
Anyway, the difference between a strangle and a choke.
A strangle cuts off the blood flow and a choke cuts off the air supply. Very simple really. Both have their benefits, both are effective and will take someone out in very short order if done correctly, but one thing to bear in mind, if you are choking someone then you will get a panic effect, it really is sharp and causes a sudden adrenalin rush to the person on the receiveing end, this gives them a sudden burst of strength, the bodies natural defense that if you’re not ready for it can cause you trouble.
A strangle is a more gradual thing and even though it’s not slow it feels like nothing until just before you pass out and you start to feel your eyes bulge, but you don’t get that same violent reaction.
Tags: jujitsu, jujitsu choke, jujitsu strangle, jujitsu technique, jujitsu training
Is The Coveted Black Belt The Ultimate Goal?
February 27, 2008
So often it does seem to be that people treat the Black Belt is the end result, and this is something that both clubs and students are guilty of.
I think personally that this is wrong, don’t take this the wrong way achieving your Black Belt is huge, it’s a massive personal achievement. Even that is not particularly correct, it’s not just a big achievement for you the student, if your instructor is invloved and has an interest in your development then it is also a big achievement for them. However if you treat your training right then it becomes a by product of your ongoing development.
You get in there, you get learning specific techniques, then you develop the basic principles and some variations. It’s at this point you are starting to understand what you are doing more, it’s part of the development cycle. Somewhere in there you move up the grades, one of those is your Black Belt,It’s another stage that’s all really.
In many ways you only actually start to really learn it after your Black Belt, up until then there is always thoughts of Grading, even if you do want to focus on your training then gradings are always there niggling away in the back somewhere. After the Black Belt, then the pressure really is off, you can go back to the beginning and start to break it all down again from the start, using the knowledge you have aquired since your first steps through the door to delve into the inner workings of your first moves.
That’s were it takes real committment, a real desire to better yourself, but all too often that’s when people feel they’ve got there and quit….Why?
From the Instructors point of view, are these Black Belt Academy’s and a fast track Black Belt valid? Are they money making schemes? Will the person passing their Black Belt in a short space of time know the same as someone taking their time and understanding the principles and why, rather than just doing the steps because they’re told to?
Tags: jiu jitsu, jiujitsu, ju jitsu, jujitsu, martial art
What To Look For In Martial Arts Gi’s
February 22, 2008
So you’re starting out in Martial Arts, what do you need, well in most traditional JuJitsu dojo’s, then you need a Gi.
But what to choose, there are so many.
Quite often for the first year or at least just to get started to see if you’re going to like it or not i suggest a light or medium weight Karate Gi, they work well enough as a start but aren’t strong enough in the material or stitching to handle JuJitsu.
From that Gi I’m really struggling to find a Gi I really like, some people like the double weave Judo style Gi, but it’s not to my taste, we don’t need that extra strength in the Gi that Judo people need, we don’t throw using the Gi, we throw and manipulate them using the body and body dyamics, though we do occasionally use the Gi.
Another thing we don’t want in a JuJitsu Gi is stitching at the shoulders, it just rips way too easily, no good for us. Some extra give in the gusset would be good too, because we can kick, and it also gives extra options and more room to move on the ground.
There are many manufacturers of Gis out there but not too many claiming to make JuJitsu Gi’s, usually Karate, TaeKwondo or Judo. Hayashi used to make a really good one years ago, the Jacket had re-enforced shoulders, no seams at the sleeves it was one piece material. But they stopped, Why?????
Are there any others out there I wonder,
Personally I’m looking to find:
One piece jacket, no separate material for the sleeve
Extra room in the gusset
reenforced knees.
Black and White
Not too much to ask is it?
What do I recommend, at the moment my favourite out there is one by Quality Martial Arts, or MAR. It’s only in white, but it has most of the other qualities I am looking for.
Tags: jujitsu, jujitsu clothing, jujitsu equipment, martial arts clothing
Dojo Etiquette
February 18, 2008
Question - where does asking questions stopping being seeking clarification and cross the line into dis-respect?
I am a big big fan of making sure you understand what you are doing and why, and sometimes the only way to do that is to ask the questions, can you show me again? How was that? What angle are you moving at? and sometimes you do have to ask that awful question, why?
I say awful, because some instructors don’t like it, it can imply questioning of them, however if you ask right, then it can be valid, like why do you block like that, or pull down on the arm like that, then that the instructor should not fear and you should not fear asking.
However, and this can be one of my bug bears, the “what if” question! So many times you get that yeah, but what if i did this instead? Well then, I’d be doing a different technique! Not every technique will work against every attack, it just doesn’t work like that.
Saying that though, sometimes, you can raise something yourself as an option, something you’ve just come up with by accident maybe, then from some people, dependant on the way they ask I am really open to this, it’s a good way to stimulate me aswell as them, but you do get people who have a bit of a cocky attitude when raising it, and that is not on, that is stepping well over the line to a point where I’ll walk away, and I’ve known some instructors who’ll physically put you back in line.
Be aware, you’re instructor has some degree of responsibility to you, in actual fact, they have a lot of responsibility to you. However, don’t forget, you have a responsibility as well, to your instructor, to your fellow students and the art, respect it!
Tags: dojo, jujitsu, jujitsu etiquette, jujitsu training, martial arts
How To Back-kick And The Differences
February 15, 2008
I’ve been shown a number of different ways of doing this kick over the years and i’ll go through a couple of them now.
They both start out the same really, you step across on your base foot, this is your none kicking foot, it goes across your body and you use this step to set your distance for the strike. If you are further away from your opponent than stepping across with the front foot will allow for, then step forwards and across with the rear leg continuing to pivot round. It’s important that you keep your eye on your opponent for as long as you can, as soon as you’ve lost sight of them then they can do whatever they like and you can be left with the proverbial egg on your face. So turn quickly and turn your head even quicker, get your eyes back on your opponent as quick as you can. As you turn then use the impetus to start to generate the speed of the strike, some people like to use the blade of the foot for this strike.
Now, not being a particularly good kicker I’ve never been particularly good with this, I usually end up turning it into a spinning back kick rather than a straight forward back kick, purely because of the angles of feet and whipping the head round to look throws me out, the other thing was that I’d end up missing the target!!
Then my sensei showed me this next way of doing the kick and It finally started to make some sense.
The start is the same really, you can use either leg to step across, all depends upon your distance, now the difference starts, use your opponent as your guide, if you make an exagerated step with your foot placement and line it up down the outside of your attacker, then as you turn, if you thrust straight back with your leg, kicking with the base of your foot, you are pretty much guaranteed to make a hit, it’s the best method for me I’ve found so far.
One thing, you need to make sure you need to follow through and turn quickly, pivoting on your feet, so that you will finish in your fighting stance facing your opponent.
Tags: jiujitsu, jujitsu, jujitsu techniques, jujitsu training, martial art
What Is The The Parent Art?
February 11, 2008
You so often here people comment on this is the parent art or that is the parent art of that, and in some cases there are definite traceable roots, ie, Judo from JuJitsu, Aikido from JuJitsu, but I read somewhere once that Kung Fu was the father of all arts.
How is that possible?
What is Martial Arts? Isn’t it the art of fighting basically?
People have been fighting one way or another since the dawn of time, on each corner of the earth thousands of miles from each other, so how can one fighting art be the father of them all?
I don’t get that? I wonder sometimes if my logic is flawed!
Tags: jiu jitsu, jiujitsu, ju jitsu, ju jutsu, jujitsu, jujutsu
Sidekick, How To?
February 7, 2008
There are two ways that I do side kick, technically the execution of the kick is the same, it’s just that one is off the front leg and one is off the rear leg.
So I’ll go over the rear leg first; with your front foot, turn your toes out, now move your body weight through on to your front foot, turning sideways on to your opponent, keeping your guard up all the time.
Now bring your kicking foot up to your knee, push out your kicking foot towards your target thursting through and pushing with your hips right through. The key is your striking area, you are striking with the blade of the foot, thats the outside edge of your foot. A little trick to help you with this - push through with your heel, pull up with your big toe and push down with your little toe. Sounds odd, feels odd, but it does help you to get the right angle with your foot. A common target area for this is the knee, if you’re flexible and like kicking then I’ve seen people do this to the jaw.
The other version, is kicking with the front leg, from the normal fighting stance then this would be the front side snap kick, if you take a step back from a block, then you can do the side kick off what will now be the nearest leg, the technique is exactly the same, you will just lose some of the power. It can still work as either a distraction, or I used to train with a guy who had a knack for always getting you with it as you moved in during sparring.
Tags: jiujitsu, jujitsu, jujitsu techniques, jujitsu training, martial art
A while to go...
