Riz's Martial Arts Training

Planning for Environment

2009-05-06T00:20:00.000+03:00

**This is a guest post by Matthew Apsokardu. A student of Okinawa kenpo Karate and Kobudo for over 13 years, Matthew has become best well known for his writings at Ikigai | Blogging the Martial Way**

The dojo is a wonderful place isn’t it? Bright lights, open space, flat floors…nice and predictable. In fact, it serves as a perfect petri dish for learning techniques. Unfortunately we aren’t always so lucky to find ourselves in such ideal circumstances.

Terrain and environment is a big issue that sometimes gets overlooked during martial arts training. Although it might not seem like a big deal at first (a good technique is a good technique, right?) different environments can change up a successful self defense game in an instant.

Is it wise to go to the ground if there is broken glass there? Is it wise to grapple if someone has a knife? Would you want to punch someone in the chest if they are wearing a thick winter coat?

These kinds of contingencies can never be predicted, but practitioners of the arts can create a mindfulness of there existence.

Making the Mental Adjustment

The first key to planning for environment is to make the mental leap that the unknown exists. No matter how good your technique, when faced with a self defense problem, it is unlikely things will work out as cleanly as you want them to.

Accept that it won’t be pretty. Understand that getting out alive and hopefully less worse for the wear is the ultimate goal, even if things didn’t go smoothly.

Training Tips for Training

My biggest piece of advice for increasing your awareness is to take the time to step out of the box.

First, step out literally. Make the effort to train outside your dojo, whether it’s at home, in a parking lot, or in the backyard. Wear street clothes that you normally wear on a day to day basis.

By doing this, you’ll be able to get a feel for how your non-gi clothing reacts. Furthermore, you’ll be able to identify bad habits you may have in shoe, clothing, and accessory choice.

Second, step outside the box conceptually. Turn the lights out in the dojo and train in the dark (unless it gets pitch black, then use a little bit of light). Use multiple opponents, sometimes with weapons, sometimes without.

Most of all, put yourself into situations where you think ‘ohh crap!’, and feel very uncertain. This is important because you can confront those feelings of uncertainty in the safety of the dojo environment. If you wait to feel panic and stress until an actual confrontation, you can’t be sure if you’ll know how to manage it.

**A personal thanks from me to Matt for writing my first-ever guest post! …It’s quite exciting really :-) It’s a great post with an important message – a link to Matt’s site, Ikigai | Blogging the Martial Way, is also available in my Links column on the right. Please feel free to comment with ideas and anecdotes from your own experience in training to plan for various environments.**

The Arm Drag

2009-04-09T17:11:00.000+03:00

The Arm Drag is a ridiculously simple move, so simple that I don't even like thinking of it as a technique in itself! To perform it, you just need to grab, pull and guide your opponent's leading/attacking arm (yes, with more finesse than I've described it). It works on the age-old martial arts concept of using your opponent's size, weight and momentum against them. That is, when your opponent's momentum is advancing forward (or alternatively, his posture is such that his size and weight are pushing his body forward), you grab and guide him in the direction he was already moving (often pulling him off-balance). Depending on the scenario, the move can be performed with explosive force or with gentle, well-timed grace. Here's Marcello Garcia showing you how it works:

Long & Short

Personally, I like the break the arm drag down into two categories: The Long Drag, and the Short Drag. A long drag involves you gripping your opponent's wrist/forearm and guiding him a longer distance (think: Aikido) – this movement becomes especially useful in conjunction with wrist locks, sweeps and heavy striking techniques (more so from when you are standing). The Short Drag involves you gripping your opponent behind the elbow, usually resulting in less overall movement – the resulting scenario is usually ideal for shoulder barges, major hip throws and taking your opponent's back (though an elbow to the back of the head never goes amiss either!).

If timed correctly, a Long Drag can be used to lead into a Short Drag. Both are suitable for gi/no-gi applications.

Application

Arm drags are especially useful against aggressive or dirty fighters who opt to shove, tackle or grind their arms into you (usually their forearm across your face). In fact, the reason I first used an arm drag in BJJ is that someone in my guard was grinding his forearm over the bridge of my nose while punching at my ribs; I pushed his elbow across, (short) dragged his arm and took his back – love connection made.

Furthermore, arm drags are especially well-suited for smaller fighters (finally, gravity is on our side!) as their opponents often need to lean further forward (or in my case, almost crouch!) in order to efficiently attack. There's a psychological aspect that helps here too – I find that most fighters (even guys who'd otherwise opt for a more defensive/reactive style of playing) when facing a smaller opponent immediately want to dominate by rushing forward or dropping their weight on them.

As I've mentioned, the arm drag is ridiculously simple – so simple, that people get it wrong all the time! It literally is guiding your opponent in the direction he's already poised to go.

Don't make the mistake of tugging and pulling in a direction your opponent clearly isn't moving – to move him will take a lot of strength and it will tire you out in the process.
Remember to move your body appropriately (it's all in the hips) when attempting a long drag otherwise you may find that you've just given your opponent a better position – I think of it like this: I'm dragging my opponent a longer distance, so instead of counting on him to make the journey all by himself (your opponents aren't the most trustworthy people after all), I'll help him along – either by scooting to the side or step around myself (tai sabaki).

Thoughts on Ki

2009-04-02T16:52:00.000+03:00

The Ki/Chi debate is all over online messages boards. Personally, I've never bothered to comment on any but I do very much enjoy reading the arguments from both parties (believers and non-believers). The debates do tend to get unnecessarily heated and often end up with plenty of personal insults and online forum warrior-style challenges. Which is a shame because I think it is a really interesting topic!

What is it?

Ki is explained to be a 'natural energy' or 'energy flow' which (depending on your source) either fuels life forms or is an element of life force or is a naturally present element. It is explained to be a different concept to the Chinese chi (or qi), which is allegedly less well-defined than its Japanese counterpart. Though essentially, the terms are somewhat synonymous – they're both just referring to 'natural energy-ish stuff that we can't quite explain'… the Nei Ching (credited as one of the first Chinese references to ki) describes it as a 'universal energy that nourishes and sustains all life'. Its application is most often used for healing practices (think Reiki), but it is best known internationally for its martial arts claimants. I'll be using the term ki since I'm more used to saying it (background in Japanese martial arts etc) but I'm referring to both concepts (which are really just one concept).

An alternative explanation stems from Hindu beliefs regarding chakras, which are believed to be the nexus of metaphysical and biophysical energy residing in the body. I remember reading (but not the source…sorry, it was a long time back!) that ki is said to be derived from myths/superstitions regarding the second primary chakra known as Swadhisthana (meaning "One's own abode"). The idea is that the Swadisthana is where many untapped, 'potential karmas' (samskaras) lie dormant.

Adding to that, the second chakra is also said to home Kriya shakti (literally "strength of actions/deed/effort"), which in yogic (as in Yoga) traditions is considered to be outward manifestations of the power of thought. I further remember coming across articles that Prana (Sanskrit for 'breath'), in Vedantic philosophy, can be harnessed and physically manifested – something which was associated with the Kundalini form of yoga.

Note: For those of you that are well-versed in Hinduism, Sanskrit traditions, or yoga, please do let me know if I'm off on the details – it's been years since I read about any of the topics and since I'm in the office at the moment (yes, I write my posts when I'm not being productive) I'm writing on memory alone (…and I get hit in the head a lot)! Hmm…maybe I'll get out my copy on the Upanishads when I get home…

Popular Culture

Probably best known in its 'energy blast' form, ki in popular culture is seen as a mystical, magical form of energy drawn out of nature for use in healing and attacking. The Street Fighter series refer to it as 'Hadou', and its most famous depiction is probably Ken and Ryu's hadouken (…shame on you if you don't know what I'm talking about). The idea generally plays a big role in most fighting games and many manga, anime and movies – Fatal Fury, Naruto (which refers to it as chakra), Hero Tales etc.

I think it's this representation of ki that upsets people most. Not so much when it is used in games, anime or movies but rather when they see the equivalents in martial arts practices as in the following section.

Martial Arts – The Mystical Version

"With concentration, karatekas can move their ki up and down, so their source of energy is higher and lower. Experienced karatekas generally center their ki, in order to achieve maximum balance and power. Ki is absolutely crucial in the higher levels of karate: It gives masters the power they need to break blocks and topple much larger opponents."

- Tom Harris http://people.howstuffworks.com/karate6.htm

The mystical explanation describes ki, our energy flow, as a source of power for the martial artist. It is intangible and of some supernatural origins – it is stored in the hara (Japanese) or dantien (Chinese), about an inch or two below your navel, and can be channeled into the different parts of your body enabling you to perform feats previously not possible. Masters of ki are further able to control the energy so far as to project it from their bodies in a sort of energy wave (but lacking the flashy, attention-seeking appearance of the hadouken).

Other seemingly far-fetched claims involve using ki to manipulate objects and stop babies from falling down staircases in a fashion similar to telekinesis. As seen in the above video, attempts to prove ki blasts etc. tend to fail against people from outside of the performing dojo (at least all the ones I've seen) – various explanations have been provided for these repeated failures though none have satisfied the critics.

The Shaolin Monks are famous for performing 'iron body' techniques which demonstrate their ability to harness and channel ki through Qi-Gong training. A popular ki-demonstration used by street magician-esque martial artists (think Chris Crudelli) is that of the 'Unbendable Arm', which is in reality a feat that has less to do with esoteric energies and more to do with maintaining a superior biomechanical position (with some positive thinking for good measure) . As such many of these alleged ki demonstrations (even though they occasionally require a lot of skill) lack the ability to convince many on the existence of ki.

"There is nothing so strong as gentleness, and nothing is so gentle as real strength."

- Ralph W. Sockman

The Science Behind Ki

Ki is alleged to travel through the body's 12 'constant' Meridians (as well as some others but less directly). Ki flow must be in a single direction – Ascending or Descending (sometimes described as Positive and Negative) depending on whether the respective Meridian is dominated by Yin or Yang. Furthermore, the flow can be stimulated, blocked, and unblocked through concentration and physical intervention (such as pressure point attacks).

A few scientific tests have been conducted in order to test for the presence of ki but as of yet, nothing has provided any viable positive results. Various theories have propped up suggesting that ki is a way to refer to our body's natural capacity to produce electricity and plasma in which case, the healing properties of ki can sort of be accounted for…but not so much in regards to its martial application (or the ki blast).

Martial Arts – The Logical Version

It's plausible that ki doesn't really refer to ki or any mystical elements at all. Many suspicions lie in the direction that ki is really more of a metaphor than anything else. Given that in the past, the vast majority of martial arts students were uneducated and of a rural background, masters would've needed a means to better illustrate various concepts (biomechanical as well as psychological) via a comfortable metaphor that the students could easily envision. This is supported by the fact that in the Japanese language, -ki is often used without any magical or mystical connotations (for example: genki means "good health") – so there is some possibility that the concept is something that was simply lost in translation once it arrived in the West (well, except in the case of ki-blasters).

In this respect, I suppose the purpose behind ki as a conceptual metaphor in martial arts would be threefold:

1) Open, connect and relax the body; regulate and control breathing patterns;
2) Focus, develop and strengthen notions of 'intent' whilst performing techniques;
3) To create an understanding of the synergy between points 1) and 2).

Furthermore, the idea of ki could be (and is) very easily used as a motivator. For students who suffer from insecurities and self-doubt, the belief that they are able to draw from a greater source of power could indeed provide them with the confidence and motivation needed to excel in their art.

And then there is 'Kiai-jutsu' – that is, using the kiai (which can be understood as, but does not literally translate to, 'spirit yell') as a weapon. The kiai is essentially a loud shout used in Karate (and many other arts) in order to startle an opponent – Kawazoe's kiai is a good example of this! – as well as to teach beginning students to exhale when attacking. Of course to some, the kiai is more than just a loud shout, as denoted by the kanji it is comprised of (ki + 'ai' which is 'harmony' or 'love'), the kiai is interpreted as the projection of sound harmoniously fused with energy or spirit (hence, 'spirit yell').

Morihei Ueshiba (founder of Aikido; Note: Aiki is comprised of the kanji for Kiai written backwards) can be seen in various demonstration videos exerting the power of his kiai in which he intimidates/startles attackers to the extent of toppling them backwards. Though it should be noted, these 'attackers' are his students who probably reside a healthy fear of their teacher.

A more far-fetched example is the 17^th Century story of Matajuro Yagyu, who was practically disowned for lacking talent as a swordsman (he was from the Yagyu clan, famous for its swordsmanship) and also due to some misconduct. After training with various masters, Matajuro returns to plead acceptance (but through an intermediary as his father refused to see him!); he is unable to show his skill due to the lack of an opponent. Instead he fixes his intent on some sparrows in a distant tree, he utters a loud kiai and the sparrows fall to the ground motionless. Shortly after, the sparrows regain consciousness and fly away. Matajuro went on to inherit his father's system. Note: Japanese sword schools often referred to this as 'toate no jutsu', the 'art of striking at a distance'.

A better known anecdote featuring Matajuro is his encounter with Zen sword master Tsukahara Bokuden. Matajuro asked the master, "How long will it take me to master the sword?" to which the old man replied, "About five years if you train very hard."

"And if I trained twice as hard? Then how long would it take?"

"Oh – in that case, it'll take 10 years."

Plausible Deniability Section (because I'm an optimist…ish)

As far as my experiences go – which I admit are very limited given that I've never really gone searching for ki-based arts and that I've never really devoted any amount of training to any system that is ki-based – I've not witnessed anything that would really fit the conditions of mystical, supernatural ki (did I mention that I've heard 'ki-enhanced music'? Live performance - True story) – and really, what we call 'supernatural', is really just something we haven't yet broken down in specific scientific terms.

Given that the idea behind 'ki as a metaphor' is to simplify things, it's actually pretty complicated – the synergistic kinetic energies created by our bodies when engaged in activity with appropriately conditioned intent/focus whilst maintaining a relaxation on the muscular state; ability further enhanced by the efficient regulation of respiratory patterns – something like that, right? …If I had been a master at the time, I think I would've just picked up a cane and said, "Concentrate or I'll give you a baboon's ass… okay, good – now relax your bodies".

That's not to say I have a definite belief that ki doesn't exist. I sincerely acknowledge the possibility of ki as a yet not properly understood energy/element that is processed either in nature or the human physiology itself that can be channeled through the muscles to enhance our own physiological functions (quite possibly in a similar way to oxygen). Just because we have not discovered something yet via a scientifically empirical study doesn't necessarily preclude its existence. Perhaps our understanding of ki is similar to our previous misunderstanding that the world is flat – in this case, ki would be akin to the theory of gravity.

"Human salvation lies in the hands of the creatively maladjusted."

- Martin Luthor King Jr.

I guess that makes me somewhat agnostic regarding ki. Either way, it's not something to fuss over – whether you're a diehard ki zealot or a diehard ki atheist, let those who believe, believe. And leave them be who would rather not open themselves up to the possibility. Calling for challenge matches and being a nasty web warrior (or on the other hand, a pretentiously enlightened web 'master') is just a bit lame. Don't waste your time, go train instead!

Fighting Fit – Cardio & Conditioning

2009-03-26T15:01:00.000+03:00

One of the earliest posts I wrote on this blog was The Triangle Hypothesis, which talked about three facets key to improving as a martial artist or fighter. For those of you who've read it, you may remember that I chose to add 'C' to the 'triangle' that many past instructors of mine had related to me. The C in this case stood for Cardio & Conditioning. The logic behind my decision was that without the right levels of fitness and body conditioning, you would be unable to fully utilise the three corners of the triangle that are Power, Speed, and Technique. This post intends to elaborate that view.

It's not by sheer randomness either - While rolling last night (my first night back! *sigh*), I was caught in a surprise Achilles ankle lock (and took a nasty elbow to the brow) and as a result, walking just doesn't feel right anymore – but instead of depressing you (my ever-emphatic reader) with a post about how my leg hurts or about how my eye looks like I was the loser of the Thriller in Manila; I'm going to write about my clever improvement of my instructors' theory with C (even though I'm pretty sure most of them just assume that C is a given).

"Minds, like bodies, will fall into a pimpled, ill-conditioned state from mere excess of comfort."

- Charles Dickens

It's no secret that the more time you spend on the mats (whether rolling, stand-up sparring or drilling), the faster you will improve. And we always hear how martial arts (especially those considered 'Traditional' styles) are all about Technique being used to overcome Athleticism, so then why have I devoted an entire post to Cardio/Conditioning? The answer in short, is that unless you have vastly superior technique to everyone else – your endurance and conditioning is going to play a factor.

If you're looking to excel in competition (you old glory hound, you), stamina is clearly needed as you'll have to spar several rounds with relatively little rest in-between. Furthermore, if you like competing in the Absolute division (or equivalent weight-free zone), it's possible that you'll be sparring against bigger, stronger opponents who will sap the stamina out of you! There's little you can do when you're completely drained of energy against a well-trained bigger, stronger opponent so the best option is to train hard before the competition to ensure it doesn't happen.

"The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining."

- John F. Kennedy

Non-competitive types need to be wary of the same points. You may not be competing at tournaments but note that the competition format is pretty similar to sparring sessions in training. If you don't have a high level of stamina, you won't be able to train as efficiently – i.e. Half of your 2 hour training session is wasted if you only manage to train hard for 1 hour before gassing. Though some of you may here point out that training isn't about all about 'quantity' but rather 'quality'…and you're right. However, once you begin to fatigue, your technique without a doubt begins to slowly deteriorate and while training at this point is arguably still beneficial (any training is better than none in my opinion), it is less efficient (the exception here is when you intentionally fatigue your body so as to limit your use of strength and to focus on working techniques).

And as an old boxing coach used to tell me: physical fitness improves 'mental toughness'. But is that enough? Sadly, no – as martial artists, our training all too often focuses on 'dishing out' while we spend relatively little time conditioning ourselves for the more unpleasant reverse scenario of being the 'main dish' (also quoting my old boxing coach).

In fact, I'll just explain it to you the way the old man would rant about it to me (minus some explicit wisdom)! It helps to know that Coach A was appalled by modern boxing tactics where boxers 'dance around' and 'play for points', he was a staunch believer that you punch for the knockout ("There's no such thing as a jab" he'd say).

Exercises to toughen the body have been all but forgotten. Competition has led to extensive cardio training so that fighters can last entire fights (most of which are spent running in every direction except towards your opponent). Exercises to toughen the body to withstand the rigours and demands of training and combat have been more or less discarded. Coach A used the example that most boxers have never boxed without heavy gloves and thorough wrapping – how's one expect to condition their hands if they're wrapped up and then further protected by a fat padded glove? Jack Dempsey makes a point of it in his book Championship Fighting: Explosive Punching and Aggressive Defense, urging the rookie boxer to train with ‘striking gloves’ or by “snipping the fingers of a pair of leather work gloves” so that he can condition his fists.

Martial arts such as Karate require even more conditioning to deal with tackles and attacks below the waist. Furthermore, developing the ability to withstand the constant (but minor) injuries sustained in training is paramount as it to an extent, dictates the level of confidence you have in the said art – so hit that makiwara until it apologises to you!

The Best Way to Cardio and Conditioning

This is one of those obvious points that's so obvious people don't notice it. The best way to develop the required stamina and conditioning for your martial art is simply to train…a lot! Not only does that ensure that you'll be developing your body in a natural way that complements your art but, you'll be doing it via means that you already love doing (the assumption here is that you enjoy training)! Make sure to train hard and push yourself in all aspects of your art, otherwise you may find your body woefully underprepared later… and please make sure to properly warm-up, stretch, and cool-down. Here's a clip of Goju Ryu 10^th dan Morio Higaonna – he uses a rock to condition his fists… He's a scary man (though apparently a really nice guy too!).

The next best thing…

If you're gym/dojo/basement happens to be closed, you're a little shy about training in the park, and no one is around to play sports with, there are plenty of other options. Main thing – find something challenging that you enjoy. Personally, I hate elliptical and body building machines so I steer clear of them. Instead I prefer to swim (with the occasional bit of underwater karate when the coast is clear!) or go for runs at varying speeds (undisciplined interval training). One of my training partners hates exercise and formal workouts; he instead chooses to dance on days off from the dojo – I've joined him a couple of times… two hours of salsa/hip hop is surprisingly hard work!

Dieting

Though I know plenty of people that are constantly dieting in order to make weight, I'm not really a fan of the process. Personally, I think it’s better in the long run to follow some healthy eating habits and maintain a weight that is natural to your body even if it means that you end up at the bottom of your weight category – after all, why would anyone really want to fight someone much smaller than them (unless the ickle opponent is an absolute badass)?

Recovery Time

Whatever means of cardio and conditioning you choose, make sure to get in ample recovery time. Not only will this help your absorb information/techniques faster but it will allow you to perform at a higher rate with a lower risk of injury. And yes, sometimes you'll just need a week or two out from training – don't worry about losing the short term training as taking time off not only helps you recuperate but, it also allows your body to fully assimilate the training you have done recently (just be sensible about how often you take time off).

*Sigh!*

You may have noticed that I've used more boxing references than I usually do in this post. It's because my head is still going over Amir Khan's defeat of Marco Antonio Barrera from last week. The "Baby-faced Assassin" (Barrera) is one of my favourite boxers and it's sad to see him dominated (though I suppose I must admit, he has been on the decline for some time now). Ah well…c'est la vie!

The Rear Naked Choke

2009-03-19T22:14:00.000+03:00

Also referred to in BJJ as the "Mata Leao"

The RNC is a peculiarly named but highly effective submission. To understand its somewhat dubious-sounding title, we have to go back to its usage in classical ju-jitsu and/or judo where the technique was referred to as hadaka jime, which literally means "naked strangle". In this context, 'naked' is referring to the fact that unlike many other strangles this variant does not require the use of a gi (those white pyjamas we wear!). This leads on to the second peculiarity in its name, the rear naked choke is not a choke at all, it is a strangle. The difference is that a choke cuts of the oxygen supply to the lungs whereas, a strangle cuts off the supply of blood to the brain.

By blocking the carotid arteries, this technique can render a person unconscious in less than eight seconds; prolonging the hold can lead to brain damage and death – in 2005, Rafiel Torre, a former MMA trainer and competitor, was convicted of murder after using the RNC to kill his lover's husband.

The RNC is used in a variety of martial arts classes and resulting injury is a rare occurrence. It should be mentioned however, that if applied improperly (occasionally, the military style 'V-grip'), can lead to a crushing of the trachea as well as causing the submission to act as an airway choke. Here’s Bas Rutten explaining the basics:

Once you've got it tightly locked in, the RNC is a fight finisher. However, taking someone's back can be quite a challenge – especially against grapplers who are well aware of the impending strangulation! Furthermore, once you obtain the Rear Mount, locking in the submission requires a strategy of its own (especially against stronger opponents who firmly grab hold of your arms) – this is where the following video by Stephan Kesting of Grapplearts.com is a godsend:

Grappling & Ground Fighting in Karate

2009-03-12T17:03:00.000+03:00

It's an interesting fact that Karate is widely believed to be an art comprised solely of static punches, kicks and blocks. It seems that no matter how many times I explain the difference between the basics forms, their functions, and their applications in Karate, people find it terribly difficult to comprehend Karate as anything other than prearranged punches, kicks and blocks (with a few shouts thrown in for good measure – an instructor of mine once told me, "When in doubt, 'kiai'!").

Karate has grappling? Sez who?!

"One must not lose sight of the fact that karate is "all-in" fighting. Everything is allowed: Every effective method in no matter what form of combat sport exists in Karate, redirected under the dramatic conditions of a man's desperate fight for life, using the means given to him by nature. This is why karate is based on blows delivered with the hand, the foot, the head or the knee. Equally permissible are strangulations, throwing techniques and locks”.

- HD Plee

Once you study and analyse kata (as opposed to just mimicking them), you realise that many block-strike techniques in the kata make little sense when applied to realistic scenarios. There's a good reason for this – it's because these techniques/combinations were never intended to be applied as block-strike patterns, rather these are often aesthetically formalised grappling techniques.

“There are also throwing techniques in karate… Throwing techniques were practised in my day, and I recommend that you reconsider them.”

- Shigeru Egami

The founder of Shotokan Karate, Gichin Funokoshi asserts a similar view in his book Karate-Do Kyohan stating that "….in Karate, hitting, thrusting and kicking, are not the only methods, throwing techniques and pressure against joints are included"…and why wouldn't there be? After all, karate is a civilian fighting system devised by the Okinawan population, formulated for the sake of defending one's self and others. As such, it's only natural to have close range and grappling techniques – without them, the art would be severely one-dimensional.

There's even a word for it – Tegumi, literally meaning "hand grapple", is used to refer to the grappling aspects of karate; it is likely to have been based on the indigenous wrestling style of Okinawa which in conjunction with Chinese martial arts were to form the basis of Okinawan Karate (the 'te' in 'karate' is likely to represent 'tegumi'). Karate tegumi emphasises close combat principles of grappling and striking coupled as a single (range-dependent) aspect of fighting.

Where'd it go? Why don't I see it?

Well, the simple answer to this is – It didn't go anywhere. You don't see it because you've not looked for it and/or because you've not been shown it. Prior to the early 1900s, the striking and grappling aspects of karate were equally stressed in training – that is, in addition to striking techniques, regular karate training would include throws, chokes, joint-locks, sweeps, and strangulations via the application of kata.

“Kumite is an actual fight using many basic styles of kata to grapple with the opponent.”

- Choki Motobu

In the early 1900s, Karate underwent a series of changes in order for it to become an acceptably safe addition to Okinawan schools' physical education programmes – as a result, the art was unconsciously 'diluted' with many of the tegumi aspects removed so as to be able to easily/safely teach the art to young children (older students that were deemed 'worthy' were later taught the applications of kata). This left training incomplete for many practitioners.

Furthermore, when karate was introduced in Japan – as per standard Japanese customs, it was sought to be regularised through the introduction of a uniform, grading regimen, standardised competition (albeit this was slightly later) and… the exclusion of excessively violent techniques (as a result, bunkai training became even more secretive than it already was) as they were considered distasteful and detrimental to society. It was also around this point that the kanji used to write 'Karate' was switched so that the meaning changed from 'China-hand' to 'Empty-hand'.

Popular bunkaiologist (Word of the Day…go write it down…okay, I lie – it's not a real word), Iain Abernathy, states that without "thorough understanding of kata we are left with only a fraction of the karate syllabus. The commonly used techniques (kicks & punches) take up around 5% of the information available." I shouldn't need to explain that missing 95% of a martial art system is well, not necessarily a good thing (though personally, I'd say 95% is a bit of an exaggeration; his article is available here)!

Abernathy furthers points out that though practicing the applications of kata, and utilising these applications in sparring has become more popular in recent years, many so-called 'applications' remain impractical and impossible to use against a non-compliant opponent. Of course, given the history – there isn't any definitive means to determine the exact intended applications of the various kata.

Grappling & Ground fighting

Let's be clear what I mean by grappling/ground fighting techniques – you're not going to find many of the tremendously sophisticated ground fighting techniques that you will find in ground and grapple-oriented fighting arts; the karate system was not designed for prolonged one-on-one matches against skilled grapplers.

I know a few people – let's call them kata apologists – who look for the weirdest, most wonderful ways to suggest that kata has every single technique imaginable. Really, that just doesn't make much sense (can you imagine Funokoshi grabbing Shigeru during a training session, pulling him into rubber guard and working for a locoplata? …It sounds awesome but also unlikely!). The main purpose of karate ground techniques is to incapacitate (or distance) your opponent as quickly as possible so that you can stand up to address any other incoming threats. As such, techniques attacking the groin, throat, eyes and hair are all acceptable.

What karate does have in way of a grappling system is a myriad of takedowns and throws (the vast majority of which are designed to work best in conjunction with strikes), a massive variety of grapples/joint locks from a standing position, and some basic ground fighting techniques which are designed to minimise the duration of the fight on the ground. Furthermore, there are some basic takedown defences – most of which focus on common brutish attacks such as tackles, bear hugs and shoves.

It's the principle of the matter…

More important however than the actual grappling techniques that are present in kata are the principles of combat that are available. While the applications of specific techniques are limited, the utilisation of the principles of behind these techniques allows for a far greater scope – furthermore, they allow one to be a flexible fighter, adapting knowledge and techniques on a conditional basis.

"One must withdraw from the kata to produce forms with no limits or else it becomes useless."

- Hironori Otsuka

Sound familiar? Let me present it to you in a better known phrase:

"From form to formless and from finite to infinite."

- Bruce Lee

Now, Bruce Lee was not a kata advocate at all stating that pre-arranged sequences to battle off choreographed opponents is silly (and rightly so! As I've already hinted at, kata are not choreographed sequences to battle multitude of very understanding attackers but rather a convenient means of storing and teaching a collection of techniques and principles). However, when it comes to the actual traditional principles stored in kata, we can see that Lee's thoughts mirror those of traditional masters. Grasping the principles of kata allows a karate-ka to adapt his/her techniques; it allows you to bend with the winds of adversity by adapting the principles in a finite series of sequences to create infinite possibilities – truly, from form to formless.

Karate for the Next Generation

Alas, it's a new millennium, and while the basic dynamics of a fight probably haven't changed all that much, other significant changes have taken place. For a start, due to wider access to gyms, bodybuilding information, and nutrition, attackers are likely to be bigger and stronger than they once were – let's not forget the popularity of elements such as steroids, amphetamines, and alcohol adding a wistful aspect to many an attacker's capabilities.

In his article, Throws and Locks in Karate Kata, available here, Harry Cook (Goju Ryu 7^th dan, and Chief Instructor of the Seijinkai Karate-Do Association) recounts how one of his dan-grade students – a policeman – was unable to subdue a large, intoxicated aggressor using just forceful punches and kicks (including some to the groin). The policeman, known as 'C' (mystery for the sake of anonymity), eventually settled the incident by applying strangle hold. This is a pretty clear example that the grappling aspects of karate are still in use and indeed, useful! (In the same article, Harry also tells us that the dinosaur, Struthiomimus, had very similar skeletal features to that of a modern ostrich as an example of how nature, form and function are related)

Moving on, thanks to Jackie Chan and The Matrix movies (and also the MMA generation to no small extent!) martial arts have boomed, it's pretty easy to find martial arts training regardless where you live; as such, it's a good idea to moonlight at martial arts schools other than your own to experience the vastness of approaches available in self defence (and fighting in general).

Moreover, if you follow the logic that 'thugs' are attracted, much like moths to a flame, to the violent nature of combat – it is natural to assume that many may have had some limited training in easily accessible 'hard' style arts such as Boxing, Karate, or nowadays, MMA (I still don't agree that MMA should be considered a style in itself but there are plenty of schools that teach the 'pressure-tested art of mixed martial arts'). Besides, if Charlie the Chimp can pick up a nidan, then a your local hoodlum should just about manage a 4th kyu!

Granted, given that delinquency is closely related to a lack of personal discipline, it's safe to assume that said 'thug' has not trained extensively in any style (though some are remarkably disciplined! I remember a vicious amateur boxer named 'Tyrone'…), it's important that we as the current generation of martial artists take this possibility into account with our training. I'm not suggesting that everyone join Muay Thai and BJJ classes or devote 3 hours a week to applications against trained fighters but rather, we should develop a familiarity with the grappling aspects of our own styles (yes, most traditional styles have them – karate was not exclusive in this respect). After all, it just makes sense to have some understanding of the techniques that attackers are likely to use against you (i.e. a paper shield has limited use against a water gun)!

You don't even have to spend years deciphering kata (that is, in the case that your instructor doesn't teach you bunkai and oyo), you'll find similar techniques in many other arts – take advantage of the fact that we can learn from more than one school of thought!

We must always look to adapt and evolve our systems to benefit us on an individual level – however, don't nuke the city because it could use a few new bridges! Actually, let me clarify on that before I end – like a city, we first need to build a solid infrastructure or foundation in our chosen art. It's only once we have a solid base that we can begin to cut away, restructure and sculpt our methods for them to be truly beneficial to us (otherwise you end up a confused and tangled mess, lacking the ability and experience to perform any of that which you’ve been taught).

“Karate may be said to be a hard technique when compared to the soft technique of ju-jutsu, but softness includes hardness and hardness includes softness. In other words softness is necessary to become hard, and hardness is necessary to become soft, and to begin with both softness and hardness are one.”

- Gichin Funokoshi

Hello Japan!

2009-03-12T14:19:00.002+03:00

I’ve had a pretty lame week. Not only have I been unwell, unable to train, and stuck in the office for 16 hour shifts (no kidding!)…I’ve also been craving a particular type of cupcake, which I just can’t seem to find! However, this made it all better for me.

On March 8th, Shinya Aoki and David Gardner duked it out in Saitama (Japan) for the opening round of the Dream 7 Featherweight Grand Prix. Aoki (“The Baka Survivor”) has already made a huge name for himself, and Gardner (forevermore known as "Hello Japan") isn’t completely unknown either.

The Dream 7 event failed to pull in high viewer ratings, but the fight finisher between Aoki and Gardner will be on highlight reels for years to come.

Wow…

Look at it this way, at least Gardner got to say hello before the fight ended (I love the fact that the commentator says “Goodbye Japan!” during the tap out)!

Americana from Closed Guard

2009-02-26T18:00:00.000+03:00

Also known as ude garami in Judo; Sometimes called a Key lock, Figure-Four Armlock or Chicken Wing (which incidentally was the nickname of a good friend of mine when we were in school…nothing to do with martial arts, everything to do with the way he used to run).

The Americana is a basic submission where the arm is bent at around 90 degrees and twisted towards the head cranking the shoulder as well as applying a large amount of pressure to the elbow.

This high percentage submission is most commonly performed from Side Control (usually, 'Four Point' Side Control) or from Mount; some practitioners are also very successful at applying the technique from the Top Half Guard position. It is also commonly used by many traditional Stand-Up systems as a basic lock/takedown against an incoming punch or downward 'stab' (a la Psycho).

The link below (they wouldn’t allow me to embed the video – sorry!) takes you to Gene Simco (whose name appears to be synonymous with controversy in the BJJ universe) explaining how to apply the Americana from the Closed Guard (with and without a Gogoplata variation – but if you already have a Gogoplata locked into place, why wrestle for an Americana as well? That's just greedy Mr Simco!):

Gene Simco Gogoplata/Americana from Guard Double Attack

The Americana was the first submission I worked on in a BJJ class. I had never been a fan of its Stand Up application as was taught to me in Karate and to be honest, I'm not a huge fan of the submission's application on the ground either! I just feel that that to really effectively use the submission, you need to be able to pin down your opponent's arm – given that many of my training partners are able to more or less bench press me with a single arm (no joke!), the technique for me just feels unstable/risky, more so from the Mounted position.

Even when on the receiving end, I find that the Americana is relatively easy to defend or counter against. I tend to notice that when it does work, it is more a case of brute force than technical expertise (I mean in general, not just with me) – it's bizarro twin, the Kimura, is a lot more threatening.

So why have I posted this article? Well, just because I can't work the technique as well as I'd like doesn’t mean it’s a 'bad' technique – it's one of the simplest and most commonly used submissions from Beginner to Black Belt level (or so I've been led to understand!). Furthermore, its application from Guard (which has a lower success rate) works well if you use it as a Sweep (its works wonderfully if you combine it with a Butterfly Hook).

The Truth About Self Defence

2009-02-05T17:33:00.002+03:00

Knowing is not enough,

We must apply.

Willing is not enough,

We must do.
~ Bruce Lee

A few weeks ago, out of curiosity, I signed up for a free trial of what claimed to be a 'no-nonsense guide to effective and easy self defence'. And sure enough, every few days for the past couple of weeks, I have received a new video tutorial 'teaching' me what are allegedly battle-tested, highly effective self defence techniques.

Now, here's the sad truth – it's mostly just a lot of nonsense; there is no easy fix to self defence. It's not something that can be learnt through watching ten videos online, nor is it something you can learn by attending a trendy two hour seminar. Here's why:

Fight, flight or freeze

The 'fight or flight' syndrome is our body's natural response preparing us to either 'confront' or 'flee' from a perceived threat. Physiologically, this is a result of our body's sympathetic nervous system inducing nerve cell firing and chemical releases (casually referred to as an 'adrenaline dump') that boosts the body’s ability to run away or fight. Typically as a result, the respiratory rates increase; blood is shunted away from the digestive tract and directed into muscles and limbs (i.e. more energy/strength); pupils dilate and impulses quicken (resulting in a 'slowing' of time and more focused line of sight); the immune system intensifies, and our ability to feel pain diminishes.

As wonderfully super heroic as the above sounds, an adrenaline dump is also accompanied by a severe decline in our fine motor skills (small, precise movements like using your car keys to unlock your door) as well as impairing our ability to make rational judgments – this is often what leads to a 'freeze'. Tunnel vision can sometimes also occur.

Since conscious judgement and fine motor skills are impaired, self defence responses must be instinctive, primarily relying on your gross motor skills (less precise movements such as pushing a swinging door open).

Self defence / martial arts are essentially training a Pavlovian response to situations of threat. Following extensive training fine motor skills can be used (mainly because of training techniques into 'muscle memory') and rational judgements can be made in the midst of an adrenaline dump to a certain extent however, there will always be a certain level of impairment by nature of our physiology.

As such many of the movements in 'quick-fix' self defence courses become inapplicable due to the requirement of fine motor skills (Exercise: Find a small spot on the wall and try to very quickly poke it 25 times returning your hands to your sides after each attempt…fidgety, right? Now imagine you were trying to do the same to someone's eye while disoriented, feeling the effects of an adrenaline dump, and while he viciously attacked you…). Furthermore for those techniques that are effective, a two hour course (even a two day course!) is simply not enough time to train an instinctive response.

Monkey Steals the Peach, Deity Picks the Grapes

Most self defence programmes promise something other than what is available in the general mainstream. Often these techniques have been lost in the annals of time or have been hidden from you by the government (or another such illuminati-esque organisation). However, there's no such thing as a secret technique (even if you believe in ki, classes are commonly accessible!). As humans we are all pretty much identical in an anatomical sense (the only difference is that between sexes) – that is, everyone (of the same gender) possesses more or less the same vulnerabilities.

True, different arts focus on different methods to target these vulnerabilities but ultimately, a punch is a punch – the important thing is finding something that complements you as an individual; something that you feel works for you (as well as something you enjoy – cause if you hate it, chances are you won't stick with it!).

Battle of the Sexes

No doubt this final point has the potential to generate a fiery backlash but it does need to be mentioned. In general, men are naturally bigger and stronger than women. And in most self defence cases involving women, men tend to be the attackers (this doesn't include street fights though). Simply put, defending yourself against a bigger and stronger assailant is hard; it takes a significant amount of earnest training to handle someone who is much stronger than you (even if he/she has no clue about martial arts), especially if they are seriously trying to hurt you.

Size matters. Don't expect to be able to easily handle an attacker after two months of training. Size matters…but only so much. With regular training over a long period of time you will be able to handle bigger, stronger (untrained) attackers. For example, I'm usually one of the smallest, physically weaker fighters wherever I go – this doesn't mean that I'm constantly losing but, it does mean that I have to make sure to constantly train harder than people who are more naturally athletic.

The Art of Fighting Without Fighting

The best form of self defence is no self defence at all. Just as it is safer to move completely out of a punch's trajectory, it is safer to avoid situations where you will need to defend yourself. You don't need to be a hermit to do this, just follow some simple safety tips (that said, nothing is for certain – be prepared!). Have a look at this Personal Protection website:

http://defence.dsu.org.uk/

The website is tailored to female university students but the information available is applicable to most people (should you browse the 'Past Instructors' section, please do excuse the horrible photograph of me; I don't usually look like I've been pulled out of a cartoon).

The Achilles Ankle Lock & The Knee Bar

2009-02-04T21:23:00.002+03:00

I had initially planned to write a post regarding both the 'Achilles Ankle Lock' and the 'Knee Bar' but then I remembered Stephen Kesting's GrappleArts website already has a fantastic article dedicated to each of these techniques.

I'd be depriving you if I tried to explain the techniques myself when there is already a much better resource available. So here are the links:

http://www.grapplearts.com/Ankle-Lock-Breakdown.htm

http://www.grapplearts.com/Kneebar-Mastery.htm

Personally, I find that the Achilles Lock is far too easily countered for me to go for it. The Knee Bar is an effective move but quite a difficult one to apply in my opinion.

Previous Leg Lock: Toe Hold Ankle Lock

The Heart of Karate-Do

2009-01-30T14:30:00.004+03:00

(Original release titled "The Way of Karate: Beyond Technique")

I first read this book many years back and I have to say, it has remained one of my favourite guides to Karate to date. The author, Shigeru Egami, studied Karate under Gichin Funokoshi (yes, as in the founder of modern Karate) and following Funokoshi's death went on to found the Shotokai style of Karate, which he believed to be a truer system; more loyal to Funokoshi's original system (which had become diluted through competition).

I'll admit right now, that I've had a very limited amount of training in the Shotokai style. However, from the 12 hours of training (that is, attending three classes at two different clubs and a six hour advanced seminar) that I could bear I've come to the conclusion that the Shotokai system (at least the version I witnessed) is the worst bastardization of Karate currently known to man.

And I do genuinely feel really bad saying that because I really do love Egami's book, The Heart of Karate-Do. Strangely enough, I also feel that the Shotokai classes I attended seemed to ignore much of what's written in Egami's book (but at the same time, many of my friends have reported similar issues to my own when moonlighting at other Shotokai clubs). Regardless of my truly horrendous experience with Shotokai, this book affirms that not all Shotokai is without worth.

Aimed slightly more towards Beginner-Intermediate level students, The Heart of Karate-Do is wonderfully written; Egami not only takes the reader through many Karate basics but he articulately expresses his beliefs and rationales in regard to the art. Be warned though, Egami was a spiritual man who carried lifelong repentance – there are some references to ki and personal harmony (personally, this doesn't bother me at all but I know such references do cause some to burst into flames… metaphorically speaking of course). As well as his Ueshiba-like esotericism, there is also some wonderfully poetic rationale to his Karate:

"Animals are not muscle-bound; why should a man be? Pliancy and flexibility are natural characteristics of the human body; rigidity is the mark of death."

The book includes a myriad of warm-up exercises and stretches (which was fairly unique at the time of its release) before proceeding to information regarding stances and offensive/defensive techniques.

If you're looking for some of the lesser used techniques in Karate, this probably isn't the book for you (try Oyama's 'Essential Karate') however this book does have a surprisingly vast collection of Kicking Techniques. Egami pays a lot of attention to developing a strong, supple body – reflecting this; he provides a wealth of high and jumping kicking techniques that wouldn't be out of place in Korean or Northern Shoalin Kung Fu systems.

Furthermore, the descriptions are easily understood and the photos (of which there is an ample amount) are clear and well shot. The Revised Edition uses brand new photos, which have been criticised for the new demonstrators not being able to match up with those from the original release. Personally, I own both editions (greedy, I know – okay, I lie… I thought they were two different books *hangs head in shame*) and the photos in the Revised Edition are much clearer and thus probably more beneficial to the target audience; the demonstrators while maybe not of the same calibre as in the original are still exceptionally good.

Lastly, the best aspect of the book is simply its humble yet devoted tone. You can really feel the emotion and love that Egami had towards his Karate (it helps if you know a bit of Egami's history); inspirational and packed with solid information.

"Train as much as you sleep."

~ Shigeru Egami

Toe Hold Ankle Lock

2009-01-22T12:12:00.004+03:00

Sometimes referred to simply as a ‘Foot Lock’, the Toe Hold Ankle Lock is a submission that is applied via the twisting and applying torque around one’s instep and the axis that runs along the centre of the foot.

It is easy to apply and worlds safer than the Heel Hook; as such, it is the second most frequently used ankle lock (following the Achilles Lock) and probably one of the most popular leg locks used.

The submission is applied using both your arms. In the case of applying the submission to your opponent’s (who has his/her back to the ground) right leg, your right arm grasps his right foot with your hands placed over his toes (your fingers should be curling in below his foot). Your left hand should move in front of his shin and wrap around his leg (thus encircling it with your arm) and then grab on to your right wrist using a five finger ‘monkey’ grip. Using the left arm as a fulcrum, apply pressure by pushing down on the foot/turning your body and twisting the toes towards your opponent’s groin.

Here it is explained by Bas Rutten in his 'Leglocks & Legbars' instructional video:

Key Points to Remember:

You’re not grabbing his toes, you’re encasing them.
The monkey grip may feel awkward at first but it is a lot more secure than a standard ‘four fingers + thumb’ grab. Given the size of leg muscles, you’re going to need a secure grip!
Make sure to pay attention to his free leg, the fight may end badly if he lashes out with kicks.

Here are a few of my favourite transitions to the Toe Hold Ankle Lock:

Whilst passing your opponent’s guard
From an incomplete Omoplata set-up, or ‘Jiu-Claw’
From just about any X-Guard sweep
Whenever you’re in a scramble!

The submission however presents some simple escapes/counters and as such is relatively difficult to use against experienced practitioners. The most common escape is simply turning your body in the direction of the torque; an attempt I made some days ago was countered by my partner stacking/rushing into me and applying a neck crank. My personal preference is to counter the lock with a heel hook.

Previous Leg Lock: The Heel Hook

Next Leg Lock: Achilles Ankle Lock & Knee Bar

5 Keys to Being a Good Training Partner

2009-01-15T20:00:00.001+03:00

Your progress in the martial arts is generally a result of three things: Training, Instruction, and Natural Attributes. This post is relevant to the ‘Training’ aspect, which in my opinion is the most important of the three.

Despite what you see in the movies, martial arts are not a solo gig. Solo training certainly plays an important role but sooner or later, you need to work with a partner. The calibre of your partner directly affects your progress and vice versa – it’s actually a pretty big responsibility (as such, this is going to be a bit of a long post!)! It’s also a two-way street; your partner is there to help you, just as you are there to help your partner. And while skill level does play a factor, it is not the most important trait of a good partner. Here’s a rundown of what I believe to be the 5 key aspects of being a good training partner (in no particular order):

Maintain Proper Hygiene

No one likes a stinky training partner (not even if you reek of expensive cologne). The only acceptable smells in a dojo/gym are that of Tiger Balm and the sweat that occurs during the training session (…and that peppermint foot sanitizer stuff too). Be sure to wash your gi/clothes between training sessions (always a good idea to keep more than one gi if you’re training regularly) and make sure you’ve washed your body and checked your breath before you start class. Make sure to clip your nails and remove any piercings/items of jewellery. And finally, the reason I was inspired to write this article…don’t do anything ridiculously unsanitary (such as biting your partner… you know who you are)!

Communication

If you remember only one point from this post, make it this one. Communicating with your partner is essential. Ask whether you’re providing enough resistance or using enough force. Similarly, if someone is going too hard on you or you have an injury – let them know! Communication is about more than just safety (though safety should be your number one concern), partnered training is an opportunity to learn from someone other than your instructor – make the most of it. Ask questions and offer advice (but don’t nag).

Developing a rapport with your partners is generally a good way to go. If you are comfortable with someone then you are more likely to enjoy training with them. Sometimes ‘friendly rivalries’ may develop – these can push you to work harder than you have previously, but don’t fall into the trap of training to beat one person. Use these rivalries as motivation to grow as a martial artist.

Enthusiasm

Don’t be a downer – no one wants to train with someone who looks like they’re not interested in what they’re doing. It is natural that certain aspects of training will be more appealing to you than others but it is important to participate with good spirit in every aspect (yes, even drilling techniques without any resistance is important).

Make sure to train regularly; attend every session you can and be punctual. Not only will this breed familiarity but it also builds discipline, which will help you train more efficiently – that is, if you are disciplined whilst training, your partner will feel compelled to match your level of commitment.

Etiquette & Equipment

Preserve dojo/gym etiquette. Etiquette is not just about imitating Japanese (or wherever else) traditions. At its most basic level, dojo etiquette can be considered part of class structure, for the sake of letting go of your ego and, to keep the class in order.

The man who rows the boat doesn’t have time to rock it.

~ Anonymous

On a deeper level, dojo etiquette is an outward expression of your awareness in the martial arts. By observing proper etiquette, you are demonstrating understanding of your relationships with other students/teachers and also with the martial nature of your training.

All martial arts carry with them a degree of risk. It is important to maintain the required safety standards of your class. However, make sure you are using the same or similar equipment to the rest of your class:

About six months back, I was at a local throwdown where I was pitted against a local TKD practitioner who was known for his terrible body conditioning. From the beginning of the fight, I used a lot of low leg kicks…but they barely fazed him. In fact, they hurt me! Checking my legs at the end of the fight, my shins had gone a funny shade of blue. I was terribly demoralised that this guy known for being an easy win had absolutely destroyed my legs…until I saw him remove a pair of footballers’ shin pads from under his tracksuit bottoms.

Now while you may be able to get away with that sort of thing in poorly regulated competitions like the one I had entered, it’s not something that’s done whilst training. I.e. if you have knee problems, wear knee supports – but don’t wear them because it makes your Closed Guard harder to pass; If your class trains using Pride mitts, which offer 2 inches of padding, don’t use MMA gloves that offer less. Be safe…but be fair.

When Drilling / Sparring / Rolling

Always use the appropriate amount of force. If you are just drilling with resistance, the appropriate amount of force/resistance is however much it takes to make your partner really work the technique, but not so much that your partner gasses himself/herself out on each rep (this of course doesn’t apply if you are Live Sparring / Rolling). Remember: Drills are to improve technique, not strength.

Do not put power into the form. Let power arise naturally from the form.

~ Old Tai Chi Proverb

When Live Sparring / Rolling, you should generally be going at 70-90% - going ‘all-out’ at 100% often leads to bad judgement and injuries as a result. Always maintain some degree of control as to what you (and if you can, your partner) are doing.

If you are sparring against someone weaker than you, your aim should be to elevate their game by using them as an opportunity to work on fundamentals. If you are sparring with someone much better than you, use it as a learning opportunity – they are providing a demonstration of how to put to practice what you’re learning.

A final point - Selfishness and bullies are easy to spot. Karma’s a b****; if you’re picking on the smaller / less experienced members of your club, sooner or later your seniors will give you a taste of it. If that’s not enough, think of it like this – if you break all available training partners, you’ll not be able to train. If you help them reach your level, you’ll get plenty of practice as well as find stronger challenges within your club.

Do unto others as you wish others to do unto you (…provided you’re not a masochist).

Sanchin-dachi: "Three Battles Stance"

2009-01-13T20:54:00.004+03:00

Sometimes referred to as the “pigeon-toed stance”, sanchin-dachi is a basic Karate stance. When I say ‘basic’, I mean it is a core stance in various styles of Karate that requires years of dedicated effort to truly become proficient in. Regarding its name, ‘Three Battles’ is commonly said to be referring to the unification of mind, body and soul though there are various other interpretations (such as the optimistic literal, ‘defence against 3 people’; or as the likely practical name of a sequence which uses 3 battle steps (in relation to its basic Kata format) – with the ‘steps’/“bu” removed).

A bit of an awkward looking stance (especially since many practitioners traditionally perform the Sanchin kata – also known as Peppuren – topless!), Sanchin in my understanding is all about condensing power; developing explosive force.

When in movement, we naturally create momentum (and as a result ‘force’) – punches in coordination with steps have the natural momentum generated by our bodies’ movements making them stronger. Sanchin-dachi is a stationary stance used to develop force without a reliance on bodyweight or momentum.

By forcing you to keep your body rooted, the stance reinforces the habit of coiling energy before you expel it as a punch. Power shifting using your hips is essential.

Key Points to Remember:

Relax, but drop your weight so you are rooted to the floor.
Your toes are turned in slightly (“pigeon-toed”).
Think of the arm action as the same movement as forcibly breaking a two-handed shoulder grab from the inside-out.
Tighten your muscles; pull your inner thighs towards each other in order to protect the groin and help coil power. Your entire body is tensed, punches are as if you are pushing through resistance – it’s meant to be very strenuous (nowadays, we call this an isometric exercise)!

Common Mistakes:

Unlike many basic Karate stances, Sanchin is not a deep stance – your feet are only shoulder width apart.
Don’t hold your breath! Controlling your breathing is a key aspect of the stance (and kata too).
Make sure to tense your muscles… but not so much that you enter cardiac arrest or have some sort of aneurism.

By the way, don’t be too surprised if your instructor happens to give you a slap, punch or kick while you’re in Sanchin. Given its physical structure, the stance protects many of your body’s weak areas and as such is often used for body conditioning.

My Nemesis: The Neck Crank

2009-01-08T15:00:00.007+03:00

A neck crank (or a ‘cervical lock’ for the pedantic amongst you) is a spinal lock applied to the cervical spine (your neck) by pushing, pulling or twisting it in a direction it doesn’t want to go. ‘Clickity clack’ is usually a sound associated with a successful neck crank and while in the grander scheme of things, only a small percentage of submissions are the result of a neck crank, they remain feared due to their potential to cause serious injury (…no explanation needed).

There are a wide variety of neck cranks in most martial arts and all are fairly dangerous. Most BJJ competitions forbid cranking the neck although it is still permitted in Judo, Wrestling and other grappling competitions. The technique is often used by beginners as well as advanced practitioners as its application can be as simple as the ‘Can Opener’ or more complex like the ‘Twister’ (otherwise known as the wrestlers’ Guillotine) or the Crucifix Neck Crank.

Here’s a video tutorial by Submissions 101 of the basic 'Can Opener' neck crank:

Key Points to Remember:

A fairly low percentage submission; consider using it to break someone’s guard.
Keep both your elbows tucked close to one another on your opponent’s chest.

Traditionally, the can opener has a relatively low success rate. In most instances, people use it to break someone’s Closed Guard. That said, it is remarkably simple to apply and I’ve been caught in it (usually when I’m stuck under someone’s Mount) more times than I care to mention (look at the title of this post to get an idea how the neck crank plagues me!)!

Below Bas Rutten demonstrates another neck crank from Side Control (technically, Scarf Control). A senior at my gym loves this move, and speaking from experience – it is ridiculously painful. An alternative counter to that explained by Bas in the video is to pull the knee of your free leg up by the side of your head and then kick it up and drop it in front of your opponent’s face/neck and push out (there’s a submission here if you angle yourself correctly).

MMA's Contribution to Martial Arts

2009-01-01T16:06:00.005+03:00

Following the rise of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), many Traditional Martial Arts fell under heavy scrutiny for their relative inability to prove their effectiveness in what is possibly the closest mainstream simulation to no-holds-barred street fighting. Early UFC events saw Royce Gracie (and the then relatively unknown art of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu) tapping out opponents from a variety of martial disciplines - many of whom had what were considered to be vastly superior physical attributes. Representatives of Karate, Kung Fu, Boxing, and Tae Kwon Do seemed to be outmatched by their grapple-savvy opponents 9/10 times.

As the rules of MMA evolved (became tamer so as to capitalise the main stage via the pay-per-view bandwagon), a new breed of fighters started to dominate - stand-up fighters who had branched out to complement their striking skills with an effective ground game (or at least enough of one, to sully the submission and positional dominance that the 'pure' submission artists had thus far possessed) but still, representatives from TMA styles continued to provide a poor performance (it is only recently that TMA-based fighters who have branched their skills are coming out on top – though little credit is given to most of their traditional base styles).

The weak performance by those alleged to be top level traditional martial artists in the UFC (coupled with the rising McDojo trends in the US and elsewhere) led to the development of a widespread belief that TMAs are outdated (at best! others claim they were useless from the start). But why? Could the mechanics of a punch or a kick really have changed that much in the last hundred years? In truth, techniques haven't changed (not to any significant degree anyways) - true, people don't have the same lifestyles, or wear armour as was done in the past, but this only serves to make TMAs more effective (no longer a protective barrier to work around/through).

The crux of the matter is this. The standard of martial arts training in the mainstream has fallen. Here are some of the factors leading to this:

'McDojos' which focus on turning a profit rather than actually teaching the student.
Unrealistic training - usually the fault of the instructor who doesn't bother to teach students how to apply their training.
Encouraged Laziness - many MA schools teach one hour classes, twice a week....progress is going to be VERY slow (moreso, if the students are not encouraged/forbid to train outside of class whether it be at a second club or solo) and this is nowhere near enough time to condition and train the body while also training techniques.
Unqualified Teachers - I've actually met Karate teachers who've had literally 2 weeks of training. No joke (Needless to say - not only do they provide poor instruction, they are also useless examples).

MMA has raised awareness in TMAs. Less than 15 years ago, McDojos were only really recognised by experienced martial artists/fighters - now a much wider audience is able to see the amount of hard work martial arts really require, and though many are still only interested in a quick black belt, many more realise that half-hearted training is little more than a rhythmic delusion. Royce Gracie put it quite nicely, "A belt only covers two inches of your ass, and the rest you need to back up on your own."

TMA practitioners are reminded of the need for realistic application and body conditioning as well as regular training routines. MMA reminds TMA that a black belt means only that, a black belt - if you want to defend yourself, if you want to fight... the colour of your belt will have little effect on anything. The only thing that will help you is training, not just repetition. Remember: Practice doesn't make perfect...Perfect practice makes perfect.

( Note: Depending on the art, there are many levels of black belt. A shodan - 1st degree - generally means that the student has become proficient with the basics of the art ...don't be fooled into thinking that black belts are necessarily all masters! I know I'm certainly not! )

PS: Happy New Year Everyone! :-)

The Difference Between MMA & Self Defence

2008-12-26T17:07:00.012+03:00

Not so long ago, terms such as 'Karate' or 'Kung Fu' were synonymous with self defence. Indeed a black belt was revered as a master of what appeared to be mystical arts showcasing inhuman feats of strength, aggression, and agility - maybe that's a slight exaggeration, but the belief that black belts could defend themselves to almost superhuman levels was fairly widespread.

The MMA scene reduced these superhumans to mere mortals wearing funny white pyjamas...some of these masters became laughing stocks for the world to see. People became hugely sceptical of the vast majority of Traditional Martial Arts (especially any 'Internal' Arts), which was only natural given the situation and frankly, a lack of public understanding regarding martial arts, sport combat, and self defence scenarios.

Though, I'm sure this issue must have by now been addressed in-depth by a plethora of knowledgeable martial artists more articulate than me, I'm going to explain the topic from my understanding. MMA fighters are immensely talented individuals; the sport is easily one of the most demanding of those commonly practiced in the world today. However, MMA (really, I mean Combat Sport in general) is not self defence training - MMA is a rule set.

The Basics

Let's start by examining the differences between ring fighting and a simple brawl. In my opinion the key difference is 'emotional content' (as phrased by Bruce Lee). While aggression and getting fired up is common in MMA, they are not akin to the anger and the intent as presented in a self defence situation. A MMA fight is not personal (in most cases!), self defence is nothing but personal - allow me to clarify at this point, a fight is not self defence; a fight (even just a drunken street fight) requires both (or more) parties to, at least subconsciously, agree to the confrontation.

Self defence revolves around survival - it is the necessary response to an attack of malicious intent. The victim (for lack of a more apt term) is not in the mental mindset to fight. As such, self defence isn't about winning, it's about not losing (...your life).

(Of course, I fully concur that what starts as self defence can easily develop into a fight, and that fight can then continue into an attack on the original attacker once the 'fight' is over. But I think the point at hand is clear...)

The devastating effects of a 'sucker punch' are well-known. World class fighters have been knocked unconscious by an unexpected punch before or after their fight - in many of these occasions, the so-called 'knockout punch' would hardly have phased the fighter during the course of the fight (probably because of the adrenaline dump powering him on) - a clear warning isn't always available in street encounters. This leads to the next factor, matchmaking.

All Combat Sports involve some form of preceding matchmaking. Matches are usually made according to weights and comparative abilities. For example, you would be matched against someone of around the same weight (5-10 lbs either way) and of a relatively comparable skill level in order to ensure the safety of fighters as well as in hopes of securing an exciting match. i.e. If I became an MMA competitor, I wouldn't have to ever worry about fighting Fedor unless he or I respectively lost or gained substantial weight (and I by some miracle was deemed to be worthy of the Fedor's fists).

Destiny/Luck (or lack thereof;) is what determines your opponent in a self defence situation (and to some extent in a 'standard' street fight/brawl) - you could be fighting a 'moronic meathead' (standard training dummy) or you could be positioned against a trained fighter on amphetamines.

Combat Sports prepare you to focus exclusively on your opponent and ignore any distractions occurring outside of the ring/octagon/mats etc -not a very helpful skill should any passerby/witness choose to join in the attack (scarily, this is a relatively common occurrance!). You are prepared to react only when you know an attack is coming; your guard is already up. Street situations do not allow for this luxury, which is why most traditional martial arts dedicate years to slowly cultivating a state of relaxed alertness, referred to as Zanshin ("remaining mind") in Japanese arts. Jean-Claude Van Damme famously positioned himself for a barrage of insults following his Franglais assertion, Je suis AWARE.

Of course, Zanshin isn't quite a Spidey Sense - it is simply a healthy awareness of one's surroundings developed through training different forms of kumite ("sparring") and other such exercises. It is not a trait exclusive to Japanese martial arts practitioners by any means; most seasoned bouncers and security personnel develop zanshin unconsciously whilst on-the-job.

Self defence (or street fights in general) do not involve any kind of regulations - the gloves are off (pardon the pun) and anything is legal. Biting, pinching, eye-gouging, hair pulling and striking to the groin are examples that scratch the surface of the attack possibilities present in a street fight than do not coincide with MMA training. I'm not suggesting that MMA fighters are unable to perform these techniques, I'm saying that such techniques may be less instinctive to an MMA fighter than to say, a Krav Maga expert (...that said, Krav Maga in my opinion, is one of those few styles that can easily result in the victim being given a longer prison sentence than the assailant).

Furthermore, there is no determined time limit to the fight. While most fights are believed to last between 90 and 180 seconds (longer when groups are involved), most self defence situations are resolved (for good or bad) within a minute.

Remember: A situation can end following a simple slip of the feet; there is no canvas ring/octagon - one could hit his head on the curb. Many deaths have occurred from falls in street fights.

Let's talk about equipment - most safety equipment used in combat sports is for the sake of both fighters. Wearing gloves reduce the risk of breaking your knuckles or hand-bone (in case the punch lands on your opponent's elbow or square on his forehead); gloves also provide support to the wrists which are known to buckle under impact or falls. When on the receiving end, gloves reduce the risk of being cut or breaking any facial bones; while increasing the chance of being knocked out - in fact, this was one of the primary reasons to introduce heavier gloves into boxing. Prior to this, many of the blows that now usually result in knockouts would more likely result in broken teeth, cheekbones, noses...but no knockout.

There is also a factor of the equipment not used in MMA - knives, guns, bats, bottles, chairs etc. Regardless of one's training, a weapon in the attacker's possession always complicates matters - relatively speaking, very few people (even those trained in weapon-based styles) would feel comfortable when the pointy end is facing them. Whilst many martial artists may have some experience training against weapons (or at the least, understand how the rules of a fight change completely when weapons are involved), pure Combat Sport fighters have no experience in such occurrences (unless they've looked into it personally).

Groundfighting in Self Defence

Groundfighting (while necessary to know...to an extent) is its own jar of sour pickles when it comes to self defence. For a start, on the ground you're vulnerable to damage from anything that's on the ground - if you're in a bar or club, this could involve broken bottles; or if you're on the roadside, this could be sharp rocks or sand getting kicked in your face.

Tackling multiple assailants whilst standing is an impressive feat - even if you're not able to beat them, you may be able to bump and shove them before making a dash (...you could always take a page out of Musashi's book and try fighting them in a doorway or narrow alley...though this is tenuous at best) - Doing it whilst on your back is a near impossibility (unless your assailants are completely and utterly incompetent...no, I mean more hapless than those guys from the Home Alone movies - what? it's Christmas, it's on TV all the time) - even Rickson Gracie made the clear point that if you roll with two guys that are determined to beat you, one way or another you're going to lose (I should point out here though, that he also stated that if you use BJJ correctly, in most self defences situations - you'll remain standing whilst your assailant is 'rolling'). Groundfighting is great on the mats, but realise that it is learnt only as a necessary precaution in self defence.

And I say the following out of pure speculation (but it makes some sense to me): If it is a female that has been attacked in what could be a potential rape situation, pulling the attacker into closed guard may only arouse him more - certainly, the arousal may be short-lived if the defender breaks his arm a moment later but, I imagine that short period of arousal against the woman's body may leave some emotional scarring that simply kicking your attacker in the balls and running away would not. ...Just speculation....This of course won't be true in many cases....

The Disclaimer

This is the part where I tell you that I have absolutely nothing but respect and admiration for Mixed Martial Arts and its practitioners. I'm not saying in any way that MMA isn't effective in self defence - in many ways, MMA practitioners are much more prepared for self defence situations than many so-called TMA artists. MMA practitioners tend to have higher levels of fitness and better body conditioning as well as being accustomed to the full contact nature of street encounters (though randori or jissen are often talked about, relatively few TMA schools really devote sufficient time to their training - though I hasten to add, this doesn't necessarily refer to no time limit, no-holds-barred-to-the-death-style training...but rather to training techniques in a variety of situations against a moderately resisting opponent who is able to counter and/or break attempts at attack).

I'm not interested in arguing which is better - that's really just a matter of personal opinion as to which discipline better fulfils your personal goals (the assumption of a linear comparison is not really well thought out anyways). Personally, I see relatively little difference between MMA and TMA - to me, MMA isn't really a style of martial arts but rather the utilisation of different aspects of TMAs to function under a rule set (I'm not too fond of these new guys who have no background in any one style/particular strength but are just 'okay' at everything...).

The major difference I find is that TMA's are not for fighting - they are primarily for self defence. As such, they both have extraordinarily different learning curves (that is, MMA can be learnt faster but will not help you as much when you get older; TMAs are much slower to learn but can still be very effectively utilised when you've passed your physical prime).

Fighting is an integral aspect to both disciplines, but for TMAs, it is something that follows self defence - it does not define 'self defence'. And that's really the message I'm trying to get across in this very long post. While Combat Sports can be very effective for self defence, their practices are not an example of self defence; there are other effective options available given that they are trained correctly.

The Heel Hook

2008-12-16T22:57:00.015+03:00

The Heel Hook is a leg lock technique affecting multiple joints, applied by transversal foot twist (rotating the heel). The rotation torques the joints (and ligaments) of the ankle and more so, those of the knee - the submission is simple to apply from a wide variety of positions. It's also one of few techniques used in Karate that translates seamlessly into the BJJ method of groundfighting.

Its versatility and effectiveness has made the heel hook popular with submission fighters from a variety of disciplines. However, the technique has a high risk of injury and has been banned in many competitions. Resulting injuries from a heel hook can be very severe and can quite literally end a fighter's career. Consequently, the submission is banned in a lot of clubs - be sure to find out whether you're allowed to use it at yours. Use the move with caution (if at all!). Here's a video of the inverted heel hook explained by Bas Rutten:

Key Points to Remember:

Lock your opponent's foot tight under your armpit (I find the Gable Grip is the best to use).
For maximum effect with the submission, be sure to twist your entire upper torso, not just turn your arms (though this is sometimes enough!).
Finally, remember this is an extraordinarily simple move - it can be applied from almost any position with relative ease.

Here are a few of my favourite transitions into the Heel Hook:

From the single-leg takedown.
While attempting to pass your opponent's guard.
From the basic X-Guard sweep (Toe-hold ankle lock works really well from here too).
As a counter to someone trying to get his butterfly hooks in (though this has a low success rate, it will frustrate people to no end!).

If you're ever caught in a heel hook, make sure to tap as soon as you feel it. The pain caused by the submission is relatively bearable until after you are already injured - at which point, you'll curse yourself for being born with legs. True story.

Using the heel hook is like selling your soul to the devil - the offer is incredibly alluring. Once you nail that submission and realise how easy and effective it is, you develop a thirst to go for it again and again. And by the time you realise how dangerous it can be - you have probably already hurt someone.

Personally, I often avoid using the heel hook as a submission - even though, it is one of my favourite and most natural-feeling techniques - I tend to just position myself to apply the submission without fully cranking the technique (just tightening your grip will result in a few submissions) before transitioning to something else.

Be sensible. Don't be a heel hook slut.

On a side note: If you want to see someone who was absolutely merciless (read: "showed absolutely no concern for his opponents' wellbeing") with the heel hook, here's a clip of Ken Shamrock in his glory days against Leon Dijk:

Kata In Karate

2008-12-15T22:08:00.028+03:00

Kata (in the context of Karate) can be loosely defined as pre-determined sequences of movements and techniques practiced alone or with a partner. They are commonly believed to simulate combat situations though beliefs of how and how well they simulate these situations vary from person to person.

Kata are widely considered an inherent part of karate training - to be complete as a karateka, you need to practice basics, kata and sparring (for those of you that read, 'The Triangle Hypothesis' - this is in similar fashion).

Most Karate styles incorporate kata as a fundamental aspect of their syllabus though different styles choose to adopt and teach different kata that tend to reflect the respective karate style (thus sometimes, kata is described as a style's "blueprint").

For example, while Shotokan kata are originally known to have derived from some older Shorin Ryu technique sets, the evolution of the style (in particular, the influence of the 1950s karate competition scene) has seen the kata place great value on aesthetic form - an indicator of this is that bunkai ("analysis") must be extracted and to an extent, moulded from the kata (which has lead to some questionable applications!). Ashihara kata, in stark contrast, appear to lack any aesthetic formality as each technique is akin to a stripped down application. Goju Ryu (in my limited experience of the style) provides a middle ground in which the traditional basic karate techniques are formatted in kata rooted in self defence applications - these kata appear to use more close quarter applications than those of the Shotokan and Ashihara styles (though, I suspect Hideyuki Ashihara's uncompleted 'Goshin no Kata' set (Self Defence Kata) intended to focus on close range encounters and techniques).

Kata are often discredited (especially in online forums!) due to misunderstandings - some of these perpetuated by poorly informed karateka. Recently, I read an article written by a Karate-sensei in a fairly well-known martial arts magazine which stated that kata should almost be considered a "dance" to help drill balance and basic techniques; and that kata would never really help in a realistic self-defence situation... funnily enough, this was this particular sensei's argument of why kata IS beneficial! I should point out that this same individual wrote that the main aims of traditional karate were life lessons/morality and good health - that self defence is not really a focus in the art! (The gentleman is of course, entitled to his opinion but I disagree - in my opinion, while personal development and fitness are an integrated part of the art, I feel that 'self defence' is the most central aspect of karate.)

While I agree wholeheartedly that kata on their own will probably not teach anyone how to defend themselves; I strongly believe that kata in appropriate conjunction with basics and sparring will serve only to enhance the practitioner. Basics teach you the techniques; Sparring allows you to apply your techniques; Kata present to you a 'roadmap' of how the techniques can be applied - 'premeditated shadow-boxing' if you will.

Can you learn to defend yourself without learning kata? Absolutely. Many arts do not utilise kata, but almost all arts encourage the practitioner to repeatedly practice pre-defined combinations/sequences or some form of shadow-boxing.

Benefits

The benefits of practicing kata can be considered three-tiered, depending upon one's experience with the art:

Beginners: Practicing kata is developing 'muscle memory' (this is why many kata require you to perform every technique from both sides) and learning to sequence basic techniques into combinations with the proper footwork.

Intermediates: Above + an introduction to 'fighting karate' - Bunkai within the kata introduces intermediates to more advanced karate principles and techniques such as throws and grapples.

Advanced: Provides samples of how karate can be effectively used in real situations; Allows karateka the opportunity to search for bunkai/application so as to deepen their own knowledge of karate techniques and combinations - this is the point where karate becomes a completely individual and unique art. It can be dynamic or rigid, a soft style or a hard style, dependent on the strengths and preferences of the karateka.

Suggested Exercises

Beginners: Practice your kata - it builds discipline (this is common sense, but sometimes common sense isn't very common!). Practice it at different speeds. Try it as fast as you can (but don't sacrifice technique or stance). Slow it down; tense your entire body with every technique you perform. And just for fun (not on a regular basis!), see what happens when you change your footwork - overstep, shorten steps etc ...learn why footwork is so stressed.

Intermediates: By now you should realise that kata is not just a sequence of moves and shouts. It is a physical textbook; with every technique, you are turning a page. The problem is that not enough people know how to read this physical textbook and instead treat it as a picture book –the vast amounts of knowledge in kata then become lost.

Bear in mind, all of this can be learnt without studying kata. There are always alternatives. Kata is just the chosen route of most karate systems as it acts as a pre-prepared manual for attack and defence based on the traditional karate systems - it is a memoir of sorts; charting the preferences of many of the early karate masters. This doesn't necessarily mean that every technique in kata will be perfect for you, but it is a great place to get started. Start treating kata as a reference, not a demonstration. (Zen-like analogies end here, promise.)

Practice your kata but with a twist. Start from Kamae (fighting stance). Perform every technique as you feel the application to it works. E.g. Age uki ('rising block' as shown in the illustration) might be a hair grab (using the straight preparation arm) followed by an elbow/forearm bash from the inside line (blocking arm).

If you feel stuck for variety, consider the following concept: 'Every time two parts of your body meet during the kata, there is strong potential for a grapple, sweep, or throw.' This exercise can even be done with a partner however, be sure not to stray away from the basic movements of the kata - form dictates function.

Advanced: ....you should be giving me tips and exercises.

At an advanced level, one can look at further studying kata in their historical contexts - perhaps the kata may have been designed to provide defence against armed assailants?; dissect why it is put together the way it is (and I don't mean in just a 'yay! let's prove the old masters right sort of way...look at it critically, use some logical judgement); examine popular examples of bunkai and see for yourself how they feel - after all, some interpretations may be.... 'poorly suited'. And finally, extract your own 'oyo bunkai' from the kata - and I really mean your own - not just something you think looks good/correct, but something you feel complements your individual style of karate - the technique's function dictates your form.

Socrates phrased it nicely: "To find yourself, think for yourself."

Half Guard: Old School Sweep

2008-12-11T20:29:00.012+03:00

The 'Old School' is a high percentage sweep from Half Guard, which is traditionally used following a successful Whip Up. It’s another technique popularised by Eddie Bravo, though he states in his book ‘Mastering the Rubber Guard’ that he’s heard of someone named ‘Gordo’ that had been using it successfully before him (“...since the dawn of time”).

The sweep is ideally performed using the momentum of the Whip Up – as you whip up to your side, weave your inside arm to latch onto your opponent's faraway foot around the toes. The Lockdown remains tight through to this point. Next, pulling his foot inwards towards you, release the Lockdown and slide around his body to establish Side Control (or if you’re quick, the Mount). Here is a video clip of the guys at Submissions 101 going through it during a class:

Key Points to Remember:

Keep the Lockdown held tight until you’ve grabbed your opponent’s foot and are transitioning into the sweep.
Make sure to keep your outside under hook – the grip is ideally just above your opponent’s hip.
Be sure to grab your opponent’s foot around his toes – not his ankle, or leg/trouser leg.
The Old School Sweep can be worked relatively easily against much larger opponents but only as long as you keep it tight! Work on keeping every part of your body as tight as possible to your opponent's whilst performing the sweep.

Should your opponent predict the sweep (as your training partners definitely will...eventually), it is likely that he/she will extend his/her leg preventing you from gripping the foot. In such a scenario, establishing a butterfly hook is pretty easy; you could also simply use the extra space to establish Full Guard.

Eddie Bravo’s 10^th Planet system actually lays out an intricate Half Guard game with a myriad of different options detailed in ‘Mastering the Rubber Guard’ – a book that I will no doubt review in due course!

Previous Step: The Whip Up

Half Guard: The Whip Up

2008-12-11T17:21:00.013+03:00

Once you establish the Lockdown with double under hooks, you have some options available (the most obvious of these is simply to stall in what is a solid hold on your opponent’s leg) but, to really capitalise on the Half Guard’s offensive potential, you will need to ‘Whip Up’ to your side.

The Whip Up is a deceptively simple looking move. Drill it over and over with your training partner holding you down as tightly as he can; only after the move starts to feel natural will it really be effective during rolls. Here is a video by the guys at Submissions 101 explaining the Whip Up in some detail:

Key Points to Remember:

Drill the technique thoroughly before you expect it to be effective.
Against much larger opponents, it can be extremely difficult to perform the Whip Up, especially if they are weighing down and/or have obtained neck control – focus on creating spaces and using your opponent’s momentum to your advantage.
In a situation where you are at risk of being punched/elbowed, always consider transitioning into a different position as your opponent postures up to begin striking e.g. Transition to X-Guard, or use the space to kick your opponent a safe distance away from you.
Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that a successful Whip Up is a successful technique – it is only a transition that allows you to capitalise on a wider variety of techniques that follow as a result of its success.

Previous Step: The Lockdown

Next Step: Old School Sweep

Championship Fighting: Explosive Punching & Aggressive Defense

2008-12-07T21:44:00.004+03:00

I had originally planned to write and post an article regarding Karate and Bunkai (Application) today but given that since last night, all I can think of is De La Hoya’s performance against Pacquiao, I’ll post a little something about boxing instead – not last night’s fight, that’s over (I’m actually a big fan of both boxers, but De La Hoya really failed to impress last night).

This is a review of Jack Dempsey’s ‘Championship Fighting: Explosive Punching & Aggressive Defence’. Jack “The Manassa Mauler” Dempsey is a boxing legend, known for his aggressive forward-moving style (similar to that of Joe Frazier and Mike Tyson –Tyson is known to have modelled himself after Dempsey, including shaving the sides of his head for fights) and one of my favourite all-time boxers; he was World Heavyweight Champion from 1919 to 1926.

The book, which as far as I know, is now out of print but is a great resource for any boxer (or fighter in general) looking to power up their punches. The information presented was written in mind for both ring boxing and bare knuckle fighting. This was a conscious decision by Dempsey who feels that trainers are forgetting that boxing at it's very core is about self defence - he asserts that too many young boxers are taught solely technical boxing whilst ignoring the importance of packing a powerful punch!

Another famous icon to draw on Dempsey’s knowledge was the legendary Bruce Lee – some study of both their books shows you the clear influence that Dempsey’s ‘vertical punch’ and ‘falling step’ had on Lee; furthermore, Lee’s counterpunching techniques used in the Jeet Kune Do system are heavily modelled after those that Dempsey describes in this book.

Aside from punching skills, the book goes over training, conditioning, defence, sparring and the proper way to watch a boxing match. It’s well-written and easy to read, providing some insights to Dempsey’s own thoughts regarding boxing.

The book can be quite difficult to get a hold of but the information presented in it is actually quite cutting edge (especially since it was published in 1950!)...except for the illustrations, the illustrations are charmingly 1950.

Here is a list of the book’s chapters:

1. Explosives at Toledo

2. Good and Bad Toledo Aftermaths

3. Punchers Are Made; Not Born

4. Why I Wrote This Book

5. Differences Between Fist-Fighting and Boxing

6. You're the Kayo Kid

7. What is a punch?

8. The Falling Step

9. The Power Line

10. Relaying and Exploding

11. Stance

12. Footwork

13. Range

14. Straight Punching from the Whirl

15. Purity in Punching

16. Hooking

17. Uppercuts

18. Punch Ranks First

19. Your Sparmate

20. General Defense and Blocking

21. Deflection

22. Evasion

23. Feinting and Drawing

24. Training

25. How to Watch a Fight

I’ve read that there is a pdf version of the book floating around the internet – so if you feel so inclined, give it a quick Google. It really is worth it.

The Triangle Hypothesis

2008-12-04T14:40:00.005+03:00

Over the last decade and a half, I've been fortunate to train under a variety of martial arts instructors - some well-known, others completely unknown. I've been especially fortunate since all of my instructors have been completely open to discussing their methods and techniques in a critical fashion (some instructors find it disrespectful to question how their technique works or why it may not work etc).

I learnt early on that while the views of effective individual techniques vary from person to person, all of my instructors agree on three basic physical facets that are required to progress in the martial arts. In fact, the vast majority of my instructors all used the same analogy to describe these three facets - The Triangle Hypothesis.

In their words, each corner of The Triangle represents one of these facets. There is Technique, Power, and Speed (bear in mind, that these are the basics, so aspects such as 'Flexibility' would fall under Technique, whilst 'Explosive Force' would fall under Power etc.).

Each facet is interconnected - Improving any one corner has the potential to improve any other corner (for example, if you improve your technique - power and speed are likely to increase as a result).

In order to grow as a martial artist, you have to make your triangle bigger. That is, you have to improve your Technique, Power, and Speed. Improving any one aspect will help you, but in the long-run, it may leave you unbalanced.

So why does everyone say that Technique is the most important of these three aspects? The reason is this: Technique is the base of your martial arts training. Speed and Power will help you progress tremendously, but in the long-term - speed and power will decline (more so for some than others) and there is only Technique that remains (included here, is Knowledge and Experience).

As a result of my own experience, I've humbly chosen to add 'C' to the centre of my Triangle. C stands for Cardio/Conditioning - I feel that this is crucial (also starts with a ‘C’....alliteration...nice.) because as you tire, your technique deteriorates, it becomes harder to generate power, and your body begins to slow down.

How you develop your own Triangle is up to you. No doubt, your instructors and training partners will have an impact on how you grow but ultimately, it is you who decides. Consider this whilst examining your goals in the martial arts. What kind of triangle is best suited to you and your goals?

(Interestingly enough, the Gracie family logo is also a Triangle - it may be a homage to the Triangle Choke, but I suspect it probably has something to do with what I've written above - correct me if I'm wrong though!)

Introduction to Half Guard: The Lockdown

2008-12-03T19:55:00.010+03:00

Half Guard is a very common position in BJJ, especially for beginners who have not yet developed a solid Closed Guard and as a result are often passed. The position itself is simply this: 'when you trap one of your opponent's legs between your own'.

Traditionally, the Half Guard was considered an inferior position in which you are one step away from having your entire guard passed. However, views on the position have changed considerably as more and more practitioners have shown the offensive potential associated with the position.

The Lockdown

The 'Lockdown' is a Half Guard position made popular in recent years by Eddie Bravo. Typically, the position leads to various sweeping options though it does offer some submission possibilities as well. It is also one of the tightest Half Guard techniques possible in my opinion - great for preventing your opponent from passing into Side Control or the Mount.

The technique itself is simple:

1) Step over and trap your opponent’s leg with your outside leg.

2) Hook your outside leg's foot into the pit of your inside leg's knee.

3) Hook your inside leg's foot under your opponent's leg.

Key Points to Remember:

You can stretch out the Lockdown to help break your opponent's posture.
Keep your opponent's posture broken down using over/under hooks (double under hooks to best utilise the Lockdown’s sweeps), otherwise you are open to an Indian Death Lock counter as well as a ground n pound when striking is permitted.
Squeeze your knees together to keep the position tight.

Common Mistakes:

There's no need to constantly stretch out the lockdown. True, it frustrates your opponent but it tires you out needlessly (since you're not gaining any ground) and makes the 'Whip Up' to your side a lot harder (Try holding and dialling your mobile phone using only one hand whilst keeping your fingers stretched out to see what I mean).
Don’t start camping - Keep your game active. If you feel pinned to the ground, try grinding your knuckles into your opponent’s ribs to make some space (but only just enough for you to turn on to your side and begin working sweeps/submissions!).

Half Guard is a position I'm very familiar with - it's a rare occurrence when I don't transition through Half Guard during a roll (I find it easier to escape to Half Guard when mounted than to sweep my opponent; it's also a lot more comfortable than trying to lock my full guard against someone with a big waist!). Though getting double under hooks came to me quickly, performing a successful Whip Up was a whole other story - I think I must have stalled using the Lockdown for a month before the Whip Up started working for me.

Whenever the Whip Up isn't working for me, I usually look towards establishing a butterfly hook or, (if there's enough space) transitioning back into full guard.

Don’t fall into the Lockdown campsite method – Keep active, there's good reason Half Guard was considered an inferior position for so long! Even if you feel pinned - do something... anything! Try switching from Lockdown to its calf-crushing (even though it’s traditionally an ankle lock) Judo cousin 'Ashi Kannuki' (just mirror the position of your legs - inside leg traps opponents leg etc).

Another problem that can occur is when someone diagonally mounts you from the half guard (as seen in the photo example). In this situation you can attempt a submission via Arm Triangle or, you can release the Lockdown, and revert to some basic BJJ bridging escapes (I find the latter to have a higher success rate).

Next Step: The Whip Up

Riz's Martial Arts Training

Planning for Environment

The Arm Drag

Thoughts on Ki

Fighting Fit – Cardio & Conditioning

The Rear Naked Choke

Grappling & Ground Fighting in Karate

Hello Japan!

Top 5 Martial Arts Documentary Series

Americana from Closed Guard

The Truth About Self Defence

The Achilles Ankle Lock & The Knee Bar

The Heart of Karate-Do

Toe Hold Ankle Lock

5 Keys to Being a Good Training Partner

Sanchin-dachi: "Three Battles Stance"

My Nemesis: The Neck Crank

MMA's Contribution to Martial Arts

The Difference Between MMA & Self Defence

The Heel Hook

Kata In Karate

Half Guard: Old School Sweep

Half Guard: The Whip Up

Championship Fighting: Explosive Punching & Aggressive Defense

The Triangle Hypothesis

Introduction to Half Guard: The Lockdown