Saturday, July 26, 2008

Put Some Stopping Power in Your Kicks

Hi All,
In the martial arts we use our bodies for weapons.
Hands for striking and grabbing along with elbows, fingers, knees, etc.
One of the most powerful weapons are our legs and feet, the legs have the largest muscles on our body, so they can deliver a very powerful strike if you know when and how to deliver them on to your opponent. I see in cage match's and other such fights the front kick used for a jab and round house kick to legs kick boxing style, these will really put the hurt on you . If someone is rushing at you need to stop them in their tracks. Use the front or side kick for this , you just need to put some concentrated power behind them. Also they have to hit where it hurts, solar plexus, abdomen, ribs and have to be timed so they hit them as they are rushing toward you, this increases the amount of energy in your kick.
A good drill to develop this is to swing an 80 lb. heavy bag so it is swinging back and forth.
Set yourself up with your kicking leg back and do a front kick, kicking with the ball of your foot as it comes toward you try to kick through the bag and knock it back.
Do this drill with front kicks and side kicks.
If you have a training partner have him hold a kick bag and move toward you, how fast is up to you, it's going to be a rude stop!!
This will build your reaction time and power.
Have fun !!
Peace, Jerry

Friday, July 4, 2008

Open Hand Defense Against A Weapon

At one time or another you or I could come up against someone who has picked up a weapon of some sorts. Could be a stick, tire iron, baseball bat, bottle, chain, any number of things that could be swung at us. The big mistake some people make is to try and fight the weapon, you always want to fight the person not the weapon. You don't want to use your body to block something that is harder than your body is. Using the right movements you can neutralize the weapon your opponent is swinging at you. You do this by moving past the weapon and attacking the opponent.
Here's a technique to show you that.

Opponent has a stick or some other weapon in his right hand, he is swinging it at your head in a circular moition. As he approaches and starts to swing it , you step on a 45 degree angle with your left foot and squat down into a full horse, you are going under the weapon. This movement will put you by the side of his right leg , now right roundhouse punch to his groin ,this will cause him to bend over, you are still squating , grab his right ankle at the back with your left hand and stand up this will drop him on his back, hold on to his ankle, turn right back at him ,this will put you standing between his legs and right stomp on his groin.

This is a simple technique and works very well, so you see you don't have to block or worry about the weapon. You evade the weapon, attack and take him down hard !!

Have a nice 4th of July !!
As my generation likes say : AMERICA, LOVE IT or LEAVE IT !!
Peace, Jerry