Today's Quote - Max Baer

"(I define fear as) standing across the ring from Joe Louis and knowing he wants to go home early."  - Max Baer

Thank Our WWII Heroes

I bought a truck today, and while in the showroom, met an elderly gentleman who couldn't really see. He briefly explained that he'd lost his right eye in WWII early in the fight as a young lieutenant, then gradually the use of the other eye. He went on to tell my wife and I that he'd gone on to earn his masters and doctorate, and had worked until the early '80's. I spoke with him a few minutes, thanked him for his service to our country, then bade him farewell with a touch on the arm, and "God bless you." Please take time out to recognize and thank veterans of any age, but especially WWII - they won't be around much longer...

Should boxing championship bouts be 15 rounds

Once upon a time, all championship bouts were 15 rounds. Why did it change? What difference does it make? Do you care? This Ringside Report essay answers all but the last. Read it!

New Link: Martial Views

New York Isshin-Ryu practitioner John Vesia has a great blog called Martial Views that I've added to Links. Please check it out.

Freak knockout!

No, no one put my lights out, so drop that line of thinking. A high school football player was knocked out by, "a nearly empty plastic sports-drink bottle." See what happened was that, "a teammate nonchalantly tossed" a Gatorate bottle over his shoulder. The bottle struck McMonigle in the forehead, above his eye." The story goes on to mention how amazed the thrower was that such a light blow would have such an impact.

This brings up the subject of "freak knockouts." Anyone who has been in combat sports for a while, including kickboxing, MMA, boxing, TKD, or even point fighting, has seen some things which amazed them. I've seen some "taps" have such have effects which, even now, seem weirdly disproportionate to the force applied. Heavyweight legend Muhammad Ali was accused of cheating in his second bout with Sonny Liston when Liston, considered one of the toughest men in boxing, was floored by a such a seemingly light blow that foul play was immediately suspected. Press-savvy Ali soon dubbed it his "anchor punch." What's amazing is that the knockout still inspires debate today. To see it for yourself, click this link

I bring this up because, despite the amazement of the player throwing the plastic bottle, we have no idea what will happen when we hit someone. I have read that strikes "on the street" are notoriously unpredictable, and remember reading a book by Loren Christensen where he said that the same punch which floored a massive opponent one day wouldn't cause another man to even blink. Now, with the grappling trend, we have more dependable, predictable techniques with which to control or subdue an opponent, making them perfect for law enforcement.

Another point is that where you strike has as much importance as how hard, if not more. I love the eyes, throat, and groin for quick, effective strikes, in that order. For less lethal stuns or knockouts, aim for the nose, chin, temple, vagus nerve, solar plexus, bladder, knees, and femoral artery. There are many more. Work on it...

Hat tip: The Obscure Store and Reading Room

Tags: self-defense, striking, mma, knockout, targets, sparring

UPDATE: To reinforce these points, please read this LeBlog post and watch the linked knockout clip on YouTube.

John Lott on the money - Self-Defense Sense

Read some of the recent posts (on resisting, criminalizing gun ownership, and weapon retention) by DefendU's Self Defense Sense blog on professor John Lott's research, and notice the trend - countries that criminalize handgun ownership notice a substantial (to put it mildly) increase in violent crime. It only makes sense that if you disarm the weakest and most law-abiding, those who prey on them can do so with impunity.

Take the recent school shootings as an example of the idiocy of laws criminalizing gun possession on school property. I remember having a rifle team at my high school in the '80's. Not that long ago (watch it!). That would be unthinkable today, but someone coming onto a school with evil intent doesn't have much to worry about. I like the idea of the Israelis having an automatic weapon in every classroom. After they started that, the massacres of their students by terrorists stopped.

Another example of this type of the insanity of trying to use laws to protect people: retraining orders. After a woman is killed by her (usually) ex-boyfriend or estranged husband, we hear about the scandal that a restraining order was denied or something, as if that would've stopped the killer, who usually takes his own life. Stupid.

Protect yourself by any means necessary to save yourself and loved ones.

Should've Stayed in the Car

OK, let's all read this story together and figure out what could've been done differently.

Teenage gang attack young driver
TEENAGER suffered a broken nose, a black eye and cuts to his face in an attack by a gang of youths.

Chris Roullier, of Lonsdale Road, Stevenage, was on his way to collect his girlfriend's mother from bingo in his car when the incident took place.

Mr Roullier, 17, had slowed down to turn the corner at the end of Ridgeway, Stevenage, when a youth stepped out into the road and blocked his access.

He said: "There were about 12 teenagers on the pavement and one of them came out into the road.

"I sounded my horn and he didn't move. He knocked my wing mirror off.

"This startled me and I am not usually a nervous person.

"I stepped out of the car and confronted the teenager.

"It was then that I was set upon by four or five of the gang who broke my nose, cut my face and blacked my eye.

"The quick assault lost me my designer glasses and caused me to hit my head on the road surface.
"My girlfriend was screaming from the passenger seat throughout the incident.

"As soon as I hit the floor the youths scattered and I got back into the car and escaped a very threatening situation."

He added: "I have never been in any trouble before and the attack was totally unprovoked.

"My girlfriend is petrified to go to the end of her own street now but I don't want to be intimidated by them."

What's also interesting is that the article claims that the police didn't have the time to even take a report for over twenty hours, so you need to protect yourself.
Comments welcome. What would you do differently? Any advice for other readers?

Tags: self-defense, gang, attack, assault

Flip-Flops Not In Style or for Kung Fu Fightin'

Read this hilarious FoxNews.com story about whether "Real Men" wear flip-flops. Money quote, “I'm always baffled at what makes men think women will be attracted to them in a two-for-$10 pair of Wal-Mart flip-flops,” he said. “No one wants to look at a man's dirty, hairy, nasty toes. And whenever you see a man wearing flip-flops, 90 percent are not groomed toes — that probably hurt the cause of flip-flops more than anything else.” The story focuses on the supposed backlash against the "metrosexual" fashion staple of wearing the cheap footwear.

For those of us concerned with martial preparedness, however, it brings up another point, namely, you can't fight in them. The problem with any footwear that a) doesn't stay on your feet, and b) doesn't provide any traction is that you can plant, push off, or shift your weight for a technique. Also, try running away while wearing them without falling on your face! I'd bet that even if you're running away from a slower assailant, you'd get caught.

I just want my readers to stay cool!

Tags: self-defense, flip-flops

Self-Defense Sense on "Furtive Movements"

Read this important post by Self-Defense Sense on identifying and dealing with someone drawing a weapon or preparing an attack, and how to deal with these situations.

Priceless and sad...

This is too much. Hat tip to LeBlog. George always finds the best stuff. He had a recent crash and wasn't able to recover all his posts, but keep coming back - he posts several times a week (sometimes several a day), and it's always good!

Today's TDA Tip: Creative combinations

I was going over some of these with Daniel the weekend before last, and thought I'd share them. These can work in a self-defense context, or, with some modification in boxing or sport-karate. Check out these ideas (in no particular order):

1. Lead inside knifehand, rear outside knifehand: Use the lead hand and throw a back-hand style knifehand high toward the temple, side of the neck, or collarbone, followed by a rear hand power strike with a knifehand toward the target that opens up. The key to this, as with all leads is to commit with the first technique enough so that it requires a defense. The defense ALWAYS opens up another target. In this case, the fact that you are striking from the same angle may throw off the defender, as most combinations with different limbs are thrown to different targets. Try it.


2. Rear-hand uppercut, then down hammerfist (same hand): This works because most people rarely (if ever) thrown a downward hammer or backfist, and it comes from the same side, but an opposite direction.


3. Lead hook, then ridgehand: Here you use the lead hook punch to the side of the neck, bounce it off the target or the guard, then whip a ridgehand to the same side. If the opponent leans or steps back, the greater range of the ridgehand will connect with maximum power, as your opponent has moved into the optimal distance for the ridgehand.


4. Always, always, always, finish with the lead hand. By practicing finishing all combinations with the lead hand or leg, you put yourself back in your base defensive position, and you will be able to defend the counter.

Enjoy!

P. S. If you have others, please email or comment and share them Links are welcome and I will update this post with them. Thanks!

Tags: self-defense, combinations, boxing, sport, karate

Handgun disarm - Double hands from the front

Here is another disarm. In this case, the armed subject is in the front with the handgun aimed at the head or chest, gripping the weapon with both hands. As always, DO NOT practice this with a loaded weapon!

Pull the trigger...

I was speaking with a former sheriff's deputy recently, and he related the story of another deputy whom he almost buried. From what I gather, his friend had drawn down on a 16 year-old subject, and couldn't pull the trigger when the kid had a pistol pointed at his face. He hesitated and the kid fired, hitting him once in the body, and then shot him point-blank in the face. He survived, but the incident shook up my friend so much that he left his volunteer position.

It turned out that the youth had a criminal history including violent offenses (including a shooting). I wonder if knowing that would have made a difference.

This is relevant to us because most of you are reading this blog for the same reason you may have started training: self-defense. If you draw a weapon, or even carry, you'd best be prepared to use it. It seems that many people are carrying folders (clip-on knives) on their persons, and they are clearly visible. Many here in Virginia and other states are now able to carry concealed handguns, but I wonder how many are ready and willing to pull the trigger...

Pro Linebacker Merriman's MA Cross-Training

San Diego's sensational rookie linebacker Shawne Merriman uses both boxing and muay Thai to fine tune in the offseason. Makes sense since football's combative intervals closely mimic the type of intense bursts involved in combat sports. Read it.