So true. My comrades and I were experimenting with some of the techniques from the Army Combative (MACP) program ("Pass the guard with strikes (p4-57)"), and the tactic, after you immobilize the arm of the fighter who has you in his guard, you are supposed to deliver "a couple of head butts." [See photo below]. It struck me (haw!) that this was a stupid idea, unless the soldier inside the guard has a helmet on, and the soldier on the bottom does not.
Three points on this:
- Head butts can be effective. I have broken two and three concrete slabs at a time (see below) with my head. I have no doubt that if I were to use similar power and technique on an opponent, I'd knock him out or spread his nose all over his face.
- There is a very good chance that I'd be unable to continue the fight. I remember nearly stumbling after standing up from one of these breaks, and my girlfriend - now wife - forbid me from ever doing it again. I wised up after reading numerous articles on the damage that impact of that type can do. Read this post from last year for more good information.
- I hope the intent of the technique is to have a soldier wearing a helmet use this technique, but otherwise refrain from knocking himself out. I think we've all see NFL players ram their helmets into their opponents helmets after a good play to congratulate each other. But many of you may have also witnessed a Washington Redskins quarterback who had just scored a rushing touchdown ram his head (no helmet) into a retaining wall and knock himself out of the rest of a season! He did that because he was used to having a helmet on, and the way he reacted was the way he trained himself to react.
Conclusion, save your brain cells, and leave the head butts to the rams and goats!
1 comment:
I wouldn't go so far as to call headbutts a recipe for disaster. They can cause problems if done badly but, if done properly can be extremely effective, especially as a pre-emptive attack from the fence. See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKdZgeesw68 for an excellent example.
Geoff Thompson's 'Real Heads, Knees & Elbows' is an excellent resource as well.
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