Fight Geek's fault!
Brilliant. This was inspired by Fight Geek completely unnecessary A-Team reference on a forum - this is my way of getting him back!
What I'm referring to in the title is the new Convocation of Combat Arts, comprised of the best martial arts bloggers on the planet, and me, too. We're getting ready for the public launch of the site, a combined forum, social networking mishmash, and weird grouping of bloggers and their readers. More shortly.
On this day (October 30), in 1974, one of the greatest fights in boxing history took place. The "Rumble in the Jungle."
The combatants, George Foreman, and Muhammad Ali had been on a collision course for several years. Foreman, a huge heavyweight (for the time), was seemingly unbeatable, and Ali, it seemed, was a shot fighter. This was the heyday, no golden era of heavyweight boxing. In combat sports, boxing was king. MMA was known by other names and hidden in the confines of Brazil, or, for you purists, outside the competitive arena. No other athlete capture the imagination of a young boy like the "strongest man in the world," the heavyweight champion. In those days, long since gone, there was still a unified, linear title of the big man's division that had been unbroken for over a hundred years.
The chain was weak and unsteady, to be sure, since Ali had been forced to relinquish his throne for his stance on serving in the military during the era of the Vietnam buildup and the draft. For his impertinence, "the Greatest" was forced to sit on the sidelines during the peak of his skills and watch as one after another of his contemporaries occupied his throne.
Along came George Foreman, the product of a tough upbringing on the streets, and brushes with the law, who was saved by the sport of boxing. He channeled his massive size and strength into the sport of boxing, probably saving himself from death or imprisonment, and won Olympic glory and a gold medal, then climbed the ranks of heavyweights destroying almost everyone in his path. At a professional record of 32-0, almost all knockouts, he battered the great Joe Frazier, undisputed heavyweight champ, for two rounds, knocking him down five times, then out on his sixth trip to the canvas. Watch.
In 1970, after serving a three-year suspension, Ali attempted to come back and regain what had been taken from him, a loss not suffered in the ring, but in the politics of the time. The comeback was derailed by none other than the same Joe Frazier in 1971, forcing Ali to work his way up again, until he finally defeated Frazier in their rematch, setting up a bout with the champ, big George Foreman.
The pre-fight storyline probably matched any spectacle before, or since, in terms of hype. The fight was the first promotion of ex-con, and convicted murderer Don King, and was held in the kingdom of Zaire in Africa. In the days of Afros and dashikis, Black Pride and the Black Panthers, each tried to outdo the others in his embrace of all things African, but the Africans only embraced Ali. Foreman, a reclusive introvert didn't connect with the crowds and masses that the fighters attracted in the buildup, but Ali, being Ali, soaked it up. There were rumors and furors about rumors of different happenings leading up to the fight, but the matchmakers had Ali as a heavy underdog, and few gave him a chance against the unbeatable power of Foreman.
The fight itself was probably more shocking than anything else in boxing since the young Cassius Clay had shocked the world by beating the destroyer, Sonny Liston. Ali, in the first round, tried his signature moving and boxing, but was overwhelmed by the power of Foreman, and thereafter adopted what was to be his new trademark tactic, the "rope-a-dope," laying on the top ropes of the ring, covering up, but slipping and leaning to avoid ever taking a hard shot. Foreman, for his part, tried throwing everything he had at the dormant and passive Ali, pounding body and head shots to a man who rarely punched back. Until...
After several rounds of missing and swinging with everything he had, Foreman slowed, and his punches had little steam. Finally, in the eighth round... Watch.
It was the beginning of the second half of Ali's career, but would mark the real end of his "move like a butterfly, sting like a bee" beginnings, and he would employ the rope tactic for much of the remainder of his career. Foreman, on the other hand, was shocked and demoralized, and was never the same fighter, losing to men he would have dominated before, then retiring after a tough fight against Jimmy Young, he experienced a vision, and went into ministry.
To me, that fight, along with a few others from the era, represented a peak for the sport of boxing. It was epic in the stories surrounding it, the times in which it was set, and the unlikely victory of Ali.
See also:
ESPN, Rumble in the Jungle: Part I
TDA The Frazier Left Hook Unleashed
TDA A good big man...
TDA Legends, a nice collage - video
TDA Everything will work sometime
TDA Freak knockout!
Great video, and very good training for multiple attackers. Notice the defender's constant lateral movement, keeping everyone in front of him, conservative kicks and strikes, and use of his hands.
Much more on on this subject at TDA Training - see the Multiple Attackers category.
This is completely unrelated to martial arts - no advice, just good reading. - Nathan
The Cab Ride I'll Never Forget
by Kent NerburnTwenty years ago, I drove a cab for a living. One time I arrived in the middle of the night for a pick up at a building that was dark except for a single light in a ground floor window. Under these circumstances, many drivers would just honk once or twice, wait a minute, then drive away. But I had seen too many impoverished people who depended on taxis as their only means of transportation. Unless a situation smelled of danger, I always went to the door. This passenger might be someone who needs my assistance, I reasoned to myself.
So I walked to the door and knocked. "Just a minute," answered a frail, elderly voice. I could hear something being dragged across the floor. After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in her 80's stood before me. She was wearing a print dress and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned on it, like somebody out of a 1940s movie. By her side was a small nylon suitcase. The apartment looked as if no one had lived in it for years. All the furniture was covered with sheets. There were no clocks on the walls, no knickknacks or utensils on the counters. In the corner was a cardboard box filled with photos and glassware.
"Would you carry my bag out to the car?" she said. I took the suitcase to the cab, then returned to assist the woman. She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the curb. She kept thanking me for my kindness.
"It's nothing," I told her. "I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother treated."
"Oh, you're such a good boy," she said. When we got in the cab, she gave me an address, then asked, "Could you drive through downtown?"
"It's not the shortest way," I answered quickly.
"Oh, I don't mind," she said. "I'm in no hurry. I'm on my way to a hospice."
I looked in the rear view mirror. Her eyes were glistening.
Read the rest here. It's worth it...
OK, not so serious, but this is a lighthearted video from Scott at Weakness With a Twist on the application of the "single whip." The production quality leaves something to be desired, even by my low standards (see the TDA Training Video category for examples), but it illustrates the effectiveness of the seemingly esoteric Tai Chi techniques you've probably seen at the rec center. I like the "play ground" reference, too!
When I was running my own schools, I allowed a Cambodian Tai Chi instructor to use a location during off hours, and learned first-hand about the combat effectiveness of the "internal" martial art (IMA) of Tai Chi. I'd had some very brief exposure to it, but discounted it as theoretical nonsense. A discerning viewer will pick up the practical moves in the video above. If you have a chance, head over to Weakness, Dojo Rat, and Formosa Neijia for more on IMA.
[Repost from October '05]
Mike convinces me to stick with the fundamentals.
A straight line is the shortest distance between two points, which is why Mike's counter (he's on the right) worked.
Normally, the lead-off fighter has a big advantage, because it's quicker to act than to react. However, a straight technique can intercept a hooking, or curved one, and gives the counter-fighter the advantage.
Nice job, Mike.
The Convocation of Combat Arts is moving. If you want to be invited to be a member of the new forum, please email me (tdatraining at gmail dot com), or just wait for the new link and announcement.
It's going to be good. Very good. I'm talking better than average. Seriously!
[Update, October 26, 2008] I have invited all the member from the old Convocation to the new one. A few more kinks to work out, then we'll start promoting the new site. We have a healthy 7 members now (as compared to 70 members at the old)!
I have added the Google Talk chatback feature to TDA Training, the Best of the Martial Arts. Right now, you can see what my online status is, and if you like, chat with me to ask me a question, make a suggestion, or yell at me about the Dallas Cowboys and my hex on them. Heh. Check it out on the sidebar. I will be moving it around as I figure out where to put it, but leave it at the top of our sidebar for now.
According to the Google Talkabout blog
Google Talk feature that lets visitors to your web site chat with you. We call it "chatback" because instead of you doing all the talking on your blog, your visitors can talk back to you. Sure, they could leave comments, but those are public and hard to use for a real conversation. With chatback, it's a real instant message session.
To use chatback, you must have a Google Talk account ... but your visitors don't have to [Emphasis mine - Ed.]! They don't even need to have an email address, or to have ever used instant messaging.
When they visit your site, they'll see a badge like the one on the right showing your online status (available, busy, offline) and, if you're available, they can just click and start chatting. Chatback uses the web-based Google Talk Gadget so your visitors don't need to download anything. It opens in a new window so they can keep chatting with you even if they browse to other pages.
So check it out, try it, and let's see how it goes!
Nathan
Back from the brink, TDA Training is back. We're looking to set a new traffic record here, thanks to you, our voracious readers. Thanks are due, and the check's in the mail! Just kidding about the check. I have, as you can probably tell, rediscovered my love of writing for you, and so begins this weeks TDA Blitz!
place, from a high of 98 to a low of 7 during the same period, so I know how hard that is. What's more, the post quality is always high, and there's something interesting for everyone, whether you're in Aikido, Judo, or just like bad martial arts movie dialogue. Head over and congratulate him in his comments.Have a great weekend, and enjoy your training!
At this point, the fact of the matter is that it doesn't matter whether all of the facts in this story are true (it has yet to be fully investigated), what matters is that we all realize that:
UPDATE: If you are going to reply to this post with a comment attacking someone across the political aisle, don't expect to get approved. I won't have this site be used in that manner. Read the post, think, then respond if you like.
UPDATE, Friday, 10/24/08: Turns out to be a hoax. To which I say, please apply point #6 above. Anyone who makes a false report like that needs to be prosecuted. It doesn't invalidate the points made above, it reinforces them.
At a news conference this afternoon, officials said they believe that Todd's injuries were self-inflicted.
Police investigating the report said Todd's story began to unravel early on and they administered a polygraph test.Investigators asked Todd to return to the police station today for more questioning and to help them release a composite sketch of the suspect.
When she did, police say she admitted that she made the whole thing up and that it snowballed out of control.
Todd told investigators today that she "just wanted to tell the truth" – adding that she was neither robbed, nor attacked.
Our thanks to all who refer to TDA Training, the Best of the Martial Arts! [Sorry, couldn't help plugging my own site] On to the list (last 30 days):
David Bellavia's House to House: A Soldier's Memoir
trade paperback at an airport book store. For those of you who've read it, please wait until I post to comment, and don't tell me what happens in the end! For those who haven't, I'll give you my opinion, for what it's worth. I've was a voracious reader of military history since childhood, and the desire to read it has never been sated. I've worked my way from the Old Testament through Greek, Japanese, Korean, and Roman warfare, from Celtic conflicts to the Vietnam war, and now Iraq. My interest in firsthand accounts of this war is that it's still ongoing, and seems to represent a different kind of war.
House to House is author Bellavia's personal account of his before, during, and after the battle of Fallujah in November, 2004. For us armchair warriors, it gives a first-hand look at what occurred at the front of the assault, and the aftermath. Bellavia kicked in doors, killed insurgents, and won his personal battles while leading his men into, then out of hell on earth.
From the beginning of the conflict, for us during the [first Iraq war] to today's "mopping up" and winning of the peace, the Iraq War has ranged from diplomatic jousting, to military conflict, then civil war, then insurgency. We have learned a lot of hard lessons in the conflict, lost many good men and women, and are only now seeing that light of peace and stability at the end of the tunnel.
To me, it places us in the gap, no, straddling the divide between hi-tech warfare and the same type of hand-to-hand warfare that we've waged since the turn of the century. I know that we have the finest technology and training in the world, but, when it came down to it, this war was won on the ground, by infantry. Same way almost all other wars have been won and lost. One step at a time, street by street, and house to house.
Stay tuned for more posts as I read and reflect. Feel very free to comment on these posts, especially those who've served in our nation's defense and interests there. I realize that it's a political hot-button for some, and I welcome all comments that comply with our comments policy. If you are simply insulting and/or can't make a point, I reserve the right to reject your comment. We all have a viewpoint on this war, but let's not lose sight of the human component - that of our armed forces, our Iraqi friends, and the families of those who are serving there today, or have served. Please respect them all when sharing.
Photo Credit: davidbellavia.com
I just downloaded the new Picasa 3, free photo management software from Google. If you use photos in blogging, or just have lots of family pics, this is a great tool for automatically organizing, improving, and publishing your pictures. Watch.
I was preparing another side kick post, when I happened on Colin Wee's excellent, Won-hyo: The Taekwondo Side Kick, and this nugget, "Blade or heel of the foot? ...Typically I kick with the blade of the foot - but lately, with suspected joint inflammation/arthritis developing in one of my hip joints, I've opted to reduce as much torque on the hips as possible. So I've been experimenting with focusing power into the heel and adding a little more 'snap' in the leg extension - so the lower leg travels faster. This seems to increase power and keep my joints happy."
Great post there, please head over and read it all. Couple of points:
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — The Pentagon announced Tuesday it dropped war-crimes charges against five Guantanamo Bay detainees after the former prosecutor for all cases complained that the military was withholding evidence helpful to the defense.
I'd bet that the prosecutors are withholding that evidence which would be very helpful to those terrorists in the field. Better to drop charges against these individuals than endanger men and women in the field or other ongoing operations. At any rate, if they are innocent, then it's just as well. Things like this show the need to prosecute the war as a war, not a criminal justice endeavor. National security matters have no place in a courtroom, military or civilian.
Old footage, allegedly of Russian Spetsnaz (special forces). Hilarious warm-up at the beginning, not to make them mad...
Includes some pretty effective looking training with everything from rifles to pistols, clubs, to empty-hand. They have been in "MMA" training for many years with Sambo.
Formosa Nejia has a very good post attempting to dispel the "The myth of independent arm movement," which is that Chinese Internal Martial Arts (IMA) are superior because of the "rooting" that they emphasize as fundamentals. In other words, they derive force from the base of their stance and using the core and hips to deliver their transfer of power into the target.
The author correctly notes that, "No good boxer, MMA fighter, or karate guy is going to punch with his arm only. It’s just crazy. Where do people get these ideas?"
From what I have seen, bad internal martial artist use more arm strength or disjointed body mechanics, and thus are weak, but good ones use superior mechanics that come from driving up from the ground. This is actually true of ALL martial arts and martial sports (or any sport, for that matter) not using projectile weapons.
Of all techniques I know, only the eye jab doesn't require that coordination and "rooted" delivery to which the IMA stylists are referring. In other words, as my brother used to say (when he was a service writer), "parts is parts!" Fighting is fighting, good technique is good technique!
So there.
Ok, now you IMAs can tear me apart in the comments. :-)
Photo credit: Wikipedia
Great find by fightclub.team.pro, a great aggregator of interesting martial arts video. This may shock some of you, but it's a pretty good example of the speed and surprise of a serious knife attack.
Teachable moments?
I remember watching footage of a robbery attempt where a single, armed mugger accosted three men in an apartment 
doorway with a drawn handgun. One of the three men made a grab for the knife, and at least two of the victims was shot, with the attacker running away after the shots were fired. He didn't want to shoot them, he wanted their money, and they would've been wise to give it to him. I believe that your life isn't worth the money in your wallet or my wallet, and so, where possible, give it up. If someone wants your life, thought, that's a different story, and you need to resist with everything you've got.
One critique of the video: These are realistic murderous knife attack scenarios, but not realistic armed robbery role-plays - there's a difference. A robber would want the money, and would brandish the weapon, not try to use it. In other words, the threat is more important because he wants to get away quickly and without a lot of trouble. These scenes are scripted as surprise murder attempts, and are thus more difficult to handle. A robber may use the knife if you resist, but you've got more of a chance there.
The first part of this next video is the best. The defense techniques here aren't necessarily the best, but the instructor's talk at the beginning and the scenario at the end are worth watching.
Regardless, however, if you plan on resisting a knife wielding attacker, even an untrained one, you'd better plan on getting cut or stabbed because of the nature of the weapon. The shock from a cut or stab may incapacitate you quickly, and a stab in a critical area may induce immediate shock or death. Serious stuff. In other words, only fight versus a knife attacker if you believe you life is in imminent danger.
For more information:
TDA Bringing a gun to a knife fight?
TDA It could happen anytime - real knife attack
TDA Rush a gun; Run from a knife
TDA Unarmed Knife Defense Video
TDA Reexamining Modern Knife Instruction - WR Mann
TDA If an attacker pulls a knife...
SIMPLE KNIFE DEFENSE
Defend University Disengage Safely from the Fight
Defend University The Most Dangerous Opponent: Dealing with the Sudden Attack
Also known as the Jab-Cross, or Jab-Straight Right, I believe that the 1-2 is the best single punching combination in the known universe for humans. Delivering maximum power at the optimum long punching range, it is the simplest setup and finish in orthodox Western Boxing. It's also common to almost everyone, even untrained fighters, and thus every fighter or martial artist should drill against it, even if it's not "traditional."
The best targets (with a fist):
Chin: There are probably more knockouts in boxing and MMA with a straight or cross to the point of the chin than almost all others combined. That's why one of the first lessons in Muay Thai, Boxing, or MMA, is to protect your chin by lowering it into your torso and keeping your hands up, and in the way.
Nose: It have less effect on a trained fighter, especially if he's had a broken nose before, but for self-defense, one of the easiest and best targets is the nose. Using the straight right, cross, or palm heel at the same angle, the nose being struck results in plenty of blood, mucus, and tears from the victim. It prevents him from seeing well, and invokes a nice feeling of nausea and dizziness in the best of us. My first boxing smoker was stopped because of getting hit in the nose, though I was giving my victim a beating (I also had a kickboxing match later that weekend). I've also been stunned by my kids jumping up to me as I reached down to give them hugs. I had to sit down and just suffer. Very effective.
Temple: Many a quick knockout has resulted from this punch. Often a glancing blow with a cross to the side of the head results in a KO.
Brachial Plexus: A collection of nerves on the side of the neck make this a great target for a stunning punch. Not for any situation but life-threatening self-defense situations, this target will take down almost everyone.
A few examples of the 1-2:
Tips for making the 1-2 effective:
For more information:
Photo Credit: National Geographic Fight Science
Since May (and I signed up for Google Analytics per Pat's advice), the Top 10 Posts at TDA Training:
Not sure why we became such a boxing-centric site, but here's a clue as to the direction we're heading: more MMA technique analysis (with an emphasis on self-defense), more DT and Combatives information, airsoft tactical information, and stuff. I say stuff, because I'm just going to post what interests me, usually with a martial arts slant, but sometimes not.
Look for more instructional material, too. Our Instructional Category is chock full of information (currently just over 100 posts!) that's step-by-step, many times with video, on how to perform a technique or tactic. I have always found analysis of video to be one of the best training methods, so will utilize that medium as much as possible. Also check out the TDA Training Video category for our video material. I may be trying out a new host for that, and will update at that time.
Make sure you don't miss anything by subscribing to our feed here, or you can get an email with our full posts by subscribing to our updates email list here.
Finally, if you have a suggestion or request for information, please email me at TDATraining AT Gmail.com, or just comment on something you like. I would like to entertain questions with posts giving my perspective.
Thanks again for reading TDA Training!
There is a growing trend among politicians and the media who have bought into the idea that there is this mysterious “gun show loophole” that must be illegal, immoral and dangerous just because of the name, right? This term is misleading and strives to make a perfectly legal and normal practice sound shady and wrong.
As I walked the long trek from my car to the front door I saw several folks engaging in open, above board transactions to buy, sell or trade firearms. This is not illegal. You can do it any where, not just a gun show. There just happens to be more of them at gun shows because that is where lots of people with guns to sell or trade congregate. We could all get together in a town square and sell each other guns and there would be nothing illegal about it. Why all the fuss then?
As I walked, I looked at the massive number of cars that were clogging the parking lot. I know for a fact that these cars kill far more people every year than guns do. Yet no one is calling for a ban on person to person car sales. There is no movement to ban high capacity vehicles (buses) or “assault cars” favored by criminals to carry out their nefarious crimes (’87 chevapontacadibuicks).
Why then is there such a fear of person to person firearms sales. I think it is because it SCARES some people. You, yes I mean you reading this right now. You scare the pants off of some folks with your guns and your independent attitude. How is the government going to take care of us all if you go and take care of yourself? It’s just not fair.
- Cowtown Cop in You Scare People, You Really Do...
At Dojo Rat. I like the technique, but think there's an unusual amount of attention paid to the keg of beer. Those guys 
have some unusual, but effective training methods! Click either pic to head over and watch!
Where our readers come from (top 10 countries):
| Country/Territory | Percent |
| United States | 68.2% |
| United Kingdom | 9.4% |
| Canada | 7.6% |
| Australia | 4.7% |
| Finland | 2.8% |
| Philippines | 1.8% |
| Germany | 1.6% |
| Netherlands | 1.4% |
| France | 1.2% |
| Ireland | 1.1% |
What does this mean? Should I work harder to get readers from Antarctica? Considering my Filipino roots, should I work harder to get them to read.
At any rate, thanks to everyone who reads TDA.
Our post, Repost: Why do we get hit, has prompted a complimentary post by MarksTraining.com, Guarding When Kicking. He raises some very good points.
A lot of times when people throw kicks, there arms suddenly drop down, allowing for a successful counter to be made from the opponent which could result in a knockout. Against a beginner you may be able to get away with it, but an advanced fighter will see this flaw in your game and shall eventually start using it against you.
Although the arms are used to create momentum for a more powerful kick the option is always there to leave at least one hand high covering the face area, defending any counter.
He's right, of course. You do need to counterbalance kicks, especially high ones, but every time you're on one leg, you eliminate the possibility of slipping or evading counterstrikes or takedown attempts. Your only protection has to be your guard position.
For further examples of this, check out Video: Kicks versus Punches handicap, and another at Todays TDA Tip: Handicap Sparring Key to Improvement.
This weekend we went to a neighboring state and finally experienced the local shopping Mecca, of which our neighbors had been speaking since we moved into the area. It was ridiculous, and had a massive craft and fabric store - of which I will never hear the end! While there, I was told by locals that there's stretch where it's 25 MPH, and "you'd better do 25, not 26, or you'll get a ticket." He went on to tell me he'd been written up for 27 in a 25, and that it cost him.
My opinion on the law and enforcement thereof is colored by having worked (in a non-sworn capacity) with many officers whose opinions I greatly respect. One said that law enforcement is there to enforce the law, where needed, but also to persuade with good judgement, those who need a little nudging to the right side of the law. In other words, use good sense, especially in enforcing traffic ordinances. Warnings should be liberally given, except in cases where it make more sense to cite. Otherwise the impression of the public (me, in this case) will be that the money and not public safety are what's important.
There are obvious examples of areas where zero-tolerance makes sense, such as school zones where children may be present, or in dense residential neighborhoods (like apartment complexes), but those have wide support and obvious public benefits. In other cases, motorists, in many cases are actually paying attention to traffic conditions rather that noticing exceeding the speed limit by one or two miles-per-hour. In those areas, speed awareness devices like that pictured make a lot of sense and build public awareness.
I think speed traps give the cops and the community a bad name. I will avoid that shopping area, despite the cool craft store...
I thought you'd appreciate some of these shirts as much as I did.
Go check out more at the site. Beware, some are mildly NSFW!
[Disclosure: TDA Training nor the author has accepted any monies for the promotion of these products, but is open to such persuasion!]
[Bob, that last one's for you!]
[Nathan- Originally posted in July of '04, the timing counter is one of my favorite types. It can only be used if you're already certain of how the opponent throws a strike. That knowledge will enable you to beat them to the punch (stop-hit), or make them miss, thus getting out of position. Try it, you'll like it!]
TIMING Counter: Dropping a right hand over a lazy lead. This will work if the lead-off fighter throws an uncommitted jab, or drops it on the way out (when retracting the punch). Remember, the best defense really is a good offense. If you commit fully to an offensive technique, and your tactic is sound, the counter-fighter will be forced to defend the technique-creating openings-rather than counter. This will only work with commitment. In this case, the counter fighter also has used a draw by keeping the lead hand low to leave the head vulnerable-drawing the lazy jab. Nice.
Happy Friday! Crazy week. We've seen the Dow plummet, Kimbo get exposed, and TDA Training come back from the grave! Here's the goings on I thought you'd like to hear about!
Virgil Richardson fondly remembered the .30-caliber M1 Garand rifle he carried during his time as a soldier during the Korean War. He even still had the weapon's serial number. Using that number, Jim Richardson went online and found the firearm at a Kentucky gun broker.
"I couldn't even talk when he gave it to me," Virgil Richardson told The Flint Journal. "It didn't even have to be the same gun to be important to me."
Read it!
Have a great weekend, and train hard!
But in self-defense, seizing can be the beginning of many things. You could seize and throw. You could seize and push or pull. You could seize and execute a locking technique. You could seize and choke. And, very importantly in Karate, you can do all or any of the above, plus you can seize and strike, poke, tear, rip, stomp, dislocate joints, break bones, poke vulnerable areas, etc. And you could always seize something... like the testicles. A handful of testicles will usually get an attacker's undivided attention (and there are other body parts you could seize with equal or even greater effect).
The point is that grappling -- seizing -- is not simply a matter of grabbing and throwing. In fact, in my experience, the strongest strikes are done when you have already seized and put your attacker into a weak position.
For example, if someone punches at you, you could block or avoid the punch and counter by punching him on the nose (just an example). That might work.
Charles C. Goodin, Grappling -- Not Just Throws
I just got a comment on a post from earlier this year, Weapons first or last?, which brought up the subject of use of deadly force in home invasions. Specifically, whether you should use that force in response to the invasion. The comment:
Although I appreciate your focus on prevention in the latter part of the post. I have to disagree with your shoot to kill advice. There are laws that govern use of force, when it is appropriate to escalate etc. Your readers should be warned that escalating force without LEGAL justification can result in charges leading to conviction. If you were to fatally injure an unarmed intruder in your home, you would find yourself being charged with far worse a crime than your aggressor.I believe there is even a major motion picture about a situation similar to this titled "Felon".
During my recent time with a retired police officer (see Real-life Pit Bull Encounter) was home invasion, which is defined as, "burglary of a dwelling while the residents are at home." I've had several posts on what type of response you should have, or how you should prepare for the possibility of home invasion.
As we compared notes on burglary (I don't remember why the subject came up), the gist of our conversation was that true home invasion is actually pretty rare. Most are accidental - burglaries where someone isn't supposed to be home. For example, a home is usually burglarized when the residents are known to be away, or during the day. During those times, if someone is at home, it's likely that the burglar will attempt to flee, because he's after your property, not you, and wants to get away, not hang around.
The most frequent cases of intentional home invasion may be where the invader is an acquaintance (or relative) or former partner ( or spouse) of the resident, and intends harm to said resident, usually murder, rape, or robbery. In other words, someone breaks into your home because they know you are there, and want to harm or harass you while you are present.
Take the Sean Taylor case. The NFL star was known by the invaders (one was formerly employed at the home), were not supposed to be in the home (it was during the NFL season), and they were armed, though didn't plan to harm the family. This was a situation where Taylor's presence in his own home precipitated a crime going from a property crime (burglary), to a violent crime (murder).
The point of this post is to make the distinction between the types of crime, and how serious it is if someone actually breaks in while you are there. If that happens, the invaders probably mean you harm, and protecting you and your family is your responsibility.
In context, the original post (Weapons first or last?) was addressing whether one should use firearms against a home intruder. My point was that, "weapons should always be your first resort, not the last. My reasoning is that, if faced with an unknown threat, especially an intruder that is so bold as to invade an occupied home, you should assume a deadly threat to your family." My position, after assuming that all other steps are taken to make the home a hard target, and assuming the invaders probably know that you are home and are coming in anyway, you are justified in using a weapon. The commenter is correct that use of deadly force may constitute a crime if not justified. I will clarify my opinion:
Consult with legal authorities in your state. Is that clear enough? Comments are welcomed.
For more information:
Crime Doctor (for great tips and information)
TDA Weapons first or last?
TDA Equalizer saves the day
TDA "...he was just standing there with a gun pointed at my face"
TDA Bringing a gun to a knife fight?
FBI Uniform Crime Reports
Civilian Gun Self-Defense Blog (for examples of use of force situations)
Google News (news stories)
Wikipedia
Those of you who've trained in Filipino martial arts (FMA) may recognize some of the techniques. Ditto for you traditional Ju-Jitsu or Aikido folks. Interesting material. LEOs should also note that their ASP training comes directly from FMA.
Any observations you'd like to share?
There's been an unusual focus here at TDA on boxing lately. Have you noticed that? I keep getting egged on by my friends to write more on it, and it never stops. To put an end to the madness, I am bringing in a real expert, John Sculley! Check out this great article on Saddoboxing.com. Some excerpts:
JAB: A boxer having no jab is like a basketball player not being able to dribble. The Jab is the MOST IMPORTANT PUNCH in a boxers arsenal. A boxer not having a good jab is like a basketball player not being able to dribble. What good is having a great jump shot or being able to slam dunk if you can't dribble? It's like trying to build a house and you try to construct the attic first. You have to start from the ground and work your way up. The jab is starting at the ground and you can't complete yourself as a boxer (your house) without building a good and solid jab first...
I'd have to agree - from a sport perspective, the jab is critical. In MMA, it's underutilized (see the jab section of this post), leading to folks being hit when they shouldn't be (on offense), and hit when they should be (on defense). It's a great tool to opening up a defense when you have time to build combinations. When you're fighting an untrained opponent, it's not as important to jab, but to close the gap and use powerful straight punches (including the jab on occasion) and have a good outside guard, as you're more likely to take shots from the outside angles. In self-defense, military, and law enforcement applications, you have to do anything you can to gain control of the situation and de-escalate or finish the situation quickly (sometimes both). Therefore, the jab is a tool for the non-sport situation, but only one of many, as building up points and wearing down an opponent are less critical than staying alive or quickly defeating the opponent by taking the situation outside of his range or area of expertise. See the early days of the Gracie Challenge for an example of this: none of their challengers seemed to prepare by even learning to defeat the single/double-leg takedown, so the Gracies were able to change the situation from being comfortable for their opponents (kicking and punching range) to uncomfortable (groundfighting). Use the jab, when you are able, as the Gracies used the shoot, but don't try to base your fighting style on it because outside of the ring, you don't control the range or rules!
HOOK: ... In my opinion, the best time to throw the hook is when it follows your right cross (as in the traditional combination of jab, right hand, left hook). Throwing the right hand will and SHOULD put you in perfect position to let the left hook go. You want to turn your body in a snapping motion. Think of your left hook (or right hook if you are a southpaw) as a piston in an engine. You want it to snap out in that manner. In terms of the left hook to the body think of Micky Ward and his famous double hook (my favorite combination. Hook to the head first and then down to the body). Bend your knees when you want to really dig a body shot. Bend your knees and get down low enough so that you are almost looking right at the part of the body that you want to hit. Roll up with your punches. Picture the angle that it would take to push a mans bottom rib, down by his waist, up towards his throat. Roll up into the lower rib cage with that in mind. For the record, I would say that two of the most vicious -and yet underrated body punchers of all time are both Sugar Ray Leonard and Tommy Hearns. Watch them both to see vicious, two handed body work.
I love the vicious language here, because I can relate ("Picture the angle that it would take to push a mans bottom rib, down by his waist, up towards his throat." Heh!), and I love the hook punch (uh, giving it, not receiving!). Read the rest of the article for great information and the perspective of someone who's a boxing fan. I will later post more information on where I deviate from orthodox boxing doctrine, primarily for reasons of practicality - will it work to save your life, will it work versus the untrained, will it work versus a skilled streetfighter? Those are more important to many of us than will it will a decision in the ring.
Please read the whole article for more on the Straight Right, the Uppercut, Combinations, and great tactical advice on using those techniques in the ring along with practical advice for training for the same. Read it!
For more information:
Amazon.com: House to House: A Soldier's Memoir: David Bellavia, John Bruning: Books