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BASIC
POWER After a
tournament, we go back to working hard on basics and fundamentals. Some of the
very techniques used to score points in tournaments are of little or no use in
the street. Two of note are uarken (the back fist), and front mawashi
(roundhouse) anywhere above the groin area. I'm sure there are some who could
generate enough power to use them, but the opponent better not be charging you
at the time. The back fist is a nice stinger, but it is useless against an
aggressive charge. If you don't believe it, do some pancration. You'll get eaten
up using them. I favor anything that generates thrusting power. The optimum
thing here is, how do you follow up to protect yourself after you have made a
power move. A power move that utilizes the rear arm or leg brings you into full
contact with your opponent; opposed to the slashing in an out moves with the
front arm or leg. Hopefully the power move, if done correctly, will take care of
the problem and follow up will be unnecessary; But, don't always count on it.
I'm talking about real street fighting here, not kumite. This is where your
Ju-jitsu/ grappling, cross training, comes in to play. For this reason my
description of how to execute the following techniques are based mainly on
street survival. They can however and should be used in kumite; but because they
come from the rear, they are going to be slower than your front point scorers
and first, not best contact, almost always gets the point. Here-in lies another
interesting tournament tradition. A crushing blow to the body is a good point. A
tap to the face is supposed to be a penalty point. I've seen someone crumple to
the floor from a good body shot and a point is given. Hey I’m down for that.
On the other hand, someone's "wittle eye" is watering and there is a
dis-q. Question: is breaking someone's ribs or bruising their sternum better
than breaking a nose or blacking an eye? I don't think so. I've had plenty of
each and I prefer the nose and eye anytime. Oh well I, don't make the rules I
just try to abide by them . . . most of the time. Well tournament talk is for
another article.
Bruce Lee told
me, "when all else fails, there is nothing better than an American right
cross. "I have found that to be the best advice I’ve ever received.
Nothing short of a bullet so effectively stops an opponent in his tracks. As my
foot and hand speed diminishes with the passing of time, it has become my stock
and trade. The one great equalizer to superior speed and strength is the punch.
The art of using the persons weight and momentum against them by catching them
coming in. Basically I set myself in a mildly exaggerated zen stance. As the
power must come off your rear leg, I get a little more thrust in this stance.
Mobility isn't the key here; you're looking for stability. They are coming to
you. I keep my right (rear) hip locked and my left shoulder locked in also. My
left shoulder being locked to the middle helps my right shoot straight without
any looping motion. This is a critical part as generating power necessitates
straight-lining - point to point. It's your fastball, not your curve. My chin is
tucked toward my chest to keep my head motionless and allow my eyes to stay
riveted on my target. This is important because while punching, people have a
tendency to jerk their heads, close their eyes, blink, or just look off the
target. Any of these causes that split second loss of target reference and the
dreaded miss. I learned early playing baseball how important it was to keep your
head still while swinging the bat. It translates to the same for hitting a
moving head with a hand. I also don't want to lead with my head. Most people do.
When they start to throw a punch they throw it like a pitcher throws a ball; the
head proceeds arm. Locking your right hip will keep your weight on your back leg
and keep your head in alignment, not in the bucket (in front of you). You can
still get the torque in your hips to generate the velocity you need. This
alignment and position also prepares you for the grabbing, and tussling or
falling in to you an opponent might do after you have hit him. You must always
be prepared for what comes next. This I can teach effectively to any student as
the beginning or the end to any confrontation. In sparring (kumite) it can
always be your trump card. I enjoy the give and take of kumite but when the
going gets rough I go to the hammer. I would not recommend anything that I
haven't tried myself, although my black belts now swarm all over me, there is
not one of them that hasn't been dropped by the hammer. It is sweet!!!
I take the
same stance that I do with the punch except I open up my right hip to eliminate
having to position myself or show any movement prior to the kick. I make sure
that I bring my knee around diagonally to the floor not parallel. The reason is
simple. If the opponent is charging and jams me before I can extend, my knee (hiza)
then becomes the weapon. If I am taken down my knee is in a position to protect
me from a top mount by using it as a hold off or slipping it to the guard
position. In the street that kick goes to any target from knee to mid thigh as a
strike or sweep. There is argument for targeting the kidney or ab area but there
are better options available and more sensitive areas to strike. For kumite, I
recommend the power mawashi in three situations. One: when your opponent is
doing a lot of circling. If you are kicking with your right leg, you opponent
must be circling to your right with the front of his body as a target. Two: when
your opponent is a north and south fighter. This means that they fight straight
in and straight back. When they are doing a lot of running backwards, you can
use it as your second attack technique for extra reach and secondary location.
Three: This is called a message technique. In any ring there are do's and
don'ts. Whether dojo, or tournament, some are intentional, some are lack of
attention to mutual safety. For these occasions I recommend a power mawashi to
the back, in the kidney area. It is almost impossible to defend and will regain
your opponents favorable attention. If not continue the process until dialysis
becomes necessary. That's ring justice. The unwritten rule is, I will only hit
you as hard as you are hitting me. But always remember, "dancing is a
contact sport, Karate is a hitting sport." In the street the afore
mentioned rules don't apply. There are no rules. In the words of Al Davis,
Oakland raider Owner, "They must go down and they must go down hard".
"Just win Baby win. " Denny Shaffer, Ku-Dan |
