INFO

How to set up an entry into a clinch with a kick combination

by Thomas Kurz, co-author of Basic Instincts of Self-Defense and author of Stretching Scientifically, Secrets of Stretching, and Science of Sports Training.

With practice, this combination may become so devastating as to completely stop an attack.

Now the technique: The attacker faces you. With your foot jab the attacker's nearest knee. If the attacker leads with the right leg you will do the foot jab with your right foot. Hit the front of the attacker's knee with the ball of your foot. It does not have to be a snappy, crisp kick. A quick, strong push to the knee will do. Just put your foot quickly on the attacker's knee (so he or she does not evade) and push to lock the knee. With this push you may even manage to dislocate it.

As soon as your foot jab makes an impression, put that foot down on the ground and with your other leg kick the attacker's thigh. Depending on the distance and position, you can kick with your shin or with your knee. Kick the outside surface of the attacker's thigh approximately one hand width above the knee. This is where the nerves cutaneous femoris lateralis and femoralis (rami cutanei anteriores) run. Another way to learn the location of this spot is to stand upright and extend your arm along the side of your thigh. The spot will be at the tip of your middle finger.

Do not retract your leg after the impactfollow through. This kick will paralyze the attacker's leg and spin the attacker away from you. A powerful kick to that spot makes one feel like throwing up.

To develop power in the shin kick, practice on a heavy bag suspended low or on a shield held by a partner beside his or her leading leg. The shield must be thick enough to protect your partner. Kick for maximum impact and follow through with enough power to spin or turn your partner.

Eye stab

by Thomas Kurz, co-author of Basic Instincts of Self-Defense and author of Stretching Scientifically, Secrets of Stretching, and Science of Sports Training.

Some situations can be solved by stabbing an attacker's eyes with your fingers.

The hand formation that we show is different than those typically taught by most karate systems. In those other systems either the index finger alone, as Ippon-nukite (one-finger piercing hand), strikes an eye, or the index finger strikes one eye while the middle finger strikes the other eye as in Nihon-nukite (two-finger piercing hand). If you strike with such a hand and miss or are blocked, you are in big trouble. You can have sprained, twisted fingers and you will not be able to make a fist.

To avoid these problems we use the hand formation taught in Atemi Waza of Judo Kodokan. In this hand formation eyes are struck with the tips of the middle finger and the ring finger. The middle finger is braced by the index finger and the ring finger is braced by the little finger. All fingers are slightly bent inward (toward the palm of the hand). To learn this hand formation, just put your hand on the table with all your fingers together. Then, with your other hand, spread its middle and ring fingers. Try to keep your fingers from coming back together. Then try to spread them using the muscles of your hand while helping yourself with the other hand. Do it several times, each time with less help from the other hand.

Rear over-the-arms bear hug

by Thomas Kurz, co-author of Basic Instincts of Self-Defense and author of Stretching Scientifically, Secrets of Stretching, and Science of Sports Training.

An intelligent attacker, if he or she decides to grab you in a rear over-the-arms bear hug, will grab you at or below your elbows. Grabbing your arms this way immobilizes them nearly completely and does not let you use them to protect your rib cage. Also, the low grab makes it easy for the attacker to lift you up and then slam you down.

Your first concern, when you feel such a grab, is to protect your bottom ribs from being squashed and also to make sure that you are not lifted up.

You can achieve both these objectives with one movewedging your arms deeper into the attacker's holding arms while simultaneously squatting down. Unless the attacker is tremendously strong this action alone may separate his or her hands. Only after you have spoiled your attacker's initial attack can you think about getting out of the grab. This can be done by a rolling throw (makikomi) or in some other way. But most important to your survival is that first basic, instinctive reaction.