Fight Ending Strikes!

Last week we looked at fight distance. The short version of last week’s article is that the farther away they are the better! When they must step in to attack it give you that extra fraction of a second you need to see what’s coming at you and react.

An attacker at distance become a lot more like what we commonly train for in the dojo. Once again this is where we want them if at all possible. We keep the distance to improve reaction time AND to force them to fully commit to the attack. But there are times where maintaining distance just is not possible.

==>DevastatingStrikes<==

When attacked at short range our response needs to be simple (short movements), direct and powerful. It must stop or redirect their attack and hurt or disorient the attacker allowing you to apply a finishing technique(s). If we are very lucky our reaction to their attack will stop of finish them without the need for anything else.

In the attached video I show some very powerful response techniques that have a high percentage chance of ending the encounter right away. Even if they don’t drop them they will put you in a very good position to execute another technique or simply gain space or get out of there to a safe spot.

==>DevastatingStrikes<==

Have a look at my stance and hand position, it does a few very important things:

1.  It looks non-aggressive, hopefully to help lower the tension of the situation.
2. Anyone looking on instantly knows that I’m not the one starting the fight which may be very important later.
3.  It lulls the attacker into thinking I do not know how to fight.
4. I’m actually in a fighting stance but the aggressor isn’t likely to notice.
5. My hands are up and ready to react, to block, strike, make space, whatever I need.
6. I have the inside line. As my have are up and in front, any attack is far more likely to be a hook than a straight punch, making my reaction time even better.

It may seem like a good idea to strike a bad ass fighting stance but displaying the “Attack me and I will F—K you up!” stance may not be your best bet. Remember the best self-defence is to not NEED to defend yourself in the first place.

As always is you are looking for more great videos or to learn the wonderful art of jiu-jitsu please check out our web site at www.learn-jiu-jitsu-online.com. There you will our distance education program so you can learn jiu-jitsu anywhere at your own pace.

If you would like to repost this blog article or the videos with in you may do so but must include the following credit "The above information / video has been provide by Koketsu Kai - Tiger's Den Jiu-jitsu and Grappling and is used with their permission, www.tigersdenjiu-jitsu.com, www.learn-jiu-jitsu-online.com"

Cheers,

Jamie Rickard (Sensei)

Head Instructor

Koketsu Kai - Tiger's Den Jiu-jitsu and Grappling

Located at:

The Academy of Martial Arts

851 Princess Street

Kingston, Ontario

www.tigersdenjiu-jitsu.com

www.learn-jiu-jitsu-online.com

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Fight Distance...Too Close!

Lets take a look at fight distance.

In most martial arts we practice our techniques in "kata" form. A per arranged set of techniques chained together. While most of us know that karate has katas we don't really think  of jiu-jitsu having katas but it does. Anything that has a preset series of attacks and counters is in essence a kata. Now some of you grapples / BJJ people are saying right now, "We don't have kata we drill!"... but you do! Drill is just another term for kata. While they may not be a long and as involved as a karate kata, they are kata none the less.

This kata style of training is great for the learning of techniques but can lack the realism of proper fight distance. This is OK for general training but we DO need to think about fight distance and practice it a bit to understand the affects it has on your self defence.

==>Fight Distance<==

Lets look at our options for fight distance below, and I have ranked them from best to worst:

1. Far - your attacker needs to take a full step forward to be able to hit you.
2. Moderate - your attacker needs to take a shuffle or half step forward to be able to hit you.
3. Close - your attacker is at arms reach and can reach you with a punch.
4. Very close - Your attacker is half way between close and extreme.
5. Extremely close (Chest to chest) - you and the other person are chest to chest with no space between you.

It's no surprise that 1 and 2 are the best for self defence. These distances are what we typically practice in our kata / drills. This is where we want to be is at all possible as it gives us the most reaction time.

Not 3, 4 and 5 are not where we want to be if we can at all avoid it. Now 3 and 4 are not too bad IF the fight has not all ready started BUT you never ever want to have somebody chest to chest with you (ie in your face). There just is NO reaction time at this stage.

In the video below I talk about how to maintain at least a level 4 distance, I also look at body language and hand position in a way that can help you avoid a fight rather than escalate it.

==>Fight Distance<==

Now that you have thought a bit about distance it's time to practice your techniques at various distances. This will give you a good idea what techniques work at what distances and what don't.

Next week we will look at in close strikes. These are fight enders!


As always is you are looking for more great videos or to learn the wonderful art of jiu-jitsu please check out our web site at www.learn-jiu-jitsu-online.com. There you will our distance education program so you can learn jiu-jitsu anywhere at your own pace.

If you would like to repost this blog article or the videos with in you may do so but must include the following credit "The above information / video has been provide by Koketsu Kai - Tiger's Den Jiu-jitsu and Grappling and is used with their permission, www.tigersdenjiu-jitsu.com, www.learn-jiu-jitsu-online.com"

Cheers,

Jamie Rickard (Sensei)

Head Instructor

Koketsu Kai - Tiger's Den Jiu-jitsu and Grappling

Located at:

The Academy of Martial Arts

851 Princess Street

Kingston, Ontario

www.tigersdenjiu-jitsu.com

www.learn-jiu-jitsu-online.com

Our Google +Page

Our Facebook Group

Our Facebook Page

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Oops that didn't work... well how about this?

Today lets look at the straight arm lock.

Many style of jiu-jitsu will have something similar and even grapplers may see some similarities with the ground game.

==>Straight Arm Lock Follow up Techniques<==

So your attacker grabs your wrist to pull your arm and punch you... BUT you grab their wrist and go to apply a straight arm lock. Now the problem is they are the cautious type and as soon as you go for the straight arm lock they pull their arm away!

Now at this point you have three options;

1. Panic!
2. Freeze up
3. CONTINUE YOUR COUNTER ATTACK.

I have said if before and will say it again, if you haven't through about and practised it you have no chance of doing it when it counts.

So what can we do from here? Well if you have done the first part of the straight arm lock properly, and not stepped in front of the attacker, you are now 45 degrees or so to them. If you have stepped in front and given them your back, well... your going to get punched in the back of the head. Here are some options.

1. Strikes (hit brings the head down and a strike to the back of the head or neck)
2. Knee (a nice follow up after the strikes)
3. Chokes (strike to the groin brings their head down, hit to the front of the throat, apply choke)
4. Throws (front scissor, body drop... there are many that will work from here but make sure you strike them first)
5. Take them into a ground control (remember to strike first)

Play with the different techniques you know see what feels natural to you. Just remember that you need to keep them hurt or off balance at all times (preferably both hurt AND off balance!)

==>Straight Arm Lock Follow up Techniques<==

As always is you are looking for more great videos or to learn the wonderful art of jiu-jitsu please check out our web site at www.learn-jiu-jitsu-online.com. There you will our distance education program so you can learn jiu-jitsu anywhere at your own pace.

Cheers,

Jamie Rickard (Sensei)

Head Instructor

Koketsu Kai - Tiger's Den Jiu-jitsu and Grappling

Located at:

The Academy of Martial Arts

851 Princess Street

Kingston, Ontario

www.tigersdenjiu-jitsu.com

www.learn-jiu-jitsu-online.com

Our Google +Page

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Breaking the Gorilla's Grip

Today lets look at a technique to break the grip of those huge guys with arms like a gorilla.

The technique I show in the video below is a sport grappling technique and not self defence technique. This is mainly because in a fight it would be much easer to break their by hitting in the groin and putting a thumb in their eye. This type of behaviour does tend to get you disqualified in a grappling match however.

==>Breaking Their Grip<==

So you have worked your way carefully into a good armbar or juji gatame but the other guy counters by clasping their hands together. Now there are many, many ways to break a grip, but if the guy has arms like a gorilla and wrists of iron some may not be that easy to pull off.

With today's technique we are able to pin them to the mat, distract them with pressure to the head and neck and then use our whole body to apply pressure to break their grip.

Always remember that jiu-jitsu no matter the style is all about timing, leverage and the ability to bring the strength of your entire body against only one aspect of your opponents.

I hope you enjoy the video!

==>Breaking Their Grip<==

As always is you are looking for more great videos or to learn the wonderful art of jiu-jitsu please check out our web site at www.learn-jiu-jitsu-online.com. There you will our distance education program so you can learn jiu-jitsu anywhere at your own pace.

Cheers,

Jamie Rickard (Sensei)

Head Instructor

Koketsu Kai - Tiger's Den Jiu-jitsu and Grappling

Located at:

The Academy of Martial Arts

851 Princess Street

Kingston, Ontario

www.tigersdenjiu-jitsu.com

www.learn-jiu-jitsu-online.com

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Shark bait!

In some of the more sport oriented martial arts, BJJ, Judo, Sport Karate... the ability to execute your techniques against a skilled resisting opponent is just a part of everyday training.

For now we will stay away from the topic of martial sport vs. martial art and look at training with resistance.

Being able to train or drill or practice your techniques "live" is a very important training tool. Now by "live" I mean:

• There are no preselected techniques (you don't know what your attacker will do)
• There is controlled resistance.
• Techniques to be executed as trained as street self-defence not sport
• As few restrictions or limitations as possible.

In martial arts like the more "Traditional" styles of jiu-jitsu this type of live training can be hard to do. There is sport or combat jiu-jitsu, which brings us closer to the mark, BUT combat or sport jiu-jitsu has many similar restrictions as MMA, sport Karate, etc. which is working against what we want to achieve.

In any self-defence martial art there are many techniques that are just too dangerous to do with speed and power. All competition based martial arts have removed these techniques from their sport side and some have remove them from their art all together.

So how do we keep all or at least most of our techniques and still train with some speed, power and randomness?

Well here is a nice drill that we do in our dojo.

THE SHARK BAIT or CIRCLE DRILL

One person stands in the centre (the shark bait) and the other students (the sharks) surround him/her in a large circle.

One person (the head instructor or a senior student) acts as the coordinator. When they point to a student that student steps forward and attacks the person in the middle with a technique, punch, kick, grab, hold etc.

The person in the centre turns and responds to the attack with a technique of their own. Once the attacker is finished, the person in the centre returns to their original position and facing and a new attacker is selected and attacks with little or know delay.

To be safe we do need some rules or guidelines:

• Techniques need to be carried out with light contact to the body and no contact to the head. (If the student in the centre is more experienced (a high belt level) then the intensity may be increased.
• All people involved must remain in control.
• Start slow at first and restrict the techniques used. As people are more comfortable with the drill more techniques and speed can be added. Remember to telegraph the punches at first, then slowly make them tighter and more real but always in control.
• The attacker need to "respond" to hits / techniques. If your were actually hit with force there there would be a reaction. So when your hit pause for a 1 count before attacking again. If the shark bait is doing their job properly they should have you finished before you can attack again.
• NO GROUND LOCKS! This is a bar fight stay standing when ever possible and get back to your feet ASAP!
• Once an attacker has been "finished" then need to clear the mat as quick as possible"
• If an attacker wants to do a hold or grab on the shark bait, they approach with their hands up (as a friend) then grab or put a hold on the shark bait. Once the attackers hands come down the shark bait is free to act.
• If the shark bait freezes or can't think of a technique remind them to when in doubt hit, hit, hit!

This is a great reaction drill since you have no idea what your attacker will do. I usually limit the attacks to what the shark bait knows how to defend against. With this drill you will quickly figure out what techniques you know well, what your favourite techniques are and what your reaction will be when your mind freezes up or you draw a blank.

While this drill is nothing like stepping into a ring and getting hit for real, it does offer a nearly full array of techniques for your to use and practice. 

The essence of real self-defence lays in your ability to think under stress and being able to execute the right techniques for the situation, this drill helps greatly with both.

Cheers,

Jamie Rickard (Sensei)

Head Instructor

Koketsu Kai - Tiger's Den Jiu-jitsu and Grappling

Located at:

The Academy of Martial Arts

851 Princess Street

Kingston, Ontario

www.tigersdenjiu-jitsu.com

www.learn-jiu-jitsu-online.com

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Our Facebook Group

Our Facebook Page

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They Are Big, Strong and Strangling you...

There are many ways to escape a front strangle but what if they are not just standing there strangling you but trying to run you back to a wall?

The video below show one possible defence against such an attack. More importantly it also gives you some options if you can release their grip or what to do if you can't stop them from moving you backward (hint they get to earn some air miles!).

==>Break Front Strangle Follow-ups<==

Lets look at the breaking front strangle technique today. This technique is nice but can be difficult to do perfectly if your attacker is much bigger than you. Fortunately this technique has some fail safes built right into it so long are you keep doing the rest of the technique and don't freeze.

As you will see in the video this technique has two main fail areas:

• You fail to break their grip (Don't stop the technique, keep going!)
• You fail to stop them from pushing you backward. (Time to make them fly!)

Have a look at the video for some options if either of the above happens to you. Remember these are not the only follow-ups, please play with the techniques you know and see what work for you. Always remember that your follow-up technique needs to be simple and direct to work the best.

==>Break Front Strangle Follow-ups<==

As always is you are looking for more great videos or to learn the wonderful art of jiu-jitsu please check out our web site at www.learn-jiu-jitsu-online.com.

Cheers,

Jamie Rickard (Sensei)

Head Instructor

Koketsu Kai - Tiger's Den Jiu-jitsu and Grappling

Located at:

The Academy of Martial Arts

851 Princess Street

Kingston, Ontario

www.tigersdenjiu-jitsu.com

www.learn-jiu-jitsu-online.com

Our Google +Page

Our Facebook Group

Our Facebook Page

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Not Getting the Wrist Lock... Try This!

Well we are finely back after the holiday break. I hope your's nice and restful. Now it's time to get back at it and work off all that Eggnog, tarts and chocolate!

Today we are going to continue looking at follow up techniques, where you can if the first technique isn't working. I've said it before "if you haven't thought about it and haven't practised it your not going to do it." This is what makes what we do self-defence and NOT just a collection of nice techniques.

==>Half Wrist Lock Follow-ups<==

Lets look at the half wrist lock from a shirt or lapel grab.

As you will see in the video this technique has two main fail areas:

• The wrist control (they pull their hand away)
• They bend their arm to protect the wrist (and likely get closer to punch you)

Have a look at the video for some options if either of the above happens to you. Remember these are not the only follow-ups, please play with the techniques you know and see what work for you. Always remember that your follow-up technique needs to be simple and direct to work the best.

==>Half Wrist Lock Follow-ups<==

As always is you are looking for more great videos or to learn the wonderful art of jiu-jitsu please check out our web site at www.learn-jiu-jitsu-online.com.

Cheers,

Jamie Rickard (Sensei)

Head Instructor

Koketsu Kai - Tiger's Den Jiu-jitsu and Grappling

Located at:

The Academy of Martial Arts

851 Princess Street

Kingston, Ontario

www.tigersdenjiu-jitsu.com

www.learn-jiu-jitsu-online.com

Our Google +Page

Our Facebook Group

Our Facebook Page

YouTube Channel