Matthew Temkin
Member
#1 01-24-2005, 08:22 PM
Matthew Temkin
Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: NYC
Posts: 867
Hand To Hand Combat -- Part 2
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The goal of unarmed combat is never to use it.
To accomplish this we use awareness, avoidance and non threatening ready positions which keep us at a safe enough distance where he can't land a blow but we are ready to attack as soon as the threat is made.
If violence is required, then we want to end the fight before the bad guy knows that the fight is on.
To accomplish this we need reflexive techniques, as opposed to reactive ones.
Reactive is blocking a punch karate style, while reflexive is covering up similar to what SouthNarc teaches, combined with the speed of jerking your hand away from a hot stove.
1) Distance.
We all know that if we stand too close to a bad guy
he can strike us at will, with no time for any defense.
The old action beats reaction principle.
Upon approached by someone on the street and forced to stop moving you must maintain a safe distance, which is one step further back that he can launch a kicking attack without taking a step in.
While doing so slightly blade your body in a non fighting stance but which still offers some protection.
Carl's tapes show this very well, as does page 20 of Tegner's 1963 edition of his COMPLETE BOOK OF SELF DEFENSE (The one which is divided into 21 lessons.
In this photo Tegners hands are folded upon each other ( lead hand on top) at belt level.
Since you always want your hands slightly higher than the BG's this would be OK if the opponent's hands were hanging at his side.
Other options would be folded across your chest (without interlocking your arms), in the "Jack Benny" position or fully raised, but palms open as if attempting to reason with the mope.
Rember to keep your body slightly bladed, your rear heel slightly raised and--very important--try to keep the center of his sternum in line of your attack.
Upon your attack this will destroy his balance even if he is in a "horse stance"
You may have to jockey for position, since he may be circling you slowly while making idle conversation, looking for a weak moment to attack.
Now comes the hard part..when to strike the first blow.
Carl taught to do so when he fails to let you by, but my only answer is..it depends.
This is something only you can decide, letting the situation dictate your response.
2) Blows. In bare bones combat only three are really required...edge of hand, palm heel ( Either in the tiger's claw or chinjab) and a hammerfist.
Remember, there are only two possibilities, and they are either your hands are open of clentched when forced to make your move, hence the inclusion of the hammerfist strike.
Combine these with some elbow strikes and a handful of commando/savate type kicks, and you should be good to go in short order.
3) Edge of hand/chop.
Do not confuse this with a karate shuto, because it is not.
The FAS unarmed system can deliever deadly blows without any winding up and from only inches away from the target.
My dad started me by having me lightly tapping the edge of my hands on a table, in a light but rapid drumming motion.
After a few days of this and I was bored to tears, but kept at it.
A week later I saw a knife coming at me from behind at the local pizza parlor. I suddenly pivoted,raised my hands and -CRACK--the knife went flying across the room and the guys thumb (who turned out to be a friend of mine playing a prank) was nearly broken by my downward chop.
Let's just say that this incident got my attention and made me decide that perhaps there was a method to my dad's training madness.
Anyway, striking with the center of the edge is fine, but a bit closer to the wrist as opposed to the fingers is better.
In any case, a few hard blows will soon teach you the proper spot.
I like to keep the thumb upright (Tegner does not, BTW) which automaticly tenses the hand in the proper manner.
Get that thumb as far back as possible and the hand will lock into place.
Lightly strike your table and remember to snap the hand BACK very quickly, which greatly enhances the power and allows for a very fast follow up.
Do that for a few days and then we will get into applications.
4) Tiger's Claw.
In his O.S.S. manual (reprinted in THE CLOSE COMBAT FILES OF REX APPLEGATE) Fairbairn calls this the most imortant blow in close combat.
It is fast, powerful, can break many holds by itself and, most important, can intercept many an attack before it can even begin.
I use two very expensive training aids.....
Indoors I practice on a door frame (Ever scope out the cost of housing these days?) and outdoors I use a tree. (Trees cost some people big money.)
The Tigers Claw is thrown in a similar manner as a boxer's jab.
Hand position is as if holding a shot put/grapefuit and is shown very nicely on page 22 in KOGK, except the wrist is not as bent back as that illustration, which is of the chin jab.
Hmmm, On second thought turn to page 27 of Tegner's book.
Lower left photo, but your hand should be more tense than Bruce's.
Hey, you really don't expect to be calm and loose when deadly violence threatens, do you?
You can still be fast when tense, BTW.
Stand facing your door frame with your hands in the classic surrender position, then just lash out first with one hand and then with the other.
Your target area is his nose, and the striking surfance is dead center of your palm.
Make sure that your fingers are well curled, so your hand forms a claw, or you stand a good chance of breaking your wrist upon impact.
You could twist your hips into it, but it is not necessary,at least for the first strike.
Do this a few times and then use the sides of the door frame to practice the blows at various angles.
No, it is not in KOGK but as Applegate once commented,you can't put everything into a book.
A few minutes of practice and you will be coming up with your own rapid fire combinations.
After two or three tiger claws add a knee kick, followed by a few more hand blows.
Then get a practice partner and (lightly) strike/kick him while moving in, running him across the room.
This is what is meant by forward drive .
Ok..more to follow.
Matthew Temkin
Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: NYC
Posts: 867
Hand To Hand Combat -- Part 2
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The goal of unarmed combat is never to use it.
To accomplish this we use awareness, avoidance and non threatening ready positions which keep us at a safe enough distance where he can't land a blow but we are ready to attack as soon as the threat is made.
If violence is required, then we want to end the fight before the bad guy knows that the fight is on.
To accomplish this we need reflexive techniques, as opposed to reactive ones.
Reactive is blocking a punch karate style, while reflexive is covering up similar to what SouthNarc teaches, combined with the speed of jerking your hand away from a hot stove.
1) Distance.
We all know that if we stand too close to a bad guy
he can strike us at will, with no time for any defense.
The old action beats reaction principle.
Upon approached by someone on the street and forced to stop moving you must maintain a safe distance, which is one step further back that he can launch a kicking attack without taking a step in.
While doing so slightly blade your body in a non fighting stance but which still offers some protection.
Carl's tapes show this very well, as does page 20 of Tegner's 1963 edition of his COMPLETE BOOK OF SELF DEFENSE (The one which is divided into 21 lessons.
In this photo Tegners hands are folded upon each other ( lead hand on top) at belt level.
Since you always want your hands slightly higher than the BG's this would be OK if the opponent's hands were hanging at his side.
Other options would be folded across your chest (without interlocking your arms), in the "Jack Benny" position or fully raised, but palms open as if attempting to reason with the mope.
Rember to keep your body slightly bladed, your rear heel slightly raised and--very important--try to keep the center of his sternum in line of your attack.
Upon your attack this will destroy his balance even if he is in a "horse stance"
You may have to jockey for position, since he may be circling you slowly while making idle conversation, looking for a weak moment to attack.
Now comes the hard part..when to strike the first blow.
Carl taught to do so when he fails to let you by, but my only answer is..it depends.
This is something only you can decide, letting the situation dictate your response.
2) Blows. In bare bones combat only three are really required...edge of hand, palm heel ( Either in the tiger's claw or chinjab) and a hammerfist.
Remember, there are only two possibilities, and they are either your hands are open of clentched when forced to make your move, hence the inclusion of the hammerfist strike.
Combine these with some elbow strikes and a handful of commando/savate type kicks, and you should be good to go in short order.
3) Edge of hand/chop.
Do not confuse this with a karate shuto, because it is not.
The FAS unarmed system can deliever deadly blows without any winding up and from only inches away from the target.
My dad started me by having me lightly tapping the edge of my hands on a table, in a light but rapid drumming motion.
After a few days of this and I was bored to tears, but kept at it.
A week later I saw a knife coming at me from behind at the local pizza parlor. I suddenly pivoted,raised my hands and -CRACK--the knife went flying across the room and the guys thumb (who turned out to be a friend of mine playing a prank) was nearly broken by my downward chop.
Let's just say that this incident got my attention and made me decide that perhaps there was a method to my dad's training madness.
Anyway, striking with the center of the edge is fine, but a bit closer to the wrist as opposed to the fingers is better.
In any case, a few hard blows will soon teach you the proper spot.
I like to keep the thumb upright (Tegner does not, BTW) which automaticly tenses the hand in the proper manner.
Get that thumb as far back as possible and the hand will lock into place.
Lightly strike your table and remember to snap the hand BACK very quickly, which greatly enhances the power and allows for a very fast follow up.
Do that for a few days and then we will get into applications.
4) Tiger's Claw.
In his O.S.S. manual (reprinted in THE CLOSE COMBAT FILES OF REX APPLEGATE) Fairbairn calls this the most imortant blow in close combat.
It is fast, powerful, can break many holds by itself and, most important, can intercept many an attack before it can even begin.
I use two very expensive training aids.....
Indoors I practice on a door frame (Ever scope out the cost of housing these days?) and outdoors I use a tree. (Trees cost some people big money.)
The Tigers Claw is thrown in a similar manner as a boxer's jab.
Hand position is as if holding a shot put/grapefuit and is shown very nicely on page 22 in KOGK, except the wrist is not as bent back as that illustration, which is of the chin jab.
Hmmm, On second thought turn to page 27 of Tegner's book.
Lower left photo, but your hand should be more tense than Bruce's.
Hey, you really don't expect to be calm and loose when deadly violence threatens, do you?
You can still be fast when tense, BTW.
Stand facing your door frame with your hands in the classic surrender position, then just lash out first with one hand and then with the other.
Your target area is his nose, and the striking surfance is dead center of your palm.
Make sure that your fingers are well curled, so your hand forms a claw, or you stand a good chance of breaking your wrist upon impact.
You could twist your hips into it, but it is not necessary,at least for the first strike.
Do this a few times and then use the sides of the door frame to practice the blows at various angles.
No, it is not in KOGK but as Applegate once commented,you can't put everything into a book.
A few minutes of practice and you will be coming up with your own rapid fire combinations.
After two or three tiger claws add a knee kick, followed by a few more hand blows.
Then get a practice partner and (lightly) strike/kick him while moving in, running him across the room.
This is what is meant by forward drive .
Ok..more to follow.
