Techniques The Martial Arts Instructor's Manual Technique Kicking Accuracy Kicking Balance The Circle Knife Defense Children's Classes Force Environmental Training The Heavy Bag Blindfold Training Kicking Circle Throwing Circle Weapon Sparring Paper Punching Cumulative Kicking Game Applied Speed Effortless Throwing TECHNIQUE Kicking Accuracy. There are many aspects to good kicks. Accuracy is one that is often overlooked. A kick that is otherwise perfect can have it's effectiveness greatly reduced by being just slightly off target. During a confrontation, with both you and your opponent moving around, your targets (head, solar plexus, groin, etc...) can be very hard to hit accurately. This exercise will help improve the kicking accuracy of circular style kicks such as roundhouse, crescent, or hook type kicks. Working with a partner, one person holds out his hand with the arm fully extended. The palm of the hand is the target and it is held at whatever height is required to simulate the chosen target or to represent the kicking ability of the kicker. The kicks can be done with full power to the partner's palm without risk of injury or they can be thrown to just touch the palm for point fighting practice. Concentration on the target is essential for accurate kicks and this should be emphasized. The accuracy of the kick is easily seen as well as heard due to the slapping sound of the foot hitting the palm. For a more advanced exercise, the target can be moved around between kicks. back to Technique index back to Main index TECHNIQUE Kicking Balance. A common problem many students have is poor balance when throwing kicks. Poor balance results in the student not being able to recover from the kick quickly, not being able to deliver full power, or not being able to respond to a simultaneous attack by his opponent. Poor balance also results in a lack of control and accuracy. This simple exercise promotes better balance as well as improving the body mechanics of the kicks. Students work alone on this exercise with the whole class performing in unison. Kicks are performed slowly and are broken down into their component movements. Proper balance must be maintained throughout the kick. For example, for the basic front kick the instructor might say "knee up" (pause 3 seconds), "kick out" (pause 3 seconds), "foot back in" (pause 3 seconds), "foot down". By pausing at each step of the kick it allows each student to feel his balance and make the necessary adjustments. It also permits an easier way to analyze the form of the kick. Emphasis should be put on proper balance, good form, and full extension of the kicks. For the advanced student, the same thing can be done blindfolded. This will force the student to feel his balance even more. This exercise can be used for all kicks except spinning or jumping types. back to Technique index back to Main index TECHNIQUE The Circle. One of the main concerns that students have about formal martial arts training is that it does not accurately represent street fight situations. This is a justifiable concern. Using training exercises that actually reproduce street fight situations is not easily done. One of the simplest ways to begin to approximate the random nature of street fights is to use a training drill known as THE CIRCLE. This drill is an excellent way of testing a students response to random attacks. The mind and body must be trained to fit the appropriate response to various attacks without prearrangment. Bruce Lee described the proper way to respond to an attack by saying, "simply move in like a sound and echo, without deliberation." Students form a circle with one person in the center as the defender. The members of the circle are instructed to attack the defender one at a time in whatever manner they choose. The defender of coarse, must successfully dispose of the attackers. The attackers should be instructed to plan their method of attack so that they will be prepared to act quickly when their turn arrives. The order of attacks can be done in one of three ways. The most orderly is to go around the circle with everyone taking a turn. Another method is for the instructor to assign numbers to each student and then call out numbers in a random order. This allows the instructor to control the pace of the attacks. Finally, the order and pace of the attacks can be left to the students. For the inexperienced students the attacks can be limited to the types of attacks that they are familiar with. The pace can be kept slow and emphasis should be put on safety. For the advanced students the attacks should come in all forms, punching and kicking, rushing bear hugs, grabs from behind, etc.. Multiple attackers and ground grappling can also be used. Realistic speed and power should be used, but well controlled techniques are needed so that no one gets hurt. The fast pace of this drill can cause students to loose their usual good control. The students should strive towards keeping a relaxed and clear mind so that the proper techniques can be used and control is not lost. The circle offers a more realistic situation by not only providing random, unchoreographed attacks, but by also providing a higher level of mental stress than is usually present in most drills. This stress level results in an increased adrenaline flow that fighters must learn to control. back to Technique index back to Main index TECHNIQUE Knife Defense. Most martial arts teach methods of defending oneself against a knife wielding attacker. The most important piece of advice you can give your students when it comes to a confrontation with someone with a knife is "run away". Don't let your ego be the cause of your death. Unarmed defense against a knife attack is always a last resort. Knives are very common weapons for certain sections of society today. While the person wielding the knife may not be an experienced knife fighter, he is still very, very dangerous. Where as a slight error in technique in most self defense situations may mean you take a punch to the face, against a knife it may mean your life. The following exercise will illustrate how dangerous it is to attempt to defend against a knife. For more advanced students who are already aware of the dangers, it will help to illustrate the weakness in their technique as well as helping them to take the training more seriously. Each pair of students should have a practice knife. This can be a store bought rubber type or a home made wooden one. Eight inches of a wooden ruler could also be used. What's important is that the practice knife be dull and that it doesn't have a point. The person wielding the knife should keep a slightly loose grip on it to avoid an injury caused by stabbing types of strikes. Emphasis should be put on slashing motions as opposed to straight stabs since the slash is the preferred strike of the experienced knife fighter. The attacker should move around freely and not use prearranged strikes. This of coarse, makes it more difficult to defend against but truly represents a street situation. The real difference in this training technique is in the lipstick. Red lipstick is applied to the cutting edge of the knife. The defender should be in shorts and an old tee shirt. Now we have a situation where mistakes by the defender will be obvious. Emphasis should be put on explaining how serious these mistakes would be. Remember that cut to a major artery such as the ones found in the neck, inside of the arms, or legs, will result in death in a matter of minutes if unattended. This training technique not only helps students to improve their knife attack defense, but it also teaches a graphic lesson in humility. back to Technique index back to Main index TECHNIQUE Children's Classes. Children's classes offer a unique challenge to the martial arts instructor. Though children have great enthusiasm and energy, it is often difficult to focus it successfully on the required techniques. This is due mainly to the low attention span of young children. To get young children (6-10 years) to concentrate on a specific technique for more than 5 minutes can be next to impossible. One way to get kids to enjoy each class from start to finish is to use games as a learning aid. Children have a tendency to get wrapped up in playing games, allowing you to channel their enthusiasm into something constructive for extended periods of time. The following are a few of the games I have used with my young students. 1. Races are always popular with kids. Divide the class into two or more teams. The students run relay races across the dojo. The races consist of performing techniques as they move across the floor. For example, front kicks can be performed. The kicking leg must not be put down between kicks. Only one hop forward on the supporting leg is allowed between kicks. All the kicks must show good form. If the student losses his balance and puts his kicking leg down or has particularly bad form, he must go back and start again. This type of race can be used with almost any kick or punch combination and helps to develop form and balance. The losing team should be made to do a few push ups as a consequence. This allows the winning team to feel it's victory. 2. Another game is a variation on "Simon Says". It can be called Sensei Says or Sifu Says, etc... The class lines up and the instructor calls out techniques such as hand strikes, kicks, breakfalls, etc... He proceeds each command by saying "Sensei says..." If the command is not preceded by "Sensei says..." the students who performed that technique must either do push ups or must sit out, allowing the class to be narrowed down to a single champion. As the class gets better at listening for the proper commands you must become more innovative. Talk to the students between commands correcting their form. Talk quickly to force the students to listen carefully for the commands. It will take a little practice before you become sneaky enough to eliminate the attentive students. 3. This game is a little more elaborate and can occupy more time than the previous ones. Setting up this game requires that the instructor be a bit of a story teller. The class is divided into 2 teams. For this example we'll say that one team is a band of ninja assassins who plan to attack the imperial palace and steal the sacred sword of the emperor. The other team is a group of noble samurai warriors whose job it is to guard the imperial palace. For this game it is best to actually have an item that is to be used as the treasure. This lends an air of realism to the game. The object of the game is for one group to fight their way through the other group. In this case, the ninja to fight their way past the samurai guards. This is done by one point sparring matches. When a student gets scored upon he is disabled. The successful fighter moves on to fight the next opponent. A successful fighter may fight a few times before losing and being replaced by a fellow team member. It is important in this game and all games played with kids to make sure the talented students don't always win. This can be done through manipulating the make-up of the teams or in the consistency of the judging. These games can be used to teach humility to the superstar type student who is more coordinated than his peers and is used to always winning. They can also help build self esteem through praise for students who have a low self image. back to Technique index back to Main index TECHNIQUE Force. Striking force has been described in a multitude of ways ranging from simply brute muscle force all the way to the mystic. For those with a more analytical mind, lets look at force from a scientific point of view. A look in any high school physics book will give us the equation Force = Mass X Velocity. This means that an object with twice the mass moving at the same speed as another object will hit with twice the force, or an object moving at twice the speed will hit with twice the force. This is a proven law of physics. It explains why a small bullet with little mass but traveling at a very high velocity can do so much damage. When we apply this unwavering law of physics to the martial arts it gets a little more complicated. Force still equals mass X velocity, therefore to increase the force of your strikes you must increase your mass and/or your velocity. Physically increasing your mass through weight training will increase your power but of coarse you must be careful that you are not sacrificing speed. An easier way to increase your mass is to work on weight transfer. Weight transfer is simply the process of applying your mass to achieve the maximum benefit. This is accomplished many ways, by developing a strong base, by proper transfer of energy through the hips, by using full extension of your techniques, as well as other aspects of proper body mechanics. These methods of developing efficient mass transfer are usually described simply as developing "good form". All instructors teach proper form but not all understand that its purpose, in scientific terms, is to increase the amount of mass that is directly applied to the strike. Velocity is the other aspect of force. There are many drills that are used to increase a student's speed, but it is the speed of the delivery, not the reaction speed, that increases force. The two easiest methods to increase the speed at which a technique is delivered is one, to improve flexibility through proper stretching so that the muscles don't have to work against internal resistance. Secondly, to simply concentrate. It is amazing how delivery speed can be improved if students concentrate on hitting fast instead of just hitting. Speed is not just for getting through your opponent's defense before he can react, it is half of one of the most important equations in the martial arts, F = M x V. back to Technique index back to Main index TECHNIQUE Environmental Training. If we could look back in time to when the martial arts were in their infancy, we would see martial artists conducting their training in a variety of different surroundings. Most practitioners were not fortunate enough to have a building or room specifically for their training. Today, there are martial artists who have trained for years but have never trained anywhere other than in a training hall. Martial artists who limit themselves to this kind of training are missing an excellent training tool, namely, environmental training. Environmental training involves training in a variety of different environments. This can be a powerful physiological tool if we are called upon to use our skills in the real world. After all, what are the chances of being attacked by a stranger in your training hall? The most common type of environmental training is outdoor training. Even this is not all that common nowadays due to many factors. Weather is considered a problem in many areas, but really it's just poor excuse. If you live in an area that has cold, snowy, winter conditions for a few months of the year, that is no reason not to train outdoors occasionally. What better way is there to learn which of your techniques are effective and which are completely ineffective in that environment. We have no guarantee that we won't be called upon to use our skills in the dead of winter while walking to our car one night. Environmental training should always be undertaken in the appropriate clothing for that environment. For winter training this would mean boots and a winter jacket. This can have a large effect on what techniques you call upon to defend yourself. Training in harsh conditions can also help to build character. Clean, air conditioned training halls are sometimes a little to easy on us. Training in the cold or rain or hot sun can help us experience what training was like for early martial artists. Training outdoors presents other challenges besides harsh climates. Rough or slippery terrain can cause us to rethink some of our techniques. Hard surfaces can be an excellent test for breakfalls. One of the byproducts of outdoor training is that it is much more accessible by the public. Outdoor training sessions can act as informal demonstrations to help introduce more people to the martial arts. Night training is another training environment that is often overlooked. Many people have a subconscious fear of the dark which can result in panic if they are ever required to fight in the dark. Dark locations such as parking lots, are common environments for attacks to take place. Training in dark environments a few times can remove the fear of the unknown that resides in the back of many people's minds. Training indoors in various environments can also be extremely useful. How many training halls are filled with tables and chairs and crowded with people. Yet, having to defend yourself in an environment such as a bar is not uncommon. Again, the environment can teach us what works and what doesn't. Learning to use effective techniques in confined spaces can take practice. You must also learn to use the environment to your advantage. This can be accomplished in an endless number of ways. Throwing a purse, a glass, some dirt at an attacker as a distraction. Using a chair or car door as a obstacle for the attacker. The options are endless. You must also learn to guard against your opponent using the environment to his advantage such as hitting you with a bottle. Students can hardly be expected to fight effectively in different environments if the situations are never addressed in training. Environmental training can take many forms and is limited only by the instructor's imagination. Removing your students from their familiar surroundings can do wonders in preparing them for the possibility of a real world, violent encounter. back to Technique index back to Main index TECHNIQUE Bag Work. A heavy bag ( 60 - 90 lbs., 30 - 40 kg ) is a piece of equipment that is found in most martial arts schools. Often, training with the bag is not even included in the teachings of the school, and if it is, it is usually very limited. The heavy bag is an excellent training tool that should not be over looked. There are many advantages to heavy bag training. One advantage is that it permits full power strikes with all your weapons, hand, feet, elbows, knees, etc.. Training full power strikes is the best way to improve them. Always stopping short of hitting your training partner can develop bad habits that could prove fatal in a real confrontation. Muscle building is also an advantage of heavy bag work. Due to the impact resistance of the bag, the muscles that are required to perform a given technique are well worked. Full follow through should be emphasized for maximum muscle development. The body mechanics of strikes can be more easily analyzed when hitting a bag. The power that is developed and transferred to the bag can be gauged by the response of the bag. An increase in the power of strikes can be developed by making small changes in body mechanics such as hip rotation, stance, etc.. Having a target that allows you to gauge power transfer can prove invaluable in developing effective, devastating strikes. Bag work also helps to improve body shifting and range judgment. Because the target is relatively stationary, techniques used to close the gap can be trained. Unlike live training partners, bags never complain about always having to be on the defensive end of fighting exercises. Heavy bag work forces the use of concentration. If the mind wanders while working with a heavy bag injuries can occur. Proper wrist position must be maintained to avoid spraining the wrist. Proper distancing must be used to avoid over extension of the joints. The constant risk of minor injury results in the development of good concentration habits. A common problem with most martial arts training is that it fails to provide an adequate cadio-vascular workout. Bag work can provide this missing element. Due to the continuous, full power type of training that is provided by bag work, the cardio-vascular system gets a thorough workout. Body building can also be incorporated into a heavy bag workout. The bags can usually be easily unhooked from their hangers and can be used for a variety of weight lifting exercises such as squats, bench press, triceps press, etc.. The versatility of the heavy bag makes it an excellent training tool. It is one of the few useful training aids that students can purchase for solo training in their own homes. The proper use of the heavy bag should be a part of every schools basic curriculum. back to Technique index back to Main index TECHNIQUE Blindfold Training. The mind receives over 80% of it's information through the eyes. Sight has long been known as the major information gatherer of the five senses. When fighting, this heavy reliance on visual stimulus is maintained. But what happens when we can't use our eyes to their full advantage. This may result from being attacked in a dark environment, or it may result from a blow that causes heavy watering of the eyes, or possibly, simply from being grabbed in such a way so that seeing your attacker is impossible. Blindfold training will help us to overcome this disadvantage. Blindfold training is simply training with a blindfold on. Obviously, not all types of training are conducive to training with a blindfold, but many are. The types of exercises that can be practiced while blindfolded are escapes from grabs, sticking hands type drills, and ground fighting. All of the usual drills that are used to train these various skills can be easily adapted to blindfold training. The major benefits of blindfold training are first, it develops self confidence. When students find that they can defend themselves blindfolded, they feel even more confidence in their techniques when not blindfolded. Secondly, it helps to improve balance. Without the use of sight, more thought must be put into retaining proper balance throughout a technique. This increased concentration will quickly translate into an overall improvement in the student's balance. Sensitivity is also improved when sight is removed. The ability to feel an opponent's movements and therefore his intentions is a valuable tool. Developing increased sensitivity is something that is best left to the advanced belt levels. An example of an intermediate level blindfold drill is as follows. Working in pairs, the attacker is instructed to grab the blindfolded defender in a realistic hold such as a full nelson, throat grab from the rear, headlock, etc.. The defender must then execute his escape with good balance and accurate, controlled strikes. The defender should be instructed to feel his opponent's body position so that the strikes, joint locks, or throws are on target. The techniques used must permit the defender to finish off his attacker without loosing physical contact with him. Once physical contact is lost, he can no longer feel the attacker's movements and is therefore at an overwhelming disadvantage. Sticking to your opponent must be stressed. A tight rein must be kept on the safety aspects of all blindfold drills since the removal of sight also limits a student's ability to control their techniques. Blindfold training produces positive results in a remarkably short period of time. I have also found that students get quite a kick out of successfully defending themselves while blindfolded and anything we can do to make our classes more interesting while teaching valuable skills should be worth considering. back to Technique index back to Main index TECHNIQUE Kicking Circle. There are many aspects to proper kicking. This drill is designed to work on accuracy, balance, and flexibility. Because this drill involves the whole class working together, an atmosphere of competition can be developed which lends itself to children's classes. This is not however, only a drill for children or beginners, as students of every level will benefit from this drill. The class forms a circle with one student in the centre. Everyone extends one arm towards the centre of the circle with the hand open. The person in the centre must move around the circle and kick each hand with a specified kick without putting the kicking leg back down. This basic drill can be run in many different configurations. The circle can be made large so that the kicker must hop from target to target. If the circle is made small, the kicker will strike all the targets by pivoting on the supporting leg. Both of these methods work on a different aspect of balance. The students forming the circle can be instructed to hold their hands at different heights, alternating high, mid level, and low. This requires the kicker to constantly adjust his kicks which promotes accuracy. The targets can be held at an increasing height. Starting with the first target held low and progressing around the circle until the last target is at the maximum height. This progressive increase improves flexibility. The target hands can also be alternated as to the direction that they face. The kicker would then be required to alternate his kicks such as a roundhouse, then a hook kick. Balance is the main problem that students have when performing this drill. It is therefore important to insist on good form back to Technique index back to Main index TECHNIQUE Throwing Circle. It is important when drilling throws, that students are not limited to throwing only their usual training partner. Throwing people of different weights and heights is necessary if throwing skills are to be improved. To allow students to throw opponents of different builds, we often line the class up and have the students take turns throwing each person in the line. The throwing circle is a simple variation on this line drill but it permits the drill to be completed in a much shorter period of time. It is also a much more exciting, faster paced drill which results in the class paying more attention, having more fun, and ultimately, learning more from the drill. The class forms a large circle. One student steps in and throws the student to his left. He continues around the circle throwing each student in turn. After throwing everyone he returns to his place in line. As soon as the first thrower has thrown three people, the first person thrown begins around the circle, throwing as he goes. Again, after he has thrown three people, the next person starts. With a class of 20 students, there will eventually be 6 students in the circle throwing. This provides very fast, continuous action, which forces the class to pay close attention to what is going on. Because of the circular nature of this drill, it can be run continuously with each student having more than one turn around the circle. back to Technique index back to Main index TECHNIQUE Weapon Sparring. Training with classical weapons is an important part of many martial arts. From earliest recorded history martial artists have been using weapons for self defense. Usually, empty hand techniques were of secondary importance compared to weapon training. Today, most weapon training is limited to learning katas or solo forms. Training techniques that permit students to learn effective fighting skills with most weapons are not used in most schools. What is meant by "effective fighting skills" are such things as timing , accuracy, and power against an opponent. Just as we use sparring as the next logical step to empty hands solo practice, we must also spar with weapons against an opponent if we are to consider ourselves truly capable of using a weapon. Weapon sparring obviously presents problems that are not present in empty hand fighting. The main obstacle being safety. How to spar with a weapon without injuring your opponent and without using heavy, bulky safety equipment sounds impossible. We have used a training system that permits students to progress from learning the basic weapon techniques, to solo forms, to two person forms, to free style fighting. The first step in introducing students to a particular weapon is to teach the basics such as the grip, stances, footwork, strikes, and blocks. These should be drilled as individual techniques so that a thorough understanding of the various movements can be obtained. The next step is to combine these individual techniques into a prearranged form or kata. The kata should be practiced until a moderate level of proficiency is developed. These first two steps may take months to complete. This is similar to the way most schools teach weapons but unfortunately, most instructors stop here. To fully understand the use of a weapon, students must progress to steps three and four. Step three is two person forms. Here students are taught prearranged sets that combine offensive and defensive moves against an armed opponent. The opponent can have the same weapon (bo vs. bo), or a different one (bo vs. tonfa). Since most martial arts do not have two person forms in their system, the instructor will have to develop them. This is not as difficult as it sounds. Basically, they are just adaptation of the weapons katas that you are already familiar with. The sets must be put together so that they flow from one movement to the next with all strikes hitting the opponents blocks. All the various strikes and blocks should be included with both fighters using both offensive and defensive techniques. It is simply a matter of fight choreography like you would see in a movie. The sets are practiced slowly at first. Both fighters must be completely familiar and comfortable with the moves before attempting to increase their speed and power. This is where the students can increase their knowledge beyond the basic movements. They can now experience the impact of an attack. They can feel how much power is needed for an effective block. They can improve their reflexes and timing by having constantly moving target to hit and block. Most importantly, they will begin to develop instinctive reactions (the state of "mukso") during the high stress situation presented by this drill. Another aspect of two person forms is that they are very exciting. The speed, the power, the sound of weapon striking weapon will hold a student's attention. Many students find katas boring, but knowing that they are working towards full contact sparring can hold their interest long enough for them to gain a deeper appreciation for the weapon. The final step is free style sparring. For these drills you will need safety equipment as well as safety weapons. Using real weapons is obviously too dangerous, even with the use of padding. Safety weapons can easily be made from the plastic pipe that is used in household plumbing. For a staff, ¾" (15mm) pipe should be used. The pipe is covered with pipe insulation and wrapped with duct tape. It is important that extra padding is added to the ends of the pipes to protection during poking type strikes. Most classical weapons can be made from plastic pipe and pipe fittings at a very moderate cost. The staff, short sticks, tonfa, swords, even the sai can be made. Safety equipment is optional but we have found that shin pads, forearm pads, foam head and face protectors and especially safety glasses offer excellent protection from the plastic weapon blows. Full contact free sparring permits the students to fully experience their chosen weapon. Timing, speed and accuracy are greatly improved under the stress of a combat. The skills that have been developed over the past few months will prepare the students for safe, well controlled fights. They will experience actually striking their opponent as well as being hit themselves. Full contact sparring is the only way in which a martial artist can honestly measure his proficiency with a weapon. back to Technique index back to Main index TECHNIQUE Paper Punching. There are many disadvantages to constantly kicking and punching air if you are attempting to develop truly effective strikes. Most martial artists agree that striking heavy bags or shields should be incorporated into ones training regime so that proper power can be developed. But training with bags or shields is not without its drawbacks. First there is the expense. Not everyone has a heavy bag for training at home and not all clubs have the money to purchase a large number of shields. Secondly, there is the possibility of injury. Extensive use of heavy bags can put excessive strain on the joints such as the knee and wrist. This can lead to recurring ligament strains. Though practicing strikes in the air and on impact targets is necessary for proper development, paper punching is a supplemental drill that combines the best of both types of training while reducing the chance of joint injury as well as the problem of expense. Though standard sheets of paper can be used as targets, the ideal target is actually a type of plastic sheet called "mylar". It can be purchased from companies that supply plastics and is sold in large rolls at a cost of around 50 cents per square foot (0.1 sq.m). It is available in various thickness. I have found that 7 to 10 thousands of an inch (0.2mm) seems to work best. You can also purchase X-ray paper from a medical facility since that is made of mylar but it is more expensive Squares of mylar are held top and bottom as targets for both punches and kicks. The advantage of mylar over paper is that the mylar will not tear. It is incredibly tough and can be used over and over. It also produces a loud cracking sound when hit with a well focused strike. Paper punching drills are used primarily to improve speed, power and accuracy of strikes. Speed and power will improve due to the fact that there is a target, yet there is no risk of injury. Students will not subconsciously hold back on their speed or power due to apprehension. Accuracy is improved because the students have a physical target to hit. The sound made when the strike hits the target is an indicator of the accuracy of the technique. A well placed strike will result in a surprisingly loud, sharp snap from the mylar. A poorly placed technique will produce only a muffled sound. The loud snaps ringing through the training hall during drills tends to motivate students to better and better strikes. Accuracy of high kicks can be easily judged with mylar. As the target is raised higher and higher it becomes apparent from the sound when the student begins to loose his speed and accuracy. Improved speed, power, and accuracy add up to improved focus. Training with mylar provides a safe, fun, and inexpensive way to greatly improve all your striking techniques. back to Technique index back to Main index TECHNIQUES Cumulative Kicking Game. This is a drill, disguised as a game, that I use with my younger, intermediate level students. Its primary objective is not to work form, but to work balance as well as the ability to throw repetitive kicks. Two students are chosen as the first competitors. A coin is tossed to decide who will start first. The first student throws a kick of his choice into the air. The second student must repeat that kick and throw a second one of any type without putting his leg down between kicks. The first student must now repeat the sequence adding a third kick. This is continued until one of the students cannot complete all the required kicks without putting his leg down. The loser is eliminated and the next two students are brought up to compete. This single elimination format is used until a champion is determined. If the high stress format of individual competition is not to your liking, you can have team competitions using the same format. Another variation is to have the class attempt to perform a series of kicks demonstrated by the instructor. Again, one kick is added to each round. Students who cannot perform the kicks without putting their leg down are eliminated. back to Technique index back to Main index TECHNIQUES Applied Speed. Everyone wants to punch faster, kick faster, and move faster, but how many people actually train to specifically improve the speed of their techniques. There are two aspects that I teach for the proper application of speed. First is the development of the proper attitude. This is simply applying 100% concentration to the task at hand. Total concentration is the key. Instead of just punching, think "I am going to throw this punch as fast as I can!" This focused concentration is imperative in getting your body to move faster. Think of how your mind works when you are sneaking up on a fly in an attempt to catch it with your bare hands. Your total concentration is on preparing for a lightning fast grab. It's this type of total, mental commitment that is required. Have your students pair off with one partner holding their hand up as a target. The other partner settles into a fighting stance and prepares to throw a technique, say a left jab. With no additional instructions, have the students execute "full speed" jabs. Next, mentally prepare them to concentrate 100% on increasing their speed. Each strike being an individual explosion of movement. Have them repeat the exercises and then ask them if they felt an improvement in their applied speed. Almost all students will feel an improvement as a result of thinking "HIT FAST" instead of just "hit". This psychological training tool is the quickest method to improve the applied speed of various techniques. The second aspect I teach in the proper application of speed is to make sure that the weapon always moves first. This is not as easy as it sounds. With most strikes, especially kicks, there are movements that take place before the weapon actually begins to move towards the target. Sometimes the movements are very subtle. Often fighters will begin to lean toward their opponent, closing the gap, an instant before a technique is thrown. As another example, many people will begin a backfist strike by slightly raising their elbow or by raising their fist from chest to face level. As soon as an opponent perceives an aggressive movement of any kind, their brain will shift to a defensive mode. Therefore, even though the movement is small and is incorporated into the strike itself, because it is started first it tends to allow the opponent more time to react to the strike. If the weapon is started on its way to the target first, and the other required body movements and adjustments are performed while on the way, the technique, while not actually being much faster, will be perceived as substantially faster by the opponent. Again, pair off the students and have them perform single strikes at "full speed" while their opponent tries to block them. Next, explain this "weapon first" concept to them and have them work through the motions slowly. Now, have them perform the same strikes with all the necessary body adjustments taking place after the weapon has been launched towards the target. The opponents should perceive a substantial difference in applied speed. This may sound like simply not telegraphing your strikes but it goes a little deeper than that. It requires a whole new way of thinking when delivering strikes. Even kicks can be performed this way. If the shift in balance and supporting foot position are performed the instant after the kick is launched, the kick will be perceived as much faster, therefore making it more difficult to avoid. When these two concepts of "thinking fast" and "weapon first" are combined, a substantial gain in applied speed can be realized in a relatively short time. back to Technique index back to Main index TECHNIQUES Effortless Throwing. When I was young I used to go to the movies and see these little guys using martial arts to throw big guys around. I was skeptical then, and I remained skeptical until I began my training in Jiu-Jitsu. But it wasn't until I had been training for a few years that I fully understood just how little effort is needed for effective throws. I now realize that 90 % of a throw can be accomplished through proper technique. To train my students to stop relying on their upper body strength, I use an "effortless throwing drill" to teach proper throwing mechanics. The first step is to review the details of whatever throw you are going to work. Emphasize proper body mechanics, balance, and the use of the strong leg muscles for lift. Next, have the students pair off and execute throws. They are only permitted to grab their partner with their thumb and index finger of each hand. This means that they will not be able to pull, lift, or yank their opponent with their upper body strength. They are forced to focus on throwing, utilizing technique rather than brute strength. Once they get the feel of this they can move around the class throwing students of different sizes and weights using this effortless throwing method. When the students feel comfortable with these throws they can go back to normal throwing, while continuing to focus on limiting the use of upper body strength. Their throws should be considerably more effortless, with improved form and balance. As an additional throwing exercise, I often let my students throw me. This permits me to feel errors in balance and form that would otherwise go unnoticed. This is especially useful in feeling the student's ability to unbalance an opponent before a throw is executed. back to Technique index back to Main index Accessed since 5Jan96