© COPYRIGHT 2010 BY BRADLEY J. STEINER - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
[Reprinted With Permission]
American Combato
Seattle Combatives
THERE is an actual documented case where a single round, randomly fired by a fleeing felon from his .25 caliber pocket automatic as he exited the tavern he had just robbed, struck and instantly killed an unfortunate victim. The victim was not even an intended target; the bullet simply found its mark accidentally.
As anyone familiar with firearms and their combat employment will tell you, the .25 automatic is a pip-squeak weapon, and its round has been known to go unnoticed by persons who had been struck by it — in some cases, multiple times.
The late karate Master Mas Oyama killed a man once — a known member of the Japanese Yakuza — with one punch. It happened during an altercation that was initiated by the criminal, and in which the criminal attempted to strike the first blow. (In Seattle, Washington not that long ago, some out-of-control, impulse-driven misfit also killed a man with a single punch. It was not an instance of self-defense, but rather just one of those times when an individual who had no business circulating in civilized human society, deemed a minor dispute worthy of initiating a violent, retaliatory physical action).
It happens. Sometimes — rarely — one blow does the trick. But the classical/traditional concept that is fundamental to most karate systems (i.e. that of training to dispatch an enemy with one, single, telling blow) is seriously flawed. Again, not that it “cannot be done”. All sorts of incredible and unusual things are possible; but that does not make such anomalies viable standards by which predictable outcomes may generally be anticipated. There have been cases of parachutists surviving and being relatively uninjured when they hit the ground, after their chutes failed to open. But this is no indication that people can or should consider training to jump from planes without parachutes. The chances are nearly 100% certain that the jumper will DIE.
It is foolish and it is unrealistic to train with the idea that the ability to drop a serious enemy with one, single blow, can be reliably developed. Those training in classical/traditional karate methods who wish to be able to actually defend themselves, are well-advised to take heed of this. Training to stop dangerous physical assailants with one blow is training for suicide. Always train to attack relentlessly . . . stop only when the assailant has been decisively neutralized and has lost both the ability and the willingness to be a further threat.
Around 1970 we began to drastically alter the classical/traditional type of ju-jutsu and karate that we had learned, and we began (heavily influenced of course by Charles Nelson and by our studies of the WWII-era classic texts by that period‘s now well-known notables) to teach all-combat, practical unarmed combat and defense. One conspicuous fact stood out in our mind then, as it continues to stand out in our mind today: THE DISCIPLINED, SPECIFIC, FORMALIZED PRACTICE OF A COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEM OF ATTACKING COMBINATIONS, DESIGNED NOT FOR CONTEST BUT FOR COMBAT, WAS A NECESSITY FOR LONG-TERM, REAL WORLD TRAINING, AND SUCH A SYSTEM DID NOT EXIST. So we began to work hard over the next two to three years to develop such a comprehensive system of these skills.
The task was not a simple one. In fact, combination training and follow-up sequences of actions had always existed in virtually every percussionary (karate-like) art that had ever been developed. But these were sequences of highly stylized, sparring type actions, in which clenched fist punching, high and/or complex kicks, blocking and so forth were practiced. Okay for classical training. Fine for sport. No good for hand-to-hand combat. Besides, with the exception of kenpo-karate, in which combinations and followup was always stressed, there remained that traditional goal of one shot stops, which always influenced the spirit and methodology of all classically-rooted training. (Note: Kenpo-karate‘s great weakness, in our opinion, is its emphasis on very specific self-defense — i.e. reactive — techniques, as opposed to proactive, preemptive, OFFENSIVE techniques, and its rather questionable objective of teaching a tremendous number of such techniques. This leaves the student with a body of skills that he all too often can barely remember, and that — even when properly recalled — are not actually the best upon which to reply for actual, real world hand-to-hand combat. Too acrobatic, "artsy", and elaborately complex and meticulous in their requirement for detailed, fine motor movement performance).
We cannot instruct our readers in how to execute the attack combinations that constitute one very critical aspect of American Combato, in this Newsletter. Personal instruction is needed. However, what we can and wish to do right now is — a) Convince our site‘s visitors, regardless of their present style or approach to self-defense, that combinations and followup is essential, because determined, dangerous, experienced, and quite often multiple and/or armed assailants are VERY DIFFICULT TO STOP, and b) There are some tips we can provide that should help anyone who is training seriously to enhance his followup capabilities enormously, and to do so in a manner that adheres to that which the military calls “combat logic”. In other words, if you follow that which we shall present, you can be confident that it will contribute not to your progress as a competition fighter or as a performer of classical/traditional doctrine (both worthy goals; but never our goals), but as a self-defense exponent and as a hand-to-hand combatant.
Use the following suggestions to begin now to develop the all-important followup and relentless attack capacity that s so crucially important in serious, real world close combat an self-defense emergencies:
#1: ANY TIME YOU DELIVER AN ELBOW SMASH YOU ARE PRIMED FOR A FOLLOWUP HANDAXE CHOP OR HAMMERFIST BLOW
This has application for both attack and defense. For example: A man whom you have become aware intends you harm stands in front of you and you are physically poised and mentally ready (in "orange"). Move fast as he begins to attack and smash him across the face or head area with a powerful forward elbow blow that sweeps in with your bodyweight behind it as you execute a falling step in towards him. Upon completing and following through with your elbow smash, immediately cut back and chop him viciously across the opposite side of his face, neck, or head with a handaxe blow. (The hammerfist to temple, jaw, or neck is also viable). This is an example of how to attack and use the elbow smash/chop in such a predicament.
Or: An adversary who is grabbing at your collar or shoulder from behind pulls you toward him, and you smartly go with his pull and slam an elbow into his solar plexus, liver, or spleen. Immediately upon landing the elbow smash, whip the hand down and chop your attacker in the groin.
#2: A “HAND YOKE” THRUST IS PERFECT FOR INDEXING YOUR HAND AND FINGERS FOR THE DEADLY “THROAT LOCK”
Warning and Caution!: The throat lock is potentially deadly and should be utilized, as all of the serious actions of unarmed combat should be utilized, ONLY to defend against truly dangerous and unavoidable physical attacks!
Locking the fingers high under the jaw and around the thyroid cartilage ("windpipe") is one of the key basic blows of unarmed close combat. The hand yoke is a non-lethal but extremely disorienting blow that is somewhat easier to apply instantly, than is the throat lock. It so happens that once a hand yoke thrust lands, the control/contact with the enemy‘s throat is such that snapping one’s fingers slightly upward and transitioning into a throat lock (assuming the situation warrants such an action) is easy! With that throat lock in place, a would-be murderer (rapist, home invader, abductor, etc.) can now be permanently stopped — either by using the throat lock to completion or by maintaining the throat lock tightly and smashing the assailant’s jaw or head with a powerful heelpalm blow from one's opposite hand. This could end lethally. Do not practice with any amount of force on any live person!
#3: WHEN THE BASIC CHINJAB SMASH CONNECTS AND THE OPPONENT’S HEAD IS NOT SLAMMED BACKWARD, THE HAND-IN-PLACE OFFERS A COUPLE OF FABULOUS FOLLOWUP OPTIONS
Raise the elbow of the chinjabbing hand and the clawed fingers transition immediately to a kind of "tiger‘s claw" grip on the enemy‘s face, fingers well able now to gouge into the enemy‘s eyes, drive his head backward and down — and if you step in smartly while doing this, you‘ll smash your man head first to the deck!
Or — once the hand connects, use your opposite hand to seize your opponent‘s head from behind, and then — using both hands — apply the dangerous head-twist takedown throw (one of the few throws we use in American Combato) while holding your enemy‘s head securely and wrenching it viciously as you step and get your hip into the throw. Do not practice this with any degree of force on a live partner; it can break a man’s neck! Train the movement GENTLY with a partner, or use full force against an imaginary adversary.
Also — when and if the chinjab smash snaps the adversary‘s head backward and continues upward past his head (probably because you miscalculated and struck too close to the end of the chin, rather than deeply under the jaw) bring the heel of that same hand sharply downward, cracking your enemy on the bridge of his nose, jaw (it will break the jaw), skull, or collar bone. Retracting that hand with the downward striking stroke naturally positions it for a followup chinjab smash!
#4: WHEN EAR-BOXING SEIZE THE EARS AFTER THE CUPPED PALMS BLOWS CONNECT. THIS IS A PERFECT POSITION FROM WHICH TO . . .
Knee the testicles (he‘ll never even know what the hell you‘re doing!).
Rip his ears off his head — simply by utilizing a motion similar to that which is employed when shooting a bow and arrow.
Release one hand and, still retaining a grip on one of his ears with the other, smash an elbow to the side of his head.
Slam a head butt powerfully into the enemy‘s face while retaining the grip on his ears.
Obviously, once you‘ve landed a good ear box attack and seized your enemy‘s ears, he is yours!
#5: WHEN YOU DRIVE BOTH THUMBS INTO YOUR ENEMY’S EYES. SEIZE HIS HEAD AND INSERT THE MIDDLE FINGERS OF BOTH HANDS INTO HIS EARS
You now have multiple followup options that fit the position you have secured, perfectly :
Shake your enemy‘s head violently, while digging both thumbs deeper into his eyes and gouging outward toward his temples.
After either simply gouging the adversary‘s once after grabbing him or after shaking his head violently, viciously thrust both thumbs forward with the weight and strength of your body behind the action. (This will send your man flying — down stairs, into traffic, out a window, onto his back on the pavement, etc. — and leave him completely helpless to prevent your escape from the area).
#6: AFTER THE THUMB ATTACK AND HEAD GRIP JUST DESCRIBED ABOVE (WHICH WE CALL THE “CAT’S GRAB ATTACK”) DRIVE A KNEE TO YOUR ENEMY’S TESTICLES
The knee blow will cause your opponent to lurch forward, deepening the thumb gouge instantly.
#7: ANY ATTACK TO AN ENEMY’S EYES WILL SET HIM UP INSTANTLY FOR A KICK TO HIS TESTICLES OR TO A KNEE — AND THAT IN TURN WILL BRING HIS HEAD FORWARD AND LEAVE HIM OPEN TO ANYTHING YOU CHOOSE TO DO
Remember our rule: “Whenever you attack high, you create an opening low; whenever you attack low, you create an opening high.”
#8: ELBOW, KNEE, FIST, HEEL OF THE HAND, AND SOMETIMES EVEN FINGERTIPS JABS TO THE SOLAR PLEXUS BRINGS THE RECIPIENT’S HEAD FORWARD
Knee his face.
Box his ears (something like playing the cymbals, whenever your opponent is in a bent over position, thusly!).
Chop his brainstem with a vertical handaxe blow.
Use any combination of the above.
If your man has not collapsed completely by the time you‘ve pummeled him, you need only seize his shoulders and push them downward toward his feet, to send him flying to the deck. Then stomp him.
#9: WHENEVER A KNEE TO THE TESTICLES HAS DOUBLED YOUR ADVERSARY OVER, A SECOND FAST KNEE BLOW TO HIS FACE IS AN EXCELLENT FOLLOWUP
Remember also that, while kicking a man in the head is most normally reserved for times when he is on the ground, if a powerful front kick to his testicles doubles him over in agony, a second front kick (using the same leg) can provide a kick to his face forthwith, almost certainly concluding the encounter.
#10: WHEN CLOSE IN AND SLIGHTLY TO AN ENEMY’S SIDE, A LATERAL HANDAXE CHOP TO HIS CAROTID ARTERY WILL PLACE THE CHOPPING HAND AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE STRIKE IN A PERFECT POSITION TO APPLY A THROAT LOCK (IF THE ENEMY HAS NOT BEEN LITERALLY KNOCKED DOWN AND OUT BY THE CHOP)
#11: A FORWARD HEAD BUTT “WINDS YOU UP” FOR A BACKWARD HEAD BUTT — USEFUL WHEN TWO MEN APPROACH FROM BEHIND AND IN FRONT, APPLY A GRAB, AND PERHAPS ATTEMPT TO ROB YOU
This is really a variation of the basic action we teach against an unarmed controlling hold from behind from one man, as a second attacker approaches from the front. Here — when there is distance — a front kick converts instantly after delivery to a back kick, utilizing the momentum of the retracting leg to apply maximum force to the kick delivered to the attacker holding you.
Simply ask yourself when analyzing all situations, "What has this particular blow 'wound me up for‘ and 'how can I deliver a followup blow naturally and with no added movement, immediately following impact?‘"
Those examples and suggestions are easy to understand and, with a little thought and practice, very easy to apply. They will also lead you to grasp the principle of perpetual followup, and that is the point.
Be realistic when you train for self-defense. Be ready to go "full steam ahead" and not stop until anyone who has chosen to attack you or to attack a member of your family, etc. is absolutely, positively, completely, and reliably neutralized.
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