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Red III

Continue the study of defenses against ten more major unarmed attacks from the front using the same guidelines.

#21. One Hand Choke. (Fig 21-1,2)

"Before." Same as # 1 I .

"Secured." The intent here is to kill and a severe technique is justified. A is choking D with his left hand. D turns his head to the side, lifting the shoulders at the same time, thus partially protecting his windpipe with his sternocleidomastoid muscle (the thick muscle on the side of the neck). Then, D slides back his left (inside) foot and drops his hips. At the same time he crosses his extended arms over A's attacking arm, and strikes A's eyes with his spread fingertips in an upward jabbing motion. Then D kicks A's closest shinbone with his left (rear) foot which he then sets next to his right foot. Then he strikes A's arm with his own crossed forearms downward, while dropping his hips even lower and sliding his right foot back to gain distance. This combined motion breaks the hold. D retaliates by sliding forward his right foot, to A's left side, pivoting to the rear left, and delivering a right side-of-foot kick to A's left knee.

+Alternatively he may knee A's groin, such severe retaliation being fully justified.

Striking someone in the eyes will be distasteful to many. However, if a person attempts to kill you, you must make sure that you put him out of action, so that he cannot renew his attack. For a much weaker person, no other retaliation will achieve this goal as definitively. For a woman, this may be her only chance of survival. The eyes are tougher than most people realize. A relatively mild pressure or blow can bring about the assailant's temporary incapacitation without permanently damaging the eyes. When extreme danger dictates striking the eyes, make sure that the direction of the blow is upward and the elbow of the striking arm does not drop much below the level of the hand. In training, stay at a safe distance from A's eyes. This technique is excellent for developing coordination.

#22. Two Hands Choke.

The same general comments apply here. "Before." Use the swimming deflection described in #17

"Secured." Essentially identical to #21, except that D's crossed arms go over both A's arms.

+Alternatively, an upward thrust of D's clasped hands between A's forearms will break the hold and place D in a situation similar to "before".

#23. Down or Side Strike (Fig 23-1,2,3)

The attack is aimed at D's side of neck, shoulder, or head. A weak person will not have the shadow of a chance to block such attack, without extensive training. For effective blocking, the timing must be such as to catch the attack at its beginning, before it develops much momentum. A much better way is to deflect the attack, so that it passes harmlessly by D's side. Here again we use the "Swimming Deflection". Assume that A attacks D with the left arm, D remains calm and relaxed, thus increasing his speed of reaction. He crosses his extended arms in an upward thrusting wide circular movement, left arm moving leftwards and right arm moving rightwards in two overlapping circles. It is immaterial which arm is uppermost. D bends back his torso, while his arms deflect A's attack with a sweeping motion, as he slides his right foot close to A's left foot, A's attacking left arm slides harmlessly over D's left arm. A common mistake for D is not to thrust his arms fully extended, particularly the one on which the attack is being deflected (the left in this instance). On Fig 23-1 D's position is shown after the initial thrust, where his right arm is slightly bent in order to guide A's left arm in its downward motion, without actually stopping it. If D's arms are not fully extended he will tend to block A's attack; D must remember to look through A, so as to watch all of A's body with his secondary vision. Now D is at A's side and the latter cannot follow easily with another attack. As A's left arm moves downward, D pivots slightly to the left on the ball of the right foot, and cocks his left elbow and fingers ready to strike A's eyes. It is important to understand that D does not necessarily have to strike A's eyes, but he may either indicate his intention of doing so, or push A on the face. A, by reflex reaction, will:

(a). Pull back his head making it easier for D to break his balance to the rear.

(b). Pull back his attacking arm, thus bringing it under D's control.

Now D steps with his right foot behind A's feet and pivots to the rear left on the ball of this foot, in a wide circle, to face the same direction as A. Then he slides the right foot behind A's right foot so that their feet are in line. In the process, D grabs A's left arm with his left hand, palm down, close and above the elbow, and performs the "Nape Throw". By now the student will be advanced enough to attempt, with due caution, the "fighting" Nape Throw. D either pulls A by the hair, or slides his right hand on A's right shoulder and across his neck to hook him under the chin, or below the nose. With an up and back pull, D completes A's unbalance. The rest of the "Nape Throw" is similar to the one described already*. D must pull with the body . This is a severe throw which may he lethal if the back of A's head hits a hard surface. It can he practiced harmlessly, however, by exercising due caution.

#24. Reverse Strike to the Face. (Fig 24-1)

A brings his right fist above the left ear and is ready to strike D's face. D lithely jumps sideways bringing his left foot close to A's right side, and moving in the direction of the blow, but further than its reach. He protects his face with the sides of both forearms held close together and bent perpendicularly to the direction of the blow. D must move fast enough so that, without blocking A, he may use his momentum for a variation of the "Nape Throw". As ASP training progresses, D will find that he does not have to use a kick in order to throw A. A proper up, away, and down tug, will achieve this with considerable violence.

Here is an example of a technique apparently omitted: a slapping or punching attack coming from the other side, i.e., from the left. All D has to do is to first dodge by bending back the torso, then, as A's fist goes past his nose, D moves in and continues as for the reverse strike.

+D may also evade A's attack either by jumping backward, or by dropping straight down with proper timing. In the former case, D may retaliate with a jumping, circular, or side-of-toot kick. In the latter, D may retaliate with a "Knee" or a "Groin" throw on the side of the attacking arm, throwing thus A in the direction of his own momentum. However, D must not give in to the apparent ease of such techniques at the expense of the first one. He should study them only alter he has mastered it, keeping in mind the goals of basic ASP, which aims further than teaching a few tricks.

#25. Punch to the Face.

This defense is meant against a wild punch to D's face by someone who knows little or nothing about boxing. D moves back the torso and head to dodge the blow and sidesteps, using the technique described under # 23.

*+D does not attempt to stop A's forward momentum if it is too strong, but, after performing the deflection as described, he comes behind A and throws him on his face by pushing in the direction of his momentum, or kneeing him on the lower spine; he may also strike the floating ribs, or the kidney area. This also valid for a downward stabbing attack.

#26. Boxer Getting Ready to Box. (Fig 26-1)

The last thing to do against a qualified boxer is to box. Unless you are a qualified boxer yourself, your chances of success are very slim. Whether a boxer is a southpaw or not, he has to follow his opponent with the leading foot so that he can strike with full power and good balance. The dangerous area is situated inside his guard. D minimizes his chances of getting the full impact of a punch by moving constantly outside and away from this area. For example, facing a normal left guard boxer, take a southpaw right guard and move backward to the rear left (counter clockwise) in a circular motion, away from A's leading foot.

The best time to catch a boxer unaware is during the short interval when he is lifting his arms to take a guard. Assuming that A is a normal guard boxer, D pivots to the rear left and attacks A's groin or inner thigh with a right instep kick, as the latter is in the process of lifting the arms.

This could be a light kick which will hurt A only moderately, but coming from under it will have a considerable surprise effect inciting A to use a lot of caution. D may continue with one of the kicking combinations of Comsek I; if D thinks A is really dangerous, he may use the point of his shoe, rather than the instep and impart enough force to his kick as to make it momentarily incapacitating. A boxer is unlikely to push a contest against an opponent who uses his legs efficiently, unless he has a very serious reason. He knows that he is at a disadvantage of reach and power and that he is facing an opponent who will strike anywhere.

+The same technique may be applied directly without pivoting, with either foot, independently of A's guard. However, the student should learn it first as described above.

#27. Jab by Boxer.

D was not able to react fast enough for #26 and A throws a left jab at him. D, always in the southpaw position, deflects (not blocks) A's arm with his bent right forearm elbow pointing up, as in Fig 19-1, while he pivots to the rear left on the ball of his right foot. D attacks A's knee with a right side-of-foot kick, and may continue with one of the kicking combinations.

Against a punch to the midsection, D deflects the attack similarly with his bent right forearm held almost perpendicularly to the ground, elbow pointing up. Thus, by appropriate positioning of his right forearm and elbow, D protects all his upper body.

* ASP includes several defenses against a boxer which are studied at later stages.

5.1 SOME REMARKS ON KICKING ATTACKS.

In basic ASP we study only defenses against a few common types of kicks. These are adequate for kicking attacks by non-experts.

Any attempt by a non-expert to block a kick will often result in painful injury .to him. One should learn first how to evade kicks effectively and in FULL BALANCE before even thinking of retaliation. Naturally, jumping away from the dangerous area within the reach of A's legs is perhaps the best defense, whenever possible.

NOTES: Kicks and how to foil them are described extensively in our book on kickboxing:

#28. Direct Kick. (Fig 28-I)

Low. Defense and retaliation against this kick is part of the third grade Brown Belt Program. *The advantage of this method is that the forearm points always down, and only the height of the elbow must be adjusted according to the blow. We believe that this method is preferable during the early stages of training.

High. There is a world of difference between a kick delivered by a savate or karate expert, and one by a football or soccer player. However, the evasive technique given below applies to both. Retaliation, would be much harder against a kickboxing, savate, or karate expert. Those who wish to be able to face experts should become experts themselves.

There is no question of blocking such kick, and ASP students would do well to accept this fact at the onset. Their first concern is to stay out of reach. The importance, not of watching, but knowing how to watch A is paramount: D must look through A's chest so that his field of vision covers A's knees and feet. The knees are particularly important since all kicking techniques will involve them more than any other joint. As A starts his kicking motion with his right leg, D steps to the left with his left foot and starts his evasive action by bending slightly at the waist, away from the kick. As the kick progresses, D drops the hips and pivots on the left foot toward his right rear in a wide arc, at the end of which he is facing the same direction as A. D's left arm is relaxed at the shoulder as it hangs at his side. A's right foot misses D, who now bends his left arm and hooks A's right heel from below, while on its way down D then with his right hand grasps A's foot under the heel and lifts it with both hands simultaneously backing up a few steps. This will throw A violently on his back.

CAUTION should be exercised in training and this throw should not be practiced against anyone who has not thoroughly mastered the breakfalls.

#29. Circular Kick. (Fig. 29-1,2,3)

This kick is also known as "roundhouse" kick, and the same remarks apply here. As A kicks with the right foot, D jumps in a wide arc in the direction away from the kick. The object here is less to evade the kick proper, as to familiarize oneself with the method of controlling a blow at the end of its momentum and at its weakest point, A's knee in this instance. D's jump will enable him to catch A's leg at expanded momentum by wrapping around it from below (clockwise) his left forearm. Now D pivots slightly to the left and strikes with his right fist the side A's right knee. The blow will make A pivot on his standing foot and face down. D throws A by pushing forward and downward with his body and arms.

+He may also control him with a leg entanglement which, if pressure is applied, becomes a leg lock. However, this is not part of the basic program.

#30. Front Tackle .(Fig 30-1)

A attempts to apply a running tackle on D. Assuming that D is facing A, he retreats two quick steps, first with the left then with the right and pivots to his rear left on the ball of the right foot. D's left foot describes a wide arc and comes to rest behind D's right foot. D drops the hips and strikes A at the base of the skull with the side of his right fist, or along the spine with his elbow, depending on their relative position. Practice pivoting on both sides. CAUTlON!

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