The Natur Natural Me Method: Self-Defense Exercises
Table of Contents CHAPTER VIII: SELF-DEFENSE SELF-DEFENSE EXERC XERCISES ISES I. GENERA GENERAL L CONSIDERATIONS. II. BOXING
1.General Consider ations. ations. 2.Fighting 2.Fightin g Stance 3.Straight Punches. 4.Side Punches 5.Kicks 6. Real Work on dummies, heavy bags, bag s, speed spe ed bags bags etc. 7.Tw 7.T w oo-pe perrso son n tr trai ain ning. 8.Spa 8. Sparrring an and d Fi Fig ghting ting..
III. WRESTLING.
1.General considerations. 2. Classic takedowns for open-hand wrestling. 3.Leg or foot sweeps, hooks and leg locks in standard free wrestling. 4. Defense Against A Dangerous Individual. – Methods To Neutralize Or To Render Powerless
CHAPTER VIII: SELF-DEFENSE EXERCISES
I. GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS. The art of self-defense comprises the entirety of the processes allowing on to get rid of or to control an opponent, either through natural means, or through the use of tools or weapons. Self-defense through natural means is the first one to know and practice, as much for its functionality as for its excellence and multiple benefits on the body. All other means of self-defense usin tools or weapons such as: stick, cane, sword, saber, firearms, etc., must be classified in the category of sports. Self-defense exercises through natural means are useful, when unarmed: To fend off an attack; To control a dangerous
individual or to get rid o the individual; To come to the aid or protection of another; To earn respect; The principal benefits of self-defense exercises are the following: 1. They develop the entire muscular system; 2. They increase strength; 3. They develop virile qualities: audacity, courage, cold-blood, energy; 4. They provide assertiveness and self-confidence; 5. They force to calculate/assess, think i order to deliver the mos effective strikes possible; 6. They render the individual agile and flexible; 7. They develop resilience to
hits and pain. Natural self-defense exercises include: 1. Blows delivered with the limbs: fists, feet; 2. Holding of the limbs or the body allowing the ability to throw the opponent on the ground; 3. “Keys” or special grabs i order to immobilize a opponent standing up, or o the ground. Practically speaking, natural selfdefense exercises come down to two types: boxing and wrestling/grappling .
II. BOXING Usefulness and main benefits of boxing exercises. – Fighting stance. – Straight punches. – Side punches. –Kicks. – Heavy bag, dummy work, etc. – Partner training. – Sparring and fighting.
1.General Considerations. Boxing is the art of defending onesel against an opponent or to defeat him b striking with the fists or the feet. This type of training is particularl useful: 1. To keep an someone at a distance; 2. To get rid of an opponen who might have grabbed you; 3. To fight several opponents a once, etc; Boxing exercises are done in several ways: 1. Solo by punching the air (shadow boxing); 2. Solo by striking a dummy, a bag etc; 3. With a partner;
4. In simple sparring, withou the desire to decide who is the better fighter; 5) I combat, to decide who is the better fighter. From an educational standpoint, boxing is a first rate exercise. The various strikes in complete boxin with the hands and feet, correctl executed “hitting the air” at maximal amplitude, produce nearly the same benefits as the fundamental (basic educational) exercises and possess nearly all their qualities. They remind, additionally, throug their external form, of some educational movements, especially the slits and balance/equilibriu exercises. The benefits of complete boxing are the following:
1. They develop a major portion of the muscular system. Kicks, especially, have a powerful action on the abdominal muscles. 2. They greatly develop agility, flexibility, hand-eye coordination. 3. The leg work, as well as the displacements and hops which go along wit the execution of certain strikes, activate breathing an circulation. 4. The various kicks develop a sense of equilibrium. 5. Exercises performed by hitting a dummy, a heavy bag, etc, as well as sparrin
and combat allow the acquisition of speed in limb extension (dynamic flexibility), a quality tha cannot be achieved solel through striking the air. Indeed, when striking the air, the speed of movement must be slowed down towards the end of the movement, with the antagonis muscles contracting to avoid a painful shock, which can be dangerous for the joints. 6. Finally, sparring and comba increase strength endurance, develop virile qualities an build resilience to hits an pain.
2.Fighting Stance The fighting stance is the best stance to adopt, either to attack, or defend. It ca be taken on the right or the left. st
1 fighting stance: to the right (left oot and fist forward).
Figure 1. Right Fighting Stance/Guard (left fist and foot forward)
Standing upright correctly, heels together, toes spread out, lightly pivo the body to the right, on the heels,
without changing the position of the head, in order to point the left foot i the direction of the head. Perform a slight backwards slit, bringing the right heel directly behind the left heel, feet at a right angle to one another, legs slightly bent, the bod steady and slightly back. Make fists, at once, and raise them up to the fighting stance: the left fist a chin level, the arm slightly bent, the right fist under the left breast, the forearm leveled directly with the stomach.
2nd fighting stance: to the left (right oot and first forward).
The stance is taken on the lef following the same principles.
Changing backwards.
guard
forward
or
Depending on the case, bring the bac foot ahead of the front foot, b changing the guard/fighting stance wit the arms, at once. ace left or right, by pivoting on the heel of the front foot; Single or two-step forward, beginning with the back leg;
by
Single or two-step backwards, by beginning with the front leg; Step right or step left, by beginnin with the leg on the supported side. All the described following strikes are for the right guard/fighting stance; the are performed the same way in the lef guard. First learn how to strike the air, by breaking them down, before actually hitting at once as quickly as
possible.
3.Straight Punches.
1) Straight Punch with back arm (“cross”)
the
Figure 2. Straight punch from the back arm (cross). Left: preparation. Right: Extension of the body.
a. Throw
the
right
ar
backwards, shoulder dropped, elbow lowered, fist cocked back and level with the righ nipple. At the same time, slightly bend the legs and twist the body to the right. b. Vigorously extend the righ arm forward by extending the leg backwards and bendin the front leg, in order to shif the entire bodyweight on the front leg. Throw the punch a face or chest height in a straight line. Bring the lef arm backwards at once, the shoulder dropped, elbow lowered, fist level with the left nipple, twisting the bod to the left, in order to give the right arm as muc amplitude/range of motion as possible.
c. Return to the guard/fightin stance. Note that the entire body participates in the arm movement. Pay attention to time the arm extension with the forward projection and the twisting o the body to the left.
2) Straight punch with the front arm (“jab”)
Figure 3. Straight jab. Left: preparation. Right: extension of the body.
Strike the same way as the cross. a. Coil the left fist back. b. Strike at face or chest height while bringing the right fist back. c. Return to the fighting stance.
3) Jab or cross with a slit. Shift the left foot forward, without exaggeration, while punching and return to the fighting stance. Make sure the knee is always ahead of the toes, so that the return to the fighting stance be quicker.
4) Jab or cross while stepping. Bring the right foot forward in line or ahead of the left foot while coiling the fist backwards. Punch immediately by stepping wit the left foot forward and maximizin the speed thus generated. Return to the fighting stance in its original spot with a reversed movement.
4.Side Punches 1) Pull the right arm backwards, shoulder dropped, elbow lowered, fist level with the right nipple, nails under.
Figure 4. Forward arm hook to the side of the jaw. Left: preparation. Right: execution. The fist, instead of following a straight trajectory, draws a circular line around the shoulder; the arm is semi-extended and flexed, shoulder packed. This
strike is either thrown from a distance, with the arm nearly straight but not quite, or from close range, the arm very bent and powe owerre d by th t he e ntire we weiigh ghtt of the body with a violent torsion of the trunk.
2) Twist the torso vigorously to the lef by ex extten endi din ng the ri rig ght leg an and d sh shiiftin the entire bodyweight onto the left leg. At the same time, execute a horizontal movement with the right arm, keepin it half-extended and relaxed, the shoulder packed, nails still under. Lift the right foot’s toes to give the body’’s twistin body sting g movem ovemen entt gre reat ater er amplitude. Coil the left fist back level with the left nipple, just like for a straight punch. 3) Return to the fighting stance
Figure 5. Rear hook to the side of the jaw (Left) and to the lower ribs (Right). Hook, or side punches, are struck like straight punches, with the metacarpal bones at the base of the fingertips (knuckles). The closer the strike, the more body weight has to be thrown into it with a powerful torsion of the trunk, augmented if need be with a lateral slit (triangulation) or small hop.
In the side punch (“hook”), instead o following a straight line, the fist draws a circular line around the shoulder. This punch is generally not performed in the air.
5.Kicks 1) Low (front) Kick.
Figure 6. Low front kick from either fighting stance.
1) Throw the straight right leg as far forward as possible, foo extended, toes aiming to the right. Bend the support leg as much as
possible, drop the arms to maintai balance and lean the body backwards in the alignment of the elevated leg.
2) Return to the fighting stance. The low kick is delivered with the sole of the foot or the internal part of the shoe on the shin. This kick, when properly executed, recalls the education movement: balance with the leg extende orward.
2) Pointing (high front) Kick.
Figure 7. High front kick to the face. Left: preparation. Right: extension of the leg.
a. Elevate the right thigh, le bent, toes pointing. b. Kick as high as possible b briskly extending the leg. Slightly bend the support leg, drop the arms to maintai balance and lean the bod
backwards. c. Return to step a). d. Return to fighting stance. When properly executed and observin the correct breaks at steps a) and b), this kick recalls the followin educational movements: Forwar thigh elevation, extension and flexion of the leg; Balance on the forwar extended leg. 3) Flank (“hook”/”roundhouse”)
Kic
1) Face left by pivoting on the left heel and the ball of righ foot, legs straight, arms i fighting stance following the movement of the body, head facing forward and looking a the opponent.
2) Raise the right bent le forward, thigh in the direction of the opponent , the foot level with the knee, the toes extended and the heel close to the hamstrings.
Figure 8. Hook kick to the face. (Left to Right): preparation, thigh elevation, leg extension. At the second step, the thigh is positioned in the direction of the opponent, toes pointed.
3) Vigorously extend the leg i the alignment of the thigh, without moving the thigh; the toes aimed at the chest or face, eyes following the movement of the foot. 4) Maintain the left leg straight, arms in guard and slightl lean the body to the left. d) Return to step b). 5) Return stance.
to
guard/fightin
4) Back leg side kick.
Figure 9. Side kick to the face. Left to right: preparation, flexion of the leg, extension of the leg. At the second beat, the thigh is brought as close to the stomach as possible, toes flexed.
a. Face left, same as the flank kick. b. Raise the right bent leg, thigh as close to the abdomen as possible, toes flexed, i.e. bent
towards the shin (dorsiflexion), the heel as close to the thigh as possible. c. Switch fighting stance with the arms. d. Vigorously extend the right leg. Perform the rapid and energetic extension of the leg, the toes still flexed, by slightly bending the support leg. e. Direct the kick to the shin, mid-section, chest or face. f. Return to step b). g. Return to guard.
Figure 10. Back leg side kick at shin level. Left to right: Preparation. Leg flexion, thigh close to the abdomen. Leg extension.
a. Raise the left bent leg, thig as close to the abdomen as possible, toes flexed, heel as close to the thigh as possible. b. Switch fighting stance wit the arms.
c. Deliver the kick the same wa as the previous kick. d. Return to the fighting stance. TRANSLATOR’S NOTE: the italicized c) “cue” in the back leg ide kick is a description correction (addition), as is the strikethrough line (removal of the cue) in the front leg side kick, for biomechanical reasons. As one kicks from the back leg, the organically occurring pivot automatically makes the individual witch stances, whereas the starting ighting stance is naturall maintained when doing a side kick rom the front leg.
6. Real Work on dummies, heavy bags, speed bags etc. This type of training comprises the study of how to strike. It is performed on various objects, such as: Canvas dummies filled wit sawdust,
horsehair,
etc,
positioned against a wall; Canvas or leather heavy bags filled with sand, sawdust, etc., suspended at various heights; Wooden posts suspended a various heights for the special study of kicks; Air-filled balloons. Practice
repeatedly
the
various
previously punches.
described
kicks
and
Figure 12. Study of the means of striking with the fists and feet. For punches: canvas bag filled with sawdust. For kicks: wooden cylinders suspended at various heights.
To strike with the fist : keep the wris and fist tightly contracted, fingers closed, the thumb over the other fingers and not to the side. The punch is delivered by the metacarpal bones at the basis of the fingers, the hand in the mos appropriate position, nails over, under or inside depending on the situation. The effective value of a punch depends both on its power and the sensitivity o the struck area. The power itself depends on the speed at which the punch is thrown and the more or less judicious use of the total body mass, and not just the mass of the arm. The most sensitive parts of the bod are (for punching): the eyes, the nose, the jaw, the chin, the neck, the pit o
the stomach, the lower ribs. (Translator’s note: Savate and the rench approach to fighting is clearly noble, rather than dirty, as the more sensitive genital area was not mentioned). Hooks/side punches are delivered like straight punches, with the metacarpal bones, nails under. Never throw a hoo with the side of the hand formed wit the thumb and the index finger, in order to avoid a sprain or luxation of the wrist, as it bears little resistance i lateral direction. The hook, one of the most effective punches in boxing, is preferably struc on the following body parts: side o the jaw, side of the neck, pit of the stomach, lower ribs. Kicks are struck with the toes, heel or sole of the foot, depending on the case.
The low front kick is struck with the sole of the foot or the internal edge o the shoe on the shin. The high front kick is struck with the toes/ball of foot or the sole of the foot , in the upper legs, the lower stomach, the chest or the face. The flank kick (roundhouse) is delivered with the toes to the flank, the lower ribs, the chest or the face. The side kick is delivered with the sole of the foot or the heel on the shin, the upper legs, the stomach, the ches or the face. Just like with punches, the effective value of a kick depends on its power and the sensitivity of the stuck area. Its power depends on the speed and udicious use of the body’s total mass, and not just that of the leg.
The most sensitive areas of the bod (for kicking) are: the shins, the knees, the lower belly, the lower ribs, the pit of the stomach, the face and the neck.
7.Two-person training. Two-person/partner training takes place between two opponents tha alternatively fulfill the role of the attacker and the defender. It comprises: The real-time execution o punches
and
kicks
wit
their blocks and counters; The special study of side strikes; The fighters are geared up with padded gloves and light shoes. There is a very practical way to partner train, which is the following: [INSERT PIC] One of the boxers, in a righ
fighting stance, places his open right hand in front o his left cheek, palm facin the
opponent,
the
righ
shoulder back, the righ forearm and elbow tight a the chest. The other boxer punches the opponent’s hand. The latter, at the precise moment of the hit, performs a forward pressure with the right wris and arm, sufficient to resis the
impact.
If
this
precaution is not observed, the hand will be projected back onto the face and the impact can be violent.
The same process can be followed for strikes to the chest or lower ribs. Bu in those cases, parrying is done wit the back of the hand, not the palm. This method of partner trainin constitutes the best preparator exercises for sparring and fighting. I provides the advantage of punchin without holding back ; it teaches to target the hits to the face or the chest; it allows the special study of side strikes, at close range or from afar; finally, it creates the habit to see the unches coming at full speed.
Figure 13. Special study of punches through partner training: means of practicing punches with maximal power without harming the recipient.
The classic exercise of this manner o partner training comprises the following threepunch sequence, performed back to back without pause, with increasing speed, but with payin attention to returning to the fightin
stance after every punch: Jab to the chest; Hook to the face; Straight or hook cross to the face or chest.
This sequence of punches is done firs in place, then moving forward or backwards, finally with hopping. When several individuals maneuver under the orders of one instructor, the align on two rows, facing one another. The instructor then commands: “This st nd punch, 1 row, attack!; 2 row, block! Or counter! With that other punch.” Then, the instructor repeats the same punch by alternating rows. st:
1 Parry of punches.
Figure 14. Parry against jab: the person on the left parries with the left arm and weaves backwards at once.
Parry/block with a simple oppositio by one arm or the other, done towards the right or the left, by either raising or lowering the arm. If needed, slightly retreat the body or the head backwards, the front le straight, the back leg bent.
Spread the arms as little as possible away from the body in order to ge quickly back to a fighting stance. 2nd: Parry of low front kick.
Figure 15. Parry against low front kick: this kick is administered with the sole or internal edge of the shoe on the shin.
Bend the leg forward, the bod balancing on the back leg. 3rd: Parry of the high front kick.
Jump backwards, or do a rapid retrea of the body by pushing off the opponent’s leg downward, upward or sideways with the arms.
Figure 16. High front kick parry, toes pointing. This kick is given with the toes or sole of the foot, to the upper legs, lower stomach, chest or face. The person on the left parries by weaving backwards and pushing the opponent's leg back and down with the arms.
th
4 : Parry of the flank/hook kick.
Figure 16. Hook kick parry: the flank or hook kick is given with the toes to the flank, the lower ribs, the chest or face.
Parry with the hand by pushing awa
the foot or the leg of the opponent up, down or sideways. th
5 : Parry of the side-kick:
Figure 17. Front or back leg sidekick parry at flank or face level. The side-kick is given with the sole or heel to the shin, upper legs, stomach, chest or face.
Parry with the hand by pushing awa the foot or the leg of the opponent up, down or sideways. If the kick is aimed towards the lower leg, parry as for the low front kick. th
6 : Dodge right.
Against a jab, tilt the head right or ump right to avoid the punch. Same movement against a cross. However, avoid a dodge to the righ that may leave the head too exposed.
Figure 18. Dodge left, dodge right and counters. Left group: against the opponent's cross, the person dodges left. In this stance, he can easily counter to the head or chest with his right fist, or to the lower ribs with his left fist. Right group: against his opponent’s jab, the person on the left dodges right. In this stance, he can easily counter to the lower ribs with his right fist, or to the head or chest with his left fist. th
7 : Dodge left.
Against a cross, tilt the head left or ump left to avoid the punch. Same defense against a jab however, avoid a dodge to the left that may leave the head too exposed. th
8 : Dodge backwards (weave).
Figure 19. Backwards dodge/weave. Against any attack, lean the body backwards or hop backwards quickly in order to avoid the hit.Against any attack, lean the body backwards or quickly jump backwards to avoid the strike. th
9 : Stopping Strike (“jam”).
Figure 20. Jamming example: against a cross (left), side kick from the back leg to the chest by the person on the right.
The “jam” is any punch or kick done appropriately during the opponent’s preparation. As the opponent is rushin to strike or to feign an attack, surprise him with a faster hit than his th
10 : Examples of simple blocks and
counters.
1) Against a cross, block with the left arm and counter with a right cross to the head or chest. 2) Against a jab, block with the right arm and counter with a left jab to the head, the chest or the lower ribs. 3) Against a cross, block with the right arm and counter with a left hook to the lower ribs. 4) Against a jab, block with the left arm and counter with a right hook to the lower ribs.
Figure 21. Examples of blocks and counters. Left group: against a jab to the face by the boxer on the right, the boxer on the left dodges right and counters with a right cross to the lower ribs. Right group: Against a cross to the head, the boxer on the left dodges left and counters with a right hook to the side of the jaw.
a. Against a jab to the head, dodge right and counter with a
left jab to the face, or righ hook to the ribs. b. Against a cross to the head, dodge left and counter with a right cross to the chest or a hook to the side of the jaw. c. Against a low front kick, bloc and counter with a punch or kick, etc. d. Against a jab to the head, dodge right and counter with a left hook to the head. e. Against a cross, dodge left and counter with a right hook to the head or chest, etc.
8.Sparring and Fighting. Sparring and fighting take places two different ways:
Figure 22. Fighting stance/guard for sparring or fighting. Each opponent modifies his guard based on his temperament and abilities. 1) As kickboxing (“complete boxing” in the original manuscript), meaning with punches and kicks;
2) Using the fists only. This method is preferred to the first, particularly in fighting/combat.
In ordinary sparring, opponents attac and hit one another, not to decide who is the stronger one, but only towards the goal of learning how to strike accurately, to block and counter appropriately. They establis preliminary guidelines before sparring. In general, the stronger of the two opponents helps the weaker one wit advice during the work. (Translator’s note: “Stronger” refers to more skilled in this case). For fighting, by contrast, opponents seek to show their abilities and prove their superiority. Various precautions need to be taken i order to avoid accidents during fights:
1) Opponents are selected with
more or less equal weight; 2) They are wearing specially
padded gloves and wear light shoes; 3) The fighting arena is
uncluttered and limited by ropes if necessary. There should be no objects presenting any sort of danger in case of a fall. 4) The fight takes place over a
few rounds of 1 to 2 minutes approximately, with rest periods of at least 1 minute in between. 5) A master or instructor leads
the fight and announces the
winner. He remains close to the fighters and watches them attentively. 6) Fighters are forbidden to:
a. Kick during punches only fights; b. To use front kicks in kickboxing fights; c. To hit below the belt in punches only fights; d. To punch with an open hand, palm of the hand, the wrist or the forearm; e. To strike with the elbows, head or shoulders; f. To hit an opponent on the ground; g. To hold the opponent;
h. To keep hitting in close combat/clinch; i. To fall without being struck (Translator’s note: to fake it); j. To fight with brutality or any other incorrect manner. 7) When an opponent goes dow to
the
ground,
the
one
remaining standing must keep at
a
distance.
He
canno
resume boxing without the command
from
the
figh
director, when his opponent is off the ground and is up, facin off again; 8) The fight director separates the
fighters in case of a clinch. He stops the fight if he finds i necessary, either to avoid a accident, or to bring bac order or disqualify a contender boxing in a disloyal manner b not
observing
the
aforementioned guidelines; 9) Each fighter is always assisted
by a peer who loosens him up, refreshes him and treats an wounds
during
the
breaks
between rounds.
Declared the loser of the bout is:
1) The contender who surrenders himself;
2) The contender unable to continue the fight during a break between rounds; 3) The contender downed on the ground unable to stand up after a certain amount of predetermined seconds; 4) The contender who remains constantly on the defensive; 5) The contender whose opponent constantly dominated, either by the number of attacks, or by the precision of the blows delivered.
III. WRESTLING.
General considerations. – Classic open hand grappling holds. – Passing of the leg or foot, hooks and leg holds of ordinary freewrestling.
1.General considerations. Wrestling is the art of skillfully usin certain grabs and holds of limbs or body in order to throw an opponen off-balance, to drop him, throw him or control him. This type of exercise is particularl useful for: Getting rid of an opponent that grabbed you; The control/neutralize a dangerous individual, etc. The principal effects of wrestlin exercises are the following: They develop bot muscular strength and resilience; They promote flexibility and adroitness;
They teach how to fall without pain; They give courage, audacity, cold-blood and develop tenacity in bot offense and defense. Wrestling exercises are executed three different ways:
1) In regular partner training: study and correct execution of various strikes and their parries; 2) In simple attacks, without looking to decide who is better; 3) In fights, to decide who is better. The regular educational trainin comprises the correct execution o various hits and their parries betwee opponents alternatively taking the roles
of attacker and defender. For this type of work, opponents mutually agree on the attack they will practice. They only exert themselves enough, either to perform the agreed upon attack, or to resist it by parryin it. When several fighters maneuver under the command of the same master or instructor, they line up on two rows face to face. The instructor the st commands: “This attack: 1 row, nd attack! 2 row: this parry! Or No parry!” then repeats the same attack b alternating the rows. In standard sparring/grappling, the opponents simply wrestle with the goal of mutually studying the various holds or parries; they establish, if needed, guidelines between them. During fights/combat, they by contras
seek to show their skill and prove their superiority. Just like in boxing, various precautions need to be taken to avoid accidents during fights: A master or instructor always directs the match, which takes place over several rounds of several minutes; Opponents o approximately equal weigh are selected; The fighting space is uncluttered, and is clear o any object presenting a danger in case of fall. I addition, it is covered wit sawdust, moss, etc., or a special mat or padded rug Regular
partner
training
and
“courteous” sparring where all necessary precautions are taken and where there is no need to establish a winner constitute exercises necessitating only moderate effort. Those need to be done routinely. Wrestling practiced as a fight, to determine the better fighter, constitutes by contrast an extremely violen exercise. Practiced to excess, it the presents all the drawbacks of strengt training and can produce the followin accidents: cardiac fatigue, hernias, muscular tears, etc. Additionally, if self-confidence and competitive spirit enter the game in a inconsiderate fashion, certai courteous conventions, such as to follow an opponent to the ground, are no longer respected. There is now fear of accidents: fractures, contusions, sprains, etc. , as a result of falling o
one shoulder, or one arm cantilevered, etc. Children, as well as young people no et fully developed, should never practice combat, simply courteous sparring. One must distinguish the various kinds of wrestling:
1) Open-handed wrestling, the most conventional of all, comprised only of simple holds above the belt; 2) Standard free wrestling , which itself contains several kinds but which, while it is less conventional than openhanded, does away with more painful or dangerous attacks; 3) Free wrestling, with as few guidelines as possible. Open-hand wrestling is generally done
bare-chested. Grabs and holds are done from head to belt level . The fingers are always joined. The use o the legs, either to throw an opponen off-balance, or to guarantee a fall, is not allowed. All dangerous or painful attacks are forbidden and particularly: Choke holds, forced and held; Twist and turns of the arms and hands; Neck twists; Crushing of the cerebral vertebrae or the forced push of the head on the chest. The various kinds of free wrestling are done fully dressed or wearin specially durable apparel: hemp or heavy canvas shirt.
It is allowed to grab hold off, according to the chosen style o w re restli stlin ng, an any par partt of the appar apparel el.. The use of the legs is allowed, either to throw off the opponent, or to ensure thei eirr fal alll. To prevent injuries, it is indispensable that the grapplers mutually agree upo the guidelines to respect durin sparring or combat. In open-hand or standard free wrestling, the opponent is considered “ f fal alllen en”, ”, meaning defeated, when both shoulders shoul ders si sim mul ulttaneousl aneouslyy touch the round . The opponent must be ollowed to the ground and and not throw or brutally smashed, this to avoid a pain pai nful fal alll. In free wrestling with as few rules as possiibl poss ble, e, the oppon opponen entt ack ackn now owlledg edges es defeat, either by a gesture, or a call
when no longer able to resist or caugh in a “key” (Translator’s note: “submission”). Open-hand wrestling and standard free-wrestling, either with simple passiing of the leg pass eg,, or pass passiing an and d holding of the legs at once, are the two preffer pre erre red d wre w restli stlin ng modal odaliities. Free-wrestling with minimal rules ought to be practiced only as routine work or in simple sparring, opponents taking the greatest precautions to avoid injuries, always possible wit dan da nger erou ouss hol olds ds.. This style of wrestling is the image o real fighting, either to protect one’s life, or to neutralize a dangerous individual. The methodical training of wrestlin exer ex erci cises ses is the the follow foll owiing:
1) Start with the learning phase o regular training of attacks and defenses
of
open
hand
wrestling;
2) Move on to open-hand sparring; 3) Once this first style of wrestlin is sufficiently acquired, proceed to learning attack and defenses in standard free-wrestling;
4) Spar in standard free-wrestling, first
by
adding
simple
le
passes, pass es, then leg hol olds/ ds/llock ockss to standard open-handed strikes;
5) Eventually learn the dangerous attacks and their defenses; bu only
apply
those
experienced fighters.
amon
2. Classic takedowns for openhand wrestling. All of the following takedowns/holds are described on the side of the bod where moves are most commonl performed. In routine training, one must perfor them on both sides of the body. GUARD/FIGHTING STANCE:
Figure 23. Open hand wrestling guard position.
The guard is the best position to adopt, both for offense and defense. It must be gone into the following way: Perform a backwards slit without exaggeration, the body steady on both bent legs, elbows close to the body, forearms facing forward, hands open, palms facing up. st
1 Takedown: Front belt.
Figure 24. Front belt: wrap arms around the opponent, then lift him off the ground and swing his body so as to throw his body up and left.
1. “Belt” the opponent by wrapping the arms around the waist. Hug the arms if possible to make the hold more efficient and avoid any parry. 2. Lift the opponent off the
ground and throw the opponent’s upper body to the left. 3. Put the left knee down on the ground and rest the opponent’s back on the right thigh. 4. Clear the right leg and let the opponent drop on both shoulders without letting go.
Figure 25. Front belt (continued). Step the left knee down and rest the opponent's body on the right thigh, then clear the right leg and let the
opponent drop on both shoulders without letting go. Parry: Place the right forearm or lef under the opponent’s chin by grabbin hold of one’s own wrist of the free hand. Push the opponent bac vigorously with the arm, doing a bac slit as far as possible if necessar (back extension).
Figure 26. Parry against front belt:
push the opponent back by placing the forearm on his throat and grabbing one's own wrist with the free hand. nd
2 Takedown: Side belt.
Figure 27. Side belt: From the side, wrap the opponent's waist, then lift him, swing and set him down as for the front belt.
1. Standing at the opponent’s
side, belt him by wrapping the arms around the waist. Aim to wrap the opponent’s right arm in order to make the hold more effective and a parry impossible. 2. Proceed as with the front belt: lift the opponent off the ground, swing him left, place the left knee down and let the opponent fall on both shoulders, by clearing the right leg. Parries:
1. Proceed as with the front belt, meaning push the opponen back by placing either ar under one’s own chin. 2. Or, counter with a leading hip twist, which will be described further along.
rd
3 Takedown: Side Cross belt
1. Belt the opponent on the righ side by passing the left arm i front of the body and the righ arm back. 2. Lift the opponent off the ground; place the left knee o the ground and let the opponent drop on bot shoulders by clearing the righ leg.
Figure 28. Side cross belt: wrap the opponent on the right side with the left arm to the front of the body and the right arm behind. Lift and take down as for the front belt. Parry:
Strongly push the opponent back wit the arms like in the front belt b placing the forearm on the side of the neck. th
4 Takedown: Back belt
Figure 29. Back belt: Wrap arms around opponent from behind, then lift him off the ground, engaging the right arm under his right armpit, then applying the right hand on the back of his neck.
1. Belt the opponent from the back,, w ra back rappi ppin ng the wai aist st wi w it both bot h ar arm ms. 2. Lift th thee opp pponent onent off th thee ground, engage the right ar
under his right armpit and place pl ace the ri rig ght han and d on his neck. 3. Im Imba ballance hi him in such a wa wa as to throw his upper body to the left. 4. Dro Drop p on th thee left left knee ju j ust like in the front belt, his back o your right thigh. 5. Drop the opponent on bot shoulders by clearing the righ leg. Parries:
Figure 30. Back belt (continued):
drop the left knee and position the opponent on his back on the right thigh. Drop him on both shoulders by clearing the right leg away.
1. Do a forward slit and try to push pu sh the oppon opponen entt back backw war ards ds by gra rabbi bbin ng hol old d of his ar arm ms above the elbows. 2. If it is not possible to sli forward, grab the opponent’s wrists and push them down. 3. Once off the ground, there is still
time
to
execute
the
following parry: a. Arch the back, extend the trunk and head backwards as much as possible and hug the opponent’s arms in order to clinch.
Figure 31. Two ways to parry a back belt: (Left) do a forward slit and push off the opponent by grabbing his arms above the elbows. (Right) Arch back, extend the trunk and the head backwards and wrap your arms around the opponent's arms. th
5 Takedown: Reverse belt.
1. With the opponent having his
body leaning forward, bel him at the waist by passing the right arm on his right side and the left arm at his left side. 2. Lift the opponent off the ground and throw him on the right shoulder, or simply lif him off the ground by keepin his legs higher than his head.
Figure 32. Reverse belt: grab the opponent and load him on the right shoulder.
There are two ways to “fall” a opponent after having lifted him off the ground: 1. Quickly lower yourself forward by placing both knees on the ground, if needed. The opponent is then directly projected on both shoulders. 2. Let yourself go to the left, and, with a swift move, clear from under the opponent who then falls flat on his back. This latter move is at times called: belt in flexibility ( souplex).
Figure 33. Reverse belt (continued): the opponent being already off the ground, lower self forward with a sudden movement and placing both knees on the ground.
These two ways to “fall” the opponent, especially the second one, can be dangerous if too brutal. In order to avoid a violent shock to the head, the falling person must keep the head
tightly close to the chest. Parries:
1) Seize the opponent’s wrists and hold them strongly. Resist in order to prevent getting lifted off he ground b making yourself as heavy as possible.
Figure 34. Parry against reverse belt: let yourself roll backwards by taking the opponent with you, who has to perform a somersault/roll. 2) Drop and fall backwards b
taking the opponent who performs a complete roll and lays flat on his back. To avoid letting him escape during the roll, strongly hold on to his arms under the armpits. Do not let hi fall hard backwards in order to avoid crushing his head. 3) Counter with the arm rolled under. th
6 Takedown: Headlock Hip Throw
Figure 35. Headlock hip throw: Wrap the opponent's neck with the right arm, and at once grab his right arm above the elbow with your left hand. Kneel down suddenly to take the opponent down. 1) Wrap the opponent’s neck wit the right arm and turn your bac to him. At the same time, grab hold of his right arm above the
elbow with the left hand. 2) Strengthen the hold, quickl kneel down by twisting the bod to the left and take the opponen down directly on both shoulders by rolling one’s own righ shoulder. Parry: (Fig. 38) 1) Do a forward slit, push the opponent away with the free ar and resist being taken dow forward with a firm pull backwards. 2) Or, counter with a side or backwards “belt” (hip throw). th
7 Takedown: Belt Hip Throw.
Figure 36. Belt hip throw: (Left) seize the opponent by wrapping the right arm around his waist, while grabbing his right arm with your left hand above his elbow. (Right) Kneel down suddenly to take the opponent down. 1) Grab the opponent by wrappin the right arm around the wais and turning your back to him. A the same time, grab his right ar
over the elbow with the lef hand. 2) Just like with the headlock hip throw, strengthen the grip on this hold, quickly kneel down b twisting the body left and takin the opponent down directly o both shoulders, by rolling o your right shoulder. Parry:
Figure 37. Parry against headlock or hip belt: Slit forward, push the
opponent back with the free arm and resist being taken down forward with a strong pull backwards. 1) Slit forward, push the opponen away with the free arm and resist the forward takedow with a strong backwards push. 2) Or, counter with a side or backwards “belt” throw. th
8 Takedown: Arm Wrap.
Figure 38. Arm wrap: (left to right). Grab the opponent's left arm with the right hand and left hand above the elbow, and engage it over the left shoulder. Kneel down suddenly to take the opponent down. 1) Grab the opponent’s left ar with the right hand and the lef hand above the elbow, the lef hand higher than the right hand. Immediately do a ½ turn righ and drop down in order to
engage the opponent’s left ar over the left shoulder. 2) Quickly kneel down, maintaining the hold tightly and fall forward over the lef shoulder, in order to take the opponent down on bot shoulders. Parry:
Figure 39. Parry against arm roll over & under: Do a forward slit, push the opponent back with the
remaining free arm and resist being taken down and forward with a strong backwards pull.
As soon as the arm is grabbed, sli forward by throwing the left leg as far as possible. Push the opponent awa with the free arm and resist the takedown with a powerful pull backwards. th
9 Takedown: Arm Roll-Over
1) Grab the opponent’s right hand and left arm above the elbow; do a ½ tur right and immediately grab that same arm with the left hand above the righ hand. Squeeze the opponent’s left ar under your left armpit tightly. The tighter the armpit hold on the opponent’s arm, the tighter the hold o the hands near one’s shoulder, the
greater the chance of success.
Figure 40. Arm roll-over: (Left to right). Grab the opponent’s left arm with both hands over the elbow and engage him under the left armpit. Quickly kneel down to take him down.
2) Quickly kneel down, face right and drop on the left shoulder taking dow the opponent on both shoulders.
Parry:
Just like for the arm wrap, sli forward, push the opponent away wit the free arm and resist the forward takedown by strongly pullin backwards. th
10 Takedown: Arm Roll-Under.
Figure 41. Arm roll under: First pass the head and left arm under the opponent's right armpit. With the left arm, strongly squeeze his right
arm under the left armpit. Then, tightly squeeze the opponent's right arm under the left armpit (parry against reverse belt) 1) Grab your opponent’s right wris with your right hand and pass his head and left arm under your right armpit. With the left arm, tightly squeeze the opponent’s right arm under your left armpit. 2) Or, grab his left wrist with your right hand, pass his head and lef arm under your left armpit. Wit the left arm, squeeze the opponent’s right arm under your left armpit. 3) This second manner to ensure this hold is usually done as a counter to the “reverse belt” takedown. 4) Sit down on the ground b
turning right in order to take the opponent down on bot shoulders. Parry:
Quickly turnaround and face the same direction as the opponent or sli backwards by pushing the opponen away with the left hand. th
11 Takedown: Head Wrap
Figure 42. Head wrap: grab the opponent's neck from below with the right arm and place your left hand on the back of his neck. Then, quickly kneel down to make him roll forward.
1. Turn your back to your opponent back, grab his head by wrapping your right ar under his neck and your lef hand on the back of his neck. 2. Quickly kneel down, the lower the body strongly i order to throw the opponen forward.
Parries:
Figure 43. Parry against head wrap: Bridge, meaning strongly arch the low back by rolling back in such a way as to avoid having the shoulders touch the ground. Or, slit forward as much as possible by kneeling down on one knee and pushing the opponent away with one of the free hands.
1. Slit as far forward as possible, putting a knee dow if necessary in order to resis the forward takedown, usin
one free hand to push the opponent away. 2. If this parry isn’t possible, “bridge”, meaning strongl arch the low back by fallin back in order to prevent the shoulders from touching the ground. In this case, the wrestler performin the head wrap can also “bridge” over his opponent to take him down. The wrestlers are then in a “double bridge”.
Figure 44. Bridge or double-bridge
(other head wrap parry). Bridge (arch back) to avoid having the shoulders touch the ground. The wrestler who is doing the head wrap can try to throw his opponent by himself bridging. The wrestlers are then in double-bridge. With one of the wrestlers having bridged to avoid the head wrap, his opponent can try to take him down by bridging over him. th
12 Takedown: Shoulder Wrap.
Figure 45. Head wrap: grab the opponent's left arm with your right hand above the elbow and place that left arm under the right armpit. Then, force the opponent to kneel down and twist him to the right.
1. With the opponent’s upper body leaning forward, grab his left arm with the right hand above the elbow and engage the left arm under the righ armpit. 2. Brusquely pull the opponent’s left arm down and to your left, and at the same time make a lever with your left arm. Pu the entire weight of your bod on his left arm. Force the opponent to kneel down, the turn him to the right and let him drop on both shoulders.
Parries:
1. Counter with a head or bel hip throw. 2. Completely sprawl out o your stomach. Ground strikes:
All these preceding takedowns can be used either fully, or partially, agains an opponent that’s down other than o both shoulders. The best parry to avoid a takedown, when downed, consists of sprawling out on the stomach and spreading the arms.
Figure 46. Ground strike examples. Left group: the person kneeling tries to grab his opponent with a rear/back belt. The latter parries by sprawling fully flat on the ground. Right group: the person in the background passes his right arm under his opponent's right arm and places his right hand on the back of the neck. With his left hand, he grabs the opponent’s left arm: by pulling that arm to the left and creating a lever with the right arm, he then will attempt to put him down on both shoulders.
3.Leg or foot sweeps, hooks and leg locks in standard free wrestling. Standard free wrestling is made up o open-hand strikes in combination wit or to which can be added all the possible leg positions and takedowns. In free wrestling, the leg work is mainly intended to throw the opponen down with one move or to use the weight of the body to imbalance i order to take down more easily. To throw an opponent off-balance or to take him to the ground with one move, whether by sweeping a leg or foot, or with a leg hold, it is necessary that the entire weight of the opponent rests o the leg one wants to move or grab hold of. If this condition isn’t met, the lifting or
moving of the leg produces significant loss of balance.
no
In order to parry leg sweeps or takedowns, swiftly shift the weight o the body from one leg to the other. Leg or foot sweeps to the outside are the most effective moves. Leg takedowns with the hands are in general impractical, especially facing front, as they invite a reverse belt takedown counter too easily by the opponent. With an opponent wearing clothe, the best holds with the hands are the following: One hand on each shoulder Both hands on one shoulder; One hand on the elbow, the other on the shoulder; One hand on the neck or
collar, the other on the elbow.
Figure 47. Practical uniform for free
wrestling: pants an top made of heavy canvas. Example of a hand grip on clothing at the shoulder ("Briton" wrestling). High grabs are thee be st to be tt th ttee r ach achiie ve th thrrow owiing the opponent off-balance.
1st: Outside Leg Sweep:
Figure 48. Outside leg sweep. Left: the person on the right, having grabbed his opponent for a hip throw, seeks to throw him by passing his right leg on the outside. Right: the person on the left, having grabbed hold of his opponent's clothing, seeks to imbalance his opponent over his left leg positioned on the outside.
After having grabbed the opponent b the clothes or applied any open-hand wrestling hold, sweep one leg or the other on the outside and slightly behind the opponent’s body. Seek to immediately trip him over the swep leg by pulling or pushing forcefully the upper body in the desired direction.
2
nd:
Ou O uts tsiide Le g Swe Swe e p:
There are two main ways to execute
this technique: st
1 w ay ay:: FACING THE OPPONENT, power pow erffully “r “reap” eap” his lef eftt foot fro outside to inside with the inside part o the right foot, or inversely his right foo with the internal part of your left foot.
At the same time, vigorously push wit the hands to the opposite site to increase the loss of balance and ensure the “throw” to the ground.
Figure 49. Outside foot sweep. Left: the person on the left, having grabbed his opponent's top, reaps suddenly with the left foot from outside to inside with the internal part of his foot. Right: The person on the left places his heel behind and against his opponent’s left heel and pushes him brusquely backwards with a single hand. nd
2 way: FACING THE OPPONENT, but slightly to his left, place your lef heel behind his right heel by shiftin our body’s weight onto the left leg. A the same time, vigorously pus backwards with the left hand on the opponent’s chest.
This second manner is very practical to quickly get rid of an opponent who doesn’t know wrestling; there is eve no need to grab him by the clothes.
lways pay attention to perform the leg sweeps on the leg where the opponent’s body weight rests. Swin the opponent forward, back or laterall if need be, to ensure this condition.
3
rd:
Inside Leg or Foot Sweep:
These techniques differ from the previous in the sense that the leg, instead of sweeping from the outside o the opponent’s legs, sweeps this time in-between the legs. The inside sweeps are less practical that outside sweeps. They are done i the same manner as the latter.
Figure 50. inside leg and foot sweeps. Left: the person on the left, having grabbed his opponent with a Front Belt, seeks to take him down by sweeping his right leg on the inside. Left: the person on the left, grabbing his opponent's top, seeks to take him down by getting his right foot inside.
th
4 : Hooks.
Figure 51. Examples of outside and inside hooks. Left: the person on the right, having grabbed his opponent with a headlock hip throw, looks to take him down by hooking his right leg to the outside. Right: The person on the left, having grabbed hold of his opponent’s top, looks to take hi down backwards by hooking his right leg on the inside.
To perform a hook consists of grabbin the opponent’s leg with one’s own le
by fully wrapping around it. This takedown is done the following way: After a leg or foot sweep, lif the foot off the ground; wrap i around the opponent’s leg and flex the toes in order to form a hook. Hooks are considered inside or
outside,
depending
o
whether the leg is swept to the inside or outside. Hooks,
like
sweeps,
are
effective only if the weight o the opponent is resting on the hooked leg.
Figure 52. Inside hook with hands holding on to shoulder and elbow, with one arm wrapped around the neck.
Figure 53. Inside hook with hands holding the belt and the elbow. th
5 : Leg Takedowns;
Leg takedowns typically take place i the following places: where the legs begin, between them, at the hamstrings, at the knee bend, at the calves, at the ankles. The following pictures show examples of techniques with leg takedowns: Single hand takedown;
single
le
Figure 54. Examples of single leg takedowns. Left: the person on the left, having been grabbed his
opponent with a headlock, counters with a single hand single leg grab. Right: the person on the left, having been grabbed with a reverse belt, counters with a two-arm single leg takedown.
Two-handed single le takedown; Dual leg takedown with one hand on each leg.
Figure 55. Examples of two-leg
takedowns. Left: the person on the left seizes both of his opponent’s legs below the knees by squatting as low as possible pushing his head against the outside of the legs. Right: the person on the left also executes a two-leg takedown of his opponent, but since he isn’t squatting down, his opponent counters with a reverse belt.
4. Defense Against A Dangerous Individual. – Methods To eutralize Or To Render Powerless There are two situations to consider whether it’s: 1. To get rid of an individual tha grabbed hold of you; 2. To neutralize an individual to prevent from causing harm, to put away, arrest or expel. In the first case, release the grab wit one of the following means: Punching or kicking; Wrestling takedowns parries.
or
In the second case, generally avoid facing the individual. Approach from the side or preferably from behind.
Instantly grab the person, either using a previously described technique, or using a later described manner. Act with as much speed as possible, and look to apply a “key” (Translator’s note: a trap/lock/submission), meaning keep the individual in such a fashion that an attempt at resisting on his behalf is impossible. Concerning the choice of takedown or hold to apply, it is evident that i depends on the circumstances. Suc and such technique applied on a wea individual will be absolutely ineffective if applied on a stron individual or skilled at defendin himself. All these “keys” can be executed i any stance: standing, kneeling, squatted or on the ground. Some keys bein dangerous, proceed with caution whe
performing them. st
1 Grab or Key: “Belt” the body and arms at once.
Figure 56. Defense against a dangerous individual: do a front or back belt (bear hug) by making sure to wrap both his arms.
Grab the individual to neutralize usin a previously described wrestling hold: front belt, side belt, back belt or reverse belt, making sure to wrap/trap both arms at the same time. nd
2 Key: Perform a “tie”.
Figure 57. Render a dangerous individual powerless: Means of putting the opponent into a tie
("figure four"). Wrap the neck of the person to neutralize with the right arm from the front, side or preferably behind. Grab hold one’s own right wrist with the left hand and squeeze tightly.
Wrap the neck with the right arm, for instance, of the individual to control, frontally, laterally or preferably fro behind. Grab your own right wrist wit our left hand, and squeeze tightly. rd
3 Key: “Belt” the elbows fro behind.
Figure 58. Render a dangerous individual powerless: Grab the person’s arms from behind and keep his elbows as close to each other as possible, wrapping/belting them if necessary with both arms.
Seize the individual to control’s arms from behind and maintain his elbows as close to one another as possible.
Then, pass, one after the other, your hands under his armpits and wrap his arms above the elbows by grabbin hold of your own right wrist with your left hand, in order to form a “tie”/knot, or by strongly hooking the sleeves o our clothing. With this grab, in order to avoid kicks or a forward roll if the individual were to suddenly drop down, maintain his body leaning backwards. th
4 Key: Twisting of a limb to the outside or the inside.
Figure 59. Defense against a dangerous individual. Left: Twisting of an arm to the outside. Right: twisting and turning of one arm behind the back by bringing the wrist as high as possible.
Grab hold of a limb or segment of a limb and brusquely twist it, either inward, or outward, with excessive force applied to one or several joints.
Examples:
1. Seize either of the individual’s hands and twist it brusquel inside or outside; or twist the wrist forward, sideways, or backwards; 2. Seize one or several fingers o the hand and twist them, bend them, extend them or spread them brutally; 3. Seize the individual’s righ wrist with the right hand and place the left hand above his right elbow. Bring the suddenly the right arm behind the back and twist it either outward, or inward, the wris close to the body and as elevated as possible. Let go o the arm with the left hand, the grab the individual by his
clothing with the left hand. 4. With the right hand, grab the individual’s right hand, or preferably wrist, and strongl twist his arm inward or outward. With the left hand, grab his right arm above the elbow. Maintain the person a a distance by pushing hi away and making sure to always on his flank and face the same direction.
This hold is especially practical whe it is done by two people at once, one on the right, as just described, the other to the left of the individual to neutralize.
Figure 60. Means of rendering a dangerous individual powerless: twoperson control. Grab the wrist and elbow of the person to neutralize and twist his arm inward or outward. Keep him at a distance making sure to remain cautious on the side, facing the same direction. 5) With the individual on the ground, grab his foot and twist i
inward or outward, or first bend his leg, then twist his foot. th
5 Key: Make a “Lever” with the opponent’s arm.
This “key” is particularly stressing the elbow joint. Grab the hand or preferably the wrist of the opponent. Twist the arm outward and forcefull extend it by making an intermediar fulcrum between the elbow and the shoulder. The exaggerated arm extension causes pain to the elbow joint and can eve cause a luxation, if sufficiently forced. One can make a “lever” with the arms in various positions. The picture below shows two simple examples o such a “key”.
Figure 61. Means to reduce an individual to being powerless: arm lever/arm bar. Left: the person on the left twists his opponent’s right arm outward and puts pressure on the elbow joint by using his left arm as fulcrum. Right: the kneeling person turns his opponent’s right arm out and puts pressure on the elbow joint using his right thigh as fulcrum.
st
1 Example:
Standing next to the opponent, facin the same direction, seize his right wris with the right hand and twist his righ arm outward as far as possible. Pass the left arm under his right ar and grab his upper body with the lef hand by the side or front of the neck. Keep the person at a distance b strongly pushing away with the lef arm. Make a lever with his right arm b creating a fulcrum on the left arm. Do i in such a way as the fulcrum is between the shoulder and the elbow. nd
2 Example:
With the opponent already grounded o his left side, place your right knee o his right flank near the lower ribs.
Seize his right wrist with your righ hand and twist his arm outward. Make a lever with the arm turned so b pushing it against the right thigh. Make it so the fulcrum of the arm o the thigh is between the elbow and the shoulder. Control the individual’s upper bod and push it away by grabbing his lef hand by the side or front of the neck.
th
6 Key: Biomechanical forcing of a oint.
This “key” particularly focuses on the oints of the writs, elbow or foot. It consists of trapping a joint in a kind of a “tie” which needs to be stiffened/straightened in order to put i in a cantilever.
This type of key is the most secure and most effective of all. The way to do this type of key is always the same; the picture below shows two simple examples:
Figure 62. Means to reduce a dangerous individual to being powerless: mechanical forcing of a joint. Left: forcing/stress on the elbow joint. Right: stress on the instep & ankle. For all this pressure holds (arm bar, ankle-bar), the trapping method is the same.
1) At the elbow: seize the individual’s left wrist with the left hand and twist the ar strongly as far outward as possible by positioning yoursel in the same direction as him. Place his left arm under the righ armpit as if to give him his arm. Completely wrap his left arm wit our right arm. Grab then hold of your own left wrist with the right hand passed from underneath. Make sure the wrapping of his arm takes place above the elbow.
Look to extend your own arm in order to put stress on the individual’s elbow oint. (Translator’s note: “arm bar”). 2) At the wrist : seize the individual’s left hand with your own left hand and twist i outward as much as possible. Wrap his left forearm with the
right arm, grab your own lef wrist and apply pressure as previously described. 3) At the ankle: seize his left le with the left hand between the knee and ankle, and pass i under the arm, so that the ankle is trapped under the right armpit. Pass the right arm to the outside and under in order to wrap the left leg.
Grab your own left wrist with the righ hand and use force in order to produce an exaggerated extension of the foot. ote: the last two described “keys”, especially the second one, are the most effective of all. When the hold is secured, the individual is powerless and incapable of making any move. n legitimate cases of self-defense, or of a dangerous individual’s capture o exceptional strength, do not hesitate
to resort to all the dangerous described strikes forbidden in courteous fights, but who are part o the art of self-defense: Kicks and punches, elbow strikes, knee strikes, edge of open hand strikes (chops), in the more sensitive areas of the body: temples, nose, eyes, chin, Adam’s apple, back of the neck, stomach, bladder, knee-cap, shin, etc.; Head butts to the face, chest or abdomen; Twisting and turning of the limbs, fingers, head, extension of the cervical vertebrae, twisting of the nose and ears;
Ties, knots, choke holds, throat grabs, etc., etc.
Table of Contents CHAPTER VIII: SELFDEFENSE EXERCISES I. GENERAL CO NSIDERATIONS. II. BOXING 1.General Considerations. 2.Fighting Stance 3.Straight Punches. 4.Side Punches 5.Kicks 6. Real Work on dummies, heavy bags, s peed bags etc. 7.Two-person training. 8.Sparring and Fighting. III. WRESTLING. 1.General considerations. 2. Classic takedowns for open-hand wrestling. 3.Leg or foot sweeps, hooks and leg locks in standard free wrestling.
