Countering the Left Hook...USA Women to Semi's!

I talked about countering the L jab in my post on Sept. 6, 2007...now I will discuss how to handle the L Hook. ( the L hook is devastating when delivered with your moving body wgt. behind the blow, accelerated with a clockwise twist of the hips upon the weight shift to add further momentum to the punch). Joe Frazier had a lethal L hook; some of Ali's neurological damage no doubt was caused by Joe's punches during their 3 wars..........................(1) Cover the hook: R hand covers your jaw/cheek on R side of your face, R elbow covers your ribs (in case the hook is to your body)...absorb the blow & fire back immediately with a R-L-R combo...........(2) Bob & Weave: go with the hook as you bob your head/torso toward your L, hit his body with a L hook as you weave toward your R & come up to bust him in the face with a R-L-R combo................(3) Lin Sil Da: cover his hook as in #1 above &, at the SAME TIME, hit him in the chops with a straight L (you block AND strike at the exact same moment)...very disorienting to him, as most people don't expect to be hit as they launch their own punch!.............(4) insert on the hook: you move into the hook & smother it with your R hand at the opp. L shoulder/ bicep...then fire your own R-L-R combo. WARNING: keep your L hand up & ready to deal with opp. R cross should it come! I got hit right between the headlights last week this way; smothered opp. L hook at the bicep, BUT did not keep my L up & got hit by his straight R he threw right after his hook! Shows the benefit of throwing punches in bunches! LOL...some get blocked or parried,but some will get through! Next time: countering the R cross....................................Finally, congratulations to USA Women's soccer! Beat England 3-0 in quarter-finals; will face Brazil tomorrow AM in semi's. Winner to face a very STRONG/ TOUGH side from Germany in final's on Sunday. (Germany beat Norway 3-0 today in other semi-final)............Good night to you all; practice this with due care (keep contact to a minimum while you practice).

A few nice home exercise products!

Let me say right up front that I am NOT a bodybuilder (I DO admire their awesome muscles however), but I want to keep in decent shape as it helps my martial arts performance! Here are a few exercise products that have worked well for me and could be used at home (even in a small apartment). (1) Bowflex select-tech dumbbells: let you dial-up from #5 to # 52.5 lbs each dumbbell (they are not cheap; other dumbbells work equally well...but I do like this product!)........(2) "perfect push-up" stands: enable your forearms to pronate & supinate as you perform your rep...nice, I can finally do a little "pec bounce" LOL.......(3) Total Gym: you use a % of your body weight as the resistance as you pull/push on cables to move a sliding board up an adjustable incline plane.......(4) "ab-original" slings that facilitate hanging from a pull-up bar (the type you install in a door way) to enable you to do decent sets of hanging leg-raises...rips your 6-pack...or 4-pack...or 2-pack LOL....(5) Bosu Balance Trainer: I like to do push-ups on it (helps balance & stabilization muscles) and use it as a handy platform to do dumbbell chest fly sets. Ab crunches and other Swiss ball exercises can be done on it (with less risk of falling off since it's like half of a ball mounted on a platform!) OK, there are my suggestions...they won't give you muscles like Arnold or Belle Turell ( http://www.isabelleturell.com )(you have to lift HEAVY in a gym for that type of development...and have much more of a clue on how it's done then I have). Good day to you---joe

USA Women through to Quarter-finals...4 types of KO's

Congrats to USA Women's Soccer! After a draw with Korea, they defeated Sweden & Nigeria to win Group B in 2007 Women's World Cup...will play the 3 Lions of England on Sat. morning in the quarter-finals. Another quarter-final sets Group A winner-Germany vs. Korea (Group B runner-up). Best wishes to these AWESOME women (I luv soccer...I luv women...what a combo!) It won't be terrible should they lose...the 3 Lions are a fine side in my book, so all good! (BUT USA SHOULD WIN)......................................................There are 4 types of Knockouts: (1) Vascular= where the blood flow is restricted to the brain, causing a drop in blood pressure & passing out. Examples are the Rear Naked Choke & Triangle Choke from BJJ and a strike to the Carotid Artery on side of neck with a Shuto (karate chop) or Hammer Fist....... (2) Impact= causing shock waves to the brain inside it's "box" inside the skull. Examples are hard, straight-in blows to chin, nose, temple or forehead (right between the "headlights") via a palm-heel or back-fist...........(3)Torque of Brainstem= this happens when the head twists violently from a Hooking-type of blow...your reflexes become disoriented,you lose balance, & go down! This is illustrated nicely in a scene in the movie "Million Dollar Baby".........(4) Pain/Sensory Overload= the pain is so bad...you go into a type of shock. Get caught in an Aikido Master's Nikayo or Sankayo wrist locks as he (or she) ratchets up the twisting forces on the joint and you go into a whole new state of pain compliance to avoid getting your wrist broken. Bye for now; will discuss L hook defenses next time...to avoid which type of KO? ...RIGHT= the torque of brainstem type!

Gunting....Limb Destructions from FMA

First of all: read the Disclaimer, dated Sept. 11, 2007!....................Filipino Martial Arts (FMA) use the concept of gunting (scissor-like) motion for limb destruction (meaning you break his hand, hit his "funny bone", impact his forearm / bicep to spasm the muscle = result being he STOPS trying to hit you with that limb). Quick run-down vs. opp. L jab: (1) parry opp. L jab with your R as you zone to R (in case you miss the parry,you won't get hit in the face) AND hit opp. fist near his thumb w/ a sweeping side-ways motion of your L fist (hit with extended PIP joints); idea being to damage his thumb with this scissor-like action of parry-pushing w/ R & sweeping impact w/ L!...... Now that you got the idea: 4 other targets for your L knuckles: (2) hit opp. wrist (carpal bones) where hand flexes/ extends....(3) hit opp. forearm muscle near center of forearm....(4) hit "funny bone" (end of ulna) at point of opp. elbow....(5) hit opp. bicep to spasm that muscle & cause a deep bruise. Finally...to break opp. fist: strike incoming fist with a horizontal OR a vertical (rising) left elbow,as you guide opp. fist toward your elbow strike with your right (parry) hand in that gunting (scissor) action! I plan to get into defenses vs. a right cross and vs. a left hook next time; however it's 10:30 PM and I'm up at 4:15 am, so good-night all! Practice this using due care: don't want to hear about any busted thumbs/ fingers...these same methods could be used with a blade (but I don't want to get into that!) Keep in mind that some cultures are more knife-oriented then others; this will tend to appear in the martial arts of that culture...only makes sense. You could also use a short Yawara stick or a Kubaton key-ring to impact on the areas that I mentioned above. Make PEACE & KINDNESS a priority,please! Only bad karma results from aggression...asserting your right to be safe from physical attack is morally & legally justified. REMEMBER: you are responding to his attempt at punching you!

Disclaimer...use due care!

The information I may provide could be dangerous; could result in serious injury or death if not applied with due caution or care. Any information I may provide is NOT a substitute for supervised instruction under a qualified instructor. You are responsible for knowledge of & compliance with all laws regarding the justified use of force in self-defense in any location where you may find yourself. I disclaim any liability from any damage/injury that any reader or user of any information contained in my blog may incur from the use or misuse of this information. This is intended to be for ACADEMIC STUDY/ DISCUSSION ONLY (regarding matters involving martial arts methods/ techniques and their use for legal self-defense). OK, got it!......I don't want to be too dramatic; however there are risks with any type of physical activity, especially something like kickboxing! If you haven't exercised in years & suddenly jump into full-contact sparring...well, things like heart attacks & cerebral bleeds could possibly happen. Bad things can happen if you like to show off your fighting skills by looking for fights at bars & clubs...you could be seriously hurt or hurt the other person & face criminal charges and/or civil litigation. NOT MY IDEA OF FUN!!! Now you get it!

Kali without sticks....and a beautiful woman bodybuilder

Please read the Disclaimer; dated Sept. 11, 2007.................Practiced empty-handed Kali drills last night: vs. opp. L jab= sweep punch to outside w/ your R (as you zone to the right)...check his elbow w/ your L...check his shoulder w/your R...hit opp bicep w/your L horizontal elbow & back-fist his face w/L fist! ( reverse vs straight R) Another quick one: vs opp. L-R= parry w/R, parry w/L & "salute" w/R...lop (grab) opp. R wrist w/ your R as you do "arm wrench" just proximal to opp. R elbow by levering up w/ your L forearm as you push down w/ your R ! He will be hurtling forward to keep his arm from breaking: GOOD...hit him w/ R palm-heel under his nose/chin. (teach him not to mess with you). ...............................................................If you (like me) really like muscles on a woman...check out http://www.isabelleturell.com. Belle is a fantastic woman bodybuilder from Orlando,FL who is one of the top NPC female competitors. She posted a new photo gallery on her website yesterday: AMAZING...WHAT MUSCLES! Isabelle is over 2 months out from a show in Dallas in Nov. & is SLICED already! Big,round,beautiful shapes in her biceps, "horseshoe" TRICEPS, "cannonball"deltoids, ripped forearms, wide V-taper to her LAT spread,coiled spring-steel power in her THIGHS, calves, glutes AND the most amazing "WASHBOARD" ABS!!! Veins are popping out everywhere as her muscle definition comes together! Belle has such a BEAUTIFUL FACE,too...real "Latin" glamour! She is quite a lady indeed...go on,visit her website.........................

Rest in Peace...again (sigh)....and a boxing drill.

I was saddened to read today of the passing of famed tenor Luciano Pavarotti, who died at home this AM from pancreatic cancer, at the age of 71. He was one of my favorites, came to love opera from listening to him perform! Reportedly, Pavarotti dedicated the aria "Donna non vidi mai" (translated as "I have never seen a woman like that") to Princess Diana, who was in attendance at one of his performances in London. I would like to believe they met again this morning!...................I want to describe a boxing drill now...the "One" series( defending & countering the straight left lead...or jab) 6 options: (1) catch or parry the jab with your right...return a Jab-Cross-Hook-Cross. (2) catch or parry the jab with your R...return a Cross-Hook-Cross. (3) slip the jab to the outside (to your R) as you return a straight L to body-Cross-Hook-Cross. (4) Lin Sil Da (simultaneous catch w/ R as you jab w/ your L to opp. face)-Cross-Hook-Cross. (5) slip the jab to the inside (to your L) as you return a R cross-Hook-Cross. (6) slip jab to inside (to your L) as you parry his jab with your L-return R Cross-Hook-Cross. BE CAREFUL with # 5 & 6: your opp. will most likely follow up his L jab with a R cross & you are moving to your left (right into it's path!) You must be QUICK about throwing your Right Cross (to beat opp. to the punch)...also keep your own left hand up & ready to fend off his right cross, should it come your way! I will describe drills from time to time: helps me keep them straight in my mind when I can set them down in words...will make me a better teacher in the long run!