Saturday, August 9, 2008

Combat Slap, 2

Continued from "Combat Slap"

Here is a video of Jim Grover (aka Kelly McCann) teaching what he calls the cupped hand blow. I've posted on this strike under the name combat slap.

Watch this video and compare it to the one in the first post. See the similarities? How about differences? By putting both instructional videos together, you get a broader range of application for the strike.



Do the two instructors contradict? If so, which seems best to you? Why?

Continued in "Combat Slap, 3"

8 comments:

Stephen said...

I did not notice any contradiction...I like the instinctive defense that McCann added.

Out of curiosity, which do you like best?

Stephen said...

BTW, one of my sisters has recently expressed interest in learning martial arts, due to our family discussion of your daughter's response to my comment (I might add that I wholeheartedly agree with them and you. The discussion was most enlightening. Thank you!)

Should the training method differ from what my brother and I are doing?
I guess what I am trying to find out is, do you teach a guy different than you teach a girl?

The Warrior said...

I guess what I am trying to find out is, do you teach a guy different than you teach a girl?

Well I would guess yes, but what do you say, gravelbelly?

As to the video, fantastic! I love Kelly McCann. He has to be my favorite martial artist. What's interesting is that after seeing the leg-slapping scene and as I waited for the more of the video to load I simulated the technique in the air and thought it would be nasty on someone's ear.

I definitely like this. OH techniques can be nasty, like you said in your other post. Reminds me of McCann's "face smash."

But as to the other video...I don't really want to sit around another two hours to get it to load. ;-P

Will be cross-posted!

Spencer

Craig Mutton said...

Just so you know . . . my questions are designed to require you to focus. If you are looking for something specific, you will learn more than if you are watching with no specific purpose.

I see the difference between the videos one of emphasis more than of contradiction. In one, the moves are demonstrated by a female beginner, while in the other, you see them performed by a seasoned instructor.

In one, there is more an emphasis on specific targets (complex motor skills), while in the other, targets are "nice" but not primary (gross motor skills).

The main thing is if you take what you can from both videos, you will master different facets of the same skill.

Should men & women train differently? Good question. Answer: a qualified yes. Each should train to their strengths.

But this is true of every individual who trains in self defense, as well. I have a big gut, and my left hip joint has some range-of-motion issues. This affects which kicks I can effectively use, and thus, which I practice.


Girls have less upper body strength than men. A woman's legs are roughly four times as strong as her arms, while a man's legs are roughly twice as strong as his arms -- on average.

She must learn to hit with her hands as well as to kick, but it will be a huge tactical error to stand toe-to-toe & duke it out with some orc.

I would say the biggest training difference, though, will be psychological. You must be careful not to discourage the female practitioner.

Guys get into the impact & body contact, & the pain will get lost in the adrenaline rush. Girls may experience the same thing, and the reaction will be,"Why did you hurt me?"

Also, girls may find dealing with being grabbed & grappling with either strangers or family members highly repulsive, and perhaps threatening. They may need to work into the body contact with a male gradually, but they have to do it eventually, as any attacker will almost certainly be a male.

Eventually, they have to work through the pain part too, but you should probably approach it gradually as well, so as not to discourage them. Once they gain some competence, and they understand that you have to take the intensity to the next level for the sake of their own well-being, they'll be more willing to endure it.

After we'd been in jujitsu for a while, I worked with my daughter Raquel at home on wrist escapes. I grabbed her wrist and held it as tightly as I could. I showed hew how to use leverage to effect the escape against even someone my size (she was about eleven).

We practice from right and left, and her wrists became red & chafed from the repetitions. But she was determined to get it right, and I wanted her response to become automatic.

I felt like some kind of ogre, causing my little girl pain, but she was ready to take it to that level in this technique, and she had the mindset to do it.

I have another daughter whose threshold of pain is very low, and with whom I have to be very careful. We train only occasionally, and I have to be careful about inflicting pain, lest she give up wanting to train at all.

I don't know if this answer is specific enough. Hope it helps.

Stephen said...

Thanks alot!

I was thinking about possibly doing a future post on this subject on MTMOT.

The Warrior said...

Just so you know . . . my questions are designed to require you to focus. If you are looking for something specific, you will learn more than if you are watching with no specific purpose.

I'm sorry, what? I'm not sure what you mean.

When I usually "learn" new MA techniques, I don't know them yet so I can't necessarily look for something "specific."

Say, like this video, I watched it, paid close attention to the little details, proper technique, etc. If I like a move, I'm even more interested. If I don't, I usually pass on it.

Confused...?

Spencer

Craig Mutton said...

The focus questions do just what is implied: they give you something to focus on during a presentation.

A video is a medium of communication, and with any medium of communication, you pick up more if you're looking for something in particular.

This is because visual (and, to a degree, audio) media are essentially passive. Focus questions give you a chance to become active & participate in the process.

When you actively participate, you usually learn more than just the specifics you are watching/listening for.

Maybe you are such a highly motivated learner that you don't need the extra help to focus. That's okay. In the future just ignore the questions.

The Warrior said...

Maybe you are such a highly motivated learner that you don't need the extra help to focus. That's okay. In the future just ignore the questions.

Oh no! I don't think I'm good enough to be called that. But, I see what you mean, questions can help; I was just saying that, when I have no idea what a technique is going to be, I can't come "looking" for one little thing in particular too often, you know what I'm saying?

Thanks!

Spencer