DISCUSSION

Pushing Mechanics

Leg position – the majority of people started the push with back leg straight. However, this may be good only if you are attempting in a defensive position where you feel you need to count on structure for support. However, if you want to generate enough pushing power to affect your opponent, straight leg takes away the possibility of pushing with leg muscles.

Legs should be bent at knee at about 90 degrees. The knee should not be facing the ground in almost a kneeing position. It should be facing between 30-45 degrees of the frontal line so that you foot can be placed comfortably.

Arm position – The elbows should be relaxed and pointing downward. Keep the shoulders relaxed and settled into your upper-body frame. Instead of actively trying to push with your arms, maintain this “relaxed shape” and imagine your body and arms as a single connected unit. The arms will transmit force naturally when the whole body moves.

Body position – It is tempting to lean your body into the push to add weight, but this creates several problems. If your opponent steps back while you are leaning in, you may lose balance and fall forward—unacceptable in a live exchange. Keep your torso relatively upright and relaxed (but not limp). You may round and sink the body slightly to help redirect force downward into your legs.

Avoid arching your lower back, as this often causes the abdominal muscles to tighten and makes your body rigid. A rigid structure becomes a lever your opponent can exploit. Instead, relax your back and lower back, allowing a gentle pelvic tilt so force from the ground to your legs and can pass smoothly through your body structure.

Placement of Center of Gravity

Physics tells us that if your center of gravity (CG) is positioned directly above the edge of your base of support, any movement beyond that point will cause the entire structure to collapse. While advanced practitioners may still maintain stability in such conditions, beginners should play it safe and keep their CG centered between both feet.

You can observe a similar principle in professional tennis: when waiting for a serve, players distribute their weight roughly 50/50 so they can move easily in either direction.

What is the best way to step forward?

We all hope there is just one type of stepping to master—wouldn’t that be nice? In reality, different situations call for different types of footwork. Here are a few examples that I will try to cover next class:

• Gallops – used to quickly cover distance when you don’t yet have contact with your opponent.
• Stutter steps – used to add body weight and momentum into your technique.
• Switch steps – used to change the leading foot and potentially adjust your angle, either to evade or to add power to kicks.
• Angling steps – to stay at same distance but at a different angle.
• Heel-toe – again an angling maneuver where you step without stepping
• Safe-your-bacon step – to be able to release your weighted leg. This is especially important for seniors to save yourself from tripping over uneven pavement, etc.
• Step-through – bringing the back foot past the front foot, similar to walking. This becomes challenging when you are already feeling resistance from your opponent or when you need to deliver a fast, long-distance strike with a changed lead.

…and many more.

SCENARIOS

• Try to push with different leg, arm and body positions and experience how it feels.
• Try tighten up your body using chest and apps
• Experiment with hands on partner’s shoulder versus hip
• Try to push against partners with different heights and body built as compared to you.
• Apply the knowledge about a strong stance versus a weak stance from previous classes.

EXERCISES

Practice push-the-wall – the wall will not move and so it is easy to detect if any part of your body leaks out the pushing force. Read the discussion on the top to focus in on what to focus on. Feel your body and see if you can deliver the same thrust without engaging your whole body.

Do try also the “extension” push where you extend your shoulder, chest and arms without moving your abs and lower body.

Plank – plank is a good exercise to strengthen your core. Do not allow your body to sag. You should have a slightly rounded back. Try to hold until you shake and then count eight more slow count.

DISCUSSION

Characteristics of a good defense technique

If you describe the purpose of blocking a punch simply as avoiding getting hit, that is valid—but it’s not enough. This mindset keeps you one beat behind and focuses your attention on the opponent’s punch rather than on the openings that they are giving you.

Our method focuses on the following principles:

• Create something the opponent must respond to.
  Don’t just react; give them a problem to solve.
• Move off the line of fire so you don’t absorb the full impact of the strike. Furthermore, they have to find you!
• Affect the opponent physically and mentally so they must adjust—or get hit.
• Be either fully out or fully in.
  Avoid the mid-range where the opponent has many striking options.
• Limit the opponent’s choices as much as possible so the exchange is no longer a guessing game.
• Use double-layered strategy whenever possible – for example, use structural support AND move the target AND breath out to absorb all at the same time rather than relying on a single method and hoping it always works.

Structural support

In general, the human body uses bones for structure and muscles for movement. Many people focus too heavily on muscle use and forget the power that comes from proper structural alignment.

Here are some of the benefits of using body structure:

• Muscles consume energy, and you will fatigue over time.
• Muscles require reaction time, which means they can be late.
• Excess tension slows movement and can even cause opposing muscles to fight each other. For example, tensing both the biceps and triceps before punching makes a fast, strong strike impossible—though it may look good on a bodybuilding stage.

Don’t fall into the trap of thinking internal styles like Taichi do not use muscles. If you’re standing, you are using muscles. If you bend your knees, you are using thigh muscles. The key difference is the focus: not on muscle contraction, but on the task at hand.

Some people tense their shoulders and arms before striking. These “preparations” are telegraphs, signals that reveal your intention to your opponent.

As a senior, percentages are against you if someone cares to bully you. Don’t compete on his terms, learn to fight smart. Apply the laws of physics like leverage, shape, etc.

Muscles require commitment to generate power. A properly aligned structure can remain in place indefinitely and function automatically when needed, with no advance signal.

Structure is extremely strong when used as intended, but very weak when pushed beyond its limits. A toothpick can deliver a painful poke if you press its tip against your finger, yet it snaps easily when pressed from the side.

SCENARIOS

Defense against circular swings

“Stay out or in.”
Circular hooks or swings often have shorter reach than straight punches. When you are outside their reach, you are safe. When you are inside—past the distance they train their heavy bag—you enter a zone where they often feel they need “more room” to hit harder. That close range can be a safe zone if you know how to use it.

Point your elbow at the swinging arm.

If the opponent’s arm strikes your elbow perpendicularly, there is a good chance they will injure themselves badly.

Warning: The following video is gruesome but reflects real-world consequences.

Review and practice defense against six grips

• Low, crossover, thumbs-up grip
• Low crossover, palms down grip
• Low, same-side, thumbs-up grip
• High crossover grip
• High same-side grip
• Two-arms-low grip

EXERCISES

Some of you are still struggling with the “gallops.” Here are a few things to avoid:

• Do NOT use the terms “front” and “back.”
  These refer to where you are looking, not the direction of movement. The key consideration is your direction of travel, so please use the terms “leading” and “trailing.”
• Do NOT gallop with noticeable level changes on each step.
  This wastes energy and time—save that effort for when you truly need to sprint away. Keep your movement smooth and maintain a consistent height unless there is a specific purpose for changing levels.

Some of you also mentioned that there are many concepts to absorb. Reprogram your brain over time by reading the class notes, applying the principles by brainstorming examples where the theories are applicable. This mental training is just as important as the physical training.

DISCUSSION

I cannot…YET

I understand the challenge you felt while learning some of these skills. “Relax” can feel completely counterintuitive. It is hard—but it’s not impossible. It simply takes repetition. Remember: “You cannot … yet.”

I’ve included an old video of a pike that seems to learn from repeated failed attempts. Please watch it all the way to the end:

My takeaway is this: don’t give up, no matter how difficult something feels in the moment. You have a teacher (me) as a resource to support you. You have support from classmates that probably went through similar experiences. If you persevere, what feels hard today will eventually become easy.

Constraints

Water naturally takes the shape of its container and always flows to the lowest point—both well-known facts. But we also know water changes state under different temperatures. As steam, it rises; as liquid, it flows and adapts; as ice, it becomes rigid and even expands compared to its volume at room temperature.

The skills we learn in martial arts or self-defense also operate within certain parameters. For example, if space is limited, running away may no longer be an option. If an attacker is so tall that you cannot reach his nose, aiming for a nose-strike is not realistic. If you’re holding a thin bamboo stick, it won’t deliver much impact as a weapon. And if your arm is limp, you won’t have much leverage. While you must first practice techniques as they are taught, you should also test and adapt them under different conditions.

Constraints or limitations can be:

• Self-related constraints
  You may have injured your ankle the day before. You might be lying down and unable to move backward or get up easily. You could be physically outsized by your opponent. Or you may have a child with you whom you must protect.
• Opponent-related constraints
  Your opponent may have unusually long limbs and you may have a hard time reaching him. If it’s winter and he’s wearing a thick jacket, your punches may not cause enough damage. Or he may be strong, fast, muscular, and able to absorb hits more easily.
• Environmental constraints
  You might be in an elevator with very limited space. You could be walking on an icy surface while wearing shoes with poor traction. Or you might be seated on a park bench, making movement more difficult.

Crowbar Principle — Leverage

When escaping someone’s grip, we often rely on the crowbar principle.

• Relax and clear your mind.
  Tensing up prevents you from thinking clearly and usually disrupts the mechanics that would otherwise work in your favor.
• Do not “lift the box.”
  Do not try to lift or overpower the opponent’s hold directly. Most likely, you are not the stronger one.
• Establish a fixed pivot point that does not move.
  You may move other parts of your arm or body, but the pivot must remain stationary. A common mistake is accidentally pushing the pivot point itself—once it moves, you lose leverage.
• Generate a power lever by extending the energy through your body – a “longer handle” amplifies the power you can generate without tensing up more.
• Project energy through your arm and fingers. Do not leave your fingers bent or hold the hand in a fist. This creates a longer “crowbar tongue” for better leverage.

SCENARIOS
Defense Against a Straight Punch

“Wax on / wax off” demonstrated how seemingly simple or repetitive movements can become useful in self-defense, and it highlighted the value of training. However, from a technical standpoint, it is not our preferred method.

The “wax on / wax off” approach comes from a paradigm where you defend first and strike later. The focus is on blocking the attack and then looking for an opportunity to counter. This type of block has several drawbacks:

• If you misread a fake punch, your hand will be drawn out to the side, leaving you exposed to follow-up strikes.
• Because you react after the punch has started, you are already a beat behind. You must rely on speed and experience to intercept the punch in time. The extra, non-productive travel your hand must make to reach the punch is wasted time. As a senior, you cannot assume you will be faster than your attacker.
• You cannot predict whether you can actually move the attacker’s arm once you make contact. You won’t know until you touch, and by then it may be too late to change your action.
• A block that is not directed toward the attacker can actually fuel his aggression. By attempting to block, you may provoke him to prove he is stronger.

Defense Against a Swinging Punch

The most dangerous reaction is to panic, stiffen your body, and remain at arm’s-reach distance. At that range, punches, kicks, and tackles are all possible, and things happen so quickly that you are likely to get hit.

Staying out of reach is obviously safer—but going all the way in is often counterintuitive. Yet, if you close the distance until you are only inches away, a swinging punch may still hurt but is far less likely to knock you out. Most people cannot generate full power at extremely close range.

Characteristics of Our Preferred Defense Approach

• The blocking hand does not travel sideways. Instead, it shoots directly over the attacker’s arm toward his face or eyes.
• If the punch turns out to be a fake and the attacker retracts, your hand ends up right at his face, removing his initial advantage.
• A hand near his face forces him to pull back or duck, obstructing his vision and reducing his ability to react to your next move.

Review of the grips

We reviewed the following grips, can you name to key-points for each? Remember to look back at the class notes in for the fall season session or even earlier. If you really can’t find the answer, do arrive early to class and ask:

• Low, crossover, thumbs-up grip
• Low, same-side, thumbs-up grip
• High crossover grip
• High same-side grip
• Two-arms-low grip

We also discussed the following scenarios:

• What if you are stuck in a seated position and the attacker puts his full body weight into the grip?
• What if your hands are on a table and you are confined in a picnic bench with limited elbow movement?

EXERCISES

Hot everyone mastered the “gallop” version of mobility. Movements sometimes are still a bit raw or awkward. You must practice until it becomes smooth and relatively effortless.

If you arrive early at class early next week, do partner up and take turns to respond to various direction changes as required.

DISCUSSION

Partner work

You need good partners to excel. Learn to be a good partner! In partner drills, one person feeds and the other person respond. Here are key points to being a good partner:

• Communicate clearly. Make sure both of you understand the scope, speed, and force of each drill to establish clear expectations.
• Help each other learn. Work together to refine techniques through repetition and gradual increases in difficulty.
• Respect comfort zones. Everyone’s comfort level is different. As the feeder, create a supportive environment so your partner can adapt and learn effectively.
• Analyze together. Discussing why a technique didn’t work benefits both partners. It helps train your eye to spot mistakes and reinforces key points for improvement.
• Own the technique. Knowing a move is different from owning it. Repetition is the key to making your responses automatic.
• Be patient and courteous. Everyone learns differently. What seems simple to you now might have been confusing once too. Show the same patience you’d want others to show you. Remember, speaking louder doesn’t help someone understand better — rephrasing your explanation often does.
• Take it seriously. You are all learning techniques that could save lives. Not having — or not being — a good partner can deprive someone of the chance to develop life-saving skills.

De-escalation Strategy

Even world-class athletes sometimes fall behind in a match — what matters is their ability to recover. Likewise, in real-life confrontations, some strikes may get through. You need both mental and physical resilience to push through pain if necessary.

Still, the best outcome is always to de-escalate when possible. Here are some techniques:

• Change your positioning. Move from a face-to-face confrontation to the person’s side, facing the same direction.
• Stay calm, relax and assess. Relax first. Your tension can trigger further escalation. Read the situation — what resources are nearby? What’s the person’s end goal? Is time on your side? Do you have room to move?
• Avoid telegraphing your intent. Don’t fight strength with strength; operate subtly and stay under their radar.
• Use calm communication. Speak softly and look for common ground, e.g. “I’m sorry — I’m having a rough day too…”

Strategic Positioning (Situational Awareness)

• Avoid standing near the edge of train platforms or at the tops of stairways. A single bump could send you over the edge.
• Maintain a good field of vision. Don’t walk too close to blind corners in streets or supermarket aisles. Staying at least an arm’s length from edges and obstacles gives you time and space to react.
• Avoid keeping your hands in your pockets — they could get trapped if you fall.
• Stay aware of your surroundings. Know who and what is near you, and look ahead for potential risks.

Application of “Perpendicular”

The concept of perpendicular force applies to both offense and defense.

In offense: A punch or kick that lands perpendicular to the target surface maximizes impact.
Rather than pushing directly against strength, redirect force to where resistance is minimal — this allows small movements to overcome larger forces.

In defense: Applying force at a 90-degree angle to your opponent’s line of attack meets minimal resistance and can easily disrupt their balance.

SCENARIOS

Reviews

Remember the phrase: “Please Practice Relax First.”
The following grips were reviewed and practiced with different partners:

• Low cross-over (thumbs up) grip
• Low cross-over (palms down) grip
• Low same-side grip
• High cross-over grip

Common mistakes :

• Failing to follow up to reach a strategic position
• Not staying close enough to maintain control of the opponent
• Trying to yank the wrist away or lift the opponent
• Lack of coordination — body parts must move in unison for maximum efficiency
• Confusing “relaxed” with “limp”
• Telegraphing movements

EXERCISES

Continue working on all mobility and strengthening exercises from previous classes regularly.