Force Generation from the Core, The arms act as connectors, transmitting force generated by the core and lower body through contact. Tensing the arms or trying to generate force with them in isolation weakens its delivery. Maintain arm alignment and contact so that core-driven force flows through without telegraphing your intention.

Step-and-Sink Movement Mechanics: The foundational diagonal “step-and-sink” pattern is inspired by skating. Remain upright, bend the knees while letting your body weight shift diagonally downward, like a snow shovel moving through snow. Integrate the sinking and driving actions into one relaxed movement to prevent the bounce-back caused by action and reaction.

Consequential Movement: In the wrist-grab escapes, you have learned not to initiate movement from the point of contact. Instead, movement at the contact point is generated indirectly by moving other body parts that are not controlled by the specific grip. Fighting locally at the point of contact is the wrong approach when your goal is to escape without directly confronting the force of the grip.

Defense mindset: In self-defense, if you need to fight, be prepared to take some hits. Don’t expect to win without paying a price yourself. Your objective is to survive, not to perform like an actor in the movies. You must maintain the initiative, recognize and capitalize on opportunities, and keep moving to generate power for your hits while avoiding hits.

SCENARIOS

Affect your opponent from a standup position

When we talk about self defense, we do not have a referee to get both of us in a stance to get ready. It can easily be a powerful shuffle on your chest while you are standing upright. You have to be able to response without ANY preparation. You will be flying backwards if you try to get ready by sitting into a stance. This is where the technique “STEP AND SINK” can be really useful.

Stepping-Into Pressure zone (Self-Defense Application): Override the instinct to step backward. Instead, step forward or sideways into the aggressor while rounding and driving from the core. Whenever you lift a leg to step in any direction, you risk being thrown off balance because the transition to standing on one leg is a vulnerable position. Keeping your legs spread about shoulder-width apart provides greater stability. Learn to generate power directly from this stable, standing position without relying on stepping.

EXERCISES

Static Push Alignment, Muscle Efficiency, and Joint Locking: In isometric pushes against a fixed barrier, do not lean, you should maintain a relatively vertical but slightly rounded torso, bent rear leg with knee pointing slightly out, seated hips, and lock skeletal joints so that they do not leak any power delivered. Eliminate wind-up and visible shifts; relax unnecessary tension (e.g., excessive abs/glutes) to prevent leverage against yourself. enable Defensive redirection should not require a lot of movement and sometimes even with just the fingers.

Knee Joint Safety in Lunges: I do not recommend the side lunge stretch—especially for seniors—due to two main risks:

1. Knee Joint Grinding: The lateral movement creates a grinding action on the bent knee joint.
2. Medial Ligament Strain: The straight leg distributes stretch forces along its entire length, including the ligaments on the inner knee. Because of the long lever arm, the resulting torque is relatively high.

There are safer, more effective ways to stretch the inner groin without exposing the knee to these risks.

Squats

Squats are great to train your thigh muscles. However, squats not done properly will bring undue stress to your knees. Flat back with tailbone pointing backwards will bring relieve instantly.

Ground Conditioning & Backward Crawl Mechanics: Functional floor drills (such as the fishtail and backward crawl) build arm, shoulder, and core strength. Keep your elbows slightly bent and avoid lumbar overextension or a “butt out” posture. Emphasize coordination, controlled deceleration, and muscle awareness—engaging the core and shoulders rather than stressing the lower back.

Note to Students:

“Are you sure you have thoroughly reviewed the exercise list from last week, understand how to perform each move, and know its intended purpose? If not, please ask about it during our upcoming class.”

DISCUSSIONS

The “Doorstopper” Concept: – preserve your defensive space

In martial arts, the “doorstopper” concept means that instead of directly pushing back against an opponent’s force, you try to jam or redirect their movement so they cannot reach their intended target. When you push head-on against someone who is stronger than you, they will usually have the advantage.

If you retreat, the aggressor may take advantage of every inch of space you give up. Therefore, this concept should be applied in a way that preserves the space you need for your defense. Rather than meeting their force head-on, redirect it to the side and avoid a contest of strength.

Body Relaxation and Breathing

If you tense up your body while being pushed, you are creating a leverage advantages for the attacker. You will find that a properly relaxed body is more effective in absorbing the incoming force.

If you tense up while being pushed, you may create mechanical advantages for the attacker. A properly relaxed body can be more effective at absorbing and adapting to incoming force.

If you exhale quickly and forcefully, you may be able to absorb some of the incoming force more effectively. Furthermore, exhaling can help create space for defensive movements. However, you must be careful not to give up this space carelessly, as your opponent may take advantage of every inch you yield. Apply the doorstopper principle to maintain your defensive space.

Controlling Your Opponent’s Mind

You may be able to disrupt an attack by changing the opponent’s thought process or drawing their attention elsewhere. This could involve doing something unexpected, such as not resisting a push, introducing a new variable, such as calling out to someone, or directing their attention toward other people or things.

It is important to practise recognizing the resources already available to you. Don’t wait until you need them and then panic. The more you practise, the easier it becomes to recognize and use these resources.

SCENARIOS

Back against wall

What is the difference between being pushed when you have room to move and being pushed against a wall or onto the ground? The key difference is your ability to move.

If you tense up and fight the incoming force, simply taking steps backward may be enough to neutralize the push. However, if there are obstacles behind you, you cannot move as freely. Learning how to “find space” is therefore very important.

Tagging

The concept of “tagging” involves freezing your opponent physically or mentally.

From a physical perspective, this can mean affecting the opponent’s balance, muscle tension, or ability to move. From a mental or psychological perspective, it can involve creating pressure, triggering an overreaction, introducing fear of consequences, redirecting attention, or influencing their willingness to fight.

This goes beyond feinting, baiting, or misdirection. Through subtle actions, such as a slight shift or touch, you can influence your opponent’s posture and balance, encouraging predictable reactions or commitment to a particular direction.

Tagging extends beyond physical techniques to include an understanding of human psychology. You can disrupt an attack by changing the opponent’s thought process. This might involve doing the unexpected (e.g., not resisting a push), introducing a new variable (e.g., calling out to someone), or using reverse psychology (e.g., telling someone not to do something, knowing they may be more inclined to do it).

For example, a quick movement in one direction may trigger your opponent’s instinct to resist. This resistance will usually be in the opposite direction, and you can choose to work with that response rather than fight against it.

Pushing

Most people push using only their arms, which limits the force they can generate to the contribution of their arm muscles. In combat, our aim is to make the best use of our whole body without exposing ourselves to unnecessary risks by overcommitting.

To accomplish this, we keep our elbows locked or nearly locked, minimizing arm extension. The driving force comes from the feet, with the whole body moving as one unit toward the opponent.

The body needs to remain relaxed while releasing force, all while maintaining a vertical axis. Changes in the direction of the force are controlled through the palms and fingers.

Absorbing

Winter is coming, and we will all be wearing thicker clothes. This can affect the energy transferred during impact, meaning that even your best punch may not produce the intended result. Similarly, a thick layer of body fat can provide some cushioning against impact.

These factors need to be taken into account during combat, as they affect both your strikes and your defenses. When considering an attack, remember that different parts of the body have different levels of protection. Thick clothing may provide some cushioning, but it does not reliably protect vulnerable areas such as the head, nose, or throat. From a defensive perspective, extra clothing or body fat may offer some protection against certain impacts, but you should never assume that you can safely take more hits or afford to take greater risks.

People with well-developed abdominal muscles can tense them to help protect their internal organs from impact. However, this protection has its limits and depends on the muscles’ ability to withstand the force.

Rather than simply stiffening your muscles, you need to learn how to absorb incoming force by changing the angle of impact, relaxing your muscles, and allowing your body structure to adapt immediately. These adjustments can help dissipate the incoming force rather than allowing it to concentrate in one area.

EXERCISES

Yes, we need to continue doing the foundational exercises I have shown you in the past to improve arm, core, and leg strength, cardiovascular fitness, joint mobility, and balance.

On top of that, we need to train our ability to control different parts of the body. This means learning how to integrate them so that the whole body works as one unit, while also being able to move individual parts independently when needed.

This is a lifelong journey. The more time you invest in it, the more you will learn and the more easily and quickly you will be able to perform these movements.

The following is not an exhaustive list, but rather a collection of examples. If you are unfamiliar with any of them, please ask!

• Finding Space Through Breathing
• Practising the “Doorstopper” Concept
• Step and Sink
• Pushing Against the Wall
• Galloping Without the Up-and-Down Movement
• Changing Angles
• Leg Switches
• Fish Tail
• Body Waves

SIDE NOTES

Do read the Confederation notes. 🙂

DISCUSSIONS

Posture and Confidence Projection – The best defense is to avoid being picked as a target. Do maintain an upright, non-slouched posture. Project calm confidence without looking tense or aggressive. Stay alert yet relaxed. Good posture can make you less likely to be identified as an easy target and may help prevent trouble before it starts.

De-escalation and Option Retention: Prioritize de-escalation over escalation; retain choices (e.g., open palm, smile, “let’s go for coffee”) especially in settings where violence is not tolerated e.g. if you are in a long-term care center. Furthermore, eye pokes and groin kicks can be dangerous even in class doing it “slow” – accidents do happen.

Teaching Mindset and Class Philosophy: Every class matters because at a minimum, participants will learn that it is possible to defend yourself even when the other person is stronger. Students may face very challenging environments but knowing that you can make them pay will at least give you a bit of satisfaction. Understanding the principles behind different solutions is very important in my mind because the actual situation can differ a bit. You have to understand to be able to make the technique yours during those challenging times.

Mind and Body – Appreciate how you can work your body through the mind is like putting you in “turbo” mode. Our “Effortless Power” approach aims to deliver the most without the need to train 7 days a week.

If you count on just your muscles, you will need to be physically stronger than the attacker to win. However, we do not want to become professional fighters nor become Arnold Schwarzenegger. Up to now, you probably had not had many actual fights under your belt and you probably want to keep it that way.

My goal is to keep the classes interesting as well as practical. If you are never going to use what you have learned, is that being practical? I want to teach you things that can be used strategically BOTH in fights as well as in your daily life. I want you to understand everything so that you can adapt it to suit your purpose.

Relaxation is a multi-billion dollar industry for a good reason. Our techniques depends on your ability to relax and not based off tension. Knowing how to move your body structure efficiently, how to leverage off your body weight to generate more striking power, how to cause pain through understanding of human body, how to simplify coordination of so many body parts through right visualization and focus. Being able to apply what you have learned positively in your daily life is what I am hoping for.

SCENARIOS

Strategic Body Positioning: This refers to adjusting your stance and position relative to an opponent to gain a tactical advantage. The core purpose is to move from a confrontational face-to-face stance to a safer, more advantageous sideways position, changes the opponent’s focus while minimizing the effectiveness of their direct attacks like punches.

Wrist Lock Mechanics (Vertical Palm): This is a specific joint lock technique focused on controlling and applying pressure to an opponent’s wrist. The execution requires forcing the opponent’s palm into a vertical position (pinky finger up), establishing their wrist as a stable pivot point, and then using your entire body’s motion (raising your spine) to rotate their palm around that pivot, causing pain and control without needing to overpower them with arm strength.

Amplify your power using the feet as pivot and hip as engine: Treat the feet as the pivot point; and use your whole body to create an amplified effect through leverage against your opponent.

Neutrality and Timing of Delivery: Stay neutral until delivery is necessary; relax while absorbing or redirecting a push, then project force from the center with focused tension only during the strike or output.

EXERCISES

Back Rounding as Warm-ups: Warm-ups establish mobility and the ability to round the back appropriately; a straight, rigid back may create leverage against yourself, whereas controlled rounding supports absorb-and-project mechanics.

Body Curling for Reach and Delivery: Using a subtle spinal curl increases reach and improves force delivery by engaging whole-body mechanics rather than isolated limb movement; maintain a neutral center while projecting force through relaxation.

SIDE NOTES

I think there is value for you to read the notes for the classes in Confederation. Please give it a try and let me know what you think.

Practice Structure and Early Arrival: Arrive 15 minutes early to practice with different partners and materials, building non-natural relaxation skills and structural sensitivity through varied drills.

Safety and Hygiene Protocols: Use hand sanitizer and wash hands when using shared pads; ensure blocking or containment during squeeze tests to avoid sanitizer flowing through equipment.

Individual Variation and Partner Switching: Train with different partners to feel varied grips and tensions; if the easiest version of a technique doesn’t work, the harder ones likely won’t; switch partners to adapt technique.

DISCUSSION

1. Target Movement vs. Blocking: The core defensive principle is to prioritize moving the target (your body) over blocking. Blocks may fail if they are initiated too late or against a stronger force. Even one inch of target movement can change the outcome. Rotating the body forty-five degrees redirects the force immediately and reduce its impact by 50%. If you keep your hands busy simply blocking, the aggressor faces no threat and therefore has less reason to stop or hesitate.
2. Relaxation and Breathing to Create Space: Use exhalation and rib-cage “hollowing” to create internal space, like a balloon, reducing the transmission of impact. Relax the chest and shoulders so that force can dissipate rather than being resisted directly.
3. Perpendicular vs Parallel Target Surfaces: If the target surface is parallel to the incoming line of force (for example, the direction of a straight punch), the impact is minimized. Avoid presenting surfaces perpendicular to the incoming force, as that will maximize its impact. Never offer an easy surface that is perpendicular to the incoming hit.
4. Door-Stopper Principle: Aside from finding space from within your own body, a secondary contact to help misguide or stop the incoming force (“door jam/door stopper”) before yielding space, prevents the attacker from continuously occupying any retreat or space you give up.
5. Staying Upright and Situational Safety: At this point, you are a long way from doing ground fighting. Therefore, stay on your feet and avoid going to the ground, especially when facing multiple opponents. Being on the ground severely limits your mobility and can increase the risk considerably.
6. Rotation and Choice of Axes: Most people assume by default that all rotations should have the axis at the center. In combat, however, we may choose a horizontal or vertical axis. Aside from the central vertical line, we can also place the axis at the rear shoulder or through the front shoulder. Do you recall that for some of the wrist escapes, we rotate the arm around a horizontal axes through the wrist?
   You should also avoid turning from the waist only without support from the hips. While turning from the waist does increase upper-body power as oppose to using only arms, you gain greater structural power when you use the hips together with the rest of the body.
7. Diaphragm, Rib Cage, and Spinal Mobility: Train diaphragm lowering, rib cage folding and expansion, and spinal mobility to generate protective “hollow” and structural adaptability; coordinate head turns without counter-rotations.

SKILLS & SCENARIOS

Taking impacts and guard

1. Practice changing the surface angle to approximately forty-five degrees against a partner throwing a slow, straight punch. Prioritize breathing and body movement over blocking.Drill “guard as insurance”: keep your hands up, but focus on evasive movement first.Relaxation and Breathing to Create Space:
2. Exhale to create internal space using the “balloon” analogy.
3. Relax the chest and create space around the neck rather than tensing or compressing the area.
4. Do not tense or curl the shoulders. Instead, focus on movement through the spine.

Rib cage “folding” technique

1. Rounding the back/spine can create space. However, there are situations where this is not possible—for example, when your back is against a wall, when your back is already stretched and arched, or when you are lying on the ground.
2. Exhaling creates internal space, allowing you to avoid rebounding when you are cornered.
3. When there is no physical space available (e.g., when you are against a wall), exhalation and rib-cage “hollowing” create internal space. Relaxation reduces the transmission of force. Like a deflated basketball, a yielding surface prevents rebound and reduces impact. A relaxed chest also reduces the transmission of force.

Guard Stance and Angles: By default, you should maintain an offset stance so that one side is leading. Keep the shoulders and hips aligned over the feet along a diagonal line, so that you are not facing your opponent squarely.

Both elbows should be bent to approximately ninety degrees relative to the upper arms. Keep your fingers pointing outward toward your opponent.

Tuck your chin so that your forehead is forward—not your nose or chin. Avoid allowing the elbows to flare outward, both to protect the ribs and to maintain readiness.

Grip Release and Localization of Force: For overhand grips, localize your resistance against the smallest part of his body that you can effectively influence, in this case the thumb.

When you point your fingers, direct them toward his forearm rather than toward an area where he has enough space to move.

Apply the weight of your body and elbow rather than relying on arm strength. Avoid fighting directly against his larger muscle groups or body weight.

HOME EXERCISES

Breath out and hollow: Stand with your back against a wall. Exhale and “hollow” the chest/rib cage to create space without moving your feet or shoulders. Place your fingers on your chest to feel the movement of the rib cage. Your range of motion will increase over time.

Guard: Practice picking up your guard from a natural standing position. Check the angle of your body, arm angles, muscular tension, finger position, head position, chest tension, etc.

Projection: The power of the mind was demonstrated during class. Practice it daily because it is one of the most neglected assets you probably have never tapped into.

Establish your cardio and muscle baseline: While we favor effortless strategies and techniques, you do need a certain degree of fitness to be able to protect yourself and others. This includes being physically capable of handling simple but demanding situations, such as carrying an injured child to safety.

SIDE NOTES

Arrive slightly early when possible—around 15 minutes—to warm up. Warm up the spine, shoulders, legs, and hips.

Class notes are usually ready by Sunday evening. Jot down any questions and, when possible, ask them before class.

DISCUSSION

Relative Distance

We experimented with changing the distance between ourself and the aggressor by having the aggressor pull while grabbing the wrist. We quickly discovered that when there is continuous tension through the grab, the technique did not feel the same. In fact, the change can be significant enough that you may find you cannot get out, or that you have to brute-force the technique to make it work. This is due to you not being able to maintain a constant distance you and the aggressor.

If however, you step forward or extend the arm to maintain the same tenson while the aggressor grabbed and pulled, then the “relative distance” and therefore the “tension” can be maintained . The escape technique will then feel more like how it was when you drilled with a static partner.

Relative Speed

It is not enough to simply move forward in response to the pull. You have to move fast enough to catch up with the aggressor’s movement. So, if the bully is stronger and faster than us, how can we compensate for the difference?

In self-defense, you do not have to be the fastest person on earth. You only have to be faster than the aggressor in that specific instance.

Furthermore, self-defense is not a sport, so do not feel embarrassed about “cheating.” The aggressor is the one creating an unfair situation by choosing to bully you. Use whatever advantage is available to you.

Here are some examples of situations where a person who is normally faster can be put at a disadvantage:

• He is moving backward while you are moving quickly forward.
• You do not give him advance warning, and you do something he least expects.
• You have a shorter distance to travel.
• He is distracted or in a position where he cannot move easily.
• And there are many other possibilities.

DISCUSSION

De-escalation Tactics

    – De-escalation Tactics

    – Avoid techniques that are overt and agitating, as they can escalate the situation.
    – Choose movements that are more casual and not obviously aggressive.
– Avoid moving the contact point where possible especially with tension or force because that signals that you are about to do something.
    – Close the distance while facing the same direction as the opponent, which is psychologically less confrontational than a direct face-off.
    – Always choose the non-escalating when the option is available..
    – Instead of showing agitation, sometimes talking calmly while smiling can have a calming effect.

“Yes, and…”

When asked about a product, an engineer will most likely stick to the facts and specs, e.g., “We are using the best material we can find…” or “The team spent 10 years developing the best process…” In contrast, a salesperson will establish common ground with the audience and address key concerns from the customer’s perspective. For example: “We have a 30-day money-back guarantee…” or “We will take away your old appliance, provide a morning or afternoon delivery window, and call 30 minutes before arrival…”

The way we communicate can easily change the outcome of a situation. If your goal is to de-escalate rather than engage in a struggle or fight, both your body language and your words can significantly influence the result. One example discussed was “Yes, and…” versus “No, but.”

Speed Over Power

We used the example of fire trucks. We may have the most advanced fire truck stationed in the UBC area, but if a fire breaks out in Coquitlam during rush hour, the building will likely burn down before the truck arrives.

This analogy illustrates that, when striking, people often pull their arms back in an attempt to generate a powerful punch. However, the time spent preparing allows the target to move or even hit first. It is critical not to telegraph your intent, even in simple techniques such as escaping from a wrist grab.

“Tagging”

Anyone who has watched boxing will be familiar with the concept of a “feint.” We choose to use the term “tag” instead, as it is broader and can encompass a wider range of similar ideas.

“Tagging” refers to any action that causes a momentary freeze or disruption in an opponent’s attention, intention, or movement.

This concept can be applied across all interactions, whether dealing with one or multiple opponents. The effectiveness of a tag depends heavily on timing and the smoothness of execution.

For example, you might apply a slight pull to draw your opponent toward you, then push sharply as they instinctively pull back to regain balance. In this case, the initial pull functions as the “tag,” creating the reaction that sets up the follow-up action.

SCENARIOS

What if…

When attempting to break free from someone’s grip, it is important to anticipate potential reactions and be prepared to adapt accordingly.

The scenario we worked on in class involved a “low, across-the-centerline natural grip.” As you turn your wrist and fingers to draw around the opponent’s wrist, the opponent may rotate their wrist in the same direction to maintain control.

You will notice that, even after the twist, their grip can remain tight. In this situation, you need to find a way to break free without resetting your position.

Hint: Adjust your “crowbar” by reinforcing it with your thumb and applying strength from a different angle.

EXERCISES

Thumb against the wall

Some individuals are naturally more flexible. When they “straighten” their thumb into a locked position, it may not point straight up. Instead, it can appear partially bent, with the first segment of the thumb sitting at an angle relative to the second segment rather than forming a straight line.

Strengthen your thumb to the extent that you can use it to poke at other people, you need to be mindful of your grip: the index finger need to support the thumb and the thumb should be squeezing tight against the index finger.

SIDE NOTES

Logistical Information / Communication Group Setup through WhatApp. Will follow up during the week.

(Picture taken from an android phone when the tide was low at Parksville)

DISCUSSIONS

Yanking versus Pressing / Expansion / Extension

A key principle when applying pressure in self-defense—especially to escape wrist grips—is not to rely on simply yanking. Yanking is a withdrawal action that makes the angle between your forearm and upper arm more acute. Instead, you should be slightly expanding that angle.

By pressing, you reduce the space between your forearm and your opponent’s grip. This creates structural pressure rather than relying on speed or strength, making your movement more efficient and harder to resist.

Breaking the Support Structure

When working against a grip, it is critical to understand that pressing directly against your opponent’s support structure means working against their strongest line.

Once you identify his line of strength, you should instead choose a line at an angle to it and apply your body weight there. This allows you to compromise their structure rather than contest it directly.

Everything at once

You need to engage your opponent from the very moment you begin stepping, rather than treating the step as preparation for the “real” action.

By doing so, you deny your opponent any advance cues that you are about to defend yourself. The microseconds lost through hesitation or staging are often decisive in determining the success of a technique.

SCENARIOS

Stick Swings – A few of you were practicing the stick swings. A few very important corrections:

• Grip Too Loose
  Yes, the grip should be relaxed, but letting the stick dangle with just two fingers is excessive. Maintain a controlled, responsive grip—loose enough for fluidity, but firm enough to retain structure and control.
• Use Body Momentum
  Remember to put your body behind each swing. This not only increases the power of your strikes, but also keeps you mobile. By moving with your strikes, you become a harder target to hit, rather than remaining a static one.

Fine tuning and reviews

Same side low grab – Twisting action retains the axis while the rest of the body parts rotate. It is an important component piece of mechanics. In the “Same side low grab”, most of you still miss the importance of the palm twisting action. Furthermore, in the point to belly button move, most of you are bring your arm to your belly button instead of rounding the elbow out to press against opponent’s arm.

Examples of situations beyond the Basic 5:
– Instead of looking at the grip, learning to separate the different grips with eye closed
– Different two hand grips
– what are the similarities / differences besides the number of hands
–
– face to face upper arm grab
– side by side wrist grab
– side by side upper arm grab

Joint Locks
While I really don’t like applying wrist locks, it is important to understand why it can work and why it can also fail you.
While I generally do not favour applying wrist locks, it is still important to understand why they can work—and why they can also fail.

Variability in the Individual
Everyone’s flexibility, pain tolerance, and strength are different. A technique that works reliably in training can fail completely if your aggressor falls outside the “normal” range. Relying solely on joint locks assumes a level of compliance that may not be there under stress.

Understanding Joint Mechanics
Learning how joints function—and where their limitations lie—is a critical part of understanding the human body. This includes not only your opponent’s structure, but also your own strengths and weaknesses.

Joint locks should therefore be approached as a study in mechanics and control, rather than a guaranteed solution. They can be effective when conditions are right, but should not be depended on as your primary and only response.

EXERCISES

Same as in previous weeks.

SIDE NOTES

Some of you have expressed interest in meeting up informally at Bonsor (or nearby) during the summer break—whether to continue improving or simply to retain what you have learned this season.

I wholeheartedly encourage this.

Consistent, low-pressure practice is one of the most effective ways to build skill and understanding. Even informal sessions can make a significant difference in maintaining your progress and deepening your familiarity with the material.

DISCUSSION

Structural alignment

During the escape drills, we highlighted that the position of the arms and fingers, the angle of the grip to your arm are all relevant details that must be followed for some techniques to work.

The “Heavy Elbow” Principle:

An effective downward force cannot be generated via brute force as is demonstrated during class. you have to transfer your entire body weight through the elbow without learning onto the elbow. This can only be accomplished by visualizing your elbow as “heavy”. By letting your body weight sag and apply pressure through the elbow, it creates a much stronger, more stable effect that’s hard to counter.

Engaged but not committed state

Maintain optimal contact by “resting” your weight on and towards the opponent, you effectively stay connected and influential without committing force or direction. This sensitive, adaptable engagement provides tactical advantage, unlike a hard, committed push that’s predictable and easy to counter.

This session is also the first time that I taught stick techniques to seniors. It has proven its value as a training aid for arm speed and strength. Still a long ways to go but I hope you all had fun while learning.

It is great that all of you bought the newly printed LHBF (liuhebafa) martial gym shirt. If you ever wonder what LiuHeBaFa means, you can read more about it in my other blog https://www.mariolam.com/?p=2834