Free Pictures Of Self Defense Charts....

Another consideration is cutting the knuckles on the perpetrator's teeth. Punches are usually directed to the head area, but the mouth should be avoided. However, the teeth may be struck inadvertently. Humans have the very infectious mouths, including AIDS. Once you break skin you are introducing all those germs to your body. When you open your hand from a fist, the tendons pull back. If the knuckles are cut when a fist strikes teeth, the act of opening the hand pulls bacteria in. Serious infection can set in within 24-48 hours. When a mouth strike is made with the heel of the palm. any impact with the mouth distributes the contact area making it difficult to break skin if the teeth are struck. With a punch, one knuckle may hit the teeth, breaking skin easily, because the skin on the Dorsal side (top of the hand) is easily cut because it is very thin. The opposite is true of the skin on the palm. Germs do not fester as easily in the fleshy palm of the hand as they do in the knuckles. With a properly executed palm heel strike, the chances of injuring the hand are slim.
 
Throw Defenses

It is very difficult to throw an opponent. You must commit yourself to the throw and sometimes turn your back to the opponent or even fall yourself, which means you are in a vulnerable position. To successfully complete a throw, many factors must be present or must be completed by you, which makes throwing difficult. Another difficulty in completing a throw is that it is relatively easy to block a throw.

For any attempted throw to be successful, the opponent must be off balance, you must maintain your stability, and you must get your center of mass below the opponent's center of mass. Other factors need to be present, such as a firm, advantageous grip and quick movement, but they are less important in actually getting the opponent to the ground. To block a throw, you must either keep or regain your stability, upset the attacker's stability, or keep your center of mass level with or under the center of mass of the attacker.

When an opponent attempts a throw where his or her back must be turned to you, a simple defense is to use a free hand to push against the bottom center of the opponent's back to push the hips forward. This upsets the opponent's stability and makes it almost impossible for him or her to lift you. If you bend you knees to lower your center of mass, you may defeat many attempts to throw you. Leaning backward will also shift your center of mass back to your advantage, but if the opponent switches throws and goes for a backward throw, you will be vulnerable. You may also step around the pivot point of the throw so the opponent slips by you.

For a foot sweep to be successful, you must be caught in the process of shifting your weight onto the foot to be swept. A foot sweep attempt may be defeated by lifting your foot out of the way or by shifting more weight onto the foot.

As an opponent moves in to attempt a throw, you may push or stop the attacking shoulder or arm to prevent the opponent from getting close enough for the throw.
 
Training Tips

Stair Climbing

Five 2-minute sessions of stair climbing can give you a heart-pumping workout equivalent to 36 minutes of walking, according to a new study. When researchers tested 15 healthy but inactive young women (average age 18) for 8 weeks, those who worked up to climbing 199 steps in about 2 minutes, five times a day, posted a whopping 17% increase in cardio fitness levels compared with women who did nothing. The climbers also lowered their bad LDL cholesterol by 8%, an improvement that can cut heart disease risk by up to one-quarter. In a follow-up study, 29 older men and women (average age 40) did even less stair climbing (145 steps in 2-minute bouts, three times a day) and boosted their cardio fitness by 8%.

Weight Training

A 2001 study by the University of Maryland found that resting metabolic rate increased by about 7% after six months of intense weight training. Other studies have indicated the increase may be as much as 15%. Every pound of lean muscle burns an additional 30 to 50 calories a day. Intense weight training may add 3 to 6 pounds of muscle in six months. Men build muscle more easily than women. Since muscle is more dense than fat, pound for pound it takes up less space. A pound of muscle is 30% smaller than a pound of fat. Weight training is especially important for older people since they lose muscle mass as they age. Proper weight training should be for 45 minutes for three non-consecutive days with 20 minutes of aerobics training on alternate days.

Another new tend in weight lifting is the SuperSlow workout. This workout uses a few select exercises with low repetitions with a super slow motion of movement (10 seconds on the concentric [raising] movement and 10 seconds on the eccentric [lowering] movement). Workouts are only 15-30 minutes in length and are only done once or twice a week. Studies differ on whether this method of lifting is better or worse than conventional lifting, but some people get great results and only have to workout once every 7 to 10 days. See www.superslow.com for more information.

Overcome a Strength Plateau

If you are exercising regularly, at some point you will reach a plateau, a point at which your body stops making gains. Most exercisers make the mistake of adding more sets or more weight to their routines, both of which may lead to injury.Break-down trainings is a better choice.

In break-down training, you push your muscles to a higher level of exhaustion by doing one set of reps with your usual weight, reduce the weight, and add 2-3 more reps. This provides deeper stimulus to muscle fibers so you may train more intensely and use a greater percentage of muscle strength.

In a study by the American College of Medicine, 60 adults aged 25 to 84 trained for four weeks, lifting a weight with which they could do one set of 8-12 reps per exercise. Half the group continued this routine for another four weeks. The other half, after doing the initial set, would lower the weight by 10% and complete 2-4 more reps. The adults who added these reps gained 39 percent more strength; the seniors gained 100 percent.

Isolation or Compound Weight Training

Isolation exercises isolate a specific muscle or muscle group to shape and define the body, to create the look of muscle separation and to achieve an overall symmetry of the physique, such as the preacher curl for the biceps. Lifting machines help isolate specific muscles. Examples of isolation exercises are: leg extensions, hamstring curls, dumbbell flies, cable crossovers, decline bench presses, side lateral raises, front raises, abductor/adductor exercises, shrugs, pushdowns, kickbacks, preacher curls, wrist curls, and seated calf raises.

Compound exercises employ a number of muscles and muscle groups. They require the work of several muscle at once and stimulate the most responsive muscle growth. The best results are achieved using free weights or dumbbells, since they encourage effort from may different supporting muscles. Examples of compound exercises are: dead lifts, squats, bench presses, lat pull downs, pull-ups, dips, lunges, front squats, hack squats, upright rows, standing dumbbell curls, hammer curls, standing calf raises, and step-ups.

By combining both types of exercises, your body will develop overall strength as well as visible results.

Body Types

For best results, tailor your training to your body type, When gauging your body type, think of your body the way it was during your adolescent years, not the way it is now.

If you are an Ectomorph:

Lean, thin, delicately build

Have trouble gaining weight

Build muscle slowly
then you should:

Increase calories, keeping in mind that you will gain body fat if you overeat

Increase, or add, weight training to your workout requiem and focus on dead lift, squats, bench presses, and pull-up to build muscle.

Minimize cardiovascular training
If you are a Mesomorph:

Muscular and athletically built

Gain and lose weight easily

Build muscle quickly
then you should:

Limit fat intake and eat four to six small meals a day about three hours apart. Keep your carbohydrate consumption at 45 percent of daily calories.

Train with weights three times a week, performing cardio each day or alternate cardio on non weight training days. Train at a moderate pace to heavy pace, with little rest between sets.
If you are an Endomorph:

Soft, round body and large none structure

Have trouble losing weight but can gain weight easily

Tend to have a high percentage of body fat and muscle
then your should:

Use regular cardio exercise or at least 30 minutes a day, five to seven day a week.

Use weight training that hits all muscle groups at least three times a week.

Eat four to six small-portion meals every three hours to increase metabolism. Eat most carbohydrate calories early, consuming more protein toward the afternoon and evening. By keep your carbohydrate intake near 35 percent of daily calories, blood glucose levels may be controlled while providing the body with enough fuel.

Select foods high in fiber (fruits, vegetables, whole grains) and lean protein (chicken breast, turkey breast, round steak, and flank steak)

Limit dairy and sugar.
Strength Training

One of the most devastating sports injuries is the tearing of the anterior cruciate ligament or ACL. One of the four major ligament complexes providing stability to the knee joint, the anterior cruciate ligament is frequently injured during twisting motions of the knee. Once it is torn, it does not heal itself. It usually requires surgery and months of rehabilitation.

Women seem to be prone to this injury more than men. The reason for this is not known. However, theories have focused on differences between men and women in the strength of the hamstrings muscles, variations in muscle function due to the menstrual cycle, and a smaller notch size in the female femur. While women cannot do anything about things like femur size, they can strengthen their hamstrings. Hamstrings are the three muscles in the back of the thigh: the biceps femoris, semitendinosus, and semimembranosus. The hamstrings play a vital role in walking, running, and jumping.

To help decrease ACL injuries among men and women:

Use weight training to improve hamstring strength.

Use stretching to improve hamstring flexibility.

Use plyometric jumping exercises to improve hamstrings firing time (the speed that a muscle contracts).
Add Pep to Workout

In a study at Wheeling Jesuit University in West Virginia, 40 athletes ran faster and did more pushups when exposed to the scent of peppermint than with other, or no, scents. So dabbing some peppermint oil on your collar may boost your mood and help you perform better.

One-Step Sparring

When practicing one-step sparring, ensure you are doing all techniques correctly. According to primacy of learning theory, the first way you learn to do something is the way you will do it when under stress. So, do not practice the wrong way at home and hope to perform one-steps correctly during class or at a test. Vary your practice order: perform the one-steps in order, reverse order, and randomly. While performing one-steps, concentrate on the purpose of each technique, visualize your attacker, and perform the technique with power and focus against the imaginary opponent. Always chamber a technique before execution. This makes the one-step easier to remember, gives the technique more power, and make the technique more artistically pleasing. When first learning one-steps, keep a positive attitude, everyone makes mistakes while learning.

Target Training

To perfect your target training, remember to:

Concentrate and focus on the center of the target.

When spinning, acquire the target with your eyes (get your head around first) and then complete your technique.

Follow through with your technique, continuing the hand or foot past the target.

Practice with a partner on your own time, not just in class.

Interval Training

This is a high intensity workout consisting of 10 rounds of 2-3 minutes with 1-minute rest between each round using basic to intermediate sparring techniques. For example, in round 1, perform front-leg and rear-leg front kicks. In round 2, perform front-leg and rear-leg roundhouse kicks. In round 3, perform inside and outside crescent kicks. At some round, switch to hand techniques, such as, jabs, punches, back fists, etc. Continue the workout for the remaining rounds choosing any techniques you like, such jump kicks, spin kicks, combinations, etc.. Be creative, have fun, and do not forget to warm-up before and cool-down after the workout.
 
Workout Plan

A properly designed workout plan has four phases, general warm-up, specific warm-up, main workout, and cool-down. General warm-up should include basic warm-up exercises, such as running in place or rope jumping. In the specific warm-up phase, lightly perform techniques that you will be doing in main workout. Start doing these techniques slowly and get faster and higher until your body is warmed up. Then you are ready for the main workout where you will be full power and speed techniques. After you are finished with the main workout you are ready for the final phase, the cool-down. Cooling down consisting of walking around (if you are winded) and then performing some relaxed stretching and joint rotations.

Partner Stretch

Partner stretching is another way to perform you stretching warm-ups. For a front rising kick stretch, have your partner stand with his or her back to the wall. Pick up one of his or her legs (knee kept straight) and slowly raise it to a point where it feels uncomfortable. You partner will let you know when to stop lifting. Hold this stretch for ten seconds and repeat with the other leg. For a side rising kick stretch, have the partner stand side ways to the wall. Raise his or her leg, hold for ten seconds, and repeat with the other leg.

Mirror Practice

Mirror, mirror on the wall, how are my techniques compared to all?

Mirrors do not lie and they point out your faults in a non-critical way, so they are a great practice tool. Mirrors can show the areas in which you need more work. Mirrors may help you improve your:

Forms. Watch yourself as you slowly do your forms. Notice the position of your stances. Are they sharp and correct, or relaxed and sloppy? is your body erect? Do your kicks look sharp? Learn to watch the technical aspects of your form.

Kicking Techniques. Accuracy in your kicks can be improved by selecting targets on your mirror image at which to focus your kicks. Accuracy of spinning kicks can also be improved by making sure you acquire the target in the mirror before executing the kick.

Meditation

Meditation can lead to a more positive mental outlook. For best results, meditated at least 5-10 minutes daily to clear the mind and relax. Find a quiet place where you can comfortably sit cross-legged on the floor. Practice proper posture and focus on clearing your mind. Breath deeply and try to relax every inch of your body.

Breathing

Breathing is the greatest nourishment available to you. Breath is a powerful interface between the physical and spiritual worlds. The pattern of your breath reflects your emotional and physiological states. Conscious breathing may change the entire physiological rhythm of your body, restoring tired muscles, feeding the cells, and even gently massaging your vital organs. The three lobes of the lungs are fed by different breathing patterns or levels. Many people only breathe from the top lobe, which feeds the bronchi by a rapid, shallow breath, rather that the middle and lower lobes that brings the breath down to the abdomen. A very powerful breathing technique is an exercise called the fire breath, a form of Pranayama. Prana is the term for the life force energy attached to the oxygen in the air we breathe. Do this exercise every morning to push out the old breath so that you can breathe fresh energy into your body. This is perfect way to begin a meditation because it helps the mind let go of the body and allows the spiritual energy to flow.

Method. Sit with your spine straight so that the energies in your body can move up and down without hindrance. Close your fists and place your thumb and forefinger together - this creates an energetic arc so that your energy is circled throughout your body. Begin to "snort" or exhale forcibly and slowly out of your nose, pulling the diaphragm upward with each snort.. Imagine you are pretending to be a toy train and increase the snorts to make the train sounds. Continue with very fast snorts for a few successions and then slowly back down to a stop.

When you finish the fire breath, breathe in deeply, and as you exhale, squeeze your anus up tightly. This tightens up the pubiococcxygeous muscle that runs through the perineum area, which closes an important acupuncture point so that energy does not drain out from below. Take several normal breaths and begin again. Begin to breathe deep breaths all the way down to your belly. Focus on drawing the life force of prana into your body and concentrating on this act of nourishing yourself.
 
Home Gym

If you go to Taekwondo class to learn Taekwondo etc. A side effect of the training is that during class you increase your strength, flexibility, endurance, etc. However, these things are best increased by training outside of class.

You could spend a lot of money to attend a fitness gym, or you could set up your own home gym in which to train. You could spend a lot of money on overpriced machines for your gym, or you could buy or make a few simple tools that will work just as well, if not better, as the expensive machines.

Space
The first thing you need a space to put the gym. It is best to have a dedicated space. When the space is only used for working out, you will not have distractions, and, anytime you walk into the space, you will feel the need to workout. The area you need for the gym depends on how much total area you have available. A separate room is best, but a corner of a room may work just as well if you use some ingenuity.

Equipment
To practice patterns, perform kicks and punches, shadowbox, and do calisthenics, you do not need any special equipment—just desire. However, to build strength, flexibility, and endurance more quickly, you may want to purchase or build some exercise equipment. You may get by with just a few inexpensive minor pieces of equipment or you may purchase some expensive specialized equipment.

While stationed on ships while I was in the Navy, I had my gym in a bag that I carried to any available space. I used a sea bag that contained: strap-on hand and leg weights, hand grip exercisers, a jump rope, a rope and pulley with a special clamp that I could clamp onto any overhead beam so I could use it for leg stretches, some cable-pulls to use for chest and arm exercises, a small mat for floor stretches and sit-ups, a Bull Worker for chest and arm exercises, and an expandable pole to place across my shoulders for waist twists.

Many times, basic equipment may be homemade. The equipment may work just as well as purchased equipment but it will probably not be as durable. It is good to start with homemade equipment so you may evaluate whether it serves your purpose or whether you will actually use the equipment. If you find yourself using the equipment regularly, then it may be good to purchase a quality replacement.

If you want to have specialized equipment, buy it used. Rooms across the country are full of unused exercise equipment purchased with the intention of working out. Check yard sales, Goodwill stores, newspaper ads, http://www.freecycle.org, and consignment stores.

The following are some key equipment you should have in your gym:

Heavy Training Bag
A heavy bag is the first piece of equipment you need and it is the best training tool you could ever have. It helps develop technique, power, and speed of both kicks and punches.

Traditionally, bags are a large cylinder shape but sometimes they were man-shaped with stuffed arms and legs. Sometimes a stuffed leather self-righting bag was used that was similar to a self-righting inflatable punching toy used by children.

Purchased

You may find heavy bags at sporting good stores or online. Some bags are designed for boxing while others are designed specifically for martial arts training. Since boxers wear boxing gloves when punching the bag, boxing style bags tend to be hard, while martial arts bags are softer so as not to damage the hands and wrists.

Bags may be made from heavy vinyl (cheaper), rip-stop vinyl that resists rips (more expensive), or leather (most expensive). The more expensive bags come in more shapes and sizes. Some bags have a water-filled core that adds more weight. Some bags have an inflatable core to make them more resilient.
 
Shadow Boxing

Shadow boxing has been used as a training method by boxers for over a hundred years. The reason why it has lasted so long is because it works. It provides fighters with many benefits with virtually no bad side effects.

Martial artists may also benefit from using shadow boxing since shadow boxing drills help improve sparring techniques. The following drills were developed to teach shadow boxing skills to inexperienced students as well as to improve the skills of more advanced students.

Footwork is a common weakness in many students. Students should be comfortable moving in all directions: forward, backward, side to side, circular, and angular, and these movements must be accomplished while maintaining proper balance and form. The following are some drills used to better the footwork of students.

In the first drill the instructor calls out the direction of movement while the class responds by moving in unison, always staying relaxed and aware. The commands must be given with only short pauses between them so continuous movement is maintained.

The next drill combines footwork with well executed strikes. While moving around, a good fighter must always be prepared to take advantage of openings by being able to fire the appropriate hand or leg technique. This may be drilled by calling out techniques while students are moving at random.

The next drill adds combinations. Students should be drilled until they become accustom to throwing various hand and foot combinations while moving. The drill may be performed using either pre-arranged combinations or with random combinations put together by the students. The combinations are executed while continually moving, using random footwork.

The next drills add a visual stimulus. Up to this point the various movements were being called out. Learning to respond quickly to visual, rather than audio stimulus, is a more useful skill in sparring. In these drills, the first three drills may be repeated working with a partner.

To work on footwork, one partner is deemed the leader, the other the follower. The footwork of the follower is dependent on the movements of the leader. In other words, the follower attempts to maintain a constant distance between him or herself and the partner. If the leader moves forward, the follower must move back. If the leader moves back, the follower must move forward. Side to side and angular movements should also be used.

To add strikes, the leader simply opens a target area for his partner to strike. This works best if the targets are made obvious by exaggerated movements of the leader. The strikes may be prearranged or mixed up at random.

Students should continually strive to increase the speed and accuracy of their techniques while performing these drills. An improvement in coordination will be felt by the students after just a few rounds of these shadow boxing drills. Another benefit is the cardio vascular workout provided by extended rounds of shadow boxing. The greatest advantage that shadow boxing has over other types of sparring drills is that it may be performed solo. This permits students to improve their sparring skills at home without having to find training partners.

At home, students may stand in front of a mirror and shadow box themselves.
 
Hi AD readers, I do not encourage you to try and break your hands like what you see with wood, bricks etc. We all need and value our hands for ASL chatting. Here is the article on the science behind this....If you really want to find out how powerful your punch is. I am sure your martial arts instructor, if he is certified and knowledgeable can take you somewhere to get your punching power measured.

Punching Physics

Taekwondo punches are "focused" to terminate several centimeters within the body being struck, as opposed to the follow-through punches used by the untrained. There are scientific reasons why focused punches are better than wide swinging, follow-through punches.

If contact is made a some point during a wide swing, significant torque will be produced that may throw the puncher off balance. Also, if contact is made during the follow-through, then energy will be transferred to the target via pushing rather than by deformation. Pushing generally does less damage than does deformation.

In a standard Taekwondo punch, the fist begins at the hip and terminates with the arm fully extended and the fist at shoulder height. A graph of the velocity of the fist as a function of its position (measured as a percentage of the total arm length). Notice that the maximum velocity is attained at about 75% of the distance to the stopping point. This corresponds to roughly 10-14 cm. Thus, by focusing the punch several centimeters inside the target, the Taekwondo punchers ensure that they make contact closer to the point where the fist has its maximum velocity. This maximizes the potential for damage.

Energy in a Karate Punch

To quantify the potential of a Taekwondo strike to do damage, we need to evaluate how much deformation energy is delivered by the blow. The amount of energy that a leg bone may absorb before breaking is represented by:

Emax = 1/(2Y) Alsb2
which worked out to about 350 joules. This result is proportional to the cross-sectional area of the bone. If we consider a smaller bone, like an arm bone or a rib, then a proportionately smaller amount of energy will be required to break the bone. An arm bone has a diameter of about half that of a leg bone, so the energy it may absorb will be a quarter as much as that of a leg bone, or about 88 joules. Keep this in mind as we calculate the amount of energy delivered in a Taekwondo punch.

Lets consider two people: the puncher and the opponent. Assuming that the collision between the puncher's fist and the opponent's internal organs is completely inelastic, conservation of momentum tells us that:

M1V1 = (M1 + M2)V'
Where M1 is the mass of the puncher's arm and V1 is the speed of the fist at the instant of contact; M2 is the mass of the opponent, and V' is the speed of the puncher's fist and the opponent's internal organs just after the collision. This implies that:

V' = M1V1/(M1 + M2)
The total energy available to transfer to the opponent will be the difference in the total kinetic energy before and after the collision. This difference is:

DE = 1/2 M1V12 - 1/2 (M1 + M2)V'2
Plugging in the above expression for V' yields:

DE = 1/2 M1V12 - 1/2 M12V12/(M1 + M2)

DE = 1/2 M1V12(1 - M1/(M1 + M2))

DE = 1/2 M1V12(M2/(M1 + M2)

DE = 1/2 M1M2V12/(M1 + M2)
In general, the mass of a person's arm is about 10% of the total mass of his or her body. So if we assume that the puncher and the opponent have about the same mass we have M1 ~ 0.1M2, and the above expression reduces to:

DE = 1/22 M2V12
If we assume a standard 70-kilogram person, and that the punch makes contact at its maximum velocity (~7 meters per second for a black belt) then we have:

DE = 156 J
At first, this looks more than sufficient to break an arm bone. But the real-life situation is more complicated; in most cases an arm is more likely to just move aside when hit, rather than deform and break. Ribs, however, may move very little. It is advantageous to break the bones of your opponent, but you would prefer to avoid breaking the bones in your own hand—these bones are even smaller (and thus more vulnerable) than arm or rib bones. So how do Taekwondo punchers break bones, or boards, without damaging their hands?

Impulse of a Karate Punch
For example, consider the amount of force needed to break a board supported at both ends struck in the center by a force F, as shown in Figure 2. The downward force will be shared by the two supports, so each will supply an upward force of F/2. Imagine that the board is deflected downwards by the force, as shown in green. In this case the top surface of the board will be in compression, and the bottom surface will be in tension.

This force will produce a torque about an axis through the middle of the board. To understand this, consider the forces on the left half of the board that are due to the right half. The top of the board is in compression, so the right half is pushing to the left. The bottom of the board is in tension, so here the right half is pulling to the right. These forces are indicated by the red horizontal arrows. This means the forces will produce a counter-clockwise torque about the center. The board will break if this torque is greater than:

tmax = 1/6 Wh2sb
where W is the width of the board, h is the thickness, and sb is the modulus of rupture of wood.

Notice that the upward force from the left support will tend to produce a torque in the opposite direction from the torque due to the stresses. The magnitude of this torque is simply r*F (since r and F are perpendicular in this case), or F/2 * L/2. If this torque is less than tmax given above, then the board will not break. Thus, the minimum force needed to break the board can be calculated by setting these two torques equal to each other:

FL/4 = 1/6 Wh2sb

F = 2/3 sb Wh2/L
Notice that the force is proportional to h2; boards get much harder to break as they get thicker. This is why breakers will break stacks of several thin boards rather than a single large piece of wood with the same total thickness. If we put in some typical dimensions for a board, such as L x W x h = 30 x 20 x 2 cm, and look up the rupture modulus, we get a force of around 711 N, or 160 lbs. This force sounds feasible for a punch to generate, but let us check to be sure.

If we assume, as above, that we have a 7-kg arm traveling at 7 m/s then we have a total momentum of P ~ 49 kg m/s. We assume that the fist and arm come to rest during the blow, so this is the total DP in the collision. Since the force is DP/Dt, we need to know how quickly the fist stops.

Graphing the position, velocity, and acceleration of a downward hammer fist strike. Notice that the velocity starts out fairly constant (and negative) and then quickly changes. The maximum acceleration upon contact with the target is upwards of 350 g! By looking at the width of the peak in the acceleration curve, we may get an idea of the interaction time. It looks to be a little over 5 ms. Since this situation is a bit different from ours, we will be conservative and assume an interaction time of 10 ms. A change in momentum of 49 kg m/s in a time of 10 ms would require a force of 4900 N, which is more than sufficient to break the board described above.

However, what about the breaking the cones in the hand? There is a bit of a safety margin sense bone is inherently stronger than wood (or even concrete). A torque analysis similar to the one above for a small, short cylinder of bone (similar to the bones in the hand) indicates that it should take a force of about 1500 N to break a hand bone.

But the bones in the hand are protected because they are not rigidly supported like the board discussed above. The soft connective tissue (muscles, tendons, etc.) in the hand may absorb much of the energy of the strike, if the hand is held in the proper position. Also, recall that bone is much stronger in compression than in tension or torsion, so, if the hand is held in a position such that the bones are exposed to compression rather than tension, the bones will be further protected.

So the board should break before the hand does. Still, the ~4900 N available in the punch is much greater than the 1500 N required to break a hand bone. So, even with the safety margins, there is still a risk. Most of the safety margin depends on technique; holding the fist properly, snapping it out with great speed, etc. If the punch is executed properly, the board will break; otherwise, the hand will break.
 
Better Vision

Better Vision = Better Sparring

The control system of your body runs through your visual system. Your visual system represents 80 percent of your sensory perception. Good vision represents more than just having 20/20 sight. Vision involves other things, such as the ability to track and focus at the same time. You need to see and track fast-moving objects, to see things and people in the corner of the eye (peripheral vision), and to filter out visual distractions. You also need depth perception and eye-hand coordination.

To improve sparring skills, most students train to improve techniques and increase physical fitness. Just as important is to train your vision so you may detect movement quicker, see movement from your sides, track movement trajectory and speed more accurately, see other movements around you and determine if they are a threat, and coordinate your movements to counter any attack.

There are visual therapy programs to improve vision that cost hundreds of dollars, but there are some exercises you can do yourself that may improve your vision, and your sparring. The following exercises are recommended by the American Optometric Association to improve vision.

Visual Concentration

Visual concentration is the ability to screen out distractions and stay focused on an opponent. To improve visual concentration, have other students stand around the sparring area while you are sparring waving their arms and moving in and out of your field of vision. You also can spar in a darkened room with a slowly pulsating strobe light (be very careful).

Eye Tracking

Eye tracking helps you keep your balance and react quickly. You must be able to follow movement without much head movement. To improve eye tracking, have two people stand about ten feet apart and toss a ball back and forth. Stand between them, centered and to the side, with a book balanced on your head and follow the ball movement without the book falling. You can also train by keeping track of a small ball rolling inside a Frisbee. Change the ball size and rolling speed as you improve.

Visualization

Visualization is seeing yourself do one thing well in your mind's "eye" while your eyes are seeing and concentrating on something else, such as a a moving ball. Research as shown that picturing yourself perform well at something, such as sparring or performing a hyung, can actually improve your ability.

Where to Look

When dealing with people on a day-to-day basis, we learn to look them in the eyes when talking with them. This shows we are paying attention and that we care. However, a hostile person, may take eye contact as a challenge. Also, looking an opponent in the eyes keeps you from noticing any signals that he or she is about to attack.

A better place to look is at the "triangle;" the area enclosed an imaginary line that runs from shoulder to shoulder and two line that run from each shoulder to the point of the chin. However, you do not want to stare at the triangle. Move your eyes periodically between your opponent's eyes to the triangle. Now you are not focused on one point. A good street fighter knows how to use his or her eyes to deceive. He or she will look one direction and attack in another. To avoid becoming a victim of this tactic, keep your eyes moving back and forth from the eyes to the triangle. You do not want to completely avoid the eyes since you may miss a change in attitude.

Any movement of the body is echoed by a movement of the shoulders or head. These movements may telegraph an attack:

When the shoulders and chest rotate a bit counterclockwise, it indicates a possible right punch to your upper body or head.

When the chest rotates counterclockwise and shoulders dip forward, it indicates a possible a right-hand technique to your midsection.

When the chest rotates either way with very little shoulder movement, a punch may follow with either hand.

When the shoulder angles backward and chest rotates counterclockwise, it indicates a possible right kick.

When the chest rotates clockwise and shoulders angle back, it indicates a possible left kick.

If the upper body suddenly lifts, it indicates a possible push or tackle.

Watch the triangle to time the rhythm of inhalation and exhalation. An attack will most often occur as the subject inhales, the moment when he or she is strongest. Conversely, the opponent is weakest during an exhalation, so time your attack to coincide with the exhalation.

Cold Stare

The eyes are "windows to the heart." In most people, they reveal a person's intentions. A sharp inhalation, deep squint, hardening of the face, or barring of the his teeth indicate a immanent attack. Darting eyes indicate fear, looking for an escape, or looking for help or a weapon. Upon observing any of these indicators, do freeze your gaze on his or her eyes. While the eyes may communicate intended actions, keep watching the triangle for indications of any action.

Be leery of the "cold stare." The cold stare is one that shows no emotion and thus hides intentions. Be especially leery when the cold stare begins to look through you or to your side. If you are familiar with dogs, you know that this look means an attack is imminent.

Blank Stare

When a person's face goes blank (eyes flatten similar to those of a fish, face goes pale and slack, body slumps), it indicates a person who is ready to explode. If the person is is standing, the shoulders will relax, chin may drop, and his arms will go limp at the sides. If person is sitting, he or she will move to the edge of the chair in your direction and will place his or her hands so he or she can push off toward you. A slight twitch of the body is another indicator of an intention to move. Be very cautious of the person who ignores you and acts as if he or she does not hear you, such as continuing to commit a crime even after seeing you.

Use Your Eyes Effectively

Sometimes your opponent has an intense, hypnotic gaze that seems to bore into the soul. This can be disconcerting or at least distracting. You may look away to break the intensity of the moment, but when you look back, the stare is more intense than before. Looking away may indicate your weakness and encourage the stare, so instead of looking away, look between the eyes, at the nose, at the eyebrows, or even at the cheekbone. Try looking through the eyes, as if looking at a spot beyond the person. This will keep you emotionless and unaffected by the hard eyes. It also keeps your face blank, giving the opponent nothing to feed upon.

Use the Sudden Look

When a person is becoming hostile with you, as you talk, look off to the side (while still monitoring the person with your peripheral vision), and then, abruptly turn your head back and look hard into the person's eyes. Some people, though not all, are momentarily frozen by this technique, a moment which provides an opportunity to move in and take control of the person.

Do Not Look Where You Intend to Attack

When you move toward an attacker, avoid looking where you are attacking.You may keep watching the triangle. You might even look off to the side first, always keeping person in your peripheral vision. Another way is to use the fingers of one hand to give a “come here” gesture. When the person's eyes look toward the motion of your fingers, grasp person with your other hand. By watching the triangle, if you initial move is countered, you will be ready for it
 
Weapon Defense

The basic rules for self-defense against any weapon attack (firearms included) must be executed in the order listed:

Clear your body from the the weapon's line of fire or angle of attack

Stabilize and control the weapon

Disarm the weapon

Neutralize the attacker
 
If you are a law abiding gun owner. You need to know this.

Rules for Weapons

Be proficient with the weapon. Whichever weapon you carry, use must be proficient with it. It you are not proficient with a weapon, leave it at home. Some weapons are as dangerous to the user in the hands of the un-trained gun owner as they are to the target of the weapon. In the case of firearms, many people are shot each year from accidental discharges and "unloaded" weapons.

Carry the weapon. A weapon is of no use to you unless it are readily available, and even then, it must be in your hand for you to use it.

Weapons laws. There are special state and federal laws pertaining to weapons, carrying weapons, and using weapons. If you carry a weapon, you must be know about these laws, especially those in your city, town, county, and state.

A weapon is a merely a tool. In itself, a weapon is merely an inanimate object, incapable of taking action by itself. What the weapon is used for and how it used are the responsibility of the person using the weapon.
 
Improvised Weapons

Potential weapons are all around us. Be aware of objects in your surroundings and their possible usage as a defensive weapon for yourself or as an offensive weapon that may be used by an attacker. Following are some potential weapons that may be found in our everyday surroundings:
Restaurant
Ash Tray: used as a striking weapons or the contents may bethrown into the face of an attacker.
Coat: throw as a distraction, use for choking, use to wrap around attackers arms or legs, use as a cloak to ward off attacks, or wrap around arm to fend off knife attacks.
Drink, throw it into attackers eyes.
Pool Cues: best used for thrusting attacks or defending. Pool balls may also be used.
Napkin holders, Salt & Pepper Shakers, Sugar bowls, etc. use for clubbing or throw contents into attacker's face.
Car
Club Wheel Lock: use as a club or as a substitute tonfa.

Flashlight: use long Maglite as a club. Mini Maglite may be used as a yawara.

Jumper Cables: use for choking techniques.

De-Icer/WD-40/Etc: spray into attacker's face or use as an impact weapon.

Tools: use as clubbing or thrusting weapons.

On Person
Coins: forcibly throw into attacker's face.

Keys: use to thrust or rake at soft tissue targets or pressure points

Scarf: use for choking or as a defensive weapon..

Wallet: throw as a distraction before escaping.

Pen/Comb: use to thrust at soft tissue targets.

Umbrella: used for thrusting attacks or to assist with locks.

Be aware of other potential weapons in your environment and how you or an opponent may use them.
 
Defensive

Grim facts about why you should carry a handgun. Guns save lives.

Rape occurs every 5 minutes
1 out of 3 women will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime
Assault occurs every 10 seconds
Robbery occurs every 46 seconds
1 in 5 families will be a victim of crime each year
4.5 million dog attacks occur each year
 
Knife Fighting

Some like to carry a knife for self-defense. As with any other weapon, to be useful in a self-defense situation, the knife must be with you, readily available, and be useable under the self defensive circumstances.

In a fight, no matter your skill level or the skill level of your opponent, if the opponent has a knife, you will get cut! So be prepared to get cut and to not let a cut interfere with your resolve to win the fight. Try not to get cut yourself but be prepared if you are cut to keep fighting smartly and not get yourself killed. The bad guy is the one that needs to be cut up and if necessary to be killed in a self defensive knife fight.

Most self-defense situations are at close range; an attacker is not going to stand back and duel with you. So, if you want to rely on a knife for self-defense, you had better know how to use it at close range.

Knife

Any type of knife can be dangerous in a fight, but some types are as dangerous to the user as they are to the attacker, such as a cheap folding knifes with a weak blade lock that allow the blade to close on your fingers. Some points to remember when choosing a fighting knife are:

Fixed blade is stronger than a folding blade.

Double edge blade better than a single edge blade, since both sides may cut.

Point should not be so sharply tapered that it may easily be broken off.

Slightly oval handle is better than a round one, so you may know by feel which ways the edges are facing.

Handle should not be slippery when wet, too soft when hot, or too hard when cold.

Handle should be slightly longer the width of your hand so the butt may be used for striking. Some knifes have a metal pommel on the butt to make striking more effective. If handle is too long, it may snag on clothing or be grabbed by the opponent.

Blade with a shiny surface is intimidating, while a blade with a matte finish is more easily hidden.

Should have a guard to protect the hand from opponent's blade. Guard that angles upward helps trap an opponent's blade and makes the knife easier for you to grip.
Grip

To use a knife, you must grip it. Not only is a proper grip important to you when using the knife, seeing the grip used by an attacker may give you some indication of the skill level of the attacker. There are four methods of gripping a knife. As with any fighting technique, each has its advantages and disadvantages.

Fencer's Grip. In this grip, the knife handle is gripped firmly between the thumb and forefinger, with the other fingers wrapped loosely around the handle, such as the way a fencer grips a foil. Single edge knife is held with the edge facing downward, double edge knife is held with the edges facing horizontally. Blade is pointed toward the attacker. While this grip may be suitable for knives with small handles, it is unsuitable for knives with large grips. This grip allows the wrist to move the blade in many directions, provides maximum reach for the blade, and presents the weapon in a more threatening manner. However, the grasp is not firm. If your hand is struck while using the fencer's grip, you may lose your grasp on the knife. The thumb may be injured if it slips down the blade or if the knife is forced backward. This is the grip used by "flashy" knife fighters.

Reverse Grip. In this grip, the knife is held upside down with the blade pointing downward and backward alongside the wrist. Single edge knife is held with the edge facing outward, double edge knife is held with an edge facing outward. This grip "hides" the knife, but it limits reach and available techniques. Since thrusts are primarily backward, your must be close to the attacker. This is the grip used by many knife fighters who watch knife fights in movies and think they are experts but do not know how to use it properly.

In the right hands of a taught and trained fighter. This is potentionally deadly because he knows how to really employ the knife for best results. He is a dangeous foe with the knife.

Most knife fighters want their edge facing the attacker so the attacker has to fight through the edge to get to them. They use knife thrusts to keep attackers away. The thrust are the primary attacking motion; any cutting, shearing, or tearing are considered secondary.

When you push an attacker away, he will probably attack again. This constant disengagement and reengagement creates to many opportunities for something to go wrong. When you thrust forward, the attacker will usually step back to avoid or diminish the power of the strike, and then step back in for another attack.

if the attacker pulls back, he or she will move into the power of the strike. If the attacker does not pull back, the strike will still pull forward into the attacker. When people are cut, they tend to jerk away quickly, so if a preliminary cut is made on the way in for a backward thrust, it will cause the person to jerk backward into your thrust.

In a knife fight, you do not square off with the attacker and have a lengthy duel; you use deception, feints, speed, ferocity, and controlling tactics to end the confrontation as soon as possible. Since the knife fighter uses a lot of thrusting and ripping, a short blade held in a reverse grip is the best weapon.
 
German proverbs...

First in German then American English

Angriff is die beste Verteildigung. – Attack is the best defence.

Aus (Durch) Schaden wird man klug. – From hurts and harms one becomes wiser.

Besser Unrecht leiden als Unrecht tun - Better suffer injustice than commit injustice

Bitte, greifen Sie zu - Please help yourself
 
Physical Training Goals...

"Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great." -Mark Twain

"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." -Theodore Roosevelt

"Be true to your work, your word, and your friend." -Henry David Thoreau

"A man who has attained mastery of an art reveals it in his every action." -Samurai Maxim

"Nothing is impossible to a willing mind." -Books of Han Dynasty

"Power of mind is infinite, while brawn is limited." --Koichi Tohei

"Control your emotion or it will control you." -Chinese adage

"The angry man will defeat himself in battle as well as in life." -Samurai maxim

"It is good to have an end to journey toward, but it is the journey that matters in the end." -Ursula K. LeGuin

"You're never a loser until you quit trying." -Mike Ditka

"Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one's definition of your life; define yourself." -Harvey Fierstein

"The important thing is not to stop questioning." -Albert Einstein

"Everything looks impossible for the people who never try anything." -Jean-Louis Etienne

"The journey is the reward." -Tao Saying

"Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do." -Goethe

"I learned that it is the weak who are cruel, and that gentleness is to be expected only from the strong." -Leo Rosten

"He who angers you conquers you." -Unknown

"Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do." -John Wooden

"Nurture your mind with great thoughts." -Benjamin Disraeli

"Teachers open the door, but you must enter by yourself." -Chinese Proverb

"Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake!!!" A combat soldier applying a maxim of war. Circa 1940

"Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

"It's always too early to quit." -Norman Vincent Pearle

"This above all; to thine own self be true." -William Shakespeare

"A winner is willing to do what the loser will not." -Unknown

"Everyday you don't workout—someone else does! " -Unknown

"Even monkeys fall from trees." -Unknown

"It does not matter how slowly you go so long as you do not stop." -Confucius

"Men are born to succeed, not to fail." -Henry David Thoreau

"The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing." -John Powell

"Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved." -William Jennings Bryant

"The harder you work, the luckier you get." -McAlexander

"The expert at anything was once a beginner." -Hayes

"It is not enough to have a good mind; the main thing is to use it well." -Rene Descartes

"Every problem has a gift for you in its hands." -Richard Bach

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." -Edmund Burke

"Anger is only one letter short of danger. " -Unknown

"Beware the fury of a patient man." -Jake (The Snake) Roberts, professional wrestler

You should study when there is ample time. Better: Study with ample time.-German Proverb

Good study helps even doubting Thomases and scientists on and up-German Proverb

It helps the solvent man to try to be quite calm in general - enough to study his other part to get rid of blunt, suggestive fear-German Proverb
 
my advice

there are many self defence class's out there..some are free for women. i recommend taking classes and learning the right way to do things...because practice does NOT make perfect! perfect practice makes perfect!.
i hate to say it, but a few things you posted are wrong...it is very easy to throw someone,if you have the knowlege..and it very easy to take a gun away..so i do not advise carring one. i had a gun put to my head durring a hold up by 2 people.....one bad guy was shot in the stomache as i took the gun..bad guy 2 had his arm busted in at least 3 places..along with a snapped knee and god only knows what happened when i slammed his head into the ground so hard it it bounced about 18 inchs high......so much for having a gun...and yes i have been shot at in Israel..no one hit me. you see on REAL tv all the time,... a real cop pulls over somebody and getts the shit beat out them..or the cops shoots 10 times and never hits anything..the only was to train with shooting is to run like hell ,be out of breath,eyed blurred from sweat.....then shoot at your target. do that over and over until you can hit a coke can at 20 yards....because in real life you most likly will not have the chance to pull out a gun nice and calmly.
 
vfr, If you notice I said and encouraged AD readers to go take classes and I post things for free for those who do not have the money and women know there are free classes for self defense. Throwing somebody over is not for everybody ....some may be strong enough and some may understand the fundamentals of leverage but in a real life confrontation ... throwing may not be the best thing but it can be done. There are another ways to do this and the certified instructor will teach the Deaf person especially with the back area defenses. I do encourage Deaf people to own guns not because it is our American right to do so but because of the quality of life issue. I have been in real life situations myself and I am going huh? Here is what you said in your own words.

" along with a snapped knee and god only knows what happened when i slammed his head into the ground so hard it it bounced about 18 inchs high ......so much for having a gun "

This sounds to me like a hidden message intended to have people mentally then physically disarm themselves of their guns. A very common Anti-gun propangada tactic .... and if you were really in a self defense situation you would not know how many inches you bounced his head " into the ground "?????? You would be too busy saving your own life and not care about the small details afterwards.

Even now, I do not like to talk or discuss what happened to me and that is why I started to study self defense. I do not want Deaf people to go through what I went through. That is something that stays with you for life. You will not be able to forget it and will not care much for the small details.

Yes Gun takeaways does happen and that is usually because the person is not trained... properly..... in the ownership of firearms against the bad guys to have their guns taken away which is why the NRA and Gun Owners of America have classes for these self defense situations.

As for you being in Israel ... I find that alittle hard to believe because I know Israel has very heavy security and getting shot would have to be a very, very rare event. Israel would be out of their mind to not have heavy security with the aumont of terrorism going on between the Israelis and the Arabs.

Here in America getting shot at in the city is pretty commonplace so I would be more inclinced to believe somebody who got shot at in America than in Israel and I know the Arabs tragically enough, train to kill and to not miss in Israel.

The another thing is on reality tv is that the people who make the reality tv shows have an anti-police attidute and want you to believe that cops do a lousy job , in reality policemen are highly trained, professional hardworking honest and almost always win the fight over the bad guys 90% of the time because of excellent training and in the police acamedy they run many miles more than the soldiers because of the nature of their job demands they run much more and still be able to shoot accurately and no body in real life has ever pulled their guns out calmly in a self defense situation except when they have the advantage when they are standing to the side and are able to accurately apply the fundamentals of excellent marksmanship required to stop the evil guy dead in their tracks. I also am pro-military and pro-law enforcement and I have family who are or has been in the military or the law enforcement field. I encourage Deaf people to be strong and say no more to the bad guys through training for self defense.
 
Last edited:
please

my point is having a gun in most situations makes things worse. i can not tell you how many times my uncle has had to write up a gun the way taken from somebody who got the shit kicked out of them.

18 inchs..the hieght of the wall next to bad guy s head.. not hard to see..

this is what my dad said to me as he trained me starting at 7.
you are deaf and wear glasses people will hate you
you are very smart more people will hate you.
you are white..so more people will hate you.
you are american so even more people will hate you.
that is about 65% of the world..you are jewish...so that adds every body else....
so he treated me like one of men....no special treatment....just train hard,play hard, love hard, and you will be happy.


did you see the news last week about a cop in georga empty his clip at point blank range and still not hit the fucker? simple put unless you train properly the gun is useless.
 
Back
Top