Last Thursday, I was invited by my friends at WLTX TV to come onto their morning show and talk about the free self defense workshop I was doing in honor of Domestic Violence month.
You can see a video of the segments below:
Thanks again to WLTX for being such a gracious host.
Sensei Chris Feldt
Samurai Karate Studio
Columbia, SC 29229
803-462-9425
samuraikaratestudio@gmail.com
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Monday, October 10, 2011
Take Downs
This will be a short review of the two basic take downs we work in class.
The idea is to take your attacker down, regardless of their size. This can be quite challenging for a smaller woman, however, if the techniques are applied properly, size really won't matter and you will be able to take down any person if necessary.
Take Downs
For beginner students, I focus on two basic take down concepts.
1. The first one is to place your hip (right hip in this example) against the right hip of your attacker. You want to place your right heel behind your attackers right heel. Your hands should be on both shoulders of your attacker.
You want to push with your right hand and pull with your left hand, creating a circular motion with the attackers upper body. At the same time, you want to press your hip into your attackers hip and keep the attackers right leg secure.
The concept behind this take down is to rotate the attackers upper body around your hip and drop them to the ground.
2. The second basic take down is particularly effective against a larger attacker. You want to place your hands in the same position as the previous take down was described, but this time, you want to plant your right foot around the attackers right leg and place the ball of your foot in between his legs. Your heel is up just before the moment of take down. When you drive your heel down, it straightens your leg and rises up against the attackers and should have the effect of taking the attacker off balance onto one leg. You rotate the upper body at the same time the heel drops and you should be able to drop your attacker to the ground.
Sensei Chris Feldt
Samurai Karate Studio
Columbia, SC 29229
803-462-9425
samuraikaratestudio@gmail.com
The idea is to take your attacker down, regardless of their size. This can be quite challenging for a smaller woman, however, if the techniques are applied properly, size really won't matter and you will be able to take down any person if necessary.
Take Downs
For beginner students, I focus on two basic take down concepts.
1. The first one is to place your hip (right hip in this example) against the right hip of your attacker. You want to place your right heel behind your attackers right heel. Your hands should be on both shoulders of your attacker.
You want to push with your right hand and pull with your left hand, creating a circular motion with the attackers upper body. At the same time, you want to press your hip into your attackers hip and keep the attackers right leg secure.
The concept behind this take down is to rotate the attackers upper body around your hip and drop them to the ground.
2. The second basic take down is particularly effective against a larger attacker. You want to place your hands in the same position as the previous take down was described, but this time, you want to plant your right foot around the attackers right leg and place the ball of your foot in between his legs. Your heel is up just before the moment of take down. When you drive your heel down, it straightens your leg and rises up against the attackers and should have the effect of taking the attacker off balance onto one leg. You rotate the upper body at the same time the heel drops and you should be able to drop your attacker to the ground.
Sensei Chris Feldt
Samurai Karate Studio
Columbia, SC 29229
803-462-9425
samuraikaratestudio@gmail.com
The Power of Your Voice
Your Voice As A Weapon
You feel threatened, but are unsure of the intentions of the person you are talking
to.
What can you do?
You have the power of your voice to help avoid confrontation whenever possible.
The trick is to learn what level is needed in order to engage the attacker. Here is a
glimpse at what I believe the 4 levels are and the type of voice used.
Level 1
Non-Threatening, Uncomfortable Behavior
Office, mall or grocery store, conference room
If you are uncomfortable with the persons behavior!
Tell that person in a calm way to stop that behavior.
Avoid saying please!
you want to be seen as assertive.
If that person does not stop threatening behavior!
Trust your instincts
Move to a safe zone
Level 2
Non Threatening-Public place
Restaurant, mall, store or parking lot.
You are not isolated.
You are not isolated.
Make a scene!
Be loud enough for people to hear you.
This may embarrass the person confronting you and cause them to stop.
Keep your eyes on the person the whole time!
Call for help or move to safe zone!
Level 3
Threatening Behavior
Try to defuse or de-escalate
Best example of defusing situation!
Offer up wallet or credit cards or cash
What is the motive? (money, sex, power, murder)
Try to defuse situation!
Talk in a calm assertive voice
Let your potential attacker know that you won't be an easy prey!
Tell him you know how to defend yourself (black belt?)
Talk but don’t necessarily provoke him.
Level 4
Imminent Threat or attack
Verbal boundary of defense
Look them in the eye!
Hold out your hands in front of you!
Yell “Stay Back!” or “Stop!”!
If your attacker threatens you if you speak!
Yell, because that is exactly what he doesn’t want you to do
Yell loudly and keep yelling
Yelling “FIRE” attracts the most attention from bystanders
Yelling helps give you more power and pushes away the pain
The power of your voice means many things - the willingness to try and talk your way
out of conflict in a very civil manner, or screaming at the top of your lungs letting the
attacker no in no uncertain terms will you give up without a fight!
out of conflict in a very civil manner, or screaming at the top of your lungs letting the
attacker no in no uncertain terms will you give up without a fight!
It's another tool in the toolbox of self defense.
Use it!
Sensei Chris Feldt
Columbia, SC 29229
803-462-9425
samuraikaratestudio@gmail.com
Falling
Learning how to fall is an important aspect of your karate training. First, you will be practicing with fellow students at times during class, and need to know how to fall when being taken down during a self defense form.
Secondly, you want to know how to fall to the ground, should you get knocked down by an attacker. This is more important, as you get older and you are more susceptible to injury.
The 4 B's of Falling
Whenever you practice falling, always practice with the 4 b's:
1. Bite down (to protect your teeth and avoid biting your tongue)
2. Bare down (touch your chin to your chest)
3. Breathe in to get large
4. Breathe out as you break-fall (slap hands to ground at 45 degree angle to your body)
Always practice in the beginning from the sitting position. As you gain more confidence, you can move to a squatting position and then eventually standing tall.
Remember, even when standing tall, you will always try to get into that squatting position before reaching the ground. You DON'T want to fall like a tree in the forest -- or you might get injured.
The point of the fall is to let your bottom absorb as much of the fall as possible, as you spread the energy to your back and arms. You never want to let your spine make contact with the ground, as well as your head.
Here is the sequence of last semester's students doing a backfall:
One last thing....when you reach the ground, you want to kick your legs straight out anywhere from 6-12 inches off the ground. This will prevent you from rolling backwards and find yourself in a very awkward and dangerous position if under attack.
Sensei Chris Feldt
Samurai Karate Studio
Columbia, SC 29229
803-462-9425
samuraikaratestudio@gmail.com
Personal Space
As a general rule, I try to stay alert at all times and avoid a confrontation that involves a physical reaction to a threat.
Why?
It's just much safer to avoid confrontation than engage in it. It doesn't matter how skilled a martial artist you are, there is always a chance that the attacker will get that "one" good punch or kick in that gets you by surprise and knocks you down, or worse, knocks you out!
Personal space is a concept to think about all the time. It's kind of like your own alert status! The moment someone approaches your personal space, you should be looking for escape.
The moment that person walks into your personal space, if escape is not an option, you need to go into self defense mode.
Personal Space Rules
1. Anything approaching 20 feet from where you are standing should cause you to think about escape and avoidance.
2. As the attacker approaches, you want to maintain a minimum of two arm lengths away from your attacker at all times if possible.
Why two arm lengths? The attacker is still out of range to strike with a punch or a kick and they still can't grab a hold of you.
3. Once you have determined the attacker is going to enter 1 arms length, and you feel threatened, it is my opinion that you do whatever is necessary to protect yourself. If escape is an option, always take it; however, don't be afraid to make the first strike if you feel your life is in danger.
Personal space is a very simple concept, but one I find many beginner students don't pay attention to. In large measure, I think repeated training helps the student become more aware; thus able to avoid confrontation more often than not.
Legally, use the personal space principle in determining the threat to you and do what is necessary to survive.
Sensei Chris Feldt
Samurai Karate Studio
Columbia, SC 29229
803-462-9425
samuraikaratestudio@gmail.com
Kicks
We work on 5 basic kicks in beginner karate.....the front kick, the 1/2 round, the round, the side kick and the back kick.
All but the back kick have 2 chambers, which are utilized for more power in the kick.
Front Kick
From guard stance
Square up your hips to the front
Use the back leg (beginners)
2 chambers
Weapon is the ball of your foot
1/2 Round Kick
Use lead leg from guard stance
2 chambers
Keep knee horizontal
Weapon is the top of your foot (or toes if you have on heavy shoes)
Round Kick
Use back leg from guard stance
Don't forget to pivot that front foot to avoid ankle pressure (injury)
Keep knee horizontal (same kick as 1/2 round, just from rear leg)
Same two chambers as 1/2 round kick
Weapon is the top of your foot
Side Kick
Use lead leg from guard stance
2 chambers (first chamber points back with hip pointed at attacker)
Weapon is the heel
Back Kick
Use the rear leg from guard position
Look back over opposite shoulder to look at attacker
No chambers
Weapon is the heel
With these 5 kicks, you will be able to protect yourself in most self defense encounters. The side and back kick are generally considered the strongest and the 1/2 round and front the quickest. With practice, all of the kicks can become lethal and fast!
Sensei Chris Feldt
Samurai Karate Studio
Columbia, SC 29229
803-462-9425
samuraikaratestudio@gmail.com
All but the back kick have 2 chambers, which are utilized for more power in the kick.
Front Kick
From guard stance
Square up your hips to the front
Use the back leg (beginners)
2 chambers
Weapon is the ball of your foot
1/2 Round Kick
Use lead leg from guard stance
2 chambers
Keep knee horizontal
Weapon is the top of your foot (or toes if you have on heavy shoes)
Round Kick
Use back leg from guard stance
Don't forget to pivot that front foot to avoid ankle pressure (injury)
Keep knee horizontal (same kick as 1/2 round, just from rear leg)
Same two chambers as 1/2 round kick
Weapon is the top of your foot
Side Kick
Use lead leg from guard stance
2 chambers (first chamber points back with hip pointed at attacker)
Weapon is the heel
Back Kick
Use the rear leg from guard position
Look back over opposite shoulder to look at attacker
No chambers
Weapon is the heel
With these 5 kicks, you will be able to protect yourself in most self defense encounters. The side and back kick are generally considered the strongest and the 1/2 round and front the quickest. With practice, all of the kicks can become lethal and fast!
Sensei Chris Feldt
Samurai Karate Studio
Columbia, SC 29229
803-462-9425
samuraikaratestudio@gmail.com
Basic Elbows
On often over-looked tool in our self defense arsenal is our elbows. This is a very powerful joint in our arm and the bone is relatively strong and can inflict a powerful blow.
In beginner karate, we focus on 6 basis elbow techniques that cover a wide range of self defense situations.
Elbow # 1
This is a lateral strike with the attacker generally in front of you. You strike with inside of the elbow as you post up with the back of your hand on your chest.
Elbow # 2
This is for the attacker who is right behind you. You flick your hand out and drive your elbow straight back.
Elbow # 3
This is for the attacker that is in front of you as you move the elbow up vertical as you attempt to make contact with the tip of the elbow under the attackers chin. This is also a great covering technique, especially someone trying to hit you on the head with round house type punches or even worse, maybe a hard object like a stick.
Elbow # 4
We use the tip of our elbow and drive vertically straight down. We often use a principle called "drop heavy" where you jump down into the strike. This increases the energy when exacting your blow.
Elbow # 5
You point your elbow in a horizontal position and slide to your side as the tip of your elbow strikes the attacker.
Elbow # 6
This is the elbow where you stand like you are preparing to throw a football, and you drop heavy in a circular motion downward. This is typically an elbow that might go to the back of an attackers head who is bending over.
Obviously, I am just briefly describing the elbows here as simply as possible. We covered them in much more detail in class. The idea is to remind you of the techniques enough to jog your memory and practice them on your own or in class.
Elbows are a great "inside" tool to use when defending yourself in close to your attacker. They can unleash a mean strike and take quite a bit of abuse.
Sensei Chris Feldt
Samurai Karate Studio
Columbia, SC 29229
803-462-9425
samuraikaratestudio@gmail.com
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