We tested a new response to the typical right-hand haymaker punch in the dojo the other night. It was exciting, I have to tell you about it.
There are so many possible responses to the typical 'bully' punch that one might encounter in a self-defense situation, it's almost like one can just pick what one likes best and go with that; they all work. But for me, at least, they have all been variations on a theme; block the punch, apply a counter. Simple. And nothing wrong with that, either.
But imagine this one. Opponent throws the looping overhand 'haymaker' right fist at your head. Instead of applying an upper-body block, you slip the punch by stepping left and apply a 'pat-block' with your open left hand, which continues his fist on it's way; but you apply it gently, not with force. At the same time, you have dropped your right hand in a relaxed position to your right side, and after applying the pat-block, you immediately throw your right as if it were a limp noodle, whipping it with force right into the crook of his right elbow, reversing his direction of travel. Now instead of continuing his body motion to his left, he is suddenly and forcefully jerked to his right. You continue through with your right arm, dropping your left to your side as you do so, and then reverse your body motion, whipping your right fist in a tetsui (hammer fist) across his jaw, ribs, or whatever presents itself, followed an instant later by your haito (chop with the inside edge of the hand in a knife configuration) with the left hand to roughly the same location. If required, reverse direction and apply again.
This is basically the 'O-uchi, O-uchi' exercise that we do in Isshin-Ryu, but applied in a manner I never saw before. Normally, we block solid or we assist the attacker to continue their motion in a way which opens them to counter-attack; we seldom try to reverse their motion.
The reason this seems exciting to me is that it is utterly unexpected, the attack comes from the 'wrong side' that the opponent will most likely be looking/facing, and it consists of two blows to the head or ribs, etc in a staccato 'tha-thump' rather than a typical 'one-two punch' style.
I have always liked the O-uchi, O-uchi exercise, but I never really thought of this type of bunkai for it. Amazing stuff.
Thoughts?
The exercise itself is at 5:00 on this video - not exactly as we do it, but close enough for the purposes of discussion.
[video=youtube_share;a01tp-xdPGQ]http://youtu.be/a01tp-xdPGQ[/video]
There are so many possible responses to the typical 'bully' punch that one might encounter in a self-defense situation, it's almost like one can just pick what one likes best and go with that; they all work. But for me, at least, they have all been variations on a theme; block the punch, apply a counter. Simple. And nothing wrong with that, either.
But imagine this one. Opponent throws the looping overhand 'haymaker' right fist at your head. Instead of applying an upper-body block, you slip the punch by stepping left and apply a 'pat-block' with your open left hand, which continues his fist on it's way; but you apply it gently, not with force. At the same time, you have dropped your right hand in a relaxed position to your right side, and after applying the pat-block, you immediately throw your right as if it were a limp noodle, whipping it with force right into the crook of his right elbow, reversing his direction of travel. Now instead of continuing his body motion to his left, he is suddenly and forcefully jerked to his right. You continue through with your right arm, dropping your left to your side as you do so, and then reverse your body motion, whipping your right fist in a tetsui (hammer fist) across his jaw, ribs, or whatever presents itself, followed an instant later by your haito (chop with the inside edge of the hand in a knife configuration) with the left hand to roughly the same location. If required, reverse direction and apply again.
This is basically the 'O-uchi, O-uchi' exercise that we do in Isshin-Ryu, but applied in a manner I never saw before. Normally, we block solid or we assist the attacker to continue their motion in a way which opens them to counter-attack; we seldom try to reverse their motion.
The reason this seems exciting to me is that it is utterly unexpected, the attack comes from the 'wrong side' that the opponent will most likely be looking/facing, and it consists of two blows to the head or ribs, etc in a staccato 'tha-thump' rather than a typical 'one-two punch' style.
I have always liked the O-uchi, O-uchi exercise, but I never really thought of this type of bunkai for it. Amazing stuff.
Thoughts?
The exercise itself is at 5:00 on this video - not exactly as we do it, but close enough for the purposes of discussion.
[video=youtube_share;a01tp-xdPGQ]http://youtu.be/a01tp-xdPGQ[/video]