Big Country And "The Mark" Targeting update

We talked a fair amount in class about "The crucifix".

The strange thing about this pin/submission/position of dominance is that the finest practioner in the world is... Well...

Big...



Yep... Big Country Roy Nelson is probably the best fighter in the world at the Crucifix... His termendous gut is used as a weight to smother the life out of a guy while he pounds them to paste...

It's too bad for Roy, that his only real skill.

Here is him in The Ultimate Fighter reality show winning a match with a crucifix.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sz-NYzGRwC8

Note that he did not use the figure 4 in the conventional way, but used the whole structure as a pinning hold for the arm.

Another interesting thing to note is that there are about a hundred different versions of "The Crucifix".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_eBvsmaws4

 The Mark Update:
A master of martial arts brought something up in conversation about "The Mark".

He liked what I had to say about it, but brought something up I had never really considered: It's a 5+ Organ Punch.

http://etc.usf.edu/clipart/26700/26705/abdomen_26705.htm

A properly placed punch to the Mark actually does significant damage to 5 or more organs, really depending on the exact placing and power. The trauma actually hits many good targets!

Targeting and Human Anatomy - Part 3: The Mark

There once was a land of brutes, steel, cool mustaches, and boxing. Men were men, women were ladies. Folks wore suits to church on Sundays, and trains were the coolest technology around.

Ah, these were the days...

Imagine yourself in such a magical place, wood buildings, dirt roads, and train hop'n just to pass the time.

During this era was a pugilist named Daniel Mendoza. This guy knew his shit, believe me.  At the end of this post, I will link up some "further reading" about Mendoza, but for now, here is his definition of "The Mark".

"The MARK. The pit of the stomach. So called, from its being the object at which a stroke most likely to put an end to a battle can be aimed."

I think that just about says it. What Mendoza was talking about is what we know as, "The Solar Plexus".

This spot is located just about where the ribs end on the center of your body. Anyone who has had "The wind knocked out of them" more than likely was hit in the solar plexus.

So what happens when you hit "The Mark"?

The impact can temporarily stun the Diaphragm. The impact causes an abnormal amount of pain and also causes the breathing to halt for a second. The result typically is the person curling up to protect that spot, and try to regain air. Some of my research has suggested that your body shuts down many of it's parts to regain your breath, thus weakening your whole body or even damaging tissue outside of your respiratory system.

The reason this is Blue is this: A firm strike does so much damage that regardless of pain threshold, your body protects itself by preforming the actions listed above. Many people who are hit here with perfect health will double over.

The way to kick it into the Red: A hard enough punch of course can be fatal. It's extremely rare and I have never once seen it happen. But there is documentation out there of the Abdominal Aorta being ruptured and killing the person.

Of course, if you hit like a sissy, or you hit someone with an extremely strong core, you will only keep this in the green territory.

I have more personal experiance with this target than any other. This is the classic "playground sucker punch" spot. I have seen friends, enemies, and strangers get hit here and double over.

Don't try this at home:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MciLrVWcP8w

I'm not sure what kind of "school" would do this, but run, don't walk from a teacher like this one. If Chris or I ever tell you to, "hold weights, move your feet apart, and stand there while I hit you". Please leave without paying your mat fee because Aliens have taken over our bodies and most likely your brains will be sucked from your skull....

Further Explination from some kind of British Robot...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bktQ6UWSB98&feature=related

I have also hit people there and been hit there. I can tell you from experience, that even if it doesn't fully stun your diaphragm, it does keep it from functioning at 100%. Each time I have been hit there, I have to watch my breathing and control my core. Each strike takes a little bit out of you, and you have to regain your breathing.

I have personally  never been knocked out from this blow.

Many football hits that "level" people are from this kind of impact. The shoulder of a running defensive back or some other such human missile can deliver this blow effectively. It's not just for striking.

I have a video for you all that showcases some body punches. Here are the highlights to watch for:
Number 9: A non-striking "The Mark" K.O.
Number 7: A center line punch that really sticks it. *Note the weight transfer and back heel!
Number 5: We don't teach this kind of thing, but it shows the power of strong strike(s) to The Mark!
Number 3: Knee Strike from fairly close range. We don't like to throw knees to high, but in this case, it works!
Number 2: Mechanical Failure doesn't always happen quickly! There is often a delay with this sort of thing!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9R8n-J-buwA

For those of you who have watched all the videos, you will notice that many of them showcase some spots for future "Targeting and Human Anatomy" episodes.

Hope to see you all at class!

Further Mendoza Reading:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Mendoza
http://www.sirwilliamhope.org/Library/Mendoza/

Public Transit

Back in the 80's and 90's, movies and urban legends would speak of the dangerous "New York Subway System". As a kid from the mid-west, I never really knew what to believe.

I would see these dark, dank corridors in movies. Floor to ceiling tile. Graffiti on the walls, shady characters lurking in the shadows. 

I never really knew what to think of these locations, because I never really had been to them.

With everyone carrying a cell phone with a camera these days, much of that world has been revealed. 

Every day, it seems a new video hits the net with public transit violence of one kind or another.

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2011/11/16/l-train-attack-caught-on-video-cops-looking-for-suspects/

I just wanted to show everyone that violence is out there. Due to the brevity of the video, it's hard to tell exactly what happened. But as a martial artist, you should all see the martial mistakes that the victim made.

-Implementing force without the ability deal with the consequences.
-Getting trapped against a wall
-Going to the ground
-Dealing with multiple attackers
-"Surrender"

In other news:

http://kstp.com/news/stories/S2374661.shtml?cat=1

I posted about this story when it first broke. Tristan also posted a good write up on the blog about 1 punch kills. Very interesting stuff. This appears to be a case of self-defense? Who can really tell. I think the difficulties here are this:
-Drunk
-Ages
-The very small amount of actual strikes
-Problems with the opposite gender.

I will try to follow this case, but it is important to think of the legal issues the surround us in our violent world.

I almost forgot! I wanted to explain the association with this story and my "Jaw" article. Reports indicate that the victim was punched "in the face". That tells me that it was the Jaw that was struck. If I had to guess on what happened, I would say that he was punched in the jaw, caused a Knockout (mechanical failure) and then his head hit something on the way down. Thus turning our Blue Target, into a Red Target.

See you on Sunday!

Man or Animal?

This is an item that made news recently, and you may have heard of it. I'll warn you that the video is disturbing. Even sickening, although it is not bloody or terribly graphic. Here is a link to the article, including the video:

http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/Teen-Punching-Man-at-CTA-Stop-Caught-on-Tape-133703583.html

In thinking on the simple self-defense level, the obvious mistakes I can see being made are:
1) Don't assume someone is harmless or benevolent, even though they are smiling and laughing

2) Don't think that looking as though you are harmless will keep you safe from danger

3) If you are around animals, you are going to get bitten

This last thought led me to contemplate society in general. It is believed that we live in a civilized nation of men and women, each who has some kind of morality and ethics - even though they may be different from ours. That is true for men and women, but not true for animals.

If you are around an animal, you must appreciate that animal's behavior. You cannot blame a wasp for stinging or a rattlesnake for biting. It's what they do. To protect yourself, you keep those things at a distance or you kill them. Animals will not be bought off or reasoned with. Distracted, maybe. Mere proximity is dangerous, and as survivalists we must understand that.

In the case above, the animal is in human form and cares nothing about responsible or ethical behavior. Unlike the more predictable wasp or rattlesnake, it is not territory protection or response to a perceived threat that has caused him to lash out. The teen didn't get pissed off or defensive to lash out. It seems to have been just for kicks.

A psychologist might call this sociopathic behavior. Who the hell cares what you call it when you have been laid out for no apparent reason. Although I have been been rather disgusted by the number of spontaneous fistfights and brawls in IHops and fast food restaurants, this video is even more disturbing because there was no real lead up or confrontation. It was just an ambush against a helpless target, for the pure adrenaline ride.

I'll stop before unloading my opinion and wondering why society allows animals to walk among men. Instead, let's just keep these lessons at heart:
1) Underestimate no one - anyone can be an animal

2) Remember that showing weakness will invite predators, it will not keep them from noticing you

3) Mind your surroundings and part company with animals immediately

P.S. Here is a news follow up on this matter. Evidently, this is a game now gaining popularity called "Point 'em out, knock 'em out".

Targeting and Human Anatomy: Part 2 - The Jaw

Welcome back to the Blog! As you can surmise, this is my second installment of my series on:

TARGETING AND HUMAN ANATOMY!!!!

*holds for applause*

Thank you thank you...

The first target I want to cover is our BLUE targets: The Jaw.

We have all seen this one. It's the ultimate boxing KO and you can find countless videos of it on the internet.

My personal favorite is Rocky Marciano when it comes to Jaw KO's. To illustrate this, I present a special guest to the Survival Academy: Burt Sugar.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zoRg7oty4wc

Fast forward to 145 to watch the stalking and THE jaw knock out. There are a ton of other knock outs in the video, but I want to talk about this one specifically.

So what causes the Jaw to do so much damage?




Meet the Central Nervous System. Most of you have seen diagrams like this, but I wanted to post it anyway. The two main pieces to the CNS is the brain and the spine. The act of the head contorting sideways causes these two systems to be damaged.

When you have a strong neck and you are prepared, the muscles in the neck stabilize the skull and cause significantly less trauma to the CNS.

The jaw sticks out of the human head like a lever. It is the easiest way to force someone's head to turn. When you apply a solid amount of force to the jaw, mechanical failure occurs. With enough force (or a weak target) can even cause death...

The rapid twisting of the two elements further the damage and have been known to cause a permanent disconnect in the CNS. Think of it like fiber wire.



Each one of those little fibers operates SOMETHING. In the body. Some of them rush of to your extremities, some to your organs. A significant impact on the jaw, TWISTS that fiber wire and can cause those little fibers to snap. Fortunately, they can heal or be repaired... but not always...

When you hit someone on the jaw, and this fiber wife feels the twist, it often times shuts down those little fibers on it's own to prevent further damage. This is what a 1 second KO is. This is when you see two fighters scrapping and one seems to fall down like a sack of potatoes. He regains conscientiousness before he hits the mat. The brain shut down some of those fibers, because they were scared of permanent damage. The brain fires them back up and resumes function.

It's not the pain of the jaw, it's the contorting of the neck that delivers mechanical failure.

If the Jaw is open, the power can knock it closed, causing a major shockwave through the teeth and into the brain. Smashing out teeth is usually the result.

If the Jaw is closed, the shockwave can transfer straight to the brain, causing it to slosh around with similar effect to contortion. It shuts down some function in order to preserve the cells that are being smashed.

Of course, these two forms are not as potent as the CNS contortion I talked about earlier.

Either way, the Jaw is a very good target to cause Mechanical Failure of the target. It hurts anyone, but can really shut down a enemy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOso9QKRgmU

See you at class!

Targeting and Human Anatomy: Part 1 - Overview

Hello everyone!

 Welcome to the first installment of my new series. As you have heard, I am going to do my best to explain my theory and opinion on human targeting. What strikes work best to the jaw? Would you ever kick to the head?

Such questions like these will be answered!

For those of you who saw the first posting, you saw this. You MIGHT be asking yourself "Uh... Why color code it?"

Anyone who has seen martial arts targeting guides, notices that many of them are color coded.



This is one that I have seen 1000 different places. It is specifically geared towards striking with a baton. Each zone is color coded.

This next one is a "pressure point chart" or some other such nonsense...


And if you have ever taken karate in a strip mall, you have seen this one:


I have seen this "Karate Striking Points" poster in about 20 different schools. It seems to come in the Franchise Kit for every single martial arts school.

So why do something different?

In a word: Simple.

I feel that much of the value of combat arts are lost when you try to complicate things too much. Sure, there is always more to learn, but does the bad information contained in these posters really help you? Does the guy in the trailer park have one of these?

I think weaknesses in the human body are much more basic.

So about my colors:

Red dots signal places that are easily fatal. These are the spots that a minimal force will result in death. These spots should be used with care and caution. However, if legal use of force allows you to use one of these targets, it's important to know.

Blue dots are for "Mechanical Damage" targets. These are targets that when struck, have a good likely hood of causing the human machine to fail rapidly. Sometimes instantly. The strikes here are not "sure fire" but nothing is. Some times, these spots don't establish a ton of pain! Many times when people get knocked out, they don't recall any pain at all. So of course, by striking these points, you will have to answer for many legal questions too. The blue dots when struck will cause mechanical failure to people regardless of what chemical might be coursing through their veins.

Green dots are spots that are locations that cause a higher amount of pain than the rest of the human body, but don't have a substantial likely hood of the "1 punch ko". For most people, these spots will deliver pain. However, if the person is on something, the green dots might have no effect. Additionally, these spots can often be trained to harden by professionals or experts with ease.

It should go without saying that a green dot with the right amount of force could be kicked into the blue, or red category, but I want to make that clear anyway. For example: A foot stomp by the average person won't cause a break. However, if that person were a heavy body with work boots on, that green target, might become a blue. Additionally, if you shot someone in the foot, it just might be a red target. So don't be too picky about this. In reverse, a weakling striking in the throat, turns it from a red target to a green target.

To expand it a bit, take a look at the Monadnock chart. Every inch of the body has a color on it. We could easily do this with our graphic, but I avoided it. Everyone knows that a slug in the bicep hurts. Anything getting hit hurts.  That doesn't need to be taught. What does need to be taught is effective targets in real combat and the reason they are.

I hope that everyone follows this series and asks questions about it. I encourage all of you to research this stuff on your own, challenge me, and do your best to discuss it both here in the comments section, and in class.

See you on Sunday!

Demons...

I have really no idea where everyone in class stands religiously. Frankly it's not entirely important... at least for class.

But what is important is the "religion" of others. But perhaps not in the way you think...

Sure, the news is covered with "Religious fanatics kill XXXXXX people". Every religion is subject to this all over the world news, but those people of course are the minority.

However, that minority is the one's you have to watch.

Take for example the Demon Slayer in the news.

Here is a guy who used not a gun, or a knife, but a Crossbow and a Hatchet to "slay demons".

Unconventional weapons are out there, and crazy people love to use them. No mater what religion (or non-religion) you are a part of, there is someone who is going to carry out "God's Work" in the name of your faith.

http://www.king5.com/news/Elderly-Humptulips-man-was-shot-with-crossbow-wife-attacked-with-axe-133395258.html

The first installment of the "Targeting and Human Anatomy" series is coming soon!

Anouncment! New Series!

Attention Students!

I wanted to let you all know that I will be doing a series on this very blog! Every few days (or week), I will post another installment of the series. The focus of the series is "Targeting and Human Anatomy".

Why?
In class, not a week goes by where someone asks about targeting. Typically someone speculates on what would happen if you were hit _______. I think that by putting out my series, I will help folks understand my perspective and help everyone develop martially.

Each series will include my educated opinion on a new target. Now, I want to make it clear that the information included will be ENTIRELY my own opinion and experiences. In no way am I taking information specifically from a source. My opinion will differ greatly from other martial arts manuals, programs, and will probably differ from the opinions of other Survival Academy Students and Instructors.

How did I come up with this information?
As a constant student of life, I spend a good portion of my time in front of a computer learning what I can about the human body and how it behaves. Everything I say, I will support with information and research. I will also talk about my personal experiences with each lesson.

I encourage all readers to subscribe to the blog or check back regularly and follow my new series!

So without further ado, I present: The Survival Vitruvian Man

Getting involved

A while ago I posted a link to an episode of Penn and Teller: Bullshit!. The episode was titled "Martial Arts is Bullshit". I highly recommend searching for this episode on youtube, the library, netflix, or where ever you can find it. It was funny, smart, and made me think a lot.

In that episode, it talked about the fact that we never see headlines in the paper that say:

MARTIAL ARTIST SAVES THE DAY!

or other such things.

Well, I'm going to change all that.

In class yesterday, we talked briefly about gun situations. What happens when a gun comes into play and what to do about it. Watch this video carefully and think about what you would do if you were the clerk, one of the fighters, or just some other passerby.

What would have to change in this story for you to get involved?

What would change for you to flee?

Hope you enjoy the video!

http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/Fighters-in-L-A-for-BJJ-tournament-stop-a-robbe?urn=mma-wp9093

See you all Sunday.

My job isn't particularly dangerous; I'm not wrestling guys into squad cars or anything like that. But it does have its moments involving highly disturbed people with a proven track record of poor impulse control. So this is why I'll be in class again this Sunday:

Defendant Loses Right to a Lawyer After Allegedly Stabbing 3 of Them with Pencils or Pens in Court

***
None of the lawyers was seriously hurt. In the first two incidents, which occurred less than a week apart, Monson was accused of stabbing two different lawyers with pencils he smuggled from jail, HeraldNet.com reports. On Tuesday, Monson grabbed the pen being used by his defense lawyer, Jesse Cantor of Everett, Wash., and stabbed Cantor in the head, witnesses said.

The attack occurred Tuesday as prosecutors gave opening statements in Monson’s felony drug trial in Snohomish County. Corrections officers set off an electric stun cuff on Monson’s leg as he lunged for the pen and then piled on top of him, the story says. The first person to reach Monson was a police officer seated at the prosecution table.

Judge David Kurtz said Monson would have to defend himself without a lawyer and would be strapped to a special chair for the rest of the trial. Kurtz advised jurors to ignore the incident, the restraints and the lawyer's absence.

***

First, I question whether the lawyers who were stabbed in the hand would agree that they weren't "seriously" hurt. Probably makes it pretty tough to do your job for a while. As for the last bit: "[The Judge] advised jurors to ignore the incident, the restraints and the lawyer's absence." Yeah, right. Juries and jurors aren't dumb. I'm fairly certain they didn't "ignore the incident."

Shifting, Level Change, and Speed

Hey you vicious fighters!

We worked on the 3 things in the title quite a bit on Sunday. We discovered through light contact the value of mobility. No mater what we are doing, proper Shifting, Level Changing, and Speed are our best tools once violence has occurred.

Mike Tyson: There is nothing about this guy that hasn't already been said. I'm going to say it again because I think it is valueable to the theme of our class on Sunday.

The real ability of Mike Tyson was not his power. It was not his offense at all... It was his defense.

I have posted this video before, but I don't think it ever made it to this blog. Watch the master of defense move. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYZzMPsm6c4&feature=related

Of course, this is not exactly what we do in a street fight, but his mechanics should be practiced, mimicked and meditated on regularly.

Why we train how we train.

This could have been/ could be any of us:

Charges: Schizophrenic Man Tried to Kill HCMC Employee in Bathroom Attack

An allegedly schizophrenic man assaulted and tried to strangle a Hennepin County Medical Center lab technician in a hospital bathroom last week after he claimed his threats to kill someone went ignored, according to attempted murder charges filed this week.

***

The victim told police it was 10:15 p.m. when she went to the public restroom because the staff restroom was locked.

When she went to wash her hands, a man ... placed her in a choke hold and pulled her to the floor while trying to muffle her screams. He put her head between his legs and grabbed her by the throat and squeezed, charges said, and punched her at least twice in the head as she began to lose consciousness.

She was able to escape when someone walked in and told Marshall to get off her.

***

HCMC spokeswoman Christine Hill credited the passer-by and security members for interrupting the assault and arresting the suspect.

Note the location: a bathroom. A classic "Gimme 3 Steps" scenario. I'm glad that a passerby was able to help out, but that was close. To paraphrase Bas Rutten, "Never let them get the choke, because God only knows what they're gonna do to you!"

The Value of Fitness

If you see me before class, I typically am trying to balance upside down or do something goofy. Chris has helped me with getting my hands on old manuals and books. Every week, it seems like someone shows up to class with and makes an attempt at a tri-pod, hand stand, or some other such thing. 

I personally take the time at class to do this stuff because at home, if I falter, A pile of hot wheels meets my fall like a bed of nails. 

So yes, I do stuff like this outside of class, but I like the open, clean mat to warm up with. It's also a good way for me to show those who are interested in learning, how I do it. 

But the real question is: Why? 

Why learn to balance on your hands? Are you going to fight upside down? The movements are slow, and the positions are goofy. 

During my recent fitness kick I noticed something. Something that has stuck in my mind like a tapeworm in your lower intestine...

Gymnasts are probably the most healthy, vital, and strong athletes I have ever seen. Such a strong combination of power, grace, flexibility, and agility form together to make Gymnastics.

And Fighting.

The skills and attributes need to be a good fighter are the exact same you need to be a Gymnast! 

The goal of the Survival Academy is not to make you into a better fighter. It's to make you Survive life and all it's encounters the most safe and healthy way possible. The term would be "Vitality".

We want you to be vital!

So if your 5-6, 300 lbs, and can kick the shit out of anyone, you still lose because Heart Disease will kill you faster than a mugger!

So I use gymnastics as a way to improve my fighting AND my health!

The idea is spreading like wild fire! I love martial arts sports and watch them all the time. Yahoo has been showcasing "Athlete Workouts" for a while now, and I came across one that validated everything I thought about exercise.

http://sports.yahoo.com/elite-athlete-workouts/georges-st-pierre

If you don't know who GSP is, I suggest you get you crawl out from under the rock you are living in and get on the computer to learn about this guy. He is a humble fighter with amazing talent. Arguably the best who ever fought! He uses gymnastics to make himself a better fighter! Amazing! 

Add that video to this beast. His brand of "Gymnastics" is one of the coolest thing's I have ever seen. It's a amazing combo of carny and fitness! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xl-b8IAliW8&feature=channel_video_title

The last video I have for you is a fitness buff who recently got himself a pair of "Gold Metal Bodies" rings. Now, anyone with basic building skills could make these themselves, but this guy promotes them well. Take a look!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlGDtuP51K4&feature=channel_video_title

Well, I hope you all consider adding Gymnastics to your daily fitness routine. Doing a few yoga poses or tripods will greatly increase your vitality, athleticism, and health! 

Hope to see you all at class!