The pain is intense, it's nasty, it's dirty.
Then why would I make it a Green Target?
Simply put, it's too inconsistent.
Don't get me wrong, its a GREAT target. Use it when appropriate every time.
As Bas Rutten says, "It's the most under estimated strike".
If you have ever watched America's Funniest Home Videos, you have seen the ol' nut shot on video. We all know what happens.
If you have played sports or rough-housed, you have probably been hit there a time or two.
For purposes of this chart, I had to make it Green. Although painful beyond anything, the groin shot rarely causes a true mechanical failure. That area is very resilient. It's got a good blend of bony mass and flexible parts.
Where does the inconsistency fall into it?
1. Armor. I have seen belt buckles, heavy pants, long coats, and other items that protect this spot very well. Of course, this isn't the intention of these products, but they are out there.
2. Gender. I know this hurts women. A lot. But I'm not sure if it's as consistent or as vile as it is on a man. A quick youtube search comes up with millions and millions of views of men getting hit in the groin, but none of women. This is one of those things that nobody will ever really know. I have never been a woman, and no woman has ever been a man... Sort of. With today's medical procedures, there are a fair bit of "men" without these parts, and a fair bit of "women" with these parts. Of course this is a very small percentage, but it is something to consider. I have heard friends of mine say stupid things like, "Pfft. I don't need martial arts, I'll just kick him in the balls". Are you sure about that?
I'm not really sure if I need a specific description of what this is like, or what organs are affected... This is kind of one of those things that speaks for itself.
Just be cautious and use it appropriately.
Not that I know much, except that my pajamas are attractively and securely fastened, but there are a few things about the groin as a combat target.
ReplyDeleteFirst is what happens to a man's body in high stress/fear. The testicles are drawn into the body to help mitigate the damage of a groin strike.
Reference:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cremaster_muscle
Second is the other effect of adrenaline: pain threshold rises dramatically. Slap your nuts starting your lawn mower and it hurts like a bitch. Slap your nuts as you are getting chased by a bear and you probably won't notice much.
Third, the groin is one of the instinctively protected targets of the body, if not the highest priority. We have covered exploiting this programming weakness a number of times. I have heard experienced fighters say that in order to count on landing a groin shot, you must shift the opponent's focus somewhere else for a moment. If you don't, your opponent will bend, shift, twist, block, or deflect a shot to the groin well enough to blunt much of the effect.
It's not a bad target, but there are things to keep in mind regarding it. I agree that it should be a green.
Really great points T. I started to get a ghost ache just writing this one! Glad someone added some more!
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