Worst Martial Arts Techniques

[Ryan]

Wednesday, 16 September 2009
Worst Martial Art Techniques

After reading a post on Stephen Kestings site (which is well worth a look) entitled The Two Worst Martial Arts Techniques of all Time it inspired me to give my own thoughts on the subject.

Throughout time, there have been many techniques demonstrated that have completely baffled me. The reality of some of them actually having any chance of working in a real situation is not very likely.

1st Worst Martial Art Technique

The first technique which I really don’t understand how anybody would ever want to use is the crescent kick defence to a knife attack. Just like in the picture, the person defends by crescent kicking the opponent’s wrist in order for him/her to drop the knife. Firstly if one is to kick the wrist there is always the chance that there kicking leg will touch the blade and all it takes is a touch and the leg will instantly be cut. Secondly a knife holder will not be holding the knife as far away from there own body as in the picture which will make it even harder to try and kick the wrist. Thirdly if the kick misses, which is likely, because the kick uses a swinging motion, it is very hard not to turn with the kick which will then expose your side/back slightly, allowing for an easy stab by the knife holder.



2nd Worst Martial Art Technique

The second technique which I have never ever seen used effectively in sparring, competitions of any kind or on the street is juji uke (X block) There are two types of this block, one where you block upwards and one where you block downwards. From looking at the pictures, the first thing that one notices is that when blocking, you leave yourself completely wide open for counter blows. Your opponent can easily strike you as you block, with there free hand/hands. Also, blocking hard leg bones with weaker arm bones is never a good idea. Parries, covering up or moving out the way are better. Additionally, the fact that to block low kicks with your arms means one must lower there body by either bending at the knees, widening there stance or bending the back is to much wasted energy, and not very practical.

Practicality is always the number one aim when looking for techniques that are successful in competition or the street. Each one you learn and practise must be studied to see if it is useful. If you have any questions about anything you may be learning, never feel afraid or embarrassed to ask your teacher what you are learning and why you are learning it. That is what they are there for.





http://www.markstraining.com/2009/09/wo ... iques.html


How much have movies influenced these techniques I wonder?

[jimothy_183]

The seconds technique that you mention is not inherntly bad, it has it's uses for certain situations.

If you want to see something really bad watch this:

[Ryan]

That was just plain embarrassing.

Oh, look! I can swing block a bat.

Is your arm made of steel?

It kept getting better the more it went on, by the end I couldn't help but giggle. That guy did good at pointing them out as pure failure!

The best thing to do I find with baseball bats and other long melee weapons is not countering the swing, but countering the recovery. You swing one way, it's harder to swing from the finished position of that initial movement and you can jump in close and begin to control the arm and bat, the hands if possible. It isn't hard to pull back a thumb when you're controlling the arm, or if you directly go for the hand as you're in close.

With a projectile weapon, they either come in close; which is where your moment would be, or they verbally control you knowing they have the upper hand. If you can escape and run, do it. If they come in close and you weigh it up then it's up to you. But more likely they'll alert their team on you and it's just a case of weighing up fact that it's nighe impossible to fight back, suicidal.

Hey but everything has its uses... But that's only if you're basing it off reality or not. I think X-Blocks are certainly not worth it and not realistically applicable. OK it may be applicable in training, in a ring but not in a street fight or in a close quarter battle situation UNLESS those specific moments demand it, an example would be say you on your knees and someone swinging a weapon downwards towards you, which would be your main focus to counter, countering all that power. That too would probably mean you were limited on movement. Any double arm block I believe is flawed in a standing fight, why? You're using both your arms. Having one arm capable of countering is what it is about. Not only do you leave yourself exposed but you waste energy. I certainly wouldn't recommend it, hence the first line of his paragraph: "The second technique which I have never ever seen used effectively in sparring, competitions of any kind or on the street is juji uke (X block)".

Momentum can really beat such techniques.

[tacticalguy]

Okay, first I need to catch my breath and stop laughing. Second, I've actually used the X block. When I was sixteen, right after I had started teaching my own aikido class, I was attacked by my stepfather, at the time. He attacked me with a large butcher knife while I was standing in a doorway. He attacked with an overhand swing and I automatically threw up an X block that stopped the downward knife attack and I was able to push him back out of the doorway and perform a wrist turnout to disarm him. (End result, he spent 6 months in jail for assault with a deadly weapon.)

As far as stopping a long weapon attack like a staff or bat, I will always move into line of their attack. Every swing whether horizontal or vertical, is a circle. I step inside before they hit the halfway mark and agrab the fulcrum of their attack, their wrists. Redirecting their attack is simple when you then pivot, throwing your hips into theirs and push downward. I then, drag their wrists around and up over their heads, yanking back. That will put them on their ass. That's one simple variation.

[jimothy_183]

I rest my case in regards to the x block.

[Ryan]

say you on your knees and someone swinging a weapon downwards towards you, which would be your main focus to counter, countering all that power. That too would probably mean you were limited on movement.

Thank you for sharing your personal experience tacticalguy, that must of been a tough situation. I'm sorry to hear about it but I'm glad you defended yourself and are here today because of that. The word I was trying to get in the quote above was over-hand... It just fled my mind.

I think it would also work in a "dance fight" ... You could go all gangnam style.



On the other hand, tacticalguy you sound like a ninja and therefore anything you can pull off... others can't.

[tacticalguy]

LMAO!! I remember the ninjutsu "craze", quite well. I've actually had a guy in a bar, that I and a team-mate were drinking in, start acting like an ass to one of the waitresses. We told him to knock it off. He decided to verbally "assault" us. We laughed him off but, he became more and more aggressive. I stood up to go to the restroom and he decided to up the ante by attempting to trip me. I jumped his foot and turned around. He stood up and told me that he was a 5th Dan in American ninjutsu. I headbutted him on the bridge of his nose. He fell down and was unable to get up for 15 minutes. The waitresses just stepped over him until the bouncer came and helped him outside. I'm not a big fan of bragging about what I'll do to you when I can just do it and save time.
I've moved past those memories, Ryan, thanks. I'm not a big fan of the overhand block, either.

[jimothy_183]

Must have been another one of them belt factories.

[tacticalguy]

Must have been another one of them belt factories.

I don't know if that's true or not. I'll give you a little more info, though. The bar was in a Latin American country and the "ninja" actually was a U.S. Army soldier. This was in '91, just after an infamous "general" was smoked out of his hiding place and the country was crawling with American GIs. Clarity?

[jimothy_183]

I'm feeling a bit naieve here because the additional info doesn't seem to change much, in my mind at least. I mentioned "belt factory" because the guy that got KTFO boasted about being a 5th dan yet was still easily beaten. When that happens it's either because they are straight up lying or they attended a school run but a fraud.

[Ryan]

By any chance was he featured on Black Belt Magazine too?

[tacticalguy]

By any chance was he featured on Black Belt Magazine too?

Ummm, no comment on any appearances this guy may or may not have made in any publications.

[tacticalguy]

I'm feeling a bit naieve here because the additional info doesn't seem to change much, in my mind at least. I mentioned "belt factory" because the guy that got KTFO boasted about being a 5th dan yet was still easily beaten. When that happens it's either because they are straight up lying or they attended a school run but a fraud.

My only point in this situation is that there's a HUGE difference between class and Life. He may very well have been featured on a magazine publication. He may very well have been exactly what he claimed. The fact is, that when the moment came, he wasn't prepared to act decisively, I was. To be honest, I don't know how much I attribute that outcome to my "fu" being better than his and the fact that I was in a constant "on" mindset at that time. My team was very up-tempo at the time where we were jumping from one job to another. I wasn't entering a "dojo mindset", I think he was attempting to.

[jimothy_183]

Point taken about the dojo vs street mindset.