MASTERCLASS PRO takes our Masterclasses to the next level.
Learn how to take the individual self defence techniques and strikes you study in our Masterclass feature and merge them into natural and effective combinations in MASTERCLASS PRO.
Study how you can mix and match different upper and lower body strikes, with different ranges and angles of attack.
This MASTERCLASS PRO covers two immediate strikes suitable following a blocking strike against a ‘cheap shot’ or a circular hand strike aimed at your head. We advocate a minimum 2:1 strike ratio against any attacks towards you, meaning that for every punch or kick, you hit back at least twice. These strikes are:
360 FOREARM STRIKE (TO BLOCK)
GROIN KICK
INWARD HORIZONTAL FORWARD FOREARM STRIKE
Scenario: Facing an aggressor, you’ve managed to keep sufficient distance, but the opponent has managed to get onto strike range and is swinging a punch towards your head and you’ve managed to detect or anticipate the movement. You respond with these three attacks.
HOW TO DO THE 360 FOREARM STRIKE (TO BLOCK)
From a hands up position with hands partially overlapping in front of you and away (to create a shield in front of your face and preventing the aggressor to get too close), send your forearm diagonally outwards with your elbow low and wrist high (securing a longer shield with the forearm covering your head height). This is an aggressive strike movement, hitting hard with the outside bony part of your forearm near the wrist against the opponent’s wrist. Picture your forearm as a blade that wants to chop their hand off. Don’t hold off with this strike. It’s NOT a block or a soft shielding motion. Executed with your elbows locked at c. 90 degrees or so, it is aimed at inflicting sufficient pain to open the palm (if it holds a weapon) if possible. The other hand remain in front of you to protect your face or stay ready to strike if necessary.
Picture: The Krav Maga Educator Orjan Pettersen showing the contact point of 360 forearm strike in an instructional video.
HOW TO DO THE GROIN KICK
After connecting to stop the punch towards you, maintain the forearm strikes hand out as you immediately switch to a groin kick (if the groin is accessible for a kick).
I prefer to kick with the opposite leg to the forearm strike for balancing purposes, but either leg can be used based on the access angle towards the groin.
A groin kick - the ‘simple’ calling card of Krav Maga - is a primary striking choice as it can be a devastating medium range option available to you.
If needed to close the range, make a very short step (skip) placing the base foot as quickly as possible onto the floor, releasing the weight from the kicking leg. If the target is on an angle on your side, always use the near leg for the strike and the far leg as the base.
Make sure you have a slight drop of the base leg knee, acting like a suspension, to aid your balance during the motion.
Swing the kicking leg at max speed towards the target’s groin as if you were kicking a football 45 degrees into the sky. Aim to connect with the lower or mid part of the shin (not the in-step or ball of the foot), curling toes slightly upwards to tense the shin for hardness.
The kicking foot should disappear from view as the shin connects with the groin, ensuring that you hit with a large surface area (shin) rather than a small one (in-step or ball of foot) to optimise the chance of not missing the target. This also ensures that if the target moves towards you during the kicking motion, the higher end of the shin or your knee will still be in line to connect with the groin.
‘Dig’ the kick in momentarily, before your recoil the leg fast back to your desired position, in this case on the same line as the base leg, ready for the next (diagonal) kick.
Picture: Krav Maga Master Gheorghe Husar showing the groin kick in an instructional video.
HOW TO DO THE INWARD HORIZONTAL FORWARD FOREARM STRIKE
As you recoil the (opposite to the forearm) kicking leg, aim to land this one further to the side of the opponent. As you land, keep the same-side hand up and between your head and the aggressor’s head, and and let the momentum and weight of your body drive the impact of the previous 360 forearm strike hand, as - without changing the angle or rigidity of the locked elbow, aim to strike with the inside part of the forearm near the wrist against the neck of the opponent. Aim just below the jawline. If you hit the side of the face, this is also an efficient strike.
Picture: Krav Maga Master Gheorghe Husar showing the inward horizontal forward forearm strike in an instructional video.
This sequence of three strike should be and can be executed within 1-1.5s. Train it slowly and deliberately with a partner to work on the balance, proprioception and sequencing of the strikes.
Further strikes to follow-up are available if required and will be covered in further Masterclass PROs.
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