MASTERCLASS PRO | DOUBLE ELBOW STRIKE • DOUBLE GROIN STRIKE | by Orjan Pettersen
MASTERCLASS PRO takes our Masterclasses to the next level.
Learn how to take the individual self defence techniques and strikes you 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:
DOUBLE ELBOW STRIKE, continuing with; DOUBLE GROIN KICK.
Scenario: This combination is designed to simultaneously protect and attack against single or multiple circular (non-weapon) hand attacks towards your head. The aggressive impact from the elbow strike towards the face or upper torso (if attacker is taller) is expected to move the attacker backwards, opening up a wider feet position as they rebalance, before kicking very rapidly twice to the groin to exploit the widening up of the groin area.
HOW TO DO THE DOUBLE ELBOW STRIKE
This is a simple close range and very powerful bursting in movement where your head is protected by your arms and hands and your striking point towards the aggressor’s face or upper torso (height-dependent) is the outside and pointy part of your elbow joints.
This strike is designed to move really close to an unarmed opponent whilst delivering a devastating strike ideally aimed at their face in order to continue with further strikes or just to create distance to escape. Your follow-up strikes will be determined by the ferocity of your double elbow strike, the physics of the impact and the backwards movement of your opponent in terms of distance. It could be close range elbows, a medium range hand strikes or medium range to longer range kicks.
Picture: The double elbow strike is a very aggressive and devasting strike, especially if delivered to the face.
This double elbow strike can be a solution to someone starting with hard-to-block multiple circular hand strikes towards you to get safely on the inside of the punches, as an in-fight solution where you want to get really close to use further strikes or just to create space and time by sending your opponent back. It can also be done as you land forward after a groin or front kick to protect your head whilst changing the range to close-quarter fighting with elbows or head butts.
These strikes when done correctly covers your head in the transition of range from medium-to-close whilst delivering a massive strike to the face of the opponent upon contact. It’s one of the fiercest strikes in our Krav Maga repertoire.
If you start from a passive or defensive position (SEE MASTERCLASS: CAMOUFLAGE STANCE), hands are up and in front of, but further away from your face. Elbows are slightly bent and your legs are on a line. If you are already engaged in the fight and moving (SEE MASTERCLASS: FIGHTING STANCE), your hands are up and in front of you and your feet are shoulder-width apart with your front leg only a small step in front. You are well-balanced with knees slightly bent for maximum explosive mobility in your lower body. Your back foot has the heel slightly elevated.
Picture: Where possible, keep distance and protect your face using ‘camouflage stance’, to your disguise both your ability and intent to defend yourself for maximum surprise should you have to - and to optimise your legal claim to self defence through your personal, witness or CCTV evidence later.
From this position, step forward (if in fighting stance with your front leg, by pushing off with your back leg).
As your body and head start to move forward, slam your hands with your palms facing downwards onto the back at your head in the position where the pointy parts of your elbows are both straight in front of your eyes.
Make sure the elbows are joined together (no space) and your palms are locked onto your head at the top or the rear (not the side) so they don’t move backwards upon impact, absorbing the energy rather than putting it into the target.
Do not look down or lower your head unless the opponent’s face is slightly lower, so to connect with the pointy part of the elbows and not the flatter outside of the forearms. The latter will significantly reduce the impact of the strike. If the opponent is taller than you and the connection is onto their upper chest, there is still some pain and expect the opponent to still move backwards from the impact.
The arms and hand position around your head will offer protection against head butts or circular punches as you close the distance to the target.
Upon connection, immediately drop your hands down in front of you to regain visibility and to continue with further strikes or to control your opponent via grabbing.
Picture: Stepping forward with a double elbow strike protects your your head whilst moving inside the strike, delivering a counter before the aggressor can even recoil their hand strike.
HOW TO DO THE DOUBLE GROIN KICK
If needed to close the range if the opponent has moved backwards and out of groin kick range, make a very short step placing the front foot as quickly as possible onto the floor by pushing off and forward with your back leg. Place your front leg in front of your centreline to optimise your mass and momentum into the line of the kick, releasing the weight from the kicking leg.
Make sure you have a slight drop of the base leg knee, acting like a suspension, to aid your balance during the motion.
If no step is required, just commence the kicking motion immediately without any delay.
Swing the back (kicking) leg at max speed (by it being relaxed) 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 further 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.
Kick as if your goal is to ‘slice’ the person in two symmetrical parts along their centreline (don’t hold the speed or power back in the kick), before your recoil the leg very fast back to a position in line with your base leg, slamming the kicking leg into the ground, then recommencing the same kicking motion again, making a very small step forward or on the spot with your base leg to close any distance and generate moire power.
Picture: As soon as possible, swing the back leg into a groin kick. Place the foot back in line with your base leg - and repeat. Aim to “slice’ the opponent into two symmetrical parts.
Further strikes are then available if needed. See our MASTERCLASSES and MASTERCLASS PRO for options.
Find all our MASTERCLASS PRO articles by clicking on the theme selection on the website home page. Chose MASTERCLASS for individual strikes and techniques.