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:
DOUBLE ELBOW STRIKE
GROIN KICK
DIAGONAL KICK
Scenario: This devastating combination can be used as both a preemptive or reactive response to an aggressor entering your social space (hand striking range). It consists of three brutally effective strikes which naturally follow each other based on the expected reactive biomechanics from the aggressor that could follow from each strike.
ABOUT DOUBLE ELBOW STRIKE • GROIN KICK • DIAGONAL KICK COMBINATION
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 longer range kicks.
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.
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. It is particularly relevant if the opponent is moving backwards trying to rebalance (as biomechanics dictate that the distance between the feet will widen in this motion), for example following a double elbow strike.
The diagonal kick is named as such due to its kicking trajectory from the ground diagonally upwards towards the outside or inside of the leg (or it can also be targeted against the ribs or liver) in the shortest and most direct line from A (feet position) to B (target area).
The contact point of the kick is either on the outside of the opponent’s leg c. 10cm or so above the knee where the muscle is thinner or a similar height above the knee on the inside of the leg, against the femoral artery. Both connections, made solidly, can easily drop an opponent down or limit their mobility significantly.
The benefit of the diagonal kick versus the roundhouse kick to the leg or ribs/liver is that the motion is much less visible as it’s coming upwards out of line of sight and much quicker in time making it really difficult to detect when it’s done at hand striking range. Another benefit is that it can be done in a limited space (you only need a foot/30cm on the outside of the leg) whereas the roundhouse kick demands much greater room. It is therefore ideal in confined areas or where other barriers exist. Finally, the diagonal kick offers you a bigger target areas than the groin kick, as both the inside and outside of both legs are available as striking surfaces.
HOW TO DO THE DOUBLE ELBOW STRIKE
Send your upper body forward by pushing off with our feet. The optimal effect from a static position is to keep your feet in the same line, shoulder width apart, where you can push through both feet simultaneously. If you commence the double elbow strike from a movement position, for example after a kick, simply push off with base leg if you can’t land beforehand.
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 part of your elbows is straight in front of your eyes. Make sure the elbows are joined together (no space) and your palms 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 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 chest, there is still some pain and expect the opponent to move backwards still.
The arms and hand position around your head will offer some protection against head butts or circular punches as you close the distance to the target.
Upon landing, 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.
HOW TO DO THE GROIN KICK
If needed to close the range, make a very short step (skip) placing the base foot as quickly as possible onto the floor, in front of your centreline to optimise your mass and momentum into the line of the kick, releasing the weight from the kicking leg. If the target is on an angle on your side, 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 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.
‘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.
HOW TO DO THE DIAGONAL KICK
Step forward with the non-kicking leg (if you need to close distance to the target or to generate power) in a short stomping motion, putting your body weight onto the base leg to free up the kicking leg for action. Important: the toes on your base leg need to point in the same direction you are going to kick in. This will free up your musculature in your pelvis for the kick. Simply stepping forward with toes straight on whilst kicking diagonally to the side will impede your kick significantly.
With your body weight on your front leg, your back leg - which should now have a slight bend in the knee and toes - has the solid frame that should be maintained throughout the kick. You’ll notice that the bent knee and toes will tense your front shin, making it harder.
Maintaining this leg frame, explode the leg diagonally forward in a diagonal trajectory aiming to connect with your (hardened) shin against the inside or outside of the leg of your opponent, around 10cm or so above the knee. Note: following a groin kick, the aggressor, if pain is felt is more likely to close the legs together in response to the trauma, making the outside of the leg a more probable target. Don’t make this kick too ‘circular’, find the shortest and direct route to the opponent’s leg. Simply put, your aim is to diagonally upward ‘slice’ through the leg, and for extra impact, ‘dig’ the hip into the kick on contact to give extra pain. Which leg do you target? The closest one, or if both are on a line, either. A diagonal kick to the inside of the leg demands some available space between your opponent’s legs, so pay attention to this. If no space is available, go for the outside. Connecting on the outside will give pain and possibly drop your opponent. A kick to the inside will also spread his or her leg out, making their balance and fighting ability severely compromised until recovered. A second identical kick in the same place can easily remove the footing of your opponent - or by switching the same kick to the inside of the other leg.
The diagonal kick is essentially a groin kick done on an diagonal angle. The angle is created by your base leg toe position which opens up your ability to kick diagonally sideways.
Maintain your hands up and in front of you throughout all the kicks and breathe out on each one.
This MASTERCLASS PRO combination is a devastating medium range striking trio where strikes can be executed very quickly and naturally deploying both arms and legs.
To practice, train in slow and in front of a mirror to make it instinctive. When training with a partner, do the actions slowly and safely. Use control if not applying protective gear as the strikes are powerful and will hurt/move/impact the opponent in the facial, groin and outside leg areas.