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 a trio of kicks starting from longer range and closing in to medium range. We’ve added a soft breakfall backwards to show these being preceded by a slip, fall or push from an opponent.
SOFT BREAKFALL BACKWARDS
FRONT KICK
GROIN KICK
DIAGONAL KICK
Scenario: You’ve either lost your balance and fallen, or been pushed back onto the floor by your opponent. The Masterclass Pro shows you how to land safely, stand up quickly and (in this case) deliver a series of kicks starting by a longer range front kick as you move forward to close the distance and deliver a further groin kick and a diagonal kick.
HOW TO DO THE SOFT BREAFALL BACKWARDS
The soft break-fall backwards - or; how to fall backwards when one or two feet are still in contact with the ground - is key for three purposes; 1. To fall without injury, 2. To fall ready to fight and 3. To fall ready to move or immediately stand up.
This is how you optimise a soft break-fall backwards:
When balance is lost, to fall as safely and as ready as possible, apply the following biomechanics - from head to feet:
Drop chin down towards chest (to avoid head bouncing onto the floor). Keep this head position whilst falling and whilst on the ground.
Move hands up in front of your torso, with elbows in front of your lower chest/abdomen (to avoid elbows bouncing onto the floor and with hands up ready to protect you on landing. Keep hands in this position throughout the fall.
DO NOT use your hands to ‘soften’ the landing by putting your palms down towards the floor. Your body weight (and additionally, that of an attacker connected to you) can damage or break one or all of your wrist/elbow/shoulder joints.
Lower your glutes (as if you’re sitting down) towards the ground, aiming to fall on an angle to the side connecting with the floor with only one side of the glutes.
Continue the fall by rolling on the same side along the back (to protect the spine from uneven surfaces or objects on the floor) until the shoulders connect.
Exhale on impact to prevent being winded.
Stop the movement by keeping the opposite foot onto the floor throughout the falling motion (to avoid the momentum forcing you to roll over).
The falling-side foot should be moved back into a position with the knee out and sole of the foot in a 90° angle with the heel close to the opposite knee with toes out, protecting the groin from a kick, whilst recoiled and ready to kick yourself if required.
To stand up facing forwards to deal with any threat facing you:
Maintain the right foot close to your gluteus as you drop your left hand and forearm onto the floor, again close to your body.
As you drop your left hand and forearm down, roll your body towards your bent left knee, 45 degrees to the side (not straight forward and up) until you can elevate your body up from the floor, with only your right foot and left palm touching the ground. Maintain your right arm up throughout to protect your torso and head. Lift your body up.
Retract your elevated and bent left leg between your right foot and left palm, underneath your elevated body, before pushing off with your right leg backwards to create further space between you and any threat.
Land with your right foot forward, left foot a bit further back and on your ball of the foot, feet around shoulder width apart in a well-balanced position, with your hands up and in front of you. You are now positioned to fight if needed.
HOW TO DO THE FRONT KICK
A front kick is a primary striking choice as it’s the longest range option available to you, when you’re aware of (facing) a threat. Therefore, practice it extensively.
Make a very short step (skip) if you need to close the range to the target. This is least telegraphic and most surprising, minimising the time it takes to release body weight off the kicking leg in readiness to move fast.
Either lift knee high and close to you to extend the foot/lower leg forward towards target, or; kick in an upward ‘whipping motion’ from below. The latter is less visible and also doubles up as a groin kick if the target moves closer mid-motion.
Connect with the ball of the foot (smaller surface for better energy transmission) around centre-mass (abdomen) and aim to kick through the target by extending the leg, immediately followed by a quick recoil.
Bring the kicking leg back without lowering knee, before landing. The landing is a tactical decision. Forward for further strikes, other directions (e.g. by pivoting around on base leg) for running away or dealing with other threats. Bring base leg with you to land in a natural, balanced position.
Keep your hands up and in front of you throughout the kick, making them available to follow up with strikes or to protect head and upper body defensively.
Land with your kicking leg forward bringing the back leg with you so you land with legs shoulder width apart and the (new) back leg a small step behind, primed for the next (groin) kick.
HOW TO DO THE GROIN KICK
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.
HOW TO DO THE DIAGONAL KICK
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 confirmed areas or where other barriers exist. Finally, the diagonal kick offers you bigger target areas than the groin kick, as both the inside and outside of both legs are available as striking surfaces.
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 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. Don’t make this kick too ‘circular’, find the shortest and direct route to the opponent’s leg. Simply put, your aim is to ‘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 ling to medium range striking trio where strikes can be executed very quickly and naturally with your legs only.
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 move/impact the opponent in the abdomen/solar plexus, groin and outside leg areas.
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