Hit Hard

How to Hit… Really Hard

2008

Russell Stutely is Europe’s No.1 Pressure Point Expert and a full time Pressure Point Defensive Tactics (PPDT) Instructor. He has authored two books, over 50 Martial Arts Instructional DVDs and has begun Training Programs that are creating the next generation of Pressure Point Experts. He is in constant demand teaching his unique Pressure Point System all over the World. Instructing Law Enforcement, Military, Security personnel and of course Martial Artists. This book is a fantastic training aid to those wishing to DOUBLE their Power and yet HALVE their effort at the same time.

Russell Stutely Russell Stutely Productions

Copyright © Russell Stutely 2008. All rights reserved.

ISBN 978-0-557-03012-5

No part of this book may be reproduced by any means, nor transmitted, nor translated into a machine language without the written permission of Russell Stutely.

While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the publisher assumes no responsibilities for errors or omissions, or for damages resulting from the use of information contained herein.

Remember: Consult a Doctor BEFORE you take up any exercise. Use EXTREME caution if you practice any of the techniques found in this book.

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How to Hit … Really hard

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Russell Stutely has produced over 40 Martial Arts instructional DVD’s. A renowned Martial Artist, Author, Pressure Point Fighting and Self Defense Expert. Creator of the World Famous Open Circle Fighting Method (OCFM)

Qualifications Europe's Leading Authority on Acupressure Points and their relationship to the Martial Arts Inducted into the World Martial Arts Hall of Fame 2000 EFC Martial Artist of the Year 2000 OCFM International Coach 6th Dan OCFM 6th Dan Karate Jutsu 3rd Dan Torite Jutsu Instructor at Door Supervisor Courses Instructor at Police Training Courses Registered Self Protection Instructor ~ British Combat Association (BCA) Senior Instructor British Combat Association Professional Fighters Trainer

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Areas of Speciality:

Kata / Form Analysis and

Breakdown, Players to the Game, Power generation, Pressure Points and Self Protection.

Quotes from Seminar Attendees and / or hosts "Russell is great to watch in action" Peter Consterdine ~ 8th Dan Karate "Russell makes Pressure Points so easy to use. He has transformed my Martial Arts" ~ Bob Sykes 6th Dan Karate ~ Editor of Martial Arts Illustrated. "Russell puts the reality back into Martial Arts" Rich Mooney 8th Degree Kung Fu "Waveform strikes are amazingly powerful ~ I have never been hit so hard" Master Mark Adlington 4th Degree Tang Soo Do "Russell's teaching changed my whole Association's training" John Burke 4th Dan British Association for Martial Artists "Real self defence, made real easy. Russell and the OCI are where you should go if you want to learn what your Art really means" Malcolm Keith 3rd Dan Ju Jitsu

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Introduction Many people are under the mistaken impression that because I am well known for and teach Pressure Points, that they (Pressure Points) are the extent of what I know and teach. Nothing could be further from the truth. To fully understand Pressure Points one should have an intimate knowledge of how and why the body works from a Martial/ Combative perspective. That is, to understand the complexities of Body Physics, Body Mechanics and Body Dynamics. Then to utilize that information in the best possible way in order to facilitate the generation of speed, power, timing etc in a “fight” situation. I am also very well known for my work on Power / Impact Generation and have proven this countless times, by doubling and in many cases trebling the striking power of an individual, whilst at the same time, reducing their required effort by 50%. This is by no means an exaggeration of what can be achieved with my methods. In fact, as a proof of point, in one of my Instructional DVD Sets, Power Black, I was tasked to achieve such results with a wide mix of volunteers.

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The volunteers had all been chosen by the Production Company, New Approach Publishing, who flew me to the UK and arranged the whole weekend of filming. My task was simple, to prove my outrageous claims of doubling power and halving effort. You can witness the results, recorded live as each volunteer had their technique dissected and put back together, with the same result from utilizing my easy to understand methods. You guessed it! They all doubled their power and halved their effort. What is even more amazing is that this was achieved in under one hour and for 10 people! Now, this book, if you follow it closely and correctly, will help you achieve the same results. Obviously, it will be more difficult without the one to one supervision and correction of minor faults, but you should feel and achieve dramatic results, very quickly indeed. Before you run off and start practicing these techniques, it is vitally important that you follow my advice for the maximum benefit from this book. Follow each page step by step. Do NOT try to rush this, take your time and practice S-L-O-W-L-Y. 8

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Waveforms - Vertical Over the last 8-9 years the biggest misconception about what we teach has been on the subject of Waveforms. What are they? What do they do? Is it a punch or an elbow strike? The answer is that a Waveform is all of this and much more. Quite simply, the Waveform, is correct body dynamics and body physics. It is a method of movement that could and indeed SHOULD be applied to each and every movement you make within the Martial Arts. Of course, this is easier said than done in the heat of a ring fight or SD situation. However, like anything, with sufficient training, you should be able to achieve a true Waveform or very close in most situations. Liken it, if you will to achieving a right hook, you may be able to hit real hard on the bags or pads, but landing it on a moving opponent is MUCH more difficult. So it is with the Waveform, so it is with EVERYTHING though! At seminars we usually show the beginning of a Waveform movement, i.e how to utilise this movement to strike with MASSIVE impact. Usually we can double your impact and halve your effort whilst so doing.

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The Waveform, however powerful you get it, should not be taken in isolation! It should be used alongside everything else that you already know. Add to it, your existing prowess, Players to the Game, PP’s, Balance Points etc to really make your MA come alive. Start, like anything, slowly and gradually build up the resistance of your training partner, till you reach the point that you can utilise the Waveform movement in sparring and then eventually to the point that you can use it in the ring etc. To understand the Waveform correctly we must break it down into its constituent parts. Then we must add them back together to form the whole picture. The training routine detailed below, shows you this method. Any movement MUST be made up of one or all of the following, up and down, side to side, front to back and spiralling. By training these movements in isolation first, we can then understand how our own body works to a much higher level. Then, by incorporating all of these movements together, we can establish a powerful base from which to build our skills further. The first part we practice is the vertical Waveform. This is a TRAINING DRILL and is in no way yet combative. This is the beginning of learning in isolation.

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Fig vert1 Hands start roughly belt high and knees slightly bent. The body moving upwards, makes the hands move upwards.

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Fig vert 2 The hands are now towards the top of their movement. They “lag” the body movement by a split second at all times.

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Fig vert 3 At this point the body begins to move down and hands can be seen to “whip” at the top of their movement.

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Fig vert 4 The hands now follow the body on its downward movement.

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Fig vert 5 The hands are now towards the end of their movement. The body has already reached the end of its movement.

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Fig vert 6 The body now begins its upward movement. The hands are now seen to whip at the lower end of their movement.

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Fig vert 7 We are now back we started.

This movement MUST be done in a slow and precise manner and kept as smooth as possible. It should also be a continuous movement and repeated without pausing or stopping anywhere along the complete length of the movement. It should be done many times in succession, again with no pauses or stops. This isolation method of each angle of movement, will give you a base to go back to work on should you “feel” that the Waveform is not working properly for you.

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Waveforms - Horizontal This can be used on its own for straight punches, hooks etc. However the TRAINING DRILL shown is just to get the movement correct. Remember that the movements shown in the training drill have been made bigger for ease of clarity. You should make every effort to reduce the size of these movements and make them as imperceptible as possible. It is critical that you understand these basic movements, BEFORE you train the Waveform movement into your Martial Art. These movements may look a bit daft to start with and you may feel a bit of a fool practicing them. However, I can assure you, that should you follow these drills, then you will be amazed at your increase in Impact and Power. Also, please remember that these drills are in ISOLATION and are used solely to understand the basic mechanics of the whole movement. They are a part of a whole and should NOT be considered on their own or out of context. This movement can be utilised to perform extremely powerful and impactive Slaps and backslaps. Again, it must be stressed that the movements detailed in the photos has been made

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larger for clarity. You must try to “shrink” this movement down and to “blend” it into your own natural movement. Many Karateka have said to me that these movements do not resemble what they are taught in their Karate. My reply is usually “do you hit harder and feel it is easier to do?” They answer “Yes, much harder and much easier” I then reply “What is the problem with doing this instead then? You have “X” years of Karate practice behind you and hit with “Y” power. You have an hour or two of Waveform practice and you now hit with “2Y” power. You have doubled your impact. Is it not worth considering keeping this movement within your arsenal?” Some carry on with us and have become great Coaches in our OCFM system. Others drift back to the comfort zone that they have become to rely on. It is time in this era of mass communication and the ease in which we can train and learn from each other to free yourself from the shackles of any one way to achieve a goal. If something works better, then why not use it? Those Karateka need to train with Coaches who do teach these Waveform movements.

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Fig hor 1 The hand starts out to one side. The body begins to rotate in the opposite directions and the hand “lags” behind.

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Fig hor 2 The hand is now being pulled along by the body movement.

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Fig hor 3 As the hand begins to reach the “end” of its movement, the body is already at the end of its movement.

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Fig hor 4 The body now begins to reverse its movement back to where it started. The hand is now seen to whip at the end of its movement.

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Fig hor 5 The body leads and the hand follows

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Fig hor 6 The body is at the end of its movement, closely followed by the hand

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Fig hor 7 The body begins to come back to where it started and the hand is seen to whip again at the end of its movement.

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As can be seen from these photos there are two “whips” occurring here, just as in the vertical Waveform. This should be practiced from both sides and then with both hands together. Again, this is a DRILL to attain the correct movement. Remember, that you must make this a continuous and smooth movement that will be done many times with no pause and no stopping. Again, any time you feel that you are losing your Waveform power, go back to these simple drills to reinforce the correct movement within your body.

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Waveforms – 45 Degrees The 45 Degree Waveform is merely a combination of the Horizontal and Vertical Waveform. By combining the previous two Waveforms we end up with a MUCH more powerful Waveform motion. This motion can be best utilised for strikes such as overhand right, chopping hooks, throws and takedowns. It can also be utilised for movements resembling low section Block or Gedan Berai. The practice method “resembles” this motion at first and then, when you have the movement correct it can be applied in all manner of techniques. Remember that this is a “DRILL” and is in no way combative until you adapt the movement to what you want it to become. We have also detailed this drill in “one plane” only. The movement can and indeed should be applied in any plane and of course in multiple planes and with “depth” for the very best results. Also, please remember that “Waveform” movement should be combined in various planes at the same time. Take for example a simple hip throw. There is the pulling down on one arm in a 45 degree movement, the more circular movement of the other arm and the use of the hips in another

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plane, thereby utilizing three planes of attack at once in one throw / takedown. The body may resist one or two planes of attack, but it very rarely can resist three planes at once.

Fig 451 Hands at ready position. The hips start to move at 45 degrees BEFORE the hands move.

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Fig 452 The body has now initiated the movement of the hands.

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Fig 453 The hands now cross and the body has completed its movement.

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Fig 454 As the hands almost reach the end of their movement the body begins to change direction

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Fig 455 The body is now about to change completely and the hands are ready to “whip”

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Fig 456 Now the hands are travelling back towards the beginning and the body is on the way to the end of its movement

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Fig 457 ¾ of the way through the movement

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Fig 458 The body has completed its movement and the hands are on the way to the end of their movement

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Fig 459 The body is on its way back, followed by the hands

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Fig 4510 At this point we are going to change the final movement into a “spiral”, the MOST powerful movement of all

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Fig 4511 Notice how the hands are beginning to “twist”

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Fig 4512 Impact has been made and the follow through of the hands ensures the “spiral” goes through

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We have added in for you the “spiral” as the last section of this movement. It is usually the most misunderstood. Just allow your body to do what it “feels” is the right thing to do. Your own body will do this as long as you allow it to do so. Remember, these are drills to get the motion correct. Once you have the movement down, then you can adapt it to suit your own body structure and style. It will improve your Impact and Power tremendously. If, you are ever struggling with the movement, go back over these articles and “practice” the basic movements in isolation, then add them back together to complete the full range. Practicing these movements is akin to “shadow boxing” for technique training. Once you have it correct in shadows then you advance to bag and padwork, set sparring and eventually open sparring. Remember this as well, even the very best Boxers in the World, continue to do shadows for technique. They know that these basic movements are the foundations for everything that they do. As a Martial Artist we are often misled as to what constitutes good basics. It is most certainly NOT going up and down the hall in lines doing a few punches and kicks. Basic techniques 44

within OCFM are akin to that Boxer doing shadows for technique. Basic techniques to us, is breaking the movement of the body down to its constituent parts in order to more fully understand how our own body works, so that we can use it in the most efficient way for us as an individual. The principle of the movement will be the same for all OCFM Coaches. However, we will not look “exactly” the same as we do these movements. This is sometimes a difficult concept for MA’s to grasp. Especially those who have been taught from a monkey see, monkey do system, whereby you have to replicate your Instructors movements to the letter. If your body movement is not natural to you, then it will not work for you! Think of it like driving a car. At first you are not sure where the pedals are, how to change gear. All the time you are learning this aspect, you have to be aware of your surroundings so that you do not crash! Then, eventually, you just know where the pedals are, you know when to change gear, you know how to steer, you keep aware etc. In other words you have made this trained movement, natural for you. So it is with the Waveform movement and all your Martial Arts. 45

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The Jab Often thought of and mainly used to set up the rest of your striking repertoire, the Jab has proven to be one of the most useful tools in anyone’s armoury. The problem with the Jab is that, because it has “always” been used in this way, people tend to think that this is the only way it can and indeed should be used. Whereas, done correctly, or should I say, improved upon, the Jab can be a devastating strike that could render your opponent unconscious. It is EXTREMELY difficult to make the Jab this powerful in a sporting contest. You have to buy the time and distance to enable the power Jab, so as to speak, to be utilised. Therefore it has to be used as a pre-emptive strike in a Self Defence situation. That is not to say that the principles upon which the Power Jab are built can not be taken into the sporting arena, it is just much more difficult to do. Once a Self Defence situation becomes a fight, then of course, everything becomes much more difficult. 47

There are various schools of thought as regards the correct alignment of the fist for the Jab. Personally, I do not care about such arguments. What really matters is can you land it? Does it have sufficient power to the job intended? If not, then the alignment makes no difference and if it does do the job, then again, the alignment makes no difference. So, in short, find what works for you. If you feel more comfortable with a vertical fist, then use that. If you feel more comfortable with a horizontal fist, then use that. If you feel more comfortable somewhere in between the two, then use that. To gain maximum power in the Jab, you should use your most powerful side. So, if you are right handed, then Jab with your right. I can hear all the purists saying that you should Jab with your left and leave your right for your powerful cross etc. Why? Why should I take the chance in a SD situation of only hitting you hard enough to get you annoyed and hope that I can then land my next shot, with sufficient power to K.O you? Surely, I am better off ensuring that my very first hit, is as hard and devastating as it could possibly be? The Power Jab utilises whole body movement and whole body alignment to help ensure the maximum amount of power over the shortest most direct route to the target. 48

For out and out power in a SD situation, the trade off between power and the possibility of telegraphing the shot is worth it. In a sporting contest, it definitely is not. So, we will not look at both of these options. We will only utilise the methodology required for Maximum power. The principles upon which this power generation is based can then be utilised in the sporting arena by changing a few parameters. The power will drop, but the telegraphing should disappear. The Jab will have more power than usual, but maybe not the stopping power we are looking to achieve. One of the most common mistakes when trying to utilise this method is to turn the strike into a “push”. This is one of the worst mistakes you can make. You need to follow the training method shown exactly, to negate this problem. You need good training partners who will give you honest feedback as regards your power generation, speed of action, telegraphing, recovery to throw the next shot if required, timing, distancing, balance etc. Recovery from throwing a power strike is of the utmost importance. Without the correct recovery, if you miss with the strike, or it does not have the desired effect, then you are potentially in very deep trouble.

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So, we have to ensure, during our training, that we do not lose sight of this requirement in the quest for ever more power. This is even more important of course in SD than in a sporting contest. In SD there are no bells, flags, whistles, referees, padded gloves, gumshields or headguards etc to protect you. Get it wrong and you are in serious trouble!

Now, let’s see how to practice this Power Jab.

The first thing to do is get your strong side forward and then ensure that you are at the correct distance. Notice how Russell is at an angle to Mario and that he has aligned his right shoulder to the centreline of Mario.

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Russell is pointing out the importance of lifting that rear heel. A few mm is fine, but you MUST raise it. You MUST also “push down” on the ball of that rear foot. Push it through the floor.

Now whilst measuring the distance, ensure that the fist is aligned correctly and that you know where you want to hit. Obviously in training, the strike will be lowered to the Pad!

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The next photo sequence will show the Power Jab in its various stages. Please bear in mind that this has been made “bigger” and more “obvious” for ease of analysis. You should start “big” and “obvious” and try to shrink this movement down as small as possible, whilst still retaining as much of the power as you can. Remember that you MUST also be ready to strike immediately after this Jab. If your balance is lost or you are unable to strike again, then you are doing it wrong. Go back to the beginning and start again and build it up slowly. Quite simply, if your head goes past your front knee, you lose balance, you put your head in danger and against a good fighter, you are unconscious…. You just don’t know it yet!

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The starting position for practicing the Jab. Please note that the Jab Hand in this case ready to go. This MUST also be practiced from a more natural hands at the side posture. In fact from many postures. The Jab is now on its way

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The Point of Impact! Note how the rear foot has pushed hard into the floor and the heel is raised as the bodyweight comes forward

The Jab has now landed and Russell has begun his retraction of the Jab, whilst Mario is enjoying the feeling of the Impact!

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Mario is still attempting to recover and Russell is ready to Strike again and is balanced to advance towards Mario or to make his exit.

Now totally at ease and Mario is still falling over from the Impact. Mario went back and down at nearly 3 Metres away. Note that he also went down. Just moving someone backwards can often be indicative of a “hard push”

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Mario and Russell are ready to have another practice!

Remember that the training process shown is not for a sporting contest. The principles can be utilised, but a compromise between Power and the needs of that particular type of sporting contest needs to be made. In a SD situation, the Power Jab can end the situation right there. If not, then a good VERY HARD strike to start with has now increased your chances of getting out of the situation in one piece by a massive margin.

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The Cross This is an enormous subject, a whole book could be written on just this punch. It is often talked about and often done incorrectly, even by the top Professionals. There are several types of Cross, or straight right, or back hand straight as it is commonly known. We are going to look at a few of the most powerful and easiest examples to use for Self Defence and also for Sport. The Cross is a punch that MUCH more easily makes the move from Sport to Street and vice versa. It can be and in fact should be a DEVASTATING Blow.

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1. Here you can see the typical start position for practicing the Cross from a standard Boxing type position.

2. The Cross at full extension. Note how the fist remains vertical. There is no turning of the fist

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3. Also note how the body has twisted and the hip on the punching side has come forward WITHOUT the other hip going backwards. Also note that the body DOES NOT lean forward into the punch. The head should NEVER go beyond the front knee. 4. From the other angle the non hitting side hip can clearly be seen not to have retracted a la most Karate Styles. Chin is down and the punching arm helps to protect it on the other side.

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5. A close up of the Punching fist. It is vertical and Impact is made with the bottom 3 knuckles NOT the top two as is most commonly taught.

6. Close up of the rear foot. The heel is off the floor and you MUST push down into the floor through the ball of the foot. 7. A VERY Typical mistake. The Cross starts its travel before the Jab has retracted. This MUST NEVER be done. A surefire way to get yourself Knocked Out!

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1 The Start Position As with any sporting contest, you must be in balance and be ready to move in any direction as quickly and efficiently as possible. This is another reason to keep that heel on the back foot off the ground. The back hand guards the side of the head and only moves from that position when you use it to punch. It drops down and you get knocked out – plain and simple. Always get your training partner to keep a close watch on this back hand guard position. Whenever you do shadows, keep a close watch on it your self. Get used to the feeling of that hand being where it should be. How many times do you hear Trainers shouting “keep your hands up”? This MUST become 2nd nature to you. The front hand is always going to be a bone of contention. My own Boxing Trainer, the World Famous Herol “Bomber” Graham taught me to keep it loose, flexible and moveable. If it remains too static, you are left open to an overhand right – and it is goodnight time. It is there to assist with evasion and deflections of incoming punches. The rear hand is used as a last resort in these situations.

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2 - 4. Full Extension The Cross should move in a straight line from where it starts direct to the target. Remember, the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. At first it will feel like you want to twist a bit, or to put more shoulder twirl into the punch for more power. In a sporting contest, this feeling should be resisted at all times for a pure cross. There are many variations of the Cross, other footwork can and should be added to this BASIC arm and body movement. The drop step, of course being the best use of footwork for the Cross.

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5 The Punching area The Point of Impact is incredibly important. Utilising the bottom 3 knuckles seems so alien to Martial Artists. Especially as we are always taught to use the top two knuckles. Using the top two knuckles is just wrong. The alignment of your wrist and arm completely goes when you use this method. Here is a simple way for you to understand the difference. Get into a press up position with both your arms at a Cross type full extension. First, ensure that your first two knuckles only are making contact with the floor, preferably a hard floor. You should feel that the arm and wrist are misaligned and that the wrist feels inherently weak. Now, get into the same position and use the bottom 3 knuckles only. You should feel that the alignment is back in the wrist and arms. Another way is to simply get a pair of weighing scales and push them against the wall first using the top two knuckles and then the bottom 3. You should see that when using the bottom 3 you can “push” about 1.2 to 1.4 times the weight.

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That is the potential to deliver 20 to 40% more IMPACT just by making this simple change! When you factor in the “shock” going into your wrist and arm from a good punch you will realise the potential for a damaged wrist if and when your punch lands, should you use the top two knuckles only. Now, Boxers etc can get away with punching incorrectly, as they have hand wraps and a huge pad on their fist to help with cushioning the effects of landing. In a SD situation you are punching bare knuckle, in a MMA type situation you are using much smaller padding. The advent of these “safety features” for sport has resulted in poor punching methods for Self Defence. No-one is questioning the abilities of fighters here or their punching power. It is just that it could be so easily improved and the risk of injury VASTLY reduced simply by punching with the correct part of the fist!

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6. The Rear Foot How many times do you see fighters with their rear foot planted to the floor? Often I hear a Commentator say that “Fighter A has planted himself for the big shot” Fighter A thinks he has done this, but in fact he has planted himself to make himself slower for the power shot. The Fighter always ends up lifting and twisting that rear foot to throw his Cross and to engage his hips so that he can have more reach and leverage in the Punch. If the foot was ALREADY lifted and ALREADY pointing in the right direction, then he ALREADY has the reach, leverage, hips engaged and power ready to deliver. Felix Trinidad was well known for this. Many times a Commentator would say, “Trinidad is looking for the K.O now, see how he has lifted the heel on his back foot” If it is good enough for a 5 time World Champion, it is good enough for us!

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7.The dreaded cross over mistake This is one of the most common and the most dangerous mistakes to make when throwing the Cross off of the Jab. So many people are taught the Jab, Cross as a one, two. This is COMPLETELY wrong. It MUST be taught as a ONE AND TWO. What this means is that the Jab makes its COMPLETE movement BEFORE the Cross is thrown. The reason that so many people do it wrong is because they have their feet in the wrong place and in the quest for more speed and what they think is more power they throw the Cross too early. They may get away with it for a while, but sooner or later that left hook from their opponent will explode off their jaw and they will never know why they were K.O’d. Train the one and two well. Make it your own. Keep a look out for that sparring partner who does not do this. Help them with it. Don’t go trying to K.O them for fun! Remember that punches should not be taught as combinations as such. They should be taught as a string of individual punches 67

that are done as efficiently as possible, with the smallest of gaps in time between them. Combinations lead to the dreaded cross over mistake.

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The Angled Straight Right Please ignore the left hand in these photos. It is assumed that you have already done something to your opponent with it and gained the correct position for the right hand strike.

8. Russell is at a 45 degree angle on Mario ensuring that his right shoulder is roughly in line his target area. Russell is pointing to the right hip to show where and how it is aligned for this punch.

9. The Hip has travelled forward and towards the target area. The push down on the rear foot has happened and the heel is much higher up. The punch travels in a straight line directly towards the target. The front foot has already performed the “drop step”. 69

Note that the elbow is following the same line as the punch. The punch has penetrated and is already making its return journey

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The Hook The hook is one of the most powerful punches. It can have, indeed should have, a devastating effect on your opponent. The problem most people have is telegraphing this punch. It is telegraphed mainly because of the “lust” for power and the lack of knowledge of how to achieve it. This results in most people using their back hand, usually their strongest, which also happens to be the furthest away and the most easily seen. Because of the distance that this punch has to travel it should be fairly easy to block, evade or parry. With this in mind, we must make sure that we can hit very hard with our front hook. We must also make sure that we do not telegraph the hook. Obviously in these photos, distances have been made larger for aid of clarity. How do we make this hook much more powerful? The answer is in correct body physics, dynamics, foot work and placement of the punch.

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There are several factors that we must also take into account when utilizing the hook. These factors will change depending upon the environment that we are in. For sport, we must ensure that we keep our defense as tight as possible at all times, whilst at the same time attempting to deliver the most powerful punch that we can. For self defense purposes we are not so concerned with keeping our defense so tight. We are much more concerned with power, speed, placement, aggression, surprise and repeated shots. The photo sequences shown below detail a more sporting application of the punch. It is important to realize that each individual will execute this movement in their own particular way. However, the principles on which the power is generated should be the same. The principles detailed below are as taught to me by former champion boxer Herol Graham. First we shall look at the front hand hook. It is a vitally important that the forearm remains parallel to the floor throughout the duration of the punch.

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The start of the hook

Hook travelling towards the head

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The follow through. Note how the body does NOT turn in. The supporting foot does NOT twist and that Russell keeps looking towards the opponent.

The reasons for not doing the usual, twist of the foot, the body etc are varied and are as taught by Herol “Bomber” Graham, who defeated 13 World Champions during a long and illustrious career. Power can be generated by utilising the bodies kinetics in the following way: The front foot is turned slightly inward You push into the floor with the inside of that foot (rather like skiing apparently) This then helps to break the kinetics, to let the power come up the foot, leg, hips, torso and out of the striking arm. 74

The forearm being kept parallel to the floor and the elbow following the same trajectory as the fist results in the greatest transmission of power and energy. By not turning the body or twisting the foot, we can keep our defences much tighter. We can get back to the boxing guard position without risking too much. The power generation will be slightly greater with the various twists, BUT if you miss doing it that way, you leave yourself open to an array of counters. By returning to the guard much more quickly, you are less open to counter. Now, onto the hook in a more self defence type situation.

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For self defence purposes we not so interested in our own defences. We are looking for power, aggression, speed, placement and repeatability with the same hand. It is strongly advised that hooks are thrown once you have made time and distance with some other technique. The photo sequence below details one training method for power generation of the hook. Things you must do: Offset yourself at 45 degrees to your opponent for a strike to land front on. Drive bodyweight where you want the power to go.

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In this instance, Mario is holding the pad on the front of his body. Therefore Russell has to be at a 45 degree angle to hit the pad straight on. No effort is made to defend oneself as it is assumed that something has been done to get to this position. The full bodyweight is driven towards the target. The hip on the striking side, accelerating towards the target as fast as possible. Still keeping the forearm parallel to the floor.

The point of Impact. Please note that there is still a degree of travel left in the body.

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The drive and momentum of the whole body carries on through the target. In this scenario the punch is in and down through the target

In this one slightly up

And in this one straight through.

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Obviously it is your choice which direction you send the hook. The very best effect is down, chopping through the body or head. The direction is governed as much by your bodyweight direction as it is by the angle of your arm. Mixing in the power shots with Pressure Points makes for absolutely devastating effects. Remember to keep the elbow following the same trajectory as the fist. I hope you enjoy training this method, there are many variations that we teach depending on the student. Usually we can double your power and halve your effort… not bad in a few hours!

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The Uppercut The uppercut is arguably the most devastating punch you can deliver in a self defense situation. The old adage “If ya don’t see it coming” immediately springs to mind with this punch. Most people think of the uppercut as being delivered under the jaw in order to snap the head back and then deliver a finishing hook. In fact, the uppercut can be used anywhere on the body or head, the term uppercut merely relates to the fact that the punch is in an upward trajectory and that it should “cut” into your opponent. The same basic principles of power generation still apply. Point your feet in the direction of where you want the power to go. Drive off of the back leg Weapon goes last Bodyweight behind the weapon Drive up and through with the strike

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Russell drives down on the ball of the back foot.

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Note how the driving down on the back foot, shifts the weight upwards and across to the front foot and delivers as much bodyweight as possible behind the striking arm.

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The elbow is following the same trajectory as the fist on impact.

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Note the expression on Marios face. He knew the punch was coming, was braced ready for the impact and yet it still took his breath away and lifted him off his feet…. Through 4 inches of ethafoam padding.

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Another shot of Mario taking a wallop!

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Conclusion If you have followed the training drills in this book EXACTLY as detailed, then you will have transformed your striking power. Of that, there is no doubt. It is vitally important that you are not reading this section after just an hour or so. If you are, then go back to the beginning of the book and start again, S-L-O-W-L-Y. The biggest problem that I see in the Martial Arts / Self Defense world is this desire to have everything right now. The Waveform is extremely quick to learn, if you follow the correct learning procedures. However, like anything and everything, it takes good, consistent practice to achieve the highest levels of performance. Whilst most of us do not have the time, or indeed the inclination to reach the highest levels in our chosen arena, we should still try to be the best that we can, within our limited training time and abilities. Getting this Waveform movement, will definitely transform each and every movement and technique you make in the Martial Arts. 86

Remember: The Waveform is a whole body movement that can be applied to each and every technique that you know. This means, it can be applied to throws and takedowns, with devastating effect. Please take the time to visit my site and let me know how you are progressing with your Waveform practice. I look forward to your comments. Thanks for purchasing this book and I hope that it helps you in your Martial Arts / Self Defense journey. Kind Regards

Russell Stutely http://www.russellstutely.com

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