Grasp of Death

[The Tabasco Kid]

Why is the finishing move in Grasp of Death an inverted vertical punch? The lecture explains the need to fit the attack to the target point and the vulnerability of the two smaller finger bones and I get that part.

With the target the point where the back of the skull meets the neck (alternately the soft point behind the jaw) it seems like the finishing move relies on the attacker keeping his head down enough to allow the two smaller fingers to clear the skull/jawbone area. The few times I've seen people put into an arm bar, the people being locked up tend to turn their heads up and towards the arm being locked.

Wouldn't it be better to use a regular vertical punch? The smaller fingers would hit the muscle of the neck if the punch was placed perfectly instead of bone.

[administrator]

There are a lot of things that you can do when you have a guy in an arm bar. This technique just gives an option, and completes a category of how your fist can strike an opponent. Yellow belt introduces the horizontal punch, inverted horizontal punch, vertical punch, and in Grasp of Death, the inverted vertical punch.

Kevin Lamkin

[The Tabasco Kid]

There are a lot of things that you can do when you have a guy in an arm bar. This technique just gives an option, and completes a category of how your fist can strike an opponent. Yellow belt introduces the horizontal punch, inverted horizontal punch, vertical punch, and in Grasp of Death, the inverted vertical punch.

Kevin Lamkin

But where the test is concerned, the inverted vertical punch has to be demonstrated, yes?

[administrator]

Yes, all techniques are tested according to the Ideal Phase technique taught in the Home Study Course. Tailored modifications are always encouraged for individualization.
Kevin Lamkin

[Lance C]

I will suggest something to think about in Grasp of Death:

When you are holding a resisting opponent in an arm bar, you need a strong base to work from. If you reach with the punch and shift your weight, or pivot you may have put yourself into a vulnerable position for your opponent to wrestle you. The inverted vertical punch helps take care of this consideration. (In "the cycle of the punch", the inverted vertical punch is a fully extended punch and it reaches the farthest which would reduce the amount of pivot or overreaching that would throw your center of balance forward, and keep the weight off your front foot)

Some notes:

It is possible on occasion to hit someone looking at you from an armbar with the minor knuckles and hit the jaw hinge / mastoid region with the major knuckles using the rotation.

Arm bars can be defeated easily by some trained jujitsuists (Kenpo has a strong jujitsu and anti-jujitsu component to it)

I like to loose the word "Balance" and replace it with "Momentum management" that is, managing both your own and your opponents.

Most of the Yellow belt techniques try and foster good habits that grow with study. When the Mr.Lamkins made the encyclopedia-like material on Kenpo it was with understanding of how one thing learned improves and leads to new things.

[The Tabasco Kid]

Thanks for the explainations. Now another question on a different technique:

The workbook has a question for Alternating Maces:
"Without changing the motions of this technique, can you use the same motions to apply a figure-4 hold"?

What is a figure-4 hold in this respect? I've seen the figure-4 leg hold in wrestling. Nearest that I have done in other martial arts is a defense against a two-handed push:

1 - You stand square to the attacker's line of force.
2 - As the push gets within arm's reach, reach over with the left arm to grab the attacker's left wrist while reaching under to grab the attacker's right wrist.
3 - Pull out each wrist to the outside to cross the attacker's arms over each other.
4 - Keep the attacker's left arm straight while bending the right arm up so that his arms contact at the elbow.
5a - Bend the right arm over the left elbow, pushing the arm over.
5a - Hyperextend his left arm by using the crook of his right arm as the fulcrum and pulling his left arm towards you.
6 - Push down the right arm to take the attacker to the ground.

[Lance C]

To describe a figure 4 arm lock:

Picture your opponent throwing a right punch at you, you left hand parry from your center line to your right shoulder (inward parry) with your right hand you hammer fist into the elbow and using the parry make a sandwich of your right arm (fold back his punch such that your right arm is the filling) force his captured arm back over his shoulder by pushing with your left arm. At some point you can grab your left arm about half way between the wrist and eblow (just before you throw your opponent) and this forms the figure 4 part of the lock. This is a staple in old school jujitsu, it can be used as a defense, lock or throw.

Hope that helps.

-Lance C

[The Tabasco Kid]

To describe a figure 4 arm lock:

Picture your opponent throwing a right punch at you, you left hand parry from your center line to your right shoulder (inward parry) with your right hand you hammer fist into the elbow and using the parry make a sandwich of your right arm (fold back his punch such that your right arm is the filling) force his captured arm back over his shoulder by pushing with your left arm. At some point you can grab your left arm about half way between the wrist and eblow (just before you throw your opponent) and this forms the figure 4 part of the lock. This is a staple in old school jujitsu, it can be used as a defense, lock or throw.

Hope that helps.

-Lance C

Hmm.. Ok, so would one way to execute the figure-4 from the opening of Alternating Maces run:

1 - Right inward parry to the attacker's left arm.
2a - Rotate from right neutral bow to right forward bow
2a - Left hand comes up in a left inward hammering block to hit just above the attacker's left elbow and folds hand over attacker's upper arm.
3a - Right parrying hand grasps attacker's left wrist/forearm and bends it back over the defender's left arm
3a - Left foot moves forward one step to 1:30
4 - As right arm passes left hand, defender brings hand up to grasp his own right forearm, completing the figure-4

[warrior-scholar]

If I follow you correctly that would a nice way of executing the figure-four. Personally I might step to 1:30 as I chopped the inside of his arm with my left hand and immediately fold it into the lock. You could then sweep CW rearward with your right leg to execute the takedown. This is merely what I immediately thought of, nothing special. The only problem to consider is the grip of your right hand. Try parrying into a regular and then irregular grip as you attempt the rest of your suggested continuation. See the difference?

Thanks for the discussion.

[The Tabasco Kid]

I think I had a satori moment on the reason for the inverted vertical punch at the end of Grasp of Death. The strike hits the jawbone from behind and goes for a dislocation instead of a break, yes?

[administrator]

As mentioned before, you can do many things from the arm bar position. In the Ideal Phase, and what this technique is trying to teach, you are to strike the base of the right mastoid. All of the other things mentioned here are possible, and good comments. But, the curriculum was set by Ed Parker to teach targets in a sequence. The mastoid is the one being taught here. What you are to be tested on is the Ideal Phase. What you are to teach is the Ideal Phase and how to make variations with the formulation equations. What you practice is up to you.

Kevin Lamkin
Administrator

[The Tabasco Kid]

As mentioned before, you can do many things from the arm bar position. In the Ideal Phase, and what this technique is trying to teach, you are to strike the base of the right mastoid. All of the other things mentioned here are possible, and good comments. But, the curriculum was set by Ed Parker to teach targets in a sequence. The mastoid is the one being taught here. What you are to be tested on is the Ideal Phase. What you are to teach is the Ideal Phase and how to make variations with the formulation equations. What you practice is up to you.


But won't a hit to the base of the right mastoid at the angle the inverted vertical punch hits create a dislocation instead of a break?

[administrator]

Its meant to be a knock-out strike. Make sure you know where the mastoid is.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mastoid_portion_of_the_temporal_bone

Kevin Lamkin
Site Admin

[warrior-scholar]

Tabasco,
I am sure you meant to say jawbone again instead of mastoid as that would be impossible...
Regarding your question, if in fact you were to strike behind the portion of the jaw that is right beneath and next to the ear, then it is POSSIBLE that a dislocation could occur. The joint just in front of your ear could experience enough movement from the strike so as cause dislocation. My wife is a dentist and not a chiropractor, but she knows a bit about the jaw.

Just to reiterate, the ideal phase strike is to the mastoid, which is a strike meant to knock one unconscious or worse.

Peace