Pressure Points - Guide (part-4)

b. Elbows as Weapons. 

The elbows are also formidable weapons; tremendous striking power can be generated from them. The point of the elbow should be the point of impact. The elbows are strongest when kept in front of the body and in alignment with the shoulder joint; that is, never strike with the elbow out to the side of the body.

(1) Elbow strikes. When properly executed, elbow strikes (Figures 4-15 through 4-21, pages 4-18 through 4-22) render an opponent ineffective. When using elbow strikes, execute them quickly, powerfully, and repetitively until the opponent is disabled.

(2) Repetitive elbow strikes. The attacker on the right throws a punch (Figure 4-22, Step 1). The defender counters with an elbow strike to the biceps (Figure 4-22, Step 2). The attacker follows with a punch from his other arm. The defender again counters with an elbow strike to the shoulder joint (Figure 4-22, Step 3). He next strikes with an elbow from the opposite side to the throat.

c. Knees as Weapons. 

When the knees are used to strike opponents, they are especially potent weapons and are hard to defend or protect against. Great power is generated by thrusting the hips in with a knee strike; however, use the point of the knee as the impact surface. All knee strikes should be executed repetitively until the opponent is  disabled. The following techniques are the most effective way to overpower or disable the opponent.

(1) Front knee strike. When an opponent tries to grapple with the defender, the defender strikes his opponent in the stomach or solar plexus with his knee (Figure 4-23). This stuns the opponent and the defender can follow up with another technique.

(2) Knee strike to outside of thigh. The defender delivers a knee strike to the outside of his opponent’s thigh (common peroneal nerve) (Figure 4-24). This strike causes intense pain and renders the opponent’s leg ineffective.

(3) knee strike to inside of thigh. An effective technique for close-in grappling is when the defender delivers a knee strike to the inside of his opponent’s thigh (peroneal nerve) (Figure 4-25). The defender then
executes a follow-up technique to a vital point.

(4) Knee strike to groin. The knee strike to the groin is effective during close-in grappling. The defender gains control by grabbing his opponent’s head, hair, ears, or shoulders and strikes him in the groin with his knee (Figure 4-26).

(5) Knee strike to face. The defender controls his opponent by grabbing behind his head with both hands and forcefully pushing his head down. At the same time, the defender brings his knee up and smashes the opponent in the face (Figure 4-27). When properly executed, the knee strike to the face is a devastating technique that can cause serious injury to the opponent. 

Original ebook download

Pressure Points - Guide (part-3)

4-3. SHORT PUNCHES AND STRIKES

During medium-range combat, punches and strikes are usually short because
of the close distance between fighters. Power is generated by using the entire
body mass in motion behind all punches and strikes.

a. Hands as Weapons.
A knowledge of hand-to-hand combat fighting
provides the fighter another means to accomplish his mission. Hands can
become deadly weapons when used by a skilled fighter.

(1) Punch to solar plexus. The defender uses this punch for close-in fighting when the opponent rushes or tries to grab him. The defender puts his full weight and force behind the punch and strikes his opponent in the solar plexus (Figure 4-2), knocking the breath out of his lungs. The defender can then follow-up with a knee to the groin, or he can use other  disabling blows to vital areas.

(3) Thumb strike to shoulder joint. The opponent rushes the defender and tries to grab him. The defender strikes the opponent’s shoulder joint or upper pectoral muscle with his fist or thumb (Figure 4-4). This technique is painful and renders the opponent’s arm numb. The defender then follows up with a disabling  movement.

(4) Hammer-fit strike to face. The opponent rushes the defender. The defender counters by rotating his body in the direction of his opponent and by striking him in the temple, ear, or face (Figure 4-5). The defender follows up with kicks to the groin or hand strikes to his opponent’s other vital areas.

(5) Hammer-fist strike to side of neck. The defender catches his opponent off guard, rotates at the waist to generate power, and strikes his opponent on the side of the neck (carotid artery) (Figure 4-6) with his hand clenched into a fist. This strike can cause muscle spasms at the least and may knock his opponent unconscious.

(6) Hammer fist to pectoral muscle. When the opponent tries to grapple with the defender, the defender counters by forcefully striking his opponent in the pectoral muscle (Figure 4-7). This blow stuns the opponent, and the defender immediately follows up with a disabling blow to a vital area of his opponent’s body.

(7) Hook punch to solar plexus or floating ribs. The opponent tries to wrestle the defender to the ground. The defender counters with a short hook punch to his opponent’s solar plexus or floating ribs (Figure 4-8). A sharply delivered blow can puncture or collapse a lung. The defender then follows up with a combination
of blows to his opponent’s vital areas.

(8) Uppercut to chin. The defender steps between his opponent’s arms and strikes with an uppercut punch (Figure 4-9) to the chin or jaw. The defender then follows up with blows to his opponent’s vital areas.

(9) Knife-hand strike to side of neck. The defender executes a knife-hand strike to the side of his opponent’s neck (Figure 4-10) the same way as the hammer-fist strike (Figure 4-6, page 4-11) except he uses the edge of his striking hand.

(10) Knife-hand strike to radial nerve. The opponent tries to strike the defender with a punch. The defender counters by striking his opponent on the top of the forearm just below the elbow (radial nerve) (Figure 4-11) and uses a follow-up technique to disable his opponent.

(11) Palm-heel strike to chin. The opponent tries to surprise the defender by lunging at him. The defender quickly counters by striking his opponent with a palm-heel strike to the chin (Figure 4-12), using maximum force.

(12) Palm-heel strike to solar plexus. The defender meets his opponent’s rush by striking him with a palm-heel strike to the solar plexus (Figure 4-13). The defender then executes a follow-up technique to his opponent’s vital organs.

(13) Palm-heel strike to kidneys. The defender grasps his opponent from behind by the collar and pulls him off balance. He quickly follows up with a hard palm-heel strike to the opponent’s kidney (Figure 4-14). The defender can then take down his opponent with a follow-up technique to the back of his knee.

Continued on part-4.....

Pressure Points - Guide (part-2)

4-2. STRIKING PRINCIPLES

Effective striking with the weapons of the body to the opponent’s vital points is essential for a victorious outcome in a hand-to-hand struggle. A soldier must be able to employ the principles of effective striking if he is to emerge as the survivor in a fight to the death.

a. Attitude. Proper mental attitude is of primary importance in the soldier’s ability to strike an opponent. In hand-to-hand combat, the soldier must have the attitude that he will defeat the enemy and complete the mission, no matter what. In a fight to the death, the soldier must have the frame of mind to survive above all else; the prospect of losing cannot enter his mind. He must commit himself to hit the opponent continuously with whatever it takes to drive him to the ground or end his resistance. A memory aid is, “Thump him and dump him!”


b. Fluid Shock Wave. A strike should be delivered so that the target is hit and the weapon remains on the impact site for at least a tenth of a second. This imparts all of the kinetic energy of the strike into the target area, producing a fluid shock wave that travels into the affected tissue and causes maximum damage. It is imperative that all strikes to vital points and nerve motor points are delivered with this principle in mind. The memory aid is, “Hit and stick!”

c. Target Selection. Strikes should be targeted at the opponent’s vital points and nerve motor points. The results of effective strikes to vital points are discussed in paragraph 4-1. Strikes to nerve motor points cause
temporary mental stunning and muscle motor dysfunction to the affected areas of the body. Mental stunning results when the brain is momentarily disoriented by overstimulation from too much input—for example, a strike to a major nerve. The stunning completely disables an opponent for three to seven seconds and allows the soldier to finish off the opponent, gain total control of the situation, or make his escape. Sometimes, such a strike causes unconsciousness. A successful strike to a nerve motor center also renders the affected body part immovable by causing muscle spasms and dysfunction due to nerve overload. (Readily available nerve motor points are shown in Figure 4-1, pages 4-5 and 4-6.)

(1) Jugular notch pressure point. Located at the base of the neck just above the breastbone; pressure to this notch can distract and take away his balance. Pressure from fingers jabbed into the notch incurs intense pain that causes an the opponent to withdraw from the pressure involuntarily.

(2) Suprascapular nerve motor point. This nerve is located where the trapezius muscle joins the side of the neck. A strike to this point causes intense pain, temporary dysfunction of the affected arm and hand, and mental stunning for three to seven seconds. The strike should be a downward knife-hand or hammer-fist strike from behind.

(3) Brachial plexus origin. This nerve motor center is on the side of the neck. It is probably the most reliable place to strike someone to stun them. Any part of the hand or arm may be applied—the palm heel, back of the hand, knife hand, ridge hand, hammer fist, thumb tip, or the forearm. A proper strike to the brachial plexus origin causes— Intense pain. Complete cessation of motor activity. Temporary dysfunction of the affected arm. Mental stunning for three to seven seconds. Possible unconsciousness.

(4) Brachial plexus clavicle notch pressure point. This center is behind the collarbone in a hollow about halfway between the breastbone and the shoulder joint. The strike should be delivered with a small-impact weapon or the tip of the thumb to create high-level mental stunning and dysfunction of the affected arm.

(5) Brachial plexus tie-in motor point. Located on the front of the shoulder joint, a strike to this point can cause the arm to be ineffective. Multiple strikes may be necessary to ensure total dysfunction of the arm and hand.

(6) Stellate ganglion. The ganglion is at the top of the pectoral muscle centered above the nipple. A severe strike to this center can cause high-level stunning, respiratory dysfunction, and possible unconsciousness. A straight punch or hammer fist should be used to cause spasms in the nerves affecting the heart and respiratory systems.

(7) Cervical vertebrae. Located at the base of the skull, a strike to this particular vertebrae can cause unconsciousness or possibly death. The harder the strike, the more likely death will occur. (8) Radial nerve motor point. This nerve motor point is on top of the forearm just below the elbow. Strikes to this point can create dysfunction of the affected arm and hand. The radial nerve should be struck with the hammer fist or the forearm bones or with an impact weapon, if available. Striking the radial nerve can be especially useful when disarming an opponent armed with a knife or other weapon.

(9) Median nerve motor point. This nerve motor point is on the inside of the forearm at the base of the wrist, just above the heel of the hand. Striking this center produces similar effects to striking the radial nerve, although it is not as accessible as the radial nerve.

(10) Sciatic nerve. A sciatic nerve is just above each buttock, but below the belt line. A substantial strike to this nerve can disable both legs and possibly cause respiratory failure. The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the body besides the spinal cord. Striking it can affect the entire body, especially if an impact weapon is  used.

(11) Femoral nerve. This nerve is in the center of the inside of the thigh; striking the femoral nerve can cause temporary motor dysfunction of the affected leg, high-intensity pain, and mental stunning for three to seven
seconds. The knee is best to use to strike the femoral nerve. (12) Common peroneal nerve motor point. The peroneal nerve is on the outside of the thigh about four fingers above the knee. A severe strike to this center can cause collapse of the affected leg and high-intensity pain, as well as mental stunning for three to seven seconds. This highly accessible point is an effective way to drop an opponent quickly. This point should be struck with a knee, shin kick, or impact weapon.

Continued on part-3.....

Pressure Points - Guide (part-1)

Chapter 4

Medium-Range Combatives

In medium-range combatives, two opponents are already within touching distance. The arsenal of possible body weapons includes short punches and strikes with elbows, knees, and hands. Head butts are also effective; do not forget them during medium-range combat. A soldier uses his peripheral vision to evaluate the targets presented by the opponent and choose his target. He should be aggressive and concentrate his attack on the opponent's vital points to end the fight as soon as possible.

4-1. VITAL TARGETS
The body is divided into three sections: high, middle, and low. Each section contains vital targets (Figure 4-1, pages 4-5 and 4-6). The effects of striking these targets follow:


a. High Section. The high section includes the head and neck; it is the most dangerous target area.
(1) Top of the head. The skull is weak where the frontal cranial bones join. A forceful strike causes trauma to the cranial cavity, resulting in unconsciousness and hemorrhage. A severe strike can result in death.
(2) Forehead. A forceful blow can cause whiplash; a severe blow can cause cerebral hemorrhage and death.
(3) Temple. The bones of the skull are weak at the temple, and an artery and large nerve lie close to the skin. A powerful strike can cause unconsciousness and brain concussion. If the artery is severed, the resulting massive hemorrhage compresses the brain, causing coma and or death.
(4) Eyes. A slight jab in the eyes causes uncontrollable watering and blurred vision. A forceful jab or poke can cause temporary blindness, or the eyes can be gouged out. Death can result if the fingers penetrate through the thin bone behind the eyes and into the brain.  
(5) Ears. A strike to the ear with cupped hands can rupture the eardrum and may cause a brain concussion.
(6) Nose. Any blow can easily break the thin bones of the nose, causing extreme pain and eye watering.
(7) Under the nose. A blow to the nerve center, which is close to the surface under the nose, can cause great pain and watery eyes.
(8) Jaw. A blow to the jaw can break or dislocate it. If the facial nerve is pinched against the lower jaw, one side of the face will be paralyzed.
(9) Chin. A blow to the chin can cause paralysis, mild concussion, and unconsciousness. The jawbone acts as a lever that can transmit the force of a blow to the back of the brain where the cardiac and respiratory mechanisms are controlled.
(10) Back of ears and base of skull. A moderate blow to the back of the ears or the base of the skull can cause unconsciousness by the jarring effect on the back of the brain. However, a powerful blow can cause a concussion or brain hemorrhage and death.
(11) Throat. A powerful blow to the front of the throat can cause death by crushing the windpipe. A forceful blow causes extreme pain and gagging or vomiting.
(12) Side of neck. A sharp blow to the side of the neck causes unconsciousness by shock to the carotid artery, jugular vein, and vagus nerve. For maximum effect, the blow should be focused below and slightly in front of the ear. A less powerful blow causes involuntary muscle spasms and intense pain. The side of the neck is one of the best targets to use to drop an opponent immediately or to disable him temporarily to finish him later.
(13) Back of neck. A powerful blow to the back of one’s neck can cause whiplash, concussion, or even a broken neck and death.

b. Middle Section. The middle section extends from the shoulders to the area just above the hips.
Most blows to vital points in this region are not fatal but can have serious, long-term complications that range from trauma to internal organs to spinal cord injuries.
(1) Front of shoulder muscle. A large bundle of nerves passes in front of the shoulder joint. A forceful blow causes extreme pain and can make the whole arm ineffective if the nerves are struck just right.
(2) Collarbone. A blow to the collarbone can fracture it, causing intense pain and rendering the arm on the side of the fracture ineffective. The fracture can also sever the brachial nerve or subclavian artery.
(3) Armpit. A large nerve lies close to the skin in each armpit. A blow to this nerve causes severe pain and partial paralysis. A knife inserted into the armpit is fatal as it severs a major artery leading from the heart.
(4) Spine. A blow to the spinal column can sever the spinal cord, resulting in paralysis or in death.
(5) Nipples. A large network of nerves passes near the skin at the nipples. A blow here can cause extreme pain and hemorrhage to the many blood vessels beneath.
(6) Heart. A jolting blow to the heart can stun the opponent and allow time for follow-up or finishing techniques.
(7) Solar plexus. The solar plexus is a center for nerves that control the cardiorespiratory system. A blow to this location is painful and can take the breath from the opponent. A powerful blow causes unconsciousness by shock to the nerve center. A penetrating blow can also damage internal organs.
(8) Diaphragm. A blow to the lower front of the ribs can cause the diaphragm and the other muscles that control breathing to relax. This causes loss of breath and can result in unconsciousness due to respiratory failure.
(9) Floating ribs. A blow to the floating ribs can easily fracture them because they are not attached to the rib cage. Fractured ribs on the right side can cause internal injury to the liver; fractured ribs on either side can possibly puncture or collapse a lung.
(10) Kidneys. A powerful blow to the kidneys can induce shock and can possibly cause internal injury to these organs. A stab to the kidneys induces instant shock and can cause death from severe internal bleeding.
(11) Abdomen below navel. A powerful blow to the area below the navel and above the groin can cause shock, unconsciousness, and internal bleeding.
(12) Biceps. A strike to the biceps is most painful and renders the arm ineffective. The biceps is an especially good target when an opponent holds a weapon.
(13) Forearm muscle. The radial nerve, which controls much of the movement in the hand, passes over the forearm bone just below the elbow. A strike to the radial nerve renders the hand and arm ineffective. An
opponent can be disarmed by a strike to the forearm; if the strike is powerful enough, he can be knocked unconscious.
(14) Back of hand. The backs of the hands are sensitive. Since the nerves pass over the bones in the hand, a strike to this area is intensely painful. The small bones on the back of the hand are easily broken and such a strike can also render the hand ineffective.

c. Low Section. The low section of the body includes everything from the groin area to the feet.
Strikes to these areas are seldom fatal, but they can be incapacitating.
(1) Groin. A moderate blow to the groin can incapacitate an opponent and cause intense pain. A powerful blow can result in unconsciousness and shock.
(2) Outside of thigh. A large nerve passes near the surface on the outside of the thigh about four finger-widths above the knee. A powerful strike to this region can render the entire leg ineffective, causing an opponent to drop. This target is especially suitable for knee strikes and shin kicks.
(3) Inside of thigh. A large nerve passes over the bone about in the middle of the inner thigh. A blow to this area also incapacitates the leg and can cause the opponent to drop. Knee strikes and heel kicks are the weapons of choice for this target.
(4) Hamstring. A severe strike to the hamstring can cause muscle spasms and inhibit mobility. If the hamstring is cut, the leg is useless.
(5) Knee. Because the knee is a major supporting structure of the body, damage to this joint is especially detrimental to an opponent. The knee is easily dislocated when struck at an opposing angle to the joint’s normal range of motion, especially when it is bearing the opponent’s weight. The knee can be dislocated or hyperextended by kicks and strikes with the entire body.
(6) Calf. A powerful blow to the top of the calf causes painful muscle spasms and also inhibits mobility.
(7) Shin. A moderate blow to the shin produces great pain, especially a blow with a hard object. A powerful blow can possibly fracture the bone that supports most of the body weight.
(8) Achilles tendon. A powerful strike to the Achilles tendon on the back of the heel can cause ankle sprain and dislocation of the foot. If the tendon is torn, the opponent is incapacitated. The Achilles tendon is a good target to cut with a knife.
(9) Ankle. A blow to the ankle causes pain; if a forceful blow is delivered, the ankle can be sprained or broken.
(10) Instep. The small bones on the top of the foot are easily broken. A strike here will hinder the opponent’s mobility.

Continued on part-2.....

Bruce Lee's Strength Training

THE POWER OF THE DRAGON

Develop Strength Bruce Lee’s Way.

By: Justin Frost and Ted Wong.

Bruce Lee E-Paper – I

Published by – The Wrong Brothers

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Email – wrongbrothers@yahoo.com

Did Bruce Lee take his training seriously?
"While Bruce was in Hong Kong filming in late 1971 or early 1972, he had his weight
equipment and training gear shipped to him," says Ted Wong, who met Lee in 1967 and
trained with him for more than six years. "He wanted to stay in shape. So we packed his
bags, but we did not send any clothes because he said he could buy them cheap in Hong
Kong. We just packed training equipment. When he saw all the bags filled with training
equipment, he laughed and said, ‘Now I’m going to be able to do lots of training.’"
And train he did.

"Bruce considered training number one," says Wong. "He was constantly training. When
he watched TV or went to the movies, he conditioned his knuckles. When he was driving,
he worked the hand grips. If he walked to a bookstore and came to a hill, he always ran.
He never wasted time."
Why was this man so obsessed with training? Several reasons.
First, according to Lee, training was important because you couldn’t perform up to your
capabilities if you weren’t in shape, Wong recalls.
"Lee felt you had no business being in the martial arts if you weren’t in shape," says
Wong. "If you weren’t in shape you couldn’t be 100 percent efficient."
Second, he had lofty goals.
"He wanted to be the best," says Wong. "He wanted to be the best martial artist."
And no one could dispute that he was.
Lee’s Thoughts on Strength
To get in excellent shape, Lee felt you needed strength, Wong notes.
"He considered strength training very important," Wong says. "He was constantly
looking for ways to improve, including weight training and isometrics."
Although Lee felt strength was important, he did not believe bodybuilding was the
answer, Wong says.
"He felt it was important to have definition, but he did not feel you had to overboard,"
Wong says. "He did not feel it was necessary to develop large muscles. On the other
hand, strength and definition enhanced certain functions, such as kicking and punching."
And Lee’s conditioning entailed more than hand grips, sit- ups, weights, running and
conditioning drills.
"A lot of the time he read books and analyzed different arts," Wong says. "He had a keen
eye and an analytical mind. He did a lot of researching."
While you may never develop Lee’s skills, you can certainly train the way the "Little
Dragon" did. Following are a few of the exercises Lee used to develop power.
Lee’s Strength Routine
Barbell Push
This exercise strengthens your arms, forearms, shoulders, biceps, lats, triceps, chest and
abs. "This exercise works almost your whole body," Wong says. "It’s really good; it’s
effective. But it is also very difficult. Although Bruce lifted a lot of weight, most people
can’t. I remember trying to lift what he used, and I couldn’t even hold it."
To begin, stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder width. Squat, grab the barbell
with an underhand grip and stand up. Keeping your elbows by your side, raise the weight
straight out, hold for a second, return and repeat.
Do three sets of 8 to 12 repetitions. When you’re done, do three sets of 8 to 12 reps with
an overhand grip.
Punching With a Dumbbell
This exercise improves your shoulder endurance, which is vital for sparring.
"Bruce did this drill a lot." Wong says.
Hold a five-pound dumbbell in each hand, assume a fighting stance and alternate
throwing punches with each hand.
"Do these moderately fast," Wong says.
To prevent an injury, however, don’t throw your punches too fast. Do two to three sets,
10 to 15 reps per set.
One-Hand Dumbbell Drill
This drill strengthens your wrist, which means your punches will be stronger. Lee used
this exercise to enhance his one-inch punch, Wong notes.
"When your wrist is strong, you get more power," he says. "And it’s good when you’re in
close range because there isn’t much room for your wrist to travel. This is a good drill for
the one-inch punch."
To begin, stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart, and hold a five-pound
dumbbell in your right hand. Keeping your arm to your side and using only your wrist,
raise the dumbbell as high as you can and lower it as far as you can.
Do two sets of 25 reps. When you’re done, do two sets of 25 reps, moving your wrist
from side to side as far as you can.
Isometrics
"This is isometric training for power punching," Wong says. "It was one of Lee’s favorite
drills because it built speed and punching power at different ranges."
To do this, you can use a jump rope, a karate belt or a strand of rope.
To begin, assume a fighting stance and hold the rope in both hands. Place your left hand
behind your back, wrap the other end around your shoulder and throw a short-range
punch. Hold it for five seconds, extend your punch to ¾ distance, hold it for five seconds,
extend it to full range and hold.
For each arm, do five sets of five reps.
Board Isometrics
This drill is for leg strength and mobility.
"This exercise really puts pressure on your knees," he says. "It’s intense."
To do this drill, you’ll need a four- foot long board with a shoulder harness strapped in the
middle.
To begin, assume a fighting stance on the board and place the harness around your neck.
Exerting a constant upward pressure, lean forward and then lean back.
"This drill enables you to develop explosive power and to close the gap [more
efficiently]," He says.
Do three sets of one minute. As you improve, increase your time.
Hand Isometric Drills
This drill strengthens your forearms, which is great for trapping and punching.
You will need the board for this exercise also. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart,
wrap the straps around your forearms and exert pressure upward.
Do three sets of one minute. Don’t rest more than one minute between sets.
Bull Worker for Punching
This drill also strengthens your punching power.
To do this drill, you’ll need a Bull Worker, which you may be able to find at a sporting
goods store.
Assume a fighting stance, hold the bow straps in each hand, and throw as many punches
as you can, as fast as you can.
"Do these real fast, and do as many as you can," Wong says.
Do two to three sets. You can throw backfists or straight punches. This device also
enables you to adjust the tension.
Bull Worker for Trapping
Again, you will also need the Bull Worker for this drill, which strengthens your forearms
for trapping, grabbing and hitting.
Assume a fighting stance, place one end of the Bull Worker against your abs, and hold
the other end at about head-height. As quickly as possible, pull the top part toward your
abs, return and repeat.
What Made Bruce Great?
So what made Bruce Lee as great as he was?
Strength training? Genetics? Intensity?
"I think there are a lot of factors, but I think it was his drive," Wong says. "For example,
he always told me you had to put 100 % effort into everything yo u did. He said, ‘When
you throw a punch, put everything into it. Don’t just go through the motions.’ To this day
I remember that, and it’s very important to me."
Important Note
This is the first E-Paper on Bruce Lee released by The Wrong Brothers. We will soon
release the second E-Paper on Bruce Lee And Jeet Kune Do as soon as we have some
new material on Bruce Lee. Our dream is to compile an E-book that contains all the
information on Bruce Lee and Jeet Kune Do. So if you have any information on Bruce
Lee or his exercises, then please contact me at wrongbrothers@yahoo.com . We will put
it in our next E-Paper along with your name. All you Bruce Fans let’s join our hands
together and publish an E-Book on Bruce that has never been compiled before. Come and
be a member of Bruce Lee's P2P (Peer to Peer) Community.
Please Share Any Information or Exercises about Bruce Lee over P2P Networks (Kazzaa,
Morpheus, Grokster, File Share, etc…)
– The Wrong Brothers, 12th Aug 2002

Original ebook download

Bruce Lee's Speed Training

by Bruce Lee and M. Uyehara

What is speed in fighting? Is it the velocity of your hands, feet and body movement? Or are there other,  prevalent essentials in a good fighter? What is a good fighter?

A good fighter is one who can hit his opponent quicker, harder, without much perceptible effort, and yet avoid being hit. He doesn't only possess a pair of fast hands and feet and quick body movement, but he has other qualities such as non-telegraphic moves, good coordination, perfect balance and keen awareness. Although some people are endowed with a few of these qualities, most of these attributes are developed through hard training.

All the strength or power you have developed from your training is wasted if you are slow and can't make contact. Power and speed go hand-in-hand. A fighter needs both to be successful.

One immediate way to increase your speed at impact is to "snap" or "whip" your hand just before contact. It is the same principle as the overhand throw. For example, if you throw a baseball with a full swing and snap your wrist at the last moment or the tail end of your swing, the ball will have more velocity than without the snap. Naturally, the longer swing with a snap will have more acceleration at the end than a shorter swing with a snap.

Speed in Punching
The backfist is not the quickest or strongest technique because you can't utilize your entire body in the movement. It is, however, one blow that you can apply the whipping or snapping motion to.

The backfist is usually thrown at your opponent's head, and it is used heavily in combination with lop sao (grabbing -the-hand techniques). It is delivered from shoulder height but can also be used as a surprise attack and can be launched anywhere from your waist to your shoulder. It is very difficult to block once you have acquired non-telegraphic moves.

Although some power is lost in this punch, it is compensated for or redeemed when combined with lop sao. If you can develop a strong pulling power in your arm, you will be able to jerk your opponent forward and apply the backfist. The impact should be devastating.

Candle Drill
To develop speed or quickness in the backfist, light a candle and attempt to extinguish it with the acceleration of your punch.

Blocking Drill
Another interesting exercise is to have a partner attempt to block your punch as you throw it at his face. If he misses his block, you should be able to stop your punch about 1/4-inch from his skin.

Finger Jab
The leading finger jab is the fastest attacking weapon available to you. It is fast because it travels only a short distance. It is also the longest hand weapon accessible to you. Since you do not clench your fist, you add several more inches to your reach.

To protect your fingers while throwing this technique, make sure you use the proper hand form. Align the tip of your hand by slightly bending the longer fingers to adjust to the shorter fingers and tuck your thumb in. Your hand should resemble a spear.

To develop speed in the finger jab, you need a great deal of practice and initiative. Speed relies on economy of motion, and the jab is one technique you have the opportunity to experiment with. The jab, like all jeet kune do blows, must be thrust forward without any retracting motion. It is like a snake darting at its prey without warning.

Paper Drill
The more hours you spend speed hitting, the faster your hands will travel. One excellent training device for this is the paper target. It is inexpensive, easy to construct and valuable

Leading Straight
The leading straight is the fastest of all the punches. Not only is it the main offensive weapon, but it's also an important defensive tool.

And it is a "speed" punch. Like the finger jab, the leading straight travels only a short distance to the target because the hand is already extended.

The leading straight is also the most accurate technique because it is delivered straight forward at a close distance, and your balance is left intact. Like the finger jab, it is hard to block, especially if you keep it in a continuous, small motion.

You can put some "zip" into your punch by snapping it just before impact. Keep your hand loose and tighten your fist only an instant before contact. To put explosiveness in the blow, utilize the flowing-energy concept by adding heaviness to your hand.

The leading straight is not an end, but a means to an end. It is not a powerful blow that will knock your opponent flat with one punch. It is, however, the most dominating jeet kune do punch and is used profusely with the other combination punches and kicks.

The straight punch should be delivered from an on-guard position with the point of contact in line with the surface of your shoulder. Against a short opponent, bend your knees so your shoulders are aligned with the point of contact. Likewise, if your opponent is tall, stand on the balls of your feet.

Later, as you progress, you can throw the straight punch with your hands in any position. But the punch must be launched with your body in balance to be effective.

Unlike the classical stance, your hand is never placed on your hip, nor is the punch initiated from there. It is impractical to have your hand traveling the extra, needless distance. Furthermore, delivery of your punch from the hip exposes a large area of your body.

The leading straight will have more sting if you pivot your hips and utilize all the other functions for a heavy blow. But sometimes this will telegraph your movement, and you have to decide whether to sacrifice speed for power. This depends on your opponent. If he is very slow and awkward, you can utilize the powerful blows. But if he is fast, you may have to concentrate on speed more than power.

Speed Bag
Among the best equipment to develop speed and accuracy is the old -fashioned speed bag. To use the bag properly, you have to be quick with your hands. You also have to hit the target perfectly so the bag will bounce directly back to you.

In the beginning, use both hands to punch the bag and stand with your feet parallel but comfortably apart. Hit the bag straight, using your nose as the guiding point. The most valuable feature of the bag is that it compels you to hit directly and crisply so it returns to you sharply.

You cannot hit the bag if you punch from your hip; it takes too long to react. And you are liable to be hit in the face since your hands will not be able to protect your head from the oncoming bag.

Punching Pads
You can use punching pads to increase your speed and heavy punching.

If you are working out with one pad, have your partner hold the pad in front of him. Whenever you try to punch it, he should jerk it swiftly either upward or downward, trying to make you miss.

You can do the same exercise with two pads.

Wooden Dummy
The wooden dummy can also be used to learn speed punching. The disadvantage, however, is that you can hurt your hands if you are not conditioned to hit solid objects.

Slapping Game
An excellent child's game that is fun and can be played with anyone is the "slapping" match. Extend your arm fully in front of you with your hand outstretched. Make sure your thumb is on the top and hold it vertically. When your partner swings his hand to slap yours, jerk your hand upward and toward you, trying to avoid contact. You let him do the slapping until he misses, then reverse roles.

Non-telegraphic Punch
Jeet kune do features the non-telegraphic principles of fencing, and this sets the style distinctively apart from the classical styles of hung fu and boxing. For example, jeet kune do utilizes their footwork and the principle of thrusting your hand before your body, which makes it almost impossible to parry or block speed punches such as the backfist, jab or lead punch.

The idea of non-telegraphing is to initiate your punch without any forewarning (tensing your shoulders or moving your feet or body) so your opponent does not have enough time to react. If you punch with jut a slight motion of your feet or body, you have "telegraphed" or warned your opponent of your intention.

The secret is to relax your body and arms but keep them slightly weaving. Whip your hand out loosely so your shoulders don't become tense, and clench your hand an instant before contact. And keep a poker face. You don't want to telegraph your intentions.

Reference: Muscle and Fitness

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. .

The Bruce Lee TRAINING SECRET

by Grandmaster William Cheung (Australasian Blitz Magazine)

Every martial artist would like to know how and what made Bruce Lee such a devastating fighter. Even though a lot of people associated with Bruce Lee or many claimed to have trained him or trained with him, I can safely say that not many of them were privileged to his secret training method.

Bruce and I grew up together. We were friends since we were young boys. It was I who introduced Bruce Lee to Wing Chun School in the summer of 1954. In the old days, the master would never teach the new students. It was up to the senior students to pass on the Wing Chun lessons to Bruce. As I was his Kung Fu Senior of many years, I was instructed by Grandmaster Yip man to train him. By 1995, one year into his Wing Chun training, Bruce progressed very fast, and already became a threat to most of the Wing Chun seniors as the majority of them were armchair martial artists.
They discovered that Bruce was not a full blooded Chinese because his mother was half German and half Chinese. The seniors got together and put pressure on Professor Yip Man and tried to get Bruce kicked out of the Wing Chun School. Because racism was widely practised in Martial Arts School in Hong Kong, the art was not allowed to be taught to foreigners. Professor Yip Man had no other choice but to bow to their pressure, but he told Bruce that he could train with me and Sihing Wong Shun Leung. But most of the time we trained together.

The first thing I showed Bruce was the Principles of being a good fighter:

1. The Heart In a confrontation, one must desire to win; when under pressure, one must maintain calm.

Famous quotation from Bruce Lee:
"No matter what you want to do, don't be nervous (you should not let your muscles nor your mind be effected by nerves). Just keep calm. No illusion and no imagination, but to apprehend the actual situation you are in and find a way to deal with it. No excessive action is needed. Just keep your body and mind relaxed
to deal with the outside emergency."

2. The Eyes
The eyes should be able to pick up as much information as possible prior to and during engaging the physical struggle. Watching the elbows and the knees is essential to get the best result. Also at no time, should the practitioner blink or turn his head because he would give away the most important instrument which supplies him the visual information of the current situation.

Extract from taped Bruce Lee conversation with Danny Lee (one of his students) in 1972:

Danny: Have you thought of Tai Chi as a form of self-defence?

Bruce: Well, if you were there ......... you would be so embarrassed, so it is not even a free brawl .......where a man who is capable of using his tools and who is very determined to be a savage legless attack whereas those SOBs are cowards. Turning their heads and swinging punches and after the second round they are out of breath. I mean they are really pathetic looking - very amateurish. I mean even a boxer because a boxer when they concentrate on two hands, regardless of how amateurish they are, they do their thing, whereas those guys haven't decided what the hell they are going to use. I mean before they contact each other they do all the fancy stances and all the fancy movements, but the minute they contact they don't know what the hell to do. I mean that's it. They fall on their arses and they .. and hold and grapple. I think the whole Hong Kong - they call it Gong SaoChallenge Match in Hong Kong - can you imagine that, I mean even those guys see it that way. What do you think of the appreciation of people here? So what I'm hoping to do in film is raise the level."

3. Balance
This means the practitioner should be balanced at all times so that his mobility and stability are maximised. This also means that the practitioner must develop conditioning so that his legs do not give up under strenuous pressure.

The following are two tables from Hak Keung Gymnasium of Hong Kong
(Courtesy of " The Bruce Lee Story " by Linda Lee and Tom Bleecker):

We can appreciate his superb conditioning and the rapid progress between 27 May to 10 July 1965.

Furthermore Bruce was very innovative. Back in the 50's, the Chinese Martial Artists were very conservative. They believed that weight training would slow down the practitioner's speed. But Bruce found a way to beat it. He would start his program with heavy weights and low repetitions first, then he reduced the weights and increased the repetitions. He continued to do that until his repetitions reached maximum and the speed of the exercise also increased. In this way he built muscles and developed power without losing speed.

One of the most important discoveries from his Wing Chun training was that Wing Chun teaches the practitioner to train with the individual muscle or group of muscles first, then co-ordinates the movement together by combining the muscles to make a collective movement in order to get the most out of the technique. Bruce had mastered this training.

The following is a subtle pose of a seemingly simple movement but it really does condition a few essential muscles on the arm in question. The other arm is pulled back, placed high but not resting on the body which is very tiring, enabling the brain to think about two arms at the same time. Hence the practitioner will be able to use both arms independently at the same time.

Bruce was also very much against high impact training such as the heavy bag kicking because he understood that the result from the high impact would only develop bulk muscles and they would slow down the practitioner's speed.

The following is the taped conversation
....Danny Lee 1972:
"Danny: Danny ( Inosanto) was excited yesterday.
Bruce: Yes, he was in my house the night before.
Danny: He didn't want us to do any more heavy bag kicking. He wanted us to
just kick at something light.
Bruce: When you use your leg it is much better - to kick at the phone pad or whatever -
watch out with the side kic k on air kicking - not air kicking too much. If you snap it too
much without contact at the end you can get hurt."

And later they discussed:
Danny: I think you have to pick a few diehard followers and say this is JKD.
Bruce: That's why I tell Dan (Inosanto) to be careful ... .........
Danny: So that's why - I've been working with Dan (Inosanto) a lot.
Bruce: I told him last time he's becoming very stylised. And it seems like his
consciousness is really - something is bugging him.
Danny: I think its heavy bag kicking.
Bruce: Too much heavy bag kicking and too much body twisting has affected him.
Danny: Yes. The power and the momentum.
He's working out real hard.

I would like to conclude by saying that speed and power comes from relaxation and co-ordination which has everything to do with mind and body balance. From "The Bruce Lee Story" by Linda Lee and Tom Bleecker:

The following is Bruce's recollection of one of many training experiences with Professor Yip Man:

"About four years of hard training in the art of gung fu, I began to understand and felt the principle of gentleness - the art of neutralizing the effect of the opponent's effort and minimizing expenditure of one's energy. All these must be done in calmness and without striving. It sounded simple, but in actual application it was difficult. The moment I engaged in combat with an opponent, my mind was completely perturbed and unstable. Especially after a series of exchanging blows and kicks, all my theory of gentleness was gone. My only one thought left was somehow or another I must beat him and win.

My instructor Professor Yip Man, head of the Wing Chun School, would come up to me and say, "Loong (Bruce's Chinese name), relax and calm your mind. Forget about yourself and follow the opponent's movement. Let your mind, the basic reality, do the counter-movement without any interfering deliberation. Above all, learn the art of detachment."

That was it! I must relax. However, right there I had already done something contradictory, against my will. That was when I said I must relax, the demand for effort in "must" was already inconsistent with the effortless in "relax". When my acute self-consciousness grew to what the psychologists called "double-blind" type, my instructor would again approach me and say, "Loong, preserve yourself by following the natural bends of things and don't interfere. Remember never to assert yourself against nature: never be in frontal opposition to any problem, but control it by swinging with it. Don't practice this week. Go home and think about it."

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Physics of Striking

Volume 1 JOURNAL OF HOW THINGS WORK Fall, 1999

THE PHYSICS OF KARATE STRIKES

JON CHANANIE

University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903

1 Introduction

In recent years, the ancient eastern art of Karate-Do (a Japanese word, literally
translated as “the way of the empty hand”) has become popular in the western world.
Karateka—practitioners of Karate—often break boards, cinderblocks, and other solid
materials in order to demonstrate the strength that their training develops. Much can
be said of the history and culture associated with the expansion of martial training, but
this essay—it is, after all, a physics paper—will examine the collision mechanics of a
hand strike to a solid target like a board.

2 Force, Momentum, and Deformation Energy

That large objects moving at high speeds hit harder than smaller objects moving
more slowly goes without saying. In attempting to break a board, a karateka seeks to
hit the board as hard as possible. It therefore follows that the karateka should move
his or her weapon (for the purpose of this paper, the hand) as quickly as possible in
order to hit as hard as possible. But what makes for a “hard” strike? Two ways exist to
answer this question, both equally accurate. The first looks at the collision in terms of
force and momentum; the second looks at the collision in terms of energy.
Force (F) is acceleration (a) times mass (m): F = m· a. Momentum (p) is mass
times velocity (v): p = m· v. Since acceleration measures change in velocity over time
(t) (put another way, acceleration is the derivative of velocity with respect to time),
force is the derivative of momentum with respect to time. Equivalently, force times
time equals change in momentum, or impulse (Δp): Δp=F· t. This is significant
because momentum is a conserved quantity. It can be neither created nor destroyed,
but is passed from one object (the hand) to another (the board). The reason for this
conservation is Newton’s third law of motion, which states that if an object exerts a
force on another object for a given time, the second object exerts a force equal in
magnitude but opposite in direction (force being a vector quantity) on the first object
for the same amount of time so the second object gains exactly the amount of
momentum the first object loses. Momentum is thus transferred. With Δp a fixed
quantity, F and t are necessarily inversely proportional. One can deliver a given
amount of momentum by transferring a large force for a short time or by transferring
small amounts of force continuously for a longer time.

Why, then, move should the karateka swing his or her hand with as much velocity
as possible? Because if the hand is moving quickly, it is likely to decelerate (strictly
speaking, accelerate in the direction opposite to its direction of travel) more quickly in
response to the force the board exerts on it upon collision, as per Newton’s third law.
If the amount of time involved in the transfer of momentum is therefore small, the
amount of force that will be transferred to the target all at once will be large. This
sudden transfer of a lot of force causes the part of the board that is struck and which
therefore experiences that force to accelerate. If that part of the board accelerates
enough relative to other parts of the board (which are generally held still by the
cinderblocks on which the boards are placed), breakage occurs.

This same phenomenon can be analyzed in terms of energy transfer and resulting
deformation damage. Given and object with mass m1 at rest (the board) and another
object of mass m2 (the karateka’s hand) moving at velocity v upon impact and
ignoring the negligible amount of energy lost as thermal energy (heat), the amount of
energy in the system lost to deformation damage (ΔE) is given by the following:
where e is the coefficient of restitution, which measures how elastic the collision is. It
is a function of the hardness or softness of the colliding objects, which along with
velocity determines impulse. If hard objects collide (for a perfectly inelastic collision,
e=0), they will accelerate one another quickly, transferring a large amount of force in
a small amount of time while soft objects colliding (for a perfectly elastic collision,
e=1) transfer smaller amounts of energy to one another for longer periods of time.
Difference in how long momentum takes to transfer and therefore in force at a given
instant is why hitting a pillow with the fleshy part of the hand hurts much less than
hitting a brick with the knuckles.

As ΔE is proportional to the square of velocity, the more velocity the hand has, the
more energy will be transferred into the board. In the simplest possible terms, if the
board is infused with more energy than its structure can handle, it breaks. More
rigorously analyzed, energy transfer causes the board to dent. This process of
transferring energy is work (W). Work is force times distance (d): W=F· d. If the area
of the board that is struck dents a sufficient distance, it will break. Since the distance
it dents depends on the energy transferred to it and the amount of energy transferred
depends on the velocity of the karateka’s hand, a high-speed strike is most likely to
break the board.

3 Striking Surface
Any martial artist who has ever struck a board with improper hand technique can
attest to the physical pain associated with such impact. The human had is a complex
system of bones connected by tissue, and much can be said about the importance of
proper hand alignment in breaking. From the standpoint of physical science, however,
what is crucial about hand position upon impact is that all formulae for force,
momentum, and deformation energy are for a given unit of area. By minimizing the
amount of striking surface on the hand involved in collision with the board, a karateka
minimizes the area of the target to which force and energy are transferred and
therefore maximizes the amount of force and energy transferred per unit area.
Consider a martial artist capable of striking with 190 joules (J) of energy. A typical
human hand is about 6 inches long including the fingers and 4 inches across, which
means that a strike with the entire hand disperses those 190 J over 24 square inches,
about 7.92 J per square inch. If, however, the karateka strikes with only the fleshy part
of the palm, about 2 inches across and 1.5 inches long, the 190 J will be dispersed
over only 3 square inches. That strike will deliver about 63.3 J per square inch,
inflicting many times the amount of damage the whole hand could—the same amount
of energy dispersed over a smaller area delivers more energy per unit area. This is
why martial artists seek to use as tiny a striking surface as possible in not only hand
techniques, but also kicks, elbows, and other strikes as well.

4 Point of Focus
Karate black belts often advise white belts before their first attempt at breaking
not to try to break the board, but to break the floor under the board. This is to ensure
that the hand does not decelerate prior to contact with the target, a mistake that
beginners, fearful of injury and therefore mentally hesitant, often make. High velocity
of the hand is critical to successful breaking, and data taken from high-speed movies
of karateka show that maximum hand velocity is achieved when the arm reaches
approximately 75% of extension. Intuitively, this makes sense. Since the hand cannot
move forward a distance greater than the length of the arm, it must have a velocity of
0 at full arm’s length extension. It follows that the hand must decelerate well before
the arm is fully extended. Advising beginners to attempt to hit an imaginary target
25% of their arms’ length on the far side of their targets would therefore be more
precise than the typical encouragement to aim for the floor, but the physical principle
is the same: maximum hand velocity is achieved when the point of focus of the strike
is well beyond the surface of the target.

5 Use of Body Mass
Note that mass is a co-efficient in the formulae for force, momentum, and energy
transfer alike: all three are directly proportional to mass. Since a human being’s mass
for the time it takes to deliver a strike is constant—a karateka with a body mass of 70
kilograms before a strike will have a body mass of 70 kilograms after the strike—
mass is often and erroneously dismissed as a constant in the equations for force,
momentum, and impulse. What matters is not the karateka’s body mass, but how
much of that mass is involved in the strike. A body mass of 70 kilograms is beyond
the karateka’s immediate control; how many of those 70 kilograms contribute to the
strike is very much within the karateka’s control. It is therefore crucial not to use the
arm alone to extend the weapon and hope for sufficient force and energy to break the
target. The entire body should be used by snapping the hips and pushing with the legs
in the direction of the target. This explains why boxers are seldom knocked
unconscious by jabs, where little more than the mass of the arm contributes to the
punch, but are frequently knocked out by hook punches where the entire mass of the
body is thrown behind the punch. The same principle of using the entire body mass to
deliver a blow applies in breaking techniques as well.

6 Specifics of Impact
Consider now the breaking process from the perspective of the target. When the
force of the strike is applied to the board or cinderblock, it accelerates in response to
that force. The key is that it does not accelerate uniformly—those areas where the
force is applied (the center of the target, if the strike is properly aimed) accelerate
much more than the outer regions of the target which are held in place by large
cinderblocks. This localized strain, the response to influence of stress imposed by the
strike, initiates the rupture. Strain is functionally the loss of height of the target that
occurs when the top surface is compressed and the bottom surface stretched. Because
ons, materials such as wood and cinderblocks withstandcompression better than stretching. This is why the target begins to split at the bottom.
A clean break occurs when the crack reaches the upper surface of the target.

Works Consulted:
1. Bardosi, Z., “Kintematical Movement Evaluation of the Straight-line Karate
Techniques.” Proceedings of the Eighth International Symposium of the Society of
Biomechanicsin Sports, July 3–9, 1990, Prague, Czechoslovakia, 23-30 (1990).
2. Bloomfield, Louis A., How Things Work: the Physics of Everyday Life. New
York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (1977).
3. Walker, Jearl D., “Karate Strikes.” American Journal of Physics 43, 845-849
(1975).
4. Wilk, S.R. et al., “The Physics of Karate.” American Journal of Physics 51, 783-
790 (1983).

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