| As mentioned in some of my other articles, | | | | from learning true efficiency for a self-defense |
| sometimes competition rules are imposed, not for | | | | fight. We already know that. |
| safety sake, but to make it harder to score | | | | So, I am suggesting that you allow the eye jab |
| points. | | | | (with protective eye gear) and that you permit |
| You also may remember reading that this | | | | the knee kick (with skaters' or baseball catchers' |
| distinction made competition limitations impractical | | | | solid knee protection). |
| for a higher level of efficient self defense, but | | | | Don't make the limitation the target. Protect and |
| were perfect for the ring. | | | | permit the vulnerable targets. |
| Well, guess what! | | | | Are you wondering where the limitation enters |
| You can use limitations to improve your practical | | | | the picture? |
| application. Many do this already, but there is a | | | | Increasing the Difficulty in Martial Arts Training |
| key to making the limitation effective: | | | | Make it harder to get to the "good target." |
| Precision Martial-Arts Practice With Vulnerable | | | | For example, since you are accustomed to doing |
| Targets | | | | knee kicks with the forward foot, try to set up a |
| In competitions, if everyone is using a tactic to | | | | situation, where you are in close dealing with |
| get an instant win, like some of the older rules of | | | | hands, and your rear leg tries to kick the |
| fencing for example, then you need to change | | | | protective gear on the knee. (Or if this were an |
| the rules. You have to make it, so it's not so | | | | article on improving hand strikes, you could |
| easy to get the instant touch. | | | | practice eye jabs with your opponent's guard |
| With kicking, you may be forced to kick above | | | | already up. This way, you'd have to change angles |
| the waist, for example. In a competition, they | | | | to score.) |
| impose this rule both for safety AND to make it | | | | Maybe, for your kicking exercise, you'll create a |
| harder to score points. | | | | rule that says you can only kick the knee |
| Practical Application Kicking | | | | "AFTER" the kicking foot touches the FOOT of |
| If you want to apply this principle to practical | | | | your opponent. (This makes sense to anyone |
| application, make sure that your limitation doesn't | | | | accustomed to foot traps -- stepping on the |
| have to do with forbidding vulnerable targets. | | | | other guy's foot or shoe.) |
| Huh? | | | | With all of the above in mind, what kind of kicking |
| I am not joking. | | | | exercises could you design, where there is a |
| Think of it this way -- what keeps the | | | | limitation imposed ... that forces you to get better, |
| competition from being real is the prohibition on | | | | but still allows you to practice striking vulnerable |
| hitting the eyes or maybe kicking the knee. This | | | | areas? |
| limitation is exactly what keeps the martial artist | | | | |