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motion to keep your hands moving while you charge

your opponent. As you increase your power and speed, it

can become a sophisticated and dangerous technique.

Even at the basic level, however, all it takes is one

solid pop to the nose to make the eyes water. Ten fast

punches with the requisite circular motion, even done

poorly, are sufficient to accomplish this. Once the eyes

water, the opponent won’t be able to see clearly to

retaliate or defend.

The Martial Arts Ideal

The goal of the classical martial arts is to preserve peace

and to recreate it if necessary. Even when we are forced

to fight, our goal should be to protect ourselves and

others using a minimum of force and not unnecessary

violence. The methods outlined here are tools that can be

dropped into any martial art to make the attainment of

those goals easier.

Scot Conway, Ph.D., is the author of more than 30 books

and 30 programs, including The Ohana Way and 4P360

Leadership. A licensed attorney, he’s a longtime martial

arts instructor who is relocating to St. Louis. For more

information, visit GQDojo.com.

ing on the circumstances, you have three target options:

muscle, shin and groin.

The method I teach is to use the ball of your foot

against the thigh or calf. Feel free to use your instep or

shin if that is more comfortable. The goal with a soft-tis-

sue kick is to inflict pain and inhibit the person’s ability

to chase you. You accomplish this without doing much

actual damage. A soft-tissue kick with the ball of the foot

is usually followed by a quick retreat.

A shin kick has a greater chance of doing damage.

If you happen to be wearing steel-toed shoes, you can

break a bone even if you didn’t intend to. For maximum

impact, kick parallel to the ground right in the middle of

the shinbone.

Groin kicks do damage. Use this target only if the

opponent seems dangerous or attacks suddenly. Immedi-

ately back away or follow up with more attacks, depend-

ing on the circumstances. If in doubt, back off. Don’t do

more harm than necessary. Remember that in the heat of

battle, the other person might not detect the damage, so

never expect that this kick will incapacitate someone. Be

prepared for it to go either way.

FORWARD BLAST: A version of this technique exists in

many martial arts. To execute a basic-level blast, do a

series of quick vertical punches to the face. Use circular

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66 BLACKBELTMAG.COM ƒ OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2019