Dennis R. Sullivan R.I.P.

My Older Brother

September 13.1943  -  August 26, 2025  

                   Goodbye Dennis                      

 

Time For Some Carl Cestari Old School Close Combat

 

Be sure to click on "Watch On Youtube"

 

A Basic Combat Judo Course Part 9 by Mark Tripp

Combatives Part 9

From: MTripp
Date: 16-May-00

Well, lacking any evidence of psychic energy; I guess we have to go back to training the hard way.

"Mastery of Hand Strength" by Brookfield. This book is a MUST for any combative program. It forms the core of EVERY combative technique you will ever use.

Should the day ever come that you are fighting for your life; I PROMISE you that you will not be saying you trained your grip strength too much. ESPECIALLY if the only thing between you and death is your hand on his weapon.

More importantly; we must now dispel a major myth of personal assault. To wit; that there will be time to get "set".

Almost EVERY martial art teaches a set position to fire off a given technique. This may be the way you stand; the way your body is to his body; whatever. The grim reality is that will NEVER happen in a street assault.

With only a 3 to 5 second window; there is no time to set your position. Worse; setting position does NOTHING to stop the other guys attack.

We have to take a principle from Gene LeBell and Wally Jay here, which is: Put them in pain NOW; keep them in pain ALWAYS.

Brad just learned how well that works as he submitted a person MUCH larger and with very strong grappling skills. The simple concept of put them in pain, keep them in pain, allowed him to work his way to a win.

In combatives we have to understand a simple concept. The person who attacks you has a plan. He has practiced this plan. He is good at this plan AND he moved first so he has the advantage.

Your LIFE depends on interrupting his plan (read Bruce Lee on this concept); and taking the advantage by "putting him in pain and keeping him in pain".

How do we do that? If we can't get our feet set striking is out. If we can't choose the position many grappling moves are out.

BUT; if we train our hands to have say 195lbs of crushing force; THAT works VERY well.

Think about it; personal assaults are very close encounters. The ability to crush the balls or the windpipe; or gouge out an eye instantly WILL END A FIGHT RIGHT NOW!

Even if you reach down and find a cup; your grip strength will let you grab the cup; pull it out and over, then slam it home a few dozen times!!!

You MUST get on the Captain of Crush program! Get the grippers; throw the bag; pinch grip the barbell plates; make up the softball lifter; etc.

Your time in the weight room should be at least 50% on your grip for a combative program. This is not about looking good; it is about being VERY strong at what will win the fight.

Get the book and get to work!!!

BEWARE: I am NOT responsible for all the things you will break as you get used to your new gripping power!

You'll find out...

One More Time From David James

 Seeing as how yesterdays David James Video went over so well, I figured why not another

Oh yeah, and....PAY ATTENTION!! 

It's Been Awhile Since We've Heard From David James

 Today's Video Instructional is another reminder from David James to NOT complicate your response to a criminal assault.

So....PAY ATTENTION!! 

 

Sunday With Blackthorn - A Basic Combat Judo Course Part 8 by Mark Tripp

Combatives Part 8

From: MTripp
Date: 10-May-00

Understanding the Shoot and the "Butt Scoot"

I guess some folks are having a problem here; and my students are starting to think some of you are very dense; so lets look at this.

An assault is NOT a duel. You are going to have little or no warning. It will be nothing like the movies or the dojo.

My job is to give you the best chance to end this and keep your life. So here is a very simple question...
If you are attacked from behind what are you going to do?

Now, if you train students with VERY specific methods to deal with specific attacks you are going to have a real problem. Mainly because by the time the student figures out what the exact attack is, the 3 to 5 second window has closed and they are dead.

That’s right; you have 3 to 5 SECONDS to end this thing. You have about ONE SECOND to kill his attack and blast him with yours.

Now, unless you have eyes in the back of your head, you have NO idea how he is attacking, or if he has a weapon. ANY standing turn will keep you in the "kill zone" and you will get blasted.

BUT, if you are taught ONE simple concept; the SECOND you perceive a threat you are going to drop down and turn into a single or a double; NOW you have changed the game.

You do NOT wait for the hold to get on or to see what is what. We have found that the dropping dead weight causes the person to lose their grip and you can easily hit the shoot.

UNLESS; you drill this over and over and the dojo "attacker" begins to get used to the technique. DO NOT allow this! The guy on the street is going to have NO idea what is going to happen, and this will work, Drill it!!!

As to the "butt scoot". There are three places where this is VERY important. Lets take the drop and shoot.


If your shot "fails" you can fall to your side and begin kicking the leg of the bad guy.
Using the "kick then get up" part of it you can get back to your feet safely.

If you do hit the shot; WHY GET INTO A GROUND GRAPPLING MATCH??? Roll to your side; kick him in the face and get up! Get this; because you have trained to get up this way you will get to your feet MUCH faster than the other guy. Sambo teaches a fallimg man will always attempt to regain ballance. Hence his arms will be away from his head. He will also put them down to get up. Getting in a clean boot to the head shot is a good thing for our side!

Also, keep in mind if you throw him down, stay standing, and kick him in the head; YOU are in trouble. Most places feel that is not defending yourself as the attacker was "down". BUT; if you BOTH are down....
Still; I'd go for a field goal with his head on the get up... but I am not telling you to do that

Finally, you use the but scoot position and kicks from same ANY time you blow a technique. Your throw goes bad (either fails or you both hit the ground); you miss the shoot; your control isn't working, etc; BAIL and start kicking him. Your job is to make this take longer than 3 to 5 seconds. You are screaming "fire" the whole time. HE is the one with the time table here; you only have to stall him until help arrives; OR, you get your PPD into play.

This is the OTHER reason for the Butt Scoot. It frees the hands to get your PPD into this fight.

Advanced students can learn the many Sambo leg hooks and trips from that position; but the basic concept is to drop turn and shoot from ANY rear assault; and use the butt scoot for any blown technique of that type; as well as after ANY throw where both of you have hit the ground.

Next time; the Guard and its correct use in combatives.

From: ILVQLOS
Date: 10-May-00
What is the butt scoot?


From: MTripp
Date: 10-May-00

The Gracies call it "the ground get up". It is a way to defend and kick from the ground as well as using a kick to get up with. It is in various Sambo and even very old Judo texts. Others will have to tell you where you can find it; I know Renzo goes into it on his tapes.

From: ILVQLOS
Date: 10-May-00
Yeah,

Coach Tripp has two videos available through John Saylor's Shingitai Jujitsu Assoc. and, Chris Herzog a.k.a. Chzog on this forum has a seminar video of Mark Tripp, vol.1 available through him. That should get you started. BTW Chris, what's up with vol.2?

From: MTripp
Date: 11-May-00

Any good book on wrestling will detail the workings of "shooting" single and double legs. As well as the "mets" (skuki nage).

First I would spend a lot of time learning how to get these moves; and finish off these moves.

Once that is learned you will practice turning into your opponent as you drop; you will be in position (depending on how far you get turned) for the double leg (full turn) single leg (half turn) or the mets (small turn).

I had hoped there would be enough tapes out there of NHB fights to see the butt scoot, but I will try and describe this, ANYONE please jump in and help here.

You are on your side (for this we will say right side). Contact point is your right hip and right hand. Your job is to keep both of your feet between you and the bad guy. Left arm is up to ward off any leaping attempts.
Now keep spinning and kicking him. At this point your top leg (left in this case) will do most of the work. The bottom leg (right in this case) is used to get up. To do this you kick with the right leg as you put the bottom of the left leg on the ground. Without putting the right leg down, you lift your hips and pull your leg back and around and put it flat on the ground too.


You should be in a strong base at this point and sideways to the bad guy. Your right leg is now chambered for a strong kick.

If anyone can make this clearer or add something please do!



 

Wisdom For Wednesday - Dermot O'Neill On Self Defense Training

 Dermot O'Neill Demonstrating The Cross Arm Guard to the First Special Service Force (aka: The Devils Brigade) During World War 2

 

While this training was geared to Military personnel, the basic concepts are still valid to contemporary civilian self defense.

 This is an excerpt from an article in the Journal of Asian Martial Arts, Vol. 12, No. 3, 2003 entitled “Dermot M. O’Neill and The O’Neill System of Hand to Hand Combat”

"In O’Neill’s address to Marine Corps brass in 1966, he identified five key points in evaluating or testing any form of hand to hand combat, which are as true today as they were nearly *forty* years ago.”

1. It must be effective and this must be apparent to those taking the training.

2. It should be easy to learn, thus avoiding all complicated movements that are easily forgotten.

3. Special equipment and training areas should not be necessary.

4. Hand to Hand combat should be taught in a reasonably short training period, but kept alive by including it in the physical fitness program so that it will not be a one-shot affair given in basic training and then forgotten.

5. Size and weight are immaterial - flexibility, speed and know-how should be the aim.

Note:
*Article written in 2003, so it is now almost 60 years*

Sunday With Blackthorn - Today Some Demos of Using Improvised Items As Self Defense Tools

 

A Basic Combat Judo Course Part 7 by Mark Tripp

Combatives Part 7

From: MTripp
Date: 08-May-00

OK; technique selection. First; our mantra if you will:

WILL THIS TECHNIQUE WORK AGAINST A BIGGER, STRONGER OPPONENT WHO IS ATTEMPTING TO STOP IT BY ANY MEANS, FAIR OR FOUL?

That must be asked EVERY time we choose a technique.

For beginning level (Ikkyu in Judo; Blue Belt in BJJ/GJJ) YOU are going to have to select 10 techniques... TOPS. Some are a must others are of personal taste ot your body type.

You are going to need:

2 arm strikes
2 leg strikes
2 takedowns
2 "clinches"
2 "submission/restraining" holds

I used to use the words "finishing hold" as that was clearer; but the words could haunt you in court. So I leave it to you to understand that message.

One of the takedowns HAS to be a shoot, either single or double leg. One of the submissions HAS to be the CVR or Carotid Vascular restraint. One of the clinches has to be the Russian Mount (we don't pin people on the street). One of the leg strikes is kicking from the ground (butt scoot) and all that that entails. One of the arm strikes has to be the chin jab/tiger claw.

Now; when used in combination (Ketsugo) you would be stunned to see how many ways 10 techniques work out. Dr. Mance says you can mix 10 techniques into about 10,000 different combinations. At least I think he said that; memory getting bad. I know it was huge!

Lets stay with that; how long would it take you to master 10,000 techniques? Bet it would take longer than learning 10 REAL well.


Now these skills must be mastered! Drilled over and over again as if your life counted on them, and it does.
How hard would you train if you HAD to fight Tank Abbott in 6 weeks? Ever thought that you might have to fight someone like him, with NO warning?

Now, a serious recommendation. Just about everything you need to use to make this selection can be found in "The fighters notebook". Chris was kind enough to buy me one for my birthday and it is simply one of the best works of it's kind I have ever read. BUY IT TODAY!

Now, lets see YOUR list! Your ten core techniques for true "real world" fighting. Lets talk about them.
Then we will show you how to train with them!

(MY NOTE: The following comments were in response to several comments made by readers at the E-Budo Judo Forum where this series of articles originally appeared during April and May of 2000)


From: MTripp
Date: 08-May-00

Yes on all counts.

Also most pins do not let you see what he is doing with his hands...

BAD move if he has a hidden weapon.

Or friends rushing to his aid...


From: MTripp
Date: 08-May-00

Might want to rethink your throw; turning your back on an armed opponent is a no-no.

However if you do it from an outside grip you have no problem.





From: MTripp
Date: 10-May-00

Here is the problem I think you are missing.

You probably do not carry a gun...

If you break your right hand; then have to draw a gun; you have a major problem.

In point of fact I have problems with Cops/CO's all the time because I force them to use their baton/flashlight LEFT handed (in most cases).

This is because I want NOTHING in the way of draw and shoot.

It sometimes gets confusing for people to keep in mind that there is more than one kind of combatives and the transition from unarmed to armed is very important.

IF you have a good blast with a fist that works for you; USE IT. I do not, but have other methods that work as well for me.

Take care...


From: MTripp
Date: 11-May-00

Even so; there are people who do (police/military) and they study combatives too...

BUT, think about this...

You are running away to your car and now you want to get your keys out to get in and drive away...

But your right hand is broken....

Two Chinese Military Ships Collide With Each Other Attempting To Block a Philipino Coast Guard Cutter

 Those two Chinese Captains will probably be reassigned to Lifeboat Duty!!

 

Sunday With Blackthorn - A Basic Combat Judo Course Part 6 by Mark Tripp

Combatives Part 6

B A L A N C E!!!!!!

There in lies the problem with pointless debates about my dad can beat your dad; or worse, the deadly error in selecting combative material.

65 basic throws in Kodokan Judo; but only 10 score Ippon on a regular basis in Shiai.

I have seen dozens of sweeps from the Guard in class; yet in the last several years perhaps TWO have been pulled off in NHB matches. You may notice Royce hasn't swept someone out of his guard for some time now...

NOW FOCUS CAUSE THIS IS CRITICAL..

When you take something out; what ever is left will expand to fill the space.

READ THAT AGAIN!!!

When you take something out; what ever is left will expand to fill the space!!!

If you do not have balance in your technique selection you are going to have a system with LOTS of "stuff" that while "possible" to pull of, is NOT "probable" to pull off.

Modern Judo; now a throwing art; has dozens of throws that are just plain wrong to throw someone with. Take Hiza Guruma. Lets do a simple physics test...

You have a 6 foot telephone pole that weighs about 300 pounds. You want to knock it over. You are going to place a bar to block the poll then push it over the bar. The question is; where to you put the bar to block the pole?

In the middle? As in O guruma? Try it! 25% of the distance from the floor as in Hiza Guruma? Try it!
Obviously you want to put the bar as close to the bottom as posible to make your job of tipping over that pole the easiest! So clearly Sasae tsuri komi ashi (block the ankle) is VASTLY more effective than O guruma (block the waist) or Hiza Guruma (block the knee). So why waste our time with the others? MASTER the one that works best!

We need to spend our time mastering the things that are most likely to work for us. I can make similar points about ground fighting too.


Why the problem in the first place?

Remember I spoke about driving paying people out the door? How many people will pay you to take a year to master O soto gari? Can YOU perform O soto gari to all eight directions of movement? Gets boring as you struggle with it!

How many people want to drill the "reflexive responce" necessary to do these techniques under stress and against a resisting opponent?

Hell, I have lost dozens of students because when I hold a Small Circle/LeBell grabbling class they bitch about how much it hurts!!!!

ANY system that has ignored balance, is subject to this problem. I don't care what it is.

Now in terms of sport that simply means you don't get a medal...

But in terms of Combatives it means you don't get to go home....

We will now spend time looking at HOW we select techniques for Combative programs; and how to teach them!





 

A Basic Combat Judo Course Part 5 by Mark Tripp -Plus- A Follow-up To The Fairbairn Stick Method

Combatives Part 5

ATEMI-WAZA: STRIKING THE VITAL POINTS

Without a doubt, more myths exist about this subject than any other in the "Martial Arts". Stories about “delayed death touches”, knocking out a person by just touching them, "secret" nerve strikes or pressure points, abound. TO DATE I have yet to see ANY scientific proof of the actual existence of these techniques.

In my opinion these “stories” are told by instructors to keep students by the promise of "occult knowledge". Who wouldn't spend money to learn secret knowledge that would give us great power over others. Also, it allows the instructor to keep the training at a level that will keep students, instead of driving them away.
Keep in mind that most schools come from a "sporting" or "traditional" base. I strongly believe in using sporting events to develop certain skills, but if the end goal is winning a medal, then you will never learn effective self-protection methods.

The problem with the "traditional" approach is we are in the 1990's. What someone thought was a wonderful idea when men rode horses and used swords, may be a stupid idea now that goblins travel in packs, armed with assault weapons! The person running the school is in business to make money, as they should be. But the things a person needs to do to prepare themselves to survive a violent assault, are things that drive the paying student out the door.

Other schools are teaching a "new age" religion. Filling students heads with nonsense about mystical powers, secret techniques, and "death touches". It's no wonder when the average "martial artist" finds him/her self in a violent encounter, they end up a battered loser! If a .38 special bullet fired into a person only stops them about 50% of the time, JUST HOW EFFECTIVE DO YOU REALLY THINK A PUNCH OR KICK IS?
 

"Well, I'll just use Dim Mak or Kyusho-jutsu to hit nerve centers that would drop an elephant". No, you won't! Do you know what the "Tache-Psyche" effect is, and what it does to you? When you're looking the Goblin in the eye, and you're in the grip of "tache-psyche", the motor skills of the fingers and hands break down! Slap, tap, rap, or nerve strikes to spots the size of a dime, are IMPOSSIBLE under extreme stress. Believe me, when you are looking at six men who plan to beat you to death, you're going to be under stress!

Another VERY IMPORTANT consideration today, is the HIV virus and the fear of AIDS. The one knuckle strike to the point under the nose and above the upper lip, was and is a very powerful Atemi-waza strike. However, the strike will split the lip, and his teeth could cut your hand. His blood is now in your open wound! That is an unacceptable risk in today's world.


ATEMI-WAZA:

ATE-WAZA (Striking techniques)
MI-WAZA (Vital Points)

The simple reality of combat is that we must keep this stuff very simple. Strikes like the heel hand/tiger claw are high on the list as they do great damage with little harm to the hand.

In terms of vital points it is simple; the primary attack targets are the eye and the instep. Simply because if he can not see you, or chase you, you can escape.

If a primary target is not open; then use a secondary target (nose, throat, groin, knee) to open up a primary one.

Note: the groin is a secondary target because many attackers wear a cup as they know they are going to be attacking people.

In combatives, the use of Atemi-Waza is to prevent our attacker from thinking about anything other than pain. You cannot think of two things at the same time. It can't be done. If you're thinking about what just hit you (called "damage assessment"), then you can't think about hitting! It is very important that you develop the ability to find, and strike, these areas under any and all conditions. Your life, or the lives of your loved ones, could one day depend on your ability at Atemi Waza.

I wrote the above well over 10 years ago; but it does show how the psychic discussion does relate to this subject..

While many people now are ready to fight at the drop of the hat; you will find it much less embarrassing if you carefully read before you jump to a conclusion I did not make.
Please tell me where I posted that the nerve 

strikes wouldn't work?
What I said was; under extreme stress they require a degree of hand eye skill that is all but impossible for the average person to do.
However; I have been to the seminars by the pressure point masters; and was knocked down by one...

In reality he walked past me and sucker punched me. Not what I would term a "pressure point" KO...
Much of this is simple auto-suggestion and proper testing would require that you eliminate that from the mix. I have often thought if you brought in an old Chinese guy who had NO knowledge of pressure points; but you made people think he did; how many people would drop when he touched them (remember the aikido story).

For combatives the skill level needed to hit that correctly simply isn't there. I have video of police in gun battles as close as 7 feet and even though BOTH men empty their firearms, NO ONE gets hit. That is the only point I am making here.

"When you use Hadaka-Jime to manipulate the gall bladder meridian, you are cutting off blood flow to the brain. No magic involved, just Biology and Physiology. "
Actually; that is not correct. There are various places on the web where Judo's art of Shime-waza is discussed at great length. You will find that it is about blood pressure not blood flow that is the reason the person passes out; and that the gall bladder doesn't have a thing to do with it.

There is NO question that he who gets the first real atemi in is going to win that fight...
Notice the placement in the O waza.

 ***********************

Blackthorn Blog Extra

A Free Downloadable PDF of the Fairbairn Stick Method 

 

https://archive.org/details/Fairbairn_Combative_Stick_Method_Paladin_Press

Sunday With Blackthorn - The Fairbairn Stick Demonstrated Using An Umbrella

 Caveat: I'm not the biggest fan of Barry Drennan, however his demo of the Fairbairn Stick Drill using an umbrella is done pretty well. Although as usual, he's a little too wordy, and a bit stiff in the demo. But you can't have everything in this life.

If the video doesn't open, then just use the link below. Youtube's been a bit screwy lately. Annoying, but it is what it is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DA1LgfqTvOk

A Basic Combat Judo Course Part 4 by Mark Tripp

 Combatives Part 4
From: MTripp
Date: 29-Apr-00

In order to understand the historical perspective and the importance of combatives, we need to place it into its proper context.

Goshinjutsu means self-defense or techniques to be used in a real fight. We define a "real fight" as a violent personal assault where your life is at risk. We define “real fight technique” as the following: Will this technique work, against a bigger, stronger, and faster opponent; who is determined to prevent it by any means, fair or foul! If the answer is yes the technique is probably a Goshinjutsu, or real fight technique. If not, then it has no value, or place in the system. Simply put, a jump spin back kick in most cases is not a “real fight” technique.


This way of true combatives (budo) means that this system is your path in life. This Do is to allow you to pursue your life as a free man or woman. There is no freedom greater than your freedom from fear. It can be argued that the only true purpose of Government is to protect us, however, this is an impossible task, save for total loss of personal freedoms. Despite all of Governments efforts, we live with the daily fear of assault, fear of others taking your property, fear of the loss of life or liberty, and on and on. Today, as in Okinawa, you must look to yourself for the freedom from these fears. Our way, or Do, grants that freedom.

When used in combination, the term Go-Shinjutsu means self-defense, or self-protection. Adding a term after makes a specific form of self-defense. Kodokan Go-Shinjutsu means the Kodokan system of self-defense. Shotokan Go-Shinjutsu, Ninpo Go-Shinjutsu, etc., all refer to a specific systems self-defense techniques.

Go-Ju Shinjutsu, means Hard and Soft “real fight techniques", or more correctly the total techniques of self-defense. The term Go, is usually defined as hard. Ju is usually defined as soft. These terms are far too simplistic for our needs. A better definition would be positive for Go, and passive for Ju, although not strictly true (Judo has strikes in it for example); The term Go in our definition will mean the striking portion (usually known as karate), and Ju will represent the grappling portion (usually known as Judo, Jujitsu or Aikido) of the system. Its interesting that all Japanese systems use the term Go-Shinjutsu to refer to self-defense techniques. This shows that they ALL know that effective self-defense is at the heart of their systems. How sad that most of them haven't a clue what effective techniques are any more.


Keep in mind that the Chinese occupied Okinawa six months out of the year, and the Japanese occupied it the other six months. Because of this usage as a central port, the Okinawans were exposed to a wide variety of fighting techniques and systems. Because they were oppressed by both sides, it was in their best interest to uncover, discover, categorize, and master the best of those techniques. It stands to reason that we should learn and master those techniques as well!

Its easy to see how ALL martial arts have chosen a few techniques from this list to create various systems. But FEW can claim a comprehensive a training program. As you will see, ANY technique you can think of, or learned, can be categorized and placed into this system. Keep in mind however, for true combatives, only techniques that fit into the heart (Will this technique work, against a bigger, stronger, and faster opponent; who is determined to prevent it by any means, fair or foul!), should be learned and placed.

Original Go-Ju Shinjutsu insisted on hard makiwara training, for both hands, feet, arms, and even the head. The people of Okinawa were forbidden to own weapons. They could find themselves in a life and death struggle on a daily basis. The ability to destroy an opponent with a single blow was a vitally important skill. The silent kill was perfected because the people of Okinawa were an occupied people, and their system was being used to protect them from their oppressors. The Japanese quickly realized the effectiveness of these techniques, and added them to their various Jujutsu styles.

But the point is this; The risks of hard makiwara training far outweigh the advantages it may have. Frankly, I think you would be hard pressed in court to prove you weren't looking for a chance to use your skills when the jury gets a look at your hands. We have found a powerful hand (strength training), and development of iron palm (through slow, proper training), to be better suited for today's needs.

We now need to look at the concept of WA. This word doesn't translate well into English. Blending, fitting, unity, etc., all relate to WA. Look at it like this; if we want the result to be 10, and you have 6, then you need 4 to get 10. However if you have 9 you only need 1; -4 you need 14 and so on. This means we feel where our opponent is, and apply the technique to put him where we want him to be. How hard we pull or push, where and how we strike, what techniques we use, are all selected by the principle of WA.

Finally, how we choose our techniques, and the way we apply them, is based on a concept called O-Waza or big technique. The O-Waza is:

1. Evasion 2. Distracting Atemi 3. Control 4. Incapacitating Atemi 5. Take-down 6. Immobilization


By using the above list, and looking at the preceding chart, you can find the location of techniques you need for each level of attack. Keep in mind that we live in a different age than the originators of combstives. Our needs are the same but our attackers are not. We must learn how to apply these techniques in a rapidly changing world. We teach must the traditional techniques with a modern coaching attitude; with an eye to the legal and moral results of our actions.

It is important for you to understand the various techniques that make up true combatives. As a general rule, if we are not touching our opponent we use GO or positive techniques (striking). If our opponent is touching us we use JU or passive techniques (grappling).

We always attempt to use evasive footwork to avoid our opponents movements, and hopefully the assault all together (see the 4 rules). This is the first part of the O-waza called Evasions or Kamae.

Because a person cannot think of two different things at the same time; and because a person will go to great lengths to prevent personal injury (people on drugs are an exception to this); we want to distract our opponent from his plan by hitting him. This blow in itself may end the fight, and if so good. However the purpose of the blow is to stop his actions. This is called Atemi-waza.

Next we want to prevent any continued attacks by this person. Keep in mind the way we prevent this is based on the type of attack and the legal boundaries of the place you're at. Generally we want to control the person at this time, (in a life and death struggle we would use a stronger atemi or joint attack, not a control!), with a joint lock, called Kansetsu-waza.

If the opponent fails to submit, or we are unable to control them for long, we now will strike them with a much harder blow. We can show in court we attempted to restrain this person and they kept trying to injure us. This Atemi is usually to the leg with the idea of taking away the ability to move/ballance by breaking the base. Even if the person isn't knocked down by this move, they will be set up for the next.

At this point, if the opponent is still trying to hurt us, and we cannot escape, we will throw them to the ground. This is called Nage-waza. We will then restrain them, called Oasae-waza. As a last resort, we will set a finishing hold, (either a strong joint lock or a choke). The Choking techniques are called Shime Waza. The joint locks are called Kansetsu Waza.

The above should go a long way to helping you understand the O-waza.