When an opponent (single, unarmed attacker) exerts control over a subject by means of a grab (using the opposed grip of the hand) on clothing, arms, or neck (or anything else) there are a myriad of ways to respond. One could easily respond with a rote set of moves and a technique as taught by one person for whom that worked and that means that you have to move almost exactly like that person and practically BE that person in order for the technique to work. Or, as we worked on tonight, we can each take our own natural response to the attempted exertion of control and modify it through a better understanding of the bone-muscle leverage into a method that is unique to us.
So, tonight, Casey showed how my initial response to just remove the force was a viable option. We worked not to correct WHAT I did, just how I did it. We repeated the method with the attacker just standing still or the attacker is pulling on the shirt. The method we developed from my personal response to the situation proved effective. And, as effective as this proved on Casey, it might not work as well on another opponent.
The biggest thing is that I walked away tonight with at least a reasonable chance of surviving the first part of an encounter with a single, unarmed opponent who grabbed my shirt—a common attack—with a reasonable chance of success.
Am I Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris, or Ed Parker? No (and not hardly, I might add), I am R M Emerson Jr. I am only able to do what I can do with my physique. Why should I replicate what an instructor found worked for him (or what my instructor's instructor's instructor found worked for him)? I love the idea of personally building responses to physical force that allow me to not get hurt and respond to what my opponent is doing now instead of what he might or might not do.
I hope maybe that some of you can come next Tuesday night and see if this class is right for you.
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