| Have you seen all of the fancy responses martial | | | | Why would you want to tie up a hand from the |
| artists have to someone grabbing them by the | | | | beginning? What's worse -- many schools insist |
| front of their shirts? These martial arts techniques | | | | that you grab your own fist with your other |
| are fancy, but as far as being practical? In order | | | | hand, to apply more force. Now, you are |
| to be more efficient, these fancy martial artists | | | | entangling both hands. Arrgh. Can you see how |
| should have the following phrase tattooed on their | | | | bad this is? It's much worse than even the arm |
| chests.... | | | | tangle, wouldn't you agree? These are the types |
| No Arm Tangling Allowed | | | | of moves that can get you in real trouble. |
| I don't know about you, but one of my sub-goals | | | | So, what's the answer? |
| in the martial arts is to learn to react cleanly and | | | | Efficient Martial Arts Techniques As The Solution |
| smoothly. Don't you want martial arts techniques | | | | First -- don't look to go through the hands as |
| that are super efficient? It's not that you want | | | | your opening technique. The exception to this is if |
| each of your techniques to look or feel special by | | | | you are a chi sao or push hands expert, and rely |
| itself, when practicing solo. I think that you should | | | | on your opponent's pressure to dictate your |
| tend to favor moves that are clean in their | | | | techniques. |
| execution. | | | | Even then ... just kick first. |
| Discovering Efficient Martial Arts Techniques | | | | ["But what about hand techniques?"] |
| Look for techniques that don't start by putting | | | | What about them? |
| you in a bad position. Search for ways to strike | | | | If it makes you feel comfortable, poke your |
| without entangling your arms in your aggressor's | | | | attacker's eye out (but don't hold me or anyone |
| arms or legs. One type of technique that | | | | connected with this article responsible for your |
| 'concerns' me is the tactic of entangling your arms | | | | actions). Do you want more advice? Are you |
| on purpose. Why would anyone want to limit their | | | | craving to know how to remove the grabbing |
| mobility intentionally. Imagine someone grabbing | | | | hands? |
| the front of your shirt with both hands. Many | | | | My question would be, why bother? Having hands |
| schools teach you to stick your arm between the | | | | grabbing my shirt has never stopped me from |
| aggressor's arms and try to make a wedge.... | | | | doing exactly what I want anyway. Still want |
| Some practitioners snake their arm down through | | | | more advice? OK, grab over the top, not through |
| the space between the arms from above, and | | | | the arms. Make sure you have strikes that occur |
| others prefer to come up from below. You force | | | | simultaneously from your reach-over-grab. |
| one arm to let go by pressing against one arm | | | | Then counter with more hits and a technique that |
| and using a torquing pressure against the other. | | | | locks both of your opponent's hands while leaving |
| Think of applying a tourniquet. Think leverage -- | | | | you free to wail on him (or her). And since you |
| think lever. | | | | are in so close to your attacker, it's a perfect |
| Even Worse than Tangle-Arm Techniques | | | | opportunity for an elbow strike. Unfortunately, it's |
| But don't think too long -- it's a bad, inefficient | | | | also a chance for your enemy to elbow strike |
| answer to the task of dealing with a shirt grabber. | | | | you.... |