oragami_itto wrote:cloudz wrote:oragami_itto wrote:Related to the topic at hand, though, this situation came up at push hands today. Fixed step freestyle. In the last round of the day one of the less conventional regulars threw his right hand on the back of my neck. He established control briefly but my left hand came up and lifted his arm enough to break control and allow me to pull my head around his arm through the gap. I swung my right arm around and pushed on his right arm with both hands threw him out.
So in the context it's presented it does what it says on the tin. I'm sure in a different context a different response would be more appropriate.
Cool, but that's also where you have to tread cautiously - though that's also dependent on what your goals might be of course.. In my case, for a period I probably focused too much on stand up grappling (moving step p/h freestyle if you like ), so got into a bad habit with my head positioning in the clinch. Limited 'games' will do that, it's just how it is. Be it boxing, bjj, wrestling etc. When I started to do more all round sparring with someone with real quality and all round training, it turned out I'd developed a glaringly bad habit I had to sort out and give attention to. Not saying that's you, but just a cautionary tale to watch out for what could turn out as 'bad habits' in other contexts, worth watching out for. Things that become habitual can be a real pain to correct. Doesn't sound like you had to bend too much at the waist to do this, but if you did, just consider the habitual response side of things.
So full disclosure here I haven't been practicing this drill. I just got into a situation at push hands that it seemed to address so I popped it out. It worked as advertised in the context intended. Full stop.
It worked that one time in "push hands." However, it is a bad habit and dangerous to bend too much at the waist in a fight. The neck grab in the OP is weak from that distance. There aren't many reasons to practice compromising structure, when there are better counters.
Most people are right handed. Therefore, grapplers stand with their right foot forward to grab with their right hand. However, most other people will stand in the orthodox stance (left side forward). There are better counters than putting oneself out of position. One can simply push down as you bend at the waist or counter as against a right jab (e.g., right hand, uppercut, etc.).
oragami_itto wrote:Going further, let's be realistic. If I never get punched in the face again in my life I'll be perfectly fine with that. The chances of me strapping on gloves and going toe to toe with a Muay Thai expert determined to do me harm are slim to none. And I'm perfectly fine with that. I will never be able to hold my own in a ring with even an amateur kickboxer or on the mat with a blue belt. And I'm perfectly fine with that.
The reality is it can happen in the street. Someone can take advantage of you bending too much at the waist. It doesn't have to be "in a ring against a Muay Thai expert" or "amateur kickboxer."
oragami_itto wrote:Some people like to play basketball, I like to play a game called push hands that happens to make use of qualities cultivated by diligent taijiquan practice. And I'm fine with that.
Many people like to improve their game/technique, not make it worse or dangerous.
oragami_itto wrote:I do believe, and experience has shown, that those same qualities, among others also cultivated, do give me an advantage in dealing with random people in the wild intent on violence against my person, as well as the cruel hand of random fate with regards to things like slip and fall injuries, but I digress. I'm perfectly fine with all of that.
In practicing a martial art, it's safer to cultivate qualities that work against those that have experience in fighting, rather than a random, inexperienced person.
oragami_itto wrote:The opposition is amusing though. "What if they threw a knee?" I mean what if they have fucking chainsaws for arms, maaan. That's not the context or intention. Sure, somebody with excellent reflexes could capitalize on the split second one's face is below the elbow to slam a knee through the right arm, entirely possible if they are fast and strong enough. I'm perfectly fine with that.
. . . or peers giving cautionary advice. Countering a right jab is done many times in combat sports. A reach and neck grab gives that much more time to counter. The boxing example I posted shows how to counter a person who slips. Someone bending at the waist too much gives even more time to counter.