Important Notice

Just wanted to post and let you all know that I won’t be submitting any updates for the rest of the week, and will likely not be able to update next week either. A series of serious medical problems has me both terrified and in a great deal of pain. I noticed a growth in the shower which bore all the signs of a tumor about the size of a kiwi fruit. I went immediately to the physician who is referring me to an urologist to check to see if it’s cancerous or benign. While I was waiting to be contacted by the urologist I noticed that my eyes had gotten very dry. They stayed this way for well over a week and became even more painful as time went by, to the point that I’ve had to tape my eyes shut for days on end just to get any relief. I purchased every kind of eye drop on the market; without effect.

Managed to get to an ophthalmologist clinic today; man was that guy rough. He poured what felt like three types of acid in my eyes before turning my eye lids inside out and then sticking strips of litmus paper against my corneas. They were held in place for over two minutes while the paper changed color to indicate some sort of chemical reaction. Frankly I would’ve rather been stabbed again, that hurt a hell of a lot less. In any case the doc tells me I’ve got some form of conjunctivitis. It’s an autoimmune disease which stops the glands around the eyelashes from releasing moisture and fluids onto the surface of the eye, keeping it moist.

As a treatment I’ve got to instill three different kinds of eye drops in my eyes four times a day in a specific order while massaging the eyelashes and using boiling hot compresses to loosen the oil in the glands. The eye drops also have the consistency of Vaseline. Bottom line is that I won’t be able to see anything for the next week or two until this treatment is over.

Hopefully it will work. If it doesn’t then there are two reasons why. The one reason is that I have a severe thyroid disorder, one of the symptoms of which is this conjunctivitis. This means I’ll have to see yet another specialist. Thyroid problems are very tricky too. There are no medications out there which govern the operation of the thyroid effectively, meaning chemical imbalances causing a lot of nasty side effects are common. The second reason is that the next form of medication needed to fix the conjunctivitis, while dealing with the thyroid problem, costs more than my first car did.

Keep in mind that this is while I’m still waiting to find out if I’ve got cancer and am going to need surgery to remove a portion of my anatomy which, although it doesn’t see much use, I’ve grown sentimentally attached to. Whoever says curses and bad luck don’t exist has never met me.

On top of all this, I’m self employed. I’ve got no medical coverage whatsoever. So far I’ve paid for my medical visits out of my personal savings. If I end up needing surgery my only option, aside from dying, is taking out a loan and then declaring bankruptcy. I don’t own anything and have no assets which I can’t officially sign over to a family member, so I won’t loose much aside from my credit rating.

I’m going to go lie down now. I’d cry but my eyes can’t produce any moisture right now. If you’ve been kind enough to read this far, I thank you deeply. I suppose it’s a bit like watching a train wreck; it’s horrible but you can’t look away. If you can do me one more kindness, please click on one of the adjacent advertisements. They are completely harmless and put a few cents in my pocket every time someone clicks on them.

How to Perform an Ooyopu Throw in Ninjutsu

Here is a guide explaining how to perform Ooyopu, also known as the thumb choke technique, which is performed as a defense to an attacker grabbing the defender by the shoulders or sleeves of the upper arms.

Step 1:
Begin by responding to your opponent grabbing you by the shoulders and sleeves. Place your right arm on the top of your opponent’s shoulder and the left arm against the back of his elbow. This is known as the Kunichi position and is common for many different grappling throws and holds. You should also be mirroring your opponent’s stance by keeping your weight forward on your left foot.

Step 2:
Place the palm of your right hand against the front of your opponent’s throat and snug the V of flesh between your thumb and index finger at the point where the throat gives way to the underside of the jaw. Lean your body’s weight back onto your rear right foot while firmly extending your right arm and locking your elbow. The point of this is not to harm your opponent, but force him to push him slightly away. This will mean your opponent will have to lock his own arms in order to keep hold of you, which is exactly what we want.

Step 3:
Shove your opponent back sharply by transferring your body’s weight back to your forward left foot and leaning forward. Take a half step to the left and drive your right heel into the inside of your opponent’s right knee joint. Again this is meant to unsteady your opponent rather than do any harm. Your opponent will be pushed to his left and will have to release his left hand on your sleeve if he wants to regain his balance.

Step 4:
Take the opportunity that this moment provides to grip your freed right hand around your opponent’s right wrist. Step inward toward your opponent with your left foot while pivoting clockwise to put your back to him. As you do this, raise your opponent’s arm to rest his elbow across the top of your left shoulder. It should be noted that for this throw to be effective, the back of the elbow must be pressed against the shoulder, not the inside of the elbow.

Step 5:
Complete the technique by leaning forward at the waist while pulling your opponent around from your left, pulling the arm down as you do so to propel him into a rapid tumble as he will not be able to keep his balance as fast as you draw him around your body.

How to Counter a Right Left Right Punch Combination with a Leg Attack Series in Ninjutsu

Ninjutsu is colloquially referred to as the art of the Ninja. It was an art expounded during the Japanese feudal era. The term encompasses many years of training in the fields of: stealth, subterfuge, psychological warfare, chemistry, and many forms of combat. It was in essence a training program to create a ninja; the modern day equivalent would be guerilla soldier or insurgent. The majority of these techniques involved acting and observing without being caught or seen. In the rare instances where violence was required for an operative to complete his task, the target would typically never see his/her end coming. Unarmed combat was only ever used for immediate self defense should the operative come under attack suddenly. Its entire purpose was to safely neutralize the attacker long enough to allow the operative to escape. Today Ninjutsu self defense can be just as effective. Here is a guide detailing how to defend against an attacker throwing a right, left, right punch combination by striking at the legs and forcing the attacker to the ground.

Step 1:
Begin in a natural standing position with your opponent facing you. As you are not the aggressor it is likely that your opponent will be the one taking a combat stance. It would be a costly waste of time to attempt to mimic this. As your opponent throws a punch aimed at you with his/her right fist, sidestep to the right, using the back of your left hand to guide the fist out to your left and away from your body.

Step 2:
Immediately widen your stance to lower your upper body for greater strength for the coming attack. Ball your right fist and drive it in an underhanded punch directly against the inside of your attacker’s upper right leg. This serves multiple purposes. It will force your attacker backward for a moment and warn them you’re not afraid to fight back. It will cause physical pain as that part of the leg is sensitive. Most importantly, it will temporarily numb the muscle. This will reduce your opponent’s mobility and weaken his/her sense of balance.

Step 3:
Allow your attacker to strike again with his/her left fist. Instead of dodging it, form your left arm into a horizontal bar and force the punch upward by raising your arm sharply. Latch your hand around your attacker’s wrist before he/she is able to withdraw it. This will force your attacker to punch again with the only arm she/he has control over.

Step 4:
Deflect the second punch by forming a horizontal bar with your other arm and raising it sharply upward. Again make sure to grab your opponent’s other wrist before the arm can be retracted.

Step 5:
Pull your opponent toward you, turning sidelong so your right shoulder and right leg and nearest to your opponent’s midline. Raise your knee up and out to the side and drive it sideways into your opponent’s leg in the same spot that you first attacked. Immediately compound this by slipping your leg between your opponent’s legs and wrapping it around his/her left leg. The back of your knee and his/her knee should touch. Pull back with you leg, forcing your opponent’s leg up into the air. Pull your opponent onto his/her wounded leg and he/she will stumble, falling backward to his/her rump or back.

How to Defend a Two Handed Choke in Shorin-Ryu Karate

Sokon Matsumara pioneered Shorin Ryu Karate in the early 1800s as he played his role as the bodyguard for three successive kings of Okinawa. Okinawa is, as you may know, the birthplace of Karate, many different forms of which have since evolved. As bodyguard to the kings of Okinawa it was Matsumara’s responsibility to train the household troops guarding the Okinawan palace is unarmed combat. He taught them a variation of Karate which included principles and movements typical of Chinese Wushu, given that he’d traveled extensively in China during his youth. The result was a form of Karate which utilized quick, precise, energy efficient movements and attacks as well as a much narrower stance than was traditionally proscribed. The benefit of this stance was greater mobility and quicker response time at the expense of one’s balance. Shorin Ryu Karate has been called a “reactive” martial art, in that it teaches quick and immediate reaction to various attacks. Some people see this as less aggressive, reasoning it gives less opportunity for one to go on the offensive. Actually it simply follows the doctrine of energy conservation. By letting the enemy attack first and commit himself to a specific course of action, you as the defender have a wide array of possible responses without tiring yourself unnecessarily. A good example of this is seen in the defense technique against a two handed choke.

Step 1:

Begin with your opponent wrapping his hands around the side of your throat and pressing inward with his thumbs in the hollows of the neck. This is where the carotid arteries are. If they are compressed for more than 15 seconds you will get very fuzzy and confused. If they are compressed for more than 30 seconds you will pass out. It’s a pretty fair assumption that if you saw this coming your opponent wouldn’t have been able to grab your throat, so changing your stance retroactively is a waste of time.

Step 2:

Immediately tense the muscles in your neck as best you can and drop your chin down atop your opponent’s hands. Turn your neck 45 degrees to the left, attempting to shift the angle of your opponent’s grip.

Step 3:

Turn your body in the same direction that you are facing and take a step forward with your right foot. This will bring you off to your opponent’s right rather than directly in front of him. It will make the angle of his left hand on your neck awkward and loosen his grip even further, it also brings your right shoulder close enough to comfortable get an arm in between his arms.

Step 4:

Pull your right wrist back and curl your fingers inward, leaving the flat ball of your thumb and palm exposed. From below, drive it upward between your opponent’s arms to impact hard against the underside of your opponent’s chin. This will snap his head back.

Step 5:

Do not retract the arm. Instead extend your fingers and arch them into claws. Place them as high on your opponent’s face as you can, above his eyebrows for preference and claw them down in a straight line all the way to your attacker’s upper chest. Your opponent’s natural reaction will be to release you and clutch at his face, particularly his eyes.

Step 6:

Continue the downward motion of the scrape, swinging your right arm back, forming it into a fist and placing it over your heart. Simultaneously take a half step backward with your right foot, bend at the knees, and extend your right fist to enter a Back Stance should your opponent attempt further attack.

How to Strike with a Back Fist Attack in Shorin Ryu Karate

Shorin Ryu is one of the two major modern forms of Okinawan Karate invented in the early 1800s by Sokon Matsumura. He was the personal bodyguard to no less than three kings of Okinawa. His fighting style was developed by fusing styles of Wushu he’d learned when he traveled in China as a young man with the traditional Karate of his homeland. Since it was developed it has had several branches of Karate offshoot from it as subsequent martial arts masters developed their own techniques that they felt were an improvement. In any case, Shorin Ryu Karate is characterized by narrow legged stances to allow for greater mobility, direct rather than circular movements, and a focus of attack and defense in time with the rhythm of one’s breath. A basic attack beginners in Shorin Ryu Karate find easy to master and useful in a fight is the Back Fist strike.

Step 1:
Begin by assuming a Back Stance while facing your opponent. This is done simply by placing your off foot a foot forward off your main foot. In most cases this would mean placing your left foot forward. Instead of widening our legs, keep them well under you, no more than 8 inches apart at the ankle. While this tends to make the balance of a student of Shorin Ryu Karate a little more wobbly than usual, it grants him/her the opportunity to move out of the way of an attack or launch an offensive attack much faster. Keep your weight on your back right foot, bending slightly at the knees to consciously avoid locking them. Keep your upper forearms hanging down at your sides. Your lower right forearm should be crossed over your lower chest, the ball of your fist over the solar plexus. The lower left forearm should be extended in front of the body and held at a diagonal to cross over the chest.

Step 2:
Focus on your breathing. When you have committed to the attack, take a deep breath. Exhale and step a step forward into your opponent’s range with your leading foot, following up quickly with your rear foot in order to keep the same distance between your legs and maintain your stance. Your opponent may have his fists raised to defend. As you step forward, open your right hand and push his right arm sharply out of the way, directly to your left in a cross body driving motion, opening the way for your leading left fist.

Step 3:
Inhale as you extend your left fist, lashing out with a back handed swing entirely from the elbow. It should seem a bit like a door opening with your elbow being the hinge. As your fist extends, the back of it should strike your opponent across the left side of his face. The exact point of impact is dependent on your intentions. You could hit the ear, the neck, the nose, the temple. They would all be good targets to cause pain, incapacitation, or injury to an opponent. The impact should be the back of the top two knuckles; the knuckles for the index and middle finger.

Step 4:

Exhale and retract your arm to its previous position. Step back to your original position, back stepping with the rear foot and then following up with the front foot in a reversal of the manner in which you advanced.

SEO Writing, Tea Tree Oil, and Moobs

Just posting a comission I received last week. Could barely stop laughing long enough to word a reply. It's odd how Search Engine Optimized driven article requests throw up topics sometimes. For some people unfamiliar with the concept, alot of the content you find in websites is paid for by advertisement space. Those advertisers will pay the site owner money depending on how many people check out that site on a daily basis. To that end, many site owners commision informative articles based on topics which are frequently entered into search engines.

Writing articles that include key words and topics that are frequently used in people's searches increases the chance that the site hosting the article will be viewed more often. Such articles are called SEO compliant, and pay the lion's share of my bills. The thing is, people are wierd when they think no one's watching, and search for some really oddball topics, not realizing that most search engines keep a log of how often certain keywords are searched for. This article I wrote, entitled: Does Tea Tree Oil Cause Male Breast Enlargement? is one such case in point. Enjoy.

Does Tea Tree Oil Cause Male Breast Enlargement?
Yes it does. A New England Journal of Medicine study completed in early 2007 conclusively proved that male breasts can be enlarged as a result of the application of both tea tree oil and lavender. A case study was performed when three preteen boys, ranging in age from 4 to 10, found they experienced breast growth over a period of several months. The only thing all three boys had in common were the hygiene products they used all contained tea tree oil and lavender. Both compounds were scientifically tested and found to induce a condition known as Gynecomastia. However, it is as yet unknown whether or not tea tree oil is capable of causing Gynecomastia in a full grown adult.

What is Gynecomastia?
Gynecomastia is a condition in which the breast tissue of boys and men becomes overdeveloped and swollen. It is a condition resulting from a hormonal imbalance and is most commonly experienced by males during puberty around the age of 13 or 14. Essentially the levels of estrogen in the male body increase beyond the norm. This estrogen reacts with the breast tissue, causing it to swell. As the hormonal levels in an adolescent teen fluctuate rapidly during development, Gynecomastia is experienced by more than half of all male teens. An older male may also develop Gynecomastia when the estrogen levels begin to rise as the testosterone levels decrease. However this disorder in a preteen is very rare. Tea Tree Oil was found to cause a minor increase in the estrogen levels of a preteen male. It also had an androgen blocking effect, suppressing any attempts by the body to produce male hormones in response to the estrogen.

How is Gynecomastia Treated?
Gynecomastia is typically outgrown by teens as time passes and the hormonal levels stabilize. Likewise an older male experiencing Gynecomastia can increase his testosterone levels by increasing his level of exercise and energy output, counteracting his body’s secretion of estrogen. For those who experience Gynecomastia as a result of frequent use of products containing tea tree oil, they simply have to stop using them. The disorder should disappear within a few months. For those who refuse to wait or who experience breast enlargement regardless, doctors prescribe the use of tamoxifen. This drug is typically used in the treatment of breast cancer; it prevents estrogen in the body from interacting with breast tissue.

How to Execute a Fan Through Back Attack in Tai Chi Chuan

Step 1:
Begin facing your opponent within range of each other’s fists. This attack is a defensive counter against a direct punch so have your opponent square up to you as if he were boxing. Prepare for your counter by keeping your hands up in front of you in mimicry of your opponent’s stance. Rather than facing your opponent head on, turn your body slightly to the right so that you will face him at an angle off your left shoulder.

Step 2:
Wait for your opponent to throw a punch. As he does you must quickly pull your arms out to the sides, like a fan snapping open. This is where this technique gets its name. Lash out and forward with your left hand as your opponent begins to punch. Your hand should strike flat against your attacker’s upper right torso, just inside of his outstretched arm. Doing this will push this side of your attacker’s body back to prevent his punch from landing. It should fall short. Simultaneously extend your right arm, cocked at the elbow, back to your right.

Step 3:
Turn to the left to face your opponent directly and step forward past him on his right side. Use the turn and step to build momentum so that when you begin to step past your opponent you drive the flat of your elbow into your attacker’s chest. If done correctly it should carry him backward and out of range of further attack. This technique is very effective at responding to providing a quick response to a very aggressive attacker and allows you to open up enough space for further combat. It robs your attacker of his momentum and his advantage at attacking suddenly or without warning.

How to Do Cloud Hands Block in Tai Chi

Inside Cloud Hands Block
Step 1:
Stand with knees bent slightly and arms up in a boxer's pose with open hands.

Step 2:
Bring your right hand to the side, up, and back inward to be above where it started in a single motion. This should look a bit like your wiping a window or making a circular scrubbing motion. Sway to the left as you bring your right hand it looks like you're pulling the arm in. In a combat situation this would put the weight of your entire body behind your right hand and stop an attacker's strike cold.

Step 3:
Pull your right hand down to its original position with your palm flat, vertical with the open palm facing to your left. Repeat these steps continuously in smooth circular motions.

Step 4:
When your right hand comes in and down, mirror the motion with your left hand. When your right hand goes out, your left should come in, when your right goes in, the left should go out. Imagine two interlocking gears moving together and you'll have the right idea. Make sure to sway to your right when your left hand comes in to give it the same stopping power as your right.

Outside Cloud Hands Block
Step 1:
This block is similar to the Inside Cloud Hands Block except it's performed in reverse. Begin with knees slightly bent and hands open before you in a boxer's pose. Lower your right hand as if you were reaching for something on the left side of your waist or belt.

Step 2:
Bring your right hand up to be level with your head and out to your right at almost full extension. Leave your hand open at all times and move your arms so it looks like your wrist is pulling your hand along behind it. Sway and slightly turn to your right to put the weight and momentum of your body behind the movement.

Step 3:
Bring the hand down and back to start near the left side of your waist and repeat. When you pull your right hand back in you should push your left hand out so that your hand movement mirrors itself. Again it should put you in mind of two gears turning together. Make sure to sway and turn to the left when your left hand goes out.

Tips & Warnings
To make sure you have the movements right, perform these techniques slowly and increase their pace when you're comfortable with them. Practicing in front of a mirror can help you perfect your form.

Keep in mind that many forms of Tai Chi exist and may use the same names for different moves. There are likely other moves called Cloud Hands that differ from this one.

How to Defend Against an Armlock in Tai Chi Chuan

Step 1:
Allow your opponent to take you by the right wrist, twist it inward and place his other hand atop your elbow. This is a basic armlock, the arm should be held behind you and off to the right. Your opponent should exert sufficient force on your wrist and elbow to make you want to bend forward to alleviate the pressure. In this position you would not normally be able to fight against your opponent. Moving will be difficult, as your body is off center or off balance you will not be able to get any leverage to work your way out of this hold using intuitive or conventional means.

Step 2:
Obtain leverage by centering yourself. What to do this you must straighten your legs and try to align your hips with them. It will be against your instinct, but you must straighten your lower back as well. Try pushing your pelvis forward to help with this. By doing this you prevent your opponent from being able to press down on the joint of your elbow. It also repositions your lower arm so that the majority of the force your opponent is exerting is on bones of the hand rather than the wrist itself. While this may still be painful, your opponent can do virtually nothing to you by holding your wrist in this fashion.

Step 3:
Take a few steps forward. By doing this you keep your opponent from holding your limb close to his body. This prevents him from using all the leverage he can muster from his body. Only the muscles of his lower arms are being used now.

Step 4:
Take a half turn to your left while pulling your right arm along with you. Either your opponent will release his hold or allow his arms to be extended as they go along with your body. If he holds on, his right arm will extend, elbow outward to you.

Step 5:
Cup your left hand over his elbow and continue to turn, using the force of the pivot to push him backward as hard as you are able. In doing so you have successfully defended yourself against an armlock.

How to Defend Against a Two Handed Front Choke Using Tai Chi Chuan

Step 1:
Let your body go limp in response to your opponent’s attack. A person’s natural inclination is to pull back when they are being choked, so your opponent will be pulling toward you in unconscious compensation for this. By going limp you are giving yourself a moment where your attacker is temporarily off balance.

Step 2:
Raise your left arm straight up above your head and keep your right arm down by your side.

Step 3:
Bring the flat of your lower left forearm down atop your attacker’s elbow from outside of his arms. Simultaneously thread your right arm up inside the range of your attacker’s other arm to extend your palm against the left side of your attacker’s head. By doing this quickly you force your attacker to bend to his right from the waist, this pulls him off his center of balance and puts him in danger. From this point you have two choices depending on whether you feel your life is really in jeopardy or not. Step 4 outlines the non-violent way to break out of the chokehold. Step 5 outlines the way to break out of the chokehold and incapacitate your opponent.

Step 4:
Turn your right foot inward and push off with it while twist to your left at the waist. Clamp your right hand against the side of your opponent’s head while pulling his right arm outward with your left had, and turn to the left to force your attacker to the floor, breaking his hold.

Step 5:
Grab your attacker around the back of the neck using your right hand while clamping onto the joint of his right elbow with your left hand. Take a step back with your left foot and pull your attacker forward and down. He should bend at the waist. As he does so rear back with your right leg and drive your knee forward and up directly into your attacker’s lowered face. This defensive strike has the capacity to do serious and life threatening damage. Don’t use it lightly.

Tips & Warnings
Practicing in front of the mirror can help perfect your form. This is actually an adaptation of the brushing knee movement.

How to Defend Against a Headlock Using Tai Chi Chuan

Step 1:
Allow your opponent to approach from behind and take you in a headlock. This is done simply by reaching around from behind the left shoulder and locking the elbow of the right hand around the throat. The attacker then brings the arm down to his side, trapping your head and forcing you to lean forward to keep from falling to the ground. This is an effective lock only because it unbalances you; if you can regain your balance you can easily defeat this hold.

Step 2:
Begin by establishing a strong footing. To do this you should turn your body sidelong to your opponent rather than standing shoulder to shoulder. Plant your right foot forward of your opponent’s.

Step 3:
Regain you balance by bending deeply at the knees. The only reason you were taken off balance in the first place is that your head was forced down to a much lower level and your body’s natural reaction to remedy this was to bend forward at the waist. This is not the best thing to have done. So fix the problem by bending the knees, straightening the back, and bringing the hips in line with the feet. From this position you actually can generate more power than your opponent.

Step 4:
Grab the wrist of the arm holding you in the lock with your right hand. Simultaneously place the flat of your left palm against the lower right quadrant of your opponent’s back, just over the kidney. Step 5: Push off with the legs and twist counterclockwise. Shove your arms out to either side as hard as you can. If done correctly, this will unwrap your attacker’s arm from around your neck while pushing his body away from your own. As the level of your hips is much lower than your opponent’s as a result of the headlock, you have much better leverage and should be easily able to hurl him at least a few feet away. This will give you time to formulate a further plan for defense against your attacker.

How to Defend Against a Shirt Grab in Tai Chi Chuan

Tai Chi Chuan is more commonly known by the short form of the name Tai Chi. Despite all the people you might see moving in slow motion in parks who say they are practicing Tai Chi, they are incorrect. What they are doing is practicing forms intended to aid in practicing Tai Chi Chuan, which is a real and very old Chinese Martial Art. In this guide you will learn how to defend yourself against an opponent who has grabbed you by the front of your shirt in preparation for further attacks.

Defending Against a Shirt Grab
Step 1:
Begin by allowing you sparring partner to approach you and grab the front of your shirt with his right hand. Typically this is done in a real fight in preparation for your attacker to strike you with his other fist.

Step 2:
Pivot to your right so your right shoulder is pointing directly at your attacker. Simultaneously raise your right arm up above your head. Bring it straight down on top of your attacker’s forearm, just behind his wrist, and push downward until your hand is pointing toward the floor. By doing this you trap your opponent’s hand between your chest and armpit while pulling him inward toward you.

Step 3:
Crouch down on your knees and sidestep to your left to press your left shoulder against your attacker’s right shoulder. Crouching while trapping your opponent’s arm will force him down and backward, off his center of balance. Drop your left arm down to hang at your waist as you sidestep to give yourself an open space on your opponent’s chest to aim at.

Step 4:
Twist counterclockwise at the waist while bringing your right hand in front of your body. Your hand should be formed into a flat palm with your finger’s pointing upward. Strike the center of your attacker’s chest in an open palmed punch before you finish twisting to force your attacker off his feet, backward and to your immediate left. As his right hand is being trapped by your body, he cannot grab anything to save himself and will land on his back. You will want to release his hand before he hits the ground or you may be pulled down with your attacker.

How to Do the Ang Technique In Tai Chi

Using The Ang Technique
Step 1:
Begin in the final position of the Ji technique. You should be in a typical fighter’s stance with your off foot forward. Your body should be leaning forward. Your hands should be out in front of you as you have finished the Ji attack. Your main hand should be flattened into a knife pointing to the left or right with the thumb on the top of the hand and back of the wrist facing your opponent. Your off hand should be vertical and pressed to the back of the wrist of your main hand to reinforce it.

Step 2:
Begin to rock back onto your heels while pulling your hands, side by side, up and back in an arc. When your hands come down from the arc crouch downward slightly and bend a little more at the knees. Your hands should reach and press against your lower chest or upper stomach at the same time your body is all the way back. Raise the tip of your forward foot so only that heel is touching the ground and your body weight is on the back foot.

Step 3:
Push off with your feet to rock your weight forward again with as much force as you can muster. Straighten the knees and uncrouch as if you were jumping to transfer the strength of your legs into the blow. Drive your hands forward and up in a side-by-side heel punch aimed at the opponent’s upper chest. Your hands should be open and the heels of your palms should be the points of impact. The force of the impact will drive your opponent back a few feet or possibly knock him down. This is the time to decide whether you or your opponent wishes to continue the fight. If so, you now have more room to move and the opportunity to attack an opponent who is off guard or stunned.

Tips & Warnings
To make sure you have the movements correct, perform these techniques slowly and increase their pace when you're comfortable with them. Practicing in front of a mirror can help you perfect your form. All the instructions are for a right hand dominant individual, for a left hand dominant individual simply reverse the placement of the hands and feet. The literal translation for Ang is drive. It is the fourth technique of series of four, Pon, Liu, Ji, and Ang. This is a final strike and the moment where you switch from defense to offense. The previous attack was meant to imbalance and disorient the attacker, the fourth is a leisurely but powerful double handed strike meant drive your opponent back and allow you more room to formulate a strategy of attack.

How to Do The Ji Technique In Tai Chi

Using The Ji Technique

Step 1:
Begin in the final position of the Liu technique, the Liu technique’s predecessor. Your feet should be in the typical fighter’s pose, with your off foot forward. The final pose of the Liu technique requires you to rock your weight back on your heels. So start leaning backward. Your main hand and forearm should form a horizontal bar in front of your midsection. The hand should be a flat knife with your thumb at the top and fingers pointing to your side. Your off hand should be cocked back at your side slightly below the level of your shoulder. It should be held flat and your fingers pointing upward.

Step 2:
Push off and forward with your feet, though do not move them from their places on the ground. Rock your body forward as hard and fast as you can.

Step 3:
Bring the flat of your off hand to press firmly against the inside of your main hand’s wrist. Drive both forward sharply aimed at the opponent’s throat or face, keeping your main hand in the same position with your thumb on top. For this move to work you hands must come together and snap forward in one smooth movement. The back of your main wrist should slam hard into your opponent’s face or throat. This is a short strike, with not much range, but is deceptively powerful because it uses the weight of your body as you rock forward and the reinforcement of your off hand to help follow through.

Tips & Warnings
To make sure you have the movements correct, perform these techniques slowly and increase their pace when you're comfortable with them. Practicing in front of a mirror can help you perfect your form. All the instructions are for a right hand dominant individual, for a left hand dominant individual simply reverse the placement of the hands and feet. The literal translation for Ji is push, it is the first offensive strike utilized as the third move in a series of four: Pon, Liu, Ji, and Ang. Remember to follow through with this strike. Don’t just impact and pull back. Push or drive through the target. That’s what this is called the Ji (push) technique.

How to Do The Liu Technique In Tai Chi

Step 1: Begin in the final Pon block position. You should be leaning forward with your off foot forward in a standard fighter’ pose. Your right hand and arm should form a horizontal bar forward of and crossing your upper chest. Your left hand should be back, about four inches lower and slightly to your left so your elbow is cocked and ready to deliver a strike. In this stance you would’ve just completed deflecting your opponent’s punch upward with your right forearm.

Step 2: Rock backward as your opponent begins to throw a follow up punch to your midsection as your upper chest and face are guarded.

Step 3: Bring your right arm down so that the flat palm of your right palm impacts with the incoming punch along the opponent’s forearm. Push the punch down and to the side so your opponent’s arm is crossing his body, this will make a follow up strike with his other arm difficult. You also have the option of blocking with a clenching hand to hold or immobilize your opponent’s arm instead of deflecting it. It’s your choice. Your left hand should not have moved up until this point.

Step 4: Make your left hand into a knife, palm down to the ground. Drive your left hand forward into your opponent’s eyes as he continues by the deflection of his punch. Stop short of your opponent’s face if this is a competition or sparring match. This counter strike could permanently blind a real opponent, so it should only be used in life or death situations.

Tips & Warnings
To make sure you have the movements correct, perform these techniques slowly and increase their pace when you're comfortable with them. Practicing in front of a mirror can help you perfect your form. All the instructions are for a right hand dominant individual, for a left hand dominant individual simply reverse the placement of the hands and feet. The literal translation of Liu is carry. This works in concert with the Pon technique. While the Pon technique is a block in which the user drives forward, the Liu technique pulls back and carries and opponent’s strike inward to slow and stop it. Because of this the Liu technique block and counter strike is used as a follow up to a Pon block.

How to Do the Pon Technique in Tai Chi

Well that's about it for Aikido, at least the useful stuff anyway. Now I'd like to segue into a useful combination of block, counter, light attack, and finishing attack I've found to be both simple and useful. It's from Tai Chi Chuan, the whole series is called Pon, Lu, Ji, Ang. I'll be posting one of these moves each day for the next four days. I hope they're helpful, or at the very least entertaining.

Tai Chi that we know today is actually a short form for the phrase Tai Chi Chuan. It is a very old form of Chinese martial art whose founder is unknown. Because of its age multiple schools of Tai Chi have inherited separate styles of the same martial art. It is what is called an internal martial art in that its movements are fluid and circular, seeming to flow rather than move. This is opposite to external martial arts which use direct and abrupt movements. Most people know Tai Chi as the slow movements people perform in parks and yards. These are actually the training forms of Tai Chi Chaun; the fighting style meant to be used in actual combat is much faster, though it is comprised of the training form moves. It is so prevalent because many people believe that practicing the training forms is effective in promoting good health and longevity. It's also effective as a form of mental focus or meditation. There are four main techniques or styles of attack and defense: Pon, Liu, Ji, and Ang. A Tai Chi martial artist can pass from one style to the next depending on the situation he/she finds him/herself in. This guide will teach you how to use the Pon style.

Using The Pon Technique
Step 1:
Begin by taking a half step forward with your left foot just as an opponent throws a direct punch or kick aimed to the face or chest. Put your weight on your forward foot. Your hands should be at your sides to start with.

Step 2:
Draw your right hand straight up to shoulder height as you step. At the same time begin to pull your left hand up and forward. Your left hand should be horizontal at all times, making a flat bar with your lower arm. Remember in Tai Chi movements of the hands and arms appear to begin with the wrist, as if it were pulling the rest of the arm along. This creates a flowing look that is the hallmark of Tai Chi.

Step 3:
Bring your left arm up horizontally to block, at the same time pull your right hand down so that your palms brush each other before taking their finishing positions. From the attacker’s point of view it will appear as if your arms create a framework. You will have correctly completed the technique up to this point if you appear to have made this framework.

Step 4:
Your left arm should deflect an opponent’s strike upward, while your right fist sits about a half foot behind the other arm. This gives you the immediate opportunity to block a follow-up attack, or to counter. Because all your body’s weight is on your forward foot you also have the opportunity to strike your opponent in the knee or shin with a short kick from your rear foot.

Tips & Warnings
To make sure you have the movements right, perform these techniques slowly and increase their pace when you're comfortable with them. Practicing in front of a mirror can help you perfect your form. The literal translation of Pon is frame. This is a defensive technique reliant on countering an opponent's strike. It takes its name from the manner in which the user's hands move apart, creating the appearance of a framework or picture frame. All the instructions are for a right hand dominant individual, for a left hand dominant individual simply reverse the placement of the hands and feet.

How to Perform a Kokyunage Against a Hook Punch

Did an especially long series on the Kokyunage given how useful, easy to perform, and versatile they are. Hope you like it.

Step 1:
Allow your opponent to approach you and begin to swing his fist toward the side of your head.

Step 2:
Step inward toward your opponent and turn to the side so that you begin to move past him/her. You will want to move to forward and to your left if your opponent attacks with his/her left fist and move forward and to the right if your opponent attacks with his/her right fist. As you step in and turn grasp your opponents arm with both hands. One hand should be latched on above the inside of the elbow, and the other below.

Step 3:
Switch your grip as your opponent finishes the swing and begins to be drawn around following you so one hand is grasping his/her elbow and the other is on the top of his/her opposite shoulder.

Step 4:
Pull your opponents arm inward toward your waist and push his/her shoulder out and away from you continuing the momentum of your opponent’s hooking punch. The corkscrew spin you’ve pulled your opponent in will drive him/her down to the mat unharmed.

How to Perform a Kokyunage Against a Bear Hug in Aikido

Performing A Kokyunage Against A Bear Hug

Step 1:
Allow your opponent to approach you from behind and wrap his arms around your upper body, pinning your arms to your sides, locking his hands together at the center of the chest.

Step 2:
Raise your lower arms to pull on your opponent’s arms slightly and take a quick step forward. Your opponent’s hold will be weakened and he will be pulled forward and off balance.

Step 3:
Take an open stance with your right foot back and your left foot forward, forcing your opponent to face your back at an angle and loosening his hold while bending him forward.

Step 4:
Plant your feet and twist back with the right side of your body, arm, and shoulder. Conversely twist forward and downward with the left side of your body. This motion will force your opponent dangerously off balance and cause him to fall or roll off to your left side. You can aid this fall by swinging your left arm inward and forward to pull your opponent’s arms along too.

How to Perform a Kokyunage Against a Lapel Grab

In Aikido there are many forms of attack and defense, a common one being the Kokyunage. Kokyunage literally means “Breath Throw”. It is a defensive throw involving many unrelated techniques that depend entirely upon the position of the attacker and his chosen method of attack. Aikido is loosely translated as “The Way of Harmonious Spirit” and is considered a grappling form of combat. Aikido is a form of Japanese Martial Art developed in the early 1900s by Morihei Ueshiba, also known as Kaiso, meaning “founder” or Osensei, meaning “Great Teacher”. Morihei Ueshiba originally based his martial art off of Jujitsu, but did not like the fact that the many throws and joint locks that Jujitsu used did serious permanent harm to the person subjected to them. He instead created a martial art which was designed primarily for unarmed self defense which did as little harm to the attacker as possible while still disabling him. He came up with a form of combat that allowed one to redirect the energy and momentum of an opponent’s attack and use it against him. In this guide you will find instructions on how to perform a Kokyunage against a lapel grab by an opponent.

Things You’ll Need:
Practice Space

Attacker

Defender

Soft Mats to Cushion Falls

Performing A Kokyunage Against A Lapel Grab
Step 1:

Allow your opponent to face you and grab you by the front of the shirt or uniform with one hand.

Step 2:

Take a sharp step back with the foot corresponding to the side of the body that has been grabbed. Simultaneously bring up hand outside of your opponent’s arm and press the top of your wrist below the thumb into your opponent’s wrist. This will trap the arm and pull him forward, raising his center of gravity.

Step 3:

Sweep the wrist of your other hand down following the line of your opponent’s shoulder down to the junction of his elbow. Press down hard just below the junction of the elbow with your forearm while pulling your opponent off in the direction he is facing. This will be either to your left or your right.

Step 4:

Hold onto your opponent’s arm with both hands and guide him across and down. He will roll forward and land in his back. You should still have a hold of his arm, putting you in a position to subdue your opponent if he attempts to continue fighting.

Tips & Warnings
In Aikido the one initiating contact is known as Uke and the one responding to contact is known as Nage. Thus most of the techniques in Aikido include the term Uke or Nage to indicate whether the move is used as an attack or a response to an attack. All of Aikido’s teachings involve the interplay of Uke and Nage, similar to Yin and Yang.

In sparring matches it is the responsibility of the person completing the lock or throw to ensure that his/her opponent lands safely and unharmed. For that reason it is important to follow through with each throw and guide your opponent all the way down to the mats rather than dropping him/her.

How to Perform Kokyu Ho in Defense against Ryote Kubi Duri in Aikido

Aikido is made up of many throws and grappling joint locks, each corresponding to a particular form of attack. The philosophy behind this martial art is that both the defender and attacker should be moving in concert. To do this requires a great deal of work and practice for the defender as he must identify his opponent’s attack and respond with the correct defense. Here is a guide on how to perform a Kokyu Ho in response to a Ryote Kubi Duri or “Both Wrist Clench”. The defender, known as “nage”, meets the attack from behind, is grabbed by the wrists, and twists, grabs hold of the attacker “uke’s” arm, and opens wide his own arms, ultimately forcing his opponent to drop to the ground or be throttled by nage’s extended arm. This wide armed look is where this move takes its name. The literal translation of Kokyu Ho is “Breathing Light”. It incorporates moves very similar to a breathing technique in Reiki which goes by the same name.

Things You'll Need:
Practice Space

Attacker

Defender

Soft Mats to Cushion Falls

Performing Ryote Kubi Duri-Kokyu Ho
Step 1:
Allow your opponent to approach. He will do so as fast as possible, angled as if he were running past you. He will snag one of your wrists on his way past and spin around behind you, grabbing the other to complete the Ryote Kubi Duri. Make it difficult for him to attempt anything else by hunching forward and pulling your hands in together toward your pelvis. This will force him to widen his stance and press up against your back, which is exactly what you want him to do as it allows you more control and room to move.

Step 2:
Pull your hands apart forcefully, squaring your shoulders as you do so. Raise your upper arms out to the sides slightly to stress your opponent and make movement a little easier. Raise your hand above head height, out to the side so your upper arms are roughly horizontal with the ground.

Step 3:
Turn in a complete 180 clockwise. As you do so, curl your hands inward and away from your attacker’s hold to make further movement easier. In order to turn you will have to bring your right arm down to your side and your left arm up over your head, similar to a dancer attempting a pirouette.

Step 4:
Complete the turn, threading your right arm past your waist, circumnavigating your opponent, and extending it forward and to your right. Simultaneously thread your left arm forward, past your opponent’s chest and face, to extend forward and to your left. When it is at rest, your left arm should be at full extension, the back of your elbow pressing directly against your opponent’s throat. Your opponent will be unable to stop you as all these movements are well within your capacity despite the fact that he is holding your wrists.

Step 5:
Press the back of your elbow with steadily increasing pressure against your opponent’s throat, forcing him to tip his head up and back. At the same time pull your right arm out to the side. Your opponent’s grasp of it will force him to push forward, directly into the obstruction of your left arm. Sharply push both arms up and out to the sides as hard as you can to trip your opponent and force him backward to fall on his back or rump, completing the technique.

How to Perform an Irimi Nage Defense in Response to a Yokomen Uchi Strike in Aikido

Here is a guide on how to perform an Irimi Nage or “Opening Throw” in response to a Yokumon Uchi or “Side of the head” strike. This throw is commonly used at the outset of an engagement to let your attacker know you are able to defend yourself and will harm him if he continues to persist in his aggression. It's also an opening throw in that it redirects your opponent's momentum in a different direction to allow you more space to move and maneuver.

Things You'll Need:
Practice Space

Sparring Partner

Padded Floor Mats

Performing an Irimi Nage
Step 1:
Face your opponent head on, roughly three to four feet apart. Keep your weight on the balls of your feet and widen your stance so your legs are at shoulder width. Your opponent should approach directly with two long steps raising his right hand high and bringing it down in a diagonal strike aimed at the left side of you neck.

Step 2:
Sidestep both to your right and forward while keeping your torso directly facing your opponent. By doing this you avoid the immediate contact of the attack. Your opponent’s natural inclination will be to follow through with the side swing of his arm, pivoting as he does so to try to connect with your body.

Step 3:
Meet the swung arm with both your hands, slowing the swing. Roll your hands over and around your opponent's arm to push it from behind. Doing so will cause your opponent to twist his upper body to cope with having his arm being forced further around than he'd intended.

Step 4:
Step in behind your opponent’s right shoulder while his body is twisted with the follow through from the attempted Yokomen Uchi. Latch your left hand onto the top of his right shoulder and clamp your right arm on the back of his right elbow.

Step 5:
Sidestep to the right again, this time twisting your upper body in a counterclockwise motion while pulling. As you plant your feet the momentum of your body will act like you were swinging your opponent around, throwing him backward behind you. Release your hold at the appropriate moment to send him tumbling in a backward roll, successfully completing the Irimi Nage.