How to Hurt a Guy Permanently

This technique is not taught in any self defense or martial arts manual that I know of. It was performed by a friend of mine when he was attacked by 5 men at once when he was out delivering pizza one night during my college attendance in Orlando. I happened to have been present because it was near the end of his shift and we were going out to a friend’s house afterward. Please keep in mind my very good friend (who prefers to remain nameless) grew up in inner-city Philadelphia and was attending college on a wrestling scholarship after having been the captain of both his middle school and high school teams. He could’ve disabled his opponent without doing him harm, but was disinclined to do so as he’d just had the side of his skull cracked in with a set of brass knuckles. As you can imagine he was a little angry at that point. I would liked to have presented a series of graphics for each step of this technique but can find nothing remotely approaching this online or off.

This is a defensive move performed in close quarters which will permanently cripple or kill your opponent, so unless you want to spend the rest of your life in jail it had better be a life threatening situation.

Step 1:
Step forward to your opponent’s right so the exterior of your right shoulder is in line with the right side of your opponent’s neck. Your chest should be pressed against your opponent’s at a slight angle as the two of you are not exactly standing face to face.

Step 2:
Grip your opponent’s right wrist with your left hand to prevent him from striking you with it. Snake your right arm forward over the top of your opponent’s right shoulder. Essentially your armpit should be placed over the top of the shoulder next to the neck with your arm hanging down over his back.

Step 3:
Reach your arm down across your opponent’s back to grip the inner curve of his left elbow, holding it back so he’s unable to drive his left arm forward. This is not so much to prevent him from attacking as it is to prevent him from catching himself in the next few steps. Just to recap, the back of your upper arm should be pressing hard against the back of your opponent’s neck while your hand tightly grips his left elbow and pulls it up and backward.

Step 4:
Place your right foot firmly atop your opponent’s left foot. Turn your toe outward to your right so the arch of your foot straddles his foot as high up near the juncture with the ankle as possible. Place your entire body’s weight on that foot to pin your opponent’s leg in place.

Step 5:
Fall straight backwards, keeping your right foot in place for as long as possible as you do so. Do not let your legs bend or bend forward at the waist, you want to impact with as much weight and momentum as possible, though you might tilt your head forward so as not to crack the back of it against the ground. Prior to your back a striking flat against the ground, drive your elbow back toward the ground, pressing your opponent’s head forward. If performed on a soft surface this technique may not be lethal, though it will still be crippling. If done on stone, concrete, or pavement then it will most likely kill.

Explanation:
There are two things which these steps do. The first involves placing your weight on your opponent’s foot. Because you are falling backward you’re pulling your opponent forward with you. Typically when falling forward the heel rises before the toes do, it’s just how we’re built. If this is prevented from happening by pinning the foot, the next joint up the leg will bend instead. In this case we’re talking about the knee. The only problem is the knee doesn’t bend forward, but it will when your own body’s weight combined with that of your opponent’s is multiplied by the acceleration of gravity. Essentially it shatters the knee, bending it 90 degrees in the wrong direction.

Let’s look at the placement of the arms now. First by pushing your opponent’s arms back he is unable to break his fall and is pulled along with you. Because your right arm and shoulder is pressing against the back of his neck his head is forced forward, making his forehead the principle point of impact upon falling, combining your body weight with that of your opponent’s. One of two things can happen depending on the degree to which the head is forced forward. If it is forced forward so far that the majority of the crown impacts squarely then the shock will travel down the skull and either fracture or break the bones of the neck. If the forehead impacts at an angle it will cause the front of the skull to crack open. In the instance when I saw this done it was the latter of the possibilities which occurred.

As the injured party had no witnesses, what with his thief friends running off at the sight of blood, it was me and my friend’s word against his. What’s more he was still wearing the brass knuckles when the police showed up, which just so happened to match the indentations in my buddy’s skull. Furthermore my friend had the pizza order which explained his presence in that neighborhood; the thug didn’t live anywhere nearby. The friend had a nasty egg on his head for about a week and the doctor’s refused to believe he’d retained consciousness throughout the entire episode, but the matter was quickly forgotten, likely due to a concussion in my friend’s case. He soon decided to work in a much safer line of work; campus security. He was about the only non-military student who worked in that department, having proven himself by flooring half a dozen of the other ROTC candidates for the job. He got paid much better and had police backup on call, though he saw less action in that job than he did delivering pizzas.

How to Perform a Samurai Karate Sacrifice Throw Against a Yokumon Strike

This guide will explain how to perform a Sacrifice Throw or Satemiwase against an open handed side chop referred to as a Yokumon.
Instructions

Performing a Sacrifice Throw Against a Yokumon Strike
Step 1:
Allow your opponent to close the distance with you to striking range and attack with a Yokumon strike. This will be a horizontal chop with a palm open to the sky that comes in from the side and is aimed toward the neck.

Step 2:
Step inside of your opponent’s swing angled to the side opposite of your opponent’s strike. Swing your arm from the midline of your body upward and outward to land against the opposite side of your opponent’s check and jaw. The point of impact should be a few inches down from the elbow of your arm. Note that this strike is not meant to hit hard, though it can if facing someone actually intent on doing you harm.

Step 3:
Press that arm down and to the side, in so doing forcing your opponent’s head down and forward into a bowing position. Roll that arm around so that the inside of your elbow rather than the outside is pressed against your opponent’s neck. Clamp your arm securely around your opponent’s head to put him in a headlock.

Step 4:
Slip other arm under your opponent’s arm, the one which your opponent did not strike with, and lock elbows. Pull that arm up as high as you are able to elevate one side of your opponent’s body, both immobilizing him and forcing him off balance.

Step 5:
Sweep one of your feet against your opponent’s leg, the one closest to your body. Drop down and allow your back to straighten as you do so to safely fall to the ground, forcing your opponent into a kowtowing position to end the move. For those unfamiliar with the term, kowtowing is kneeling, bending forward, and placing both the forehead and hands against the ground in supplication. If you were facing a real attacker rather than practicing with a sparring partner, you can perform a slight variation which will be more effective in stopping an attacker. Instead of sweeping your opponent’s leg out from under him, you can anchor his leg in place by pressing the arch of your foot against his ankle or knee. This way the bone will break when you fall backward.

Tips & Warnings
Yokumons were known for being very dangerous as the chopping strike was aimed at the side of the neck and could result in spinal damage is successfully landed. The defense is called a Sacrifice throw because it requires that the defender drop to the ground alongside the attacker, sacrificing the advantage of standing with one's feet on the ground.

An interesting aspect of most sacrifice throws is how, by making only a slight alteration, a throw can run the gamut between safely dropping an opponent to the ground and killing him outright.

Most any technique in Samurai Karate has the potential to be very dangerous to both the attacker and the defender. For that reason take the utmost care when practicing this martial art, preferably under the watchful eye of a trained instructor.

How to Perform a Samurai Karate Choke Defense Against a Sword Strike

While this defensive choke was originally designed to counter an overhand sword swing, it's also quite effective against an opponent using a club or striking with a bare fist.

Step 1:
Allow your opponent to step toward you and begin to stab at your upper body and swing his weapon in an overhand strike.

Step 2:
Sidestep and step inward toward your opponent as his/her attack begins to let the attack brush past you. You must sidestep in the direction which places you outside your opponent’s range of attack, meaning his arm is past you and you are pressed at an angle against his back.

Step 3:
Lower your body at the knees in order to get the top of your shoulder underneath of your opponent’s arm. When pressed against your opponent the top of your shoulder should be wedged underneath your opponent’s armpit.

Step 4:
Wrap that arm up and around the front of your opponent’s collar. Do not worry about holding onto your opponent with this hand, which is not its purpose. Instead your arm should be wrapped around your opponent’s chest, terminating on the opposite side of his neck. Ideally the side of your arm just a few inches about the wrist should be pressed into his neck.

Step 5:
Grab the wrist of your arm with your other hand and pull both arms toward you to place pressure on the side of your attacker’s neck.

Step 6:
Press the foot of the leg furthest from your opponent firmly against the back of his heel to sweep his leg off the ground. Fall onto your side as you do so, pulling your opponent down with you onto his back. As you fall, increase the pressure against the side of your opponent’s neck as much as you can, twisting with the arm crossing the front of his chest. Make sure to hit the ground so that the upper portion of the arm wrapped around the back of the neck lands flat. If done correctly the force of the impact against the ground combined with the pressure you’ve exerted will break your opponent’s neck.

How to Defend Against and Disarm an Opponent Thrusting with a Spear or Staff using Samurai Karate

Despite what TV and film would lead us to believe, the samurai weapon of choice was not the sword, but the spear. The sword was a back up weapon to be used when the spear was finally splintered or destroyed. Because of this, Samurai Karate, a form a Karate developed by the Samurai class as a last-ditch unarmed self defense, focused a great deal on defending against and disarming a spear wielding opponent. Here is a guide on how to do just that. This technique is primarily practiced by martial artists and proponents of Samurai Karate. But there are modern day circumstances in which this technique can be of use. It is effective against any weapon thrust toward you that can be grasped without cutting oneself. For that reason one can use this method as a defense against attackers using makeshift weapons such as clubs, baseball bats, and pool cues.

Defending Against a Thrusting Attack
Step 1:
Allow your opponent to approach with staff leveled at you. In order to thrust properly your opponent will take a stance which faces you sidelong. Your own stance should appear no different from that of someone casually standing. Try to keep your weight balanced between both your feet.

Step 2:
Push off with your foot and sidestep just as your opponent begins his thrust and turn slightly to face him. When you sidestep, make sure that you step in the direction which keeps your front facing your opponent’s front. In other words if your opponent were turned to the side with his right foot at the front, which is most likely for a right handed person, you would want to step to your immediate right. This places the staff between the two of you.

Step 3:
Grasp the with your left hand out toward the staff’s head and your right hand gripping the staff’s shaft in between your opponent’s hands.

Step 4:
Push your right hand part of the staff down while raising the left hand part of the staff, using your opponent’s right hand as a fulcrum. This will force your opponent to lower his body in order to maintain hold of the back end of the staff.

Step 5:
Take a step back with your right foot, pulling the staff with your as you keep tilting it to wrench the back end of the staff out of your opponent’s right hand. Your opponent should still be holding onto the staff with his other hand.

Step 6:
Raise the right side of the staff and lower the left side of the staff in an opposite of the motion of step 4. Take a step forward with your right foot and bring down the right side of the staff in an overhand diagonal strike against the upper shoulder or lower neck of your opponent. Simultaneously yank back the left hand side of the staff to pull it out of your opponent’s hand. This motion, combined with the strike, should be sufficient to knock your opponent onto his back. In this was you have defended yourself and disarmed your opponent.

Tips & Warnings
This article is written under the assumption that the defender is right handed. If you are left handed then switch the indicated placement of your right and left hands and feet.

To avoid both harm to you and your sparring partner it is important to use a blunted staff or other item in lieu of a spear. Also both you and your partner should move at half speed to help prevent mishaps. A hard strike from even a blunt weapon can result in broken ribs or internal bleeding.

How to Defend Against an Attacker Holding a Knife to the Throat using Samurai Karate Seiza Technique

Before I begin explaining how to defend oneself should an attacker hold a knife against your throat while standing behind you I would like to make myself abundantly clear that such a technique, as well as any other defensive measure used when deadly weapons are involved, is a last ditch effort. If there is the slightest chance that you will come away unharmed if you cooperate with your attacker and give in to his demands then by all means do so. This technique, like any other of its kind, is not infallible and may result in your injury or death should you fail to do it perfectly or with sufficient speed. For that reason I'm explaining the steps one takes in this sitting position Samurai Karate defense measure purely for academic purposes. Those who study martial arts may find it educational, nothing more.

Step 1:
Begin by taking up a Seiza sitting position directly across from your opponent. Do this by kneeling down and sinking down to sit on the backs of your heels. Posture is very important so keep your back straight and place your hands at the tops of your thighs, elbows sticking outward. Your opponent should be behind you.

Step 2:
Allow your opponent to approach you from behind and place his knife against the front of your throat. For the purposes of this article we will assume your attacker is right handed. Simply reverse the instructions if your attacker is placing his arm over your left shoulder instead of the right.

Step 3:
Clamp your left hand over your opponent’s knife hand, pulling the hand down and pressing it hard against your collarbone to immobilize the knife.

Step 4:
Cup the elbow of your opponent’s arm in your right palm, pushing upward and forward. This should push your opponent’s arm forward enough to pull him off balance and give you an opening.

Step 5:
Rise up onto your right foot, keeping your left knee pressed against the ground. Push your opponent’s arm up and over your head toward your other shoulder while twisting your entire body to face him. Simultaneously bring your opponent’s knife hand, still locked in your left hand, down to the level of your left hip. The twist will force your opponent forward and down as it will lock his arm provided you maintain a firm grip with both hands.

Step 6:
Exert pressure on your opponent’s wrist and the back of his elbow to force him face-down to the ground. If you are performing this move not as practice, but in real self defense, continue on to steps 7 and 8 to neutralize your opponent and prevent him from being a further danger to you or others.

Step 7:
Maintain your grip on your opponent’s knife hand with your left hand. Hold the arm immobile with your right hand while pressing your attacker’s knife hand inward toward the inside of the wrist. Continue to do so until you head a loud pop. This will indicate that the wrist has either been broken or dislocated.

Step 8:
Reposition your left hand to be further down on your opponent’s arm, just below the wrist. Form your right hand into a vertical blade and bring it down hard onto your opponent’s arm, an inch above the exterior junction of the elbow. This will break the elbow, rendering your opponent unable to attempt further harm to you or others.

How to Defend against a Reverse Punch Using the Samurai Seiza Technique

Here is a guide on how to defend against an opponent attacking with a backhanded (reverse) punch or jabbing with a dagger.

Defending against a Reverse Punch or Stab
Step 1:
Begin by taking up a seiza sitting position directly across from your opponent. Do this by kneeling down and sinking down to sit on the backs of your heels. Posture is very important so keep your back straight and place your hands at the tops of your thighs, elbows sticking outward. Your opponent should be in a similar position, though for the purposes of self defense any sitting position will do.

Step 2:
Allow your opponent to rise up to his knees in preparation for a backhanded stab or punch. As he/she begins to pull back in order to strike, rise up to your own knees.

Step 3:
Shift your weight onto your left knee and push off with your right foot, spin your body back and to the side so you are now sitting sidelong to your opponent with your left side closest to him. Simultaneously reach out to guide your attackers strike forward past you, in the direction where you used to be sitting.

Step 4:
Grasp your opponent’s wrist firmly with both hands and twist his arm in a semicircle from your right to your left side. As you do so, put your body weight onto your right knee and push off with your left foot to turn and face the other direction. Doing so will generate sufficient leverage to pull your opponent forward and twist his body so he will fall forward, landing on his back. Do not release his arm as you are not finished.

Step 5:
Bend your opponent’s arm at the elbow forward and to the left to force your opponent to twist onto his belly, facing the floor. Reposition your body so that your knees are close enough to touch the shoulder of the arm that you are grasping. With his arm twisted and held completely vertical, your opponent is at your mercy. This is the point in a sparring match at which you would stop. For self defense purposes, if you were genuinely attacked, you would continue on to step 6.

Step 6:
Grasp your opponent’s arm firmly by the wrist in your off hand. Cup your main hand over the back of your opponent’s elbow. Exert sharp force toward you with your main hand and push forward with your off hand to snap your opponent’s arm. Finish your opponent by striking with an open-handed chop to the back of the neck.

How to Defend Against a Choke with the Seiza Technique

Seiza is the Japanese word for “Proper Sitting”. It is the at rest position which was traditionally assumed by the Samurai class. According to Bushido, a Samurai was expected to be a warrior both able and ready to defend himself and others from attack at all times. But there was a problem. It was considered very rude for a samurai to retain his sword in many friendly indoor situations. To this end a form of self defense martial arts was developed based on Karate, going by the unoriginal name of Samurai Karate. A large part of Samurai Karate was defending oneself while in the Seiza sitting position against unexpected attack. While Samurai Karate included many different defense scenarios, the specific group of moves also going by the name of Seiza, was of particular importance. Here is a guide detailing how to defend against an opponent who is attempting to choke you from behind while you are in the Seiza sitting position.

Defending Against a Choke While in the Seiza Position
Step 1:

Begin by assuming the Seiza sitting position. Drop down onto both knees, keeping them spaced a few inches apart and sit down on the backs of your feet. Place your palms on your upper thighs and keep your back straight.

Step 2:

Allow your sparring partner to approach you from behind, wrapping his/her left arm around your throat and locking it into place by grasping the inside of the right elbow. His right arm should be bent completely at the elbow, fist raised, in order to exert as much pressure on the throat and ensure you are unable to get out of the chokehold. Despite what you may think, as you opponent is standing and you are seated you have an advantage. Because your opponent is forced to bend forward and down to choke you, he is standing in a more unstable position and is holding you less securely than he thinks.

Step 3:

Grasp the wrist of your opponent’s left arm with your right hand. In order to wrap his arm around your throat, your opponent’s left arms should be bent at a right angle. Seat the outward jutting point of your opponent’s elbow into the cup of your left hand.

Step 4:

Push upward with your left hand while keeping your right hand containing his wrist firmly pressed against your right collar bone. As you push upward, also push off with your right leg, rising to place your right foot on the ground. This will give you the necessary leverage to pivot your body using the left side of your body as the axis. Pivot back and to your right to get your head of the choke and simultaneously force your opponent’s twisted arm forward. You should still be grasping his wrist in your right hand, pressed close to your collarbone, as well as his right elbow, which is now bent forward at an uncomfortable, though undamaging angle.

Step 5:

Pull your left hand down and to your left to bring your opponent down, it will help to bring him over your upraised right knee. From this position and the manner in which you are holding his arm, he should be flat on his face and unable to offer any resistance. For sparring purposes this is as far as you should take this technique, but as a method of self defense in a life threatening situation, continue on to step 6 in order to ensure your opponent will not attempt to renew his attack.

Step 6:

Ensure you have a strong hold of your opponent’s elbow in your right hand. It should be placed somewhere over your left hip area. Release the attacker’s wrist from your right hand and hook your elbow underneath your opponent’s lower forearm. From this position you have the leverage to dislocate the attacker’s shoulder by jerking both your arms upward sharply.

Tips & Warnings
While it is unlikely you will find yourself in the Seiza sitting position on a normal basis, the technique described can be easily modified to accommodate defending oneself from a more contemporary sitting position. However martial artists intent on learning and practicing Samurai Karate as a whole will wish to practice the described unmodified technique.