MASTERCLASS PRO takes our Masterclasses to the next level.
Learn how to take the individual self defence techniques and strikes you in our Masterclass feature and merge them into natural and effective combinations in MASTERCLASS PRO.
Study how you can mix and match different upper and lower body strikes, with different ranges and angles of attack.
This MASTERCLASS PRO covers:
DOUBLE ELBOW STRIKE, continuing with; DOUBLE FOREARM STRIKE, finishing with DOUBLE KNEE STRIKE TO THE GROIN.
Scenario: This combination is designed to simultaneously protect and attack against a single or multiple circular (non-weapon) hand attacks towards your head - or as preemptive strikes against an attacker getting close (within arm reach) of you. The aggressive impact from the elbow strike towards the face or upper torso (if attacker is much taller) is expected to move the attacker backwards, opening up for a double forearm strike towards the throat, neck or face and moving the attacker off balance backwards, before kicking very rapidly twice to the groin with the knee to exploit the widening up of the groin area from the backwards movement.
HOW TO DO THE DOUBLE ELBOW STRIKE
This is a simple close range and very powerful bursting in movement where your head is protected by your arms and hands and your striking point towards the aggressor’s face or upper torso (height-dependent) is the outside pointy part of your elbow joints.
This strike is designed to move really close to an unarmed opponent whilst delivering a devastating strike ideally aimed at their face in order to continue with further strikes or just to create distance to escape.
Your follow-up strikes will be determined by the ferocity of your double elbow strike, the physics of the impact and the backwards movement of your opponent in terms of distance. It could be close range elbows, a medium range hand strikes or medium range to longer range kicks. In this case the next double forearm strike is a closer range attack.
This double elbow strike can be a solution to someone starting with hard-to-block multiple circular hand strikes towards you to get safely on the inside of the punches, or as an in-fight solution where you want to get really close to use further strikes or just to create space and time by sending your opponent back. It can also be done as you land forward after a groin or front kick to protect your head whilst changing the range to close-quarter fighting with elbows or head butts.
These strikes when done correctly covers your head in the transition of range from medium-to-close whilst delivering a massive strike to the face of the opponent upon contact. It’s one of the fiercest strikes in our Krav Maga repertoire.
If you start from a passive or defensive position (SEE MASTERCLASS: CAMOUFLAGE STANCE), hands are up and in front of, but further away from your face. Elbows are slightly bent and your legs are on a line.
If you are already engaged in the fight and moving (SEE MASTERCLASS: FIGHTING STANCE), your hands are up and in front of you and your feet are shoulder-width apart with your front leg only a small step in front. You are well-balanced with knees slightly bent for maximum explosive mobility in your lower body. Your back foot has the heel slightly elevated.
From this position, step forward (if in fighting stance with your front leg, by pushing off with your back leg).
As your body and head start to move forward, slam your hands with your palms facing downwards onto the back at your head in the position where the pointy parts of your elbows are both straight in front of your eyes.
Make sure the elbows are joined together (no space) and your palms are locked onto your head at the top or the rear (not the side) so they don’t move backwards upon impact, absorbing the energy rather than putting it into the target.
Do not look down or lower your head unless the opponent’s face is slightly lower, so to connect with the pointy part of the elbows and not the flatter outside of the forearms. The latter will significantly reduce the impact of the strike. If the opponent is taller than you and the connection is onto their upper chest, there is still some pain and expect the opponent to still move backwards from the impact.
The arms and hand position around your head will offer protection against head butts or circular punches as you close the distance to the target.
Upon connection, immediately drop your hands down in front of you to regain visibility and to continue with further strikes or to control your opponent via grabbing.
Pictures: The double elbow strike is a very aggressive and devasting strike, especially if delivered to the face.
HOW TO DO THE DOUBLE FOREARM STRIKE
Immediately after the impact of the double elbow strike, drop your hands down from your head and in front of you and send your shoulders and arms forward and outwards as you turn your bony outside part of our forearms towards the attacker with your elbows low and fingers outstretched.
This movement should cease when you have no forward mobility left in your shoulders, with the open palms facing each other and approximately shoulder width apart, creating a triangular shape with an opening at the top. The shoulders, elbows and wrists and the entire arms should be rigid, creating two solid symmetrical striking objects.
Aim your arm matching the attacker’s striking hand to connect near to their wrist with the outside bony part near to your wrist. The connection point will however be determined by the angle of the attacker’s arm, if striking towards you. If no strike is forthcoming, the movement becomes a safeguarding motion only without actually striking anything. This is irrelevant to you, as you cannot know if a strike is coming and if so in what exact angle; you just aim to design the biggest possible tool (your forearm) to block/strike back with.
Simultaneously, aim the other forearm with a slightly lower (more parallel to the floor) angle to connect on the throat at the larynx, just below the jawline. If it connects by design or by a lowering of the attacker’s chin onto their face, this is effective too.
The forward movement of your body can be aimed towards either side if attacker, with your head slightly lowered and ending up with the head close to the attacker’s shoulder to create the biggest possible distance away from any edged weapon either in the hand or being accidentally released from the hand by your strike.
The double forearm strike is commenced by the shoulders, not by stepping first - as moving a smaller body part (shoulders and arms) are faster than the full body (by stepping). Only step forward if you lose balance forward as you strike. If so, try to land forward with the foot matching the aggressor’s striking hand, leaving your opposite leg behind, centred onto the attacker and available for further strikes (such as the knee strike to groin).
Expect an effective double forearm strike to move an opponent backwards on impact, so if your tactics are to continue with further strikes, continue your forward motion by running forward. This forward motion will also put your opponent off balance, ensuring that their cognitive priority is temporarily shifted onto rebalancing and not fighting.
As you move forward maintain the forearm connected with the throat or neck in place, pressing it forward to keep the attacker’s head back into an uncomfortable position. It will also press the larynx down onto the arm as you continue with the further strikes to the groin, causing more pain and difficulty to breathe.
Picture: The double forearm strike in action. Simultaneous defence against a circular hand strike as well as an attack. The angle of the attacking forearm determines the contact point, e.g. throat, neck or face. Stay connected by moving forward to deliver the knee strikes to the groin.
HOW TO DO THE DOUBLE KNEE STRIKE TO THE GROIN
Firstly, the term is a slight misnomer. You are not actually striking with the knee itself. Aiming the knee(cap) towards the groin area is essentially pointing a small striking surface against a (sorry, guys) relative small target. It’s not an optimal choice, especially if the groin moves slightly backwards, leaving the strike off-target.
The knee strike is done with the lower to mid quad area, meaning any groin movement either backwards or forwards is catered for by their longer upper leg being the total striking surface.
Secondly, this is a very close range strike. In upper body comparative terms, it’s on elbow striking range, maybe with a small step forward to penetrate deeper with the strike. Do not attempt a knee to the groin strike at any longer range, you’ll miss or connect with the lower abdomen of the target. (Here it’s better to kick with the shin; see the MASTERCLASS: KICK TO THE GROIN. - I see as lot of self defence instructional videos where the knee to the groin is trained or done too far away or too high up, meaning the strike either goes into empty air or hits the belly of the attacker. Use to right strike for the right range).
Thirdly, any strike to the groin is an effective and painful strike, IF the opponent can feel pain and not limited by substance intoxication that cancels sensory reception in the brain. If so, limit yourself to one strike and move to other self defence options such as attacking sight, balance or breathing more.
With your other foot forward and close to the opponent’s foot, execute the knee to groin strike by powering the movement through your hips. This is the generator of the motion. Target to put your kneecap underneath and behind the opponent’s groin, connecting with the groin with your lower to mid quad area.
There is no need to lift your knee up (unless the opponent is significantly taller than you), just drive the quads forward through your hips at a height where your (relaxed, downward facing) toes are either in slight contact or near-contact with the floor.
As you connect, ‘dig’ the quad into the groin, then quickly recoil the leg back into a balanced position, on the same line as your other foot, before stepping slightly forward with your base leg again and repeat the same striking motion. Breathe out on all strikes.
Picture: Drive your knee into the groin. Recoil back to same line as base leg, make small step forward and repeat strike.
Further strikes are then available if needed. See our MASTERCLASSES and MASTERCLASS PRO for options.
Find all our MASTERCLASS PRO articles by clicking on the theme selection on the website home page. Chose MASTERCLASS for individual strikes and techniques.
Thanks... the pictures really helped too 😀