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A fight can be broken down into three phases, the striking phase, the grappling phase, and the ground-fighting phase. Real fights will quickly end up on the ground, unless within the striking phase you either knock out or deter your opponent sufficiently from continuing the fight. These phases of combat are useful in thinking about where your strengths and weaknesses lie within your training and knowledge. A karate or kung fu person will be strong in striking techniques and weak in grappling and ground fighting. Conversely, a judo, aikido, or jujutsu person will be strong in the grappling and ground-fighting phase and weaker in the striking phase.

The striking phase is where you are standing up and mobile. You are not in constant contact with your opponent, but you are attempting to throw strikes against each other. You may attempt, particularly if your strength is in a grappling art, to transition from this phase to the grappling phase while avoiding being hit as you try to close the distance. If you are more of a striking specialist, then you might maintain at a distance to continue fighting with strikes. The striking phase can be sub-divided into two ranges: kicking range where you are too far to easily hit with a punch but can reach with your longest weapons, your legs; and punching range where you can hit with jabs, crosses, hooks, and uppercuts.

In the grappling phase, you are close to your opponent and possibly have him in a clinch. From this range, you can throw close range striking techniques such as knee or elbow strikes. You can attempt to transition to the ground phase by using a throw or some other takedown. If you are a striking specialist, then you might try to break any hold that your opponent has on you so that you can return to the striking phase.

In the ground fighting phase, you are on the ground in contact with your opponent. In this position, you can attempt to acquire a submission hold such as an arm lock or choke hold. It is possible to use strikes such as punches, elbow strikes, and knee strikes during ground fighting, particularly if you are in a dominant position such as a mount or a side control position.

All attacks and defenses have their optimum operating range. For an opponent that is far from you, your best attacks will be kicks because your arms will not be able to reach. As opponents close in on you, they will come into your punching range. Closer than that, and you are into grappling range from which you can use your shortest ranged strikes using your elbows and knees. From there, some form of a takedown move will lead you into the ground fighting phase and again another different range for your techniques.

Which technique you use will depend on the proximity of your opponent. So it is important to bear this in mind when training so that you can think of appropriate situations and applications for these moves.

An attack to any part of the body can cause pain and even injury to your opponent. Hit a particular target area, and your attack will have been even more effective. The martial arts have a number of target areas that are attacked. These are particularly vulnerable areas of the body where an attack will be even more devastating. In general, attacks to these target areas can cause injury, loss of consciousness, or even a fatality.

Crown - A strike to the top of the head, for example with an elbow strike, can cause unconsciousness.

Eyes - A finger jab to the eye is one of the most devastating attacks. Even just feigning to the eyes will cause a reaction. Even a slight strike to the eye will cause temporary or even permanent blindness.

Temple - The skull is thinner at the temple. A strike here can result in disorientation or unconsciousness.

Nose - Striking the nose, especially from the side, can cause a painful break and will make the eyes water, reducing vision. Striking upwards under the nose will lift the head allowing for follow up attacks. A heavy strike may cause cartilage fracture.

Ears - A strike to the ear can cause disorientation and pain. This is particularly effective if done with a flat hand. A heavy strike can cause damage to the inner ear.

Jaw - A hit under the chin will lift the head allowing for follow-up attacks. A heavy blow can result in a knockout. A strike to the side can lead to a broken jaw.

Throat - Applying pressure to the throat using a chokehold can restrict breathing, which will eventually lead to unconsciousness. A heavy strike to this area can crush the windpipe leading to serious injury or death.

Carotid Artery - A strike to the side of the neck can cause pain and can have a stunning effect. A heavy block can result in a knockout.

Clavicle - A strike to this bone can cause it to break, causing pain and disabling the arm.

Solar plexus - A strike to the solar plexus will wind an opponent by causing the diaphragm to spasm making it difficult to breathe.

Floating Ribs - A heavy blow can result in broken bones.

Kidneys (by attacking the back) - A strike to the kidneys causes pain. A heavy blow can cause internal injuries and death.

Elbows - An arm lock can be applied by hyperextending the elbow.

Forearm - A strike to the forearm mound can cause pain and numbness in the arm.

Wrists - A hyperflexing wristlock can be applied by bending the wrist beyond its natural range of motion.

Fingers - The fingers are very fragile. Small joint manipulation can be very painful.

Groin - A strike to the groin, whether a knee, a kick or even a punch will cause intense pain.

Stomach - If the muscles are tense then this normally has no effect. A strike against an opponent who either is not ready or hasn't got strong muscles can knock the wind out of them.

Thighs - A strike to the thigh, for example with a kick or knee strike, will cause pain and will disrupt an opponent's stance. A heavy blow or repeated blows will cause an opponent to collapse.

Knees - A strike to the kneecap can result in a dislocation. A strike to the back of the knee, for example with a roundhouse kick, will disrupt an opponent's stance and can cause a loss of mobility.

A useful concept to have in mind during your training is the line of attack and defense. When you are facing your opponent, as a beginner, you are likely to only move forwards and backwards in line with your opponent when attacking and defending. As you progress, you can start coming off the line. This is a useful technique for avoiding attacks completely and letting your opponent go past you so that you can then place an attack on the side of their body. To start with, they may not be defending in that direction. Being light enough on your feet to move around fluidly and to change your line will make you a more difficult target for your opponent, while potentially increasing your chances of a successful attack of your own.

Martial arts use numerous repetitions of techniques in their training regimen. The idea is that this will then help you to have reflexive actions to attacks in order to block or take advantage of openings. There are a few stages that you can work through as you try to develop these reflexive responses:

1. Slow and predictable~to ensure that you understand the move and that you are performing it accurately.

2. Fast and predictable—now that you naturally execute the move correctly, you can speed the action up and train towards performing accurately at speed.

3. Slow and predictable with a partner—this time you practice the move, while your partner works with you by supplying the attack that you are blocking or by defending against your attack.

4. Fast and predictable with a partner—now that you have mastered performing the move at a slower speed, you can work with your partner to practice the move in a simulated live environment.

5. Slow and unpredictable with a partner—Now you can work towards mastering this move in a more unpredictable environment by working with your partner in a more freestyle format. Here you can vary the timing of the moves and also use combinations to put the move you are practicing within a sequence.

6. Fast and unpredictable with a partner —This is ultimately what you are aiming for and is the closest simulation to real life. Here you work with your partner at full speed.

There are number of basic combat techniques that are used throughout the later chapters in this book. They often form part of the starting position for numerous moves described in this book. For this reason, they are described here in detail.

While in the striking phase of combat, you need to remain mobile so that you can attack or avoid attacks. The fighting stance is useful for ensuring that you position yourself so that you can do just that.

• The legs are slightly bent and relaxed. You want to be as light and as mobile on your feet as possible.

• You should stand on the balls of your feet, as this enables you to move faster than if you were standing in a flat-footed position.

• Your upper body should be angled roughly sideways on to the direction you are facing. This makes it more difficult for an opponent to land an attack squarely onto your body. This position should mean that any blows directed to that area are more likely to be glanced off.

• You should keep your arms in front of you ready to strike, to block attacks, or to grab your opponent.

• Your leading hand should be slightly more raised than your rear arm. This way you can use your front arm to deflect or block any incoming attacks to the head.

Make a fighting stance by standing with your left foot about a half step ahead of your right. To maintain mobility, try to keep your weight more on the balls of your feet rather than on your heels. Place your right fist alongside your chin, with your elbow pointing down and protecting your ribs. Keep your right fist in front of you at head height.

Usually right-handed fighters will stand with their left leg forward and left-handed fighters will stand with their right leg forward (which boxers call “southpaw”). Some martial arts encourage the ability to use either side interchangeably.

An alternative form of the fighting stance uses a low guard. The forearm of your leading arm will act as a defense against attacks thrown at your body and ribs. So make sure that your elbow points downwards to enable this. The high guard is usually used in situations where it is a priority to protect the head, for example in full contact fights such as Boxing and MMA where a head strike can result in a knockout. The low guard is more common in competitions where defending the head is less important, for example in WTF taekwondo or kyokushin-kai karate where head punches are not allowed or in other styles of karate where attacks to the body score equally to attacks to the head.

The basic grip is useful when in the grappling phase. This grip is a way of holding your opponent as you prepare to then execute another move. It is commonly used as a starting position for throws. It allows you to respond to attacks from your opponent and also to initiate throws of your own.

The basic grip is only useful if your opponent is wearing a garment suitable for grabbing, for example a heavy weight jacket like the judo training uniform. In judo, gripping techniques are called kumikata. If their clothing doesn't have sleeves, you can hold onto their wrists. However, if they don't have anything to hold onto near their neck then it can be difficult to find a strong enough area from which you can execute a throw.

Stand with your right leg forward. With your left hand, grab your opponent's right sleeve. With your right hand, grab the lapel of your opponent's jacket. You are now ready to initiate your next move.

Note that in this position, your opponent's arms and legs are still free and so they are able to attack you. This is fine if you are just practicing throws or are in a judo fight where strikes are not allowed but in other situations you will need to transition quickly to a more secure position like a clinch.

A clinch, also known as a tie-up, is a hold used in the grappling phase of combat to control an opponent. A clinch is used to stop an opponent from moving away or striking effectively and can also be used as a precursor to a takedown. The simplest clinch hold is the single collar tie.

The double collar tie is commonly used in Thai boxing, so much so that it is often called the Muay Thai clinch. It also sometimes called the necktie or plum position.

CHAPTER THREE