Science of Combat | Bringing Reality to Self Defense

What is Explosive Power?

by Hafidz Hamid | 17th November 2018 | Science of Combat

Explosive Power simply means an ability to exert a maximal amount of force at a minimal of time. It is also described as a quick outburst of energy in a short duration of time.

This can apply in many areas, such as throwing punches, kicks, field sports, court sports, cycling, cleaning, clapping push ups and more.

WHAT is an explosive technique?
An explosive technique means delivering a sudden, quick, snapping motion or springlike motion attack then immediately retracting the attacking tool after the launch of an attack. Attacking tool can be a punch, kick, a stick or any tools used to deliver an attack.
The peak force of an effective and explosive technique is at the “Point Of Contact”, but the force of an ineffective punch BEGINS from the delivery and loses its power by the time the arm is fully extended.
WHY do you need explosive power in our punches & kicks?

Explosive power saves you a lot of energy and time to get a job done.
Explosive punches decreases stress and muscles tension while helping you to preserve strength to achieve efficiency.
Explosive training increases training frequency, due to its relaxed and outburst of energy nature. You can do more punches and kicks without feeling tired easily, as training frequency is important for the registration of muscle memory, the development of strength, and building lean muscle.

HOW & WHEN will I be able to obtain skills to deliver an explosive technique?

Like anything else, practice, practice and practice, but Practice with awareness. Aware about your entire body posture and movements. As high reps WILL NOT IMPROVE your explosivity.
Always remember your goal is not to achieve exhaustion but explosiveness.
Play Motivational Music while you are training.
Relax your mind, and your body will automatically be loosen up. When your mind is relaxed, your muscles will be relaxed as well. Only then you are able to deliver a sudden outburst of energy, which we call Explosive power.
Use imaginations together with your training to practice explosive techniques. Imagination such as, the time you use explosive energy to perform certain tasks. Tasks such as cleaning, performing a smash in Badminton, and jump scare a kid or someone behind a door. All these tasks shares the same attributes, put these experiences in your mind when you are practicing your punches or kicks.

USE OF GRAVITY AND ELASTIC ENERGY TO ACHIEVE EXPLOSIVITY

Human muscles are build with elasticity. You can stretch your muscles to some extent, then it will also restore to its original state. Muscles can perform at its peak when they are loosened, this is called elastic energy. This energy allows human beings to perform rapid movement and perform explosive techniques.
To build elasticity of the arms and spine, our body need to be fully relaxed, then only we can move our upper body like a spring. The elasticity in our upper body uses the strength coming from the lower body to generate speed and power.
Traditional martial artist have mentioned that, “Strength comes from the ground, transferred to the ankles, to the legs, and then being controlled by the hips.” Then from the waist, it transfers the energy to the upper parts of the body. This means that the waist functions as the central axis that connects the lower body with the upper body.
When the muscles, joint and ligaments are loosened, it will be stretched downward by gravity. At this point of time, the body weight shifts to the lower body and stores in the foot. The amount of energy stored at the foot increases by straightening movement and the bending of the knee. This explains why weightlifters push their feet to the floor to shift their power to the upper body when they lift a heavy barbell.
To learn more about elastic and explosive punches and kicks, PM us on our FB page:Urban Street Defense to attend our workshops or weekly classes.

Why is Footwork the key skills to self-defense?

by Hafidz Hamid | 9th September 2018 | Science of Combat, Self-Defense

LAW OF FRICTION
If we understand the physical principle of how we can walk and run, then you will understand the need to have proper footwork & strategies in any self-defense situation, whether to attack, defend or to escape from an attack “EFFECTIVELY”.
Our body moves according to the Friction force and action-reaction principle. We can’t walk on the ground fast if there isn’t any friction force.

FAST AND POWERFUL PUNCHES ARE INEFFECTIVE IF….

I don’t care how fast or how powerful you can throw a punch, if your legs don’t move, you can’t use that speed and power effectively to the target.
The faster your legs move, the faster your hands can move and the faster you can escape from a dangerous situation. The more you tensed up your legs, the more restricted your hands & movement will be.

FOOTWORK AS YOUR VEHICLE

Footwork is like a vehicle, it delivers you from Point A to Point B. Without footwork, it is as if you have started your car engine and your legs are always on the brakes, therefore your car won’t move, and you won’t be able to get to your destination at all.

THE DELIVERY

If your posture is restricting or minimizing your movement or footwork. Then the only way to deliver your fast and powerful punch is when your opponent steps into or near to your zone. In other words, the only way for you to meet Point B, is when Point B comes to your destination. However, during a street an attack, you may not be facing only a single opponent. What if there are multiple opponents wanting to attack you at the same time. Are you able to launch an effective counter attack to multiple person at the same time? Are you able to move quickly to an angle whereby you can face one opponent at one time? Are you able to effectively escape?

QUESTIONS RAISED…

Some of my previous students asked why are their footwork & techniques seemed to be so restrictive, slow and making the same mistake repeatedly.
My answers to them are:
Everything begins with your mindset. The more tensed you are mentally, the more tensed your body will be. If you are in a hurry to learn something, your body will automatically be tensed up, therefore restricting your learning curve.

SET YOURSELF FREE

When you set yourself free, then your mind will absorb like a sponge, and you will be able to freely express yourself through your movements & skills. (To understand further, read my article titled: Relaxation = Power)

TECHNIQUES PRACTICE IS A DAILY ROUTINE, IT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT IS DONE DURING A WEEKLY LESSON.

Practice is a daily routine. How much time you spent on your daily practice will reflect on your skills. We don’t come to classes to practice what we have learnt last week, instead we come to classes to learn new things. Practice should be done at our own time after the class. When we were in school, teachers give us lessons during class, and give us homework to “practice” “at home”. Students do not do their homework during class, as this will slow down their progress.
Learning is a very personal experience, one needs to experience themselves through practices in order to find their way. Once we have acquired a skill-set, nobody can take it away from us.
For More questions related to the above article or other inquiries, kindly contact us via our Facebook page at this link: Urban Street Defense FB

Relaxation = Power (3 States of the body before, during & after a Combat)

by Hafidz Hamid | 8th September 2018 | Science of Combat, Self-Defense

Three States of the body before, during & after a combat

In the Western world, most fitness programs, culture and sports focus on developing your muscle strength and stamina to increase performance. The bigger your muscles, the stronger you are. However, there is something missing, which is the inner physical state -relaxation.

A WHIP
If you know how a whip generates power, then you will start to realize there is a much more efficient way to increase power in your punches, palm strikes and kicks. Same goes to a rubber band, when we were kids back then, we like to use rubber band to inflict pain upon other kids. How can such a small and “seemed” harmless rubber band cause pain to someone? If you understand the theory of elasticity, you begin to realize the more elastic your hands and feet are, the faster and more force you can generate.

We have come to the most interesting part of this article.

Before a person performs an action (e.g. Get ready to Punch or kick), the person’s body will force itself to be in “a state” or “a condition” whereby it can inflict maximum damage to the opponent.
That “State or Condition” will be explained in 4 different states.

THE FIRST STATE

The First State is Tensed & Active, where the muscles are all tensed up and ready to perform a certain action at any point of time. This can happen, before an attack, during an attack and after an attack is launched. When someone is in this state, they may feel that their actions are often restrictive(by their own body), easily tired and lack of explosive energy.

THE SECOND STATE

The Second State is Relaxed & Inactive, when there’s no actual physical need. E.g. after launching a powerful attack, a person feels tired, and have no more intention to attack. OR when the person is standing on their ready stance but have no intention to attack.

THE THIRD STATE

The Third State is Relaxed but Active, this is a higher physical state, the potential release of power in a relaxed body. In this state, someone appears to be in state two, relaxed, but has explosive ‘nuclear’ action at his disposal. This is a state of alertness. Getting to this state of mind & physical readiness means you need control and understanding the first two states first. The good news is, everyone can be in this state before, during or after an attack.
Before: Getting ready to explode the energy on the opponent.
During: Performing an explosive punch or kick on the opponent.
After: After launching an explosive attack, we are back to the Third state means we are ever ready to launch another explosive attack anytime, feeling less restricted our body, less tired, and less energy being used.
Most people are stuck in state 1 and 2. In state one, too much tension and restriction blocks the free flow of energy. You are unable to move or perform your punches, kicks or footwork efficiently & effectively. But it’s not going to be like “Tofu/豆腐” either.

In order to train yourself to enter the Third State, a lot of practice is needed. You need to train your muscle when to relax and when to tense and return back to the relaxed state again in a split second.
Although relaxation is the key to generating power, your ultimate goal is to prepare your body for a state of alertness.

For More questions related to the above article or other inquiries, kindly contact us via our Facebook page at this link: Urban Street Defense FB