KerwinBenson.com Hidden Gems of Martial Arts

An interesting martial-arts combination

Kidney Punch Addition -- Ouch!

Here's a small little jaunt through my convoluted brain -- my quirky thought processes:

I was thinking about the fact that I am a predominantly vertical puncher. I feel as though the position offers lots of benefits. But that's not the focus of this article ...

I was thinking about all of my punches ... wondering when I use a horizontal punch.

One of the times that my punch turns palm down is on a kidney punch. So, then I started thinking about my kidney punches ....

A lot of the time that I kidney punch from the opponent's side or to the rear, I seem to grab the back of his or her head by the hair.

One hand grabs the hair and my other hand punches at the opponent's kidney.

Hmmm, why do I grab the hair some of the time and not at other times? It has something to do with the position of my hands. If my hads are forward, and one happens to be raised to chest level or above then I am more likely to go for the hair.

When my hand is already close by, I grab for ... well, an object close by. It makes sense.

Glad we got that out of the way.

Now, let's see ... do I grab the hair and then punch the kidneys, or do I punch and then grab? Or maybe I grab and punch at the same time ???

Kidney Punch Experimentation

Awhile later ....

Yes, just as I thought ... there are different uses for different timings.

If my opponent punches and I pass it, then I am more likely to punch first and THEN grab.

If I have already executed a technique, and I have already grabbed the hair, then I would punch the kidney as my opponent tries to wiggle out of my hair grab.

As I said different timing for different uses.

Now, I am off to figure out what exercise I practiced that made this hair grab in conjunction with a kidney punch so automatic.

Maybe you could devise your own exercise to link the two techniques.

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