JKD & BJJ P4

For the JKD portion of practice we started with punatuken (3 strike drill) using the jab, cross, and lead hook. Jack then explained the workings of the four P's of perception, pain, pressure, and punishment. I try here to recreate Jack's lesson:

Perception

Also known as the preliminary analysis where we observe our opponent and try figure out what they are going to do. For example:

• Stance: Is this a boxer or a wrestler?
  
• Hands: Do they have a weapon and how are they going to swing?
  
• Mr. Murphy: What are the unknowns and how is it going to bite you in the @$$?

This is also the point where we initiate a feeling out process.

Pain

In order to do anything with an attacker we must inflict pain, that is, do something to make them less worried about doing bad things to you and more worried about why it hurts so bad. For example, if you stub your toe the entire world disappears except for the pain in wounded digit. The same principle works in a fight be it in the street or the ring. In Jeet Kune Do there are two primary reactive ways for doing this:

• Interception uses strikes to the body and extremities when your are attacked. We did this two ways today, the first was off the haymaker by slipping and jabbing. The second used leg kicks to stop the high line punching of a boxer (see King Arthur Williams versus Alexey "the Red Scorpion" Ignashov in K-1). Interception requires a high level of skill and athleticism to pull off.
  
• Destruction breaks your opponent's strikes upon your "defensive" weapons. Elbow destructions pick up punches so rather than simply covering you destroy your foes fist. A knee destruction uses the tip of the knee (the distal portion of the femur) as a protruding target against the shin. A targeted and brutal version of the thai leg cover. Although destruction still demands athletic reaction, it is a little easier to pull off than interception.

Pressure

The straight blast and transition to trapping/clinch/HKE (Head butt-Knee-Elbow). The straight blast theory is that

1. You can run faster forwards than your opponent can backwards.
   
2. Someone running backwards cannot adequately defend themselves.
   
3. Therefore, throw a torrent of chain punches down the centerline while trying to sprint through your opponent.

This means that you deny your opponent offense by securing overwhelming domination and retaining it with aggressive forward pressure.

Punishment

Once they stop backing up and the distance closes we transition to trapping and deliver a devastating "extreme dirty boxing" arsenal of head butts, knees, and elbows. This component still has forward pressure but is the "reward" for the first three steps. We use our fight ending tactics now that we have reasserted our dominance.

For the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu portion we worked three passes from the half-guard position. Strong head control is essential, one way to obtain this is to free the distal portion of the jacket and loop it under your opponent's arm and the securing your head control grip to the kimono here. Try to crush their head between your shoulder and forearm.

"Key in the Lock"

You are in the half-guard. Slide your free knee next to your partner's hip. This arm obtains head control. Your other (trapped side) controls your partner's far pant leg at the knee. Work your trapped leg foot toward your partner's butt, freeing as much of your leg as possible. Push on your partner's knee and wiggle your foot free (like a key in a sticky lock). If this doesn't work place your free shin over your partner's near shin and apply pressure, opening the half-guard.

Opposite Side Knee Escape

If your opponent denies you the above escape or moves their hips away from you slide your trapped knee to the mat on the far side. They will try to block your knee so underhook and use the "Itsybitsy Spider" to move their arm superiorly. Your head posts next to and superiorly to their head on the side you were on originally. Use your free foot to hook inside the thigh and leverage our your trapped foot. If this does not work, free your head control arm and place the elbow on the far side of their face, drag your forearm across their neck and face, turning their head. This will help open their half-guard.

Same Side Knee Escape

The above two have failed or the position has changed. Retain your underhook and pop your trapped leg knee to the side your originally started on. Grab their free arm at the elbow and make a same side post with head. Use your free foot to push/kick their half-guard off.

Should your opponent attempt the "Lockdown" ("Jiu-jitsu Unleashed" (Eddie Bravo) pg. 29) where they triangle your leg (inside leg is straight) your have two options:

"Tee Kay Vee"

Kick posteriorly then superiorly. That is, bend your knee and then straighten in a rising motion toward the ceiling. In other words, heel kick your butt and the kick to the sky.

Trapped Knee Lock

Retreat and stand. Place your trapped foot flat and then push their knees flat to the mat.

I did several hard rounds focusing on aggressive points and submissions. Kiko gave me some good advice for Pan Ams:

• Get hot (i.e. warm-up and have a solid sweat broken)
  
• Stay relaxed.

It don't get simpler and more correct than that.