Out like a Light!: old world bare knuckle boxing for modern day self-defense 4047691748, 1549846434

Table of contents :
Copy right
Dedication
Part I: Doctrine
Why Bother?
Fight or Flight Reflex:
Strength and Skill: how they impact your training choices:
Turning What You Got, Into What You Need:
General Points for Self-defense Mind Set and Training:
The Rules
Rule 1: Don’t Die
Rule 2: Let it flow and Let it go
Rule 3: Move
Rule 4: Position First
Rule 5: Strike hard, run fast, hide well
Rule 6: Push, Pull or let it go
Rule 7: The other guy doesn’t plan on getting beat up either.
Rule 8: There are no Absolutes
On control
The Scale of Time:
Stop Hit
Time Hit
Counter Hit
Defend:
The means of control
Bridging:
Voiding:
The Scale of control:
Check:
Trap:
Lock:
Part II: fundamental tools
Stance work:
Stance Alignment
Movement within a Stance
Foot work check list:
Hand work check list:
The Guard:
Presented guard:
Refused guard:
Part III: Tactics
Tactic: Drawing
Tactic Feint:
Tactic: Second Intention
Tactic: Inviting
Tactic: Base disruption:
Tactic: (in)Chancery
Part IV: Drills and Techniques
Technique: Straight and cover
Variation 1: Glance Inside
Variation 2: Glance Outside
Drill: 3 counts
Drill: collapsing and expanding
Technique: Rag Doll
Technique: Root and Boot
Technique: Provoke the Charge
Technique: Flinch and Flail
Technique: Wedging Inside
Designing your own techniques:
3 phases of technique:
Phase I: Ambush (Don't Die)
Phase II: Duel (Position First)
Phase III: Destroy/Disengage (strike hard, run fast or hide well)
Sample technique template:
Supplemental information
Notes on striking:
Targets:
Points and Flats:
Points:
Flats:

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Copy right Copyright © Travis D. Brown, 2017 All rights reserved No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored, introduced into a retrieval system, transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording or otherwise) without the prior written consent of the copyright owner.

Dedication To all the true students of the martial arts. Those who tirelessly seek, study, suffer, share and debate. Not for their own glory but for the betterment of us all. To Dale, best of friends and most loyal of students. Nothing this school has been or will be would be possible without your unfailing dedication. And a special thanks to my mother, who I’m pretty sure doesn’t understand my fascination with the martial arts. In spite of this, she has never failed to support me in my pursuit of them and for that I am eternally grateful.

Content Copy right Dedication Part I: Doctrine Why Bother? Fight or Flight Reflex: Strength and Skill: how they impact your training choices: Turning What You Got, Into What You Need: General Points for Self-defense Mind Set and Training: The Rules Rule 1: Don’t Die Rule 2: Let it flow and Let it go Rule 3: Move Rule 4: Position First Rule 5: Strike hard, run fast, hide well Rule 6: Push, Pull or let it go Rule 7: The other guy doesn’t plan on getting beat up either. Rule 8: There are no Absolutes On control The Scale of Time: Stop Hit Time Hit Counter Hit Defend:

The means of control Bridging: Voiding: The Scale of control: Check: Trap: Lock: Part II: fundamental tools Stance work: Stance Alignment Movement within a Stance Foot work check list: Hand work check list: The Guard: Presented guard: Refused guard: Part III: Tactics Tactic: Drawing Tactic Feint: Tactic: Second Intention Tactic: Inviting Tactic: Base disruption: Tactic: (in)Chancery Part IV: Drills and Techniques Technique: Straight and cover Variation 1: Glance Inside

Variation 2: Glance Outside Drill: 3 counts Drill: collapsing and expanding Technique: Rag Doll Technique: Root and Boot Technique: Provoke the Charge Technique: Flinch and Flail Technique: Wedging Inside Designing your own techniques: 3 phases of technique: Phase I: Ambush (Don't Die) Phase II: Duel (Position First) Phase III: Destroy/Disengage (strike hard, run fast or hide well) Sample technique template: Supplemental information Notes on striking: Targets: Points and Flats: Points: Flats:

Part I: Doctrine Doctrine: a codification of beliefs or a body of teachings or instructions, taught principles or positions. The Doctrine of the Crossing Path school is based primarily upon the notion of civilian self-defense. In the Crossing Paths system, we distinguish between 4 broad categories of potential student. While general principle is universal, each have their own unique needs and require a different approach to the combat arts[1]: 1. Soldiers 2. Law enforcement officers 3. Prize (competitive sport) Fighters 4. Civilians Since we are primarily concerned with civilian self-defense we will be concerning ourselves principally with the civilian point of view. So, you may be thinking, what is the difference? For starters, Civilians, in general, do not have an occupation that allows time and resources for constant combat training as part of the work day[2]. This means that a civilian’s studies are often constrained by how much time and money they can “free up” and put towards training. Secondly, since civilians tend to function in a world where combat is an unlikely occurrence, day to day, they are more likely to be caught unaware and unprepared when it does occur. Because of this selfdefense is more likely to involve a host of negative factors that the civilian will be forced to deal with. This makes for a defensive engagement where: surprise is likely, support is not, weapons/armor are limited and a general mismatch of

size and strength exists between attacker and defender[3]. These factors are important to keep in mind as they provide a basis for many of the views put forward in Crossing Paths doctrine. Furthermore, doing so may help you understand why these factors disqualify many of the popular sport, military or professional “styles” of combat from contention for the average civilian’s self-defense. Not because those methods do not work, or because we believe our system is in some way inherently better than everyone else’s, but rather because these approaches are simply unsuited to the resources possessed by the average civilian student[4]. I know many will disagree with this based on their success in sport of even war but it is a mistake to assume that what works well in one arena will automatically translate just as well to another. While it is true that the fundamental principles of combat can be extracted from any solid system, how you train, your actual methods and the amount of emphasis you place on a given approach to combat can and should vary according to your specific needs. Remember, systems are shaped by their intended use and environment[5]. The approach a system takes to handling such environmental factors is the primary means of determining a systems usefulness to the individual student. In contrast, anecdotal evidence, such as: how well a system may have worked for a different person, in a different place, doing a different job and against a different threat make for a good story but ultimately mean very little[6]. As a civilian your goals and resources are just different from the military, law enforcement or sport fighter community[7]. Put in perspective, your goals should shape how you fight and as a civilian: you don't have to take and hold anything, you don't have to win points or capture the bad guy. Your goal is survival, plain and simple,

and while this gives you more options for "winning" than your typical military, law enforcement, sport fighter or any other professional combatant it can, and often does, handicap you in other ways. Some of the key differences lie in: Reduced Awareness: while military, law enforcement and sport fighters often deal with a higher mean level of actual threat/competition they also have the advantage of knowing they are preparing for a fight that is likely to happen on any given day. While this doesn't preclude them from being ambushed it does mean they are typically better prepared and that their response is often quicker as they are well aware of the possibility, for immediate violence. In contrast, a civilian’s threat level, while less likely overall, is constant. The combination of a constant but simultaneously unlikely threat often leads to apathy and a general lack of awareness which in turn leads to a disregard for proper security protocol among civilians. Support: Civilians cannot count on getting any help[8]. They cannot call on additional firepower or support, as with soldiers or law enforcement. Furthermore, any people traveling with a civilian are more likely to be untrained liabilities, whose presence often makes a situation more difficult to control. In contrast military and law enforcement have with them, or can call, trained persons capable of backing them up in a beneficial manner. Sport fighters get around this need all together by having an opponent who agrees to meet on equal terms at the onset Weapons and Armor: both Law and pragmatism greatly limits what the civilian can carry day to day in terms of proper weapons and armor. In addition, the need to conceal any armor or weapons, for the sake of legal compliance and social pressure, insures that a civilian’s weapon deployment will almost always be slower and their armor

less complete and/or resistant than that of a professional in the same situation. Hesitation: uncertainty of threat and whether the use of force is justified is greater for a civilian. Often the need to give strangers the “benefit of the doubt” allows threats to get well within the civilian’s ideal defensive distance before defensive action can be adequately justified. As such a civilian, often doesn't have the luxury of using distance to its full advantage. This naturally leads to requiring a system which is proficient at closer ranges[9]. Side note: While none of these issues are exclusive to civilians. They tend to have a greater impact on civilian’s due to a lack of training and experience. This lack of experience often leads to decisions being made too late to be viable. Conversely, Civilian self-defense does have a few key advantages over military, law enforcement and sport combative systems: What constitutes a win? Civilians are not burdened with the duties of a military or law enforcement officer, you are not bound by any obligation to keep the peace or defend the country. You do not have to take objectives or destroy enemies, you do not have to contain bad situations or capture criminals. Unlike sport fighters you do not have to win points, knock out an opponent or force them to submit. As a civilian, you simply have to survive and as such, you can avoid, negotiate, fight, run and/or hide in any manner that achieves that goal. Travel: By the very nature of their jobs military personnel have to go into war zones, law enforcement officers have to interact with criminals and sport fighters have to enter into arenas where a fight is certain. Civilians don't and a big part of self-defense is knowing, understanding and applying that simple concept to daily life. In short,

if you stay away from bad people and out of bad places you go a long way towards not finding yourself in a bad situation. Sometimes trouble will come looking for you but you don't need to meet it halfway! Threat: Specifically the perception of you as a credible threat by the bad guy. The threat of an armed, armored, well-conditioned and trained military or law enforcement personnel is pretty obvious. The possibility that a well-conditioned, trained sport fighter might be able to put up a hard fight is equally so. But often the potential threat of a trained civilian is less evident, our training is less apparent (no uniforms or equipment to signal it), our conditioning is often less visible or even lacking and our weapons, if any, are usually concealed. As such, the civilian tends to present a far less obvious threat, to the common street predator. If properly trained, this can potentially translate to a much greater chance for you to surprise the aggressor.

Why Bother? All too often, a civilian’s day to day life experience can make it easy to dismiss the need for self-defense skills. Many acknowledge the benefit of having such skills on a superficial level but the actual need for them remains an abstract concept. The threat simply is not real enough to create any sense of urgency within them. For most people, herein lies the greatest obstacle to acquiring real self-defense skills, apathy. On a logical level, most people are at least somewhat aware of the potential dangers this world offers. Despite this, most will still tend to file them away under the category of “things that happen to other people”. For most, I imagine this is largely done in an attempt to avoid the fear that usually goes along with such knowledge[10]. The unfortunate reality is this: bad guys don’t choose their victims from some lottery pool of “other” people[11]. We are all entered in this lottery drawing whether we choose to acknowledge it or not. Accepting that no one is exempt from this “violence lottery “and that sooner or later it maybe you is the first real step towards embracing self-defense training. Of course, humans are stubborn creatures and this same lottery analogy provides many of us with another convenient excuse for not preparing. After all, there are 7 billion other potential targets on the planet. You live in a safe neighborhood, those type of things never happen there and most importantly, it has never happened to you before so it probably never will, right? Add all these things together and you are often left with one of the most puzzling and frustrating mindsets I have ever encountered as an instructor. The hallmark of this mind set tends to be some

variation of the following statement “I don’t need self-defense because I refuse to live in fear”. The allusion inherent to this statement is that self-defense training produces an overly fearful and paranoid person. In truth, nothing could be farther from reality than attempting to frame a student of self-defense as unreasonably fearful or paranoid[12]. There is nothing more responsible and prudent than a person taking the time to properly prepare for a situation, that while rare, is potentially life changing if not life ending. Anyone who fails to see the pragmatism in that way of thinking should consider how many violent beatings, sexual assaults or murders they are willing to endure before it becomes too many? Excuses are weak, it takes courage to acknowledge and then face a potential challenge[13]. There are few decisions more certainly inspired by fear than choosing to stick your head under the covers and hope, desperately, that the boogey man takes someone else tonight. This is why a responsible person will choose to prepare for self-defense rather than making an illogical, weak and cowardly argument against it.

Fight or Flight Reflex: In my experience, one of the biggest turn offs to self-defense training for many people is the belief that you have to be a "fighter" in order to be any good at it. Often times this idea helps to dissuade many from seeking training who otherwise see the need to acquire selfdefense skills. Of those that do make the attempt, many quickly become frustrated with an environment where they are constantly berated for not being more aggressive or flinching when things fly at them[14]. For many, this frustration will transform into a belief that they are simply not a fighter. and that they will just have to take their chances and hope something doesn’t happen to them. The good news is that while this view is strongly held in many parts of the martial arts world it is fundamentally based in arrogance rather than reality[15]. Much of this arrogance is derived from a fundamental misunderstanding of the often mentioned "fight or flight" reflex. While it is beyond the scope of this book to rehash the mountains of data out there on this phenomenon[16]. I would like to point out a few key things for you to consider: 1- Fight or Flight is a primal reflex, it is not emotional. There is no real use in attaching concepts like brave or cowardly to it. Both are viable survival responses and as such equally valuable. 2- Advantage or disadvantage is found in proper use of your reaction and not in the inherent nature. A wise fighter will cultivate their nature first, to cover the immediate need for self-defense. Then, confident in their ability to handle any immediate problem, the student can take the time to explore the other side in order to provide themselves with

additional options and increase their understanding of the art as a whole. 3- When genuinely pressured or surprised, Fighters “press in” meaning they aggressively seek to engage the foe. Flinchers, on the other hand, seek to create space and better determine what is going on. The choice is largely instinctive and, for better or worse, most people have little choice in it. So, it is important that you understand your own nature and train to use it to best effect. 4- In those moments of primal fear you will move based largely on your own inherent nature. So rather than forcing yourself into someone else's mold, a better approach is to take your nature, meld it with solid principle and doctrine, and perfect a style that suits you. 5- Both fight and flight can be developed into either skillful application or bad habit. You must study so that you understand the differences and expand your understanding beyond simple notions of good or bad. 6- Awareness can take us out of this primal instinct and into a less emotionally driven level of thinking. Understanding this can help shape the training for immediate action vs. training for the more conventional fight that may follow. 7- Tailor training to take advantage of what you do instinctively. These motions come prepackaged by nature to make you fast and strong. You don’t need to change them[17], you need to hone them.

One last thing, without substantial training you will not overcome your core instincts. So, for people with limited time and interest it is a far better use of your time to work within your preset habits rather than trying to override your natural instincts. In the Crossing Paths school, we don't like to think of either option as superior to the other. Given the connotations most people associate with the terms fight and flight we find that it is often useful to change the terms when explaining the idea to new students. To that end, we tend to reimagine the archetypes as disruptors (fight) and trappers (flinch). In terms of combat tactics, Disrupters, as the name implies, are great at disrupting an attack by creating pressure and quickly forcing their opponent out of offense and into a defensive mind set through use of aggressive counter attacking. Conversely trappers who learn to use their flinch reflexes towards combat are great at creating space and then using it to trap overly aggressive opponents. Seen in this light, both reactions then become viable combat strategies, devoid of negative connotations.

Strength and Skill: how they impact your training choices: If you have spent much time around martial artist then you may have heard some variation of the this: “size and strength don’t matter if you have skill”. This sounds great if you are typically the smaller or physically weaker person in the fight but unfortunately this saying is a half-truth, at best. The reality is that physics count! They count every time and, despite what certain cartoon characters might imply, you cannot ignore them. No amount of training, however well thought out, can provide a full proof answer for being 6 inches shorter and 70 pounds lighter than your foe. This is exactly the reason why most competitive combat systems have weight classes. This is also why many systems that are technically good[18], may still fail to meet your personal need for a successful approach to selfdefense. The difference between can work for someone and does work for you is an important distinction for the potential student to comprehend: A system is a product of its creators, environment and situations it was designed for. The mix of all these factors can lead to a system that is genuinely effective for some people in some environments/situations but still lacks what you personally need to be effective. You see, most combative systems were designed by warrior’s[19]. As such, there is a natural tendency for these systems to apply principle from the stand point of a young, well-conditioned, naturally aggressive and experienced combatant[20]. To be fair, this is exactly what a good system should do. After all, making use of what you have is simply good sense at work.

Where the problems tend to arise is when these professionals attempt to teach the unmodified system to individuals who lack many of the necessary “warrior” qualities without first clarifying just how important those qualities are to the overall effectiveness of the system. While skill certainly can be a game changer, it is not a “magic bullet” that will assure success against all comers. The simple truth is this, skill requires the physical tools it is built around in order to function as an effective equalizer. Often times this important reality is left out of the sells pitch when a teacher is attempting to promote their system to potential a student[21]. This oversight can lead to students being matched up with a system that, while functional in its overall potential, is just the wrong approach for them. The discouraging results that typically follow[22] when combined with the doubt that arises from constantly being told just how effective the system is can lead many sincere students to believe the fault is theirs alone. This, in turn, can lead many new students to throw in the towel as there just isn’t much they can do about getting bigger. Of course, you can work out, and that certainly will help, but the problem here is twofold: First, there are definite limits to conditioning based on your relative size and even within these limits you are further restrained by time and resources. Real conditioning requires substantial time and commitment to a serious workout regimen. The typical civilian is not a professional fighter and may not have that kind of extra time available. Second, and even more importantly, no amount of work on your part precludes your potential opponent from doing equal or even superior work in turn. If they started out bigger to begin with then they simply have greater genetic potential for raw physical strength than you ever will.

So where does this leave the student? If you can’t out power them now and you can’t train hard enough to out power them later. What can you do? Well the good news is that there are other approaches that also provide effective self-defense and they have nothing to do with being bigger or training harder. Instead they require that you change how you approach the challenge of personal combat. Remember I said earlier that most systems are developed from the stand point of a warrior? Well fortunately for the rest of us, this statement implies that some are not and it is within these approaches that the hope of the smaller, time constrained or otherwise handicapped students lie. The Crossing Paths school, being concerned with the reality of civilian self-defense, works with a central tenet always in mind “you cannot use what you do not have, right here and right now”. It is this maxim that our combat doctrine revolves around. It serves as a reminder to us that everyone has a way to defend themselves successfully and that even if you are blessed enough to be that 6’5 250-pound super soldier there is always the chance that the fight is going to happen at a moment of weakness[23] and that is the fight you NEED to be training for. In short, training in a system that can never achieve the results you need is counterproductive to the point of being self-destructive[24]. What you need is a better way of thinking about and preparing for a conflict. This other way sprouts out of the maxim I mentioned earlier. A student who embraces this perspective will waste no time in wishing for things they lack but instead will choose to take what they do have and use it to effectively neutralize the foe. In essence, this means embracing what and who you really are rather than dwelling on what you wish you were. For instance, if you

are short, then be short, tall people have just as much trouble striking safely to lower targets as a shorter person has striking safely at higher targets. Change the rules of the game, stop working at their height and their range, get low and force them to work at that range. If you are slow, then develop your timing and smothering skills[25]. The key understanding you need to have here is that strength, as it relates to combat, is not simply a measure of how much you bench press or how vicious you can be. Instead it is measured by how well you apply who you are to winning the fight. In short, effective fighting is nothing more than being able to apply your own “strengths” in a manner which neutralizes the strength of your foe. This is why Crossing Paths does not stress prearranged techniques beyond their use as a set teaching tool that can demonstrate principle to students. We feel that it is more important for a system to “fence in” an area with good doctrine, concepts and principles. From here the system should provide enough drill and movement skills to give the student the understanding and tools with which to build their personal approach. After which the system should serve primarily as a way to both teach the new student in an organized manner and set boundaries to prevent the more experienced student from leaving sound principle and tactics behind as they explore their own preferred methods. hence our motto “many paths, one goal”.

In the picture above you can see two very common results of charging in against a committed larger foe. Even with proper angle a larger foe can often compensate for you superior angle with their superior strength. Therefore, having a different approach to the fight often counts for more than skill. In truth, fighting from a “small” way of thinking may be all that saves you if your opponent pairs skill of their own with their already superior size. Being determined/tough isn’t enough. In self-defense, you won’t be fighting for pride or a prize. Remember, despite what many bravados filled stories would have you believe, stubborn and tough have both killed more people than they have ever saved and it is foolish to assume your opponent will be any less skilled or committed to the fight than you are. Simply put, prepare for the real fight in a way that you can really win.

Turning What You Got, Into What You Need: This flows directly out of what we talked about in the previous section and is all about a reality check, putting things in perspective and making a plan for success. At this point your main focus should be the immediate need for viable self-defense. With this goal in mind try to be pragmatic and consider what you can do in the next 3 months to achieve your goal. This requires that you temporarily put aside fantasy and/or long-term goals for self-defense. So, for now at least, set aside dreams of being a dim mak master, mastering gymnastics so you can mimic spider man’s fighting style and/or winning Mr. Olympia so that you’re the strongest person in the world and instead try focusing strictly on what you can do today in order to be safer tomorrow. Here are a few things a new or returning student might want to consider: 1. How is your conditioning? Conditioning can be a tremendous asset but it won’t come easy nor quick. Start simple and work at it every day, focus less on raw strength and more on being able to handle your own body weight well. This is the kind of strength that will be of greatest utility versus anyone as it won’t require you to always be the strongest person in the fight[26]. 2. How much time can you commit to training? Training takes time, simple as that. You want to avoid taking on too broad a regimen if your time is limited[27]. Instead focus on a simple doctrine and the tools you need to apply it. 3. How are you going to compensate for superior strength and speed? A “warrior” based system favors the biggest and fastest, if that is not you then take that into consideration when choosing your unarmed combat approach. As an alternative, consider weapon

training as a better use of your limited time. With a weapon, you can spend time developing your timing and positioning skills while allowing the tool/weapon to give you that heavy weight punch you lack against bigger foes. 4. Are you a “fighter” or a “flincher”? As I mentioned earlier in the fight or flight section, being realistic about this can go a long way towards focusing your efforts on a method that works for you. Remember we are talking about immediate/short term goals here so you are better suited by using what you have rather than attempting to change it. Again, be honest and keep your ego out of it, this will shape your approach towards success in the most dangerous part of the fight (the ambush). 5. What restrictions are you going to be under day to day? I’m thinking primarily about weapons here. I mentioned earlier that weapons are a good call for a smaller person[28] but can you carry them where you work or play? If not then you are going to have to focus on improvised weapons and your unarmed skills. If unarmed skills are your first line of defense then you would do well to understand that a power based system, like most sport systems, are not likely to get the job done if you are overmatched physically. 6. Will you be alone or are you likely to end up in a body guard role? This means adapting your methods and developing your training to not only account for your needs but those you may be called on to protect. For example, A young healthy adult could probably just run away from most fights or at the very least fend off the attack until the attacker draws too much attention from the neighbors BUT not if they have young children, a pregnant wife or a 90-year-old grandmother depending on them for protection. Even with other young healthy adults you may find that their lack of training will result in their

reacting poorly to the situation[29]. In such cases even their attempts to help may become more hindrance than help. Again, I want to stress that these are just a few of the possible questions both general and specific you need to answer. Your main job as a student is to seek knowledge, understand it so that it becomes fully functional and then practice to make it work consistently for you.

General Points for Self-defense Mind Set and Training: 1. Arrogance and Confidence are not synonyms. Real confidence is rooted in humility and patience. Feeling the need to prove something to others is not confidence but a demonstration of insecurity/fear. 2. It takes more energy to feign fearlessness than it does to simply process the fear and move on. Fear is your bodies “fire alarm” so don’t ignore it, don’t cut it off and above all else, recognize it for the potentially lifesaving advantage that it is! 3. Training is a lifetime of work. The goal is not to “get done”, so why hurry? Self-defense skills allow you the security needed to take time and study the larger art and the larger art will provide you with so much more than mere fighting skill. 4. We conquer the berserker through discipline, not by trying to out “berserk” them. Rage, just like fear, is natural. A true student of the way learns to focus it in such a manner that it destroys only that which needs destroying. Without that control rage is no better than a wild fire, capable of great destruction but equally likely to destroy you and every other thing within its reach. 5. You can only use what you have, right here and right now. Dwelling on what you use to do or could do at some better time is a distraction. This applies not only to long lost glories (high school football syndrome) but to anything you might be able to do tomorrow, an hour from now or if you had your favorite weapon. Fights are seldom fair, cunning attackers exploit your weak moments, dealing with it is what marks the true students of the way. 6. First and foremost a student must be honest with themselves. Both arrogance and despair stem largely from the lies we tell ourselves.

Put plainly, whenever you begin to think too much or too little of yourself, you are probably wrong. Remember humility is not just the opposite of arrogant, it also represents the opposite end of a scale of self-awareness. Arrogance is the utter lack of honest self-awareness while humility is the ability to see yourself as you really are. Knowing who you really are is the first step in knowing what you have to work with. 7. If you’re not failing in training, then you are setting the bar too low! Be realistic, but push your limits. If you have to mess up then training is the best place to do it. Use common sense fail in small ways that push you forward. Avoid the big failures as they often equal injuries which impede further training. 8. Size, shape, strength, intelligence, injuries etc. etc. All these things only change how you defend yourself not IF you can defend yourself. Seek earnestly and find your way! 9. Master your strengths but don’t neglect the exploration of your weakness. Knowledge gained from this study can often produce new strengths. This knowledge helps to limit the negative effects of your weaknesses, through patient thought and practice, these weaknesses may become strengths in their own right[30]. 10. You are not now nor will you ever be the best ever. On the bright side, neither will anyone else. Best is both relative and subjective! Understand this, relax and do what you do with a mind towards doing it a little better each day. That is successful training. 11. Manners and consideration for others can prevent a lot of conflict from ever happening in the first place. Regardless of who is at fault, you sacrifice little in being polite. By giving an opponent no just cause for attack you can then make full use of your skills, free of any doubt that it was right to do so.

12. A student requires two things to be successful in their training: humility and perseverance. Cultivate these two things and success is only a matter of time!

The Rules Imagine, one minute your minding your own business, trying to decide whether to stop and get gas or go straight to the school and pick up the kids. When suddenly, BLAM! You find yourself on your knees. Your mind is filled with static as it simultaneously tries to figure out why you are on the ground and compensate for the sudden rush of pain. You instinctively try to get back up but wobble as pain flares across your back and you realize that your knee is no longer moving quite right. Just as you put one hand down to brace yourself it is viciously kicked out from under you, another jolt of pain courses through your body and you find yourself lying face down on the asphalt. Your confusion shifts to panic as you begin to realize that “never going to happen to me” is happening to you RIGHT NOW! You press yourself up to your knees and turn your head just in time to see a blur rushing at your head. You begin to drop, distantly aware that the blur was a boot. As you lie there, contemplating the need to get up, there is a sudden pressure on your lower back as a knee is dropped onto your kidney. Ears ringing you distantly hear a chuckle followed by the distinct sensation of someone going through your pockets, just before your world goes dark. That’s violence, its sudden, its fast and its overwhelming. There are no resets when you mess up. Forget the movies, and Forget sports[31]. With rare exceptions, forget the secrets your Jedi master buddy has imparted to you about the “art” of combat. Self-defense is something else altogether. Unlike dueling or competitive sport, the initial stage of most selfdefense situations is going to be handled by your primitive mind. This mind doesn’t do complicated thought. So, for now put away all your

master strategies and secret strikes and start thinking along the lines of: HIT, RUN, HIDE and SCREAM. When you are talking about immediate action you want to start thinking about combat in terms of the cliff notes not a Ph.D. dissertation. In this early stage of self-defense, if it is going to work, it must be simple in design, decisive in nature and easy to remember when all that is running through your mind is “ARRRGHHHHH”. Imagine trying to give orders to a group of children at play. Now imagine you’re you are not a recognized authority figure and all the kids are hopped up on sugar. While you may start out with every intention of being both reasonable and logical in your instruction, more than likely you will quickly end up just running around yelling “STOP”! If you can picture this then you have a pretty good idea of what controlling yourself in a true panic situation is like. Before you can really make use of your mind you are going to have to reign it in. This means initially relying on simple commands, not elaborate battle plans. Put simply, at this point in the situation anything not honed to the point of absolute reflex just won’t be reliable or even available for use. In an effort to cope with this, the Crossing Paths system uses a series of short, easy to remember rules to help us access our doctrine when under pressure. As an added benefit, these rules can also serve as a reference in training, providing a guide to the core elements of our fighting doctrine:

Rule 1: Don’t Die The opening moments of a conflict are often filled with a potent mix of shock and emotion[32]. This, in turn, often leaves the student in a mental state that effectively deprives them of much of their knowledge and skill. The good news is this: Assuming the will to live is strong and good training most people will find this a temporary condition. Lasting no more than a few seconds after which the mind catches up and the students real skill can be brought to bear. The bad news: a few seconds is more than enough time to lose the fight. With this in mind, your first and foremost goal becomes surviving those first few seconds! This then becomes the students primary goal in those first few crucial seconds of conflict. Fight, run, hide, talk or put on a magic show. You do whatever it takes for you to weather the storm, prevent the decisive blow and stay in the fight[33]. Stick to this rule even if you find yourself in a situation where you cannot properly apply any other rule. I realize that on the surface, this one seems pretty obvious but I have consistently found it to be something that few fighters really consider in any meaningful way. When you train, don’t make the mistake of assuming you will always be some unstoppable force of nature. Instead, take the time to consider how you might respond when everything goes wrong, when

none of your usual tricks work and the foe seems to have an answer to your every stratagem. Never forget that given the nature of self-defense there is a strong possibility that you will be working from a position of disadvantage. Macho attitude, empty bravado and false confidence won’t compensate for this, realistic preparation and practice can. In self-defense, survival is winning. Think and Train accordingly!

Rule 2: Let it flow and Let it go You cannot stop emotions from happening, nor can you completely control your immediate reaction to them. Attempting to do so forces you to fight two opponents at a time when you desperately need to focus on one. This wasted energy and attention can often be the difference between winning and losing. So, accept that, in an emergency, you will be scared, you will be angry and you will be frustrated but equally accept that there is no immediate advantage to beating yourself up over any perceived weakness[34]. A big part of controlling emotional distress is the realization that you, and not the situation, are responsible for producing much of the stress you tend to associate with intense emotion[35]. The reality being that most of the negative connotations you associate with emotions are largely false. Some common examples of these falsehoods are: 1. Fear equals coward 2. Frustration equals incompetent/stupid 3. Anger equals out of control To combat this, it is important to remind yourself that emotions are nothing more than primal reactions to stimulus[36] and as such, there really is no such thing as an inherently good or bad emotion. What will ultimately determine an emotions worth is the student’s ability to harness this emotional energy for their own use. This control is not simply a matter of physical strength[37]. Think of yourself like a hydroelectric dam. As a virtual mountain of concrete and steel the dam is undeniably strong and yet without the controlled release of water it could not produce useful energy and it would only

be a matter of time before the constant stress of holding back so much water would inevitably rip it apart. In short, it is often said that stress kills. This is true but in self-defense it is more accurate to say that stress distracts and then, while you are busy fighting yourself, the guy with the knife kills you.

Rule 3: Move Always assume your attacker chose here and now to attack you because it gives them advantage. Given this assumption, the most immediately disruptive thing you can do is move somewhere else. Any step you take is a step away from their ideal strike making it more difficult for them to implement whatever game plan they may have had. Remember, first and foremost, combat is a game of position. A common expression among the combative community now days and one that succinctly defines this idea is “get off the x”. This refers to the need to immediately remove yourself from your adversaries prepared kill zone. Whether you run away or merely slip a punch the idea is that any other position is better than the one your opponent intended you to be in.

Rule 4: Position First The best way to obey rule #1 is to be sure of your position before you do anything else. Never sacrifice a good defensive position on the chance you might get a hit in. Maintain a good defensive position and your opportunities will come. Do not confuse this with a call to be passive but rather as a reminder to be patient and let your skill work for you. Much of your ability to compensate for superior strength and speed comes directly from your ability to use position effectively[38]. Without good position, a student’s skill is largely negated. Without your skill advantage, a fight will quickly break down into a simple test of physical attributes. In such cases physics will then operate, as they must, to the advantage of the larger, faster and more aggressive.

Rule 5: Strike hard, run fast, hide well Once you have that advantageous position, Be Decisive! In selfdefense, you will often be working from a place of disadvantage[39]. So, once you acquire a good position, don't squander it. Take advantage of any opportunities your position offers immediately. Advantageous position is a fickle thing, it seldom lasts long and you may only have access to it for a moment before it is lost to the chaos of combat. Keep in mind, that while speed is often necessary to exploit the advantage of position it is not a substitute for good timing. More often it is caution and patience, rather than speed, that lead to a decisive blow. Never mistake simply going fast for being decisive. To be decisive is to act at the right time, not necessarily the quickest time. This is something many students forget when they get caught up in the excitement of the moment. It often demonstrates more courage and discipline to wait for the right opportunity than it does to let emotional pressure force you into a quick, but uncontrolled, action.

Rule 6: Push, Pull or let it go This is a reminder that bridges are inherently neutral. If you’re not going to use a bridge your opponent probably will. So never let contact linger past the point of usefulness to you. Do not confuse clinging to your opponent with being safe[40]. This type of contact is nothing more than an opportunity for your opponent to manipulate your body to their advantage. Apart from instinctive desperation I can only imagine that the illusion of safety created by grabbing one’s foe seems to spring largely from sports where the rules often provide some measure of safety within a clinch. Whatever the real reason, this is certainly not true of selfdefense in which many of the most devastating attacks can take place while the student is entangled with a stronger, more aggressive or better positioned opponent. With this in mind the rule becomes: If you are not actively engaging the bridge[41] then you are better off breaking the connection between you and your foe. It saves energy, denies them the option of using it against you and allows you to stand back and see more of what is going on.

Rule 7: The other guy doesn’t plan on getting beat up either. It happens to most of us at one time or another. You get a little training under your belt and you start to sink into a fantasy world. A world where everything goes just as you planned and the opponent just can’t seem to protect themselves from your incredible technique. It’s the ideal we would all like to achieve but, for most of us, it is nowhere near reality. Remember that if you are in a legitimate self-defense situation then the attacker probably has at least one major advantage over you: they came with violence in mind, they may even commit violent acts on a regular basis and it is not very likely that they are going to back off simply because you decide to struggle a bit[42]. You have to train as if you will always be out gunned and overmatched in some way. This doesn’t mean you should lack confidence or be completely pessimistic but merely that you should be preparing for the worst possible opponent on the worst possible day. If they give up and quit when you fight back, GREAT, but don’t train for that! Remember the bad guys don’t want to get hurt, die or go to jail any more than you do[43].

Rule 8: There are no Absolutes No set of rules, however well thought out, can ever adequately cover everyone and everything that you may encounter[44]. The ability to improvise and adapt is a necessity in any fluid combat situation. There are simply to many variations and even outright exceptions to the rules to not keep this in mind. The ability to improvise, in a skillful manner, is a sign that a student has progressed beyond the mere imitation of motion and into the actual emulation of principle. ALWAYS and NEVER are terms that practically guarantee you will be proven wrong at some point.

On control The term control is one that you will hear a lot in the combative arts. As a student, you will constantly find yourself being instructed to control something: your feet, your opponent, your emotions etc. So, what is control exactly? As a broad concept, control is one of those subjects that could easily fill a book or three on its own but for the sake of this book the concept can be narrowed considerably. The working definition of control, within the Crossing Path system, is this: the ability to manipulate the 4 key elements in order to create a place of advantage and/or prevent the opponent from doing the same. So naturally the next question becomes: what are these 4 key elements and what makes them so significant? Time Space Stability Instability Primarily we are concerned with the transition point between stability and instability[45] and the intersection point of time and space[46].

The Scale of Time: Time as it pertains to self-defense training is largely about gaining an understanding of initiative[47]. As a student of self-defense our particular interest is in learning to attack and defend without interference from our opponent’s actions. The simplest solution to this would be to always attack first. All things being equal, attack is indeed ideal from a timing stand point. However, given the nature of combat, it is often the case that you lose some measure of time simply due to the realities of a selfdefense[48]. For this reason, it becomes necessary to not only understand how to attack first but also how to regain and occasionally even lose a bit of time/initiative. In order to illustrate this the Crossing path school employs a sliding scale consisting of 5 times. This scale helps to measures time in terms of initiative and can be used to determine the appropriate time to make a true response[49]. This scale should be read as 1 being complete initiative (ideal) on your part and 5 being the complete lack of initiative on your part (worst case). While entirely possible, neither extreme (1 or 5) is the norm for most situations and most of a student’s real fighting is typically done in times 2-4[50].

Attack: All things being equal, this is the ideal time. In time 1, your goal is defense through offense. This is the most proactive of all the times with no initiative seeded to the opponent. Done properly, a student will seize the initiative so completely that the opponent has no choice but to either fully commit to defense (time 5) or be overwhelmed immediately. Chief advantage- done right it immediately places the opponent into time 5. This in turn, actively serves as a means of securing the students own defense[51]. Once an opponent is effectively placed both physically and mentally “on their heels” their opportunities to take the offensive, in an effective manner, diminish tremendously. Chief disadvantage: done wrong it ceases to be controlled pressure and can break down into little more than wild aggression. At that point, the student is no longer obeying Rule #4, structure breaks down and initiative no longer serves as defense. Gaps are created and these gaps can subsequently be exploited by the opponent in order to steal back initiative.

Stop Hit: Also known as a strike on intent[52]. With a stop hit, the attacker is preemptively struck while still in the preparation phase of their own attack. Often this time is achieved as a result of poor execution on the part of the aggressor. Chief advantage: stop hits catch an attacker as they mentally commit to offense making it less likely they will perceive your attack[53]. Physically, a time 2 attack disrupts not only the imminent attack but will often disrupt the opponents entire defensive structure leading to multiple gaps which can be exploited. Chief disadvantage: Stop-hits require both awareness and decisiveness to be effective. Any hesitation can result in the student simply opening their own defense at the worst possible time[54]. A skilled opponent may use second intention attacks to draw a stop hit that they are perfectly prepared to counter.

Time Hit: Also known as a strike on attack, in this time the student strikes simultaneously with the attacker. Since there is no inherent time/initiative advantage present in a time hit the student will use superior position to land their blow while avoiding the attackers. Angle is paramount here! Chief advantage: Time hits are a good blend of offense and defense allowing you to seize initiative while still forcing the opponent to commit to their actual attack. Stop hits and Time hits are

great ways to generate hesitation in your opponent[55]. This hesitation then becomes a passive form of defense for you[56]. Chief disadvantage: Because there is no time advantage, time hits must not be under taken without first taking steps to gain superior position. Without this superior position, trying to use time 3 attacks can quickly break down into little more than an exchange of blows. This will negate any advantage provided by skill and heavily favors the physically stronger fighter. When time is equal, position is the judge.

Counter Hit: Also known as a strike on recovery[57]. In time 4-time footwork and other defensive actions are used to foil an aggressors attack before then initiating your own counter attack. Chief advantage: The student can focus fully on one thing at a time. When unsure of an opponent’s abilities or when surprised and behind on time it can often be advantageous to focus first on not being damaged. By allowing the attacker to fully commit to the attack the student can then achieve two things with greater certainty. First, defend against the attack. Two, move to a position that will allow the student to exploit the opening created as the opponent recovers from their attack. Keep in mind that these two things are often the product of one/simultaneous motion. Chief disadvantage: when giving up initiative there is always the possibility that you won't get it back. An attacker who is swift in renewing their attack may force you into time 5 (defend). This is why merely blocking an attack and a proper counter time are not the same thing. A proper use of time 4 requires the student to MOVE

to a superior position. Otherwise a skilled opponent may encourage you to cover up and in doing so effectively trap you there.

Defend: This is the least desirable of the 5 times. Time 5 is marked by a complete lack of initiative on your part. At this point the attacker has full command of initiative and your emphasis shifts to obeying Rule #1. At that point, a student would be greatly reduced in their options, forced to take risks in the hope of stealing back enough time to move back into counter time. chief advantage: in the worst-case scenario, it allows you to obey the first rule (Don't Die). This in turn, could potentially provide opportunities for the student to try and get back some measure of initiative to work with[58]. This time can also be used as a means of wearing out a wild opponent by “weathering the storm” rather than attempting to move in and break up a barrage of strikes[59]. When used in this manner, special attention should be given to the use of direct wards in order to break down the attacker’s tools and prepare the way for taking back the initiative[60]. Chief disadvantage: you cede almost all initiative to the foe. This limits offense to causing damage through direct warding. This in turn, causes the student to lose much of their ability to threaten the opponent and without the threat of proactive attack the opponent may attack much more aggressively. This added aggression can lead to the student becoming stuck in the position of merely “holding out” until they are inevitably worn down.

The means of control Now that we have established what you need to control, you will need a means through which to establish that control. This brings us to a cornerstone concept of the Crossing Paths doctrine, Bridging and Voiding. In keeping with Crossing Paths general take on the use of concepts, Bridging and Voiding are not seen as two different concepts. Instead they are seen as two sides of a sliding scale measuring the degree of contact between two or more objects. In essence, forming a bridge is no more complicated than establishing a point of contact between two or more things[61]. Conversely, voiding is simply the act of either denying or removing that point of contact[62]. Achieving contact is an important part of combat as it allows for the possibility of directly controlling another person or object. Conversely, if a person wished to deny such control they would want to establish an absence of contact also known as a void. If control of Time, Space and the balance between stability and instability is your ultimate goal, then Bridging and Voiding are how you do it.

Bridging: Bridge: any connection, purposeful or otherwise, between two or more persons or objects which allows contact and/or influence to be exerted. For our purposes, any contact between two or more objects constitutes what the Crossing Paths school terms a bridge. Whether it is incidental such as bumping into a wall or purposeful like shaking someone’s hand or getting punched in the face, it makes no real difference. All forms of bridging allow for the transfer of energy and the ability to directly manipulate motion and position in one way or another[63]. A key thing to note about the combative use of bridges is that they are inherently neutral, meaning it is not the bridge but your use of the bridge that provides you with advantage. Understanding this will help shape how you think about using bridging and, just as importantly, how you react when it is done to you. For example, if an attacker grabs you by the shoulder a bridge is established between the two of you. This bridge, by its very existence, creates a connection between you and your foe but it has not yet given control to either of you. For control to be established it is first required that one of you apply leverage along the bridge. The first person to do often gains a great advantage in position[64]. It is here that perception can make things confusing because, on the surface of it, it would seem that the person who grabbed the shoulder is in control. However, if you take a moment to consider this it simply is not true. All the shoulder grab inherently grants your attacker is the potential to move you through pushing or pulling on your shoulder. Conversely, it also attaches their arm to you and that allows you to

move the arm, and the body it is connected to, by moving your shoulder. Understanding this, control no longer belongs to the attacker by simple virtue of establishing a bridge between the two points. At that initial point of contact, the bridge will allow either of you to push, pull or hold the other in place. Thus, the question of advantage is more likely to be answered by who better, and more decisively, applies leverage through this bridge rather than in who built it. Grasping this concept can go a long way towards changing how you view being grabbed or checked in a fight. These motions are no longer attacks that must be broken, escaped or avoided at all cost. Instead they can be seen as opportunities to take control of your opponent and move them to where you want them[65]. So, with this understanding you move to the next stage of bridging. Now that you have established contact, you must take steps to establish control of the bridge. This requires you to be mindful of initiative[66]. To be truly effective, a bridge must not only establish a connection in the right place but also at the right time. Right place and Right time means you must not establish nor maintain contact any longer than is needed to accomplish your goal. Otherwise, this inherent neutrality begins to work against you and the danger of giving up initiative through lingering contact may allow the foe to take control of the bridge away from you[67]. This is why we have rule #6: PUSH, PULL OR LET IT GO! In short, this rule means this: there should be no passive contact with an opponent. In combat, doing nothing while in contact with the enemy seldom provides any advantage for you and it often causes

you to fall behind in terms of initiative[68]. If you are not actively pushing, pulling or striking THEN STOP TOUCHING THEM! Note: Often times students linger (in contact) because it gives them a false sense of security (I'm holding them so they can't hit me) but, as you are becoming aware, this simply is not true. While in striking only sports such as boxing clinching may give some measure of safety this is not the case when it comes to self-defense. When a stronger opponent has the option to grapple, throw or pull a weapon you will lose any security that might have been provided by passively holding on. Not only does it create no additional safety, it actually does quite the opposite by establishing a bridge which will allow a stronger opponent the connection they need to exert that superior strength to full effect.

Voiding: Void: the act of maintaining or regaining separation between two or more objects. For our purpose, a void is any separation, deliberate or otherwise, between you and another person or object. Where a bridge allows for direct control through the connection it creates a void removes that connection. Where a bridge allows for the transfer of energy a void prevents that transfer by removing its path. In simple terms, a void is merely the absence of a bridge. By either refusing or removing a bridge, a void denies your opponent the ability to directly influence your movement through contact. By extension of this, a void prevents an opponent from restricting your freedom of movement, wasting your energy (by forcing you to resist) and greatly limits the offensive actions they can make against you. Offensively, the void has another useful trait. One that a skillful student can use to great advantage over faster or more aggressive foes. That advantage is found in a void potential to indirectly control an opponent’s position. Whereas direct control can be seen as forcing someone to do something by pushing or pulling them into the place you want them. Indirect control can be seen as an invitation for your opponent to move somewhere. Rather than attempting to push or pull your foe into a position you simply void in a manner and time that allows your opponent’s own momentum to carry them where you wish them to be. Side note: We have all watched the scene where the hero has their back up against the cliff as the monster stalks ever closer. The hero seemingly has nowhere to go and we all watch in suspense[69]. We hold our breath as the monster charges only to see the hero move at

the last second allowing the monsters own inertia to, quite literally, cause it to jump off the cliff. Well that is indirect control at work. The manipulation of a person's position through the adjustment of our own position at just the right time. By creating the illusion of certainty[70] we draw the foes attack and then displace. By doing this we maintain good position while allowing the foes own confidence and inertia to do much of our work for us. Visualize: think again about that bridge over the river. If you are faced by a rival that you are unwilling or unable to effectively engage. At that moment are you better served by having a bridge that the enemy can use as a means to easily get at you quickly[71]or by having a river between you? While the lack of an existing bridge doesn’t preclude the enemy from building one of their own it does require them to invest far more time and effort, which gives you that much more time to plan, recover or reposition as needs be

The Scale of control: In order to bridge the gap between general concept and practical application it helps to have a goal in mind. Otherwise, establishing your bridge, becomes little better than random contact and is likely to be of as much use to your opponent as it is to you. To help reinforce this, the Crossing Paths school uses a reference we term the Scale of control. This Scale is another one of those sliding scales you will see throughout this system. One which illustrates the constant need to balance between the amount of energy committed to an action versus the amount of control the action can provide over the opponent. By providing the student with a reference for systematically taking control of an opponent in progressive stages rather than a riskier “all or nothing” approach. This allows the student to evaluate[72] the situation at each stage and advance to the next stage of control or disengage safely as the case warrants. Control in this specific case refers to the control of your opponent’s movement through direct manipulation of their points (see points and flats). A point serves as a “crossroad” of motion within the body. Practically speaking[73], all motion passes through these points and much like a checkpoint on a road, you can greatly restrict if not completely stop the opponent’s ability to move by controlling these key intersections. There is, of course, a trade off. That trade off being this: The more energy you commit to restraining the opponent the more your own freedom of movement is restricted. As such, it is not always best to just go straight for total control[74] but rather to gain it in stages, committing to the next level of control only

after you fully secure the previous level. This allows you the best chance of gaining control while limiting the opportunities for the opponent to seize control of the bridge and then using it to overwhelm you with superior strength, speed or aggression. These levels of control, with the exception of voiding, all work on the same basic concept, varying only in their degrees: interdict the lines of travel and gain leverage over points so that the foes every movement requires more time and/or effort. Ideally this control restricts as much of the opponent’s motion as needed while committing as few of your own resources as are required[75]. Physically this creates positional and leverage mismatches you can exploit while also promoting emotional stress and frustration for the foe. Example: if you were able to check the opponent from the flank so that they could not rotate towards you, you would have just created a situation where your opponent has only one weapon that can actively work against you in an effective manner[76]. In contrast to their position you would now have 3 or more tools available for immediate use. This would, essentially, allow you to match up against their weapon on a one for one basis, effectively negating it. Having done so you would still have two additional weapons ready to strike freely. Such a situation leaves your opponent with few viable options other than trying to reposition in order to gain a more favorable match up. Of course, you won't be staying in place allowing this to happen but instead will move to exploit each gap as the attacker shifts. Each failed attempt will leave your opponent farther and farther behind in terms of initiative as you stay constantly "one move ahead" of your opponent.

Technically there are 4 levels of control to be found along the scale of control but since voids have already been discussed I will limit this to the 3 options that seek to directly control the foe:

Check:

A check interdicts one line of travel. Checks are quick, energy efficient and almost always available in some form. Note: while many try to make a check into something more specialized than it really is. By definition pretty much all blocking and deflecting actions are checking actions. Checking is a type of control not a specific action. A check does not require you to “tangle up” with your opponent. The check allows you to get a feel for the foe’s energy[77] and in doing so checking becomes an efficient means of either entering or exiting proper range in a relatively safe manner. By closing the most direct route to the intended target (i.e. you), a check can be quite helpful both in limiting the opponent’s ability to enter proper range and in stealing any energy their momentum might have otherwise provided. Some common usages include:

1. Checking a step. Essentially you are stabilizing the attackers lower body with your check while allowing their upper body to continue along its intended course. The resulting struggle to maintain balance can then be exploited. 2. Checking the guard. By checking the guard, you are again helping to stabilize the opponent’s guard. This added stability makes it much harder for your foe to strike or ward in a timely fashion[78]. 3. Checking a strike. By sealing off its intended route the check sends strikes off track and by extension of this creates both a lag in recovery time and gaps in guard. 4. Checking a ward. By checking a ward, you fix it in place for just a moment longer. This extra moment allows you to either trap the warding limb or provides your secondary attack a time advantage.

Trap:

A trap interdict 2 lines of travel. Traps expand upon the check by blocking an additional line of travel.

Very often this takes the form of two opposing checks which in combination serve to entrap the opponent[79]. Another common form of trap is to use a check in such a manner that the checked object is pressed into the foes own body which then becomes the other half of the trap. A variation on this would be to check while using another object as the second point of the trap[80] By doing this the trap builds upon the check by further limiting the foes escape/attack options forcing them to commit even more energy and time to the endeavor. As an added benefit, Traps can be used by the boxer to increase the penetration of their blows as the trap will prevent the captured body part from moving away, as it is struck[81]. Side note: Traps also serve as one of the safest ways to transition between checks and locks[82].

Lock:

Note: As stated earlier all pictures in this book were taken while moving against an opponent who had no previous idea of how to attack or how they would be countered. The picture above, while not the prettiest of locks is a good example of the type of locks you really achieve when working with an uncooperative attacker. Locks interdict 3 or more lines of travel. True locks can effectively be fight enders. A lock provides the student with a significant advantage in leverage over either the check or the trap and can often result in the complete immobilization of the attacker. However, this increased leverage does come at a cost. A lock requires you to commit more energy, time and body contact to the opponent. As such, caution must be taken that proper leverage is first achieved and then maintained throughout the locking process. Without this leverage, you may find yourself in a precarious position

having simply established a large bridge that a stronger foe can use against you. When used as the staging ground for an attack[83], such as a choke or break, a lock can provide a tremendous time/initiative advantage. Side Note: Locking is another one of those places where reality clashes with wishful thinking and serves to illustrate a big difference between a sport approach and a self-defense approach. For the purpose of self-defense, a student should assume that a proper lock[84] cannot be broken! Understand that this is not the same as saying there is no solution to the lock[85]. Instead it implies that the time and leverage needed to apply that solution is unlikely to be available in a serious self-defense situation. A 3 second arm bar escape cannot be viewed as a viable escape if it only takes the attacker one second to break your arm. The confusion typically lies in one of two common misunderstandings. First that escaping or preventing a poorly executed lock equates to being able to escape a true lock. The second mistake is in thinking that the sport and self-defense opponent have the same goal in mind when applying a lock. In sport, many of the lock escapes are only possible because the attacker’s goal is not to immediately attack but instead to “threaten" damage in order to encourage a submission through pain or fear. Conversely, in a self-defense situation the attackers goal is to cause damage as quickly as possible. In that situation, if the attacker locks you properly in preparation for that attack, then the limb will be broken, period[86].

These levels of control work on a simple trade off: When you close a line of travel the foe must then commit additional energy to forcing their way through your barrier or they must commit more time to going around it[87]. With each additional level of control you achieve, the attacker will require more time and more energy to accomplish the same task. This additional expenditure of energy and time causes gaps to form in your opponent's guard. These gaps can then be exploited to gain further control. Ideally this continues until the opponent is only left with options that would require excessive energy and/or the destruction of their own body to escape[88]. As with most things, there is a downside to consider when applying this concept. The more you restrict a foes movement the more you are forced to commit your own position and energy to "fencing" in the opponent. This, in turn, limits your own freedom of motion. This restriction could potentially leave you vulnerable to sudden reversals if you attempt to take too much, too fast, without first gaining the proper leverage. Doing so can result in you being effectively “stuck" to a stronger opponent who is not yet properly restrained.

Part II: fundamental tools As the name implies, fundamental tools are those physical tools without which the student cannot be seen as boxing in a wellrounded and skillful manner. Mastery of these tools is of utmost importance and special attention should be given to the body mechanics required to execute each properly[89]. With this in mind, the vast majority of Part II has been added for the benefit of the true beginner. While it is true that most of the following tools are already well known to most experienced martial artists. It may still prove valuable to look over the tools and understand how they are used within the context of this particular system. It may well impact your understanding of our techniques and tactics later on.

Stance work: Stance work is, essentially, any static position of the lower body or movement within that relative space. Stance work also encompasses all positional adjustments that do not require the changing of your overall position (i.e. relocating the stance, in its entirety, to a different place). Your Stance is, quite literally, your foundation. Without a proper stance, you lack the ability to regulate your balance, diminish your ability to move with precision, strike accurately and/or generate power.

Stance Alignment At the First Path level, there are no specific stances as commonly seen in other martial arts. Instead, a stance is defined by its general foot alignment in relation to a simple cross section. This results in 3 general types of stance[90]:

Oblique/Diagonal: An alignment of the feet in which both feet are off line[91] with the feet placed on equal and opposite sides of both the median line (vertical line in drawing) and the lateral line (horizontal lines in drawing). This is analogous to the northwest/southeast lines and north east/south west lines of a compass. Lateral: feet are laterally aligned when both feet are parallel to the lateral line or along the east/west line when using a compass

analogy. Median: a stance in which both feet are in-line with the median line or the north/south line if using a compass analogy. In addition to these alignments, Crossing Paths also accounts for 4 adjustments that build upon the general alignment and can be used to really dial in a stance for a specific purpose. These 4 movements are fairly self-explanatory but observe some rules when it comes to application: Raise: when pressing up be sure to align your knee over your heel for maximum stability. Lower: apply the same rule as raising Forward: when leaning forward your knee should not extend beyond your toes. This prevents undue stress on the knee and maintains control of your balance. Backward: when leaning back your upper body should not extend beyond your heel. This prevents over exposure of your lead leg and allows you to maintains better control of your balance. The general alignments, in combination with the adjustments, are used to set a stance against incoming or outgoing forces. You can use the illustrations below as a reference for quickly determining a particular stances strength or weakness in relation to an opposing force. Generally speaking, if the attack pushes or pulls along a line that passes between both feet then the stance is strong. If the force instead passes through an empty quadrant then the stance is generally considered too be weak against that force. This simple reference can allow us to not only set our own stance to greatest advantage but also allows us to quickly determine how to disrupt our opponent’s stance.

Movement within a Stance In order to best set our stance against incoming force you must be able to quickly reorient from your current direction to one better opposing that of the incoming attack. Whether we do it initially or after footwork you will eventually need to turn towards your opponent in order to make best use of your tools. This is accomplished with a few simple movements: Pivot/Swivel: The inner pivot is a way to turn the body up to 90 degrees within your stance. This shift towards the opposite side creates an oblique/diagonal line from where movement starts. For example, if you pivot from your right side you would turn obliquely towards the left[92].

Compassing: allows for up to a 180-degree turn (front to back) and consists of two separates compasses the inner and outer compass.

Compassing allows one to quickly turn around, under pressure, without stumbling over your own feet in the process. This is particularly useful in tight quarters where random turning may result in tripping over objects. Switch/Change: a switch/change is the process of replacing a rightside lead with a left side lead (or vice versa). It can be initiated with either the lead or rear foot.

Beyond the ability to adjust your stance in general, the switch/change provides three main advantages: First, it allows you to keep the opponent “in the jaws”[93]. Second, it allows you to turn an opponent’s outside position into an inside position. This allows you to use more of your tools and makes

it more difficult for the foe to gain access to your flank and back. Third, it allows you to generate forward momentum for blows and wards in tight quarters. In essence, the switch will allow you to generate forward momentum even in positions that you cannot move forward in[94].

Foot work check list: The Crossing Paths school consider 12 lower body movements to be essential building blocks for the students boxing[95]: 1. Median step forward 2. Median step rearward 3. Lateral escape: 90-degree step off the median line. 4. Oblique escape: 45-degree step off the median line. 5. Gathering step: the act of contracting a stance, bringing onefoot closer to the other, in order to advance or retreat. Often used to increase the potential range of the following step. 6. Chasing step: Any step which follows an initial step with the intention of maintaining a proper stance. Most often seen after lunging or jumping steps. 7. Compass step: a secondary step that pivots off the initial step in a circular fashion. Often used to adjust the angle of a position relative to the foe after an escape. 8. Change forward (see switch/change in movement within a stance section). 9. Change rearward (see switch/change in movement within a stance section). The first four steps (1-4 above) are known as the primary steps. These four steps are responsible for the majority of all simple footwork. In addition, they also serve as the building blocks for most compound footwork[96]. Each of these four can be made with either foot from any of the 3 stances simply by using either the half-pass or pass[97]. Half-pass (often referred to simply as a step): a step in which the foot moves in or out of the base stance without crossing the opposite foot. While seldom as long, the half-pass is similar to a lunge in its general motion.

Pass: a step in which the foot moves past the opposite foot as it moves in or out of the base stance. The most common example of passing in day to day life is walking. The next 5 steps (5-9 above) are known as the adjustment steps as each is used to adjust a boxer’s stance in some manner. This is usually done either to recover a proper stance[98] or to better orient the boxer’s guard towards the opponent. In addition to moving around the adjustment steps are also used to quickly shift leverage points when at grips with the opponent in order to unbalance them. The 12 are then rounded out with 3 “striking” movements[99]. While these 3 are generally taught as separate movements from the first 9 steps[100] each could actually be considered an extension of one of the first 9 steps. 1. Median kick/front kick (knee strike is derived from the loading of the median kick) 2. Lateral kick/side kick 3. Oblique kick/cross kick

Hand work check list: Within the Crossing Paths school hand work is divided into 2 broad categories: 1. Simple tools: Singular motions made for a particular effect. 2. Compound tools: combinations of simple tools performed either simultaneously or in sequence to accomplish a particular effect[101]. Simple tools are subdivided into 4 categories based upon their general mechanics. In turn, these categories of strikes contain the tools considered essential to boxing as taught in the Crossing Paths school[102]. The 4 main categories of simple tools are as follows: 1. Straight 2. Hook 3. Chop 4. Swing These 4 categories account for 12 simple tools and will provide the building blocks for the vast majority of a boxer’s hand work[103]. The 12 simple tools: The straights 1. The straight 2. The overhand (straight) 3. The oblique elbow[104] The Hooks: 4. The hook (lateral hook) 5. Uppercut (median hook)

6. Shovel hook (oblique hook) 7. Lateral elbow 8. Median elbow[105] The chops: 9. The chop 10. Reverse chop 11. Thrusting elbow[106] The swing: 12. The swing

The Guard:

The guard is the foundation upon which all skillful boxing rests. It acts as a defensible position from which the foe can be safely[107] observed and evaluated while also providing a set reference point from which all tools, technique and tactics can be executed at a consistent level and in a repeatable manner[108]. Before we get into the details, there are a few things that the new student should keep in mind regarding their guard. As mentioned previously, the guard is the physical foundation of skillful boxing. Without it you might still win a fight but you won’t be winning with skillful boxing. This may not matter to you when you are winning but it will become significant when you encounter someone you can’t steamroll with a wild charge. Time spent improving your guard is never wasted as a good guard will improve every other aspect of your boxing. The bare-knuckle guard differs significantly from the modern boxing guard. This difference does not reflect any evolution or

improvement in the guard itself, merely a different set of rules[109]. A true guard is more than just a way to stand it is also a physical manifestation of principle, tactics and strategy at work. This requires the students mental and emotional “position” to match the bodies position. One without the others is not a true guard.

Presented guard: (referring to the picture at the top of the guard section the presented guard is represented by the student on the right) What makes a guard presented? Within the Crossing Paths school, a presented guard is one in which the lead hand is “presented” to the attacker, usually with one of two approaches in mind: 1. As an obstacle which directly interferes with the opponent’s ability to directly attack along the median line. 2. As an invitation to the attacker. Inviting them to grab or slap at the lead hand[110]. In either case this presented hand serves a similar purpose: to slow the attacker down by forcing them to first deal with the obstacle before any attacks can be made against the head or upper torso. How does it accomplish this? By giving the attacker two equally bad choices: 1. Attack around the presented fist. This requires they expose their own guard by making exaggerated actions against a prepared foe. In such cases most attacks can be dealt with simply by throwing a straight lead against the exposed guard. 2. Clear/attack the presented arm. While attacking a limb can be effective in this case the defender is waiting for it making it far more likely that they will slip the lead arm and counter effectively. If the end game is to strike the head or solar plexus then the attacker is made functionally slower[111]. Step by step:

1. Lower body takes up a median stance. Lead foot is pointed toes first towards the attack while the rear foot is pointed at right angle to the lead (forming an L shape). 2. The torso is angled approximately 45 degrees with the lead shoulder forward. 3. The lead arm is extended (but not fully extended), elbow points downward with the fist at shoulder level of slightly higher (but not in front of the face). 4. The rear hand is held obliquely across the chest with the held in front of the solar plexus (about 6-8 inches in front) with the forearm and elbow covering the torso. Main advantage: The presented guard when combined with an alert student is a very hard position to attack effectively. The extended, narrow front not only presents a small target but it also encourages the unwary or overly aggressive into make big looping attacks around the guard. These attacks are easily “split” by the boxer allowing a straight lead and good foot work to counter most of the common attacks. When in doubt this guard is usually a safe place to be while you figure the attacker out.

Refused guard: (referring to the picture at the top of the guard section, the refused guard is represented by the student on the left) What makes a guard refused? Within the Crossing Paths school, a guard is considered refused when the lead hand/arm is deliberately held low. Why would we purposely hold the lead arm low? 1. Power. By holding the arm low and in line with the hip you create a longer line and mechanical advantage, allowing you to better add the rotation of the waist to your strikes. 2. Reduces the chances of being grabbed. By holding the arm low, you not only reduce the chances of it being grabbed but you effectively insure that any attempt to do so will expose the foes head as they must reach down to make the attempt. Note: it’s important to keep in mind that while the hand is held low it is also pointed directly at the opponent. Any attempt to overrun the student would still be mechanically stopped by the lead arm[112]. If awareness and proper distance are maintained this guard is no more vulnerable than any other[113].

Step by step: 1. Assume a median stance[114]. 2. The torso is angled sharply approximately 70 degrees. 3. The lead arm is held low and in line with the hip (or as close as possible depending on arm and torso length). The arm should

be bent approximately 90 degrees with the forearm pointing towards the foe. 4. The rear hand is held obliquely across the torso with the fist on the opposite side of the face about 6 inches from the chin (slightly lower than the chin) with the forearm shielding the solar plexus and rear lower torso. Main advantage: The refused guard easily seals off its lead side in both the high and low lines. This makes it exceptionally useful with emphasizing attacks at someone’s flank[115]. Defensively the angle of the torso presents a very “long” front making attacks upon the seemingly unguarded side very difficult. In addition to this the refused guard is particularly useful against fighters who like to command[116] a guard before attacking. The low lead arm can easily slip these attempts and counter quickly either ending the fight or creating hesitation and frustration in the attacker.

Part III: Tactics The use of tactics is what elevates boxing to an art form. Without tactics, no matter how well executed your tools may be, boxing is little more than two people randomly throwing strikes while hoping to land a blow. Fighting like this reduces combat to a game of chance and greatly reduces the value of skill and preparation. While strategy provides a plan and your tools provide a means it is tactics that bridge the gap between what you want to do and how you actually do it. As with most other sections of this work, the following section is not meant to be an exhaustive list of all useful tactics. Instead it is meant to be an introduction to some of the more useful and commonly used tactics. As an introduction, they are deliberately brief in their description in the hopes that the student will ponder and then practice rather than read and assume understanding.

Tactic: Drawing Drawing: Drawing is essentially a proactive variation of inviting. Rather than passively exposing a gap and waiting for the foe to take advantage the boxer will force a response by moving in a manner that provokes a response. Strength: When dealing with a very defensive or hesitant opponent, drawing can become a means of bringing them out of their guard and gauging their response. Weakness: Drawing can suffer against extremes of skill: too much and the foe will counter the draw just like any other blow, too little and they will either counter it just like any other blow or not respond at all[117]. In essence, any proactive movement against the opponent can be seen as drawing. However, there are two fundamental means of drawing that the boxer should be familiar with: 1. Feint Second intention

Tactic Feint: Feint: a tactic in which the student leads with a false attack before following up with a true attack. The false attack is used to draw a “false” response from the opponent[118]. This response will create a gap in the opponent’s guard which the student will then launch the secondary attack against. Strength: executed properly a feint requires very little energy or commitment while having the potential to completely expose an opponent’s guard. Weakness: Feints rely upon the foe being aware enough to realize an attack is being made but not so aware that they realize it is a false attack. For this reason, Feints are very situational and often fail against the extremes of skill[119].

Tactic: Second Intention Second Intention: A tactic in which the student launches an initial attack in order to observe the foes response. Based on the opponent’s response the student will either continue the strike to the original target or shift to a secondary target. Strength: Second intention forces the foe to commit to a response. If the foe hesitates then they are struck, if they respond in proper time then the blow shifts to a target exposed by that response. Weakness: The need to throw a fully committed first strike means the student is far more limited in their choice of secondary attack. Inertia prevents the switching of hands and limits secondary targets to those along the same general line of travel. Feint or Second intention? While they may seem similar on the surface, these two tactics are actually quite different. There are two primary differences that will clearly distinguish one from the other: 1. A feints first strike is false, it is never intended to strike a target. A second intentions strike is true, if the foe fails to react in proper time then they will be struck with full intent. 2. The secondary action of a feint can be more varied than those of a second intention attack. Since the first attack is not really launched there is very little momentum to overcome this means a feints second action can quite literally be any other attack, with any limb. In contrast, the second intentions follow up is far more limited, in its variations, as it must compensate for much more inertia than the feint[120].

Tactic: Inviting Inviting: A tactic in which the boxer assumes a position that deliberately exposes their guard in order to invite attacks against the gap[121]. All while remaining both fully aware of the exposed target and prepared to counter attacks against said gap. Strength: Inviting is a safer way to draw a defensive fighter out of their guard. It is also a valuable tool when working against fighters who enjoy superior reach or aggression. Weakness: The exposed target is real. If the boxer is not vigilant in maintaining distance or if the attacker is simply much faster than expected they may well successfully attack the exposed target.

Tactic: Base disruption: Base disruption: A tactic in which the student deliberately targets the opponent’s stance in order to limit or destroy their ability to control their own balance. Technically speaking any foot work that moves the student into proper striking range can be considered offensive foot work. By extension of this, any foot work that forces your opponent out of a stable position can be viewed as base disruption. However, there are some applications that take the idea of base disruption one step further. These steps seek to directly attack the opponent’s structure in an effort to damage or disrupt the foes ability to move freely or stand firmly. This is accomplished by using your own foot work to actively disrupt the opponents structure and stability. The concept behind these actions is quite simple. If the opponent is busy fighting for (or against) their own balance then they are not focused on fighting you[122]. While all types of lower body attacks can be applied to this kind of attack, there are a few motions that the Crossing Paths system places particular value in. These movements are referred to as base disruptions. As the name implies, their primary function is to destabilize or in some cases to stabilize the foe to an extreme[123]. All with the goal of allowing the student to more easily attack or disengage as needed.

There are 4 specific base disruptions taught at the First Path level[124]:

Foot Trap: a foot trap is as easy as stepping on your opponent’s foot. This simple action will restrain the opponent, preventing them from lifting the leg to strike. The foot trap also prevents the foot from pivoting which can be used to restrain motion by potentially damaging the joints from ankle to hip if the step is forced. Inner Reap: The inner reap is a reaping motion which uses the inward turned foot to first hook and then pull the opponents leg out of a proper stance. The actual reaping motion is usually preceded by a step with the opposite foot in order to gain a proper angle and create a solid base from which the student can then pull the foe’s foot out of position. Outer Reap: The outer reap is a reaping motion which drives the heel of your foot back and through an opponent’s leg in order to knock the leg out of a proper stance. Just like the inner reap the actual reaping motion is usually preceded by your other foot taking a step to gain proper angle and a solid base from which to push through the foes leg Inner Hook: An inner hook is accomplished by hooking your foot around the opponent’s ankle in much the same way as the inner reap. At this point, rather than pulling as with the inner reap, you use the hook as a fulcrum and use your shin to lever against their leg. The inner hook applies leverage to the opponent’s knee in order to straighten the shin (making it vulnerable to attack) or misalign the knee to cause a structural collapse. As the name implies, base disruptions are primarily concerned with disrupting the foes ability to control their own stance/base. This is done by “hijacking” the foes balance. By taking control of the foes balance you gain the ability to manually induce stability or instability into our opponent’s stance[125]. This is a key skill in self-defense situations as effective base disruption can greatly aid you in a contest against a faster or stronger opponent by limiting their ability to dictate pace or gain

leverage when attacking. This in turn, allows you to attack or disengage with far less chance of having your movement countered[126].

Using the illustration above you can see the strong and weak lines produced by a particular stance. Disrupting a stance takes place in two principle ways. By lengthening a stances base beyond its ability to maintain structural integrity (i.e. making it unstable). Or bracing a stance to the point of immobility (i.e. stabilizing it). Either of these approaches can be used to effectively “fix” someone in place[127] so that you can then position to advantage against them. Two sides of the same coin: These base disruption motions are more than just balance manipulation techniques. They also provide a valuable lesson in using perspective as a means of using our skill sets in different ways to accomplish the same goal. Whereas the goal of foot work is usually to seek an ideal position by maneuvering yourself in relation to the opponent, base disruption uses the same foot work to move the opponent in relation to you. Having both options allows you to more easily attain your goal (Rule #4) by giving you the choice of either moving around your foe or moving your foe around you as the situation warrants[128].

Tactic: (in)Chancery

(in) Chancery: a tactic in which the student grabs their opponent’s head in order to better position them for striking. Origin: The Chancery was the highest court in England outside of Parliament. While technically a court of equity it was considered anything but equitable by the common people. Real or imagined this belief was so prevalent that to be placed “in chancery” became a common slang term for someone who found themselves in an awkward situation and/or completely at the mercy of someone else. Strength: Simply put, where the head goes the body follows! By forcing the foe to fight for balance you take energy and awareness away from fighting you. Weakness: A chancery is a bridge, as discussed earlier bridges are inherently neutral. This means that whenever you put someone in chancery you

run the risk that they may be able to use that connection against you[129].

Part IV: Drills and Techniques Technique: A systematic procedure, formula or routine through which a task is accomplished. Techniques are an attempt to slow down and bring some order to the otherwise chaotic situation of combat. For the most part, they are idealized examples of principle at work. They demonstrate how something should work when performed at a competent level. They are not “real” fighting and to look at them under that light is to set ANY technique up for failure. However, when used correctly techniques can provide a blue print for being successful in combat. They demonstrate principle at work and can provide a student with access to experience they have not yet gained, allowing the student to know how an opponent may react or where a guard may fail when attacked in a certain way. Used in this way, techniques can prove to be extremely valuable. Drill: to fix something into the mind or habit through repetition. Drilling is the means by which the principle, mechanics, tools and tactics you learn from technique are transformed from prefabricated lab experiments into something you can actually use in a fight. The method for drilling is simple: do it right, do it right again and then do it right again until doing it right, under any condition, is the only way you know how to do it. Skill Training is composed of two parts: learning (technique) and practice (drill)[130]. One without the other is of marginal value. NOTE: The following drills and techniques are presented in a live action manner. All pictures in this work are taken from moving footage and none of the pictures were deliberately posed for the

camera. They are meant to capture the basic motion but also to illustrate a very important point: things are seldom perfect when you mix two individuals, emotion and environment. The ability to adjust on the go is the hallmark of a successful fighter. Being able to stay within the spirit of a technique is often more important than the technique itself. Students, especially inexperienced ones, should take their time and give each drill its proper due. Avoid skipping around as each drill/technique is meant to layer one upon the other in a cumulative fashion. Developing and understanding those layers is what makes all the difference between a student who is truly emulating sound principle and one who is merely imitating a random combination. Due to limited space, the material presented here is an abridged version of the basic training curriculum. Techniques were selected to demonstrate a wide cross section of fundamental concepts at work. Note: For the purpose of this book, drills will refer to open ended and/or flexible training sequences meant to promote flow and instinctive use of guard and tools. The term technique will refer to set sequences meant to illustrate principles and tactics in a fixed manner.

Technique: Straight and cover Within the Crossing Path boxing curriculum, the straight and cover is the first step beyond basic tool training that a student will be taught. It serves both as an introduction to compound work and as a foundation for our basic approach to boxing. Concept: Simplicity! The straight and cover, when combined with proper footwork provides the student with a simple but effective answer in both attack and defense. This ability to fit into most situations allows the straight and cover to act as an excellent flinch reaction when either caught off guard by a sudden attack or when seeking to exploit a momentary opening in your opponent’s guard. Core tactic: serves as a catalyst for potentially any of them! Step by Step: 1. Assume guard 2. Take a median step (half-pass) forward and deliver a lead straight while covering outside with the rear hand. For the rear straight and cover: 1. Assume guard 2. Take an oblique step forward and deliver a rear straight while covering outside with the lead hand.

Variation 1: Glance Inside Beyond it’s obvious value as a quick and simple reaction, Straight and cover also provides the student with a template that can be adapted, purposely or otherwise, to a wide variety of uses. One of the first variations a student will be introduced to is derived from a rather common situation, missing the target. Whether emotion, bad mechanics or the opponent’s own defensive action it is not unusual for the straight to miss/glance to the one side or the other. At such times, the student is left with a choice: reset and try again[131] or salvage the action and make something useful of it. Variation 1: Miss/Glance inside 1. The forearm of the punching arm is driven across the opponent’s neck or alternatively can be loaded and a reverse chop can be directed at the neck. The cover arm is used to secure the foes arm, preferably at the elbow but anywhere along the arm will do in a pinch. 2. The punching arm can then be used to secure the head[132] before following up with any number of potential attacks.

Variation 2: Glance Outside The second variation is just the obvious extension of the idea that a missed blow is either going to glance inside or its going to glance outside. Anything after that is just a slight variation of one of these two. Beyond direction the main difference between inside and outside is how the student deals with the follow up. When a blow is deflected inside the student can easily collapse making full use of the straights existing velocity. When a blow is deflected outward the student is forced to reverse course, this robs them of any existing momentum and limits the number of practical follow ups. Variation 2: Glance Outside 1. As the straight is deflected outward the student turns the cover arm/shoulder inward[133]. 2. The student then rotates back towards the foe using the original punching arm as a chop/grab to the attacker’s neck as the cover arm slides down to secure the foes. closest arm, preferably at the elbow. Note: This position is very similar to the elbow collar tie up common to catch as catch can wrestling.

Drill: 3 counts 3 count drills are a blanket term for a wide range of striking drills used within the Crossing Path school. They are used primarily to teach the student how to use a fixed template while maintaining enough flexibility to adapt to individual situations[134]. Concept: Beyond reinforcing basic skills the 3 count drills also help shape the new student’s approach to combat. Instead of perceiving a fight as one long series of random attack and defense the student learns to break the fight down into smaller more manageable pieces. By taking longer sequences and breaking them down into more manageable series of 1, 1-2 or 1-2-3 the student is better able to maintain poise and adapt to the foes attempts to counter. The longer a prearranged sequence becomes the more likely it becomes that the opponent will do something, accidental or purposeful, to break it up. A student who isn’t aware of this reality is very likely to get caught in a mindset where they are no longer aware of the fight they are in and simply focused on finishing the technique (going from 1 to 12)[135]. By training the student to instinctively place these “check points” into their combinations we are attempting to keep their focus firmly rooted in the here and now. Training them to rapidly adapt as their opponent reacts to their previous actions in order to maintain and increase their control of the fight. Step by Step: Two common examples of 3 counts (upper body). About foot work: All sequences are assumed to start with a step or pass into proper range and end with a withdrawal to safe distance.

Foot work within the sequence can be simple or compound depending on the scenario[136] Sequence 1: 1. Lead/rear ward (varies based on attack) 2. Counter blow with opposite hand/elbow 3. Counter blow with alternate hand Sequence 2: 1. Lead hand strike or ward 2. Collapse or expand as follow up strike/ward with lead hand 3. Follow up blow with rear hand

Drill: collapsing and expanding Concept: The idea behind collapsing and expanding is fairly straight forward: if the hand is spent follow with the elbow, if the elbow is spent follow with the hand. While simple in design, collapsing and expanding is an extremely versatile movement skill and can be used in either offense or defense. Common uses: 1. Follow up to an attack. Often this takes the form of an attack against the opponent’s guard where the first strike forms a check[137] and the collapsing or expanding blow attacking the exposed target. 2. As a response to counter time. For example, if the opponent were to deflect the students straight punch inward and proceed to counter punch over it then the student could counter this by collapsing the initial punch and deflecting the counter blow with an oblique elbow. This same effect can be done in reverse as well[138]. In addition to these, collapsing and expanding are often used when actively moving through, circling or flanking an attacker as it allows the student to ward and counter rapidly when only one arm is in proper range[139].

Technique: Rag Doll Concept: To disorient a foe and prevent a contest of strength by rapidly and repeatedly shifting the opponents point of balance. These shifts deny a foe the stable platform needed to brace for an incoming blow or launch counter attacks in any meaningful way. These rapid shifts have the added benefit of potentially causing whip lash like injuries as the opponent is pulled out of alignment and forced to make awkward transitions without proper skeletal alignment. Core tactic: Base disruption. Step by step: Assumes attacker and student are both in left lead guards. 1. Attacker will throw a left lead straight[140]. 2. Student will pass forward to their right (oblique escape) and perform a left median elbow to indirectly ward the attack. 3. The student will then inner pivot to the left (towards the foe) ending up in a left lead oblique stance with a left-hand check on the opponent’s arm while simultaneously launching a right median hook (upper cut) to the opponent’s chin[141]. 4. Relative to the student’s stance, they will then step laterally with the right foot (lateral escape). This expands the previous stance behind the attacker’s closest leg. As this is done the student will quickly drop the elevation of their stance and strike to the groin with a right reverse chop[142]. 5. Inner pivot again, this time to the right and deliver a lateral elbow to the head. 6. Return to guard and establish proper distance. Or transition to another technique and continue your assault.

Technique: Root and Boot Concept: Force the foe to commit to an action and then take advantage of that action to quite literally knock them out of their stance. Then use the timing gap created by the need to recover their guard in order to strike freely. Core Tactic (s): 2nd intention[143], base disruption. Step by Step: 1. Student takes a median step forward while throwing a lead straight. The opponent will deflect the lead with their own lead hand[144]. 2. As the lead is deflected the student will pass forward with the right foot (lateral escape) and execute an oblique kick with the left to the inside of the opponents lead leg[145]. 3. Taking advantage of the wind up the oblique kick provides step into a left oblique stance and deliver a blow to an available target[146].

Technique: Provoke the Charge Concept: Closing into proper striking range is one of the more dangerous moments in a fight, especially when facing an opponent who enjoys superior reach or speed. In such situations, the student is often forced to take excessive risk in order to move into proper range. This technique attempts to mitigate that risk by inviting the foe to cover that “extra” distance for you. You can then counter in proper time and distance. Core tactic: Inviting Step by Step: 1. Assume a refused guard in order to invite the high line attack. 2. As the attacker moves forward, step forward with a lead oblique step to the left (oblique escape) and deliver a rear lateral elbow. 3. Inner pivot (to the right) into a right lead oblique stance and deliver a rear shovel hook to the body while checking with the lead hand. 4. Inner pivot back to left as you deliver a rear (right hand) lateral hook to the head.

Technique: Flinch and Flail Concept: Flinch and flail is initially taught as an immediate action drill when faced with an unexpected attack. For this reason, it is very simple in structure and makes exclusive use of gross motor skills. Note: while this is the way it is initially taught it is not the only situation in which it is useful. The swing is a very powerful strike that makes full use of the bodies mass and can easily become a single strike fight ender when used as a rabbit punch as it is here. Core tactic: obey the first rule! (Don’t Die) Step by Step: 1. Use a median elbow to cover the head. The can be done in combination with an oblique escape or by simply dropping into a crouch, depending on your available space and how completely you are surprised. 2. While maintain the median elbow as a check, throw a swing with the rear hand.[147]

Technique: Wedging Inside Concept: Moving inside the opponent’s guard, while sometimes necessary, exposes the student to counter blows from the opposite hand. While the shock of the initial action will often prevent an immediate counter, it is important to follow up in a manner that covers against the attackers opposite hand. Core tactic: a form of drawing[148] Step by step: 1. Lateral escape to the same side as the attacking hand[149] and with the lead hand, chop the incoming blow (deflecting it outward) 2. Rear hand covers outside (against the arm that just attacked) while the lead hand executes a reverse chop to the opponent’s neck[150]. 3. Throw a rear straight to further disrupt potential counters. The lead hand should drop back to a cover outside position. 4. Follow up with a lead hook or shovel hook to the chin.

Designing your own techniques: There exists no such thing as a best technique, there are however techniques that accent what you do best. While some examples of solid techniques are provided within the curriculum, the Crossing Paths school encourages students to really think about themselves and then tailor or even develop techniques to fit them. Techniques should be tailored to fit the student not only physically but also mentally and spiritually/emotionally. In the end, the only best way to fight is in a manner which enhances your natural attributes, plays off your natural reaction to danger and gives you the best chance of survival in combat. Having said this, there are somethings to consider when designing your own techniques. First and foremost, Physical and tactical principles must be adhered to. While many things can be adjusted based on personal preference: preferred strikes, wards, ranges, emphasis on attack or counter attack etc. it is important to understand that applying principle is not optional. Failure to understand this will result in a technique which is unreliable at best. Some things to consider[151]: 1) Consider physics and how they will change your techniques under combat conditions. Remember, in training we do many things for safety. These safety measures can often allow us to get away with things that are completely unworkable when speed, power and intent are added to the equation. This leads to false confidence and numerous bad habits if we don’t keep reality always in our mind. Things come harder, faster and bigger in a real fight, if your technique can’t handle that then it simply doesn’t work[152].

2) Build in crossroads. These crossroads become places where you can readjust or change technique as the opponent’s response changes. The ability to quickly adapt to any given situation is one of the major reasons that most of our hand and foot work contain 3 or less movements[153]. The goal is to think less in terms of one long technique and more about 2-4 shorter sequences that can be strung together in response to the opponent’s reaction. Remember your opponent isn’t interested in getting beat up any more than you are, given opportunity they will adjust and you need to do the same if you intend to maintain control. 3) Seek ways to act (proactive) rather than react (reactive). Even when responding to an attack attempt to do so in a proactive manner whenever possible. While this is largely a matter of perspective it pays dividends in how you perform. For example, when warding a target think about striking the incoming blow, an action, rather than blocking it, a passive reaction. 4) Emphasize proper use of bridging. No passive contact! Remember, bridging is an action so if you are not actively engaged in bridging with your opponent then you should be actively engaged in denying the use of a bridge to your opponent through the active use of voiding. 5) Precision targeting. All attacks should have a specific goal/target! All attacks, no matter how skillfully performed, expose gaps in your guard. These gaps provide opportunities for counter attack. For this reason, you should not willingly expose yourself to attack unless you first mitigate that risk by attacking in time with proper defensive cover

and maximize the damage done by targeting a vulnerable target. While you can never fully remove the danger inherent to attack you must do all you can to make sure the reward gained warrants the risk taken. 6) In self-defense, the primary goal is to insure your survival[154]. Only after that is accomplished do you consider how best to destroy the foe. Wild attacks, devoid of good defensive cover may occasionally win fights but they lose many more.

3 phases of technique: Crossing Path students are taught a 3-phase approach to technique development. This approach then becomes a guide which the student can use as a reference for designing their own personal reaction to a sudden attack. The important word here is sudden, we are not talking about sparring, competition or any other type of fight that you may see coming. This is an important distinction to understand, as any person, but especially a well-trained person, tend to react much differently to a threat they see coming. This difference lies largely in their ability to assess the threat and process their fear prior to the actual confrontation. This allows the student to greatly reduce, if not eliminate, the shock of an unexpected attack[155]. These phases help the student to better understand that a fight is seldom one fight but several distinct fights. A student must first survive the shock of ambush, relying largely on instinct, before they can transition to a more skillful approach guided by a higher mind (logical mind) and much like a video game if you don't beat the level you’re on, you won't be moving on to the next level!

Phase I: Ambush (Don't Die) This is the ambush phase and it is the hardest but most important phase to prepare for. As a skilled fighter, you will never be more vulnerable in a fight than at this stage[156]. The reality of this phase is harsh. In a perfectly executed ambush you lose, period. Done right, you will see nothing, you will hear nothing

and then you die (or are subdued). This is a solemn reminder of why awareness is such a key attribute to develop in your training. Thankfully for you, being perfect is no easier for your opponent than it is for you. As stated earlier, your best bet here is awareness, see trouble coming and avoid it or, at the very least, prepare for it. Preparation pays dividends here, particularly in terms of processing the fear and shock ahead of the attack. Doing this allows you to face it with your logical, skillful mind rather than your primal undisciplined mind. That’s the ideal but this is self-defense in the real world so chances are pretty good that you won’t be on your guard 24/7. Everyone has an off day or a day where you just have 50 other things to focus on. Combine this with Murphey’s Law and you are pretty much assured that when your guard is down, that is the time trouble will come for you. So, assuming you even get the chance to fight back you will need to make the most of your second chance. That means knowing what to do and that means training with it in mind right NOW! As we often say in the Crossing Paths “you cannot use what you do not have, right here and right now”. This is particularly true of this phase of the attack. All the fancy techniques and strategy’s you may know are pretty much off limits for the moment. Those things belong to smart you but it is primal you that is driving the bus at the moment. You are going to have to rely on primal reflex, this means Big (gross motor function), simple and instinctive motion. The trick here is to train these reflexes ahead of time without going too far or expecting too much. If you get too fancy then when you are truly startled, your movements just won’t be available, no matter how hard you train. This is because most of the skillful movements we use in combat require the precision and coordination of the higher

(logical) mind and this mind won’t be available until after we survive those first few seconds of the ambush phase. So, in order to transition to your more skillful mind you are going to have to survive the initial moments of the fight with only your lower (primal) mind. In order to do this, you will need to concentrate on two things in training. First you will want to work with the “flinch” reflex. This is the body’s natural reaction to surprise/danger and as such it comes prepackaged with abundant strength and lightning speed but lacks most of our fine-tuned motor skills. What you as a student want to focus on is drilling the systems reference/guard positions so that they become your natural flinch reaction[157]. The idea being to respond to an attack even before you really comprehend what the specific attack is but also in a way that covers your vulnerable areas immediately. All while moving you towards a position you can make successively more skillful actions from as your higher brain catches up. Second you will want to develop your “flail” instinct into something more useful to you. Much like your flinch reflex the flailing instinct is both primal and fundamentally sound in design. Whereas the flinch is a primal attempt to either create space or raise a guard against potential danger[158], the flailing instinct is a primal application of physics used to both shield your vulnerable targets and create space for either follow up attacks or fleeing. This is accomplished through application of a simple physical principle “two objects cannot occupy the same space at the same time”. In essence, if your hands are filling up the space between your vulnerable targets and the opponent’s attacks then the attacker’s hands have no access to those targets. The real trick is

turning this reaction into something more useful to you, without stealing its strength[159]. Trained correctly this flail reaction becomes a primary transition movement between phase 1: DON’T DIE (primal) and our phase 2: POSITION FIRST (logical) thinking. In short at this phase think “Flinch and Flail” and, as always in selfdefense obey, the first rule “Don’t Die”.

Phase II: Duel (Position First) Now assuming you survive the first few seconds of the attack you will find that your mind will quickly begin to shunt the fear, bleeding off much of this overwhelming emotion and giving your higher mind a chance to jump back into the fight. It is at this point that all the stuff you know can really start coming into play. Students are often surprised at just how game like this phase can be with experience and knowledge stacking up well against strength and speed. The first thing you will notice at this phase is that your logical (skillful) mind will begin to “catch up” with your emotional mind and can subsequently get into the mix bringing with it all the knowledge and more refined motor skills you possess. This, in turn, provides you with options that were not possible just a moment before. Now that you are no longer restricted to primal instinct you can start employing tactics, strategy and refined mechanics to your advantage. Having survived the initial chaos of the ambush, you now know you are in a fight and can use your skill accordingly. The next focus

becomes gaining a position from which you can use your skill to best advantage[160]. This position needs to achieve two things primarily: First and foremost, it must restrict the aggressor’s ability to follow up their initial attack. Doing this requires the student to use both angle and distance to achieve a position that prevents the foe from being able to easily launch attack after attack, in an endless and eventually overwhelming wave. This means your primary goal is to deny the opponent the opportunity to build up momentum in one direction (velocity). By angling effectively, the student can force an attacker to change directions after each attack. This need to change direction prevents the foe from building up the momentum they need to overrun you. Functionally this means you are going to want to emphasize oblique or lateral lines, relative to the attackers line, in your defense. Using these lines remove you from the opponent’s initial line of travel[161]. Conversely, straight forward or backward should be avoided beyond your first instinctive step for this very same reason[162]. Not 0nly will this movement provide you with the initial advantage of preventing a bull rush it also begins the process of stealing time (initiative) from the foe. As you force the opponent to constantly reorient[163], you are also forcing them into the role of going second. This is because they have to give up any initiative (and velocity) that they acquired in the ambush as they change position and reset. This change has to be undertaken against a foe (you) that is no longer surprised and disoriented but is instead now laying in guard ready to exploit any gaps that occur as the foe reorients towards you. It is this gap between the foes last attack and their reorienting towards your new position that often offers you the best chance to

interrupt the opponents attack[164]. This momentary exposure also factors into the second important element of effective positioning. It provides you with the ideal opportunity to create a favorable match up in terms of available weapons. In essence, this means you try to create a situation of “one up manship”. For example, if he can use one tool then you can use 3 tools. The advantage of this is obvious, if you have 3 moves available and they have only one then even if you use two movements to their one[165] you will still have one move left for an unimpeded attack against them[166]. This slowing of the attacker’s momentum combined with creating favorable mismatches allow you to transition into the final phase of a typical engagement. Note: A self-defense situation differs from a sporting contest, however violent the sport maybe, in one very significant way: Serious injury and even death are not only possible, they are the goal! Therefore, defense must take precedence over offense for you. Err on the side of caution and only make attacks when you have good angles of approach and recovery. Otherwise stick to your defense and keep moving till you find a better position[167].

Phase III: Destroy/Disengage (strike hard, run fast or hide well) This phase is all about taking stock of what you have accomplished with the first two phases and then making a decision based on what you know about the fight you are in weighed against what you know about fights in general. A well trained and sensible fighter

understands that not all fights are decided by whether you can beat the other person or not. Often outside factors will influence your choice of whether to stay and fight or disengage. This means considering a few things: 1. Can you disengage safely? Everyone says you should run when you can run but that shouldn’t be read as “always run”. Turning your back on a person who wants to hurt you (especially if a weapon is involved) is inherently dangerous and should only be attempted if you feel confident in your ability to both get clear of the attacker and then remain clear of them long enough to regroup or completely break contact[168]. Remember, in a real attack, this person is likely facing jail time if you get away and that could be a good incentive for them to put real effort into running you down. 2. Is there anywhere safe to flee to? Running away with no real destination may result in you simply burning precious energy before having to fight again when you blindly stumble into a dead end or your attacker’s accomplices. A variety of factors can be involved in determining a safe place to flee. A big one to consider is time of day, if its 3 in the afternoon you might only need to get out the room or side street and into the main street where there are too many eyes but at 3 in the morning those crowds are gone and the attacker(s) may well be able to come right out and drag you back without causing any alarm whatsoever. Conversely night, especially in secluded areas, could potentially provide you more opportunities to employ stealth, assuming you can break visual contact long enough to hide. 3. Are you still REALLY in a life or death situation? While ultimately your goal is to survive the encounter, a close second is not going to prison forever. Your only goal should be preservation of your life and limb, not revenge, so stay consciously aware of the situation and

don’t allow yourself to move past protecting your life and in to “Teaching them a lesson”. However good that feeling of payback may seem it will be mitigated by the feeling you get when those bars slam home on your new home after some bleeding heart gets you convicted of excessive force. How much time do you really have? This is an often-neglected aspect of self-defense training. Many times, you might possess the overall ability to beat the opponent but can you do it in the time you have? Remember you are not in a sporting match you don’t have 15 uninterrupted minutes to wear them out[169]. As a general point of reference, the Crossing Paths school likes to assume you have 30 seconds before either your foe realizes you are a legit threat and escalates the fight by pulling a weapon or calls for his buddies to pile in. So, using that as a measuring stick, if you can’t take them out within 30 seconds you may want to rethink your plan and possibly shift towards finding a way to disengage safely[170].

Sample technique template: The following is a sample of a template a student might use in adapting their boxing to self-defense. Use your imagination fill each blank with something that works for you and remember that this is only one of many such progressions that are possible. 1) MOVE! Anywhere other than where you are! The idea here is to interrupt the opponent’s game plan and begin to bring them into yours. Even in the case of a completely random attack you can gain advantage by quickly moving the target (you) from its original position. This will immediately disrupt your opponent’s ability to target precisely and prevent them from properly focusing their power[171]. In addition to this, if you assume the opponent deliberately chose to attack you at this place in time and space then it is equally reasonable to assume they did so with intent[172]. Note: While it is entirely possible that a street attack is completely random it is better to assume that it isn’t. Even if the attack was not premeditated you still gain advantage by moving to a place more advantageous to you. This simple shift in position steals the opponent’s ability to quickly follow up their initial attack by forcing them to track your movement instead of immediately renewing their attack on you. 2) Transition to a guard. In the process of transition you increase your relative safety and open the possibility for any number of plays to be made based on the appropriate counter times (stop-hit, time hit, counter hit). This phase should end with you at a favorable angle and ready to follow up or disengage as needed.

Note: Moving to a guard position also has a positive psychological effect on you. You are now in a position you train from, a position that you know how to operate from. This helps to shift you into a higher mental game[173] and out of a predominantly primal, emotional game[174]. 3) Void or Bridge[175] as the situation and your preferred method dictates. At this phase, the emphasis is on moving out of DON'T DIE and into POSITION FIRST. Void to lure the opponent into position or Bridge to force them into it. Whichever method you use the goal is to establish or maintain favorable position in both space and time. 4) Continue to establish your position both physically and mentally. At this point you are probably transitioning out of a primal mind into your higher mind and will be able to begin applying a more skillful approach to the combat. Weaken the foe’s structure through effective striking and base disruption in order to strengthen your own. Superior position establishes a leverage advantage and leverage equals control. Note: Step 4 is also the appropriate place to begin considering other options such as fleeing. You have disrupted their structure and may now have an opportunity to disengage that you did not initially possess. Keep in mind that in fleeing, just as in combat, Position comes first! You cannot simply turn and run (as is often suggested by many people) without first insuring your opponent will not just run you down or cause you major injury as you turn away[176]. 5) Build on the counter phase. Void and Bridge in concert to keep the opponent in a weak position as you continue to weaken them with strikes and cement your position of superior leverage[177].

6) End only when the opponent is unwilling or incapable of resistance. Or when you are able to safely disengage[178]. Note: Step 6 is not an excuse to cause undo pain or death to your attacker. Rather it serves as a reminder that you likely have no backup coming and your safety is your first priority. The best way to do accomplish this when you are alone is to thoroughly remove the opponents will and ability to fight.

Note: Don't Fixate on 1, 2, 3 Keep in mind that awareness of the Opponent is of utmost importance. A skilled, powerful or simply lucky opponent may seize the initiative and force you to reset. You may replay Phase I several times before moving to Phase II and Phase II may be repeated any number of times before Phase III. Be patient and don't get greedy. Survival comes first, if you stay solid in your defense you will find opportunity.

Supplemental information The following section contains information on a variety of subjects that you might find useful. It is intended for those who may wish to use this book as the foundation for a solo training regime. Ideally a good teacher is still your best bet for learning a martial art correctly but sometimes reality limits your options to teaching yourself or giving up. If that is your case, don’t give up! Take your time, start with the fundamentals and keep refining until you have a routine that works for you. With that goal in mind, these additional sections may help you organize and structure your studies. Each of the following sections can be considered as an Appendix in itself and as such there is no particular hierarchy given. Read it end to end or as you find need of it. One last thing: Anyone can hit someone, all that takes is a willingness to smash your hand into something. Anyone can take a hit, all that takes is a blow you can’t avoid. In that sense, it’s true that anyone who slings a punch can be considered a bare-knuckle boxer. But in reality, it isn’t a hard fist or a harder head that makes a true boxer. It is knowing what to hit, how to hit it, when to hit and, most importantly, how to do all of that without getting hit back that truly sets a bare-knuckle boxer apart from the everyday brawler with a big right hook.

Notes on striking: Proper impact surface: To maximize damage to the opponent while at the same time minimizing damage to yourself it is important to be accurate in your striking. Accuracy is not only hitting the target you intend to but also hitting that target with the proper impact surface. Impact surfaces of the fist: 1. Central knuckle (middle finger) with the two knuckles below it impacting slightly later (to help absorb recoil). 2. Heel of the palm. To be clear, the heel of the palm is a knuckle sized surface at the base of the palm opposite the thumb. It is not the entire base of the palm, striking with the entire palm may preserve the hand but it also diminishes the strike. 3. Finger tips. Seldom used but viable against certain soft targets. Fingers should be curved slightly downward so that they can curve inward if impacted against a hard target. Impact surfaces of the elbow: 1. Point of the elbow. When striking the elbow should be clinched at the moment of impact just like a fist. 2. Flat of the elbow. Much like the heel of palm the flat of the elbow is just the extreme end of the elbow (about the size of a half dollar). Try to avoid striking with the forearm as much as possible[179].

Impact surfaces of the foot: (assumes a shoe/boot) 1. Toe. Toes can be slightly curled if necessary (softer shoe). 2. Inside edge of sole. Ideally close to the heel.

3. Heel. Impact surfaces of the knee: 1. Point of the knee. Knee should be clinched on impact just like any other strike. 2. Flat of knee. Just like the knee the flat represents an area about the size of a half dollar toward the extreme end of the upper leg (where it meets the knee. Avoid getting too much of the upper legs surface into the blow for the same reasons mentioned in the flat of elbow. The Quarter twist: All of the Hand strikes presented in this book should end with a quarter twist of the hand at the end of a blow. This twist helps in two primary ways: 1. Aligns the impact surface at the last second. This is important when striking at a moving target[180] 2. Provides penetration. This final spiraling force can increase velocity and impart a “drilling” effect to the blow. While this idea is common to many martial arts around the world many students are not well versed in doing it correctly. As a result of this they often disregard it as “kung Fu theater” and in doing so lose a valuable weapon.

Common mistakes to avoid: 1. Rotating along the entire strike. Done properly there should be no rotation until the terminal phase of the blow[181]. 2. Over rotating. Rotating beyond the quarter twist produces little additional penetration and can even impart too much rotational

force. This can cause the elbow to move out of alignment, reducing impact and ability to handle recoil. Practicing the quarter twist: Nothing fancy is required nor is there one right way to do it (beyond doing the twist itself properly). A simple method for training it that can also be done just about anywhere is as follows: 1. Place one hand palm out as a target. 2. Shape your striking hand about 4-5 inches away in a loose fist. 3. Move the striking fist towards the opposite hands palm turning approximately 45 degrees as you do so. End with a quick momentary clench of the hand as you impact. 4. Repeat as often as you can! 5. Once you have a good command of this, move the hand back farther and farther until you are throwing a true blow. Always paying special attention to the twist and the distance it is initiated at (which never changes regardless of the strike thrown).

One other note on the quarter twist: There is no “right” starting position. It is the 45-degree rotation at the terminal end of the strike that is important. Your punch, chop or swing can start from any orientation you prefer (or end up in) as long as you can complete the twist at the end of it. The real trick is learning to be consistent in the timing of the twist and learning to make it a part of every hand strike. Doing so will pay real dividends to your boxing[182]

Targets: Traditionally bare-knuckle boxing has three primary targets for the fists at long range: 1. The button: as in “right on the button”. The is an approximately fist sized target encompassing the area between the nose and the point of the chin. 2. The mark: as in “on the mark”. This is sometimes referred to as the pit of the stomach but more commonly known as the solar plexus. 3. The ear: an area that includes not only the ear but the vulnerable areas directly forward and rear of it. Usually struck at long range with the swing. While it is certainly possible to strike other targets these two were preferred for several reasons: 1. A single clean blow to either is likely to stun and possibly even knock out an attacker. 2. They are large and well defined, requiring less pin point accuracy to achieve useful results. In the case of the button the target is actually several potential targets making it more likely you will actually hit one when attacking a moving target. 3. At long range, they are the only “one shot” targets you can hit without significantly lowering your guard[183]. At close range additional targets become viable: 1. Liver or spleen: up and just under the lower rib on the right and left side respectively. 2. Kidneys 3. Base of the skull 4. Bladder

5. Under the arm, just below the actual arm pit. Counter punching can include targets along the arm: 1. Just behind and above the elbow to either the inside or outside 2. Inside of the bicep Lower body attacks, either with kicks, close range with hands or when recovering from a downed position: 1. Top of the foot 2. Inside of the leg, just above the ankle 3. Knee in any number of directions 4. Groin (generally in a rising fashion rather than a straight thrust) Note: These targets are typically presented to beginners as a starting point. The goal, at this point, is not to teach every possible target but to get students to actually start thinking about hitting specific targets when they drill instead of desperately (and randomly) swinging. Remember: Power and aggression are no substitute for Precision! Even in the safety of practice, constantly remind yourself that every attack requires you to expose your guard, however briefly, and greatly increases the risk of being countered. In a fight where life and limb are on the line, this shouldn’t be risked if the only reward is to hit some random and possibly useless target. Train to deliver every blow to a vulnerable target and if you hit someone cleanly, expect them to drop[184]!

Points and Flats: The idea behind Points and flats is to simplify what would otherwise be a complicated physics lecture into a simple reference system. This can then be used as a teaching tool for demonstrating the proper use of the body for striking, absorbing energy and gaining leverage. It is important to note that this is a referencing device and not scientific principle[185]. Keep this in mind: Points and Flats are the physical mechanism by which a student forms a bridge. Understanding their use allows the student to focus or disburse energy as needs be. Visualize striking someone in the chest twice. First with a single knuckle (a point) and then again with your forearm (a flat). In each case, take care to deliver the blow with the same force. The only difference should be the type of blow delivered. Despite the fact that they are equal in energy the results will be noticeably different. But why? A single knuckle (a point) tends to hurt more not because you strike harder but because the energy you project is focused into a smaller target area. This focusing of the kinetic energy allows the single knuckle to essentially “overload” the target area causing greater penetration and subsequently more damage. With the forearm (a flat), the energy remains the same but it is disbursed over a much larger surface area. This disbursal allows a much greater area to “share the load” and in doing so it minimizes the penetration of the blow which, in turn, minimizes the damage. While this is counterproductive from an offensive perspective it is exactly what you want to do defensively. A basic rule of thumb is this: if you must get hit then get hit BIG![186]

Visualize: Imagine being struck with a baseball bat. Now first imagine that you are hit with last few inches of the bat (the sweet spot) directly to the point of your chin. Now imagine that same strike but this time as it nears the strike zone you turn into it and raise your shoulder while slightly turning your back so that now 2/3rds of the bat makes contact along your shoulder and upper back. In the former example, you are pretty much done, there is simply too much energy focused into too small a target area. In the latter, you make use of flats (the entire shoulder and upper back matched up against the flat of the bat length) to avoid a direct collision (no point to point contact) and this, in turn, disburses the strike into a more manageable blow[187].

In short, flats serve two functions: to create stability and distribute force along a surface. Flats serve not only as a means of transferring energy along their length from one point to another[188]. They can also be used as a very inefficient fulcrum, which in turn provides enhanced stability. This is favorable in situations where you don't want to be moved[189]. This has the added benefit of making any attempts to move you face greater natural resistance[190] and as such it will require the expenditure of significantly greater energy from the attacker.

Points, on the other hand, create instability. They serve both as a means to concentrate force into a small area and as superior fulcrums. The ability to focus force and act as a fulcrum means that points tend to be highly efficient levers. As such they are very useful for generating instability in whatever they are applied to. This allows you to move an object around more easily when bridged as the object is already highly inclined to shift position in relation to the point. Defensively, points also create a narrow surface from which incoming forces will tend to sheer off to one side[191]. Due to its narrow front, a point will tend to be quite stable in relation to incoming forces[192]. As such, points are very good at holding their position unless they are hit directly[193]. As a result of this, incoming objects tend to be deflected towards one side or the other before they can penetrate their intended target.

Side Note: While not a true principle of Physics in their own right, both points and flats serve as a simple means of practically applying the concepts of penetration, dissipating energy, creating stability and instability, introducing other physical principles and the use of simple machines within the body structure[194]. Understanding the idea of Points and Flats is extremely helpful in understanding Crossing Path applications. For those of you who

maybe groaning at the thought of equations and math problems, you can relax. Your goal isn't a degree in Physics, just a functional introduction to the manipulation of energy.

Points: Points constitute those parts of the body from which major motion is derived. As such, Points function in two primary ways: Points of control in order to manipulate an opponent’s motion. Think of a point as a literal crossroad, where control of the crossroad gives you the ability to control traffic by hindering progress, stopping it completely or rerouting it to a different line, all as you see fit. As literal points that allow for the focus of kinetic energy into an opponent. In addition to this, points also help the student deal with the subsequent recoil. When properly aligned for striking, points tend to place flats directly in-line with them. This allows the flat to serve as a shock absorber. Without this alignment, the amount of force you can concentrate into a point will often be enough to damage you as well[195].

Side note: In a bit of irony, your points when properly configured make for the ideal striking surfaces. Take that alignment away and they become some of your most vulnerable. A points importance to motion is such that if one is damaged it will greatly hinder your ability to move, balance and transfer force (strike,

lever) effectively. The same elbow that can smash an opponent unconscious in a single blow when contracted can be hyper extended or even broken with relatively little force when extended. This is just another example of how important that intersection between time and space really is and why you will see and hear about it over and over throughout your training[196].

Flats: Flats constitute those parts of the body along which energy is transferred from one point to the next. As such, Flats serve as a means to relay energy generated in one point to another[197]. Defensively, flats also serve as a means of either preventing or distributing force from an incoming strike. This happens in two primary ways: a flats greater surface area is used to prevent point to point contact or by placing a flat against the foe in a such a way that that they are denied the free space needed to build velocity for a strike. Some common uses for flats: As a means of "smothering" an opponent’s motion. This is accomplished by creating contact along an extended surface area. By doing this the flat denies the attacker the space needed to produce kinetic energy for a strike. As a means to distribute and thus disburse an opponent’s energy by exchanging distance across the surface of your body for penetration into your body. To act as a beam within a lever to displace or disrupt an opponent's position. Much like a crowbar, a flat (say the forearm for example) allows energy exerted at the point (elbow or shoulder) to connect to the load as you see fit.

Side note: In contrast to what you might see in other systems where flats are commonly used as striking surfaces (forearm strikes, shin kicks etc.), the Crossing Paths system does not use their flats for striking. The reason for this in our minds is a practical one: They are inherently weak as impact weapons[198] and are better preserved for what they do best[199]. While it can’t be denied that there are many fighters who do use them to great effect they require excessive conditioning to do so. Crossing Paths is designed so that even those who are not professionals can achieve a functional level of combat effectiveness over time. Flat based strikes are mechanically inefficient, no matter how well conditioned or how hard you hit, you will get more out of a point than a flat as a striking surface[200]. Flats require excessive conditioning to insure a reasonable level of safety in their use. Even with serious conditioning there are still many professional fighters every year who break their shins in competition. Given this the choice is simply a matter of pragmatism. With better choices available why risk it? After all, how much more prone, to injury, is an amateur with limited conditioning already going to be?

As a Student, be ever mindful of the difference between could work, will work for a pro and will work for you as they are often very different things.

[1]

While the principles of war are universal. Tactics, tools and rules of engagement are not. [2] As opposed to soldiers or prize fighters for whom training to fight is considered part of their job. [3] This mismatch can result from individual size and strength but also from weapons and/or superior numbers. [4] Physical, mental, emotional/spiritual resources. Not necessarily because potential is lacking but because the time, money and interest needed to develop them is. [5] environment meaning both spatially and temporally, i.e. where and when they were developed and in response to what threat. [6] Regardless of how great the sales pitch may sound or the charisma of the individual instructor. [7] Usually far more limited in what you can carry or the backup you can depend on.

[8]

Not within the time frame of the actual attack. One of the reasons unarmed combat is a must for civilian self-defense, even if a gun is part of your everyday carry. [10] The obvious flaw in this logic being that if everyone is thinking it will happen to someone else. Where then do the “other people” come from? [11] Victims of violence are seldom chosen at random but instead are selected from the general public when and wherever they present themselves as easy targets. [12] Of course, there are exceptions to every rule but on average the student of selfdefense is driven more by prudence and enjoyment of learning than fear and paranoia. [13] This is one of the first things you will learn in a good self-defense system and that lesson alone is worth the time. [14] When in fact, flinching away from potential danger is a good thing. After all, why wouldn’t you want to avoid an attack? [15] Arrogance largely derived from the mistaken belief that there is only one real “warrior” archetype. [16] Though it is well worth doing your own research if your serious about understanding the science of self-defense. [17] And you certainly don’t want to eliminate them. [18] Sound in general principle and technique. [19] that is to say professional, combative specialist whose vocation was the training for and prosecution of war and other such violent endeavors. [20] as these are the types most often drawn to (and excel at) combat related professions. [21] Or perhaps purposely left out for the sake of marketing. [22] a student who is consistently overwhelmed by a less skilled but much larger or more aggressive opponent. [23] Sickness, injury, exhaustion, outnumbered, out gunned etc. etc. [24] You are essentially spending your limited time and money on training hard to lose a fight! [25] Moving to close range and then using flats to prevent an opponent from moving freely and by extension of that, quickly. [26] Again, you have no real control over this unless you are the one starting the fights. [27] a bunch of half learned tricks are no substitute for real principle and few well learned tools [28] I know a lot of people rankle at the idea of being “small”. It’s not an insult it is a reminder that small is a relative term. I stand 6’2, fairly large in most places, but I have been the smaller guy in the fight on more than one occasion. [29] Either by panicking or miscalculating the danger level and acting rashly. [30] If nothing else it limits the ease with which your foe can exploit them. [31] Regardless of how rough they may be. [9]

[32]

It makes no difference whether it is a surprisingly strong/aggressive opponent in the ring or a complete surprise as in many street attacks. [33] Stay in the fight meaning you maintain the ability to actively affect the outcome of your own self-defense. Few things are worse than having your survival depend on the mercy of your foe. [34] Your opponent is both willing and capable of doing that for you. [35] And as such it is not only your responsibility but also well within your ability to control your reaction to it. [36] Real or imagined. [37] Though a well-conditioned body is certainly more capable of handling the physical stresses associated with shock and panic. [38] Effective meaning a position which limits the attackers leverage and angle of attack. Accomplishing this will make it very difficult for them to attack you in any meaningful way without first exposing themselves to immediate counter attack. [39] Your opponent often has the advantage of initiative and momentum in these situations. Remember they came into this situation looking for trouble while you probably had other plans for your day. [40] It is equally important not to confuse actual, functional grappling with merely clinging. Grappling is proactive and done with purpose, clinging is merely a desperate reaction to being overwhelmed. [41] Using it for you own purpose. This purpose should be proactive in nature, designed to gain advantage in position. [42] For some this may even spur them on. If the act of violence is about dominance then your struggles only make it a better experience for them. [43] Given that a common character trait among career criminals is the utter inability to take responsibility for their own actions they are probably even more adverse to it. [44] Rules, which are general guidelines based on experience should not be confused with principles which are a matter of physics. Disregard rules and you might still get lucky, Disregard physics and you will lose. [45] The point where one state shifts to the other. [46] The place where time and space overlap. Think of it like a 4-way road, it requires an intersection of a point in both time and place (space) before a collision can be caused (or prevented). [47] The degree to which an action can be made freely and without delay/interruption. [48] i.e. surprise attacks, opponent who out match you in a straight head to head clash etc. [49] True response being one that does not sacrifice good position and the ability to recover safely for the possibility of landing a desperate attack. [50] The reason for this is simple. Prolonged time in 1 or 5 indicates a situation that never really became a fight. If one is completely overwhelmed then fighting skill and tactics are rendered moot.

[51]

A person fully focused on their own defense cannot launch effective attacks against their opponent. [52] The intent of the attacker to imminently launch an attack. [53] As they are focused on launching their own attack in that moment. [54] As the opponent launches their own attack. [55] Constantly getting hit as you try to strike is extremely demoralizing. [56] Few defenses are better than an opponent who won’t attack. [57] Meaning the opponents recovering of their weapon to a proper guard after it misses its target, is warded or in preparation for their next attack. [58] As opposed to simply losing the fight out right. [59] Given the opponents advantage in momentum and time this could easily result in the student “walking into” a heavy blow. [60] Direct wards seek to damage the attacker’s weapons through forcing improper strikes on the attacker. Visualize someone trying to kick you in the groin but instead banging their shin on the corner of a table over and over. [61] Just as a bridge connects one side of a river to the other. [62] Without the bridge, the same river would become a void as it denies easy access to the side. [63] This manipulation can be used to move either the object or to move yourself in relation to the object. For example, you can push someone away or if their mass is too great then you can use the recoil of your push (Newtons 3rd law of motion) to drive yourself away from them. In either case the goal of breaking contact is accomplished. [64] First to move doesn’t inherently create advantage but often the leverage gained by going first leads to superior position overall and this can make it difficult for whoever goes second to do so with sufficient leverage. [65] i.e. if you grab my wrist I don’t have to think reactively “oh no, he has me, I must escape!” but now have the option to also consider it proactively “now he must go wherever I move my arm” [66] The scale of time. [67] Especially if the opponent is stronger or more aggressive. [68] As your foe is proactively seeking better position while you hold a position that may no longer have any advantage. [69] Or at least we use to before it became so cliché. [70] The illusion that there is no place or time available for us to react effectively to their attack. [71] if you are in a bad/weak place he is probably wanting to get at you as quickly as possible. [72] By evaluate I simply mean that you can adjust the technique based on your opponent’s reaction to the initial movement. This is much harder to accomplish when you make one big attempt to seize control as a combination of too much inertia and too little time make it extremely difficult to change direction.

[73]

While not literally the point of origin, they serve as convenient bottle necks for control. [74] remember the other person doesn’t want to get beaten up any more than you do and is resisting at every opportunity [75] in terms of energy expended and bodily attachment to the opponent, as possible. [76] While not preventing other tools from being used they would all require reposition or loading which cost time and space. [77] Nothing metaphysical here, energy refers to kinetic energy and the inertia of an attacker. [78] Slowing their wards provides you with a time advantage. Impeding their strikes turns them into little better than pushes which are much easier to deal with. [79] Most often this means a single limb but larger body traps are certainly possible. [80] For example, shoulder checking someone into a wall. The two-combined form a trap. [81] Essentially squashing the target between two objects. This negates many of the movements the opponent would normally use to distribute or dissipate a strike. [82] In either direction. Sometimes it may be necessary to give up a lock and disengage from the opponent. In such cases, transitioning from lock to trap to check to void makes for a safer disengage than jumping back and hoping for the best. [83] A lock is a measure of leverage/control, it should not be confused with the subsequent attack that follows it. Simply put you establish a lock and then you break, choke or strike. They are not the same thing as a lock can be used to restrain motion without causing damage. [84] Proper lock meaning one whose leverage/position is secured fully. [85] A mechanical way to escape the lock. [86] Don’t confuse preventing a proper lock from being applied with escaping one you are already in. In the case of locks, your training time is better spent on understanding how to prevent them rather than knowing how to escape them. [87] A second benefit of taking more time is that it usually requires the attacker to expose their guard as they move around your check or trap. [88] Like the proverbial fox in a trap they may be forced to “chew off their own foot” to escape. [89] A student’s goal is to emulate a proper strike in all its mechanical details and not merely imitate it in appearance. It is vitally important that a strike FEEL like a strike upon impact and not simply look like one in the mirror. [90] Though there are any number of variations possible. [91] Literally off the median line (vertical line in the drawings above). [92] For this reason, the pivot/swivel works best from the oblique stance though it can be used (to a more limited degree) in either median or lateral stance work. [93] “inside the jaws” refers to keeping the foe inside your shoulders where all your tools can get at them rather than outside where they can possibly take your back.

Keeping in mind that inside your shoulders does not necessarily equate to an inside position overall. [94] By allowing you to essentially step forward within the space you already occupy. [95] While not the only steps taught within the system they do the majority of the work and could, if necessary, stand alone as a complete system with no particular need for additional or more specialized footwork. [96] Simple steps lengthen, shorten or adjust a stance while maintaining the same relative position. Compound steps use two or more steps to accomplish a single goal. Typically, the movement of the stance to an entirely new location. [97] The decision of pass or half-pass is inherent to the stance itself. For example, if the student attempts to oblique escape with the rear foot they must do so by passing. [98] Perhaps as a means of recovering from a slip or stumble. In self-defense, a primary step is often used to quickly avoid a surprise attack. In such cases, the boxer often needs to recover to a proper stance afterwards and an adjustment step would be used to accomplish this. [99] Italics are used here because these tools have potential applications beyond the obvious strike. [100] In order to minimize a new student’s chances of getting confused or overwhelmed with information at a point where grasping the basics is the real goal. [101] Compound tools are more commonly seen as techniques and will be covered in Part IV. [102] Essential meaning that they give the student a well-rounded arsenal and introduce them to most of the major motion mechanics. It is entirely possible to box well with fewer tools and there are certainly dozens of other motions that can work equally well. This is just where we choose to start. [103] In addition to the obvious offensive use most of these tools can also be used in a defensive manner as well. [104] Mechanically this blow is not a “straight” but it is derived from the movement of the overhand straight and therefore is typically taught alongside it for convenience. [105] The lateral and median elbow are derived from the lateral and median hook respectively. [106] The thrusting elbow is derived from the loading motion of the reverse chop. [107] Safely being a relative term in combat. [108] While it’s true you should be able to fight from any position it is equally true that working from known reference points serve you well both physically (muscle memory) and psychologically (gives a feeling of control and security). [109] Primarily in the area of defense. The rules of modern boxing inherently protect a fighter from many of the threats a bare-knuckle fighter has to account for manually and this is reflected in their respective guards. [110] These attempts not only telegraph the attackers intent but also direct their intent towards a less vulnerable target. [111] Not only because they must now strike two blows instead of one but also because the first blow signals their intent to attack. This allows you more time to

take defensive action against the primary attack. [112] The only difference being where the stop occurs. In the high line (presented) or in the low line (refused). [113] If these two things are lacking then there is no real security in any opening (long range) guard. [114] Either of these guards can actually be done from all the stances but are usually taught to a beginner from the median stance as it reinforces the defensive lessons essential to skillful boxing. [115] As it can attack or defend high or low equally well to that side. [116] Commanding is seizing control of a guard by checking or grabbing it. Many fighters pick up a bad habit of pawing at a lead before launching the real attack. The refused guard can be used to exploit this nervous habit. [117] nd 2 intention is an attempt to mitigate this downside. [118] Every time a guard shifts in response to an attack against one target it, by necessity, exposes other targets to attack. [119] The very skilled recognize the false attack and either counter strike against the gap between the false and true attacks or ignores it entirely. The unskilled often don’t recognize the false blow as an attack and either accidently (but successfully) attack into the aforementioned gap or end up not responding to it at all. [120] A feint lacks commitment so it can switch direction (or limbs) very quickly. A second intention strike commits to the first strike therefore it is limited to slight changes of angle and elevation along the same general line as its initial target. [121] Or creates the illusion that the target is exposed. [122] At the very least you are splitting their attention making it more likely you will slip something past their defense in the confusion. [123] Meaning they stabilize a foe to the point of immobility or destabilize them to the point of collapse. [124] That is not to say that there are only 4. Only that these four are a good place for new students to start. Each serving as a good example of the base disruption tactic at work. [125] This then allows you to decide when and where the opponent can move. The advantage to this should be obvious. [126] As your attacker is preoccupied with trying to maintain their balance or break out of a locked down position. [127] Imagine encasing the opponent’s feet in concrete, or conversely, imagine them trying to move quickly while standing on a patch of ice. In either scenario, they are forced to make a choice between holding still or falling down. [128] Environment and/or the foes strength can often dictate that one of these methods is simply more practical than the other. [129] To seize the head requires the student to slow down and come into close range. If leverage isn’t maintained, chancery can provide a stronger opponent with the opportunity to use size and/or strength against you. [130] In this case I am purposely avoiding the 3rd part of training, conditioning, as I consider it a prerequisite for skill training and a subject for another time.

[131]

Easier said than done. The opponent is seeking advantage just the same as you and isn’t likely to allow you to freely reset. [132] A simple hook or even a full chancery depending on need or intent. [133] This can be used as a shoulder strike which serves to arrest the students spin and also disrupts the attacker’s ability to quickly take advantage of their successful defense. [134] The fixed template allows the student to stay within a skillful framework while the ability to change the individual pieces allows them to adapt to the specific situation. It’s a way to enforce discipline and prevent combinations from breaking down into wild unskilled thrashing. [135] Like they probably have some 1000 times in practice. [136] Meaning the student can step into range and execute the combination from this position alone or they can step with every individual blow if necessary either to pursue the attacker or avoid their counters. Imagination and principle are the only real restraints here. [137] Essentially it is holding the door open for the following attack. [138] Meaning a checked or deflected elbow could be expanded to a chop or reverse chop. Which would be used to deflect the foes incoming counter strike. [139] As turning to place both arms in proper distance while passing would steal momentum and expose the students guard. [140] In reality, this technique, with minor adjustments, can be used against any number of attacks from either lead but for the sake of simplicity I start with an attack that is familiar to the student. [141] Depending on your foes initial commitment this uppercut may be performed underneath an extended punch or over the attackers bent elbow if they have already recovered the strike. [142] The reverse chop, in this case, travels along a rising median line. Groin, bladder or inner thigh are all worthwhile targets. In practice target the groin as your first choice but in real world application the choice is largely a matter of your position relative to available target. [143] Strictly speaking, this is not true second intention but the actions are performed in the spirit of second intention. Meaning that the lead is a true strike, if the opponent is slow in their response then they will be struck. [144] the opponent can ward in many other ways without disrupting the follow up. The technique is fixed for the purpose of initial instruction only. [145] This kick can be a stomp or a sweeping motion depending on preference/need. Targets can also vary but should focus on the inside of the leg and remain between the ankle (sweeping) and knee (stomping). [146] A lot of momentum can be gained in stepping back from this kick. Choose a strike that will take advantage of that energy. Overhands, swings and hooks are often good choices. [147] This swing is either thrown as a rabbit punch to the base of the skull (if outside) or to the area around the ear if inside (there are several good targets in this region).

[148]

In the sense that you should be well aware that your initial attack will likely draw the follow up from the opposite hand. [149] This adds power, creates an advantageous angle and helps to “wedge” into the attackers space. [150] This reverse chop will insure that any blow coming from the opposite side is either picked up along the forearm or is disrupted by the blow to the neck. [151] though certainly not everything, explore your motion, use the set technique as reference and most importantly THINK! [152] No matter how well it flows or how cool it looks. [153] Keep programmed responses short by design, the longer a programmed response is the more opportunity an "x" factor has to disrupt it. If you need 9 movements then 3+3+3 allows for greater flexibility than one long string of 9. [154] As a fighter, on the street or in the ring, I define survival as the ability to actively influence the outcome of a fight. Having to rely on the mercy of someone who is aggressively trying to beat you to a pulp is a bad place to be. [155] make no mistake it is emotional shock more than the opponents strength, more than any weapon they may wield that provides the killing blow in most ambush situations. [156] Because you can’t use your skill until you know you need to! [157] given that they are based off 5 of the most common flinch reactions, this should not prove too difficult a task with some serious practice. [158] In essence, a primitive bridge or void reflex. [159] that it is instant, strong and fast. [160] This means not only a position which allows you to attack but also one which provides defensive advantage to you. [161] and thus, the line that the foe can most easily maintain their velocity along. [162] A first step forward or back may be purely instinctive but subsequent steps should be the product of applied strategy not desperate jumping about. Backing up along the median line can help you to avoid individual strikes but it does nothing to neutralize the attackers growing momentum. [163] In order to renew their attack on you. [164] There is a necessary moment when reorienting the guard that an attacker will essentially be presenting you their exposed flank. It is this gap that you attack. [165] using two arms to ward against a much stronger opponents single arm for example. [166] Since your foe has not effective means of warding this essentially grants you a free strike. [167] Sticking to defense doesn’t mean passively trying to block and dodge without offense. It simply means attacking in time and with patience. Good offense accounts for safe recovery and obeys the first rule (Don’t Die). [168] This could vary based on any number of factors such as your fitness and current state of exhaustion relative to your opponents. [169] Even if you are capable of doing so.

[170]

Ego gets you killed more often than it saves you. Don’t let pride keep you in a bad situation when nothing else is preventing a prudent exit. Memories are short, death is not. [171] due to the intended target being too close, too far or poorly angled for the intended strike to be delivered properly. [172] i.e. they have a plan that takes into account you’re most likely attempts to resist and their potential responses to those actions. [173] one less dictated by fear, anger and general panic and more by skill and applied tactic and strategy. [174] one where skill is overwhelmed by raw emotion and typically favors the larger or more aggressive fighter. [175] at extreme close range, your ready position may already be acting as a bridge. [176] if you are aware and see it coming at 25+ yards you might make it but we are discussing point blank, close quarters range here. Try outrunning a bigger better athlete with a 15 foot or less head start and they are more likely to run you down than you are to get away [177] transitioning through the levels of control towards a lock (to seize control) or in reverse towards a void (to break contact) [178] safely meaning that you can break contact with your opponent and keep it broken long enough to reach safety. Anything less is just compromising your defense. [179] More surface area equals less concentration of force. It’s a good idea against incoming blows but a bad idea when striking. [180] Many injuries occur when a target moves. The ability to adjust your targeting can help prevent such injuries. [181] About the last 3 ½ to 5 inches. For ease of measurement think about the length from the base of your palm to the second knuckle of your middle finger. [182] It doesn’t add much in the way of raw kinetic energy but it helps the kinetic energy penetrate into the target which can make a big difference in how effective a blow can be. [183] Striking low requires the lowering of your guard and increases the likelihood of catching a shot over the top. [184] But of course, be prepared to hit them again and again if they turn out to be stubborn. [185] Though it is based in physics it is simplified in both its precision and scope. [186] if getting hit is inevitable then you should strive to get hit over as large a surface area as possible. This is often referred to within Crossing Paths as laying a flat. [187] Manageable meaning it beats the alternative and may keep you in a fight you would otherwise be out of. [188] Energy generated for a punch is transferred from shoulder to elbow to fist along the intervening flats of the upper and forearm. [189] Such as preventing a throw or push into traffic. [190] Due to both a lack of leverage and greater friction.

[191]

Imagine a snow plow clearing a road. Which in turn promotes instability in anything opposing them. [193] Given their narrow front this tends to be difficult to achieve. [194] Inclined planes, levers etc. [195] Hence the broken hands and hyperextended wrists common to bare knuckle boxing. [196] being in the right place at the right time is its own type of strength. [197] This can be done offensively as in striking or defensively when absorbing the recoil from the strike (this essentially allows the whole arm or body to share the recoil and prevents damage to the striking surface). [198] Point to point contact exposes a flat to stresses that cannot be absorbed as the flat is unsupported when used in this manner. [199] Distributing energy. [200] i.e. if you hit hard with a flat you will hit harder still with a point [192]