You would think, as someone interested in the martial arts, that the martial arts workout for the week would be something I would be interested in. Yea, that would make sense. Unfortunately, this is more of what I would call "aerobic martial arts." Don't get me wrong, I actually do enjoy it, but the simple fact is that if you had no other training and you expected anything that you do in this workout to be practical, you would have your ass handed to you before you got the first punch out. I think I figured out how to make it worthwhile though and that has me somewhat more optimistic about doing it.
Today, I knew I really wanted to get on my punching bag again. I had let it slip since I started The X-Factor workouts because I wanted to follow the program as closely as possible. Well, my unofficial A.D.D. has kicked in and it was time to mix it up. While I love wailing on my bag, it doesn't keep me motivated for any length of time past about ten minutes. This prompted me to mix my bag with the "aerobic martial arts."
As I began with the simple combos to start, I quickly realized that at the steady pace we were going, I could focus on how I was punching. Granted, I wasn't going full force as to burn myself out (I did need to be able to last for an hour), but I could focus on my knuckle placement. This was ultimately the best part of the workout for me.
Anyone who has taken any kind of boxing or martial art which teaches you to punch, the instructor has hopefully explained to you the importance of knuckle placement when you strike. It can make the difference between hurting you and hurting your target. Two things always need to be considered when striking - knuckle placement and a strong wrist. Either one of these things get left out and you're likely to break your hand or your wrist, which could leave you useless for the rest of your fight.
As not to confuse anyone, though Krav Maga tends to focus on palm striking as to avoid the possibility of these injuries, I'm still a fan of boxing and therefore do focus on boxing combinations when working with my bag. Being able to utilize this time to have a "focused" bag routine was great and I know that "muscle memory" was helped with the time today. I solely focused specifically on knuckle placement as opposed to force and I definitely felt good by the end. In fact, that proof was written all over my knuckles when my workout was done. Some may shudder at the sight of bright red knuckles, but I love it. It's proof that I was working hard and doing it right.
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Say No To Yoga
I've joked on and off about my disdain for yoga. I can see it a as helpful meditation tool for some or as a way to stretch out before or after a long work out for others. What I can't understand is using it as a fat burning workout. Blame my (figuratively speaking) ADHD or perhaps I have an outdated mindset on working out, but I'm pretty sure you have to be active in order to burn calories.
These last few weeks I've begun a new workout routine and my hubby is actually doing it with me. Because I don't want to fall into the trap of becoming a PR person for this particular workout I'll refer to it as "The X Factor." The X Factor workouts range in time frame from 45 minutes to an hour and a half depending on the workout for the day. Can you guess which one takes an hour and a half? Yup, my favorite, the yoga. Why does it take so long? Because The X Factor tries to guarantee a specific calorie burn per workout and yoga ain't gonna do it in an hour (probably not even in two hours at the high rate of burn they advertise).
Anyway, these last few weeks I've been "bulking up" a bit more than I intended so I have begun looking at the workout to make it more cardio heavy with some weight training, where as it was about 50/50 cardio to weights. With the more cardio intensive side I decided to try the full yoga workout for the first time as I had been substituting other workouts before. Well, I can tell you, it's official. I HATE yoga!
There is nothing about it that gets me excited. From the breathing, to the downward dog and from the Namaste to the Vinyasa - the art of yoga can bite me. I have little patience for a workout that is stationary, doesn't get my heart rate up and drives me nuts with the earthy musical tones in the background. When I want to work out, I want to feel the burn as the sweat drips from my pores. I want my legs moving and I want my muscles flexing. I want to feel like I'm accomplishing something. Yoga just doesn't cut it.
I will say though, with this new workout routine, while it's not as focused on fighting as is usually my preference, it definitely has me focused on taking the time to clear my head and make it a true "meditation time." This is my time to think about one thing only, the betterment of me. I try to start with a short acknowledgement of my training for An Morrigan. During water breaks, I also take a second to acknowledge her and during the workout itself I focus on my breathing, my movements, and clear my mind. It's very hard for me to be passive in anything I do to include my workout which is my meditation.
These last few weeks I've begun a new workout routine and my hubby is actually doing it with me. Because I don't want to fall into the trap of becoming a PR person for this particular workout I'll refer to it as "The X Factor." The X Factor workouts range in time frame from 45 minutes to an hour and a half depending on the workout for the day. Can you guess which one takes an hour and a half? Yup, my favorite, the yoga. Why does it take so long? Because The X Factor tries to guarantee a specific calorie burn per workout and yoga ain't gonna do it in an hour (probably not even in two hours at the high rate of burn they advertise).
Anyway, these last few weeks I've been "bulking up" a bit more than I intended so I have begun looking at the workout to make it more cardio heavy with some weight training, where as it was about 50/50 cardio to weights. With the more cardio intensive side I decided to try the full yoga workout for the first time as I had been substituting other workouts before. Well, I can tell you, it's official. I HATE yoga!
There is nothing about it that gets me excited. From the breathing, to the downward dog and from the Namaste to the Vinyasa - the art of yoga can bite me. I have little patience for a workout that is stationary, doesn't get my heart rate up and drives me nuts with the earthy musical tones in the background. When I want to work out, I want to feel the burn as the sweat drips from my pores. I want my legs moving and I want my muscles flexing. I want to feel like I'm accomplishing something. Yoga just doesn't cut it.
I will say though, with this new workout routine, while it's not as focused on fighting as is usually my preference, it definitely has me focused on taking the time to clear my head and make it a true "meditation time." This is my time to think about one thing only, the betterment of me. I try to start with a short acknowledgement of my training for An Morrigan. During water breaks, I also take a second to acknowledge her and during the workout itself I focus on my breathing, my movements, and clear my mind. It's very hard for me to be passive in anything I do to include my workout which is my meditation.
Friday, January 27, 2012
The Strong Female Character
Inspired by a recent conversation I began to look for pictures to put together a semi-"shrine" in my workout area to make a space that reflects the devotional act to which my workouts are sometimes intended. I began looking for pictures of women that I consider strong, but that I can personally identify with. This lead me on a search for strong female characters in movies and television. After going through a simple Google search I was able to find some great pictures that I'll be adding to my wall once I can get them printed out. Of course, this same search also brought up a bevy of articles that caught my attention. One in particular is ‘Tough, Cold, Terse, Taciturn and Prone to Not Saying Goodbye When They Hang Up the Phone’.
The author might be shocked to know that there are indeed women just like the author so vaguely describes in her "cliché" definition; women who know how to fight, carry guns, are professional soldiers or warrior types and yet, are still most definitely women. Last I checked, the only thing that one needed to biologically be a woman was a vagina and a lack of a Y chromosome. I understand the author's issue is with the phrase "strong female characters" and the implication that said characters are basically vapid "monomaniacal gloomy ninjas with commitment issues." Now that could be a decent argument if the next example of such a character wasn't Natalie Portman in "No Strings Attached." Last I checked she wasn't an action hero to which the sentence prior focuses on and there is a wide leap from characters who are predominantly physically inclined to kick ass and a skinny commitmentphobic love interest in a dramady.
Drawing specific attention to the aforementioned "cliché" the author is basically stating that the term "strong female character" addresses these characters as having the "gendered behavior taken out" and yet misses that the "masculine" traits to which she points to are just as ingrained in many females as they are in males. Society dictated what is "manly" and what is "girly," not nature. And apparently she hasn't read the story about the tough female cop that single-handedly took down a gunman that killed 12 people? Or read about the grandmother who refused to be a victim and had no qualms about shooting the man breaking into her house? Or been on the other end of a phone call for help where a mother of four stares down a gang of five teens threatening two other young boys that came to her for help because she is the mom in the complex you don't mess with (this would be personal experience). These types of women are most definitely real and their actions are most definitely the characteristics of a strong woman.
The author seems to think that the actions of these "monomaniacal ninjas" from the movies aren't relatable or even real examples of women. I say they are a direct reflection of real women and the actions that they take every day. The author may not be comfortable with that fact and think these characters would be more interesting if they embraced their "girlishness." I say that this is art finally imitating an example of women too long overlooked. Women have had to be "ladies" for far too long and those who weren't became the "antagonist" or "bitch" of the story. It's about damn time they were the main characters and heroes!
In the immortal words of one of the strongest female characters on TV today, "Nothing gets in the way of me taking care of my family, especially my conscience." Gemma Teller, Sons of Anarchy
The author might be shocked to know that there are indeed women just like the author so vaguely describes in her "cliché" definition; women who know how to fight, carry guns, are professional soldiers or warrior types and yet, are still most definitely women. Last I checked, the only thing that one needed to biologically be a woman was a vagina and a lack of a Y chromosome. I understand the author's issue is with the phrase "strong female characters" and the implication that said characters are basically vapid "monomaniacal gloomy ninjas with commitment issues." Now that could be a decent argument if the next example of such a character wasn't Natalie Portman in "No Strings Attached." Last I checked she wasn't an action hero to which the sentence prior focuses on and there is a wide leap from characters who are predominantly physically inclined to kick ass and a skinny commitmentphobic love interest in a dramady.
Drawing specific attention to the aforementioned "cliché" the author is basically stating that the term "strong female character" addresses these characters as having the "gendered behavior taken out" and yet misses that the "masculine" traits to which she points to are just as ingrained in many females as they are in males. Society dictated what is "manly" and what is "girly," not nature. And apparently she hasn't read the story about the tough female cop that single-handedly took down a gunman that killed 12 people? Or read about the grandmother who refused to be a victim and had no qualms about shooting the man breaking into her house? Or been on the other end of a phone call for help where a mother of four stares down a gang of five teens threatening two other young boys that came to her for help because she is the mom in the complex you don't mess with (this would be personal experience). These types of women are most definitely real and their actions are most definitely the characteristics of a strong woman.
The author seems to think that the actions of these "monomaniacal ninjas" from the movies aren't relatable or even real examples of women. I say they are a direct reflection of real women and the actions that they take every day. The author may not be comfortable with that fact and think these characters would be more interesting if they embraced their "girlishness." I say that this is art finally imitating an example of women too long overlooked. Women have had to be "ladies" for far too long and those who weren't became the "antagonist" or "bitch" of the story. It's about damn time they were the main characters and heroes!
In the immortal words of one of the strongest female characters on TV today, "Nothing gets in the way of me taking care of my family, especially my conscience." Gemma Teller, Sons of Anarchy
Saturday, November 26, 2011
The Loss of a Warrior
A grieving widow and two small children take the long walk to the flag covered casket not 20 feet away. The tears stream down the faces of family members holding their hands to keep them from falling over. Overhead, a large black crow begins to squawk Her message to the onlookers. Badb has come to take the fallen warrior's soul safely home to his God. If one thing gives me peace, it's that knowledge.
I took a hard blow a few weeks back with the loss of a local peace officer and coworker. Despite having family ties and friends in the military I've never suffered this loss before. I couldn't even imagine the regular pain of such a loss for those who've had to experience it more than once. Though I had only known him in passing and through his voice, his death affected how I do my job and how I interact with those who couldn't understand such a situation.
My husband asked me if his death made me rethink this line of work. My answer is "no, it makes me want it more," but my body hasn't quite caught up to my mind. I know I've entered a depression of sorts. There could be any number of reasons for it, but I know that hearing his death over the phone is probably the biggest one. Thinking about it now I'm tearing up. I've even gotten to the point of gaining back 5 pounds.
I'm slowly working through it. It seems as if it isn't one thing it's another on this journey. I have no plans to give up, it's just been a long time since I've been able to say beyond the shadow of a doubt, "I'm depressed" and it's truly affecting my body. Luckily, weight gain tends to be a good motivator. If only running looked more appealing as the upper body stuff comes naturally to me. I will start running damnit!
This experience has also brought me to one conclusion I never contemplated. It can be a hinderance to the healing process being around non-pagans in times of grief. There was a lot of praying to the Christian God and while I'm a firm believer that in those times the beliefs of those who are dying take presidence it isn't always conducive to your personal healing. During that touching moment of Badb's appearance at the cemetary the women in front of me were making snide comments about doing harm to the Crow. If only they had known what was actually going on they could have shared in the sliver of a joyous moment in such a sad time. I can't imagine many realized what was going on, but in this time of grief I got my tiny bit of comfort and I couldn't be more thankful for it. This Warrior received a proper send off and I know he is where he should be now.
I try to hold on to that thought when the sadness takes over. It won't be something I will ever fully come to terms with as he was so young and his life was taken by a senseless act of evil by someone not too much younger than him. We know the job when we sign up for it, just as soldiers do, but there is nothing that can prepare you for the moment(s) that you hope never happen on your watch. It might be the choice we make when we choose to walk this path, but it doesn't make it hurt any less.
Rest in peace 36D. 10-7, good night sir.
I took a hard blow a few weeks back with the loss of a local peace officer and coworker. Despite having family ties and friends in the military I've never suffered this loss before. I couldn't even imagine the regular pain of such a loss for those who've had to experience it more than once. Though I had only known him in passing and through his voice, his death affected how I do my job and how I interact with those who couldn't understand such a situation.
My husband asked me if his death made me rethink this line of work. My answer is "no, it makes me want it more," but my body hasn't quite caught up to my mind. I know I've entered a depression of sorts. There could be any number of reasons for it, but I know that hearing his death over the phone is probably the biggest one. Thinking about it now I'm tearing up. I've even gotten to the point of gaining back 5 pounds.
I'm slowly working through it. It seems as if it isn't one thing it's another on this journey. I have no plans to give up, it's just been a long time since I've been able to say beyond the shadow of a doubt, "I'm depressed" and it's truly affecting my body. Luckily, weight gain tends to be a good motivator. If only running looked more appealing as the upper body stuff comes naturally to me. I will start running damnit!
This experience has also brought me to one conclusion I never contemplated. It can be a hinderance to the healing process being around non-pagans in times of grief. There was a lot of praying to the Christian God and while I'm a firm believer that in those times the beliefs of those who are dying take presidence it isn't always conducive to your personal healing. During that touching moment of Badb's appearance at the cemetary the women in front of me were making snide comments about doing harm to the Crow. If only they had known what was actually going on they could have shared in the sliver of a joyous moment in such a sad time. I can't imagine many realized what was going on, but in this time of grief I got my tiny bit of comfort and I couldn't be more thankful for it. This Warrior received a proper send off and I know he is where he should be now.
I try to hold on to that thought when the sadness takes over. It won't be something I will ever fully come to terms with as he was so young and his life was taken by a senseless act of evil by someone not too much younger than him. We know the job when we sign up for it, just as soldiers do, but there is nothing that can prepare you for the moment(s) that you hope never happen on your watch. It might be the choice we make when we choose to walk this path, but it doesn't make it hurt any less.
Rest in peace 36D. 10-7, good night sir.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
When The Morrigan Calls...
In an effort to touch on my pagan path I'll share a bit about my experience with my Patron Goddess to whom many seem to cringe upon hearing Her name - The Morrígan.
She has many functions, but they all tend to revolve around the act of war and as such She is most definitely considered a Goddess of war. For those who may not be familiar with Her, An Morrígan is a Goddess of the Tuatha Dé Danann whose exploits with An Dadga around Samhain (leading to the bloody end of the Tuatha Dé's enemy the Fomorians) and with the Ulster hero Cú Chulain (leading to his eventual death on the battlefield despite his victory) has definitely landed Her, rightfully, in the position of a deity one should not approach lightly. In this case, this is my story of how She (much to my honor) approached me.
This starts back when I first found paganism in 1999 and had just began studying Wicca (which was only the first 6 or so months of my journey), but within the first few months of my practicing She finally revealed Herself to me - long flowing black hair, clad with a sword in scabbard wearing all black clothing with black feathers (not unlike a mix of the two linked Jessica Galbreth pictures). She didn't speak, but She got me researching.
My favorite holiday growing up was Halloween and I have been a "warrior" ever since I was a little kid. I have loved to wrestle and always considered myself strong and ready to fight when needed. I always played hard and reveled in my bruises and cuts as if they were trophies of my physical accomplishments. I never let anyone, particularly men, tell me what I could and couldn't do (and even to this day tend to "wear the pants" in my relationships). I wanted to work in law enforcement all of my life and in high school I was very active in my JROTC unit being one of the first females and youngest (Air) Rifle Team Commanders, eventually working my way up to Commanding Officer of the unit. I was the protector of my friends and the girl you didn't "fuck with." It didn't really surprise me when I found out She was a warrior Goddess (that was capable of taking any man to his knees), but did find it interesting that She was associated with October 31st.
Many years later, after I had already determined that I would not have a need for a magical name, She disagreed. For 3 days straight back in 2002 there were blackbirds of all kinds that seemed to follow me. Not only that but songs would come on the radio or I'd notice songs on my CDs with the word blackbird somewhere in them. There would be tv shows or movies that would make reference to blackbirds and the final slap in the face was falling asleep to one movie on HBO and waking up to the part in I Am Sam where Sarah McLachlan's version of Blackbird plays (I had heard the Beatles version on the radio the day before as one of my encounters in that 3 days). I finally got the clue and SM's version has basically become my theme song. I have been Blackbird (or Lon dubh in Gaeilge) ever since.
Another affirmation of Her calling had to do with my birth name. While I won't reveal it here, my first name is sometimes equated with Cailleach which in Ireland is a term for witch and in American books my first name is associated with warriors, as in the Morrigan connection. My family's surname is also connected with Co Kerry in Munster which, according to Celtic Heritage by Rees/Rees observation of Irish legends, is the land of the dead/Otherworld (for those who aren't aware, the Morrigan is also associated with death, particularly in war, as well as one her of sisters, Badb, is responsible for bringing the souls of the dead warriors to the Otherworld). As if to bring this home Cailleach Bheara is associated with Munster, but particularly Co Kerry and there are times when Her associations and the Morrigan's have been confused for each other. The Cailleach's foster children are said to form the tribes associated with Kerry.
The Morrígan has continually reiterated Her presence in my life through my journey and I have dedicated myself to Her service and ritually re-dedicate myself to Her every Samhain.
Updated (3/14/12) - My family's crest has a stag on it and it's been pointed out to me that the stag in Celtic legend has connections to the Otherworld as well. Whether intentional or not in it's creation, it seems a bit too coincidental if you pile on everything else. There She continues with that "reiteration" I was talking about.
12/19/13 - "Cuchulain threw a spring at her chariot, and he saw not the horse, nor the woman, nor the chariot, nor the man, nor the cow. Then he saw that she had become a black bird upon a branch near to him." - The Cattle-Raid of Regamna
For your listening pleasure: Julie Fowlis - Blackbird.
She has many functions, but they all tend to revolve around the act of war and as such She is most definitely considered a Goddess of war. For those who may not be familiar with Her, An Morrígan is a Goddess of the Tuatha Dé Danann whose exploits with An Dadga around Samhain (leading to the bloody end of the Tuatha Dé's enemy the Fomorians) and with the Ulster hero Cú Chulain (leading to his eventual death on the battlefield despite his victory) has definitely landed Her, rightfully, in the position of a deity one should not approach lightly. In this case, this is my story of how She (much to my honor) approached me.
This starts back when I first found paganism in 1999 and had just began studying Wicca (which was only the first 6 or so months of my journey), but within the first few months of my practicing She finally revealed Herself to me - long flowing black hair, clad with a sword in scabbard wearing all black clothing with black feathers (not unlike a mix of the two linked Jessica Galbreth pictures). She didn't speak, but She got me researching.
My favorite holiday growing up was Halloween and I have been a "warrior" ever since I was a little kid. I have loved to wrestle and always considered myself strong and ready to fight when needed. I always played hard and reveled in my bruises and cuts as if they were trophies of my physical accomplishments. I never let anyone, particularly men, tell me what I could and couldn't do (and even to this day tend to "wear the pants" in my relationships). I wanted to work in law enforcement all of my life and in high school I was very active in my JROTC unit being one of the first females and youngest (Air) Rifle Team Commanders, eventually working my way up to Commanding Officer of the unit. I was the protector of my friends and the girl you didn't "fuck with." It didn't really surprise me when I found out She was a warrior Goddess (that was capable of taking any man to his knees), but did find it interesting that She was associated with October 31st.
Many years later, after I had already determined that I would not have a need for a magical name, She disagreed. For 3 days straight back in 2002 there were blackbirds of all kinds that seemed to follow me. Not only that but songs would come on the radio or I'd notice songs on my CDs with the word blackbird somewhere in them. There would be tv shows or movies that would make reference to blackbirds and the final slap in the face was falling asleep to one movie on HBO and waking up to the part in I Am Sam where Sarah McLachlan's version of Blackbird plays (I had heard the Beatles version on the radio the day before as one of my encounters in that 3 days). I finally got the clue and SM's version has basically become my theme song. I have been Blackbird (or Lon dubh in Gaeilge) ever since.
Another affirmation of Her calling had to do with my birth name. While I won't reveal it here, my first name is sometimes equated with Cailleach which in Ireland is a term for witch and in American books my first name is associated with warriors, as in the Morrigan connection. My family's surname is also connected with Co Kerry in Munster which, according to Celtic Heritage by Rees/Rees observation of Irish legends, is the land of the dead/Otherworld (for those who aren't aware, the Morrigan is also associated with death, particularly in war, as well as one her of sisters, Badb, is responsible for bringing the souls of the dead warriors to the Otherworld). As if to bring this home Cailleach Bheara is associated with Munster, but particularly Co Kerry and there are times when Her associations and the Morrigan's have been confused for each other. The Cailleach's foster children are said to form the tribes associated with Kerry.
The Morrígan has continually reiterated Her presence in my life through my journey and I have dedicated myself to Her service and ritually re-dedicate myself to Her every Samhain.
Updated (3/14/12) - My family's crest has a stag on it and it's been pointed out to me that the stag in Celtic legend has connections to the Otherworld as well. Whether intentional or not in it's creation, it seems a bit too coincidental if you pile on everything else. There She continues with that "reiteration" I was talking about.
12/19/13 - "Cuchulain threw a spring at her chariot, and he saw not the horse, nor the woman, nor the chariot, nor the man, nor the cow. Then he saw that she had become a black bird upon a branch near to him." - The Cattle-Raid of Regamna
For your listening pleasure: Julie Fowlis - Blackbird.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Big News
So it's been a little bit since I have written here and I will tell you that this will be short. I have come to some realizations in my life recently that hopefully kick started something in me to pursue a dream I have long had.
1) The least important realization is I have to get off my butt and keep going with my dieting. I've gained 3 pounds back and I know this isn't the "water weight" type deal. I have been monitoring it for a few days and I know it's the real deal. I have also been slacking a lot lately on the eating right and exercising. I'm not obsessing about my weight by any means, but I am monitoring it and acknowledging my shortcomings. I had originally lost 20 pounds and I still had 25 to go (28 now).
2) With the coming revelation not yet mentioned I have decided to focus on getting myself in good physical condition and less on the weight aspect. I know that the more I train to get myself where I need to be physically the pounds will either come off or I'll become a mass of muscle. Either works just fine for me.
3) While I won't necessarily reveal the big decision I have made in specifics let's just say I have decided to attempt to accomplish a goal I have had since I was a child. This goal is very much part of my path as a Warrior and would switch my path from being an "amateur" warrior to a "professional" warrior. I have accomplished a lot in the last few years because I was determined to make things happen. I will do everything within my power to accomplish this goal, but I'm realistic in that outside forces do play a part in things. Such is a part of life, but I'll make damn sure that if I don't succeed, it won't be for lack of trying on my part. At least I will have given it a shot. Regardless of the outcome in the next few years (as it could take that long) I will forever walk the path of the Warrior to the best of my abilities.
HOOAH!
1) The least important realization is I have to get off my butt and keep going with my dieting. I've gained 3 pounds back and I know this isn't the "water weight" type deal. I have been monitoring it for a few days and I know it's the real deal. I have also been slacking a lot lately on the eating right and exercising. I'm not obsessing about my weight by any means, but I am monitoring it and acknowledging my shortcomings. I had originally lost 20 pounds and I still had 25 to go (28 now).
2) With the coming revelation not yet mentioned I have decided to focus on getting myself in good physical condition and less on the weight aspect. I know that the more I train to get myself where I need to be physically the pounds will either come off or I'll become a mass of muscle. Either works just fine for me.
3) While I won't necessarily reveal the big decision I have made in specifics let's just say I have decided to attempt to accomplish a goal I have had since I was a child. This goal is very much part of my path as a Warrior and would switch my path from being an "amateur" warrior to a "professional" warrior. I have accomplished a lot in the last few years because I was determined to make things happen. I will do everything within my power to accomplish this goal, but I'm realistic in that outside forces do play a part in things. Such is a part of life, but I'll make damn sure that if I don't succeed, it won't be for lack of trying on my part. At least I will have given it a shot. Regardless of the outcome in the next few years (as it could take that long) I will forever walk the path of the Warrior to the best of my abilities.
HOOAH!
Friday, September 16, 2011
Women & The Sweet Spots
Some of you may have heard the phrase sweet spot used to mean the spot on the jaw where hit would almost automatically knock out the person being hit. When I use the term sweet spot it has a similar context, but not specific to that area. When I state sweet spot it means any part of the body that is particularly vunerable to a quick and painful attack with minimal effort. While these points on the body can be utilized regardless of gender I specifically keep them in mind for females because they don't require a lot of strength to give results. This short list is of easily accesible sweet spots that can aid in your self defense.
EYES & EARS -
The eyes are very sensitive as it is. Enough pressure to them and you are going to get someone to loosen up. They aren't always the easiest to get to, but if they are in range like this scenario here I highly suggest keeping them in mind. Women tend to have nails and even if you don't it only takes a little pressure to bring on massive pain.
In the same video you will also see the technique called "boxing the ears." I did this once to my husband playing around. Let's just say I thought his eyes were going to pop out of his head and he clearly lost focus since it hurt his head so much. It's an instant headache and all you are doing is using your palms as a striking force that end up working almost like a suction cup so it hurts just as much when your hands are coming off as when your hands make contact with the head.
GROIN -
Okay, we all know this one. As kids I'm sure we tested it out once or twice on our male friends or our brothers. A good square hit to the nutsack and the male hits the floor. This isn't always true and with how many men sag their pants today it can be a lot harder to get a good clean hit to the genitals, but used in conjunction with other techniques makes this a very good area to keep in mind.
PHILTRUM -
I'll tell you this is what got me wanting to write this short section. I had never seen this until I found this video. What was the first thing I did when I got home? Tested it on my 300 pound husband. I love him. He has a cup
especially for me.
I will say that I don't believe everything in the video is completely accurate. When the woman puts her finger under his nose and it appears that he can't get past it, maybe I wasn't doing it right. While my husband may have had issues walking forward, he was not completely stopped from doing so. It only slowed him down.
The headlock demonstration, however was spot on. All I had to do was get my finger(s) under his nose and he couldn't fight his head tilting back that in turn loosened his grip. Once I got his head back his throat was wide open to a palm strike or right hook. If you have a partner to try this with, I highly recommend adding this to your ass kicking defense list.
KNEE -
This area is also a good place to aim. Imagine you are on the ground and your attacker is above you. Keep a leg up and keep kicking. In the provided demonstration she stays on one side kicking out with one foot. As long as you have that one foot out you are keeping a distance from your attacker. Aim for the leg, the knee and groin. If you get a good connect to the knee cap you could do some serious damage. I say aim for it, but never rely on one sweet spot. Always keep kicking and hitting where ever you can, but keep the sweet spots in mind.
THROAT -
You might type in neck strike (or any variation there of) in youtube and you'll get any number of videos on how to "properly" do it. Here is the great part of this area being used for defense, as long as you can get a good hit center of the throat (aim for the adam's apple area as best you can) you are going to hurt them. Hit it hard enough and you could potentially collapse their windpipe. Regardless, this doesn't require a lot of striking power to have stopping power.
THUMBS -
As I have shown in previous blogs, I am a strong supporter of teaching the thumb pluck. Your size and strength levels are irrelevant. If you can get a hold of any man's thumbs as they are wrapped around your neck you can free yourself from a choke. Once free from the choke any of these vulnerable spots are potential targets.
UTERUS -
If your attacker happens to be another female, a good hard knock to the uteral area can leave them completely out. While I knew as a kid this area was pretty much a fight ender it had been a very long time since I had actually been hit there. My son decided to remind me how painful it was by jumping on me landing his bony two year old butt right onto my uterus. I would imagine that it would be the closest equivalent for women to getting kicked in the groin. I couldn't move and I felt the pain through my entire body. Remember, don't aim for the stomach as you could end up getting resistance from a woman with tight abs. Aim for just above the pelvic bone.
Unfortunately I don't have any cool acronyms like Sandra Bullock teaches in Miss Congeniality, but I think these are all pretty easy places to remember. With the exception of the awesomeness that is the philtrum, these are all body parts that any female with very little self defense training should be familiar with. And as always, be loud, be mad and keep striking until you can get away. The goal in self defense is to fight until you don't have to anymore then run like hell.
185 pounds
EYES & EARS -
The eyes are very sensitive as it is. Enough pressure to them and you are going to get someone to loosen up. They aren't always the easiest to get to, but if they are in range like this scenario here I highly suggest keeping them in mind. Women tend to have nails and even if you don't it only takes a little pressure to bring on massive pain.
In the same video you will also see the technique called "boxing the ears." I did this once to my husband playing around. Let's just say I thought his eyes were going to pop out of his head and he clearly lost focus since it hurt his head so much. It's an instant headache and all you are doing is using your palms as a striking force that end up working almost like a suction cup so it hurts just as much when your hands are coming off as when your hands make contact with the head.
GROIN -
Okay, we all know this one. As kids I'm sure we tested it out once or twice on our male friends or our brothers. A good square hit to the nutsack and the male hits the floor. This isn't always true and with how many men sag their pants today it can be a lot harder to get a good clean hit to the genitals, but used in conjunction with other techniques makes this a very good area to keep in mind.
PHILTRUM -
I'll tell you this is what got me wanting to write this short section. I had never seen this until I found this video. What was the first thing I did when I got home? Tested it on my 300 pound husband. I love him. He has a cup
especially for me.
I will say that I don't believe everything in the video is completely accurate. When the woman puts her finger under his nose and it appears that he can't get past it, maybe I wasn't doing it right. While my husband may have had issues walking forward, he was not completely stopped from doing so. It only slowed him down.
The headlock demonstration, however was spot on. All I had to do was get my finger(s) under his nose and he couldn't fight his head tilting back that in turn loosened his grip. Once I got his head back his throat was wide open to a palm strike or right hook. If you have a partner to try this with, I highly recommend adding this to your ass kicking defense list.
KNEE -
This area is also a good place to aim. Imagine you are on the ground and your attacker is above you. Keep a leg up and keep kicking. In the provided demonstration she stays on one side kicking out with one foot. As long as you have that one foot out you are keeping a distance from your attacker. Aim for the leg, the knee and groin. If you get a good connect to the knee cap you could do some serious damage. I say aim for it, but never rely on one sweet spot. Always keep kicking and hitting where ever you can, but keep the sweet spots in mind.
THROAT -
You might type in neck strike (or any variation there of) in youtube and you'll get any number of videos on how to "properly" do it. Here is the great part of this area being used for defense, as long as you can get a good hit center of the throat (aim for the adam's apple area as best you can) you are going to hurt them. Hit it hard enough and you could potentially collapse their windpipe. Regardless, this doesn't require a lot of striking power to have stopping power.
THUMBS -
As I have shown in previous blogs, I am a strong supporter of teaching the thumb pluck. Your size and strength levels are irrelevant. If you can get a hold of any man's thumbs as they are wrapped around your neck you can free yourself from a choke. Once free from the choke any of these vulnerable spots are potential targets.
UTERUS -
If your attacker happens to be another female, a good hard knock to the uteral area can leave them completely out. While I knew as a kid this area was pretty much a fight ender it had been a very long time since I had actually been hit there. My son decided to remind me how painful it was by jumping on me landing his bony two year old butt right onto my uterus. I would imagine that it would be the closest equivalent for women to getting kicked in the groin. I couldn't move and I felt the pain through my entire body. Remember, don't aim for the stomach as you could end up getting resistance from a woman with tight abs. Aim for just above the pelvic bone.
Unfortunately I don't have any cool acronyms like Sandra Bullock teaches in Miss Congeniality, but I think these are all pretty easy places to remember. With the exception of the awesomeness that is the philtrum, these are all body parts that any female with very little self defense training should be familiar with. And as always, be loud, be mad and keep striking until you can get away. The goal in self defense is to fight until you don't have to anymore then run like hell.
185 pounds
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)