I dreaded replacing the five-gallon water bottle for the water cooler at the office. The bottle was awkward. It wasn’t too heavy to lift, just unwieldy and difficult to flip and manipulate. One day while at the store, I saw my dream come true, a five-gallon water bottle with a built-in handle. Using this new bottle is easier to lift, flip, and lower into the water cooler base. Handles make things easier to manipulate.
What makes humans different from other animals is our extensive use of tools to help us survive. The earliest tool is the lever. Use a stick as a lever to easily move heavy or unwieldy objects. Think of the body as a toolbox full of levers and handles. Each time an opponent attacks, they present levers for you to use.
The Upper Arm Lever
Punch Defense 10 takes the enemy’s arm into the monkey lock. That arm is now a lever to help take them down to the ground and pin them on their side. Those appendages closest to the body’s core, those attached to the shoulders and hips, have the most significant leverage. That is why we control the upper arm in this technique.
The Lower Arm Lever
In Punch Defense 7, we use the enemy’s arm to misalign their body. That misalignment disrupts their balance, limits their counter options, and puts them in an excellent position for us to attack. You can also use the lever to redirect the attack away, but not too far. With Punch Defense 7, we expose their ribs for a sidekick and spinning thrust kick. Kempo Snake 2 continues to use it as a lever for the flip and control of the enemy once they reach the ground.
The Lower Leg Lever
Don’t forget to use feet and legs as levers too. Leg grinding drills are perfect for developing close-quarter combat techniques using your legs as levers against the enemy. You trap their legs with yours and then apply pressure to the legs, using them as levers to unbalance them. Kempo Trick G does the same thing with the knee check and sweep.
Conclusion
Anything (arms, legs, or heads) that presents itself should be a lever. Experiment with punch defense and kick defense counters to find these redirections and levers. We know from experience that your techniques usually don’t go as planned, so plan to make modifications on the fly. To do that, you need to know the secret of levers.
Want to learn more about using levers and handles in a fight? Our Karazenpo Go Shinjutsu and Philippine Combatives programs. Both teach this concept from different perspectives. Join both programs in our premier, deluxe training package. Apply only if you are a serious student who wants to learn the ancient secrets of the old masters.
