Technique

Question: Is there such a thing when fighting ?

After all your partner or attacker dictates what counter measures should be used against his attack, this is the same weather standing or fighting on the ground. When close one of the best ways of knowing what to do is by feeling with your body and adjusting yourself to the movements of your partner and so a counter has not got to be thought of.

This is one of the principles that I use when teaching groundwork or advance Yudansha work. A good way to practise this is to blindfold the defender and whilst he is on the ground, attack him from various directions, pulling, pushing or trying to smother him.

Usually the first thing to happen is that the defender will stiffen up as he locks up with the attacker and so he is beaten a lot easier if the attacker is stronger. The idea of the exercise is to relax and as the defender feels the attack he responds naturally and freely, eliminating panic and tension which are counterproductive. Whilst moving at a slower speed other things may also present themselves, which are often over looked or missed entirely due to trying to fight your partner using strength.

You want to be soft within your contact so as they start to grab, you can duck, twist or turn, Of course I am not saying that the exercise is easy because as soon as someone uses strength against you, you want to tighten up and push against them. But if we can control ourselves we could even learn more about the art that we practise, After all it is called the yielding art.