MA Mag Techs - How much is too much?

**Rubber Tanto** · Posted On: 3/06/2007 5:08am

Okay, now sitting around at my dojo the other night, waiting for some mates to pack up so we can go for a beer, I was flipping through a martial arts magazine.

Inside there is a weekly segment in which various instructors of different schools and styles show a practical defence against a certain attack. In this particular issue, it was defence against a kick to the leg.

So flipping through this section I came across this:

Now the purpose of this post is not to critique the techniques shown. I'm not interested in going down that track. But I do want to point out that against a single kick, it is suggested to return with a kick to the side of the knee (granted, I have no problem with that), followed by a punch to the throat, followed by a full-body weight knee drop to the head followed by a stomp to the head.

Now sure we all train these types of strikes in our dojos/gyms...but I have a real problem with it being in a magazine. The defence is overly excessive and if happened for real, I'm wagering would get you in a lot of **** with the cops if the guy was to suffer serious head trauma.

In your training facility, the instructor has the ability to filter out the wackjobs ("Hey, Sensei? Is it possible to choke out a chick while taking off her pants?") so anyone that looks potentially looney can be left by the wayside...but the mag gives sick motherfuckers ideas...its saying...man if that guy kicks you in the shin, its okay to stomp on his head 5 times....

So my question here, I guess, is:

Am I overreacting here or is it negligent of magazines to show such heavy handed a technique against such a pissy attack?

I don't know but maybe its just the dad in my making me a whiny old ****...

**HearWa** · Posted On: 3/06/2007 8:28am

What the hell, did you steal the magazine or something or was it yours?

Oh, and there's a reason they're called "rag mags." Don't get too worked up over it.

**NastyHaggis** · Posted On: 3/06/2007 8:29am

I wouldn't worry about it. In reality, I would wager most people with enough training to do damage don't take techniques from magazines like that and add them to their repertoire. If they do, they're probably sensible enough to understand reasonable force as outlined by their local laws. If they're not, then getting arrested might straighten them out. (or give them a chance to use th3ir d34dly strike of d34th in the hoosecow).

McDonalds shouldn't stop serving coffee because some moron forgot coffee is hot and can scald your nuts after driving over a speedbump with the lid off during the morning commute while you're talking on the cell phone...

...Martial arts magazines likewise shouldn't have to stop giving out dangerous moves because some chowder head thinks he's the second coming of Judo Gene.

**Coyote** · Posted On: 3/06/2007 10:09am

I don't hate that sort of thing because it seems excessive, but rather because I just can't see it actually working.
I have never seen an opponant who stands there and absorbs a sequence of techniques without defending himself.

**Rubber Tanto** · Posted On: 3/06/2007 4:48pm

Originally Posted by HearWa

What the hell, did you steal the magazine or something or was it yours?

Nah, I just scanned the page then gave it back.

**Don Gwinn** · Posted On: 3/06/2007 9:19pm

You would get queasy reading SWAT or the like. Frank discussion of shooting people over and over until they go down is the norm.

Once you've decided that a given level of force might one day be necessary, it's hard to think of it as excessive.

**Rubber Tanto** · Posted On: 3/06/2007 11:27pm

Originally Posted by Don Gwinn

You would get queasy reading SWAT or the like. Frank discussion of shooting people over and over until they go down is the norm.

Once you've decided that a given level of force might one day be necessary, it's hard to think of it as excessive.

Sure, but I don't think it has anything to do with being queasy.
If you SWAt mags were talking about shooting people till they go down as a defence for kicking them in the leg...well I guess I would find that excessive also...
does that make sense?:duckie: :qright2:

**Matt Stone** · Posted On: 3/06/2007 11:37pm

One reason we don't hold back any "secret" technique instruction in our school (though traditionally we have a couple that have been restricted to "our students only") is because, for the most part, the person that would misuse a given technique is usually not going to train enough to make it work in the first place.

The one guy that would put in the work to develop any given technique/routine/sequence/etc. would probably figure out something messed up to do to someone else anyway...

**Don Gwinn** · Posted On: 3/07/2007 1:04am

Look, do you want to be called a whiny **** or not? You're kind of sending mixed messages.

***JohnnyCache*** · Posted On: 3/07/2007 2:46am

See, what's really going on here is the first move is the counter to the kick, and then the columnist realizes he's got about 14 more inches to fill...