Self Defense Groin Kick Secrets

The self defense groin kick is without a doubt a valuable technique in close quarters combat! (Any guy who's ever racked himself on the crossbar of his bicycle knows that!)

But there's a bunch of mistakes that many martial artists make when executing a groin kick for self defense...

...mistakes that can actually end up hurting YOU as a result if you don't do pay close attention to these aspects of your technique.

Self Defense Groin Kick Secret #1: Use In Close Quarters Combat!

Don't go for a groin kick from far away!

As men, we have a subconscious radar that register when someone is going to hit our groin. This makes it harder to deliver an effective groin kick because he's more likely to turn to avoid the kick as an instinctive reaction.

Self Defense Groin Kick Secret #2: Beware The Headbutt!

Self defense groin kicks, when used as taught in most "traditional" training settings, use a "linear" approach that places the martial artist directly in front of their attacker.

But the way the body naturally reacts when hit with a groin kick is to instantly bend forward.

If you attempt a groin kick for self defense when you're right in front of your attacker, this places you right in the way of your attacker's head as it comes crashing down in an involuntary reaction.

Needless to say, you don't want to transform your groin kick against your attacker into a "headbutt" that takes YOU out of the fight.

This IS for "self defense" remember! ;-)

Self Defense Groin Kick Secret #3: Attack HIGH First!

You can stop the natural "headbutt" reaction by first striking high to your attacker's body.

This also makes sure that he doesn't see the groin kick coming and you can deliver more power in your technique.

Self Defense Groin Kick Secret #4: Shift Your Body!

The secret to proper execution for a self defense groin kick then is to kick while shifting your body slightly to the SIDE as you kick.

When you execute this technique in this way, you can actually deliver more power AND make sure you're out of the way should your attacker's head lurch forward.

Consider all of these techniques the next time you train for the self defense groin kick!

More from Jeff at:
- www.CloseQuartersCombat.com
- www.AdvancedMassBuilding.com
- www.OptimumAnabolics.com
- www.CombatTheFat.com

Jeff Anderson is a 10 year veteran of the U.S. Army, a Master Fitness Trainer, and Master Instructor of Close Quarters Combat self defense. A full time fitness and self defense author, Jeff has trained thousands of men and women in the practical application of advanced military fitness methods as well as close combat tactics for "real life" self defense.

Working Out Helps at Work!

You have a vacation hangover.

I can see the signs. The Bob Marley music playing from your computer, the non-stop coffee breaks, the computer screen wandering to travel websites... It's hard to focus on getting back to the grind while daydreaming of summer bike rides and beaches! You want to avoid anything that could bring you back to the computer slouching, blackberry -addicted, stress case you were a few months ago.

By playing, I mean taking that morning bike ride, jogging in the park at lunch, going to pilates or cardio-sculpt class after work and taking active vacations on your weekends like hiking or yoga retreat.

Staying in shape and eating right makes you work more efficiently and productively. You won't eat yourself into a carb coma at lunch if you are having a healthy salad and lean protein that your body craves when you are in a fitness regimen.

In addition, mental stress is the most common energy sucker at work, but it melts away if you hop on the Stairmaster. Fitness improves oxygen delivery to organs, heightens circulation, and cuts back on doctor visits and sick days.

Regular exercise and proper diet can improve your performance at work in many ways, from the very start of your day, or any time you can fit it in:

6am: Have to prepare the kids for their day and then do errands and chores all morning? Instead of being sluggish and holding onto your coffee cup for dear life, working out can leave you looking forward to crossing off your list and excited about how many calories you'll burn running around.

7am: Depending on where you live, you could be racing through the subway late for a meeting, sitting in traffic, rushing in from the parking lot, or organizing the kids early in the morning to get out the door. If you are deconditioned, you'll probably be sweaty, stressed, and or too winded to say hello to the people you are doing that business lunch with. If you are in shape, you will be energized!

9am: Early morning presentation? If you are used to that 6am spin class, this speech will be a breeze to get through, with less hills to climb!

Noon: People who walk around the town or park during lunch feel less ragged and overworked from this mental and physical mini-vacation each day and can turn if back on full throttle when they are at their desk. Some of the best work ideas have come to me while running around the reservoir track in Central Park, and you'll be happier with the endorphins, thus completing your day with a smile.

3pm: Big meeting at the end of the day but feeling the 3pm slump? If you are not fit, coffee may be the only thing that gets you through the day, still half in a fog. But instead of dehydrating on caffeine, a lunchtime walk has you more focused and gives you time to think quietly and plan your talking points. If you are a stay-at-home mom or day, you won't feel sluggish and wish for a 3pm nap lust if you are used to pumping iron at 5pm.

6pm: At the end of the day your back muscles may be tight with stress and your head pounding with all the work you still have on your desk, taking a class at the gym will have you saying "What work?"

11pm: Up at night trying to sleep but thinking about what you need to accomplish in the office or at home tomorrow? If you jogged during the day, you'll be sleepy with a clear mind, and better rested when you awake to tackle your tasks. More exercise = better sleep = better work day.

And let's face it, the better the work day is, the more likely we are to get promoted and can negotiate more vacation days!

P.S. Know any brides - to - be? I will be giving bridal fitness tips this Monday, Sept 14th at 7:30am on national television. The show is called Get Married on the Lifetime network. Set the DVR to become a buff bride! Get my Wedding Workout DVD at www.nikkibeachbride.com

Nikki
Crunch Manhattan Group Fitness Instructor/Personal Trainer

More from Nikki at www.nikkifitness.com:

- Military Wife Workout DVD
- NikkiBeachBride Destination Wedding Workout
- Nikki on YouTube
- Nikki on Facebook

Nikki Fitness is a personal trainer, group exercise instructor, writer and publicist living in New York City. She started as a cheerleader at Syracuse University, but became certified in fitness before her beach wedding so that she could get back in shape. Laura, a graduate student, working mom, and military wife, inspired Nikki's Military Wife Workout (MWW) for all military wives. Find more articles by Nikki at her article archive. Learn more at www.nikkifitness.com. For more Nikki Fitness blogs, visit her blog archive.

Older, Wiser, Slower

For those of you marking birthdays past the ages of 40 and 50, here is a great article about fitness from this week’s Wall Street Journal.

It’s important to keep moving and try new challenges, as long as you realize the need to stop competing against your younger self when you were first in Boot Camp shape!

Check out Older, Wiser, Slower!

Nikki
Crunch Manhattan Group Fitness Instructor/Personal Trainer

More from Nikki at www.nikkifitness.com:

- Military Wife Workout DVD
- NikkiBeachBride Destination Wedding Workout
- Nikki on YouTube
- Nikki on Facebook

Nikki Fitness is a personal trainer, group exercise instructor, writer and publicist living in New York City. She started as a cheerleader at Syracuse University, but became certified in fitness before her beach wedding so that she could get back in shape. Laura, a graduate student, working mom, and military wife, inspired Nikki's Military Wife Workout (MWW) for all military wives. Find more articles by Nikki at her article archive. Learn more at www.nikkifitness.com. For more Nikki Fitness blogs, visit her blog archive.

Unleash Bone Crunching POWER in Your Kicks!

Are your kicks powerful? Oh sure, you may be able to smack the hell out of a heavy bag with a well placed front snap kick or your favorite roundhouse.

But I'm talking real organ-churning POWER!

Unfortunately a lot of kicks work far better in TRAINING than they do in a real life street attack scenario.

This is because real "power training" that takes place in many martial arts schools is done with repeated motion against a striking pad.

The intention of this type of training IS to "kick hard"...but to also follow up with ADDITIONAL kicks as part of a drill.

But when done correctly - with real power - you should only need ONE SINGLE KICK to finish the job or give you an open target for an easy fight-ending follow up strike.

Here's how to do it...

First, it doesn't matter WHAT type of kick you're launching...it's the PRINCIPLE OF POWER that is most important.

You see, in close quarters combat, one of the methods I hold as a foundation is to constantly be in FORWARD MOTION as you fight.

This ensures that YOU "own" the offense and your attacker is focused on defending himself rather than striking you.

Understanding this principle, when you deliver your kick, you should focus on kicking THROUGH your attacker and dropping your foot down where HE is (was!) standing.

This goes against many training drills which have you retract your kicking leg back into your "ready stance" to prepare for the next kick.

In addition, driving your foot THROUGH your attacker and dropping down, projects the momentum of your foot, deep into his guts or smashes through bone much better than "static" kicks that instill the instinct to retract the kick.

So even when training with a heavy bag, train one kick at a time and focus on kicking and stepping straight down (with the kicking leg) to INCREASE POWER...maintain FORWARD MOMENTUM...and OWN the offense!

More from Jeff at:
- www.CloseQuartersCombat.com
- www.AdvancedMassBuilding.com
- www.OptimumAnabolics.com
- www.CombatTheFat.com

Jeff Anderson is a 10 year veteran of the U.S. Army, a Master Fitness Trainer, and Master Instructor of Close Quarters Combat self defense. A full time fitness and self defense author, Jeff has trained thousands of men and women in the practical application of advanced military fitness methods as well as close combat tactics for "real life" self defense.