Fundamental #5: Knee Block with Single Leg Takedown

1. Both fighter’s step into fighting stance.
2. Uke: Grabs and Knee Strikes
3. Tori: Reinforced clasp hands block of the knee(LH).
4. Tori: Slide hand to ankle (LH).
5. Tori: Step forwards and drive a horizontal elbow into Uke’s waist(RH).
6. Tori: Uke will fall backwards.
7. Tori: Stomp Uke’s groin, solar-plexus, or bladder with heel-thrust kick(RL).
8. Tori: Knee lock.

Note: Your knee must be placed to the side of uke’s hip on the mat, and you must lean forwards dropping your body weight to cause pain. If you do not it becomes a simple holding technique.

Note: Driving the point of your elbow into the opponent’s thigh, during the knee block, instead of the forearm creates a great deal of pain and slows their movement.

Warning: Do not drop your body weight on the knee lock while practicing.

Warning: Uke must know how to backwards break-fall.

Warning: Controlling Uke’s fall is Tori’s responsibility.

Purpose of Technique Fundamental #5

Series five introduces the student to the second most common takedown known to fighters. This is known as a single-leg takedown. It is flipped in this series to show how it can be used if an Uke is proficient with knee strikes. Again, it is counterattacking by taking what the adversary is giving you. Lastly, you do not need to always slide into range three combat. If the opponent is down and presents a continued danger blows can be delivered without engaging in range-three combat. Once the threat is eliminated and the adversary is unconscious you must stop the attack, but this fundamental also introduces the knee locking concept if you follow the opponent to the ground.

Note: Knee strikes are not common weapon used in a random confrontation with an unskilled fighter, but they are weapons known to trained fighters. There are bad people that have been trained, so it is necessary to have a response to this type of attack. This is a special type of knee block using more of the single forearm than the more common X-block using both forearms. This is the reinforced clasp hands elbow block. Using this block allows one to more easily wrap an arm around the knee or pick the heel and then drive an elbow into the Uke’s mid-section. Remember to pull Uke’s leg as high as possible as you drive your forearm and body forwards. Uke should land on his/her back.  Once Uke is down drive a heel thrust kick into a vital center line target before placing the Uke in a knee lock or for making an above the hi line mount.