Real Punching Geoff Thompson S U M M E R S D A L E First published 1994. This edition copyright © Geoff Thompson 1998 Reprinted 2000 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced by any means, nor transmitted, nor translated into a machine language, without the written permission of the publisher. Summersdale Publishers Ltd 46 West Street Chichester West Sussex PO19 1RP United Kingdom www.summersdale.com Printed and bound in Great Britain. ISBN 1 84024 088 1 Please note: the author and the publishers cannot accept any responsibility for any prosecutions or proceedings brought or instituted against any person or body as a result of the use or misuse of any techniques described in this book or any loss, injury or damage caused thereby. About the Author: Geoff Thompson has to be one of the most recognised and controversial martial arts writers and teachers of this century, with over 20 best-selling books and 20 instructional videos on the contemporary role of martial art to his name. His work is both innovative and thought-provoking. As an ambassador for the martial arts he has appeared on national and international television and radio – for several years as the BBC Good Morning self- defence expert – talking about and giving advice on self-protection and related subjects. He has taught his unique method of self-protection to the police, the Royal Marine commandos, in local government, on Excel Bodyguard training camps and also on the professional circuit. Geoff’s first book Watch My Back – A Bouncer’s Story (released in the USA by Paladin Press) about his nine years working as a nightclub doorman is widely recognised as a cult book. His other books have also been highly successful. He has appeared in numerous publications including: SG’s Martial Arts, Combat, Traditional Karate, Fighters, Terry O’Neill’s Fighting Arts International, Muscle Mag (Britain – USA), Black Belt Magazine (USA) Fighters (Sweden) and Australasian Fighting Arts (Australia). He is currently Sub-Editor of Martial Arts Illustrated. He has also featured in mainstream glossy magazines such as Loaded, Maxim and Esquire and has published several articles with GQ Magazine (Britain – Paris). Geoff has to be one of the most practised instructors of our day with a long list of combat qualifications. He is presently a Sambo Russian Wrestling coach (Moscow Sambo Federation), Olympic Greco Roman Wrestling Coach (FILA), Olympic Free Style Level 3 Wrestling Coach (FILA) Ju-Jitsu coach, British Combat Association Coach, EKGB (Karate) 5th Dan, JKA (Japan Karate Association) 2nd Dan, Shoalin Modga gung fu 1st Dan, BJA (British Judo Association) 1st Dan, ABA boxing coach and BTBC Muay Thai boxing coach. He is a former UK weapons champion and is trained in the use of the Defensive Flashlight and the PR24 Side Handled Baton. He has also trained in Aikido and weapons. In 1997 Geoff was flown out to the United States by Chuck Norris and Richard Norton to teach his unique method of self- protection on their international martial arts seminar alongside martial art greats: Benny ‘the jet’ Urquediz and Rigan and Jean- Jacques Machado. As well as his books and videos Geoff has written a feature film based on his life and 12 television plays based on his bouncer books. Although recognised as an international authority on the art of self-protection, his work in reality and cross training in combat is still thought of as heresy in some quarters of the martial arts world. Other books and videos by Geoff Thompson: Watch My Back – A Bouncer’s Story Bouncer (sequel to Watch My Back) On the Door – Further Bouncer Adventures. The Pavement Arena – Adapting Combat Martial Arts to the Street Real Self-defence Real Head, Knees & Elbows Real Grappling Real Kicking The Fence The Art of Fighting Without Fighting Dead Or Alive – Self-protection 3 Second Fighter – The Sniper Option Weight Training – For the Martial Artist Animal Day – Pressure Testing the Martial Arts Tuxedo Warrior: Tales of a Mancunian Bouncer, by Cliff Twemlow, foreword by Geoff Thompson Small Wars - How To Live a Stress Free Life Fear – The Friend of Exceptional People: techniques in controlling fear Blue Blood on the Mat by Athol Oakley, foreword by Geoff Thompson Give Him To The Angels – The Story Of Harry Greb by James R Fair The Art of Fighting Without Fighting – Techniques in threat evasion The Ground Fighting Series (books): Vol. One – Pins, the Bedrock Vol. Two – Escapes Vol. Three– Chokes and Strangles Vol. Four – Arm Bars and Joint Locks Vol. Five – Fighting From Your Back Vol. Six – Fighting From Neutral Knees Videos: Lessons with Geoff Thompson Animal Day – Pressure Testing the Martial Arts Animal Day Part Two – The Fights Three Second Fighter – The Sniper Option Throws and Take-Downs Vols. 1-6 Real Punching Vols. 1-3 The Fence The Ground Fighting Series (videos): Vol. One – Pins, the Bedrock Vol. Two – Escapes Vol. Three– Chokes and Strangles Vol. Four – Arm Bars and Joint Locks Vol. Five – Fighting From Your Back Vol. Six – Fighting From Neutral Knees Advanced Ground Fighting Vols. 1-3 Pavement Arena Part 1 Pavement Arena Part 2 – The Protection Pyramid Pavement Arena Part 3 – Grappling, The Last Resort Pavement Arena Part 4 – Fit To Fight Contents Prologue 8 Introduction 9 Chapter One Body Mechanics 12 Chapter Two Stances 15 Chapter Three The Jab 18 Chapter Four Right Cross 21 Chapter Five Hooking Punches 25 Chapter Six Uppercuts 29 Chapter Seven Footwork 33 Chapter Eight Angular Punches 35 Chapter Nine Drawing Techniques 43 Chapter Ten Feints 46 Chapter Eleven Combinations 52 Chapter Twelve Defences and Counter Attacks 56 Chapter Thirteen Hand Sparring 67 Chapter Fourteen Hands Versus Feet 72 Chapter Fifteen Hands Versus Grappling 83 Chapter Sixteen Cheeky Shots 86 Chapter Seventeen The Double Hip 90 Chapter Eighteen Training Equipment 93 Epilogue 96 Real Punching Prologue A carpenter is knowledgeable about working with wood, a painter is knowledgeable about working with paint, and a pugilist who has mastered his craft should be knowledgeable about the mechanics of punching! The importance of correct punching is that it is an art like any other art that must be practised to be perfected. It is about repetitive work, done over and over again with sound knowledge of the correct techniques. ‘To kill a cockroach’ is a term used in New York boxing gyms by coaches to fighters practising the execution of a pile driving left hook done to maximum effect with a swivel of the left foot/ankle as if you were crushing a cockroach with your foot, hence the catchphrase, transferring the body weight from left foot to right foot. The fundamentals and techniques vary for the vast arsenal of different punches in a gladiator/pugilist’s repertoire. To maximise all the varying punches the warrior must have the mentality and courage of his convictions to be whole-heartedly 100% committed to his cause, because in the words of Sugar Ray Leonard, top level fighting/combat is 80% mental! Jim McDonnell British & European Professional Boxing Champion Boxing Commentator for Sky Television 8 Real Punching Introduction Why Punching? Having had to face several hundred opponents ‘in the street’ and having been witness to thousands of ‘live’ fights over the last ten years I have come to the conclusion that a ‘real’ exponent of the fighting arts must incorporate all distances in his fighting discipline, after all a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. The distance that most systems seem to favour is kicking distance, this is probably due to its attractiveness or perhaps ‘celluloid peer pressure’ (see my book Real Kicking) the most neglected distance of course is the devastating art of grappling (see my book Real Grappling) due to its Martial ugliness. In between these two distances is punching, a seemingly indifferent range, not neglected though neither noticed. When you consider that most street confrontations start with some kind of dialogue, (see my book Real Self Defence) usually occurring at ‘Punching range’ it makes you wonder why, if punching range is the distance given, so many want to manufacture another, stepping out for a kick or in for a throw, ignoring that which is so startlingly immediate. It is simply a matter of logic that the closest and most available tool to the target is the very one to use. In nine out of ten cases the most available tool will be the hands. As demonstrated in Real Grappling, wrestling is a support art and as demonstrated in Real Kicking, kicking is, also a support art, punching, as I hope to demonstrate in this volume is THE MAIN ARTILLERY, the first line of attack. For those interested in the art of pugilism this book also takes into account the sporting aspect. 9 Real Punching Take a look on the sports shelf of any book shop and you will find a myriad of books on and about various fighting systems of the world, all encompassing the theories and technique of the ryu therein. This book differs from the foregoing in three ways: One; It isolates the ‘hands’ as attacking tools. Two; The techniques herein, though predominantly western boxing, may be utilised in, and are indeed born from, every system, and Three; All of the techniques endorsed in this text are empirical. Most fighting systems of the world are uncannily similar. All offer the lead hand punch, reverse punch, hooks and uppercuts. The defences against the same are, also very alike. In my opinion it is the western boxing system of pugilism that rises above the maelstrom of other systems when ‘advanced’ punching is called for, this statement is not meant as a bias nor is it intended to offend, it’s just an honest opinion based on years of pressure testing in the field. The fact that the western boxer is ill prepared for both kicking and grappling ranges is out of the context of this book. This text may become the ‘missing piece’ in the martial arts jigsaw and will complete what was otherwise an unfinished picture. If you are not that familiar with punching you may well wonder what more there is to be said about the subject, after all, a punch is just a punch, or so it would appear. The reason why I wrote this book and why it has found shelf space within the book shops is that a punch is far more than just a punch. A deeper look will unveil a labyrinth of concealed knowledge, an Aladdin’s cave of intricacies and a treasure trove of ‘data’ that will enable the neophyte to punch and the expert to punch better. ‘Hands’ are the most accessible, effective and natural tool available for utilisation and survival on the ‘pavement Arena’. Conscientious adherence to the techniques and theory’s herein will not only 10