My personal favorite submission is the kimura, which is utilized in MMA all of the time. In fact, Minotauro Noguiera's first submission loss was to a nasty kimura used by Frank Mir. However, during Krav Maga class one day, Steve told me that the name actually comes from one of the best judokas ever: Masahiko Kimura. Steve told me that Kimura was so dedicated to his martial art that he would practice hip tossing a tree to make himself stronger. Afterwards, I noticed the palm tree which is conveniently located in my front yard and a light bulb went off on my head. I've been trying to hip toss it and take it down ever since.
Even though I'm not a particularly strong guy, I always hold back when I do takedowns and throws on my students. However, when you spend every evening trying to throw a palm tree, sooner or later, this will happen:
Me: The pressing throw will be easier if you put your hips into it, like this.
Young, athletic, teenage student (hurtles to the ground): Aaaaahhh! Be gentle!
Me: Sorry!
Since I am a firm believer in student preservation, I now hold back even more. That being said, it was a clear sign that what I was doing was beginning to work. The last time that I grappled with Allan, I experienced another breakthrough. I managed to get a hold of his leg while we were on the ground. Normally, this is as far as I get before I wind up on my back. This time, it was different. An image of me practicing on the palm tree flashed threw my mind as I tightened my grip and pulled as hard as I could. Allan's leg was mine! And I had put him on his back! Now, if only he hadn't gotten his arm around my neck...
Nonetheless, not even a guillotine choke could dampen my enthusiasm. Kimura clearly knew what he was doing, and I will continue to practice on the tree in order to get stronger. I've even incorporated trips and clinches in my workout to build up my power in those areas, too. Will I become a world-renowned grappler like Kimura? Probably not. Nonetheless, I do eventually want to win some grappling tournaments, and this certainly won't hurt.
No comments:
Post a Comment