Take a Deep Breath

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Simply stated, breathing is important. Cause if you don't do it, you'll die.

All humor aside, breathing is one of those things that most people don't know how to do well or correctly. As a lifelong asthmatic, breathing is something that is really important to me and I have to keep in mind much of the time.

One of the things I read about a lot when looking for shooting drills or exercises is how to hold your breath. Here is an example from an article from US Carry. The though being that by holding your breath at the correct moment it keeps your chest and shoulders from moving and thereby interrupting your shot.

However, I feel a better way is to just breathe so that your chest and shoulders don't move to begin with.

In traditional and classical martial arts (at least the Okinawan arts I've studied and been exposed to) breathing is actually a skill that starts being taught from the time a students starts taking lessons. This breathing is often called Belly Breathing or Diaphragmatic Breathing. Here is good post on proper martial breathing from Turtle Press.

When doing proper Belly Breathing only the belly area expands and moves. This keeps the upper chest and shoulders stable and unmoving. Even sitting here as I write this I am belly breathing and my shoulders haven't moved from their place on the back of my chair the entire time, either up/down, or in/out. 

I Breathe this way while I shoot as well and I have never had to adjust beacuse of it since it doens't affect the way my upper torso moves for shot placement. I can especially see this when I shoot rifle.

Belly Breathing does take practice to do well and the training does take a lot of effort on the front end to accomplish. But once it is learned well it can be applied to any martial activity. 

As an asthmatic is also keeps me breathing better for longer if I have an attack since it bypasses the tightening muscles in my back and chest that also restrict my bronchial path.



 

Get a Grip!

I'm always amazed at the robustness of techniques found in classical martial arts. Lets take a look at the basic hand grip.


A Punch

The basic hand grip forms the foundation of making a fist for a punch (and other hand strikes). Making a fist first starts with the pinky finger and works it's way up to the index finger. 

Each finger is rolled down until the tip of the finger meets the base of the finger. When this is done for all fingers you actually have formed the hand for a half-fist punch or leopard-fist punch.

You then curl the fingers into form the core of the punch.

Finally adding the thumb locks the other fingers in place and forms your full punching fist.

Old School Weapon Grip

This proper fist formation is also used as the foundation for holding weapons. The proper weapon grip has the haft of the weapon held tight with the back three fingers. The index finger and the thumb are used last to help direct and move the weapon, but not as much for support of holding. Here I am, using the proper grip on the nunchaku (note: the grip on the nunchaku should be no more than two finger widths from the bottom, not near the top).

You can even see elements of this grip in medieval European sword arts.

How to Grip the Medieval Long Sword: Part 1 and Part 2


New School Weapon Grip

What is old is new again. The same grip works for other weapons like the tactical folder I keep in my pocket.

The same grip also forms the proper hold for a modern handgun.

The gun is held with those last three fingers. This leaves the index finger free to pull the trigger (or be on the frame if you're not going to be shooting) and leaves the thumb free to press the mag release, slide lock, or thumb safety if your pistol has one.

The best and most useful martial techniques have multiple uses. Techniques and movements that have only a limited or specific use rarely past the test of combat. I think that this grip with the ability to function for multiple uses and multiple weapons definitely fits the bill.

Welcome!

Welcome to the inaugural post of Martial Maine!

My name is Dru and this blog will be a place for my musings on all things martial that I come across and experience.

As for some background: I am a professional educator. I have 30 years of experience with traditional and classical martial arts. And I have been teaching myself defensive shooting, taking shootings classes when possible (and money allows), and have started competing in IDPA. I have also dabbled with medieval recreation, swordsmanship and fencing.

If you are reading this I hope that you will find value in what I have to say.

Kanpai!