Last week I posted a bunkai for Heian Shodan, the most distinctive part of which is the interpretation of most of the moves in the kata as hair-pulling. I promised a couple of more details. It turns out that hair-pulling is not just a grab-a-random-fistful-and-jerk sort of proposition. Here's how you do it...
- Grab hair at the temple if possible - it hurts far more there than other parts of the head.
- Twist - don't pull. It hurts far, far worse! Try it on yourself. Grab a fistful of your own hair at the temple and compare the misery of twisting vs. pulling. Now, for some relief, try it on the top of your head.
Notice that the down-blocks in Heian Shodan start high and across the body and they involve a pulling motion, bending the elbow as your fist approaches your center. Then the fist twists and the arm locks out into the down-block position. Turns out this is the perfect way to pull hair in a fight.
.
Grab, pull toward your chest, twist, push down, and hold.
.
That's a recipe for a great offbalance and distraction.
___________
Subscribe now for free updates from the Mokuren Dojo blog
Subscribe now for free updates from the Mokuren Dojo blog
