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Bridging with wrist locks:


I thought I would type this and hope it has dividends to the other readers. I won't have any picture examples because not may schools ever explore this option. but to give category pictures up front:

1) straddle
Mount (grappling - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

2) kote gaeshi
Wristlock - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
go to "suprinating wristlock

3) kote mawashi (nikkyo in aikido)
Wristlock - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
go to adductive wrist lock

4) Kote hineri (sankyo in aikido) I couldn't find a picture of this wrist lock but here is a video of it standing:
YouTube - Sankyo (kote hineri)

As far as the applications of these for bridging the following I have found to apply:

1) You pretty much have to have a strong understanding of the wrist lock in general to make it work on the ground.

2) The locks when used in conjunction with a bridge won't result in a submission. The person being bridge instead will be encouraged to escape the lock by getting off of you.

3) Because the escape to the lock is to "de-mount" you the other normal pre-cautions like keeping them from posting a leg, or posting an arm, worry about his grapevines dont' really apply. You are using the lock to encourage him to get off of you by his own accord.

4) If he gets off of you (escapes) you will most likely lose the wrist lock.


kote gaeshi: This seems to work only if his hand is open. If it is balled up into a fist it is harder to work. I tend to get this when I have their hand resting on my chest or suspended in the air but find it much harder if their hand is in motion or resting on the ground. So for me the primer, of when this is applicable is 1) open hand 2) on my chest or in the air.

I take his hand and turn it over on my sternum and bridge in the same direction of the rotation so that my whole upper torso is aiding in the rotation of his wrist. What ends up happening is that the person getting kote gaeshi will either roll with your direction to take the pressure off of his wrist or will flip to his back ahead of your rotation for the same reason. You have to practice this sorta slow. You aren't gonna break anything because the person is not restricted from moving but spraining his wrist is a strong possibility of you rush this lock in training.

2) Kote mawashi . This is a wrist compression. I tend to only attempt it if his hand is on my chest, in the air but not moving (aka not punching) or if he is grabbing my lapel or wrist. It doesnt' matter if his fist is balled or his hand is open. I take his hand or wrist and place it on my chest in the wrist lock position and than sit up using my abs.

To escape this he can either free his hand from my grip or roll over one of shoulders. Most people even if they are attempting to free their hand will get up off you to take the pressure off their wrist. When they do I bump them with my hips as they rise and bridge. I almost always lose the wrist lock immediately when I do that. If they are able to stand before I can "bump them" but I still have their hand I will use my other hand to rebend their elbow by placing the blade of my other hand on the top of their elbow. As they move down from the arm bend I bump them with my hips and try the bridge again.

3) Kote hineri: I only attempt this if their hand is suspended or grabbing my wrist. It doesn't matter if the hand is open or closed. I take his hand in the wrist lock position and move it across my body. At some point he may post his other arm to keep from being dismounted. Either way if he isn't too strong I will put my other hand behind his elbow and push his elbow across while turning his wrist. If he has a lot of upper body strength I will keep a double hand grip instead. The object is to keep tightening the lock because it encourages him to either (1) roll off of you or (2) rotate off of you in the direction you are turning his wrist to take some of the pressure off.

If he rolls off you will lose the lock. He is rotates off you can keep turning the wrist to encourage him to rotate more and than either turtle to kneeling (or standing) of if he sits up as he rotates sometimes you can rotate up with him using the aikido shikko (Japanese knee walking) to complete the joint lock while kneeling. Not very likely though since he has plenty of chances to escape by getting off of you before than.

If you take the three wrist locks and put them together they represent three directions. If it is his right hand you are locking kote gaeshi goes to his right, kote hineri to his left and kote mawashi goes up and towards him.

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Men of Honor?

I have written many times about the difference in being a true warrior as apposed to merely being someone who is trained to fight or skilled at fighting. There is a difference in being a soldier and in truly being a warrior. This is not to say that soldiers are not warriors, but the fact that someone is enlisted in the military and receives a paycheck from the government does not automatically make this person a warrior. It may make him (or her) a fighter, but that is simply a fighter; it takes much more than martial skills to be a true warrior.

Think, feel, and act like a warrior.
Set yourself apart from the rest
of society by your personal excellence.
Forrest E. Morgan

If we examine history, we can find many good examples which illustrate what I mean. Let's look at Hector and Achilles from the Trojan War. Most people consider both of these men great warriors, but were they really? There is a great difference between these two. While it is obviously true that both of these men were skilled in the art of war and were proficient in their martial arts skills, they were very different men. If you were to see them both on the battlefield, you may be inclined to argue that there was no difference in them; they were both able to bring a world of hurt down on their enemy.

So what made them different? The answer lies internally. The difference in the two men is what sets the true warrior apart from the mere fighter. Think about what motivated each of these men. Let's examine Achilles' motivation first.

Achilles was motivated by fame and fortune. He trained and fought for his own personal gain. The reason that he and his men participated in the Trojan War was to preserve his name as a "great warrior" throughout history. This was not necessarily out of the normal for men during this time period; many men desired to obtain fame and fortune by their exploits on the field of battle. Achilles was no different. He greatly desired to be known as a larger-than-life figure, and he achieved his goal, as you well know. But fame and fortune were not the only factors which drove Achilles to use his martial skills.

The superior man seeks what is right;
the inferior one, what is profitable.
Confucius

Achilles also was moved by his emotions. After his cousin fell in battle, the enraged Achilles took his anger out on Hector. This was purely an emotional action, void of any rational thought. He simply did not care about the facts, about whether or not his cousin's death was just, or the circumstances surrounding his death. All he cared about was his own feelings, feelings which led him to act out of selfishness and revenge, not rational thought.

Remember to preserve a calm soul amid difficulties.
Horace

To summarize the factors which motivated Achilles' actions:

1) He was motivated by fame and fortune
2) He was motivated by his emotions
3) He was motivated by revenge

The common denominator in these three factors can be boiled down to one word - selfishness. Achilles was narcissistic. He cared little about anything other than his own desires. He wanted glory. He reveled in being thought of as the greatest warrior of his time. He spoke of honor, but his view of honor was warped. It is indisputable that he was a skilled fighter, but are these the characteristics of a true warrior?

Now let's take a look at Hector. Hector acted from rational thought in all of his actions. He was not motivated by what was best for himself, but was concerned about what was best for his country and his people. He scolded his brother for putting his own desires ahead of everything else, thus putting his countrymen at risk, and ultimately destroying them. Even in battle, Hector never lost sight of true honor, allowing his enemy to take care of their dead and injured.

The superior man does not give up good conduct
because the inferior man rails against him.
Hsun-Tzu

When Hector's brother was about to be killed, he intervened and did what was right, instead of what was expected from the protocol of the day. When Achilles sought Hector out for his revenge, with one command, Hector could have had Achilles killed without risking his life, but he met the situation with honor. Even in the face of insults and threats from Achilles, Hector kept a rational head and tried to make a pact of honor for the victor to respect his fallen opponent, a noble act that Achilles blatantly refused, ultimately disgracing himself in his tactless display of Hector's body.

The man of principle never forgets what he is,
because of what others are.
Baltasar Gracian

The differences between these two men demonstrate the differences between a true warrior and the mere fighter. It is the internal differences which matter in the end. The difference between Hector and Achilles boils down to honor and intention. Hector had true honor and acted with integrity and pure intention, whereas Achilles acted from a place of selfishness, rage and unbridled emotion. Before his death, Achilles seem to see the error in his ways, but we really don't know if he was acting from a place of honor when he saved Hector's cousin or if he was acting from a place of selfish desire.

For when moral value is considered,
the concern is not the actions,
which are seen, but rather with
their inner principles, which are not seen.
Kant

It is the character that makes someone a true warrior, not simply his martial arts skills. Martial arts/fighting skills are merely one component of the warrior lifestyle, not the be-all end-all. The true warrior acts from a place of wisdom, honor and integrity. He rationally thinks about this words and actions, before he speaks or acts. He control his emotions, instead of allowing his emotions to control him.

While Achilles saw the error in his ways, it wasn't until after his rage had subsided and he had taken the life of an honorable man that he saw his error. He allowed his anger and emotions to control his actions instead of his rational mind. His actions were not concerned with what was right, but only with what he desired during the present moment.

Although Achilles bested Hector in one on one combat, Hector was the better man and the true warrior. There is a difference in a fighter and a warrior. There is a difference in doing what's right and in doing whatever you feel like doing. There is a difference in real honor and in perceived honor. The difference originates from within the human spirit and is a conscious decision. Achilles was a great fighter; Hector was a true warrior.

The glory of great men must always be measured
against the means they have used to acquire it.
La Rochefoucauld

Be sure to check out my AWARD WINNING BOOK, Warrior Wisdom at: http://thewisdomwarrior.com


Bohdi
Warrior Wisdom

I was explaining the true nature of martial arts to a colleague yesterday and this is what I told him. I explained that the true purpose of martial arts was survival. In the early days of civilization, you could almost count on dying tomorrow. It was hard enough just to avoid disease and famine, but they also had to deal with brigands and barbarians, who's sole aim was to kill maim and plunder. These days it's about competition and physical fitness. This is not to say that there are no practical self defense techniques, I'm just saying, that if things were the way they were then our conceptions of martial arts would be different.
There are scores of people out there with black belts, but only a few understand what it is like to have to use it for real. A man that fights in a ring for the most part, really only understands the ring, a man that fights on the street only understands survival. If you pit the two against themselves the survivor will most likely win unless there rules imposed. I explained that all martial arts have meager beginnings and that they are the ultimate result of trial and error and countless losses and the will to survive. I believe that this concept has been forgotten and only a few are rational to separate the two.
I grew up going to racially static schools. I was one of three white kids in my elementary school so my mother decided it was time I learned to defend myself. I understand now what it was like for black kids in all white schools. I had to constantly defend myself. After high school, I started traveling for a living and the street fights reached a whole new level. It was no longer pencils and fists I had to worry about, it was guns and knives. I have the hardest time explaining my teaching methods, because I was taught by a green barrette, he was the one that taught me to survive, all the other schools that followed only offered limited versions of street defense and hand to hand combat, they were mostly performance based and were intended for the ring or had been made milder to fit the relaxed, American way of doing things.
We in these modern times, believe that martial arts are something solid, but the truth is, they have always been liquid. it is the person that says you have to do it exactly as I showed you or it will never work, that messed things up. If I don't learn how to make it random and if I don't take it seriously, it could very easily mean the end of my life. It is good to spar, but it is not good to use it unwisely. Look at Mohamud Ali, he is the perfect example of why you never let people hit you and that was the purpose of martial arts, never to use it unless necessary, martial arts are for fighting, not for show and not for personal gain.