Green Belt Curriculum

Students will learn the more general principles of self-defense such as range, positioning, balance and vulnerable targets.  From a technical point of view, we will address more complex grab situations from the front like choke or bear hug, plus an introduction to ground defense.

Ranges

Introduction to the concept of ranges and the appropriate tools

Outside Range

• Escape range

• De-escalation range

• Projectile range

Long Range

• Leg range

Intermediate Range

• Punch range

Close Range

• Knee and elbow range

Ground Fighting Range

Positioning & Balance

Balance as the fundamental of Karate and Self-Defense. 

• This is what Karate excels at (besides kicking and punching). Maintaining balance must be the foundation of every self-defense technique we teach.

Positioning when opponent inside your bubble

• Hands up and always between you and your opponent

• Moving or circling towards potential exits

Vulnerable Areas

Introduction to vulnerable areas.  Note: This may be modified for age appropriateness

Light Damage

• Chin, nose, ears, testicles, knees, floating ribs

Heavy damage

• Eyes, throat, temples, solar plexus, brain stem

Note:  Personally my choice of go-to targets are eyes & groin.  Otherwise, biting if I don’t have access to the previous two.

Dynamic vs Static Striking (Green or Red Belt?)

Static stance striking is appropriate for learning proper technique.  And this yields invaluable long term benefits, especially in terms of balance and core involvement, as we will see throughout this curriculum.

However, once striking techniques are properly learned, they should be practiced in a dynamic setting.  In other words, your feet should never be static.  Stances are meant to be “steps”, not static positions.  In a real self defense situation you will have to constantly adjust your balance and your feet will be constantly moving.

• Outside Forearm against the person’s neck. Other hand traps the opponent’s bicep, and your elbow traps the opponent’s arm against the chest.

• Position is similar to that of an open hand block

• Ability to control opponent and to manipulate and move as needed.

▶️ Demonstration Video: Infighting Basic Control
[Watch on Google Drive]

Note:  Basic principle:  In most control techniques, it is imperative that you are trapping the opponent against your body.  The more space there is between you and the opponent, the easier it is for the opponent to get out

• Fighting elbow strikes are quick and controlled different from braking motions.

• Knee strikes should be done while pushing opponent forward.

  • Hip drives forward as opposed to knee coming straight up

  • Knee – Step – Step – Knee – Step – Step – Knee – Step – Step – Knee

▶️ Demonstration Video: Infighting (short range) Basic Strikes
[Watch on Google Drive]

Situation:  Somebody grabs you by the lapel or shoulders.  This is a hostile act, not a simple grab.  There is an immediate threat.  Grab is strong and by a person materially bigger than you. 

Basic principle for lapel grabs:  Do not attempt to release the grab.  Strike immediately.

• Single Lapel grab: Trap the hand that’s grabbing you against your body as you pivot and simultaneously strike with the opposite hand (punch, palm or even elbow).

  • Follow up with combatives. Make space

  • Keep the hand trapped. The other hand grabs the same shoulder that the grab came from.  Knee strikes to the groin.  Follow up with combatives.  Make space

▶️ Demonstration Video: Basic Single or Double Lapel / Shoulder Grab (high threat)
[Watch on Google Drive]

Same principle.  Trap one of the hands that’s grabbing you against your body as you pivot and simultaneously strike with the opposite hand (punch, palm or even elbow).  Punch may go between the opponents arms or around them depending on relative height and positioning.

• Follow up with combatives. Make space

• Keep the hand trapped. The other hand grabs the same shoulder of the hand that you have trapped.  Knee strikes to the groin.  Follow up with combatives.  Make space

▶️ Demonstration Video: Double Lapel grab
[Watch on Google Drive]

If you can disengage the arm do so.  Strike immediately regardless.

• Single Shoulder grab: Inside out open hand Soo Do block with a simultaneous (if possible) reverse punch.  Follow up with combatives.  Make space

▶️ Demonstration Video: Single Shoulder Grabs
[Watch on Google Drive]

• Double Shoulder grab: Double high block (inside out motion).  Follow up with combatives.  Make space

▶️ Demonstration Video: Double Shoulder Grabs
[Watch on Google Drive]

Note:  Lapel grab techniques can also be used for shoulder grabs depending on the arm positioning

Note:  Very rarely will you have a truly static technique.  There will likely be a small push so this technique may/will include a small step backwards to maintain Balance

Basic Principle:  Assume choke is strong and by a person materially bigger than you.  This is a clear hostile and potential life-threatening act.  Differently from other grabs, the chole must be released immediately but we cannot assume that we’ll be successful.  Therefore, Strikes must be quick and decisive.

Static choke

• Release choke by plucking one arm (thumb) and simultaneously Punch or Palm Strike to the face / eyes with a big pivot.

  • Follow up with combatives. Make space

  • Keep the hand trapped. The other hand grabs the same shoulder that the choke came from.  Knee strikes to the groin.  Follow up with combatives.  Make space

▶️ Demonstration Video: Chokes from the Front
[Watch on Google Drive]

• Basic: Step back to brace yourself and maintain balance turning into a 60-90 degree horse stance (if you turn 90 or more degrees, opponent may get access to your back).  At the same time, raise your arm closer to your opponent straight up so that your bicep touches your ear, and you pivot to dislodge the choke.  (Note: These three movements are done almost simultaneously). Drop your elbow closest to your opponent down into your opponent’s arms further releasing choke (as if you were breaking a board).  Continue with a side elbow to the face, side hammer fist and any other combative.

• More advanced: The previous technique can be improved by the hand farthest from your opponent also releasing the choke and trapping the hand against your chest.   If you manage to keep the arm(s) trapped against your chest after you drop your elbow, you can follow up the side elbow to the face with the hand closer to your opponent grabbing the shoulder continuing with knee strikes.  Follow up with combatives as needed.  Make space. 

▶️ Demonstration Video: Choke with a push
[Watch on Google Drive]

Prior to the Grab

• If you see the attack early enough you always have the alternative to kick the person away followed by jab – cross (See White Belt curriculum)

• If you see it but not early enough, step forward (if possible) and to the side (to avoid butting heads) into a front stance with a double forearm block to the collarbones.

  • Continue with further combatives. Make Space.

  • Trap the opponent’s head against your shoulder. Continue with knee strikes and further combatives as you disengage.  Make space

▶️ Demonstration Video: Prior to the Grab
[Watch on Google Drive]

• Alternative for higher belts and adults:

  • Thumbs go into the eyes. Pushing eyes away and continue with combatives as needed

  • If the head is buried in your shoulder, your inside hand traps the back of the head while the outside hand rotates inward so that your thumb goes inside the attacker’s eye. Push opponent’s eye away and continue with combatives as needed

▶️ Demonstration Video: Alternative for Adults and Higher Belts
[Watch on Google Drive]

• Alternative for higher belts and adults: If you see the attacker coming at you, step forward (if possible) and to the side (to avoid butting heads) into a front stance with a double thumb strike to the eyes. Grab head and push opponent’s eye away and continue with combatives as needed.

After the Grab

• When the defender gets the bear hug in, there will likely be a push forward. Your body will naturally step back with the leg that’s on the same side as your opponent’s head. It is imperative you brace, stop the momentum and maintain balance.

  • For children: Leverage your outside hand’s thumb underneath the opponent’s nose pushing forward and upwards rotating his head backwards creating pressure on the neck.   He will naturally disengage and, as you make space, kick to the groin followed by other combatives as needed

  • For adults: Search with your outside thumb (or index finger) and stick it in your opponent’s eye.   Other hand should be pressed against the back of your opponent’s head.  Push with your thumb into his eyes forward, while also rotating his head backwards.  As you make space, strike with a vertical hammer fist to the nose (with back hand) or any other combatives depending on distance and the opponent’s reaction.  Note: A common mistake here is to lean your body back as you search for the eye.  There is a danger of losing your balance and toppling over.  Just feel for it while keeping your balance.

▶️ Demonstration Video: After the Grab
[Watch on Google Drive]

• If you see the attack early enough you always have the alternative to kick the person away followed by jab – cross (See the White Belt curriculum)

• If you see it but not early enough, step forward (if possible) and to the side (to avoid butting heads) into a front stance with a double forearm block to the collarbones.

  • Continue with further combatives. Make Space.

  • Trap the opponent’s head against your shoulder. Continue with knee strikes and further combatives as you disengage.  Make space

▶️ Demonstration Video: Prior to the Grab
[Watch on Google Drive]

After the Grab

• When the defender gets the bear hug in, there will likely be a push forward. Your body will naturally step back with the leg that’s on the same side as your opponent’s head. It is imperative you brace, stop the momentum and maintain balance.

• Once you have stabilized yourself, place your palms together and do a double ridge hand strike to the groin. At the same time your butt moves back to create space and give you some leverage.

• If he disengages, continue with combatives as needed.

• If he is still holding on to you, grab his shoulder blades tight while pressing their shoulder against yours and stepping and driving forward with multiple knees and other combatives as needed

• Alternatively, as he closes the bear hug, you can pivot and strike with just one hand to the groin. The pivot will actually help release the bear hug.

• If he disengages, continue with combatives as needed.

• If he is still holding on to you, grab his shoulder blades tight while pressing their shoulder against yours and stepping and driving forward with multiple knees and other combatives as needed

Note:  The single hand strike is more natural than the double strike and you are probably better balanced.  But if the bear hug is really low and your arms are pinned in front of you, you may not have the ability to pivot, and the double hand strike is preferable.

▶️ Demonstration Video: Prior to the Grab
[Watch on Google Drive]

Situation:  You are taking a fall.  Whether you slip, or somebody is taking you down.  You are falling backwards

Basic Principle:  You have to survive the fall with minimal damage.  Then you must be able to be in a position to defend yourself from the ground and ultimately get up and escape the situation

Basic Breakfalls – Soft Break Falls

A Soft Break Fall is one where you are not falling straight down (like a throw, a slam or a fall from a large height), but can lower yourself to the ground and soften the impact.  There are two components to the fall. 

1. Lowering your center of gravity to the ground: Instead of falling back like a tree, you should lower your butt to the ground so that the height from where you take impact is reduced.

2. Slapping the ground at the same time your back makes impact with the ground.

Note:  In my opinion lowering your butt to the ground is significantly more important than slapping for a soft break fall.  Also, if students get comfortable with lowering their center of gravity and taking less impact, they will not be so scared that they reach behind with their hands to the ground.

One hand vs two hand breakfalls: Traditionally we have taught two hand break falls.  They are not incorrect, but they are more relevant for Hard Break Falls (where you take direct impact straight to the ground).  There are several advantages to one hand break falls:

1. They are more natural. Most people when they fall, they will naturally try to fall on their side

2. They protect the spine. Two hand breakfalls land on your spine.  One hand land on your side.

3. They protect your head and neck. For two hand slaps, you have to really tuck your chin to protect your neck and head.  Side falls, the head and neck end up further away from the ground.

4. They allow you to use your other arm to form a barrier and keep the opponent away. If you are being taken down and the opponent goes on top of you, with a two-hand break fall, he can immediately go on top of you and control you.  With a side breakfall you can use your off arm (and even your leg) to form a barrier between you and your opponent to maintain space and be able to extricate yourself easier.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WisAJIU6shrRmH-He-thL2vPrV0tKjUu/view?usp=drive_link

▶️ Demonstration Video: Back Breakfalls
[Watch on Google Drive]

Basic Principle:  You must keep your opponent from getting on top of you and making this a ground combat.  Ideally you want to keep them as far from you as possible.

• Both hands are up protecting yourself and your head is off the ground. One foot is on the ground and the other is up with the sole of your show facing your opponent.  You can alternate feet as needed.  When the opponent comes towards you can kick him away (Knees groin or face, depending on distance).  If he tries to circle, you can use your non-kicking foot to spin around (again, you can alternate feet as needed).

▶️ Demonstration Video: Kicking and Defending from the Ground
[Watch on Google Drive]

Basic Principle:  We don’t want to fight on the ground and we need to get up as quickly as possible in a manner that does not expose us to getting hit in the process

• Once you have backed your opponent enough with your kicks to a safe distance, sit up while you tuck one of your legs (your foot goes just under your other thigh) forming a figure “4”. Roll over the shin of the foot that’s tucked while keeping your hands up protecting your face, forming a tripod with your front foot and your back knee and foot.  Swing your back foot outwards and stand up into a proper fighting stance.

Note:  This is the same way to stand up as you would do in traditional forward roll where you tuck one leg under the other.

▶️ Demonstration Video: Getting Up
[Watch on Google Drive]

Basic Principle:  At this level of experience, after the initial technique, the practitioner should have a choice of going into the attacker with overwhelming force and/or striking his/her way out

• Going in:

  • Trapping arm and grabbing shoulder opposite hand (Soo Do block position). Multiple knee strikes 

• Going out:

  • Punch, Punch, Front Kick to the groin. Make space

  • Punch, punch, Roundhouse. Make space

  • Punch, punch, Side Kick. Make Space