Stop Them Cold – Go to the Groin?

I was asked to visit a Karate school in a neighboring town recently. Oddly enough, the Sensei (teacher) of this school, runs a highly profitable Karate Dojo (school) mainly due to the fact that he is located in a small but well populated town and the inhabitants are largely employed by large Union factories paying very good wages.

There are many young couples and lots of kids – and the kids’ classes are what earns the money. In fact every successful Sensei I know, runs a large children’s program. They are also really outgoing in their personalities and do very well with the kids – chatting with Mom and Dad about little Jeanie or Bobby and how much they love karate. Compare this to the BEST teachers I have ever trained with from Asian to American, who taught only high level, no-nonsense kind of guys. This is not to say that they were not amiable, but each in his own way was demanding and accepted nothing but the best effort from the students he chose to instruct. These men were not financially successful due to their teaching fees but they are very successful at turning out top notch martial artists.

If any martial artist reading this post to this point, is wondering about the title and “putting attackers away with a groin shot?” Me too, since I see this target pointed out constantly, religiously, with no real understanding about the outcome and subsequent melee which may continue. You don’t snap a round kick to the groin and knock guys out cold, just like that! Let’s discuss ok? I have landed solid blows to the groin in real fights and let me be the first to say that they don’t knock a man out 98% of the time. In fact there is a good delay period, which I can’t describe in seconds, since I have only been a combatant and never planned to bring a stop watch along to time things : ) In almost each case the opponent came on like a steamroller, after the well placed knee or shoe struck squarely and was a significant threat for a few long moments. After this delay, they become very easy to overpower and defeat when the shock travels to the brain and shuts down certain functions due to the trauma. Pain, followed by nausea, loss of strength and confusion are common after a well placed kick or knee to the groin of an attacker.

In conclusion, after almost scrapping this post, because groin shots don’t always stop anyone immediately, even if well placed – I thought that all things being equal, what more natural of a strike to teach a woman for self defense. It’s a relatively easy target to hit and if they can withstand the moments of determined assault by their attacker – they will have achieved a great opportunity to escape, or in extreme situations, to mount a counter attack that will take their attacker completely down and out!