Conditioning the body by striking it?

I suffer from the same thing as this dude who posted this thread. I can get a full blow knee in the ribs an laghf at it but as soon as its just below my cheast bone i drop like a pansy an i duno why. I train 7 days a week an im goin in the cage soon an i need to get rid of this problem

This is normal.

Right under the ribcage where the ribs touch each other is the solar plexus. If you get hit there and the impact is between the lowest ribs in the middle, you drop. There is nothing much you can do about it afaik.
 
Kiai will help a bit, IMHO, but the SP/xyphoid process is not really protected by much muscle. I know schools that train to condition for those strikes, and it seems to be effective, but I think that contact sparring is all that most people need in the way of conditioning.
 
We practice a similar exercise, but for a different purpose it seems. We practice the partnered roundhouse kicks to the solar plexus for two reasons: to develop accuracy and to develop control. If you can kick super fast and barely make contact exactly where you want, then all you have to do is adjust the depth by a couple of inches to do real damage.

I don't think getting hit hard in the solar plexus is going to be great training on conditioning that part of the body. Anatomically is a weak area, with little muscle mass covering it. It does not take much to create a spasm of the diaphragm (i.e. getting the wind knocked out of you). The key to "conditioning" this area, is not as much crunches/sit ups, but more core muscle conditioning. Crunches/sit ups exercise the rectus abdominis muscles (i.e. the 6 pack), but the muscle belly of these muscles, where there bulk of the mass is does not actually cover the solar plexus.

The Kiai, when done properly does contract both the diaphragm (which prevents spasm) and the core muscles which helps to resist the impact of the kick itself by reinforcing the torso and abdomen.

As for the previous comments pertaining to the danger of the kiai, because of the open mouth danger of being knocked out by a follow up strike.. . The kiai does not require an opening of jaw to be effective to take a blow, only an opening of the lips for the air to leave. The key principle in the Kiai (for the purpose of taking the hit) is to forcefully exhale all air out of your lungs all at once. To do this you must forcefully contract both your core and your diaphragm at the same time, granted it takes alot of practice to develop this muscle coordination/muscle memory.

Albeit there are many other uses for the Kiai beyond this purpose, some of which are much better served with a fully open mouth.
 
Ok well ile just man up an take it then lol cheers ppls

I'm not being rude just old but could you post up in what to us oldies is normal English rather than txt speak please? It takes me twice as long to read it :). My daughters laughing at me now!
 
Taking shots to the solar plexus will always hurt to some degree, but generally it's only going to drop you if you are inhaling when you get hit. This is part of the reason people kiai in some styles, it part of the reason you hear boxers audibly exhaling when they strike. You don't want to get caught open when you throw a technique and hit in the solar plexus while inhaling, it'll drop you nearly every time. If you're looking to fight in the cage and no one has taught you about breathing, maybe you need a new coach.
 
my nidan told me that when we're practicing blocking with our arms or getting kicks its toughening up those places to be used to being struck.

Must be why i could hit my Sempai as hard as i could when blocking a punch from him and his arm while using soto uke and he didnt even bat an eyebrow.
 
This is very interesting, back in the seventies I was tought that the point of learning a martial art was to effectively defend yourself, if you wanted to take up as a sporting art it was up to you, there physical conditioning goes along with your level of training and is good for the body, making you stronger andabove all faster, speed is so important, the faster the more effective your strike. However we were also tought to prepare against strikes,you cannot block them all, and if faced in a street fight however rare that may be,there are no rules, you may be hit by low blows amongst others, some of the teaching were :if one was afraid of pain you would probably loose the first time you were hit, we were told pain was the best teacher, and learn to overcome it,understand the different kinds of pain wherever arising, and learn to overcome them.YOU needed to take pain and give it back...

These are the teachings of Greand Master Sijo Adriano Directo Emperado in his formidable Kajukenbo, truly preparing one for street fights. I have the greatest admiration to this Greatest of Grand Masters and his tequniques

i found this kind of pain conditioning to virtually every part of your body ,not suited or everyone ,( many left because they could not take it) it is really mainly for those with high to very high genetic pain thresholds, Today many students do not like experiencing pain while training,, if they don't enjoy they just quit.also there are restricting legalities
However those who have acquired the concepts of the old school can counterattack with surprise even when struck in very painful areas with multiple strikes shocking the attackers to the point that they flee.
I still believe pain conditioning has a big role in real out in the street self defense, but it is not for everyone .
Sanchin training in kata form is a milder form than Kotae Kitae,seldom this is seen in practice mowdays ,nowadays with some of the arts replaced as a sport with rules which bears little resemblance the the arts of old.
 
This is one of the main reasons I started training and teaching Systema. It focuses on having full control of the strike and how deep to penetrate the body with it. Much easier on your own limbs as well......
 
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