How many years did you train before you peaked?

[Buka]

I peaked fifteen years in.

 

[Kababayan]

I think the safe response is "I haven't peaked yet" but I'll answer the question this way: I think I felt my best at around 40 years of age. I had accumulated a lot of MA knowledge, sifted through what I found practical and still interesting, and had a strong focal point as to what I wanted to still train consistently, while still having the motivation to continue learning new elements of martial arts systems. If I'm not mistaken, men tend to peak physically in their late 30's, which is why a lot of triathlon and marathon winners are about that age (I don't have stats to support that; I just remember hearing that once). I still train intense workouts multiple times a week, something that most long-term martial artists in their 40's have stopped doing. As long as my body can keep up, I'm sure that I will continue to keep peaking.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

I have done that several times myself from a side mount position (I have not seen anybody who can do it also.). First I started to use it in stand up wrestling (this is why my wrestling skill heavily depend on the head lock). I then found out it worked even better in the ground game.

In jacket wresting (or Judo Gi environment), have you ever experienced that someone grabs on your jacket and you can't break his grip no matter how hard that you may try? You may say that you just don't believe anybody on earth who can have such strong grip. You won't believe it until one day you meet someone and can experience it yourself.

The powerful head squeeze is like the monster grip. There is more brute strength there than technique. This is something that one has to feel it in person. It's difficult to explain by words.

As I have said if one doesn't train it, it won't work. The head squeeze strength didn't come from our birth. We don't use that muscle in our daily activity. There exist no machine in the modern gym that can help us to develop it. We have to develop it from ground 0. Since it's painful and time consuming, people usually don't want to develop it.

I've encountered a number of people with monstrously strong grips that are very, very hard to break. I've encountered people with very powerful headlocks. None of them could inflict real damage or cause me to give up just by squeezing my skull.

It is possible to get a legit tap from a headlock in other ways:
Using the head as a lever to crank the neck.
Using lateral or twisting force to dislocate the jaw.
Using the head as a lever in conjunction with weight on the ribs to cause a chest compression which can prevent breathing and possibly break ribs.
Squeezing the face against your body to suffocate the opponent and possibly crush his nose.
Grinding the forearm or shoulder into the face to cause pain, crush the nose, or attack the eye socket.
Squeezing the neck rather than the skull, causing a choke.
If the opponent tucks his chin to block the choke, apply sufficient pressure through the jaw to finish the choke anyway or possibly break/dislocate the jar.

Are you sure that the taps you got via headlock weren't actually one of these effects rather than just directly squeezing the head? If not, I'm inclined to think your opponents must not have had enough submission grappling experience to know the difference between discomfort and the threat of real damage.

If you have a chance, maybe post some video of how you would apply the head squeeze if you were looking for a tap?

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

If you have a chance, maybe post some video of how you would apply the head squeeze if you were looking for a tap?

I will try to record it in my next Sunday class and then share it here.

 

[axelb]

It's funny, but unfortunately serious as well. Over the last 6 months I've had an extended sinus infection from hell, two minor injuries, two stomach flus, bad allergies, and my asthma has been acting up big time. As a result of all the missed workouts my cardio has dropped to its lowest point in decades. I've got a lot of hard work ahead of me to build it back up.

That sucks
My asthma got worse also, the balance of trying to improve cardio with asthma is an uphill struggle; I feel your pain

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

Are you sure that the taps you got via headlock weren't actually one of these effects rather than just directly squeezing the head?

I have just recorded 4 clip for this in my today's class. I asked my students only to tap when they can't take the pain any more. I have recorded both for "stand up head squeeze" and "ground game head squeeze" (by using 2 students as my testing opponent). I'll share it when my student forward that final clips to me. As far as the technique, there isn't much to show. As for the squeezing power, it's also hard to tell whether it's real or fake. People may say they just tap because I'm their teacher.

It's easy to show punching/kicking power on a heavy bag. It's difficult (or impossible) to show squeezing power on a live human being. People may say the partner's tapping is fake.

Here are some simple test for the arm squeezing power. Try to

- use your arm squeeze to crash a small watermelon (not big watermelon).
- hang on a street sign and see how long you can hold yourself up without dropping your foot down.

 

[DanT]

I feel the more you train, the less improvement you get year to year. The changes and improvements become less noticeable, but more meaningful. You will improve more during year 1 to year 2 than you will from year 2 to year 3. And more year 2 to year 3 than year 3 to year 4. Eventually you will be focusing on maintaining your skill and making minor corrections and improvements to concepts, techniques, and drills.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

If you have a chance, maybe post some video of how you would apply the head squeeze if you were looking for a tap?

Here are some "head squeeze" clips (took in my last Sunday class) that I have promised to share here.

Stand up head squeeze.

Ground game head squeeze.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

Here are some "head squeeze" clips (took in my last Sunday class) that I have promised to share here.

Stand up head squeeze.

Ground game head squeeze.

Thanks. The lighting wasn’t great, so I have some difficulty telling the exact placement of your arm. Are you applying pressure to their face? Where exactly are they feeling pain?

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

Thanks. The lighting wasn’t great, so I have some difficulty telling the exact placement of your arm. Are you applying pressure to their face? Where exactly are they feeling pain?

You can apply on the

1. neck,
2. jaw area,
3. temple area.

In all 3 clips, it was applied on the temple area. The feeling should be something like this.

 

[KenpoMaster805]

Ive been doing american kenpo karate for 4 years 9 months and im still improving

 

[drop bear]

Thanks. The lighting wasn’t great, so I have some difficulty telling the exact placement of your arm. Are you applying pressure to their face? Where exactly are they feeling pain?

Yeah. Wrist compression in the temple

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

Yeah. Wrist compression in the temple

The wrist lock the squeeze. The wrist doesn't touch the temple. It's the sharp edge inside of the forearm cut into the temple.