The Withdrawing Hand

When I first studied martial arts (40 years ago) I was instructed to pull one hand back strongly to my hip or (in a few cases) abdomen. Pull it back strongly, I was instructed, to strengthen the outgoing hand. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction, Isaac Newton figured out. So, by pulling back strongly, I was to add force to my strike. I never questioned this, because I'm a sucker for science-themed explanations.

Years later, I met Sensei George Dillman. He said the withdrawing hand (hiki-te) is extremely important as a devastating component of pressure point techniques. "Watch this hand," he would quietly tell me whenever I asked him to show me a new point or a new knock-out. As a result, I now seek to be a student of hiki-te, an aficionado of the withdrawing hand. Enjoy this little video mini-blog.

Annual Training Event

I never set out to have students. In fact, I did things designed to make it difficult for people to train with me. Funny how that didn't stop anyone. As a result, I have a group of very skillful martial artists, all black belts, who train with me. And they have students of their own, so I'm a grandpa-sensei.

For some years now, we have held an annual (two-day) training event in Madison, WI, which we call the Annual Gathering. Anyway, I've attached the flier. If you want to come, send me an email at

christhomasmartialarts@gmail.com

and I'll reply with one of those paypal "buy it now" thingees. It's kind of cool because, instead of telling you to "go train," now I can invite you to "come train."

CT

More on Traditional Movements

My teacher, George Dillman, likes to say to people at a seminar, "Ask questions; good questions make a good seminar." Well, Ken asked a simple question about how to interpret traditional movements, and it turns out to have been a good question, because, here I am, still answering it. Really, you're getting this for free while people pay good money to have me teach them this stuff. Anyway, enjoy.