Re: Hi from Sweden

[JDNichols]

Hi Claudia, As Damian said working on your grip is a good idea for your situation. Here is an exercise I use. Take a washcloth fold it in half; tightly roll it up to form a stick like shape. Now grip it as if you were holding a stick with about 1 inch of the rolled cloth being above the level of your thumb. As you squeeze the roll you will notice that most of your grip will be with your little finger, ring finger and middle finger. In a natural grip your index finger has very little power compared to the rest. By using the rolled up washcloth this will allow you to better exercise your index finger. As you squeeze the roll you will see what I mean.
When you squeeze the roll, squeeze digging your fingertips deep into the roll, this is where you can best exercise your index finger, well, all of them actually. Squeeze the roll 25 times with your right hand then 25 with your left make sure to really dig those fingers in especially the index finger. Now for the part of the roll sticking out of your hand above the thumb, while squeezing the roll tightly with your fingers press the tip of your thumb into the end of the roll do this 25 times with your left then 25 times with your right. Make sure to use the tip of your thumb not the flat, press down like you are trying to stick the end of your thumb nail in the roll. Why? If you grabbed someone by the throat you would want to dig in with the tips of your fingers and thumb, that will be a much deeper and brutal grip. The fingers do this naturally but the thumb doesn’t, especially, if you make the squeeze as part of the hand yolk strike.
Just so you can feel what I mean gently grab your throat like you would be delivering a hand yolk strike. Now gently squeeze you will feel the fingertips start to roll and dig in, but the thumb doesn’t, you need bend your thumb slightly to get the tip to dig in. Why is it important to dig deep into the throat with the tips of your fingers and thumb? If you don’t have the tip of the thumb deep in the grip it is easy to escape, simply turn your head towards the thumb and you’ll turn out of the grip. Now give it a try. Gently grab your throat with the hand yolk squeeze gently like you are trying to choke yourself, now turn your head toward your thumb and you will feel the grip slip. Try it again with your finger and thumb tips and you will feel the thumb go deeper and more pressure on your throat if you turn your head either direction.
Practice this grip thousands of times until it becomes your natural grip. Also when practicing the hand yolk, practice finishing with this grip. Should you ever have to use this grip you will be able to crush a windpipe. As an attribute take the opposite hand and dig your thumb into the attacker’s eye from the bridge of the nose outward. And don’t forget while you are pushing the attacker back to squeeze with everything you have and kick their shins and stomp their feet. I like the three in one’s, kick into their shin scrape down their shin with the side of your foot ending with a stomp on the top of their foot, in one fluid motion. Now back to the exercise, each week roll another washcloth over the other so it gets fatter. By week four the roll will be about the same size as a person’s throat stop at that size and squeeze away. By making the roll fatter each week this will strengthen your grip. If you have any questions feel free to give me a shout. Happy Training