Clinch, Headbutt, Elbow! By Dave Leduc
Browsing the internet you will find a million karate self defense videos out there, you might even come across Bas Rutten’s “Best Street Defense” VHS tapes. Undoubtedly there is both good stuff and bad stuff out there.
Every couple of videos you will for sure find a few techniques that involve a headbutt. We have to look in self defense videos for those attacks because headbutts are universally illegal in sport combat settings.
There is one exception to that rule, Lethwei. The national sport of Myanmar. In Lethwei headbutts are not only allowed but encouraged. For most kickboxers this adds a whole new dynamic to both their defense and offense.
As a striker how many times have you prepared to give or receive a headbutt? Most gyms would see this and think it is crazy. Imagine you're at the gym and some guy is bashing his face into the heavy bag, Crazy right?
Even in the hardcore Muay Thai Gyms of Thailand, They dont train headbutts as they are frowned upon and down right ileagle in their sport. Even though a lion's share of Lethwei fighters are Thai boxers competing under those new rules.
Dave’s success in Lethwei is without question a direct byproduct of how he trains. Incorporating headbutts into both bag and mitt drills is crucial to his development and preparedness to defend his belt.
Dave finds ways to use headbutts in all sorts of places. Dave uses the clinch as a crucial spot to deploy his attacks as in a clinch the two fighters' heads are already close together, the problem is how do you create distance in order to get maximum damage for the attack?
Dave shows you below how a little Push & Pull motion helps create the space needed and after the headbutt Dave sprinkles in a little more brutality by following it up with an elbow.
Look at how smoothly Dave gets that done!
Dave has made an entire instructional on his signature Lethwei style that has helped him become the pound for pound king of the sport. What is useful about this is how brutal and applicable it is for real world combat.
If you are looking to improve your ability to defend yourself on the street, or maybe you have it in your mind you are going to take that golden belt off Mr.Leduc while fighting in Lethwei in Myanmar, this instructional has what you are looking for.
This instructional has it all, Elbows, Knees, Kicks, Punches, Combos and even Headbutts!
Dave walks you through how to deploy all those weapons and more. One thing that more instructors could learn from Dave is how to effectively deploy defenses and footwork. Dave has done an excellent job at showing how to create a solid defense and footwork in the first part of his series.
At the end of the instructional the Coach that has created the Lethwei King Dave Leduc goes over some concepts he feels are important to understand. Sifu Patrick Marcil shows how traditional hand trapping can be useful in modern martial arts and that it is not just for the movies.
Check it out here!