THE RIGHT WAY AND THE WRONG WAY TO TRIP AN OPPONENT

HOW TO DODGE THE TRIP — HOW TO KNEEL AND TRIP AN ADVERSARY—"COUNTERS" THAT ARE POSSIBLE

Tripping is so general a trick among all the peoples that develop the art of per­sonal combat as to seem to call for but scant mention. Yet in this country there are so many who do not know how to trip correctly that some hints are needful. In jiu-jitsu the trip is an element of prime importance.

In a trip that is delivered while the assailant is standing, the right foot is always employed against the adversary's left, and the left against the adversary's right. Right foot is never em­ployed against right foot, nor left against left.

In a trip that the assailant delivers from a kneeling position, on the contrary, it is the right foot that is employed against the victim's right, and the left against the victim's left.

In tripping the collar-and-elbow grip is the favourite among jiu-jitsians. Yet one hand may seize the coat or shirt close to the arm. Suppose it is desired to throw an opponent at your own left side. With your arms swing him around to your left, forcing him to travel at least a third of a circle. If this is done swiftly and effectively it will leave the victim standing on his right foot, with his left clear of the ground for an instant. In that instant apply your left foot to his right—his sole prop —and knock it from under him, sending him to the ground.

As to the method of kicking a foot from under the victim, the kick is always delivered against the outside of his foot. The assailant's foot moves swiftly over the ground, leaving it just a hair's-breadth at the instant of impact. The greatest force of the kick is delivered just at the ankle bone. Thus the pain caused the victim adds its effect to that of the impetus given by the kick, and the throw is all the more easily made. For it is human nature, when a foot is pained by a kick, to lift, or partly to lift, that foot from the ground. This is an application of a well-known fact that is worthy of the wily Oriental.

It is to be observed that, in tripping under the most favourable circumstances, only the foot that is to be kicked is to be on the ground, the other being in the air, and the victim!s body bent well over to the side to which he is to be thrown.
The only feasible counter to this trip is to get the other foot from the air to the ground in time, and to regain as nearly erect position as possible. Yet even with both feet of the victim on the ground it is often possible to throw him by this trip. At the moment of impact between the assailant's foot and the victim's the victim's trunk is drawn violently to the side to which it is desired to throw him.

NO. 8. THE TRIP FROM A KNEELING POSITION.

No. 9. THROAT-HOLD WITH THROW OVER THE HIP.

When both of the victim's feet are on the ground a simple counter to the assailant's trip is possible. Just as the assailant goes to kick the victim should dexterously draw back the threatened foot and succeed in striking the as­sailant's engaged foot at the outside—in other words, delivering the same style of kick that was intended for himself.

If the opponent is instructed and is wary it is often necessary for the assailant to swing his man around in a part circle two or three times before the tripping kick can be delivered with the proper effect. These continuous swing-arounds should be made at least three or four times in the same direction; then, if the assail­ant thinks it will be to his advantage, he may swiftly reverse the direction of the swing. Often, by so doing, he will catch his intended victim off guard and have an easy victory.

Photographs Nos. 6 and J illustrate graphi­cally the wrong and the right methods of de­livering the kick in tripping. In the first illustration it will be noted that both adver­saries have their right feet engaged. In the second illustration the assailant is employing his right foot in a kick against his adversary's left.

Sometimes it is found so difficult to catch the intended victim off his guard in a standing trip that the kneeling trip is resorted to by the assailant. In this case the combatant making the assault takes a catch-as-catch-can hold and drops to one knee, thrusting the other foot out before him. Over the lower half of this ex­tended leg the assailant swings his adversary and accomplishes the throw. The trick is pet formed with ease after a little practice. The kneeling trip has this decided advantage: That the assailant is closer to his victim at the mo­ment of the fall, and is able more promptly to apply any advisable tactics for reducing the victim to complete submission. Some of these methods of following up the advantage secured by a throw will be described in the following chapter.

In the kneeling trip it will be noted, with care, that the right leg is employed against the right, the left against the left. The relative positions of the two combatants are accurately shown in photograph No. 8.

There is a very simple and convincing feat that can be employed in many an emergency of combat, and it can be ended, if desired, in a trip. While standing at the opponent's left seize his left wrist with the right hand. It is important to hold the back of the victim's wrist outward, with the little finger edge of the captured hand downward. Have your own thumb against the under edge of the captured wrist, the fingers gripping tightly over the upper edge. With your left hand seize the open fingers of the victim's captured hand. Bend the fingers relentlessly backward as if trying to make them touch the back of the victim's fore-arm. Of course it will hurt him, and the result will be that the assailant is able to swing his victim around and around to the left as long as is desired, and all the while the victim is suffering from the pain in his captured wrist and fingers, and is unable to resist.

But it is a better plan, after having secured the hold, and after having started to bend the captured fingers backward, to shoot both of your arms out ahead of you and to hold them out rigidly, thus forcing the victim away from you while continuing to hurt him, and forcing him to run along ahead of you. In this way he is prevented from making any countering use with the free hand at his other side.

This description should be studied carefully, and every detail of the directions followed closely in actual practice until the feat is thoroughly mastered. By the time that it is thoroughly understood it will be possible for the assailant to seize the victim's wrist and fingers and to begin to apply the pressure all in the space of a fleeting instant. Speed counts for almost everything in securing the hold and beginning the excruciating pressure on the fingers.

If it is desired to throw the adversary, seize his left wrist and fingers and apply the back­ward pressure in the same manner. At the same time bend slightly and make a half turn to the left, placing yourself in front of your victim, with your buttocks toward his right side, and your left buttock against his middle. Now twist his captured arm well around to the left, swinging your own body somewhat to the left at the same time, and, by the pull on his captured arm, accomplish a throw over your right buttock.

This throws the victim down on his right side. Instantly step squarely on his right fore-arm, pinning it to the ground. You still have hold of his left wrist and left fingers. Holding his captured wrist firmly, continue to bend his captured fingers over backward, keeping up the painful pressure until he sur­renders.

Now comes a separate feat that has a bearing upon the one just described. Facing the vic­tim, seize his left wrist with your right hand, and force his arm up. At the same instant seize him at the inner bend of his left elbow with your left hand, using this elbow clutch also to assist in raising his arm. This arm should be forced to a little above horizontal position, sideways.

Having secured this hold, swing around under the captured arm, having your back to the victim's left side as you pass him to go to his rear, and complete the turn by facing the same way that he does as you get behind him. Force his captured hand as far up his back as you can, holding it there with your right hand. Force his captured elbow as far across his back as you can by the aid of your left hand, with which you have all the while held his elbow. The victim's hand can be forced so far up be­hind his back as to cause him a great deal of pain, and by closing up to him you can hold his arm locked at your pleasure.Now, in the feat described before this one, the victim, if he is initiated, can prevent having his fingers bent backward if he tightly clenches his fist at the instant when his wrist is seized.

But, in that case the assailant, having the wrist already captured, can employ his left hand in seizing the victim's elbow, passing under the arm and locking the victim's arm behind him in the manner just detailed.

Here again the victim can interpose an effec­tive block by side-stepping with his foot to the left just as the assailant is passing under his arm, and the assailant will trip himself and fall to the ground. But the assailant should be watching for this snare, and, if he sees his an­tagonist's foot extended to trip him, the as­sailant should stop short. But the assailant has an effective move left. His left elbow is just in position to give the victim an effective jab in the short ribs. This elbow jab can be given so severely as to incapacitate the victim.

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