The Thumb Jab

Home
>
Martial Arts
>
The Thumb Jab

I'm sure a lot of you remember the scene in the movie "The Presidio" were Sean Connery's character decimates the jackass in the bar with nothing more than his thumb!

Some of you may remember Andy Adam's book on Ninjutsu highlighting Hatsumi. Several photos showed the intense conditioning of natural weapons including the 'boshiken" or thumb fist. One photo in particular impressed me. That showed a small flat stone being broken by a "thumb" jab.

Sykes, it has been reported, had a tremendous amount of grip and hand strength. He was apparently quite fond of the "thumb" jab. Though NOT a basic method, since conditioning over a period of time is mandatory, it still was a favored "personal" weapon of his.

Allowing the thumb to jut out along the side of the fist was a "street" tactic shown to me when I was a kid by my father and uncles. Aimed at the eyes it made that left jab a really potent weapon.

The thumb as a weapon can be used to strike, gouge and/or apply tremendous concentrated force. It is also used in many Judo/Jujutsu "shimewaza" of the "combat" variety.

Many methods employ this type of strike. The problem is CONFIDENCE in its use! Here's a method of toughening and strengthening the "thumb" that is specific to its use in hand to hand combat:

Grab your palm sized "crushing" rock. Keep the flattest side UP. If the rock you use is TOO round, find a flatter one.

Get a THICK DENSE piece of foam as used in upholstery.

Place the rock in the middle form your "thumb jab" fist, place the pad of the thumb on the rock and PUSH. Try to push/press the rock right THRU the foam. DON'T STRIKE IT YET! Just numerous repetitions of the FORCEFUL push! Repeat it over and over. Over time you will be able to strike the rock and ram it right down fully to the bottom of the thick foam pad.

Other good exercises such as the "thumb" hook push up on bricks or cinderblocks can also be added as well as any other personal favorites, BUT the exercise as described above is about as specific to USING the "thumb" jab as you can get.

I train the thumb in several uses:

Boshiken - Thumb tip jab
Boshiken - Thumb knuckle Uechi style
Oyayubiken - Thumb knuckle fist
Tohote - Sword tip hand (thumb hook)
Dim Jeang - Palm strike with thumb jab. From Fushan Wing Chun as taught by Sifu Chong.
Ying Jow - Eagle claw with thumb crush/gouge

In Dr. Ernst Jokl's excellent treatise on the scientific and medical aspects of boxing blows, he describes the "old" street fighter's trick of jabbing the extended thumb into the carotid and causing a knockout. He also details some "jiu-jitsu" blows with the edge of hand.

All of the foregoing weapons can be trained on the makiwara. Just start EASY. And..................keep a bottle of "New Skin" handy.

Here's another "good" one: Get a cinder block. Place it long ways in front of you. Open hands, and "hook" thumbs in openings on each end of block. Apply OUTWARD pressure with THUMBS ALONE and lift AND HOLD. Repeat several dozen times.

Also any king of "pinch" grip work is also great!

Car l Cestari began his study of the martial arts with judo at the age of 7 under the direction of Yoshisada Yonezuka. During the past forty plus years Carl has dedicated his life to studying the martial arts, hand to hand combat systems, history and religion. What makes Carl unique is his combination of martial arts, law enforcement and military and real world experience. Carl has been exposed to a multitude of people with a wide variety experience. The following is a list of some of Carl's ranks and honors:

Shinan (Founder) Tekkenryu jujutsu
Ryokudan (6th degree) Koshinkai Karate under John Burrelle
Godan (5th degree) Jujutsu under Clarke of the World Jujutsu Fedaration (now defunct)
Sandan (3rd degree) Nippon Kempo under Narabu Sada
Nidan (2nd degree) Judo under Masafumi Suzuki
Shodan (1st degree) Judo under Yoshisada Yonezuka
Shodan (1st degree) Shukokai Karate under Kimura, Kadachi and Yonezuka
Shodan (1st degree) Daitoryu Aikijujutsu
Instructors Certificate- Charles Nelson System of Self Defense under Charlie Nelson

http://www.thetruthaboutselfdefense.com

In The News:

Yahoo! News: Top Stories

Georgia Sen. Chambliss wins re-election in runoff (AP)

AP - Georgia Republican Sen. Saxby Chambliss handed the GOP a firewall against Democrats eager to flex their newfound political muscle in Washington, winning a bruising runoff battle Tuesday night that had captured the national limelight.

Rice arrives in India in wake of Mumbai attacks (AP)

AP - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived in New Delhi on Wednesday as part of a U.S. effort to ease tensions in the region after a three-day terrorist attack killed 171 people in India's financial capital.

Gates: Military looks to accelerate Iraq pullout (AP)

AP - Defense Secretary Robert Gates signaled a willingness Tuesday to forge ahead with two key priorities for the incoming Obama administration: accelerating the U.S. withdrawal from Iraq and shutting down the Guantanamo Bay detention center.

Auditors fault Treasury oversight of bailout funds (AP)

AP - The government must toughen its monitoring of the $700 billion financial bailout to ensure that banking institutions limit their top executives' pay and comply with other restrictions, federal auditors said Tuesday in the first comprehensive review of the rescue package.

2 arrested in alleged torture of teen, who escaped (AP)

AP - A Girl Scout leader and her husband were arrested after an emaciated, terrified and nearly naked 17-year-old showed up at a gym with a chain locked to his ankle, saying he had just fled his captors, authorities said Tuesday.

Divorce rate increases in Marine Corps, Army (AP)

AP - The divorce rate among soldiers and Marines increased last year as military marriages suffered continuing stress from America's two ongoing wars. There were an estimated 10,200 failed marriages in the active duty Army and 3,077 among Marines, according to figures obtained by The Associated Press for the budget year ended Sept. 30.

Newly released Nixon-era memo shows aides dishing dirt on critics (AP)

AP - In Richard Nixon's time, all the president's men fretted about threats on every front: disquiet out on the streets, disloyalty inside the administration and trouble from political opponents who had to be discredited at any cost.

Study flunks 49 states in college affordability (AP)

AP - An independent report on American higher education flunks all but one state when it comes to affordability an embarrassing verdict that is unlikely to improve as the economy contracts.

Beyonce to perform at Essence Fest in New Orleans (AP)

AP - Beyonce is the first artist lined up for next year's Essence Music Festival in New Orleans.

Murphy's tip in lifts Pacers over Lakers, 118-117 (AP)

AP - Danny Granger scored 32 points and led Indiana back from a 15-point fourth-quarter deficit, and Troy Murphy tipped in a missed shot at the buzzer to complete an improbable 118-117 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night.

Rice arrives in India to ease tension with Pakistan (Reuters)

Reuters - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived in New Delhi on Wednesday as part of urgent U.S. efforts to ease tension between India and Pakistan that has surged over the Mumbai attacks.

South Korea steps up crisis fight (Reuters)

Reuters - South Korea moved on Wednesday to help local banks through a cash crunch gripping the global financial system as central banks around the world were expected to cut interest rates again to support their fast flagging economies.

Automakers' desperate bailout plea gaining support (Reuters)

Reuters - A top lawmaker predicted Washington would approve a bailout for U.S. automakers after they submitted survival plans, and General Motors Corp and Chrysler LLC said they needed an immediate infusion of cash to avoid failures.

Obama wrapping up cabinet picks with Richardson (Reuters)

Reuters - President-elect Barack Obama moved swiftly toward wrapping up his cabinet appointments on Wednesday with the selection of rival-turned-supporter Bill Richardson as secretary of commerce.

Republicans win crucial Georgia Senate seat (Reuters)

Reuters - Republican Sen. Saxby Chambliss easily won a run-off election in Georgia on Tuesday, denying Democrats the chance for a 60-seat "super majority" in the Senate that would have enabled them to pass legislation virtually at will.

Pentagon chief Gates backs Obama Iraq policy (Reuters)

Reuters - U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who will stay on under Barack Obama, said on Tuesday he supported the president-elect's Iraq policy but declined to back his proposed timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. forces.

Oil rises more than $1 (Reuters)

Reuters - Oil rose toward $48 a barrel on Wednesday, recovering from a tumble of more than $100 off July peaks, but the upside could be limited, with further signs of weakening oil demand expected in upcoming weekly U.S. oil data.

Clinton for a Clinton? Senate guessing game begins (Reuters)

Reuters - New York Gov. David Paterson has famous names to choose from in picking a replacement for Sen. Hillary Clinton, including a Kennedy, a Cuomo and even another Clinton, as in the former president of the United States.

Thai protesters abandon airports as flights due in (AFP)

AFP - Hundreds of anti-government protesters packed up and left Bangkok's airports on Wednesday after a crippling siege, as authorities assured angry tourists that flights would resume within 24 hours.

Rice arrives in India after Mumbai attacks (AFP)

AFP - US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived in New Delhi Wednesday to try and ease India-Pakistan tensions over the Mumbai attacks, as US intelligence blamed a Pakistan-based militant group.

The Thumb Jab

Martial Arts Martial Arts