Body hardening is the process of deadening
key nerves which can be target areas for
locks,
softening blows and
strikes.
The purpose of body hardening is to make it
hurt less when someone kicks you in the leg or you
deflect a punch. It is
surprisingly effective.
The five targets for body hardening are:
- the Radial nerve (top of the forearm)
- the Ulnar nerve (underside of the forearm)
- the Peroneal nerve (outside of the thigh)
- the femoral nerve (inside of the thigh)
- the abdomen (mid torso).
Body hardening should be executed with a medium ammount of force. The point is to
repeatedly strike the
nerve until it stops performing its
function: telling your
brain that you are in pain. To this end, it is more useful to strike repeatedly than to strike hard. Body hardening will initially result in
soreness.
Any technique which strikes these places will work, however, the following are the techniques used in the class.
Ulnar strike: Assume the basic warrior stance across from your partner, one pace apart with the arms crossed over the chest and the fist clenched. Rotating from the hips and starting with the right hand strike the outside of the forearms along the ulnas nerve (little finger side) against each other. The movement of the arm starts with a downward arc across the front of your body, avoiding locking out the elbow at the end of the movement, continue the arc back across to the right, keeping the open portion of the fist towards your body until the forearms strike.
Radial strike: again, stand facing a partner. Get one step distance. assume the Basic Warrior Stance With the arms at the side and the fists clenched. Rotating from side to side at the hips strike the inside of the forearms along the radial nerve (thumb side) against each other.
NOTE! WHEN PERFORMING FEMORAL AND PERONEAL STRIKES, THE STRIKING SURFACE OF THE FOOT SHOULD BE THE BOOT LACES, NOT THE TOE!
Femoral strike: stand squared to your partner with your feet wider than shoulder width apart (guys, you'll want to make sure your partner has a good angle of attack or the family jewels may take a beating). your partner kicks you in the inner thighs, one thigh at a time.
Peroneal strike: stand squared to your partner with your feet shoulder width apart (you may assume the BWS). your partner kicks the outside of your thigh. the target area is the meaty portion of the thigh midway between the hip and knee.
Abdominal strike: Stand squared to your partner with your feet shoulder width apart. Hold your fists up in front of your face, "on guard". With a moderate ammount of force, hit your partner in the stomach with one fist, then the other. Next, have your partner hit you in the stomach with one fist, then the other.
When performing the abdominal strike, ensure you are not hitting below the navel, on the xiphoid process or ribs, or either hip. your target should be the center of the stomach.
Begin with 10 repetitions of each strike and increase as the body becomes used to them.