Second Effort

Second effort is a method of executing techniques such as punches and kicks. It involves executing the technique as normal except that the technique is stopped short of its target and held there for a second. This first effort is used to cause the opponent to block the technique. Usually the opponent will withdraw the blocking arm, or at least relax it, after the initial block. When this occurs, the attacker makes a second effort and plunges the technique to the target. A second effort technique may lack power but it works.

Targets of Techniques

Vertical Orientation

High Section: Area above the shoulders; includes the clavicle
Middle Section: Area between the shoulders and the waist
Low Section: Area below the waist

Horizontal Orientation

Right: Right side of a section
Center: Center of a section
Left: Left side of a section

Target Penetration

To what depth should a technique be aimed? During training and competition, for safety reasons, students are taught to focus a technique at a point on the surface or the target. Sometimes students are taught to aim a technique at the point where a target will be after it stops moving (chase the target). Others are taught to aim at where the target actually is at a point in time. To damage the target, the technique must be aimed at a point just behind the surface of the target. Target penetration should not be so much that the person is pushed backward. When this occurs, it means that the technique contacted the target too early so all the energy of the technique was wasted during the push.

In, Over, Around, Under

There are four ways to strike most targets on an opponent’s body: in, over, around, and under. For example when punching to the head, you may punch with a jab (in), an overhand punch (over), a hook punch (around), or an uppercut (under). When kicking to the head, you may kick with a side kick (in), an axe kick (over), a hook kick (around), or a front snap kick (under).

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