The Croco – mother of all kicks.

Hello people. It is great to meet you again on our own website/blog. Do support our place, visit as often as you can. OK! As promised here’s the Croco (crocodile tail kick) article which is specially written for my all students.

The crocodile tail kick is Muay arts most unique kicking technique. Originally, no martial arts system has used this technique like the ancient Siamese warriors did. In Siamese language, we call it the Te. Today it is adapted by Kyokushin karate and its splinters as well as many modern hybrid systems such as the mixed martial arts school. The world has accepted it as one of the most damaging weapon in combat!

Ancient legend

The legend of the croco is part of the ancient southern Siam folk lore. According to my Khru, the late Ajarn Bakawali, the technique was discovered when a young warrior went fishing at a river. He caught a big fish but unfortunately dinner was eaten by a hungry crocodile. The tug of war challenge began. He was so excited because he had never caught a fish that was strong. He decided to keep fighting. After a while both parties took a rest, but refused to give up. Suddenly the weight on the line was off as if it was cut loose. The disappointed warrior started to pull his weightless line; and suddenly he saw the head of the reptile surfaced. The crocodile decided to turn his head back into the water and its lightning fast tail was whipped aiming at the head of the warrior. His martial instinct saved him as he ducked the unexpected attack. He quickly cut the line and lowered himself in the boat. He prayed to the spirit of the river to protect him. Soon the foe resurfaced again. They looked at each other in the eyes. The young warrior saluted the beast for respect and asked the crocodile to spare his life. The beast nodded, turned and slowly disappeared into the depth of the river. From that moment, the young warrior started to experiment the crocodile’s technique with his forearms and the shins. Two distinct Muay techniques were born - the swinging forearm smash and cutting shin kicks.

Of course like all the folk stories, it varies slightly from one teacher to the other, region to region. Some said it was a woman. Others noted that they became friends and met at the river everyday where the beast taught her more fighting techniques.  So the Siamese round house kick was born and used until this day not only by Muay Arts and Sport Muay Thai but also in the mix martial artists, Kyokushin Karatekas and other off shoot of the style. It is without doubt the one of the most powerful kick in the world!                 

JOKMAS & the Croco

Our Kickboxing syllabus was rebranded by me based on the ancient fighting art of Silat Tomoi. A unique martial art a fusion between ancient Muay Arts and Malay silat which is believed to be the source of fighting arts existing at the border between Siam and the Malay Peninsula. It was one of the fighting arts of ancient kingdoms of Langkasuka, Kedah Tua and Chaiya of SriVijaya. Today it has survived and evolved in southern Thailand and northern state of West Malaysia, as well as here in Subang Jaya where the art are taught to our Phase 4 practitioners.

Silat Tomoi can be categorized as the southern region Muay Boran or ancient Muay. However, the Malay influences on the art are dominant in the weapon system. I will write about this later. The croco is one of the arsenals of Silat Tomoi and  is today, taught to our members since Phase 1.

The JOKMAS croco.

Imagine your shin like a tail of the crocodile. It is not like the round house kick of American kickboxing, snapping ‘mawashigeri’ of Karate-do or the turning kick of Tae Kwon Do. The Siamese turning kick do not snap at the target, but blast through the target cutting 30-50cm beyond the point of contact. Just like a swinging base ball bat blasted through the target.

The right foot JOKMAS croco is executed from the left foot forward stance by turning the lead foot 90 degrees anti clockwise. The rather relaxed kicking foot is raised from the rear on the right side, higher than the chosen target while the left hand covers your right cheek and your right arm rest along the right side of the body. Leaning your body back and tucking your head up, your supporting foot should be slightly bent, forming the shape of capital letter Y. With one swift motion, the body is turned anticlockwise, slamming the shin  diagonally downwards through the target as the supporting foot is turned another 90 degrees anticlockwise upon execution of the cutting action downwards. Exhale sharply through mouth (nose if you are wearing a mouth piece) as you kick. If the kick misses the target, turn round 360 degrees or put it back on the floor to immediately execute a side kick or back kick.

There are three main targets for the standard croco. The first is at the side of the neck of your opponent. With the shin hitting the side of the neck, the instep too is hacked through the back of the head. A perfect croco will knock out the opponent instantly. This technique is known as head hunting or we at Silat Tomoi call it cut the lights out.

The second target will be the body; preferably the floating ribs. Floating ribs are a vulnerable target. A direct blast will crack them. The third target is lower down at the thigh bone, knee joint and behind the shin to the ankles. Only the thigh bone is allowed to be croco in sport Muay Thai, the other two may considered illegal. In ancient war and modern day real street fight situations where the rules of engagement are no rules; the other two targets are most appropriate. Powerful croco in Muay Thai sports has broken many thigh bones. Croco to the knee and ankle joints will damage and dislocate them. A dislocated foot is as good as a knock out.        

Another croco is shot from the ground diagonally upwards. Instead of raising it high before slamming it diagonally down, it is driven from the ground diagonally into the abdomen, ribs, kidneys, back bones and sometime the groin. The mechanism of the kick is the same as the first version.

Mastering the croco

There are three basic methods of forge your croco until it becomes a weapon of destruction; the heavy bag, the pads and application. The first rule is you must kick at least 5,000 times before it becomes your flesh and blood. So keep kicking guys. Remember, use the shin as the surface of impact and drive it through the target when you kick. The first method is to kick the heavy bag. First, find your combat distant between the bag and you before you start unleashing those bombs.

Kick at the thigh levels 30 times, at the ribs 30 x and finally work to the head level 40 times. Repeat the same format for your left foot. Next are combos using hands and feet. You can start with jab, cross and 2x low croco 10 times ,next repeat with mid croco 10 xs and  last 10 xs to the head. Once you got that start working on your left croco with  2x jab and low croco 10 times, 2x jab and mid croco 10x , finally 2x jab and high croco 10x. Once you master these combos your instructor will teach you more croco combos’ application.

The Pao or Thai pads are effective for conditioning those shins, working on speed and power and last but not least, accuracy. I love the Pao because in the hands of an expert trainer he or she can make the fighter spar at full speed and power for 5  x 3 minutes round with 2 minutes rest in between. For the croco the Pao offers real targets at the head, ribs and thigh level, so that the fighter can kick full blast without having the fear of hurting the holder. At the same time, the holder will attack the fighter and move like an opponent in the fight. You will be taught the combos application in phase 2 and 3.

Once you have mastered all the combos, it is time to spar. Learning to spar is like learning to drive a car. First go at 30 km/hr as you begin to learn to art of driving, the do’s and don’ts; the rules on the open road. After awhile as you gain confidence and experience, you will drive at a faster speed. In order to do so, first you must learn to defend yourself against all attacks and counters. You must learn how to take the hits and still fight back. In time you will master distant and choose the techniques and combos to be executed at the right time and scenarios. The more time you spend sparring, the more at home you will fell at doing it.

Tips for applying the croco

In any combat situation, it is best for you to know who your opponent is. His back ground, his martial arts experience or is he one punch lucky brawler? Of course the best of fighting is not fighting. Let’s take a look at the possibilities that you may come across. There are two types of situations. The first, a real street fight and the other, is just a guy who want to spar or have a go at you to boost his macho ego. I will discuss both scenarios as we go through the cases of study.

When you meet an opponent who prefer to punch, then the croco will rule the engagement. A puncher longest reach is a snapping back fist, where the opponent will lean forward to snap it. All punches will rely on the lead foot where most weight is transferred to it upon execution of the punch. You could just attack his lead knee or ankle joints whenever he is in range.  When he attacks, lean back and just croco his lead foot. Don’t waste time on the thigh, just go for the lower joints. This will stop the fight instantly. However, if he is your buddy want a sparring session do kick those thighs, but don’t him take for granted he may take the pain and move in and pound you. Kick him hard enough to send him a message that I could break your thigh bone if I have too.

If this guy prefers to grapple, you do want to stay a distant away from him. Don’t waste time kicking the thighs, just slammed those lower joints and move out diagonally sideways as you pound your jabs and hooks from the side. If it is a street fight, punch those fingers that he will use to grapple with you, jab the nose or finger jabs the eyes before slamming your croco on the lower leg joints or the neck if he is low enough. 

Remember, these guys attack like a fencer, straight line in or retreat by stepping back out.    

If this guy prefers to kick then the best bet is to punish his front foot, which he will use to kick or support the other foot to execute a kick. Every time he come in range, nail his knee or ankle joints with your lead croco. Immediately blast another at the same spot, follow through with cross or jab and nail him again with either lead or rear croco on the same spot. I’ll bet you by then he is injured.

JOKMAS croco II

If you think the croco is cool. Wait until you see Coco II. Just like the finger jabs, the toes can also be use as thrusting weapon. Instead of the shin and in step, the toes of the feet are used in extended a croco kick aiming mostly at targets on the head of the opponent. The big toe can be used to jab the eyes, jaw joint, main artery of the neck, Adam’s apple and tearing the cheek and mouth.  This is where the ancient silat principle comes into play. The thrusting Keris, badek, belati, kerambit and sundang principles of destruction are applied. Just like these blades techniques the well condition big toe is press tight together with the rest and stab into the targets noted earlier.

Class croco - Shield croco 

Girls croco on Thai pad

Mid croco. Shin block. 

Head kick and cover

Low croco. Shin block

Techniques from the article.

Technique A

1.       Face off                                

2. Khru  jabs  

 3.  Lead low croco to the knee join

4. Cross to face                  

 5.  rear croco to same spot.       

6. Opponent drop finish off with stomping kick at the ankle joint.

Technique B

       

 1.  Face off   

          

2.   Khru  scoops the front kick to the left        

        

3. Rear croco the attacking foot just behind the ankle.              

        

4. The opponent fall on his knee.  

        

5. Cross to neck   

 6. knee the spine.

          

Written by Prof. Jak Othman
Photography by Nazrin Redza

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Jabs and Crosses Save Lives

by Prof. Jak Othman

Jab and cross is two first techniques taught to all JOKMAS members when they first started Kickboxing course at the studio. Both are straight line techniques shot from the shoulders or jaw level blasting through the path driven by twisting power of the legs, hip, body, shoulders and arms muscles in one sophisticated and damaging move. Just like a swinging golfer, a hacking hockey player or a furious hit of a squash player where the whole body is put into play to deliver one powerful strike!

Students performing jabs on focus pads.

In my 51 years of being a martial art enthusiast, I have seen many times a good jab stopped real fights in a bar and in the street. It wasn’t a superman punch; a flying knee, a spinning hook kick or even a choke out, it is the good old jab. Without gloves a jab could do extreme damage; breaking nose, crushing the Adam’s apple, dislocating jaw joints, breaking the collar bone, cracking floating ribs, hacking the solar plexus or blasting into the groin. These moves will instantly drop the victim to the floor. Even though it is the first technique you learn at the studio, it is definitely one of the most lethal martial art techniques.

The mechanics of the jab itself has shown us it is the most direct technique. It is shot from the shoulder level straight line towards a target. Just upon impact it is driven through the target approximately 4-8cm in depth with a 90 degrees clockwise motion  for left hand jab. It hacks through the target surface and crush further in. The power comes from the twisting of the hip together with the lead ball of feet inwards with the body slant slightly forward, driving the energy through the left shoulder, blasting the left fist forward through the target. Bam! It crushes the target with the sharp knuckles. You know what? This is one damaging move.

Let’s make sure you are doing it right. First learn to make a fist correctly. Remember it is the surface that you will use to hack the bad guys. Relax. Curl your fingers in as close as possible, try to bring to the borderline between your palm and the fingers themselves. Squeeze it tight, forcing the air out making sure it is tight rock solid! Put the thumb just below the 2^nd finger and clinch it tight. Let it go and clinch again. The concept is simple, stay relax and only clinch your fist as you drive the punch from the shoulder towards the target. Full clinch just before the impact. Once it hits the target your opponent will known he is messing with the wrong dude or babe.

Making a fist

1. Palm up

2. Curl the finger to the borderline between palm and finger. Clinch it firm.
3. Place the thumb just under the second finger.

On top of all these moves, concepts and rules, the good old high school, SPM @ O’ level science subject do play a major role in executing your jab. You need aerobic respiration! Carbohydrate burn with oxygen gives maximum energy, water, Carbon dioxide (CO2) and heat. You need the energy to jab, water to cool you off, CO2 for the plants around you and heat to show to your opponent that he is in trouble. So inhale before punching. Exhale sharp through nose or mouth as you execute your technique. Doing this you are aerobically punching. You will realise that your whole abdomen tighten up, meaning you can take hits there no problem. Your lead ball of feet twisted in making sure your groin protected from any direct assault. With all these elements applied by you, what you need to do is to hit the target accurately. How can you achieve this? Easy, come to class and punch 300-500 times at the focus pads a session for all least 3 times a week. In within a month you will achieve the 5,000 repetitions quota, your punches will be part of you sub-conscious mind. These techniques are now in your flesh and blood.

My Muay teacher Ajarn Bakwali once told me a jab is like radar a probe. It tells you distant reach and well as the presence of the treat in front of you. But a cross is the same thing but in the different world. It applies the same principle of the jab; with enhance power from the twisting of your rear foot on the ball of feet and hip. It is by far the most powerful punch technique on the planet. The Cross is like a flying canon ball which will destroy anything along the way!

A world renowned Karate Grandmaster the late Kancho Mas Oyama of Kyokushinkai Karate-Do  killed  bulls with his reverse punches which is the same category of the Cross. The same technique was used by Okinawa Rebels who fought the Japanese samurais by punching through the body armour of sword wielding warriors. This reverse punch or the cross as we call it is more powerful straight line punch then a jab. Yes, I have seen many boxing, kickboxing, Savate (French Kickboxing), Muay Thai & MMA fights ended with a good old cross. Most of the time a perfect placed cross will knock out the opponent cold. For powerful and accurate crosses come and hit the focus pads 5,000 times a month and hit the heavy bags too. 

Jab and cross originated from blade techniques.

Do you know the jab and cross of JOKMAS system originated the daggers techniques of south East Asia? The kickboxing system taught at JOKMAS is specially created from an ancient fighting art of SILAT TOMOI. A unique ancient art which can be categories as Muay Boran (ancient Muay) in Thailand as  a result of cross culture fusion  between the Malay art of Silat and Muay arts of Siam.

From Silat tomoi system that I learned from the late Ajarn Bakawali I rebranded the art into phases. Phase 1 is Fitness boxing. Students are taught the 3 main punching techniques and 3 main kicking techniques of Muay. Hand  and leg defence techniques are taught here too. The drills are combating applicable but mainly design for the urban world necessarily which is stress relief, total body workout and staying healthy fit. Phase two- more hand techniques and kicking technique are added. Phase 3 when the students have learned all the techniques, we train in two worlds. The first sport is Muay Thai and the second is Street orientated Muay Thai. Finally, phase 4 is the original Silat Tomoi system is taught which is an art of war.

Malay Silat is naturally a blade art and the techniques of jab and cross originated from stabbing of the Keris. The ancient Malay combative arts influences on the ancient Siamese fighting system are inevitable. It is written in Mae Mai ancient secrets of Siamese martial arts that techniques like ‘Java Sad Hok’ which means a Javanese man stabbing his spear and  ‘Inao taeng Kris’ means  Inao a  Saliendra Prince stabbing with his keris are two examples that highlight Malay influence. Java is a Malay race, Saliendra is an ancient Malay Kingdom in Java Island and the keris is a unique Malay weapon.

If you think a jab and cross are deadly when applied correctly, they are rather lame compared to a stabbing knife  blasted at you at a speed of 150-200 km an hour. Got the picture?!

Kru Nizam performs a jab on the pad

Students stabbing with a knife

Khru Nizam stabbing with a keris

That’s all for this week I will write again next week on the Croco. See you all the studio. Take care.

Ajarn Jak Othman

USJ14  12 April 2013.

                        

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