Arm Candy

 I was reading an individual's blog, who was describing how he would apply an arm-bar. Considering that he (and his reader's) rate him as being an expert, I thought the explanation was rather,..lame (if not out-right wrong).

   

  I can remember that even back in the “70's”, the common instruction of applying an arm-bar, specified that when applying the pressure to the back of the uke's arm, one should avoid placing that pressure upon the elbow.

    

  Contrary to that, this individual endorses the direct placement of the tori's force/technique application to be made upon the uke's elbow. This is directly contrary to how it should be done (for numerous reasons, including the fact that by placing pressure Only upon the elbow, your allowing the uke's arm muscles to remain able to resist the tori's application of pressure).

    

  Having taught the application of the arm-bar for over 20 years, I feel that I know a little bit about the subject. Also from having demonstrated this technique innumerable times, I'm fairly knowledgeable of how/why this technique will and won't work.

    

  By applying pressure directly upon the elbow of the uke, the technique can be defeated (by the uke) if/when they've been taught the correct manner to do so (or if they are significantly larger than the tori) . Application in this manor is also far more difficult if the tori is of smaller size/stature than the uke.

    

  The article in question, was written in regards to application practice (and whether or not that practice is being performed just as when done during a conflict, sans speed/power). In the article (when describing his arm-bar application) he also mentioned an alternate application (to his version) that's placed upon the triceps muscle (his is performed upon the elbow).

    

  In his version, placement upon the triceps will (only) result in failure, and/or is more susceptible to counter. I'm afraid that I would have to heartedly disagree. Virtually every version that he advocates in his article, I disagree with.

    

  It's (to myself) odd, but his descriptions of the other subjects mentioned in the article, I (generally) agree with. It's only the Arm-Bar that I (very much so) disagree with.

   

  Because because of my experience with L.E., I can see that his version is somewhat similar to how (many) departments teach the Arm-Bar to be performed. It's not correct, but that doesn't stop most departments from teaching it that way, LOL.

     

  I've already described the manor that we apply the Arm-Bar (in a previous blog), but I'm wondering how many different versions of an Arm-Bar application there really are?