subject: Ninjutsu Training - Understanding The Strategic Value Of The Ninja's Heel-stamp Kick [print this page] One of the most powerful kicks in the Ninja's arsenal of techniques is the sokuyaku-ken geri, 'heel-stamp kick.' But more than another kick to learn for self defense, this powerful kick has a strategic place within the overall realm of kicking. And, if you can learn how and when to employ this unique kick, you will completely throw your attacker off-guard and give yourself a distinct advantage over even the most skilled kicker!
It is only natural that, in the beginning phases of your Ninja martial arts and self defense training, you focus on learning each of the skills that your teacher presents to you. At this level, the mechanical, step-by-step, and correct "form" of the technique is the most important thing to be concentrating on.
But, to really be able to use any given skill, you will need to learn something called "strategy." This is knowing when, how, where, and why to apply a given skill or technique, for it to have the greatest and most desired effect - even if that is to just "hit him."
Many self defense experts would tell you that having more than one way to kick (or punch, or whatever), is completely useless - that you don't need it. But, the skilled ninjutsu practitioner knows that there are far too many variables in a self defense situation - starting with the fact that you don't know what you're going to be attacked with, or who your attacker(s) will be - so you need to have as many options as possible to be prepared.
And, that's the idea behind the Ninja's heel stamp kick.
Where this kick was originally developed to be used while wearing armor, and for kicking someone else in armor, today it holds a very important place in your skill proficiency at being able to kick and use your legs effectively. Even if your only goal is to be able to knock him back or just land a kick, the fact is that, if you choose the wrong kick, or try to make one fit into a range it's really not designed for...
...you will do less and will have prolonged the fight.
Not to mention that, you will quite likely have a more pissed off attacker on your hands because you hurt him, but not enough to shut him down!
If we can think of our techniques from a strategic standpoint - after learning how to correctly apply them, of course - we can see that this concept of "range," or distance from you to the target, is very important. And, to deal with any given range, you will have to either...
1) Adjust your distance to deliver the technique you want to use, or...
2) Choose "the" technique or skill which fits perfectly at that range.
If we do number 1 - if we adjust to move to the right distance, we risk either the attacker seeing what we're up to, or moving in the process and not being where we want to as a result of our 1 - 2, get-ready/attack approach.
However, if we understand that each technique or skill naturally fits into a given range, we can move directly - without warning or preparation - and just hit him with it!
In the case of the stamp kick, it is what we could call a mid-range kick. To understand that, we need to see how that fits in with the ranges of other kicking techniques.
The knee strike is a close range kick. The front snap kick or straight kick is a long range kick.
Most people know when they are in range for a knee, and when they are in range for a straight kick. And, they also know when they are in that space between the two - that space where they know that you are too far away for a knee, and too close for a straight kick. in these moments, they're looking for a punch or a grab of some kind, because to them, you can't kick them.
And, they're wrong!
If, that is, you know how to execute the sokuyaku-ken geri of Ninpo-taijutsu (aka Budo taijutsu)! Because it is precisely this space between knee distance and straight kick distance, where the stamp kick fits perfectly. And, I'm sure that you can imagine the look on your attacker's face when, instead of the punch or grab that he was looking for...
...you knock that smug look off of his face with the stamp kick that magically slid up between your two bodies, and knocked him back and down on his ass!
