Howdy, all. We finished shooting the new catch wrestling video series this past weekend, and it came out very well, I think (little thanks to me — though I suppose one could argue that I made a useful meat puppet, the recipient of certain throws and a number of takedowns).
On Friday, I was tapped by Tony to show the pain tolerance / submission resistance exercises and drills we do, the last of which consisting of a “ripping” drill that is intended to get your body used to gouges, elbows (joneses) to various pressure points, skin twists, pinches, knees, shin locks, knuckling, and chin grinds to various areas of the body (sternum and xiphoid process, small of the back, floating ribs, upper ribcage, arms, shins, inside of the thigh at the femoral artery, etc.). We avoided facial ripping for this exercise — though we did demonstrate some other rips over the course of the shoot, including two or three different fish hooks, eye (and eye socket), ear, and nose gouges, windpipe attacks, and some crook-thumbed gouges to the nerves behind the carotid sheath.
The drill consists of laying flat on your back with your arms extended while a skilled catch guy essentially goes to town on you, ripping you first on the front of your body for a minute or so, then, after you flip over, performing the same torture to the back of your body. Not a pleasant experience — and one that has put an end to the desire of many would-be catch practitioners to train for what we do.
I also showed drills that build up resistance to achilles locks and various shoulder locks — as well as a few neck strengthening drills.
– All of which is a long prelude to reporting that my body looks like it’s been handled with steel tongs and treated with a meat tenderizer. Which in itself is a prelude to letting you know that I plan on resting for the next several days, with my only work on the computer the long and arduous process of recreating the catchwrestle YouTube site.
Thanks to everyone for their patience and forbearance. I’d take a picture of my bruised and battered torso, but that would involve taking off my shirt — which at present isn’t a pleasant experience.
Comment by Hoodlumman on 12/15 @ 10:29 am #
Jeff, this has probably been asked ad nauseum but what got you interested in catch wrestling?
Comment by Spies, Brigands, and Pirates on 12/15 @ 10:32 am #
Welcome back, Jeff.
Comment by SarahW on 12/15 @ 10:33 am #
I had to pick up an ironrite mangle iron that fell over yesterday.
Ow.
Comment by SarahW on 12/15 @ 10:34 am #
That’s catch-mangling and don’t mess with me.
Comment by SarahW on 12/15 @ 10:34 am #
Nice to have you back, btw, JeffG.
Comment by thorichka on 12/15 @ 10:37 am #
I watched UFC all weekend on Spike. I feel great!
Comment by Slartibartfast on 12/15 @ 10:37 am #
That femoral artery thing…about midway up the inner thigh? Had that done to me during grappling practice. Actually, we had to inflict that on each other to break guard and move to mount. It probably isn’t so easy to do that with your elbow with someone punching you in the face, but it hurts. It’s probably very difficult to keep full guard while someone’s punching their elbow into your thigh like that.
Comment by Slartibartfast on 12/15 @ 10:37 am #
Almost forgot…welcome back!
Comment by geoffb on 12/15 @ 10:38 am #
Glad to see you back.
When will the videos become available?
Comment by JHoward on 12/15 @ 10:55 am #
Welcome back, boss. In you absence it seems the planet got wise to the fact the holder of the President Elect’s Office isn’t exactly Lincoln.
Further, and speaking of torture, it seems official policy thereof is a question more of political tactics than absolutes. Who knew.
Then there’s that whole Chicago thing; like a giant, wondrous, thousand-faceted diamond, that. Imagine all the people, living for today.
Reality, perhaps like catch, bites.
Comment by Obstreperous Infidel on 12/15 @ 11:05 am #
Oh yeah. We’ve been subjected to large doses of alphie and semencleo. Our bodies may look fine, but our psyches are bruised and battered. Anyhow, welcome back and take care of the aches and pains.
Comment by McGehee on 12/15 @ 11:24 am #
Mine looks like that without putting myself through all that torment.
For all I know, a few pain-tolerance drills would leave me looking like a matinee idol. Hmmm…
Comment by Pablo on 12/15 @ 11:30 am #
Look on the bright side – some people pay good money for stuff like that.
Comment by Spies, Brigands, and Pirates on 12/15 @ 11:40 am #
Jeff, speaking of YouTube, I’d be interested in your take on this. It came up in one of Dan’s threads yesterday.
I’m seriously considering recording myself spanking off and sending the video to Andrew.
Note that the really good parts come toward the end.
Comment by Slartibartfast on 12/15 @ 11:45 am #
There were good parts? I guess I missed them.
It all looked extraordinarily pointless.
Comment by Spies, Brigands, and Pirates on 12/15 @ 11:49 am #
Matter of taste, Slart. To me it’s sort of like a circus sideshow.
Comment by MAJ (P) John on 12/15 @ 12:04 pm #
Jeff,
Now you know why I prefer to stay in Interceptor Armor and shoot at my enemies from as long a stand off distance as possible. Welcome back (try some really good Whisky washing down some naproxin).
Comment by Mike on 12/15 @ 12:06 pm #
“All of which is a long prelude to reporting that my body looks like it’s been handled with steel tongs and treated with a meat tenderizer.”
And all of which explains why I much prefer pistols. Hell, I’m too old to be rasslin’ around on the bar parking lot with somebody I barely know. Well, mostly. Ahem.
Comment by Dan Collins on 12/15 @ 12:14 pm #
Rest up. Recharge. Rescue your blog.
Say, did I tell you the one about the Filipina and the wave?
Comment by TaiChiWawa on 12/15 @ 12:32 pm #
If I had a nickel for every time I heard the old pinch-gouge-bash-knuckle-twist-rip-hook excuse…
Comment by TaiChiWawa on 12/15 @ 12:32 pm #
I guess I’d have a nickel.
Comment by happyfeet on 12/15 @ 12:39 pm #
here is a helpful chart about medical errors
Comment by happyfeet on 12/15 @ 12:44 pm #
I am glad you are back. Dan and Darleen and TSI and Mr. Howard did a good job while you were gone. You missed the part where Mr. thor said some quite decent things very gentlemanly-like at one point. That was pretty neat.
Comment by Sdferr on 12/15 @ 12:55 pm #
A heartfelt cheer for Goldstein.
Comment by Spiny Norman on 12/15 @ 1:00 pm #
Welcome back, Jeff!
Sometimes the old saw “no pain, no gain” might actually be true… hope it was this time.
;^)
Comment by Darleen on 12/15 @ 1:08 pm #
Hi Boss!!
Comment by Seth Williams on 12/15 @ 2:18 pm #
Welcome back. Next time pick a more memorable safe word, you’ll come out of it with less bruises.
Comment by Kirk on 12/15 @ 2:34 pm #
You make it sound like you had to listen to Barry Manilow or Barney or something torturous.
Comment by commander0 on 12/15 @ 2:42 pm #
This kind of adds a whole new meaning to the phrase “Self-hating Jew.” What the fuck is wrong with you, Jeff?
Comment by MAJ (P) John on 12/15 @ 4:59 pm #
I thought #27 was really rather good. Heh.
Comment by Kosta on 12/15 @ 6:34 pm #
Hope you recover fast. And for everyone out there reading this… Jeff not only got ripped up but he didn’t even shed a tear. Tough Jew…
Comment by serr8d on 12/15 @ 6:38 pm #
Gouges, attacks, locks, twists, pinches, ‘ripping’..oh, and “and some crook-thumbed gouges to the nerves behind the carotid sheath.” All of these techniques are much too close-encounter for my liking, at this stage of my life. If I survived an attack consisting of these sorts of devices, my return fire would necessitate the use of other specialized words…such as, but not limited to, core-loct, hydra-shock, boat-tail spire-point spitzer(s). Or simply my current favorite (just finished this batch) reload, the .44 Mag 210 gr. Winchester STHP (silver-tipped hollow points).
Oh, and welcome back!
Comment by MarkD on 12/16 @ 10:05 am #
The Marine Corps taught us to shoot them from the South when they were facing North, unless artillery or napalm was available.
Much too painful for me, Jeff. I hope you’re recovered in time for the holidays. Failing that, I hope the armadillo left some pills.