Krav Maga - Elbow #6 (Hand Position)

The Vertical Elbow Strike Forward and Upward (Elbow #6) is one of the most difficult elbow strikes to perform properly in Krav Maga. If you're having trouble getting power and accuracy in this elbow, this video will help you out! It explains the key details to a proper hand position while performing this elbow strike, the pros and cons to having a fist vs. an open hand when doing any type of elbow strike, how this particular elbow is similar to Covering Defenses Against Hook Punches, and more!
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The videos on this RUclips channel are NOT a replacement for actual instruction. They do not teach techniques, but instead isolate and fix problems within the technique or its individual components. The videos are designed to help the student who has already learned the technique under the instruction of a qualified instructor.
Important Note: These videos are specific to the techniques and curriculum taught to the students at our facility. Students from other Krav Maga schools and organizations are more than welcome to watch and use these videos and we hope they find them useful! However, variations may be taught that are different from the techniques taught at other Krav Maga locations. This doesn't mean one variation is wrong or the other is right. They are just variations...plain and simple. The most important question for any technique or defense should be this: Does it work for the individual who is performing it? As long as it does, then the technique or variation has merit, regardless of where it comes from! That's the number one principle that we emphasize at our school.
Transcript:
"Hey! This is Randall with KravMagaTraining.com. In this video I'm going to discuss the upward vertical elbow or what's commonly referred to as Elbow #6 in the Krav Maga system. And in particular, I'm going to discuss the proper hand positioning/arm positioning for this particular elbow strike.
Before I get into that, out of all the elbows, there's seven main elbows in the Krav Maga system, out of those seven this is by far the hardest elbow for students to learn. Even for me, I personally have got this elbow down pretty well when it comes to hitting a target, but even I am still trying to improve and get better on actually integrating this particular elbow when I'm sparring. I tend to use the horizontal elbow a lot more but I'm trying to get better at the vertical elbow. So I've been doing this for a long time. So if you're one of those students who's having trouble with this particular elbow, well don't worry about it. Join the club. Welcome aboard. Everybody sucks at this elbow. It takes a lot of practice.
Now, I do plan on making other additional elbow, excuse me, additional videos when it comes to this particular elbow because, quite frankly, there's so many parts that students tend to screw up with this particular elbow. But I'm not going to have time to do that or we're going to have a 20-30 minute video and I know none of you guys have the patience for that. You have better things to do in your life. So I'm just going to isolate one particular area, like I mentioned earlier, that's the hand positioning.
Okay. This is what I mean. I'm referring to this hand and making sure it's in the right spot when we're doing this particular elbow. First of all, let me discuss whether you should have your hand open or a fist. The general rule when it comes to any of them, horizontal elbow, side elbow, whatever, is that it's personal preference in regards to if you want to make a fist or you want to have your hand open as you deliver the strike. I personally use both. Everybody's different. Everyone has a personal preference. I've found, in general, that a tight fist is a little bit stronger. An open hand is a little bit quicker and more relaxed. But, like I said, it's personal preference. Everybody prefers something different. However, with this particular elbow I do suggest that you have an open hand. And I don't like using a fist with this one because, for many reasons. One is, when you make a fist, you tend to, there's a good chance that you'll graze the side of your head or clip your ear as you are doing the strike because your hand's a lot wider in a fist position. I like to have the hand open. It's a lot thinner. So when I'm doing this particular elbow it feels like I'm combing the side of my hair back like this. When my hand is open it's a lot easier to do that. When I'm making a fist it feels like there's a chance that I'm going to graze my ear and it doesn't feel good. So it's like you're literally punching yourself which is just silly. So use an open hand like this.."
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