The Stretch Relex is where stretching a muscle causes the excitation of muscle spindles which causes contraction of large skeletal muscles.

A simple example of this is when jumping from a height and landing on the feet, the impulse in the leg muscles will likely cause a corresponding reflex of contracting the gluteal muscles in the hip which helps protect the body from injury.

Stimulus of the skeletal muscle, in turn, causes the antagonist muscle to lengthen and relax.  As the muscle relaxes and lengthens, the joint near the strike will not be as well protected as the body attempts to protect the core.

Naturally, our job is to take advantage of this reflex. How do we do that? Well, it is quite easy.

Let’s say we are striking to Golgi’s Tendon above the elbow (TB-11 for those with knowledge of acupuncture nomenclature). Naturally, the opponent will tense up as he expects the impact to his elbow region. As the muscles are about to be struct, they are contracted to resist the blow. The impact elicits a Stretch Reflex and immediately as the skeletal muscles are triggered, the relex causes the opponent’s muscles to relax and lengthen, leaving the elbow joint exposed to injury. Immediately following up with a second strike to the same target will result in damage to the joint!

It really is that easy. But, please be extremely careful when working with a partner as it is unbelievably easy to dislocate elbows with this strike and do serious harm to your training partner. So, please be gentle!

Mike Patrick has a diverse background in both practical reality-based personal defense and Martial Arts.

Expertise:
• The application of the laws of Acupuncture / Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) as they relate to the Martial Arts sciences.
• Bunkai (Application) of the Kata, Forms, Poomse, Hyung, etc., regardless of style or system.

Ranks & Certifications:
• Certified Professor in Torite Jutsu by Dragon Society International.
• 8th Degree Black Belt and Certified Instructor and Master in Isshin-ryu Karate.
• 7th Degree Black Belt in Okinawan Kempo.
• 7th Degree Black Belt in Torite Jutsu.
• 7th Degree Black Belt by AKBBA.

Awards & Recognition:
• Over 37 years of experience in the Martial Arts.
• Inducted into the World Martial Arts Hall of Fame as the Instructor of the Year in 1999.
• Inducted into the United Karate Systems of America Hall of Fame.
• International author of a series of instructional DVD’s.
• International author of a series of instructional books.
• Internationally published author of a number of articles in various Martial Arts magazines across the globe.
• Featured In hundreds of internationally distributed Martial Arts videos.
• Has provided instruction for local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies including elite members of Police departments, military, and S.W.A.T. Teams.
• International seminar instructor for thousands of students of all ranks and from all styles.
• Former Vice President of the Tennessee Karate Circuit.
• Former nationally ranked fighter and Grand Champion in numerous tournaments across the United States.
• Formerly ranked #1 in Tennessee Karate Circuit in Black Belt Fighting, #2 in Kata/Forms, and #4 in the Nation in Kata in Martial Arts tournaments.

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3 Comments

  1. This reflex also overrides the nerve pathways that keep body erect. This results in knees bending

  2. I use this same technique on myself as well as my clients, to release trigger points and knots in the muscle that stay contracted to keepthe body from injuries and imbalances that they have in surrounding muscles.

  3. Always awesome things to learn from the Dragon Society!! Wish I could still do RyuKyu Kempo! And work with kids! I miss it terribly. Awesome awesome stuff I love to have to keep learning and watching! Thank you!

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