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Elbow #7 – Vertical Elbow Strike Forward and Down Snapping the Elbow


This video will show you how to get a little more speed and snap into your Vertical Elbow Strike Forward and Down (Elbow #7). This detail is often neglected by beginners. More speed in the strike means more power!

Transcript:

“Hey guys! This is Randall with KravMagaTraining.com and in this video I’m going to discuss how to increase the speed and add a little snap to your Downward Vertical Elbow or what’s also commonly referred to as Elbow #7 in the Krav Maga system of elbows.

For the most part, our students don’t have too many problems getting some good power in the strike. They’re really good about bending their knees, dropping their levels, etc. But here’s one little detail to increase your speed, get a little more snap in the elbow, that is neglected.

Most people when they throw the elbow, what they do is they just keep their arm in a vertical position like this when they start it and punch down. As long as they’re bending their knees and dropping their weight into the strike, this will still be an effective strike and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that.

However, if you want to get a little extra snap into your strike, instead of starting with your arm in this vertical position, lift your elbow so it’s off to the side like this and take your palm and turn it down towards your target. And then as you’re bending your knees and changing your levels, dropping your weight into the strike, take your elbow and snap it in as you’re punching it down. Like this. It happens both at the same time.

When you do this it increases the velocity and gives you a little extra snap in your strike because it’s kind of like an equivalent of like a whip. It’s like a whipping motion. So it looks like this. Boom! Boom!

So we’ll pretend this is a bad guy. Maybe we got into a fight. I’ve got him in a good position. I kneed him in the groin and he’s doubled over. I grab their hair and I want to elbow them in the back of the neck. My preference is to start in this position and I feel like I have a lot more speed and snap.

Now, make sure that you just lift your elbow off to the side. Don’t bring it way back here and windup. I don’t like this because now you’re telegraphing what you are doing. It gives the attacker an opportunity to see what’s coming and address it a lot easier. So no big windup. Just here off to the side. And as you bend your knees and twist your hips you’ll still get plenty of speed and power without showing what you’re doing and slowing your movement down. So this is the correct position. Palm facing down towards the target. Your hand next to your ear kind of like you’re holding a phone. Elbow off to the side and then add that little snapping motion as your punching it down, both at the same time as you’re bending your knees. If you do that you’ll feel like you will have a lot more speed and snap in your elbow.

So I hope that little training tip helps and, once again, thanks for watching.”

“Visit www.KravMagaWorkout.com to learn how our Fitness/Conditioning program will give you more speed and power.”