Hello everyone.
In the first part of this article we looked at biting, its uses and effects in a general term. In this part I'd like to look with more detail into biting in combat as a valid and powerful weapon, animal mannerism linkages, physiological and psychological results both in the biter and the bitten. I hope to illustrate better, some types of biting and will post a clip giving some examples. So that said lets first look at targets " uummm yummy!"
Targets:
The target of intended biting are many and varied, and dependent on the location of the bite the results both physical and mental can be very different. Some will cause blood loss some are intended to remove flesh some will hold in place or immobilize a limb and some will be to elicit a known response a set up which can be acted upon; but all regardless of desired effect will cause pain! I'll discuss some of them now. Bites to the face , lips and earlobes will cause profuse blood loss due to the amount of small vessels which are closest to the surface of the skin on the face and the pain will be sharpest there because of increased nerve endings on the face too. The nose a large target, (on some people larger than others ;) located where it is centrally on the face, makes for a great target. It is well supplied with blood vessels and nerve endings If clamped down on and torn sideways or downward using the muscles of not only the jaws but your neck and shoulders will remove chunks of it. The reaction will be to push you away or to pull away, which will aid in the removal of it, this then as with any flesh removed must be spat back at the target for several reasons. Firstly you do not want to risk choking on it in the life and death struggle and secondly the effect psychologically on him is greatly exasperated this will leave him open for follow up or a chance for escape, having your nose torn off will probably take the fight right out of him and at least really spoil his night.
The lips and cheek also make a great target here you want to use the teeth furthest in the corner of your mouth past the canines) in a grating side to side pattern, this will cause intense pain and these targets will bleed a lot, remember to try and secure the adversary head to aid in the biting control and to help monitor his reactions (He'll be screaming and struggling like a eel and it will also aid in destabilization of his balance feeding nicely into a Puter Kapala's (Head Turning) etc.In fact if the bite is in place and held while the Puter Kapala is performed his body weight whilst falling will help remove say and ear Food for thought! LOL.
Other targets for pain are the nipples and chest and flesh at the sides and base of the neck the forehead is a harder target but with torn blood loss will be heavy and will run into the eyes giving you a blinding tool now hes being torn to bits and he cant even see it coming utilising this terror will aid the defeat for sure.
The last target is the neck. here you can cause fatal damage to your opponent attacking from the side say from a glancing headbutt into the large muscles a deep powerful bite here will penetrate into the carotid region causing death VERY quickly as the result of great bloodloss if the carotid region and the vessels there- in are not damaged the Vegas nerve will be and he will loose the ability to support his head upright. The Vegas nerve also controls blood pressure through the carotid sinus receptor, so is a wonderful life and death target again LIFE AND DEATH not Beer spillage ok! And while none of us have the right to take life neither does your attacker! Think about this? With all these bites they are to be used ONLY when your life is threatened and really threatened! Not just because someone looked funny at your misses, but real life and death stuff.
While the fundamental law is the protection of your life there are ramifications to our actions both legal and moral.
Animal Mannerism:
As anyone who knows me will be aware that animal mannerism or the lack of them in Pencak Silat gets right under my skin (To put it mildly) The aboriginal peoples of not only South East Asia but the world over where animistic living in and at one with the animals and spirits of nature and their ancestors. Animal spirits where venerated and the animals who where their brothers and sisters where studied initially to simply learn better hunting habits tracking the finding of water etc later an animal might give ideas through observation to aid in getting one up on a warring tribe or whatever.Now whatever your belief or religious doctrine this example cannot be dined. Animal movements, postures displaying, body language, hunting habits and fighting techniques where not just beneficial to our ancient ancestors but of great value to today's fifth ape us! Originally these animal habits where part of the native fighting arts of Indonesia and all of South East Asia they are what gives the arts I've studied at least its heart and soul and their removal by the newer religions that have entered the islands and the Malay peninsular have robbed them of this. But for now at least I will try and stay on subject.
Biting is used in the arts and animal mannerisms I pass on and we find that the biting varies from mannerism or attitude.so lets look at a few examples. In the Tiger mannerisms we find a lot of biting, A lot of the biting is aggressive and intentional ie, used for attacking rather than a defensive reaction. Like a tiger tearing into its prey the bites are used actively and demonstratively to cause maximum terror in the attacker. the sight of a raving man moving and stalking like a tiger his face dripping with your buddies blood is enough to put most people of there beer and regret trying to take your life! intense? well the idea is not to simply copy the bear movements of say a tiger of ape like in other Chinese arts lets say, we are aiming to become the tiger or snake or bird for that moment that we are in that state we are an observer of the event and another part of us takes over, traditionally this would be animal possession but again thats for another article.
As the tiger works on the low line the biting targets are also on a lower line whilst the neck and face are the fatal result of the leep just as in a real attack of a tiger or other large cat, the tendons of the knees, ankles and even the groin are all fair game,; especially in a grappling scenario.(Not for the octagon of course, but this is real fighting not sport)
The other mannerisms to make use of biting are the snake Ular Sendok and more so the Ular Sawa and the Monyet or Monkey, the bird mannerisms do not really utilize the bite preferring strikes with the beaks and wings; so we will focus here on the snake especially the Ular Sawa or Python mannerism. Whilst the bite of a Reticulated Python or Asian Rock Python both native to the regions where Pencak Silat was born are not venomous, they do if the prey item is not to huge (A humans have been killed by Reticulated Pythons in at least one reported case in Indonesia!) lead to death. Here the python locks onto the target with strongly recurved teeth couple hundred of them in to rows! and within about 8 seconds the target is unable to breath the pressure so great that the blood and the heart stop, for sure bones shatter and necks can be completely dislocated but the prey is not crushed as some claim, then the prey is swallowed whole and in some cases alive! We utilize the bite to a target to setup for a choke or neck dislocation back break either while passing a limb in a locking situation or to the trapezoids muscles and back of neck to hold attacker still temporarily whilst the constriction is completed. Again not for a "Tapout" or submission but a ballistic break or choke, neck crank to kill! not for a trophy or title. Its hard to concentrate on the encircling choking arm whilst your ear his being torn off!
As for the Monyet or monkey the monkey is the greatest imitator and it imitates all the other animals and as such all bites are valid whether they be Harimau or Python based just the attitude is little different one note is that monkey and apes in the wild will bite the fingers of an aggressor, so imagine the added effect of a wrist lock throw as the fingertip comes away as the throw is applied, nice!!
So graphic as it may be I hope to have given you more detail of biting and how its validity as a weapon should not be underestimated. For a far more in depth series of article on biting I would recommend the following link
Guru Phil Dunlap Kachin/ Bando/ Thaing system
Scroll down just past half way and his articles on biting are far more in depth than space allows me here but for serious practitioners of Pencak Silat its a most read.
So to close, biting is effective, decisive, demonstrative and brutal to be sure, but again as an added disclaimer it should ONLY be used when all else fails and you feel your life or that of your loved ones is in mortal danger. Hopefully the clip will give you some examples and for any questions or clarification please drop me an email or find me on Facebook and ask away
(Disclaimer this clip was made after two hour hard class so excuse the hair and sweat!)
Again for instruction in the traditional arts of West Javanese Pencak Silat in and around Nottingham give me a call.
Until then take care everyone, Play hard and train safe, oh and no nightmares ok ;)
VIDEO LINK
Biting ideas
