Contrary to what you might have been told, one kick is probably not going to kill you. In fact, if you manage to block even part of it's power, it may not even take you out of commission in a real fight. That's because the human body, especially when stoked with adrenaline, is a lot tougher than most people think. 

What this all boils down to is the fact that most martial artist's fear of being kicked means they are missing a great chance to counterattack their opponent after he kicks. Practitioner of hapkido are among the fortunate few who do not overlook ways to take advantage of this opportunity, however. Their twisting techniques are perfect for any martial artist who wants to prepare himself for the street. 

Blocking a kick, however, is different. Most martial artists tend to stick their hands up, hoping to absorb the power of the blow before launching their counterattack. Hapkido stylists prefer to block a kicking leg above the knee by moving into the attack. This reduces the danger of getting hurt and provides the best circumstance for a throw (see the April 1995 KKI), which hapkido instructor Les Connard claims is the best method to defend against a kick. 

"But if you move in too late to grab the leg above the knee for a throw, you can grab it below the knee for a twist," says Connard, who has trained in the Korean arts for more than 20 years. 

Connard identifies two main reasons why throwing does not work when you are forced to grab below the knee: "It's difficult to throw from the end of a flexible limb because it will bend, and it's hard to generate enough of your opponent's momentum." 

So, more than being a backup for times when a throw fails, hapkido's twisting techniques work when you're out on a limb -literally at the end of the leg. "They're for when you don't have the ability to move in and throw." Connard says. 

"Your rear hand is out at the ankle -rather than at the opponent's knee, where it would be in position for a throw." Connard says. "And your front hand is at the knee -rather than on the upper thigh or shoulder. The best way to use a twisting technique is to strike your opponent first, as this will loosen him up so he will not resist. But most of the time, you're so far out that you can't reach him." 

With these guidelines in mind, let's examine some of the most useful hapkido twists as taught by Connard and the Jang Mu Hapkido Association. 

Because your opponent has already established a stable position after completing most of his kick, you have missed your golden opportunity to throw. "So instead of trying to do a sweep or throw, which might put you off-balance, you just grab his knee and pull down, and at the same time step back with your forward leg." Connard says. 

The most important part of this technique is catching his kick by hooking your rear arm under his leg. "This is what does all the action," Connard says. "When you step back and bring your thumbs and fingers down towards the floor and your elbow up, the forward hand pulls his knee and breaks his balance. The twist itself comes as the rear arm rotates counterclockwise against a pressure point on the shin. 

"You should grab at the knee," Connard says, "but if you are far back, you can grab the foot. The damage takes place because the ankle, knee, and hip don't move when you pull and twist." 

Be careful not to step too far back during the pull because you won't be able to generate much power, cautions Connard. "It's just a very short step, squatting down and squeezing. You should end up in a horse stance perpendicular to him. After he goes down, grab his toes with your left hand and push and twist with your right. You can also kick the groin." 

"To make sure it doesn't hit your groin or stomach guide his leg away from your body using your rear hand," Connard says. "The hand on the top does the real blocking." 

Once that top hand stops the kick, it attacks the nerve plexus on the back of the knee. "Dig into a pressure point there with your middle and ring fingers, then pull it across your body and down while your rear hand does a clockwise circle." Connard says. "Your hand rotates towards the ground, and your elbow lifts up. That helps break his balance. Then it's just a matter of taking that half step back with your forward leg and twisting." 

Once he is off-balance, secure his kicking leg against your ribs or stomach by grabbing over the top of his leg with your rear hand and pulling tight. Then place your forward arm over his knee and push. "The secret is to step past his body and keep pushing, and he's got to roll over," Connard says. "As soon as you get your arm over and push his knee, that breaks his balance." 

Connard points out that practitioners should not try to damage the knee when they strike it. Instead, it is part of psychological tactic. "You should just give him something to think about," he says. "All  of a sudden, he's wondering why the bottom of his knee is bothering him, and you've got his leg pinned against your stomach. His mind is screaming not about your hand holding it, but about his knee which just got hit. Then, by setting it against your stomach, he feels secure again." 

"Then he starts thinking, 'Maybe I ought to punch the guy because he's holding me," Connard continues. "That's when you finish the technique." 

Start with the same Y-block. When your opponent kicks, block with your rear arm and absorb the remaining force with your forward arm. That arm then circles under the leg and links with your other arm. "Trap the leg and crumple him into you," Connard says. "Then step back with your left foot, twist his leg, and jerk him up into the air, and do a cat stance. He goes face first into the ground. You can lean towards his body to put pressure on his spine." 

No break fall is possible, Connard claims. And unlike in other twisting techniques, your opponent can't jump or roll out of it. "With his leg trapped tight, his whole hip can be pulled out of its socket." 

The technique teaches you to turn his kicking foot and jerk him back, Connard says. "You just trap his foot and turn the toes downward, which breaks his balance. Then pull back on the top of his foot by the toes while pushing the heel down with your other hand, and he'll fall flat on his face." 

If your rear hand is hooked under his leg and you are in the inside, grab the knee with your first two fingers and pull toward the ground, Connard says. "At the same time, step back with your forward foot and twist him to the floor by circling your fingers toward the floor as you lift your elbow. From the outside, it's the same except that you grab the kneecap and your rear hand pushes on the nerve that runs down the shin. Then step back and point your finger to the ground. Keep the leg locked tight." 

How does a martial artist get good at doing twist? "That's the difficult thing," Connard says. "If you do it correctly, you're going to hurt someone, so you're always trying to work up to that point. In practice, it's Ok if you learn to say, 'I know you had me on that twist'. But if you always think, 'You didn't have me on that one,' the denial can lead to injury." 

Another important part of training to do twist involves  getting used to getting hit. Otherwise, you will be so stunned that you won't react in time to catch the kick. "Everyone should train in how to react after being hit," Connard says. "You have to force yourself to go beyond getting hit." 

On the street, you can slam an attacker to the ground with a hapkido throw or rip his joints out of their socket with a hapkido twist. Either will work, especially if you don't hold onto him as he falls. "But twisting hurts even in the school," Connard says. "In sparring, we usually don't allow full twisting because of the potential for damage. When you practice in class, most people resist being taken to the floor. And if you twist too hard, you'll damage a limb or something else. When you do the technique, bend your partner's leg a little to let him know you had him but never force him down."