Downward Elbow
- Striking
- Elbows
- advanced
- Close range / clinch
- 4 steps
An elbow raised high and speared straight down onto the crown or face. Also known as the Spike elbow, the Sok Sub or the 12-to-6 elbow. Here is the exact breakdown from the DARCE app: 4 steps, the details that make it work, and the mistakes to avoid.
Step by step
- 01
Close the distance
Get on top of the opponent, often from the clinch.
- 02
Raise the elbow high
Lift the elbow up above the head to load the downward strike.
- 03
Spike it down
Slam the point of the elbow straight down onto the forehead or crown, dropping your bodyweight through it.
- 04
Recover to guard
Bring the arm back to your guard and reset, elbows are close-range, so stay tight.
Key details
- Drop your full weight straight down behind the point.
- Best when you have height or an angle over the opponent.
- Strike with the tip of the elbow, vertically.
Common mistakes
- Letting it drift into a diagonal instead of straight down.
- Throwing it without height/leverage over them.
- Leaving the other hand down as you raise the elbow.
Related techniques
- Horizontal ElbowStrikingA lead elbow swung horizontally across the jaw, the most common cutting elbow.
- Diagonal ElbowStrikingA lead elbow that slashes downward on a diagonal across the brow, a classic cutter.
- Uppercut ElbowStrikingAn elbow driven straight up the centre under the chin from inside the pocket.
- Spinning Back ElbowStrikingA spinning strike that lands the point of the rear elbow across the head as the body unwinds.
See it animated in DARCE
Film a round and the app finds which techniques showed up in your game, where the Downward Elbow fits, and what to drill next. Private beta, 50 founding seats.
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