OSA Training: The Power of the Low Fence

ONE STEP AHEAD

Strong. Certain. Sovereign.

For the woman who owns her world.

OSA Training: The Low Fence of Power

The Low Fence is about creating more stability whilst making you much more difficult to be moved.

So that you don’t trip or slip so easily when someone grabs you…

So that you’re not so easy to just lift up high off your feet and be carried away…

So that you are not so easy to push and pull and dominate as he wills.

And here’s the thing - the Low Fence is basically The Fence but done low!

In other words, get into The Fence, then drop your hips lower to the ground and widen your stance (your feet) and now you are practically in the Low Fence!

Easy peasy tangerine squeezy!

Honestly, it’s not that hard, but as you'll see you really do become much more difficult to bully, and your feet do get more stuck to the ground.

Let’s dive right in and do today’s important but simple training and start making you quite immovable.

Video 1:

Introduction to being grabbed

Video 2:

The Low Fence and Centre of Mass

Video 3:

Low Fence Practice under pressure

PRACTICE

Here is a progressive training practice. Please follow the steps below in order to get the best benefits and ownership of this simple but magnificently useful stance:

⚠️ SAFETY FIRST: No yanking, no whiplash. Start slow. This is about balance and “feel,” not brute force. We don’t want any injuries!

First drill, just learn the position itself. Take your time and figure out how to stand powerfully in the Low Fence. Drop your centre of mass and open wide your base, as shown in the video. For reference you can check over the Fence chapter in the training manual or P89 to for the exact photo of the Low/Wide Fence.
Now, whilst in that position actually walk forwards a few steps. Walk back a few. Walk left. Walk right. Note: that this is what will happen in reality as you are moved around when grabbed.
Still on your own, practice dropping quickly into the Low Fence. 5X start in the standard Fence and drop down to this position. Then 5X start from just standing up straight, so you’re not in The Fence when you start. Being able to quickly deploy from standing to the Low Fence is a good skill to have. If during an altercation he suddenly goes to grab you, you can immediately drop to the Low Fence and fight back.
Now, your training partner can join in (as per Video 3 above). Start in The Fence and your partner grabs you around the waist. You quickly drop to the Low Fence to gain stability. What you are practicing is the ability to react as soon as someone grabs you. Do this 5X from a grab from the front and 5X with a grab from the rear.
You are now becoming an immovable object - or a wrestler - you decide! Now, when your training partner grabs you, they will (gently) try to move you around and (gently) get you off-balance or lift you (gently) off the floor. Do this 5X from in front and 5X grabbed from behind. This is still a training drill and is not fully real to life. We will add the extra bits in the next session. First, please do this drill to learn how it feels to be moved around, so that you are more capable of understanding this position and more able to react quickly.

Why this matters

ANY TIME WE ARE GRABBED, THE FIRST THING WE NEED TO DO IS BECOME STRONG so that we don't lose our footing and we don't get pushed over or dragged away. Whether this is a grab of the wrist/s, the arms, the body, clothing, the hair or anywhere, the same principle applies - that we must first become strong and stable.

This is a major component of the grappling martial arts - from judo to American collegiate wrestling - as soon as the grappler is touched s/he will become strong and stable, or else she will be on her butt and back and rolling on her head in nonoseconds.

And so you will see that wrestlers will all have this Low Fence, albeit adapted slightly for their specific sport/martial art need.

In judo too, when actually fighting rather than practicing, such as in competitions, you will see a wide/low Fence that is suitable to what they are doing.

When a baby is on the floor is 'grabbed' by its parent and doesn't want to be picked up, what does she do? She drops her hips and bodyweight (and turns into a wobbly cooked noodle, which is actually a really good technique too). But essentially the baby is dropping/lowering her bodyweight to be more difficult to pick up.

So, I guess, technically we are just being baby judo players when we go into the Low Fence!

Enough of my jokes for now - TOMORROW we will progress to the next stage and actually deal with being grabbed around the waist or over the arms. See you then. Get practising!