| Perhaps one of the most influential yet little | | | | By lifting the tomahawk up over his head in order |
| known historical facts about the utilization of the | | | | to bring it down upon Johnson's head, the Crow |
| act of kicking in a genuine life and death situation | | | | warrior opened himself up for another kick, which |
| comes to us not from the Far East, as one might | | | | Johnson delivered to the Crow's groin and resulted |
| expect, but from the Great Northwest Territories | | | | in him dropping his tomahawk. Johnson then |
| of the United States of America during the mid to | | | | proceeded to bury his Bowie knife into the Crow's |
| late 1800's. The man in question who utilized kicks | | | | chest, killing him. |
| to his advantage long before the average man | | | | It's obvious that Johnson used his powerful kicks |
| had even really heard of kicking let alone trying it | | | | in order to surprise his opponent's and set them |
| himself, was the famous or perhaps infamous | | | | up for the kill with his bare hands and/or knife. In |
| mountain man, Jeremiah Johnson. | | | | this situation he first used an Upchuck Kick to the |
| Now before I delve further into this historical | | | | midsection or lower abdomen area followed by |
| figure and his documented fondness for kicking, | | | | another powerful Front Kick to the groin. Both of |
| let me forewarn you that the real Jeremiah | | | | which I believe were delivered with the instep of |
| Johnson bares little to no resemblance to the | | | | the foot. Then after weakening his opponent both |
| character portrayed by Robert Redford in the | | | | physically and mentally, he finished him off with a |
| movie, which was based very loosely on his life. If | | | | well placed thrust of his Bowie knife into the |
| any movie demands to be remade it is definitely | | | | Crow's chest as he was straightening himself up |
| this one. | | | | from the bent over position. |
| I have taken relevant information on Johnson's | | | | "Johnson "kicked them into position," he said; |
| use of kicks in combat directly from the pages of | | | | hadn't Del noticed how "naturally" the brave, trying |
| the following book; Crow Killer by Raymond W. | | | | to straighten up after the kick, had instead "ended |
| Thorp and Robert Bunker 1972 Signet Edition, and | | | | up" on Johnson's "sticker." |
| have followed it with my own analysis of what | | | | This shows a rather unique grasp of strategy |
| the author had written to perhaps grasp a better | | | | using kicks to set-up the opponent for the kill |
| understanding of what kicks Johnson used and | | | | knowing that the kick would double the opponent |
| how he had used them. | | | | over and when he tried to straighten up, it left |
| As you read this, please remember that this is | | | | him wide open for an upward thrust of the knife |
| my professional analysis based upon the | | | | to the chest. Johnson knew not only how to |
| information supplied by the authors in their book. | | | | execute his kicks, but also how they would affect |
| Page # 19: | | | | his opponents once they had been hit by them |
| Johnston contrived to use his feet too, so swiftly | | | | and what their bodies were more than likely going |
| and unexpectedly that no one seems ever to | | | | to do. This allowed him to develop a very |
| have found a defense. Throughout his life, he was | | | | effective strategy on dealing with his opponent's |
| able to set up each opponent for the kill by | | | | in hand-to-hand combat. |
| means of one powerful kick. Indians were | | | | Page #47 and #48: |
| demoralized by such tactics; perhaps their very | | | | The young Blackfoot could hardly have known |
| fear and resentment of such an indignity made | | | | what struck him. First he was raised from the |
| them less effective adversaries of the Killer who | | | | ground with a kick that must in itself have crippled |
| kicked. At the spring rendezvous on the Green in | | | | him for fighting. Then as, somehow, he whirled |
| 1846, again with Del Gue as witness, Johnston's | | | | knife in hand, he took a blow as of a |
| kicks enabled him to kill two Indians at one time. | | | | sledgehammer, between the eyes. |
| At one time he came upon a Blackfoot and a | | | | Analysis: |
| Shoshoni, tribal enemies for ages past, knives in | | | | Once again you see how Johnson surprised his |
| hand, each circling for the kill. Straightening out the | | | | opponent by using a powerful penetrating kick to |
| antagonists with a pair of tremendous kicks, | | | | not only lift his opponent up off the ground |
| Johnston seized both by their necks and, before | | | | resulting in injuries, but also setting him up for a |
| either could turn upon him, smashed their heads | | | | killing blow with the hands. |
| together. It was the opinion of the bystanders | | | | Page #56: |
| that Johnston had broken their necks in his | | | | Then suddenly, as he stooped for yet another |
| powerful grip even before the double impact; both | | | | biscuit, he was propelled violently upward. Even as |
| heads lolled sidewise as Blackfoot and Shoshoni | | | | he was in the air he must have sensed what |
| tribal police carried the dead warriors away. | | | | enemy had so surprised him, for though he came |
| Analysis: | | | | down balancing on the balls of his feet and whirled, |
| Clearly, Johnson saw the tremendous advantage | | | | knife in hand, he had already begun his death |
| that kicking an opponent had, in that he set out | | | | song. He could not have begun later. The Crow |
| to add them to his own arsenal of fighting | | | | Killer's Bowie was at once buried in his chest. |
| techniques. By kicking his opponents with great | | | | Analysis: |
| speed and when they least expected it, Johnson | | | | Although the specific details are a little vague, you |
| was able to use his kicks so effectively that his | | | | can legitimately surmise that Johnson had once |
| opponents were unable to physically defend | | | | again surprised his opponent by using an Upchuck |
| against them, and at the same time were | | | | Kick to his midsection while he was bent over to |
| mentally demoralized by them. Johnson didn't rely | | | | grab another biscuit. This resulted in him being |
| solely on the use of his kicks, but rather used | | | | launched up and backwards through the air. Even |
| them to "set-up" his opponents for the kill. | | | | though the opponent landed on his feet, he had to |
| Page #40: | | | | turn to face towards his attacker and was met |
| With the knife safely back in its sheath, he | | | | with a Bowie knife buried into his chest. |
| brought out bone needles and sinews and finely | | | | Page #82 and #83: |
| tanned buckskin strips, and set to making | | | | The Ute, powerfully built, eager to kill even one of |
| moccasins. One pair he fitted directly to his foot, | | | | his foes, caught Mariano's knife as it sailed through |
| but the next he measured to fit over the first. | | | | the air. His one darting movement became a leap |
| Kicking an adversary was more comfortable, he | | | | toward Johnson. But Johnson's moccasined foot |
| had discovered when he wore two pairs, the | | | | caught his wrist and sent the weapon flying; |
| inner set with the buffalo hair turned in. | | | | Johnson's fist struck him, as he stood astonished, |
| Analysis: | | | | between the eyes. He fell heavily, but in an instant |
| This may very well be the first documented case | | | | was back on his feet. |
| (in the United States) of an instep pad being | | | | Once again he caught the blade that Mariano sent |
| made for the foot when kicking. As you well | | | | whirling back to him. Once again he sprang |
| know, you can kick harder and your foot is | | | | forward, this time for an upward slash. But blinded |
| better protected when kicking with shoes on your | | | | perhaps by rage at having even once been |
| foot. Although, what Johnson used was | | | | disarmed by an adversary using no weapon, he |
| moccasins, which are softer even than today's | | | | held the knife low too soon. Even as his weapon |
| sneakers, you can see that even then, he knew | | | | cleaved mightily upward, the Crow Killer, throwing |
| enough to make a double padded moccasin in | | | | himself to one side, at the same time brought up |
| order to protect his feet when kicking his | | | | his foot with a kick that lifted the Ute two feet in |
| opponents. | | | | the air. Still agile, the Ute whirled but only to take |
| Page #44: | | | | another kick beneath the chin. His teeth were |
| At last he heard a muffled obscenity, Johnson's | | | | driven together; he fell flat and nerveless on his |
| he thought, and a grunt in another voice. There | | | | back. |
| was, mixed in with these sounds, the thud of | | | | Analysis: |
| moccasin brought heavily against flesh. Into the | | | | Here we see where Johnson used a well placed |
| faint light still shed by a few smoldering embers | | | | kick to the knife holding wrist of his opponent to |
| there sailed, his rear quarters highest, a huge | | | | disarm him. Johnson follows this with a well placed |
| Crow warrior. | | | | punch directly between his opponent's eyes, which |
| The warrior had no sooner scrambled to his feet | | | | drops him to the ground. |
| than he found himself facing Johnson, come after | | | | The Ute once again attempts to stab Johnson |
| him with extraordinary speed. He had time only to | | | | with an upward stab with his knife. However, as |
| lift his tomahawk; before he could bring it down, | | | | the knife travels upward, Johnson side steps the |
| another mighty kick from Johnson caught him in | | | | attack and simultaneously kicks the Ute in the |
| the groin, and the weapon fell from his hand. | | | | midsection with an Upchuck Kick and lifts him two |
| Johnson stepped in, and with what now seemed | | | | feet up into the air. As the Ute lands and starts |
| slow deliberation; buried his Bowie in the Crow's | | | | to turn towards Johnson, he is kicked once again |
| chest; in fact, the entire action had taken only a | | | | underneath the chin which renders him |
| few seconds. | | | | unconscious. |
| This was an occasion, if there was ever to be | | | | Page #117: |
| one, for inquiry into Johnson's feuding. Indeed Del | | | | The proud young Assiniboine snapped the dough |
| secured that night an almost academic analysis of | | | | from his hand and drew his knife. Johnson seized |
| methods. First, there was the strategy of the | | | | the knife arm and snapped it at the wrist, dealt |
| kick to be explained. Johnson "kicked them into | | | | him a great blow across the back of the neck, |
| position," he said; hadn't Del noticed how "naturally" | | | | saved him from falling into the fire with a terrific |
| the brave, trying to straighten up after the kick, | | | | kick that catapulted him over the coals, and then |
| had instead "ended up" on Johnson's "sticker." | | | | sprang after him. The Assiniboine whirled and |
| Analysis: | | | | crouched to spring, but Johnson, still drawing no |
| "...the thud of a moccasin brought heavily against | | | | arms of his own, struck him across the face with |
| flesh." | | | | a burning brand from the fire. As the blinded |
| Obviously, this kick is being delivered in a hard | | | | warrior staggered back, struggling to regain |
| penetrating manner rather than a snapping | | | | balance, his neck was broken by the smash of a |
| surface strike. It's important to note that the | | | | fist to his jawbone. |
| witness to this event explains that the rear | | | | Analysis: |
| quarters of the Crow warrior were highest as he | | | | Johnson identified the immediate threat of the |
| was flying through the air. This would indicate that | | | | knife presented by his opponent and proceeds to |
| the kick itself was delivered at an upward angle | | | | break the wrist holding it. He then follows up with |
| of approximately 45-degrees to the lower | | | | a blow to the back of his opponent's neck |
| abdomen or midsection area with a hard | | | | followed immediately by an Upchuck Kick that lifts |
| penetrating force that literally lifted the man | | | | his opponent up and over the fire. Johnson them |
| upwards and back, in effect doubling him over, | | | | blinds his opponent with fire and then kills him with |
| while taking him off his feet. | | | | a punch to the jaw. |
| With the information presented, I would conclude | | | | FINAL THOUGHTS: |
| that the kick being used is what I call an Upchuck | | | | 1. Properly utilized, kicks can and are effective in |
| Kick, which is basically a cross between a | | | | actual combat. |
| Roundhouse Kick and a Front Kick. The kick | | | | 2. Regardless of the conflict, surprise is still the |
| comes up off the ground at a 45-degree angle | | | | best advantage to have. |
| and can easily lift someone up off their feet. The | | | | 3. Kicks should be utilized in conjunction with other |
| kick would have probably been delivered with the | | | | combat techniques. |
| instep of the foot and perhaps even the lower | | | | 4. A weapon or technique is only as effective as |
| portion of the shin just above the ankle. | | | | your willingness to use it. |
| "He had time only to lift his tomahawk; before he | | | | 5. Think of every possible scenario ahead of time, |
| could bring it down, another mighty kick from | | | | and then practice what to do with each and |
| Johnson caught him in the groin, and the weapon | | | | every one. |
| fell from his hand. Johnson stepped in, and with | | | | 6. The best laid plans of mice and men often go |
| what now seemed slow deliberation; buried his | | | | astray, so learn to improvise. |
| Bowie in the Crow's chest..." | | | | |