A karate move too risky for the NFL was developed by David D. “Deacon” Jones. Jones was an American Football player. Jones was dominant at his position of Defensive End.
He specialized in sacking the Quarterback. Dropping the Quarterback for a loss of yard and stopping Running Backs for no gain was his job. Jones became the best gaining the nickname, “The Secretary of Defense.”
Here are a few of his accolades. 1980 Inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. 1991 Recipient of the Vince Lombardi Award. In 1999 he was the recipient of the Gale Sayers Lifetime Spirit Achievement Award. In 1999 he was awarded, “The Order of the Leather Helmet” by the NFL Alumni Organization. The Leather Helmet is the highest honor. Retiring, In 2009, his jersey number 75 the Rams guaranteed no one will wear his number again.
Jones changed the way the position was played. One of the techniques that he used was the head slap. The move is exactly what it sounds like a slap to the head. Jones said about a head slap, it was designed “To give myself an initial head start on the pass rush, in other words, an extra step. Because anytime you go upside a man’s head, or woman’s, they may have a tendency to blink their eyes or close their eyes. And that’s all I needed.”
Watch Jones in Action
Click on the picture below and go to minute 1:20 to see Jones apply the head slap in several instances. All with no mercy.
The word Hepataku is Japanese for slap. Slapping the head is used in karate.
In the attached video I show how you can use the head slap in your karate bunkai.
You can find it in your karate even though I show it is in this short video from Seisan Kata of the Goju-Ryu system.
An Example of the Head Slap In Karate
Adjusting for distance the head slap is versatile. In close range the heel makes contact. The result is a powerful blow. At a longer distance the slap becomes a finger whip, aimed at the eyes. The power of the technique originates in the body and extends outward to the palm.
This is a proof point from classic karate and the modern arena of athletic competition as to the effectiveness of the head slap. Truth transcends time. It is worth pointing out Jones started tapping his left hand. He was protecting his hand from the modern football helmet.
Call it an arms race. You do this, I’ll do that to countermand your effort to stop me. The National Football League finally banned the head slap in 1977 because it was that effective, and dangerous.
The old karate masters used it because it works. They put in in their forms. I can’t help but think of the Concussion Protocol in place in the modern game that such a concussion inducing technique could be allowed in any manner.
The head slap is a Karate move too risky for the NFL, But we are under an obligation. We are beholden to understand the places this technique appears and its proper use. To bring it into the light, train it, and understand it.
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KRIS WILDER
Kris Wilder is a martial artist based in Seattle Washington. He has authored many martial art books, including the classic, The Way of Kata. Making no apologies for his obsession of Football he can be found telling any who will listen about the nuances of the Canadian Football League.