Groin attack
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A groin attack is an attempt to cause pain to the groin area of one's opponent, either through punching, kicking, grappling, squeezing or biting. The technique can be quickly debilitating, due to the large number of sensitive nerve endings in the testicles in male opponents, as well as the vulva in female opponents. Females are more likely to receive permanent injuries from vulvodynia or nerve damage as a result of a groin attack. A groin attack is found painful by both genders, and in some cases can be incapacitating.
Contents |
[edit] The "low blow"
Groin attack is considered to be a "low blow" not only in the literal sense (indeed, this being the origin of that term), but also metaphorically. In a playful attack, or attack in the framework of a sport, a low blow is seen as unfair or improper. It is considered dishonorable. In a hostile attack a low blow may be considered more appropriate.
However, an all-out defense including low blows is seen as appropriate against serious attacks. Thus women are taught that the groin attack is one of the key maneuvers in fending off a would-be rapist, as the technique is often very effective. The groin attack is not always effective on male attackers so females fearing rape must also be prepared with other attack measures if the maneuver fails.
[edit] Prohibitions
Certain groin attacks are prohibited in the Bible. Deuteronomy 25:11-12 states:
- If two men are fighting and the wife of one of them comes to rescue her husband from his assailant, and she reaches out and seizes him by his private parts, you shall cut off her hand. Show her no pity.
Strikes to the groin are almost universally forbidden in martial arts competitions, including boxing, kickboxing, and mixed martial arts competitions where full-contact strikes are normal and permitted. Many martial arts organizations require competitors to wear protective cups, as do many other sports. Some forms of groin attack are illegal in professional wrestling, as well.
[edit] Examples
Jewish youth leader Rabbi Baruch Lanner kneed teenage boys in the groin for decades along with other physical and sexual abuse of minors. [1][2][3]
Former Congressman James Traficant often referred to groin attacks in his colorful congressional speeches. On one occasion, while defending himself in a criminal trial, he declared of the prosecutor, "if they lie again, I'm going to go over there and kick them in the crotch."
In an September 2004 interview with Maxim magazine, pop-rock singer Avril Lavigne claims to have administered a groin kick to a female bar patron who insulted her "punk" credibility: "Some chick came up to me and said something, so I kicked her in the box and shoved her."
In a December 1999 interview with Stuff magazine, actress Kelly Hu described how she beat up a stuntman by kicking him in the groin on the set of the movie Surf Ninjas.
Groin attacks are featured in many Steven Seagal films (e.g. On Deadly Ground).
Professional wrestler Ric Flair often administers to his opponents a sneaky low blow with his arm, in keeping with his status as the "Dirtiest Player In The Game". It was also a signature move of female wrestler Chyna.
In the book Catch-22, the character of Yossarian is kicked in the groin by Nately's whore (representing his conscience).
In the film Double Impact, a female assassin (Corey Everson) grabs Alex's (Jean-Claude Van Damme) groin in an attempt to defeat him in a fight.
The character of Kitty Baxter in the musical Chicago kicks men in the groin in most productions, including the Oscar-winning film (in which she is played by Lucy Liu).
Actress Michelle Yeoh is known for feigning kicks to the groins of interviewers (as described in Movieline magazine).
In the 2002 film I Spy, the main female character (played by Famke Janssen) kicks groins so often — and to such good effect — that she can only be captured after Scotty (Owen Wilson) makes sure to wear a cup before confronting her.
In the 2002 film The Two Towers, the dwarf Gimli hits a Uruk-hai berserker in the groin during the Battle of the Hornburg.
The Spike TV show Fresh Baked Video Games features a segment called "Free Game for a Shot to the Nuts." In this segment, male audience members can win a free game if they can withstand a hard, direct blow to the groin. The contestants get to choose their method of getting hit from options ranging from a baseball bat-wielding Little Leaguer to a professional football kicker to a beautiful woman. (Actress-models Annika Svedman and Lisa Gleave have both made multiple appearances on the show kicking nuts.)
In the movie Smilla's Sense of Snow, Julia Ormond's character Smilla pincers her father's catty mistress's crotch with thumb and fingers.
In both the original novel and film version of Casino Royale, the main antagonist performs torture on James Bond by repeatively striking him in the groin while he is tied to a chair. In the novel this is performed with a carpet beater, where in the film a knotted rope is used.
[edit] In comedy
Injuries to the groin, including attacks, are often plumbed for comedic value.
In the 2002 comedy film Run Ronnie Run, the lead chimney sweep (Jack Black) sings a song, "Kick in the Cunt", which states that the best way to irritate a lady is to kick her in the crotch.
In the 1969 film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, the gang's newly elected leader, Harvey Logan challenges Butch to a knife fight. The two men start circling each other, and Butch stops, and wants to discuss rules. "Rules? there are no rules in a knife fight." Harvey replies, and is promptly floored with a sudden kick to the groin.
In South Park, Eric Cartman frequently threatens that he will "kick you in the nuts". In Episode 112: "Mecha-Streisand", Cartman kicks Pip in the groin over ownership of an Indian arrowhead; and in Episode 512: "Here Comes the Neighborhood", the boys groin-kick each other for laughs. In Episode 504: "Super Best Friends", Kyle and Stan take turns kicking Cartman in the crotch.
In Mr. Deeds the main reporter tries to fend off one of Longfellow's friends by kicking her in the groin, but she quotes "Why you kickin', I got no balls!"
In a memorable scene in the Steve Martin film, The Jerk, Martin uses kung fu to dispatch a series of crooked developers, but injures his foot when kicking the groin of one of them, who turns out to have been "Iron Balls McGinty".
Many clips from the television program America's Funniest Home Videos feature an actual groin attack as the slapstick gag.
In 8-Bit Theater, Created by Brian Clevinger, Black Mage is kicked in the crotch by the Green Monster. Since he had become a blue mage beforehand, he learned this maneuver dubbed "the goblin punch" and used it on the monster, causing an explosion sending the monster hundreds of feet in the air.
One of the most legendary comedic groin attacks was done by Kyra Sedgwick to Dennis Quaid in the film Something to Talk About. Roger Ebert said of Sedgwick's groin kick that "[S]he handles it with perfect timing and a certain elan."
Madeleine Kahn also performed a knee to the groin in Blazing Saddles. Kahn was nominated for an Oscar for her performance. She coincidentally performed the same act in Clue, as Mrs. White.
In The Simpsons episode "A Star is Burns", Hans Moleman and George C. Scott both get hit in the groin by footballs.
Saturday Night Live frequently uses groin attacks as a source of humor. One notable example is the "Tough as Nails" sketch, in which Katie Holmes repeatedly attacks Will Ferrell's groin in a comically exaggerated way, eventually kicking him so hard that his testicles fall off.
Robot Chicken once had a skit called "Ode to the nutshot" which proved that no matter how many times you see someone hit there, even if its clay, it's still funny.
The Miss Congeniality films frequently make reference to the self-defense technique of "SING" - that is, attacking the Solar Plexus, Instep, Nose, and Groin. In the first film, Sandra Bullock's character does this to Benjamin Bratt's character onstage during a beauty pageant, causing him to double over in pain. In the second film, Regina King's character makes a bad guy SING soprano, then tells him, "I hope you weren't planning on reproducing!" She also demonstrates the technique on Regis Philbin (playing himself).
In the animated sitcom "King of the Hill", the "Bobby goes Nuts" episode, Bobby Hill uses groin attacks as a way of defending himself from school bullies, usually after yelling "Let go of my purse" after learning the technique from a woman's self-defense class.
In the song Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Destiny by Lemon Demon (and the Flash animation video), Indiana Jones is killed by a severe groin attack by Chuck Norris.
In the 2005 film Monster In Law Viola, (Jane Fonda) is struggling with Ruby, (Wanda Sykes.) Viola kicks Ruby in the groin, to which she replies "I think you dislocated my vagina."
In the 1995 comedy film Mallrats, the character T.S. Quint (Jeremy London) is hit with a groin attack by Gwen Turner (Joey Lauren Adams). On the DVD commentary, it is revealed that Adams actually (accidentally) hit London in the groin, and they had to stop filming for about half an hour while he recovered.
In the 2002 film Men in Black II, Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones) delivers a "groin" attack to a member of a humanoid species known as a "ballchinian", named for a scrotum-like feature hanging under its chin. A direct assault on this structure by Agent K resulted in the being's immediate defeat. (Though not anatomically an attack to the being's groin, it is included here because it is functionally equivalent to a "low blow".)
[edit] References
<references />
[edit] Further reading
- John Hibbard (February 1993). Karate Breaking Techniques: With Practical Applications to Self-Defense. Tuttle Publishing, 70/72/147/194. ISBN 0804818762.
- Fred Hutchinson (May 2001). Low Kicks: Aiming Low For Maximum Punishment In Unarmed Combat. Paladin Press, 3–4. ISBN 1581601387.
- Philip W. Cook (1997-09-30). Abused Men: The Hidden Side of Domestic Violence. Praeger Trade, 40. ISBN 0275958620.
- N. Mashiro (September 1979). Weapons At Hand (Black Medicine). Paladin Press, 31. ISBN 087364168X.
