The clip can be viewed here http://hamiltonsystema.bserv.com/mikhailsergeimed.wmv in case anyone is interested in seeing it.A few months ago, someone else asked nearly the exact same question, about the same video on our Russian Martial art forum. Though in much less polite way. At the time I chose to give an explanation of the movement. So I figured, it'd be easy enough for me to play some cut and paste, write a little new stuff and post it here. I actually ended up writing a good bit more detail here, and added a few thoughts as well. So here it goes. In the clip the effect you see is due to a subtle application of physics. What is happening can be very hard to "see" if you don't have any experience with this type of movement or theory. The primary principle used is the storing and release of enrgy. First potential kinetic energy is stored, then a catalyst is provided which allows it to mainfest into actual movement. In this caase that energy can be seen as movement.
The attacker is first twisted to his right. This stores potential kinetic energy in his body via the elastic nature of the body's soft tissue.
The "defender" then imparts a force in to the arm by flicking the forearm with a small rotational strike, in the opposite direction. this provides the trigger for the potential kinetic energy to release and manifest itself, causing the attackers body to whip back to his left. During this process the defenders elbow is moved on a vector towards his own centerline. This causes him to move his center back slightly, moving his weight over his heels, to his rear triangulation point, and he consequently falls.
The "belly point" (was it really helpful to define it as a "big" belly?) is part of advancing and lowering the defender does as the opponent is being thrown. This is a calculated attempt (which pays off) at entering at an angle and into a space that makes it psychologically uncomfortable for the opponent to attempt to "fight" forward for his balance. This is essentially the inverse application of the Shidare Yanagi Ryu Aiki principle of "the void". Just as a person will tend to follow and into and possibly fall into a void that you psycho-physiologically create. He will equally have the tendency to keep from moving into the opposite of a void... substance. By walking forward, the defender is likely triggering a focal length adjustment reflex. the opponent due to innate reflexes will try to keep his enemy in proper focus. By moving forward at the same speed the opponent is falling, the opponent has the desire to keep his set focal length the same. attempting to "stop the fall" will cause a needed adjustment of focal length, which the body perceives as an opening to threat. Therefore the body allows the fall to continue, by lessening the "righting reflex".
Further taking advantage of the inherent perception of threat, the defender moves his arm out to the side. This results in the opponent tracking the motion for his own perceived defense. As a result he moves the angle of his head, which further destroys his structure and intensifies the falling effect.
The opponent is lying face down at the end of the move. That he was "knocked out" is an assumption that you made. I do not make the same assumption.
I think in the quest to be better martial artists, we really need to learn to be detectives. asking about the clip is a good beginning to that. Though I suggest eventually trying to cultivate the overwhelming desire to figure out all the possibilities on your own. As you get better at it, your skill will increase. This is martial science we practice, and IMO, it really should be treated like science (fun science). Look at anything you see without making assumptions. Formulate hypothesis and test them.
There is always something to learn. Even if a practitioner is "faking" his fall... its still physics that make him fall down. Whether he applies the throw to himself or another does it to him, he still essentially thrown. With good science and good investigative skills, one can learn a great deal even from those that are indeed faking it. All you need do is reverse engineer the dive they took and find legitimate ways of making those actions take place.
Arthur
Hey Bill (or anyone), do you understand what Arthur is talking about?
