Pelvic Target | National Geographic

nineteen years as a cop and self-defense

nineteen years as a cop and self-defense expert have taught Gary Fredo to be

expert have taught Gary Fredo to be

expert have taught Gary Fredo to be prepared to anticipate the unexpected

but what makes an expert’s response so

but what makes an expert’s response so effective a prepared response is quick

effective a prepared response is quick

effective a prepared response is quick decisive and focused on a vulnerable

decisive and focused on a vulnerable

decisive and focused on a vulnerable target like the pelvis technology

target like the pelvis technology

target like the pelvis technology reveals the anatomical secrets of this

reveals the anatomical secrets of this

reveals the anatomical secrets of this strikingly effective target the pelvis

strikingly effective target the pelvis

strikingly effective target the pelvis is the human body’s structural center

is the human body’s structural center

is the human body’s structural center like a building’s foundation it supports

like a building’s foundation it supports

like a building’s foundation it supports everything above break the pelvis and

everything above break the pelvis and

everything above break the pelvis and the body can fall like a house of cards

the body can fall like a house of cards

the body can fall like a house of cards sound difficult the architecture of this

sound difficult the architecture of this

sound difficult the architecture of this foundation has a built-in weakness this

foundation has a built-in weakness this

foundation has a built-in weakness this is where experts strike the pubis it’s

is where experts strike the pubis it’s

is where experts strike the pubis it’s not bone that you’re actually hitting

not bone that you’re actually hitting

not bone that you’re actually hitting but it’s a connection who to bones and

but it’s a connection who to bones and

but it’s a connection who to bones and so that does form a weak point the

so that does form a weak point the

so that does form a weak point the structure is actually a ring and when

structure is actually a ring and when

structure is actually a ring and when you break the ring you can see how it

you break the ring you can see how it

you break the ring you can see how it would potentially break right here it

would potentially break right here it

would potentially break right here it takes up to 400 pounds of force to break

takes up to 400 pounds of force to break

takes up to 400 pounds of force to break the pelvis can one quick strike

the pelvis can one quick strike

the pelvis can one quick strike delivered that much force and if so will

delivered that much force and if so will

delivered that much force and if so will it disable an attacker Dominic DeVito is

it disable an attacker Dominic DeVito is

it disable an attacker Dominic DeVito is trained to deliver such a strike

trained to deliver such a strike

trained to deliver such a strike David Abel’s pressure profile system

David Abel’s pressure profile system

David Abel’s pressure profile system will measure the force of the strike a

will measure the force of the strike a

will measure the force of the strike a sensor pad fixed to the bag will

sensor pad fixed to the bag will

sensor pad fixed to the bag will determine if Dominic’s technique truly

determine if Dominic’s technique truly

determine if Dominic’s technique truly has pelvis breaking power

we’re ready to collect data we’re ready

we’re ready to collect data we’re ready three two what a simple strength with

three two what a simple strength with

three two what a simple strength with the palm of the hand 384 pounds of force

the palm of the hand 384 pounds of force

the palm of the hand 384 pounds of force surprising even to the scientists well

surprising even to the scientists well

surprising even to the scientists well it’s right at about the 400 level so I

it’s right at about the 400 level so I

it’s right at about the 400 level so I have to admit that’s uh that’s more

have to admit that’s uh that’s more

have to admit that’s uh that’s more force than I thought he was gonna

force than I thought he was gonna

force than I thought he was gonna generate yeah it’s at the level we’re

generate yeah it’s at the level we’re

generate yeah it’s at the level we’re breaking the pubic bone is definitely a

breaking the pubic bone is definitely a

breaking the pubic bone is definitely a possibility but is it enough force to

possibility but is it enough force to

possibility but is it enough force to take down an attacker to determine if

take down an attacker to determine if

take down an attacker to determine if the pubic bone would break takes a

the pubic bone would break takes a

the pubic bone would break takes a different dummy Dominic what we have

different dummy Dominic what we have

different dummy Dominic what we have here now is we have a skeleton and it

here now is we have a skeleton and it

here now is we have a skeleton and it has internal organs we have a bladder

has internal organs we have a bladder

has internal organs we have a bladder colon and we have all the pelvic bones

colon and we have all the pelvic bones

colon and we have all the pelvic bones here so when you actually impact us it

here so when you actually impact us it

here so when you actually impact us it should be fairly realistic as to what

should be fairly realistic as to what

should be fairly realistic as to what you would actually feel in the human

you would actually feel in the human

you would actually feel in the human body if you were to impact with this

body if you were to impact with this

body if you were to impact with this pelvic strike in the real world the

pelvic strike in the real world the

pelvic strike in the real world the counter strike would likely surprise the

counter strike would likely surprise the

counter strike would likely surprise the attacker he would be as unprepared to

attacker he would be as unprepared to

attacker he would be as unprepared to move as a dummy

did bone break a little exploratory

did bone break a little exploratory surgery will tell this might be one of

surgery will tell this might be one of

surgery will tell this might be one of the more unusual surgeries I’ve ever

the more unusual surgeries I’ve ever

the more unusual surgeries I’ve ever done oh yeah it looks like the front of

done oh yeah it looks like the front of

done oh yeah it looks like the front of the pelvic bone is separated now so it’s

the pelvic bone is separated now so it’s

the pelvic bone is separated now so it’s fractured yeah normally you see this in

fractured yeah normally you see this in

fractured yeah normally you see this in only high velocity car crashes and so

only high velocity car crashes and so

only high velocity car crashes and so this that you know continues to surprise

this that you know continues to surprise

this that you know continues to surprise me frankly that that we’re seeing this

me frankly that that we’re seeing this

me frankly that that we’re seeing this much injury 384 pounds of self-defense

much injury 384 pounds of self-defense

much injury 384 pounds of self-defense from a strike that traveled less than

from a strike that traveled less than

from a strike that traveled less than three feet it’s all about Anatomy

three feet it’s all about Anatomy

three feet it’s all about Anatomy this is the structural secret of a

this is the structural secret of a

this is the structural secret of a self-defense strike

no ring-shaped pelvis is a fused group

no ring-shaped pelvis is a fused group of bones secured by the tough ligaments

of bones secured by the tough ligaments

of bones secured by the tough ligaments and cartilage of the pubic joint

and cartilage of the pubic joint

and cartilage of the pubic joint yet within this fault line lies its

yet within this fault line lies its

yet within this fault line lies its weakness the strike winds just above the

weakness the strike winds just above the

weakness the strike winds just above the joint its energy spreads like a wave to

joint its energy spreads like a wave to

joint its energy spreads like a wave to the bladder intestine and colon

the bladder intestine and colon

the bladder intestine and colon thrusting the organs back against the

thrusting the organs back against the

thrusting the organs back against the pelvic bone moving with enough force the

pelvic bone moving with enough force the

pelvic bone moving with enough force the strike can fracture the pelvic ring with

strike can fracture the pelvic ring with

strike can fracture the pelvic ring with the pubis fractured standing becomes

the pubis fractured standing becomes

the pubis fractured standing becomes difficult

difficult

difficult walking nearly impossible without the

walking nearly impossible without the

walking nearly impossible without the integrity of the pelvic ring the body

integrity of the pelvic ring the body

integrity of the pelvic ring the body becomes top-heavy and the attacker

becomes top-heavy and the attacker

becomes top-heavy and the attacker collapses