Groin is a terrible target, all it does is hurt your opponent and anger them; doesn't stop them.

Ears, eyes, throat, knees, these are your targets. Kick someone as hard as you can sideways into their knee and they will walk with a limp for the rest of their lives.

Gracie style is just for sport. Go on down to Powells and pick up a used copy of any Bruce Tegner book of self defense.

Actually true Gracie Jiu Jitsu is for Self-Defense, although a sport has evolved out of it we do over 30 standing self-defense techniques based on STRIKING/punching/kicking just during white belt alone. Rickson Gracie regularly competed in matches known as "Vale Tudo" which translates to "anything goes." Although true violence doesn't mirror a sporting contest, like killing bears, it can be a close testing ground that's safe and provides repetition. I was thrilled to be a part of this article and it was a ton of fun! If anyone has any questions on self-defense or any of the methods we provide at River City Warriors in Portland, I'd be happy to provide an opinion with 25 years of experience.

Graham, kicking someone in their knee as hard as you can is not practical for self defense. If you are being attacked you do not have time to step back and step forward and plant and swing your leg that far. By the time you try that you are already owned. And there are so few nerve ending in the knee anyway it won't stop an attack.

A step is a kick and a kick is a step. A kick or strike to the groin can be deadly and while not the best primary target as most men have natural defenses against that, a groin attack works well with a distraction like a feint to the eyes. What Graham suggests is actually the most effective counter after evasion by stepping to the side and side kicking. It takes very little force to beak the knee by kicking it the sideways direction which it does not bend. Such a break will never heal properly. It only takes about five pounds of pressure to dislocate a leg, by kicking up under the kneecap. That is extremely painful, and can be instantly reset with no damage. Gregory Fong is the most highly skilled martial artist in Portland. He's a difficult teacher, but his sarcasm is funnier than shit if you don't take it personally. I'm no expert in Gracie style. I merely notice that it's rather minimalistic in competition. If you want to discuss real classical jiu-Jitsu, talk to Dave, the owner of Hawthorne Cutlery. He's an ex cop from Miami.

There is a fight scene in the movie Twisted (2004)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Hy6h5tjAlg
where while watching I kept saying as if she could here me, "just break his leg." Finally, after a pregnant pause, that's how she ends the scene. The kick was conspicuous to me, by it's absence. She could have prevented all the hassle she had to go through, if she had only broken his leg in the first place, but then there wouldn't have been a fight scene.

A few of the 72 kicks of Bagua.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNlnalEkihs

Notice that they are counter moves, and that the defender first controls the aggressors arms with soft blocks and remains lightly connected with him for balance as he kicks.

You might not find these in Gracie style.

The light contact is not just for balance, but to be able to feel the aggressor move so that the defender might be able to change tactics, even in mid application to some other technique, if necessary.

Professor Wally Jay made a most effective innovation to Jiu-Jitsu,
with his Small Circle Technique.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00lR1kpdFzw

Some of those Bagua kicks might seem superfluous, but bear in mind that the style is designed to defeat nine enemies at one time.