The times., 1897-04-19
THE SOLAR PLEXUS BLOW.
FitZsImmOns Has Inaugurated a New
Knockout Punch.

Knockout i unch.
A new finishing blow has been intro
duced in the art of pugilism. II is the
punch on rhc lower part of the PIT of the
stomach used with great tsuccess by Robert
FitZslmmons on James J. Corbett IL is
a blow that has come TO stay and 1t is
well worth studying. 1t is described for
the benefit Of those who care 10 know
how 1t fighting man can mercifully dis
able his opponent and win a match with
out doing him any permanent harm.
Every really great champion brings out
d new blow. FitzsimmOns is the inventor
Of the stomach punch that won the battle
at Carson City. He is an explorer Jf
practically new territory, for, although
the value OF body blows has been known
for a long time, no one before F1tZ-
simmons understood the magically shock
ing effect OF this new blow. He de-
yeloped ii as Charles Lambs Chinanan
developed the art of roasting young pig
by main strength and practical expert
ment He used it on Tom Sharkey anl
found that it worked like d charm. On
Corbett it was the same. Now the anato-
mists and PSYCHOLOGISTS have studied it
out, and they pronounce it good.
Where the bony framework in front Of a
mans chest slopes away like the sides OF
the letter a. is the epigastric region. 1t
is covered with coating of muscles instead
OF bone. In the lower part of this region,
hut still above the abdomen, is a nerve
center called the solar plexus. This nerve
center is connected with all the nerves
with which a man commands the move
meuts OF his limbs.
One might compare it to switchboard
through which run electric wires that signal
TO every part of the system. Derange the
switch board and no message can pass from
the mind to the limbs. The consciousness
remains alert and vivid. The wish TO move
is as strong as ever, but communication
between the mind and the muscles has been
cut off When the arrangement of the
switchboard has ceased the mind flashes
it's orders along the nerves rs usual and
they are obeyed.
But in the case of a pugilst this
comes too late. He is almost as strong
and nimble as ever, but the ten seconds
have ed within which the rules
compel him to go on fighting. He still
feels able to whip the other fellow-as
Corbett felt at Carson City-but the
seems to produce no permanent ill-effect.
Corbett certainly has been as well us ever
since his mishap at Carson, and doctors
say that shock to the solar pieXus Is
not apt to do lasting harm to u strong
man
How does the pugilist get in this blow
that shocks so effectually? The region
ne wants to punch is usually well pro-
tected. In the proper boxing position
the right forearm is held across the
body at this place Moreover, even If
the arm is away from there, and the
boxer sees n blow coming at this spot,
he can in the twentieth part OF second
so stiffen the upper abdominal muscles
that they will resist the force of the
punch, and so the solar pleXus remains un-
shocked. The wall of abdominal muscles
may be compared to q strong but soft
curtain. When i t is relaxed one can
thrust in the finger so hard as TO knock
a strong man down. When 1t is frightened
by muscular contraction even fist blow
is thrown back harmless.
The fighting man who wants to drop
his enemy by shocking the solar plaxus
will deceive him probably for long
time. He will make play for the head
again and again. He may put in n body
blow now and then in the shape Of
swing on the ribs-but never a mO"e
toward the solar pleyus Involuntarily
the enemy will concentrate his guarding
ability in protecting his chin, neck and
ribs. Especially if he is tired and pant
ing, the opportunity is all the greater.
The fighter makes fNnt as if to hit
the head. Up goes the enemy's guard,
or else he draws back his head to let
the blow go by. He is not thinking Of
the solar plexus. At this instant the
fighter darts left or right in on the
relaxed muscles, and the impact CT the