Guest Blog Post by Matthew Arrell

The confrontation has got to a point beyond fleeing.  There is not a moment to think or even a second to spare; this is the millisecond in which the outcome of the altercation will turn.  Everything depends on how you next react.

We’ll assume that you are in a situation where only the fight option is available.  I won’t go through all the various levels of force you can use as the scenarios are endless.  However, I will say that if you believe your life or that of your family or friends to be under threat, attack with 100% force and 100% aggression.  Do not use any less than all the force you can summon to your fists, feet, elbows, knees or makeshift weapon.

In this scenario, the attacker and you will both be unarmed.  If you wish to learn techniques to use against weapons then you need to  attend a weekly class to rehearse these skills.

Attack in front with distance

1. Eye strikes – both hands alternately with fingers and thumbs

2. Palm strike – with a slap or straight palm strike (like a jab), to the face, ears, throat or groin

3. Punches – if you are able to punch correctly, to the face or throat

4. Kicks – straight downward to the groin or shins (forget about those movie high kicks unless trained)

Attack in front – distance close

1. Eye gouges – both hands, grab the head or ears and work your thumbs into the eyes

2. Knees – to the groin, abdomen or face if they lean forward after groin strike

3. Head butt – lean back and quickly drive your forehead into their nose

4. Elbows – to the middle of the head

Attacker behind

1. Hammer fist – to the groin

2. Elbows – to the face, abdomen or groin

3. Eye gouges – reach round and go for the eyes with fingers and thumbs

4. Reverse head butt – lean forward and quickly throw your head back into his face

On the floor with attacker on top

1. Eye strikes/gouges – strike for the eyes or hold onto their ears and get the thumbs into the eyes

2. Upward kicks – if you’re thrown to the floor, start to kick up to the groin/abdomen/head as they try to get down to your level (kick straight with the sole of your foot)

3. Shin/knee kicks – if they stay standing, go for their shins or the front of their knee, again kick straight with the sole of your foot

These are the most common scenarios you could face on the street.  I’ve kept it as brief as possible because the last thing you need at this time is an army of options marching around in your head.  As for blocking punches and kicks from an attacker, this is something that you would have to be well practised at for effectiveness.

Another way to avoid kicks and punches is to simply move out of the line of fire.  Watch a boxer or kick boxer.  They will always circle towards their opponent’s weakest side.  They have watched previous matches in order to determine which side this is.  In real life we don’t have this luxury, so try and stay out of the way of whatever they are throwing at you.

Some boxers simply become overwhelmed with their opponents aggression.  Notice I didn’t say ‘skill’; I said ‘aggression’.  It doesn’t always win the fight but it certainly puts them on the back foot, confusing them and disrupting their game plan.  This is the exact same with an attacker who expects you to be submissive or at least an easy target.  Their game plan is to prey on the weak.  So what you should do is this:

1. Distract – Ask them a question like “why are you picking on me,” or make a statement, “I’m not a fighter, I don’t want any trouble”.  (This uses the criminals own dirty trick of asking people for the time or directions to somewhere in order to distract a victim for long enough to initiate their attack.)

2. Attack – Go for it while they are thinking for an answer and keep attacking until they are incapacitated for long enough for you to escape.  This may take one strike or a number of strikes.  Be aggressive and violent, as you will increase your chances of doing damage, and if not, it will at least make them think twice about continuing their attack on you.

3. Pull back – Once you have that opportunity to get out of harm’s way, use it and run to a safe area.

Geoff Thompson is the expert from whom I’ve taken many of my tips on personal security; some of his ideas are incorporated into this blog.  He would recommend that punching is a must and I would agree, but only if you are comfortable with it – it is an awesome tool to have.  For more information on the wider subject of how to protect yourself against aggression, please read my previous blog post, as well as Allen’s realistic thoughts on self-defence for women.  Finally, draw your attention to the fact that a good level of physical fitness goes a long way to keeping you safe on those mean streets.  It’s difficult to flee or fight when you’re fat!

Image credit: polinasergeeva.

Matthew Arrell is a Strength and Conditioning Coach.  You can join his Facebook Page to find contact details.  Matthew’s previous Guest Blogs:

The Benefits of Exercise

12 Tips for a Lighter Christmas

The last time I mentioned the name of Geoff Thompson in this blog was in relation to a workshop I was running called Streetwise: How to Protect Yourself Against Aggression.  Geoff is a former bouncer and self-defence expert whose autobiography Watch My  Back has enjoyed tremendous success.  He has now branched out into other areas of writing.

I mention him because I’ve spent the last few weeks reading two of his books:

• The Elephant and the Twig: The Art of Positive Thinking
• Fear: The Friend of Exceptional People

They remind me in style of the original type of self-help books written by the likes of Samuel Smiles and Napoleon Hill, full of inspirational quotations and success stories.  Unlike many books of this genre today, they don’t contain much psychological jargon or management speak.  Geoff speaks out of personal experience and with a very British turn of phrase.

What is this ‘personal experience’?  Geoff was someone who was depressed and stuck in a job he loathed.  Now, he’s a Bafta-winning  author of films and stage plays, as well as thirty-four books and hundreds of published articles.  Check out his site here. Also, if you fancy seeing a few short films he’s written, try these, but I warn you, they’re not for the faint hearted!

Bouncer – a Bafta-nominated short-film staring Ray Winstone (no less)

Romans 12:20 – a multi-award winning film with Northern Ireland’s own James Ellis

From a self-defence viewpoint, Geoff’s biggest contribution is possibly ‘the fence’; this is a simple body language technique anyone can use to keep danger at bay while preparing for a strike.  Watch him explain and demonstrate it in two parts here and here.  His book on The Fence I can personally recommend.

I’ve enjoyed a brief correspondence with Geoff by letter and can confirm he’s a complete gentleman.  Most of the gurus I wouldn’t want to meet.  How refreshing for a teacher to live out his own philosophy, and to demonstrate that between true strength and humility there is no contradiction?

Geoff, if you’re listening, now about coming to Northern Ireland sometime?

Image credit: Ian Wilson.

Indian sex workers learn karate says the title of the article.  I am unimpressed.

Prostitutes in an Indian state have started taking karate lessons to help protect themselves against violent pimps and ‘customers’.  If you go to the article, there is a short film of them in training.  Natural feelings of sympathy for their plight are compounded.  The training will serve them poorly.

On Saturday 23 May 2008 I delivered a 1-day workshop called Streetwise: How to Protect Yourself Against Aggression.  The vast majority of those there were woman.  Half of the day was spent explaining the difference between aggression and assertiveness, and training students in the art of using assertive words and body language in situations of conflict.

In the second half of the day we got physical. With the help of my colleague Matthew Arrell we demonstrated some basic moves in self-defence.

Real self-defence is not a sport or even a system.  It is basic.  It is not for the squeamish.

It employs various principles like:

(1) ‘Hit and run’ – Your task is NOT to get involved in a brawl, but, if attacked, to overpower the aggressor with massive force and get the heck out of there.

(2) ‘Hardest to Softest’ – Forget about the fancy kicks and blocks of Hollywood lore.  Forget also about the grips and locks of some self-defence books.  They are worse than useless; they will put you in danger.  Palm strikes to face, palm slaps to the ears, eye strikes, use of knees and elbows – these are the tools of the trade.

Above all, I emphasise that awareness is everything.  Ninety percent of self-protection is personal security.

If it comes to violence, then something has usually gone wrong.  You have allowed yourself to be put in that situation.  So we trained our class in threat awareness, how to spot the danger signs, how to keep mentally alert, what situations to particularly watch out for, and how to reduce risk to yourself.  This is more important than any amount of pseudo Bruce Lee type training.

One of the best teachers of real self-defence around today is an English chap called Geoff Thompson.  (He’s now also an author and playwright of some repute.)  See him in action teaching his famous ‘fence’ technique here.

We’re planning to start up our own short courses on self-defence for woman in the near future (at the request of some of the students).

There is a gap in the market for this.  People don’t want martial arts training that lasts years and isn’t intended for the streets anyway.  We’ll keep you informed.

In the meantime, as trite as it may sound, my only advice  is – If you don’t want to be attacked, get out of the attack zone.  This applies as much to poor Indian prostitutes as it does to silly, drunken ladettes who walk home in the dark, alone.

Image credit:  filipe ferreira.