Getting to The Neck – or There’s No Place Like Home

Warning – Read the disclaimer by clicking on the “Disclaimer” tab at the top of the page before reading this post.

Okay, let’s quickly review:

1. Mr. Bad Guy has approached you with what, in your evaluation, is intent to do you physical harm. He hasn’t stopped moving towards you after repeated requests to not come any closer.
2. Zap! You tag him with a lightning quick eye jab, which causes him to flinch (remember, Pain),
3. You quickly go on the offensive with a straight blast running right down his face (remember, Pressure) which gets him running backwards. NOW WHAT?!

NOW YOU CAN GET TO THE PLACE I LIKE TO CALL “HOME”.  And that is his neck.  I’m not talking about a gentle hug or choke. I’m talking about viciously, like a “Pit Bull” grabbing onto his neck and holding on like you’re riding a tiger.  It’s at the neck that you’ll be able to terminate the altercation with a barrage of the most devastating tools on the human body.  But I’m getting ahead of myself.  So here’s the what and how of grabbing the neck.

First – What The Grab Looks Like: Yep, there’s a best way to grab the neck so as to maintain control of your attacker.  When you latch on violently put both hand around his neck placing the back of one hand in the palm of the other (see close up photo of hands).  DON’T INTERLACE YOUR FINGERS! It’s too intricate to do under pressure. Keep your elbows in (together) as tightly as possible.

One hand over the other. DO NOT interlace your fingers.

Second – Pull (or suck) him violently into one of your shoulders as you open up your base (your stance) by putting one foot in front of the other and bending your knees (lowering your base giving you better stability-remember what I said in a previous post about base and balance in order to hit hard?  The same applies to you my friend). Your forearms act as a “frame” against his collar bones. Think about this for a moment. The guy is rapidly backpedaling.  All of sudden you grab his neck with both hands and pull him violently into your shoulder. This totally takes the guy off his base allowing you time to deliver your final blows(see photo below)

Keep your elbows tightly close together, feet apart (one in front of the other) and knees bent.

At that point in the game you’re ready to terminate or finish the altercation. NOW DON’T GO GETTING AHEAD OF YOURSELF. I’ve included two video clips for you to see.  The first is of the process of the eye jab, into the blast and then grabbing the neck.  Please watch it and practice it (either by yourself or with a helmeted partner).  The second video is a drill that I encourage you to do over and over til hanging on someone’s neck is one of the most comfortable places you can be. WARNING – Make sure your partner is willing a cooperative. This is not a fight it’s a drill to get you used to holding onto and “feeling” the pressure of a person’s movement while you’ve got their neck. What your partner is doing is just moving forward, backward, and side to side, randomly in order to get you used to keeping your base (feet apart and knees bent) while they’re moving. So do this drill over and over again and as you get better and your partner and you develop more and more trust, you can increase the intensity and pressure.

In my next post I’ll be teaching you the first of the three most devastating tools on the human body to terminate (or Finish). Until then,

Be humble, stay safe.

Next Post Coming Soon!

Hello All you Faithful Readers,

Please accept my apologies for seeming to disappear for a time.  Things got very busy, went out-of-town and got back to play the wonderful game of catch up.  HOWEVER – I’m back and all caught up (not really but I’ll just cut out sleeping and eating and that’ll give me more time).  Anyway, my next post will be out by this weekend.  What’s it about?  Well, if I told you now you wouldn’t need to read it when it came out.  All I can say is that it’s title is “There’s No Place Like Home”.  Ah but where is that ‘home’ when it comes to self-preservation?  Tune in this weekend and find out.  Until then,

Be humble, stay safe.

Next Post In Two Weeks

Just wanted to let you all know that due to a rather eventful week my next post (“There’s No Place Like Home”) will be up in two weeks. Specifically Saturday, March 13. Until then continue to practice and “functionalize”.

Be humble, stay safe

The Straight Blast – The Ultimate Pressure

Warning:  Read the disclaimer by clicking the tab at the top of this page.

As always, let’s review last weeks’ post.  You have determined that Mr. Bad Guy is intent on doing you physical harm.  You’ve asked him repeatedly to not come any closer and he keeps coming.  As he closed in on you inflicted a nominal amount of pain with an eye jab.  Mr. Bad Guy flinches back as a result of this, his eyes tearing up, he’s blinking quickly trying to get them to clear.  NOW WHAT?……… Let me ask you; Where are you in your battle plan?…….. That’s right, you’re in the Pressure phase of your plan!  So what do you have to do?…..Right again, you have to do something to put tremendous forward pressure on him to get him to run backwards so you can grab hold of his neck.  Why?, because any attacker is rendered harmless when he is running backward with his arms flailing, trying to catch his balance! (One immutable principle of fighting, regardless of style, is that for an opponent to hurt you or take you down, he has to have a base.  Without a base, without balance, he cannot strike effectively or take you down).  But what tool to use?

The best tool I know of to put intense forward pressure on an attacker is the Straight Blast.  In fact, I often tell my students “if you forget everything else I teach you remember to ‘blast’ and you’ll probably do okay”. Rather than try to tell you how to do this please watch the first video clip and you’ll see the blast; a) in slow motion without running forward b) moving forward in slow motion and finally c) full speed sprinting forward.  Notice that I’m only running forward about 4-8 feet (that’s usually as far as you’ll ever need to blast).

A couple of pointers on the blast:

• Don’t lock out your arms, it’s hard on the elbows.
• Keep your fists in a vertical position (thumbs on top, pinkys on bottom)
• The fist going out passes above or over of the one coming back (sort of as if your
• fists were on an oval hamster wheel).
• The goal is forward pressure, so sprint and drive the fists forward!
• You’ll usually use between 3 to 8 punches in a blast.  At that point you’ll viciously and ballistically grab his neck (I’ll show you how to do that in my next post).
• This is an intense movement, so be intense, BUT NOT INSANE.

This next clip will show you how to practice the straight blast; a) with a partner (against the palms of their hands) and b) with a partner who’s wearing a full face motorcycle helmet with a face shield (or the equivalent).

Finally this last clip shows the straight blast coming off the eye jab entrance.

Once again I encourage you to watch these clips and practice Practice PRACTICE! Slowly at first, then increasing in your speed and intensity.  I’d also recommend using some type of protective gloves (boxing, bag, mma or even work gloves) to protect your knuckles when you’re practicing on a helmet of any sort.  Once you feel comfortable with the straight blast, add the “eye jab” entrance and follow that with the blast (remember, we’re building on a progression). NOTE: a helmeted partner will not feel the eye jab so he/she will have to pretend to flinch.

One last, but ever so important point:  Many times the straight blast will be enough to cause the attacker to no longer be able or want to continue his attack (perhaps he falls down-yes, it happens more often than you think).  If this happens, you should not continue to pummel him.  You should make your escape if possible.

Next week I’ll show you that “there’s no place like home”.  Til then have a “blast”!

Be humble, stay safe.

Making an entrance! (The Eye Jab)

Warning:  Read the disclaimer by clicking the tab at the top of this page.

Okay, remember what I said in last week’s “battle plan” post.  ”AS LONG AS YOU STAY ON THE DEFENSE YOU WILL BE HURT!!!”  Inflicting a nominal amount of pain (enough to get your attacker to flinch) begins the transfer from you being on defense to being on offense – I called it the “entrance“, remember? (If you haven’t read the blog entry “A Simple Battle Plan” please go back and read that one first then come back to this one).

Now, there are lots of tools you can use to accomplish this but possibly the simplest, most accurate and effective tool I know is the eye jab.  NO I’M NOT TALKING ABOUT POKING SOMEONE’S EYE OUT OR SHOVING YOUR FINGER THROUGH HIS EYE SOCKET INTO HIS BRAIN.  I’m talking about a quick flick to the eye(s) that will cause his eyes to tear up something awful and get him to flinch.

So how do you execute this move? Here’s a brief description:  The key is staying loose. You don’t want to be stiff or tense. Snapping out an eye jab is similar to swatting a fly or whipping out a wet towel. The fingers of the jabbing hand should be close to one another but not rigid and bent slightly to prevent injury on the finger joints should you accidentally hit bone on impact. The hand should dart toward the target from where it rests in one quick movement.  About the only limitation to the eye jab is if your assailant is wearing glasses, in which case I would suggest using the heel of the palm of your hand or simply a quick jab (ala boxing). REMEMBER this is not about power – you’re not looking to knock this guy out: just flick his eye(s). We’ve all been accidentally poked in the eye by someone or something and not been able to focus for minutes.  Ever have a gnat fly in your eye?  Get the picture?  All we’re wanting to do is to cause enough pain to make the guy flinch (and usually a flick to the eye causes the person’s head to flinch away from your fingers).  Look over the photos and you’ll see how it looks.

Attacker approaches victim and refuses to stop when asked

Defender launches a quick retracting eye jab striking attackers eyes with pads of fingers

As I said before I’ll be building on this so you’ll be able to see how these things fit together in the next couple of posts.  So here’s two ways you can practice this:

SOLO: Hang a sheet of paper from, say, a doorway (door open) or you can have a friend hold it for you as in the video clip.  You can even draw a face and eyes on it if you want to.  (See video clip)

PARTNER:  Have your partner stand far enough away from you so that he/she has to take several steps towards you before either one of you can reach the other with the fingers of your outstretched arm.  Have your partner begin to approach you with his/her hand (either one) up with the palm facing you to represent his/her face/eyes.  Once they get close enough, extend your hand to touch the palm of their hand with your finger pads or tips, quickly retract your hand.  Once you do that, have your partner move away, reset and then come forward again.  NOTE: START SLOWLY AND BE CAREFUL.  You don’t want to hurt each other. (See video clip)

Once you get used to this (and you can take turns) you can pick up the pace a little, but don’t go full out unless you have a full face shield helmet or the like to protect your partner. You can also move around to make it more “alive”.

One final note: you can, as your partner closes in on you “shuffle” forward by taking a quick step forward with whichever foot you have in the “forward” position.

REMEMBER:  Practice, PRACTICE, PRACTICE! The more you can practice this (especially with a partner) the more functional you’ll become at it.

Until next week,

Be humble, stay safe

A Simple Battle Plan

Warning:  Read the disclaimer by clicking the tab at the top of this page.

You’ve heard it said in business; “people who fail to plan, plan to fail”.  In dealing with violence, that statement holds true as well.  If you have no basic idea of how you will deal with a violent attack then you probably won’t deal with it at all, and that can be costly!

As with all “plans”, this one merely serves as a basic guideline and should not become your “gospel” be all, end all.  In the ever mutating arena of violent assaults you have to be flexible and adaptable,  so hold this battle plan loosely and it’ll serve you well.  One more thing:  The tools you’ll use to implement this battle plan will be explained in later entries, so for now understand the plan.

So here it is in three simple words:  Pain / Pressure / Finish

First – when someone approaches you with “intent” to do you physical harm he is on the offense.  (NOTE: you need to decide what “intent” looks like and I would suggest consulting your local law enforcement agency in that process)  That means you are on defense. As long as you stay on defense you will eventually get harmed. So you need to do something to move you from being on the defense to being on the offense.  That’s where the Pain comes in.  You want to use some type of quick, accurate strike in order get your approaching attacker to “flinch”.  This is not a knock out strike.  Rather it is a quick “pot shot” for the purpose of causing a nominal amount of pain, thus beginning your transition from defense to offense.

Second – once you’ve inflicted this pain (and you’ll know if you’ve been successful because your attacker will flinch) you’ll quickly move into the Pressure stage of your battle plan.  The goal of this pressure is to cause your attacker to run backwards and for you to get to his neck (which you will violently grab on to more on this at another time).  Anyone who is rapidly backpedaling cannot effectively strike, grab or kick you.  At this point you’re now on the offense and he’s on the defense.

Third – Finally, you’ll Finish by delivering from the most accurate and controllable range, a barrage of devastating blows in order to render your attacker “no longer able to physically attack you”.

I know what you’re thinking – “what tool or strike or kick do I use to accomplish this battle plan?”  Remember what I said earlier in this entry?  I’ll give you the specific tools for each part of the battle plan in subsequent blogs.  For instance, next week I’ll be teaching you one of the most effective “Pain” tools there is.  Just be patient.

So for now, rehearse this in your brain:   “Pain  –  Pressure  –  Finish”,  “Pain  — Pressure  –  Finish”, etc. Get it?  Got it?  Good!

Til next week,

Be humble, stay safe.

An Ounce Of Prevention

NOTICE: Please read the disclaimer by clicking the tab labeled “Disclaimer” at the top of this page.

Before I get into the nuts and bolts of dealing with a violent assault (the physical) please allow me to speak a little about prevention.  First of all, may I go on record saying that this area is covered ‘ad nauseam’ by a wealth of experts and organizations who have far more knowledge than I do.  However, in the interest of your not having to read a ton of webpages, I’ve chosen some information from some resources that I know to be quite accurate and dependable.  If you wish to get further information I would suggest you contact your local law enforcement agency.  They will most likely have brochures and pamphlets that address this area.  WARNING! There is so much information on this subject that you may find yourself afraid to do anything.  Please don’t. Read over the information, apply what seems reasonable to you (if you wish and at your own risk) and go on with your life.

Be humble, stay safe.

NOTE: The following is taken from information from The National Crime Prevention Council website. For further information I’d recommend visiting that site www.ncpc.org.  They have a wealth of information.  These suggestions are not meant to be, by any means an exhaustive (or should I say exhausting) list.

Personal Safety Tips for the Street

• Don’t walk alone during late-night hours. Walk in groups whenever you can.  There is safety in numbers.

• Let a family member or friend know your destination and your estimated time of arrival or return. That way, the law enforcement can be notified as quickly as possible if there is a problem.

• Stay in well-lit areas as much as possible.  Avoid alleys, vacant lots, wooded areas, and shortcuts or secluded areas.

• Wear clothes and shoes that give you freedom of movement.

• Don’t talk to strangers.

• If you are wearing headphones, don’t turn up the volume so high that you cannot hear outside noises.

• Never hitchhike or accept rides from strangers.

• If someone or something makes you uneasy, avoid the person or leave.

• Don’t display expensive jewelry in public.

• Know the neighborhoods where you live and work.

• Check out the locations of police and fire stations, public telephones, hospitals, and restaurants or stores that are open late.

Personal Safety Tips for Home

• Don’t allow strangers into your home, even if they are hurt or say they need help. Keep the door locked and call the police for them.

• Don’t advertise that you live alone.

• Don’t be afraid to call law enforcement to investigate suspicious circumstances, unusual people, or strange noises. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

• When you move into a new home or apartment, change the locks if you own it or ask the manager to change them if you rent.

• Don’t leave notes on your door announcing when you will be home.

• Keep outdoor lights on at night.

• If you arrive home and your door is open or things appear to be out of place, don’t go in. Leave and call 911.

• If  you are accosted by a robber, follow his or her instructions.

• Don’t argue or attempt to fight with your assailant.

Automobile Safety

• Always park in well-lit areas.

• Always be aware of people just sitting in their cars.

• If you are alone at a shopping mall after dusk, ask a security guard to escort you to your car.

• After checking around your car, enter it quickly and lock all the doors. Teach your children to enter and exit the car quickly.

• If your car is bumped in traffic, don’t get out of the car. Use your cell phone to call 911. Many times carjackers use this technique so that they can overpower you and steal your car.

• The last thing you should do is argue or fight with a carjacker. You could be seriously injured or killed. It isn’t worth it.

• Never agree to be kidnapped. Either drop the keys or throw them away from the car as far as you can. When the carjacker goes for the keys, get out of there as fast as you can.

A Quick Look At Self Preservation

Okay, this is very quick post but I’d like you to watch it often. It’ll give you an idea of some of the ways I train self-preservation.

Be humble, stay safe.

Self Preservation

NOTICE:  Before you read any further please click the disclaimer tab at the top of this page and read it.

This blog is to help better equip an individual to survive a violent attack.  It’s called “self-preservation” which, simply defined, means the ability to survive violence, anywhere, anytime, against anyone, using any means possible.  Each week I will post information on surviving a violent assault.  Sometimes that means fighting back, sometimes that means running.  The point is to survive, perhaps bruised, bleeding or broken.  But survive.  That’s it.

I’ve been involved in the martial arts in some way since I was 14 years old (I’m now 47 as of this writing).  From student to competitor to teacher I’ve seen, heard, learned and experienced a lot.  I do not want to bore you with all the styles I’ve been exposed to and the ones I’ve mastered, nor will I go into any detail as to my “rankings” or competition record.  A violent assailant doesn’t care what style you trained in or what color your belt is.  My desire is to share with you what I have learned about surviving violence from all the sources I have had to draw from.  Many of the ideas/concepts will be from personal experience and others will be from what I have learned from so many who have had far more experience in street fights and other violent situations.

My goal is to enable you to be better equipped to survive a violent assault should it actually happen.  Since there is no “one size fits all” formula for dealing with the ever mutating world of violent assaults, I welcome your comments and questions.  And if this blog helps you be better equipped to survive a violent assault then I will consider it a success.

Be Safe.