MOST COMMON STREET ATTACKS AND BEST BETS TO ESCAPE, PART I.

I thought it would be cool to go over some of the most common types of street attacks and suggestions on how best to escape them (in Part II). 

OF course, I have repeated this mantra so often in past posts that I’m sure you are tired of reading it, but your best escape move is never to have to make the move.  By that I mean that nothing – and I mean nothing – beats prevention and avoidance.  And topping the chart of prevention and avoidance has to be the 4 A’s of Assessing yourself and your surrounding; Awareness of obvious and not so obvious changes in the other person and the environment; Anticipation, meaning, always have a plan of action, or at least a mind set that asked “what would I do if the worst case scenario goes down?”and, finally take Action exactly when action is required!

THE MOST COMMON STREET ATTACKS

1. Wrist/Arm Grabs.
2. Lapel or collar grab.
3. Lapel Grab and Sucker Punch.
4. Front Choke.
5. Rear Choke.
6. Roundhouse Punch.
7. Front Bear Hug.
8. Rear Bear Hug.
9. Side Headlock and Punch.
10. Hair Pull.
11. Charge and Tackle.
12. Front Headlock.
13. Rear Strangle Hold.
14. Overhead Strike with Weapon.
15. Bad Guy In Mount (straddling the chest), Victim’s (Woman) Hands Pinned To Ground.
16. Ground and Pound from the Mount Position.
17. Choke From Mount Position.
18. Choke From Guard Position (Man in between woman’s legs, on the ground).
19. First In-First Out (attacks when victim is first going in or first coming out of a car, garage, house, etc.).
20. Bear Hug From Rear/Objective is to pick woman up and carry her off.

Next Post:  How To Escape.  In the meantime, give some thought to what you would do?  How you might prevent this from happening?  How you might defeat this attack before it even begins?

Stay Safe.

Hammer

SSSS (SUPER-SECRET SELF DEFENSE SHIT) – AGAINST ANY ATTACKER!

I don’t care who the attacker is, if he or she attaches his or her hand to any part of your upper body, man, do I have the SSSS move for you!  Ok.  Let’s say you are a woman and a man accosts you.  You ask him nicely to back off and leave you alone, but, predictably, he declines your offer.  His right hand has purchase on your shirt right about where your heart is,  and he twists and squeezes the material.  Time to make your Super Secret Self Defense Shit (SSSS) right now.

Remember to breathe so you can think and act. Now, take your same-side hand (left) and dart it straight into the stupid asshole’s eyes and gouge.  The attacker will not be able to stop your attack because he has already committed that side’s arm to grabbing you.  Beautiful.

This SSSS move can be used against Bullies, also.  Since we are talking about a bully, though, let’s take it down a notch and bypass the deadly eye gouge.    If you are the intended victim of a bully and the creep grabs your shirt and starts twisting, simply Fake Compliance by holding your hands out in front of you, palms facing the bully as if pleading for mercy.  More likely than not, when you plead for him to let you go and wave your hands, he will start to pull you in.

Too bad for the bully.  As he is pulling you in – or, if he just stands there and continues to taunt you and refuses to heed your requests for “mercy” – drive one or both of your hands into his face and strike him as hard as you can with the heels of your palms.  Now that he is stunned, either escape the bully, or, if that is not possible, move in and attack his Center-Line Targets.

Center Line Targets include his nose, mouth, chin, chest, stomach, thighs, shins and feet.  

Until Next Time, Stay Safe.

Hammer

            HIGH-LILLY HIGH-LOW AND OTHER WINOLOGY PRINCIPLES

                IT IS DAMN near impossible to engineer a foolproof Fighting Arts System of self defense that will work every time against every imaginable attacker in every imaginable attack scenario.  Mater of fact, even if I could design such a system, I doubt seriously if I could or even would attempt to train it since the attack format can not be predicted.  I know I cannot predict it, but, more importantly, I know the predator himself cannot predict it. 

              SURE, the attacker, much like any predator, has a hunting plan – how to spot his victim, track and stalk his victim, and, just to make certain his prey is not going to be able to fight or run,  how to test his victim.  When and how to attack may mutate with how the intended prey reacts during any one of these stages.  Once the attack starts, everything goes at a ferocious pace, and, if you – the victim – isn’t prepared to stay in the fight regardless of the pace and ferocity of the attack, simply put, you are screwed Big Time.

              ONE THING for sure:  If you have not trained and practiced assiduously – meaning hundreds of repetitions in dozens if different scenarios, the techniques you learned and rehearsed (Martial Arts Kadas) against the myriad of attack possibilities are likely going to fail you.  What always works, though, are what I call Timeless Principles. 

             Timeless Principles (of the Fighting Arts) cross all the variegated situation you might be confronted with in an all out fight for your life.  I can’t guarantee success, but these Winology (the art science of winning in combat situations) Principles, each of which is simple, easy to do, and are always heavy with time-proven truth.

GREAT WINOLOGY PRINCIPLES OF SELF DEFENSE.

• THE PRINCIPLE OF HIGH-LOW AND VICE VERSA.  Or as I call it in my SD For Women classes:  High-Lilly, High-Low.  This timeless Winology Principle simply suggests that when the Bad Guy attacks you high, all his targets will be open low.  Therefore, the attacker wades in striking at your face; block and counter-attack him low.
• HIT SECONDARY TARGETS TO OPEN UP PRIMARY TARGETS.  Winology suggests that the Bad Guy can only possible block 3 of his targets at any one time, meaning, if you stay focused, you must find easy-to-hit targets.  Hit secondary targets to open up the High-value Primary Targets that will stop him from seeing (eyes). Breathing (throat). Moving (groin).  Targets that will take away his fighting spirit (stomach, nose) and his ability to stand (knees).
• IGNORE THE EMOTIONAL STATE OF MIND AND CONCENTRATE ON THE TASK AT HAND.  Accept that you are scared.  It is natural.  Focus instead on the task of hitting open targets, moving, breathing and thinking.
• THANK YOU FOR GRABBING ME THERE.  This principle actually celebrates the occasion of the Bad Grab grabbing his victim.  Dave Guglielmi, one of my self defense co=trainers, would actually say “Thank you” before destroying the attacker who had just grabbed him.  Why?  Once you are grabbed, several good things happen. 

Ø     If the attacker grabs you with two-hands, you now are aware that he can no longer block or strike with either hand.  All of his targets are open.

Ø     If he grabs you with one hand, you know that he cannot both block and strike with his free hand.  Almost all of his targets are open.

Ø     When he grabs you, you now are free to trap the Bad Guy’s hand to you.  You can strike various vulnerable parts of the hands, fingers, wrist and forearm, and/or move that hand and arm in a direction it was not meant to be moved.

• EXPECT TO BE HIT, CUT, OR SHOT.  The Bad Guy knows how to dispirit and defeat you almost before the fight begins.  He knows most easy victims have a plan until they are hit.  Worse, many attackers are triggered into escalated violence when their victim cries, begs for mercy or just freezes in place after First Touch.  Remember that Self Defense Is not an Injury-Free Activity.  When you are trying to fight off an attacker, expect to be hit, maybe even cut or shot.  Shake it off, if you can.  Most likely, if you realize you have been punched, cut, or even shot, you can and will survive it.  Tell yourself, Hey, look at me, I’ve been punched and I’m still in the fight.”  Now, go out and win the damn fight!

Stay Safe.

Hammer

The Fighting Arts for Women – Target-Focused Survival.

You might not know much about survival stress, but, for the sake of brevity, let me just say that once you are attacked from close quarters – especially a spontaneous, surprise attack – your SNS (Sympathetic Nervous System) will flood your entire system with stress hormones, which, again to keep it brief, will pretty much shut down your ability to think exactly when you need to think and act as well and as quickly as possible.

Assuming you are not preparing yourself to respond quickly (fight) every time you answer your door; every time you turn a blind corner; every time you get into or go out of your car; every time you walk down a darkened street where escape routes and barricades are few and far between you need to rely on Principles of the Fighting Arts. Principles are great because they are designed to serve you well no matter what the circumstance.

TIME PROVEN AND RELIABLE PRINCIPLES.

1. Breathe Tactically Upon First Touch (understand that 9 out of 10 victims freeze when first touched and understand that you require oxygenated blood flowing to your brain to act).
2. Use First Touch as a Trigger to Explode Into Action.
3. Always Look For Open Targets and Hit Them Hard and Hit Them Often.
· There are other key principles, but let’s focus on this principle.
· Assuming you are not training hard in the Fighting Arts, you must rely on your eyes Many victims close their eyes and just flail away in a slapping motion. Please resist this urge. Keep your eyes open, keep breathing, and become—
· Task Oriented. You can do this. You must do this. Seeking out Primary and Secondary Targets is within your power, no matter how much stress you are under. If the Bad Guy has both your arms under control, ask yourself If he’s using both hands, well, heck, what targets can he be blocking? The answer: Zero! A Bad Guy can only block two or three possible targets at any one time.
· STAY FOCUSED. There may be times when the Bad Guy has your striking levers tied up, but, if you stay focused and take your punishment for a while, one or more of the following targets will open up. Wait, keep breathing,.

TARGETS.

Ø Eyes.
Ø Throat.
Ø Groin.
Ø Knees.
Ø Nose.
Ø Ears.
Ø Temple.
Ø Back of Head.
Ø Chin (at the hinge).
Ø Sides of Neck (Brachial Plexus Nerve Motor Point).
Ø Jugular Notch (just below Adam’s Apple).
Ø Clavicles (easily assesses and easily broken).
Ø Forearms.
Ø Wrists.
Ø Top of Hands.
Ø Fingers (twisted/broken).
Ø Stomach.
Ø Obliques (Pinch the “love handles” when the Bad Guy grabs you from behind).
Ø Kidneys.
Ø Insides and outsides of thighs (Femoral Nerve Motor Point and Common Peroneal Nerve Motor Point).
Ø Back of Legs (Tibial Nerve Motor Point).
Ø Upper, middle and lower shins (Superficial Peroneal Nerve Motor Point).
Ø Top of feet.

I might have missed one or two. Fact is, as you can see, there are a bajillion targets you can hit. Hit a target well and other will open up.

Good Luck. Stay Safe. Until Next Time.

Hammer
Peroneal Nerve Motor Point).
Ø Top of feet.

I might have missed one or two. Fact is, as you can see, there are a bajillion targets you can hit. Hit a target well and other will open up.

Good Luck. Stay Safe. Until Next Time.

Hammer

WHEN it comes to stopping a stalker, making him or her gone, it is best to cut your losses and make the stalker disappear out of your life at the earliest possible moment following the realization that you are dealing with one in the first place.  You might be thinking easier said than done, but, hell, Dog, it doesn’t seem to me you have any choice, unless, that is, you feel like being harassed and eventually vandalized, assaulted, maybe even killed.  No brainer, far as I’m concerned,  If you agree, read on:

First of all, some pithy and prophetic axioms of stalking:

·        Men who can’t let go chose women who can’t say no.

·        The nicer the rejection, the more the stalker will interpret it as affection.

·        The best way to stop contact with a stalker is to stop contact with a stalker.

Secondly, how about a few Stalker Danger Signs:

·        Stalker will research his/her victim early.  An example of this might be the stalker asking others at a party questions about the eventual victim.

·        Stalker is overly invested.  An example of this might be meeting a man or woman and the same night receiving three or four messages from him/her.

·        Refusal to accept “no.”  The stalker will negotiate and argue when his/her victim says he or she is not interested.

·        Hyper-Attentiveness.

·        Early on the victim feels uncomfortable about the stalker and his/her actions, mind set, etc.

·        Early on, stalker offers unsolicited help.  Tries to get self invested in victim’s life.

·        Stalker projects emotions, feelings, actions ON TO THE VICTIM that are not present.

·        Stalker romances victim at a mind-numbing whirlwind pace.

·        Stalker monitors victim’s activities, whereabouts, etc.

·        Hyper-Jealousy.

·        Isolates victim from family and friends.

·        Refusal to hear “no!”

SUGGESTIONS FOR STOPPING THE STALKER:

1.        Contact police or trusted authority figure ASAP.

2.        MAKE REJECTION FINAL!

3.        Make it clear that you are breaking it off because of his/her actions, not because of another suitor/you just want to be friends because you are not ready/whatever.  Again:  You do not want to see the stalker because of his or her actions!

________________________________________________ ______________________________________

Hammer Note: Maybe a little insight into the way a stalker thinks will help here:  If you say, “I’m sorry, Betty/Bruce, but I don’t think we should see each other any more.  I met a man/woman at work and we just fell in love.  I didn’t want it to happen, but it did—“ Trust me, the stalker will immediately think:  Ok.  Fine.  All I have to do is make this new guy simply disappear and she will be mine, all mine!  Again.  It has to be cold and it has to be final!

______________________________________________________________ _________________________

4.        If the above 3 tactics fail, make it tougher for the stalker to contact you, to track you.  Change your phone numbers.  Leave work at different times.  Change your patterns.

5.        After you break it off, and he calls – and, believe me, he or she will call – do not answer his calls and do not return his or her messages, no matter how many times he or she calls.  If, after the 300^th phone call, you finally pick up the phone and say “Gees, Chuck, how many times I have to tell you not to call me any more?”  the only thing that will register is that you answered his/her call.  The stalker will not hear the secondary rejection.  He now knows your initial rejection was insincere, and, also, it will take 300 phone calls to get through to you.

6.        Document everything and work with police.

WHAT ABOUT A PFA OR A RESTRAINING ORDER.  For the serious stalker who has made a very large personal and emotional investment in you, he or she is hooked, addicted to you.  Sadly, this route will probably not work.  As a matter of fact, this kind of control freak can become seriously deadly when his or her victim obtains a PFA or Restraining Order.

What About Asking A Friend To Confront the Stalker.  Have Him or Her Warn Him To Stop?  The idiotic, brain-damaged stalker wil interpret this action as a sign that his girlfiend is conflicted; otherwise, he will think, she qwould have told me herself.  And the police cannot intervene at this point either because he has broken no laws.

Until Next time, Stay Safe.

Hammer

Action Against Violence
February 15, 2009

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND STALKING

ACCORDING To the Violence Against Women Grants Office’s 2ND Annual Report to Congress (circa 2000), “survey results indicate that stalking is a much bigger problem than previously assumed.” Well, about 10 years later, we now know how serious stalking is.

STALKING IS (as defined by most states) “the willful, malicious, and repeated following and harassing of another person” Some states throw in activities such as lying in wait, surveillance, nonconsensual communications, telephone harassment, and vandalism. Moreover, stalking usually requires a “course of conduct directed at a specific person that involves repeated – two or more – visual or physical proximity, nonconsensual communications, verbal, written, or implied threats, or a combination thereof—-causing the person to feel a high level of fear or bodily harm.”

THE SURVEY FOUND that 8% of all women and 2.2% of all men surveyed were stalked at least once in their lifetime. Thirty-eight per cent of stalking victims included wives; 10% were partners; 14% were stalked after a date or a few dates; 4% were relatives; 19% were female acquaintances (34% were male acquaintances); and 23% of women were stalked by a male stranger. Interestingly, 36% of males reported being stalked by a female stranger.

THE REPORT goes on to outline victim service providers and how they can be expected to increase their outreach to stalking victims to help these victims, assist police and prosecutors in building stalking cases, etc. I suggest, if you are a victim of stalking, that you take it seriously – I don’t have the statistics in front of me, but, believe me, if not fractured early, there is a geometric progression of aggression in the Stalker’s Cycle. Law enforcement, the Courts and the Criminal Justice System itself – along with these victim outreach program can and will help to break that vicious cycle and get you back to a normal and safe life.

BUT I MUST WARN you, the criminal justice system can get the job done, if what you want is your stalker to be targeted, intervened upon, arrested and prosecuted. And for 97-98% of the cases, if you follow through all the way until sentencing (and beyond – when he or she is released on parole or probation, even), you’ll get your wish. Of course, if you’ve done the math, you might be asking me right now, “Uhh, Hammer, that’s lovely, but, that still leave 2 to 3% of the stalkers out there that a PFA (Protection From Abuse) Order and Criminal Justice intervention won’t stop. What works with them, and who the heck are these “3-Percenters, anyway?”

Next Two Posts: The 3 Percenters and How To Stop Him (Her). Until then, Stay Safe.
Hammer

ACTION AGAINST VIOLENCE

January 21, 2009

SUPER SECRET SELF DEFENSE STUFF – The Highway To Heaven.

According to Tim Larkin, the founder of Target Focused Training,” there are over 170 viable targets on the body that can cause a predictable response when a trauma is delivered to a target.”  Larkin goes on to say that the “key principle is to cause a spinal reflex reaction (an involuntary or automatic response).” 

The spinal reflex reaction (SRR) is a key to successful self defense, especially when it’s executed by a smaller, weaker fighter.  The SRR is a Game Changer, baby. 

So, in my next few posts I will talk with you about a few attack countermeasures that are virtually unknown to the average person, but, even if you are a small inexperienced fighter and not a BPH (Big Power Hitter), if you hit the target, you can change the game – Big Time.   

SUPER SECRET SELF DEFENSE SHIT NUMBER 1:  The Brachial Plexus Origin and the Highway To Heaven.

A quick intro to the Brachial Plexus Origin Nerve Motor Point, It is formed by many nerve fibers stemming from the vertebrae in the neck.  These nerves meet at the side of the neck, approximately three inches from the base.  This nerve pressure point is located on both sides of the neck, each of which are in close proximity to the brain, so hard, accurate strikes can immediately do two crucial things that can change a fight in your favor:

1. Change the attacker’s “channel.”  This is cool, Dog.  The attacker’s brain is on, let’s say, channel 6, his favorite station.  Everything is pretty cool on 6; things are going his way, you are back peddling, he has his script intact, and he is pulling you closer, because on 6, the script reads that he pulls you in, knocks you silly with one more punch, and, once you are knocked out, he will drag you into an alley, rape you, rob you, and—-Whop, Whop—two quick strikes to the side of the neck by the smaller, weaker victim, and now he is on channel 22, and things ain’t going so hot now.  The strikes have not only surprised him, but, more importantly, they have distracted him by changing his thought process, or channel.

      When  the Bad Guy’s thought  process changes it shatters the connection between his brain and his motor functions, thereby weakening him.

1. Stuns the Bad Guy.  While the Distraction I talked about above lasts less than 3 seconds, a Stun will weaken and/or stop the attacker for 3 to 7 seconds.  Why?  Because we are talking stimulation of overwhelming input that is sudden, intense, and unexpected. 

Think of it:  a strike to an always open, vulnerable and easy to access target that can give you anywhere from 2 to 7 seconds to hit other targets that will definitely open up.  Or, in extreme cases, just walk away unharmed.  Where is this magical mystery land?

Take your thumb and run it down from your ear lobe onto the side of your neck.  You will feel a tight cord running vertically toward your shoulder.  Now, press horizontally with your thumb, straight across your neck.  Press fairly hard.  Feel anything?  Indeed.

Consider striking the Brachial Plexus forcefully with your hand or arm and you have a considerable Game Changer here.

This target is perfect for the (intended) victim of an attack where the Bad Guy pulls you in close.  Think about this, Hammer Fans:  The sides of the neck are located at the end of each shoulder, making each a cinch to locate.  Once the Bad Guy pulls you in, wait for your opportunity and drive your strikes into the side(s) of the neck with the Heel of your Palm; Back of your Hand; Inside of your Forearm; and Back of your Forearm.  Use the torque of your hips to add power and aim through the target to the other side (never just hit and bounce off).  Think of the shoulders as The Highway To Heaven.  No matter what you do, if you use the shoulder as a map, you will always find gold at the end of it.

When I train law enforcement officers in the Brachial Plexus Stun I limit them to the use of the hands and the forearms, cautioning them against striking with the bony part of their hands, wrists, etc. because striking with the ridge of the hands, et al can cause chipping of the cervical vertebrae.  However, in a self defense situation when you are the victim of an unprovoked attack from close quarters with unimaginable consequences for failing to defend yourself, anything goes, Baby!  You have a cell phone in your hand, drive the hardest end of it into the target.  Use your fists; clasp both hands together and drive both into the target.

One caveat here:  I have been knockled out by good Brachial Plexus stuns during hand-to-hand training session.  Indeed, I have knocked out Bad Guys in real life with it.  But, if not delivered forcefully and using the Fluid Shockwave Principle (described in past posts), the strike may be ineffective unless followed up with other strikes, etc.  It is best that you consult a self defense instructor re this technique and learn it through real hand-to-hand training.

Whatever gets you home safely.  Next Post:  More Super Secret Self Defense Shit.  Until then, stay safe.

Hammer

In my last post we talked about a predictable, reoccuring 4-Stage Cycle of Domestic Violence..  Today I thought we could talk a bit about what a victim of DV can do if (he or) she finally decides, Okay, Asshole, enough is enough!

Before we get into that, though, we should emphatically point out that making that decision to fight back is a seminal point in turning the tide against being a victim.  It is no easy decision and it might require a change in how you think about yourself, your spouse, marriage as an institution, the criminal justice system, your mores, et al.  I could write all day about that, but, for now, we need to think about what you can do if faced with an irate spouse striding toward you with that maniacal look on his face, his fist clenched, his mind at ease with that feeling of entitlement that assures him that you deserve an ass whipping and he has been anointed as just the man to do it!

Step 1.  SPONTANEOUS SELF DEFENSE.  Rare is the woman who gets assaulted on her first date with a guy and who continues to date the jerk.  Even the most committed asshole (excuse my language, please, but you have to admit, any man who is a committed woman-beater also is a total asshole) understands that you have to earn your victim’s trust and admiration before you put your foot in her ass.  At some point, however, once the clod knows you are under his power, he will exercise control, start interrogating you, and, when your answer displeases him, will bitch slap you senseless.  After the initial slap the beatings will get worse and worse, usually ending in hospitalization, sometimes your death.  Don’t allow the attacks to proceed beyond the initial slap, I say.  I know it is easier said than done, but, hell, I never said it would be easy.  I don’t care if you are dating seriously or married, respond to the initial attack as if you were attacked by a stranger.  Block the punch, if possible, but (I know this will be tough after the initial shock of being struck, but gather yourself) put up your hands, establish a good, balanced fighting stance, take a deep breath, move your feet and gain some distance, and verbally tell him to Stay Back!  If he steps in and re-attacks, follow what I have advocated in all my Self Defense For Women postings to date.  If he assaults you, please consider filing charges and following through with them!  If you read the previous post, you can predict he will apologize and try to court you all over again.  Resist this.

Step 1.  STOPPING THE HABITUAL ATTACKER.  Okay, you have been attacked before by your partner.  Maybe you have tried to use the Criminal Justice System, but either found out that a Protection From Abuse (PFA) Order is often the trigger for many pathological woman-beaters escalating the violence and intensity of their attacks, or, like many, you did not follow-through.  Thank God, though.  You have finally decided once and for all to fight back. 

• Physically Fighting Back Should Be a Last Resort.  Before you use hands, feet, or weapons to defend yourself, consider other options, such as:

Ø     Counseling and/or shelter from one of the many support groups for women.

Ø     Filing charges with a magistrate.

Ø     Contacting his parole/probation officer, if applicable.

Ø     Talk with family, friends, gain a support system, and

Ø     Get Out Of Dodge!

• Recognize the Signs and Prepare.  I am not talking about preparing for a fight so much as getting your mind right for self defense.  For whatever reason, you cannot leave the house, so you decide that you must protect yourself and your children because Domestic Violence is usually generalized.  Children, pets, furniture all get damaged.  Spinal tune your mind and body to breathe, move, concentrate on targets, that you will energize yourself beyond the initial fear. 
• Absolute Commitment To Survival.  If you have to confront him about anything; if you decide to move out while he is there, make sure you have a capable friend or family member with you.  Once you recognize the fact that your intimate is a habitual abuser, do not try anything provocative without someone with you.  Have an exit strategy, if things go bad.  But, if it comes down to a fight, mentally and emotionally consider your intimate partner as The Enemy!  When you planned ahead you strategically placed improvised and/or real weapons (per se) around the house; you planned how to use barricades in the environment  (furniture, doors, etc) to put distance between you and your enemy, but, most importantly, you determined that you would fight without emotional or psychological second thoughts.
• Target Focused Attack.  Notice I am not saying Target Focused Counterattack.  Once he threatens you with harm and takes a step toward you with that look of destruction on his face and his fist raised, take the fight to him.  Set him back on his heels and do not stop until you can safely escape.  As far as what to do and how to do it, either look back at my  previous postings, many of which aptly describe what to do and how to do it, or take a good self defense course. 
• Be Willing.  Or, better than any self defense course or blog site, decide to do it, damn it.  I have no doubt that being willing to do what you have to is far more important than having the skills to be able to defend yourself.  It doesn’t take a lot of training to be able to hit the following targets with the following  personal weapons:, especially when most of his targets are open and he does not expect to be attacked!
• BEST TARGETS (Targets that, when hit ,  will temporarily disable the attacker).

Ø     Eyes.  Thumb, fingers.

Ø     Groin.  Heel of the palm; Knee; Foot; Shin.  Elbow or Heel of Foot while on the ground. Reverse Hammer Fist if he is directly behind you.

Ø     Throat.  Thumb and first 2 fingers joined in a Beak Strike; Ridge of Hand; Web of hand; Elbow.

Ø     Knees.  Side of foot; Heel of Foot; Hammer Fist or Palm Heel Strike from ground.

Ø     Nose:    Hammer Fist; Head Butt; Palm heel Strike.

Ø     Chin and Eyes Together:  Ascending Palm Heel Strike through the Blind Zone (upward from the chest to the chin) into the chin or nose.  Drive the chin up and try to knock hisa head off his shoulders while opening up the fingers and gouging the eyes.

Ø     Element Of Surprise.  In a situation where your intimate has you by the shirt, neck, hands, arms, hair, or is close and is about to pound you, keep your brain working through the fear and concentrate on both open targets and the element of surprise.  Not easy to do, but you are about to get hurt bad, so tough it out:

1.       Hands Up and Beg for him not to hurt you.  Then, use the open hands to drive a surprise Palm Heel Strike into a target.  Remember, if he has you by one hand and the other is raised,  all targets have to be open!

2.       Hands Up and Beg:  Drive an elbow into an open face-target and follow witha Reverse Elbow.  Follow that up with whatever personal weapon you wish to whatever target opens up.

STAY SAFE.

HAMMER

 A recent National Crime Victim Survey showed that of the more than 2,000,000 reported incidents of crime victimization among intimates, women suffered more than 1,540,000 violent victimizations compared with the approximately 150,000 incidents experienced by men.  No Brainer Hammer-conclusion:  For both fatal and non-fatal violence, women are at a far greater risk than men of being victimized by an intimate! 

Need further evidence?  What about this?  In 2005, well over 1/4 of all women murdered in this country were put in the ground by their loving husbands or boyfriends, according to the F.B.I.

I was a state parole officer for years and I, like all law enforcement people, came face-to-face with what we called The Ever-Loving/Ever-Dying Vicious Cycle Of Love.  At least that’s what I called this inexorable self perpetuating Cycle of Domestic Violence.  Many of the victims couldn’t name what violent vortex they were in.  They just knew they were inside something that kept happening over and over, something bigger than themselves, something too many of them only escaped through my intervention – when I put their Old men behind bars – or, sadly, through death.

I am liberating this Ever Loving/Ever Dying Cycle because maybe one or two of my readers can recognize something they are caught up in now and do whatever they can to break the cycle.  Or, mayhap you will someday see this cycle beginning and escape from it before it is too late.

STAGE 1.  TENSION BUILDS.

Time has passed in this relationship and things are not going well.  Your man has become more and more controlling. More and more abusive.  He has already struck you once or twice.  Maybe it was when you came home late from work.  He always interrogates you about your friends, where you go.  The tension has built and built between the two of you.  There is no romance, no flowers, no going out at all.  You have stopped making love.  As the tension builds you know that it is only a matter of time before he beats you again.  Finally, unable to take the tension, you force his hand by challenging him, calling him an ugly name.  It is like:  I know he is going to beat me, so let’s get it over with.

STAGE 2.  VICTIM RAGE.

Prophesy fulfilled.  You get your beating and this time it seems worse than ever before and his rage lasts longer.  You are pretty hurt and feel what is natural and right.  You feel rage and something else.  Shame.  This is it, you tell yourself and you call the police, or the asshole’s parole agent.  You demand action.  And, like in Stage 1, you get what you ask for.  Your man is locked up.

STAGE 3.  LOVE RETURNS.

Your man calls and writes from prison.  When he can’t contact you, his friends and family do.  He is sorry.  He thinks only of you now as his hearing or trial nears.  He sends you flowers.  Candy.  It has been so long since you have heard those words, those promises.  At first and even at second, you reject him.  Scold him.  But now he keeps calling, and he says that he never would have struck you if it weren’t for those terrible, nasty words you chided him with that day he struck you, kicked you, pistol whipped you, cut you up so badly.  Friends and family reiterate that it, after all, was your words that drove him insane that day.  Only you have the power over him to affect him that way.  After all, he loves you.  Guilt, shame and self loathing start to take hold and you are a victim once again, although you see yourself now as the victimizer.  In the end you realize that maybe you can use his remorse as a way to rekindle the love and the passion—

STAGE 4.  BACK TOGETHER.

If you have any connection to the Criminal Justice System, you already know the rest of the story.  She/You either refuse to follow through by testifying at the Parole/Probation Hearing, or magisterial court.  You drop the PFA.  He is back home, and, just like you hoped, he is more attentive, more responsive than ever before.  You know that this is the way it is going to be forever——

ERR.  OR NOT.  Empirical studies, but more importantly, my 34 years of experience tells me that in time the cycle must and will repeat itself.  It is a self fulfilling prophecy, more or less.  Not only that, the Tension Building Stage will build and erupt quicker each time the cycle is repeated.  In time, actually, there will hardly be that stage.  It will get to the point that the woman will come home late and will be too slow in her explanation regarding why and she will be attacked.  What’s more, the attacks will escalate in violence until there will be no follow-up stages. 

No tension required.  Until death or jail intervenes.

Stay Safe.

Hammer

I’VE BEEN OUT OF TOWN to beach towns in Jersey and Maryland the last 10 days or so..  Since it was Bike Week in both towns, I ran into several cops I have both trained and worked with and we shot the bull over more than a few beers in more than a few bars.  After a while the discussions usually turned to law enforcement, asshole-bad guys and training, in that order.

INVARIABLY, however, whenever I talked about self defense training I was confronted by what I call the Never-Never Land of Self Defense Training.  What I mean by that is the conventional attitude of many, if not most, of the trainers I have worked with, even studied.  That being when I discuss some of the surprise and unconventional Attack Countermeasures (Fighting Arts) I teach, what I always get is Man, I would never, ever teach a student, especially a woman or kid, to do that!

JUST TO BE CLEAR, this is not an isolated phenomenon.  It happens all the time, even with well respected use of force instructors.  And, not only that, more often than not, these misguided souls with scary, closed-in minds not only go directly to Never-Never Land, but look at me as if I suggested improving students’ footwork by teaching the Electric Slide.

ERR, HOLD THE PHONE.  Now that I think about it,  I did put a coed self defense class of college students through a rendition of the Electric Slide to teach the concept of perpetual movement, or at least not cementing oneself to the ground during a fight.  So, mayhap I am a nut boy.  Personally, I don’t think so, but you can be the judge.  The important thing you probably are asking yourself right now, though, is exactly why is this important to me?  What can I take from this Never Land Principle that may help me survive a violent attack?

THE NEVER LAND PRINCIPLE, simply put, teaches this:  There is no such things as NEVER (or, for that matter, ALWAYS) in the world of self defense!  Trust me on this.  There are an infinite number of methods, techniques and/or moves that will work for you against even the strongest and most determined attacker.  And many of these moves are on the Never Land List of way too many trainers, meaning these instructors will adamantly tell you never, ever—-

·         Get too close to the attacker, or allow him to get too close to you.

·         Purposely go to the ground or allow the Bad Guy to take you to the ground.

·         Appear weak, beg for your life or mercy..

·         Be caught in a situation where one or both hands are holding one or more objects.

·         Comply with a aggressor’s sexual advances.

 SCREW THE CONVENTIONAL, I say. After all there is no blueprint for winning a fight for your life.  Even if there were, the attacker has his own blueprint or strategy, so any dogmatic script you may be working off of will be worthless anyway.  There are just too many variables in an attack scenario. Conventional Wisdom says Expect the Unexpected; I say, Ok, but let’s go another step further and Do the Unexpected.  Doing the unexpected can be anything that comes to your innovative brain, which is capable of coming up with some great moves in order to escape and evade danger, including:

·         When the Bad Guy grabs you and starts pulling you toward him and he is obviously stronger than you, use his superior strength to propel you into his Center Line (vulnerable) targets.  Obeying the conventional wisdom to maintain maximum distance can and usually will get you hurt pretty damned bad.

·         When the attacker is pulling you with both hands toward him and his Center of Gravity is leaning toward you, drop all your weight to the ground suddenly, making certain to keep hold of his hands.  Oftentimes this move will cause the Bad Guy to flip forward off balance.  Conventional wisdom says always maintain a standing position; and I usually agree.  It’s just that sometimes going to the ground is your best move.  There is a good chance you will be assaulted while on the ground, but here all you are trying to do is buy some time and maybe disrupt the Bad Guy’s strategy.  Break up his Fantasy Script.   Besides, as I have said so many times:  Self Defense is not an injury free activity.

·         There are many escapes from the ground, many of which I have talked about in previous posts, but one that drives every “expert” I know totally nuts is the Drop, Lock and Roll.  This move is based on the understanding that predators who attack women, children and even senior citizens want more than anything to hit quick, disable the victim with blinding speed and get him or her out of that initial crime scene quickly.  The Drop, Lock and Roll, then, is designed to delay the Bad Guy and frustrate him until he breaks off the attack.  Here the intended victim drops quickly to the ground and attains a basic Ground Defense Position (feet poised to strike, hands up, head off the deck).  When the Bad Guy approaches, the intended victim can strike the attacker with his or her feet, or, can hook his or her feet around one of the Bad Guy’s shins and then can roll on his or her back until he or she can wrap both hands around the opposite leg, making certain to keep the head down and close to the legs to minimize the Bad Guy’s ability to pummel.  This move is based on an instinctive (untrained) tactic  a woman who was being abducted used to save herself.  She had been beaten badly, was close to unconsciousness, and had nearly lost hope.  But the predator loosened his grip on her as he was unlocking the van door and she was able to reach out and grab a nearby telephone pole.  As the predator screamed at her and beat her she hugged the pole even tighter and then slid down the pole until she could lock into it with both legs.  The attacker beat the woman and pulled her hair but she refused to let go.  Finally, the miscreant, fearful of police or a witness coming by, drove off, leaving the woman hugging the pole, injured and bleeding, but alive,.

·         I’ve rambled on too much here; and for that I apologize.  There are many more ways to do the unexpected, but I have overstayed my welcome, I’m afraid.  To be brief, though, let me flash a few more innovative countermeasures here, including: an intended victim who finds him or herself in a jam doing the following:

Ø      Pretend to beg for mercy with his/her hands in the “surrender position (hands face high, palms facing out, shaking them),” and when the Bad Guy moves in, Wham.  The Surrender Stance is the perfect surprise stance for a series of hard palm heel strikes to the face.

Ø      Caught with your cell phone in your hand by a nasty attacker?  The cell phone is the perfect improvised weapon for a quick strike up through the Blind Spot (from the Bad Guy’s chest to his nose) into the throat.  Be sure to hold the cell phone in low profile to enhance the surprise.

Ø      The guy is drunk and nasty; he is threatening your life and he won’t take “no” for an answer.  Instead of trying to fight your way free of the nimrod, allow him to pull you close.  Lay your inside hand on his opposite shoulder, and, when he least expects it, lock your fingers inside his jaw bone to prevent him from escaping, and drive your thumb into his eye.  Caution:  An Eye Gouge has several degrees – from a slight eye scratch to blinding the victim.  Either way, refrain from using this serious move unless you are fairly sure the Bad Guy means you harm.

Stay Safe.

Hammer