Defense Against Same Side Wrist Grabs
In many martial arts styles "self defense" and even "escape" techniques are taught in addition to punching and kicking.
This is, of course, a good thing.
However the way they are generally presented seems to leave much to be desired in terms of real world use.
Realize that the author is very much aware that there are some martial arts schools and instructors who incorporate the philosophy and observations presented here into their programs.
They are, however, not in the majority from what we have seen.
Admittedly a beginning level student can only absorb, learn or deal with a very limited amount of information, especially when that information involves mental and physical activity which must be properly combined and coordinated in a way where timing, distancing, etc.
, is important.
From observing martial arts schools, martial art students, videos and other sources there seems to be some vital and pretty basic information missing or perhaps overlooked in the way some of these techniques are typically taught.
Possibly this is because a great many (too many) instructors simply teach what they were taught the same way they were taught and never bother to venture "outside the box".
("Outside the box" simply means questioning what you see and possibly know, looking at it from a real world or at least a somewhat different perspective and trying to determine whether or not that particular technique really has merit and if so in what context.
There are a great number of dynamic and impressive demonstration techniques that will "wow" an audience but which will very likely not work in a real life "street" confrontation.
It is important to be aware of the difference.
) Let's take a simple wrist grab escape technique as an example.
Understand that this is an excellent, time proven way to teach certain techniques and I am all for it.
However herein lies the problem as this author sees it: We'll start with what is usually called a "same side wrist grab".
Somebody facing you grabs your right wrist with their left hand.
You are taught several ways to get out of that grab and later you are taught ways to implement painful or debilitating joint locking techniques and other "defenses" to disable or discourage the person who grabbed your wrist in the first place.
Did anyone ever suggest to you why a person would grab your wrist that way in the first place? And why he would just hold on to your wrist and let you do a technique? The reality of it is that generally a person would grab that wrist either to pull you toward him or pull you somewhere (due to basic body mechanics pushing is generally not an option in this situation) or, more likely, to enable him to punch you with his non-grabbing hand.
By the same token, in real life it is doubtful that you will just stand there when you are grabbed this way.
Real world situations are dynamic, not static.
Early training can and should be static as a learning tool but it should not stay that way unless the goal is "show and tell" or, as some of us call it "flash and trash".
Consider this as a small bite of "food for thought"..
...
Your wrist is grabbed and the person grabbing you is starting to yank you into a punch to your face with his free (non grabbing) hand.
Due to your training you instantly start doing a release maneuver to loosen or free yourself from his grip and then execute a painful joint lock technique.
From the time you are grabbed it will take much less than a second for the grabber's punch to land squarely on your jaw.
You will generally have turned your head looking at the grabbing hand so your jaw is pretty well exposed.
How long will it take you to loosen the guy's grip and execute your technique? In an unexpected situation it might well take more than a second for you to actually realize what is going on, much less execute a release or a technique or even try to block the oncoming punch with your other hand.
Something to think about, isn't it? OK.
For now, here's the message: Undoubtedly your training in escape from various wrist grabs and follow up execution of joint locks and all the rest has been excellent and it works in the martial arts school environment.
Have you ever practiced these in a simulated real life dynamic situation where the aggressor grabbed you suddenly and unexpectedly and jerked you around violently? If you are honest, the answer will most likely be "No".
There is a lot more to this than can be covered here but simplistically stated, you need to develop an automatic, instinctive insight that if you are grabbed this way a punch will most likely be coming and it will most likely be coming at your face.
Blocking the punch (we all know many punch blocking techniques) is one way to handle it, i.
e.
, blocking or deflecting the oncoming punch with your free hand.
This, however, only stops or deflects the punch itself and the aggressor can quickly and easily "re-set" and punch again (or worse) while pulling you in deeper with his grabbing hand.
A more effective method is what we call the "punch stop".
Essentially you do a palm heel strike or even a punch with your fist directly to the shoulder area of his punching arm.
This totally disrupts his physiology or body mechanics, balance and, more importantly, messes a little with his mindset.
Deflecting his punch is easy for him to deal with because it is likely a situation he anticipated might happen.
Disrupting his body's motion, balance, etc.
, with the "punch stop" will short circuit his subconscious thought process for at least part of a second which will give you plenty of time to escape or counter attack.
Give it a try..
..
it works! Dan Rank 2011
This is, of course, a good thing.
However the way they are generally presented seems to leave much to be desired in terms of real world use.
Realize that the author is very much aware that there are some martial arts schools and instructors who incorporate the philosophy and observations presented here into their programs.
They are, however, not in the majority from what we have seen.
Admittedly a beginning level student can only absorb, learn or deal with a very limited amount of information, especially when that information involves mental and physical activity which must be properly combined and coordinated in a way where timing, distancing, etc.
, is important.
From observing martial arts schools, martial art students, videos and other sources there seems to be some vital and pretty basic information missing or perhaps overlooked in the way some of these techniques are typically taught.
Possibly this is because a great many (too many) instructors simply teach what they were taught the same way they were taught and never bother to venture "outside the box".
("Outside the box" simply means questioning what you see and possibly know, looking at it from a real world or at least a somewhat different perspective and trying to determine whether or not that particular technique really has merit and if so in what context.
There are a great number of dynamic and impressive demonstration techniques that will "wow" an audience but which will very likely not work in a real life "street" confrontation.
It is important to be aware of the difference.
) Let's take a simple wrist grab escape technique as an example.
Understand that this is an excellent, time proven way to teach certain techniques and I am all for it.
However herein lies the problem as this author sees it: We'll start with what is usually called a "same side wrist grab".
Somebody facing you grabs your right wrist with their left hand.
You are taught several ways to get out of that grab and later you are taught ways to implement painful or debilitating joint locking techniques and other "defenses" to disable or discourage the person who grabbed your wrist in the first place.
Did anyone ever suggest to you why a person would grab your wrist that way in the first place? And why he would just hold on to your wrist and let you do a technique? The reality of it is that generally a person would grab that wrist either to pull you toward him or pull you somewhere (due to basic body mechanics pushing is generally not an option in this situation) or, more likely, to enable him to punch you with his non-grabbing hand.
By the same token, in real life it is doubtful that you will just stand there when you are grabbed this way.
Real world situations are dynamic, not static.
Early training can and should be static as a learning tool but it should not stay that way unless the goal is "show and tell" or, as some of us call it "flash and trash".
Consider this as a small bite of "food for thought"..
...
Your wrist is grabbed and the person grabbing you is starting to yank you into a punch to your face with his free (non grabbing) hand.
Due to your training you instantly start doing a release maneuver to loosen or free yourself from his grip and then execute a painful joint lock technique.
From the time you are grabbed it will take much less than a second for the grabber's punch to land squarely on your jaw.
You will generally have turned your head looking at the grabbing hand so your jaw is pretty well exposed.
How long will it take you to loosen the guy's grip and execute your technique? In an unexpected situation it might well take more than a second for you to actually realize what is going on, much less execute a release or a technique or even try to block the oncoming punch with your other hand.
Something to think about, isn't it? OK.
For now, here's the message: Undoubtedly your training in escape from various wrist grabs and follow up execution of joint locks and all the rest has been excellent and it works in the martial arts school environment.
Have you ever practiced these in a simulated real life dynamic situation where the aggressor grabbed you suddenly and unexpectedly and jerked you around violently? If you are honest, the answer will most likely be "No".
There is a lot more to this than can be covered here but simplistically stated, you need to develop an automatic, instinctive insight that if you are grabbed this way a punch will most likely be coming and it will most likely be coming at your face.
Blocking the punch (we all know many punch blocking techniques) is one way to handle it, i.
e.
, blocking or deflecting the oncoming punch with your free hand.
This, however, only stops or deflects the punch itself and the aggressor can quickly and easily "re-set" and punch again (or worse) while pulling you in deeper with his grabbing hand.
A more effective method is what we call the "punch stop".
Essentially you do a palm heel strike or even a punch with your fist directly to the shoulder area of his punching arm.
This totally disrupts his physiology or body mechanics, balance and, more importantly, messes a little with his mindset.
Deflecting his punch is easy for him to deal with because it is likely a situation he anticipated might happen.
Disrupting his body's motion, balance, etc.
, with the "punch stop" will short circuit his subconscious thought process for at least part of a second which will give you plenty of time to escape or counter attack.
Give it a try..
..
it works! Dan Rank 2011
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