SAS Urban Survival Handbook (99 page)

PLEASE NOTE

It is impossible to cover every type of attack and recommend defence techniques to deal with them. The following will give you a clearer picture of the kinds of moves you must make—but no book is a real substitute for taking a self-defence course! Proper training will help you to learn how to channel and use anger—and control fear. You will also have to match the ruthlessness of an attacker.

INTO ACTION!

Don’t practise any of the following techniques until you have mastered the on-guard position. Start open-hand techniques with the hands up and open – pleading with the attacker to leave you alone. While this gives them a sense of power or false sense of security, your hands are where you need them – up and ready for the eye jab.

EYE JAB

Flick the hands forward—like a snake striking—extending the fingers. Aim for the eyes. DON’T draw your hand back before you attack. You don’t need much force, the eyes are such a delicate target.

Defence against the eye jab is to move the head to one side and to use an arm to parry (deflect) the thrust. ALWAYS parry a straight thrust.

CHIN JAB

Use the chin jab when your assailant has thrown a punch. An untrained person will take their arm back and swing the arm. Step into the swing and parry the blow with your forearm. If the attacker swings with the right hand, parry with your left. Stop the swing and jab upwards under the chin with the palm of your right hand (see
Palm strike
). Push right through the target, pushing the head back. If you are lucky your attacker will fall over backwards and hit the ground.

From this position you can raise a knee at the same time to strike the attacker in the groin and claw the eyes with the hand you have beneath the attacker’s chin.

If you miss the chin or the attacker is still standing, grab the hair at the back of the head and pull down hard.

If all these are done quickly, your attacker should go down. You should be able to deliver a chin jab with either hand.

ELBOW STRIKE

The elbow can deliver a considerable blow. With the hand held high in a ′pleading′ position an elbow can be lifted suddenly to catch the attacker beneath the chin. Practise this

movement so that you could use either elbow. The ′free′ hand must be kept up to counter any return blow.

BREAKING HOLDS/STRANGLES

NEVER get in a grappling match with your opponent—it becomes too difficult to use surprise and to strike effectively. Anyone who grabs you from the front usually brings their groin within range. Use your knee! If pulled towards them, you will not be able to get your balance to kick.

ELBOW LOCK

Turn your attacker’s hand (with both hands) so that the thumb is downward, locking the wrist at maximum rotation, and the elbow uppermost.

Bring your arm over the elbow and bear down—forcing the arm straight and locking the elbow joint. Exerting pressure now will hurt a lot and the attacker may be frightened that you will break their arm.

FRONT STRANGLE

Use your knee to the groin, head butt and kick. If these are ineffective, swing your right arm over your opponent’s hands and bring the elbow back across the arms or chin or strike a ‘backhander’. If you can turn to one side in a strangle, you may reduce its effectiveness.

REMEMBER

When in a stranglehold, try to relax – if at all possible! This makes the stranglehold less effective. When straining, the ‘Adam’s apple’ is more pronounced and makes the strangle easier. Sinking down (when in a standing position) may also destroy the attacker’s balance.

TWO-HANDED GRAB

If someone grabs you with both hands on your chest, throw your arms over theirs and exert pressure downward so that their arms bend. This automatically makes them drop their head forward—open to a head butt from you.

REAR STRANGLE

If held or strangled from behind, snap your head back into the attacker’s face or swing your hips to one side and strike backwards with your hand at the attacker′s groin. Always do the unexpected. Try to destroy an attacker’s balance. If they try to push you forwards, into a car or a dark alleyway perhaps, resist initially so that they use extra force. Suddenly take a giant stride forwards. If they fall, kick the groin.

REMEMBER

Try to use an attacker’s momentum against them. If someone runs at you, sidestep and use a forearm to the throat. The faster they are moving the greater your blow will be, although it requires careful timing.

KICKING TECHNIQUES

The legs are very powerful weapons, but to deliver this power you must keep your balance. A kick must be fast and effective—it must be a ‘surprise’. Don’t draw the leg back before you kick.

Using the knee

The knee is an excellent close-quarter weapon and can be used to great effect. The idea is to drive it THROUGH the target—when aimed at the groin you should be trying to lift your opponent off the ground. Aim also for the stomach. Keep your hands up, aiming for the attacker’s face to distract them. The opponent’s head can be pulled down—perhaps by the hair—and the knee brought up to meet it.