How to Throw a Punch

               Arguably, the punch is the best-known self-defense move.  It is the first one to come to mind when thinking about defending yourself.  It is ubiquitous in Hollywood fight scenes and action moves.  It may also be one of the least effective self-defense moves if done incorrectly.

               In the typical Hollywood style, the punch is thrown in a wide arc or roundhouse (aka the “haymaker”) and can be seen coming for a country mile – which works for movie audiences.  In a real defense situation, this can be easily blocked or sidestepped.

               A better technique is the straight punch or jab.  Instead of a long arcing path, the fist travels in a line straight to the target – thus the name – straight punch.

               Before going any further, however, we need to look at two critical elements.  First is how to make a fist.  Second is how to position your wrist.

               Making a fist incorrectly can actually cause you more harm than the bad guy (or gal) attacking you.  The trick is all in where you position your thumb.  If you tuck your thumb against your palm and wrap your fingers around it to form a fist you risk serious injury – to yourself!  Another common mistake is to leave the thumb hanging out and exposed; something of a hitchhiker mode.

               The first step is to roll your fingers into your palm until your knuckles are even.  Then tuck the thumb against the fingers between the 1^st and 2^nd joints.  This fist gives you two solid surfaces for striking.  One is the area formed by the base of the fingers along the knuckles.  The other is the bottom of the hand often called the hammer fist.

               The second piece of throwing a punch is the position of the wrist.  Most martial arts teach students to punch with a twist so the knuckles end up horizontal or parallel to the ground.  The twist or snap gives the punch more power.  However, this is dangerous for someone who does not practice extensively.  It is easy to snap the wrist on impact if the wrist is not kept perfectly in line with the forearm.  If the wrist folds up or down as you are punching into a target, the blow can easily sprain or even break the wrist and put you out of action. 

               To avoid this, defense tactic instructors for police train officers to keep their wrists vertical so the knuckles form a line perpendicular to the ground.  This provides a stronger position for the wrist and helps avoid injury when striking.  Incidentally, this is the same wrist positioning used by bare-knuckle boxers of the past.

               Remember to practice.  Self-defense moves need to be instinct and practice is the key.  Now you know the right way to throw a punch, and better than a Hollywood action hero.

Eric Smith, CPP is the leading authority on organizational self-defense.  He has extensive experience in law enforcement as well as security management.  Eric is available for staff education and security awareness training as well as business coaching to help organizations provide safe workplaces.    To learn more visit http://www.businesskarate.com/profile.html. 

If you would like to reprint this post, please contact Eric at eric@businesskarate.com. 

Escaping from a Wrist Hold

               One of the most common types of attacks is for a suspect to grab you.  This could be done for a variety of reasons.  The attacker may be trying to intimidate you.  He or she could be setting you up for a punch or other attack.  Or it could be that the assailant is trying to force you to come with them (see The Most Dangerous Time in a Crime).

               Last month, we looked at how critical footing and balance are to any self-defense move.  Now, we are going to add techniques to escape from a wrist grab.

               Unlike in the movies, most street fights are not glamorous or long kick-boxing matches.  Usually, they turn into a grappling contest, perhaps with a couple of strikes thrown in.

               One common grab is for a suspect to grab your wrist.  The important thing is to be able to escape the hold quickly, before you can be jerked off balance, struck or have someone put you in an arm lock from which escape is extremely difficult.

               When someone grabs your wrist, whether with the same side or opposite hand, the escape technique will be essentially the same.  You want to pull against their thumb.  That is the weak link in a hold.  If you try to escape by pulling or pushing against their palm or four fingers, you will fail.  The best approach is to twist the wrist within their grasp so the thinnest side is pointed towards the thumb and immediately rip it away forcefully.

               Done quickly and without hesitation, this will work.  Another approach uses the strength of your whole arm to break the grip.  Twist your gripped arm upwards, over the attackers arm.  Then grasp your own hand as if shaking your hand and pull sharply to your outside.  This will break the hold even if the attacker is larger and stronger.  It also puts you in an excellent position to strike back at their face with your elbow.

               An attacker may grab you with both hands.  Not to fear, the same basic escape is used.  Usually, when you grab an arm in front of you, both thumbs will align on top.  In this case, grasp your locked arm with your other hand and pull up, towards you while stepping back and twisting away, while maintaining your balance and footing (step back and drop your center of gravity).

               There is one more way to escape a wrist hold.  With your free hand or foot, punch, kick or strike the suspect by stepping into the hold as you counter-attack.  Be prepared to follow up with more strikes as needed until the attacker is down and you can escape.

               Practice with a friend, relative or spouse so that your response becomes instinct and you can do the escapes without thinking.  Remember to keep your feet placed so you do not lose your balance.

Have you wondered how to deal with an aggressive employee or phone threats against a staff member?  Do you have the security system you should?  Are you worried about how your business would handle an emergency situation?  There are lots of worries as a leader in your organization.  Security risks do not have to be one of them. 

Get solutions to your questions.  Contact eric@businesskarate.com. 

Self-Defense Move of the Month – Building the Platform

               When you start thinking about self-defense and ways to protect yourself, you may picture some kind of cool martial art flying sidekick, ala Bruce Lee.  However, the best self-defense move is very different.  Awareness is the #1 step to a good self-protection program or plan.  The best way to win a fight is to avoid it whenever possible.

               But we all drop our guard at some point or are caught off-guard by a surprise new move or tactic and could be thrown into a position where we physically have to defend ourselves.

               You do not have to be a martial art expert, but should know a few basic moves to protect yourself from common attacks.  Perhaps the most important first step is to develop a solid footing and balance that creates a platform for all other self-defense moves.      

               One of the biggest challenges new self-defense students face is getting their footing right.  Feet set too close together make for poor balance side-to-side.  Crossing the feet when shifting stances or moving creates an even weaker platform and it becomes almost impossible to use your body’s full strength and capability.

               Proper balance starts with putting your feet about shoulder width apart.  It sounds easy, but it is one of the first things people mess up when they start focusing on other techniques such as escapes or strikes.  Just like any other skill it takes practice.

               To avoid putting yourself on a narrow balance beam you’ll need a barrier to keep your feet apart to start your practice.  A rolled up towel or a piece of wood works (see photo 1).  Keep one foot on each side of that barrier.

Photo 1 - Setting your feet for balance is critical

               The next step is the position of the feet.  In Shotokan karate, Bushido karate or Tae Kwon Do there are different stances for different techniques.  The two most common are a front stance and a back stance.  Instead of trying to learn different stances, simplify.  Try a position in between.  Put one foot on one side of the barrier and the other on the opposite side and back a few inches.  The heel of the front foot should be further forward than the toes of the back foot.  Point your toes out at about 45 degrees, keeping your body turned slightly away from your opponent.  The front foot can point forward if you prefer.  This is similar to boxers and is also the stance taught to law enforcement. 

               With your feet positioned, bend your knees slightly.  This helps keep you light on your feet and ready to move or drop down to lower your center of gravity.  Your weight can be distributed evenly across both legs or put slightly more weight on your back leg. 

               Now to practice.  Take a few minutes a day to practice and build up your muscle memory.  This can be part of a warm up or cool down to a regular workout. 

Photo 2 - Move from the position in photo 1 to this stance

               First, place one foot on one side of the towel or centerline.  Move the other foot forward and plant it, rotating the fixed foot on the ball of the foot so it points outward at about 45 degrees.  Then move the front foot back to the starting point, rotating on the balls of the feet to keep your toes pointed in the same direction as your shoulders.  Switch feet, setting the other one and repeat.

Photo 3 - Shift your stance to face the side

               Next, keep both feet placed, but pivot on the balls of your feet to switch your stance.  If your left foot is forward, pivot to the right so your right foot is now forward and you are lined up with a target 90 degrees to your side from the original starting position.  Practice several times then switch, starting with the right foot forward.  Note – if you pivot the wrong way, you will end up with your feet on the same line as if standing on a balance beam and will have weak balance.

               Keep your knees bent slightly throughout all the practice exercises.  Throw in some lunges or squats to build up leg strength if needed.

Photo 4 - Shifting the wrong way will throw you off balance

               Once you have your balance or footing, you will be able to add strikes, escapes and kicks to your self-protection repertoire. 

Have you wondered how to deal with an aggressive employee or phone threats against a staff member?  Do you have the security system you should?  Are you worried about how your business would handle an emergency situation?  There are lots of worries as a leader in your organization.  Security risks do not have to be one of them.  I am available for business coaching sessions with a focus on security and operational risk management.  The first session includes a money back guarantee if you are not completely satisfied.  For more information, send an email to eric@businesskarate.com.