Anti-Grappling

ANTI-GRAPPLING

One of the common mistakes I’ve seen of late is on Self Defence classes, Women being taught the “guard” position as a “go to” position should they be forced to the ground by an attacker.

Without being too crude, having your attacker positioned between your legs is surely not the best position for a female to be in – and I would suggest, is the position the attacker actually wants to get to!

So, if you end up on the ground, what are your options?

• Get eye’s on your attacker – this means to get in a position where you can see what they are doing – rather than curling into a ball, head in hands.
  
• A foetal position may be a ‘safe’ position in terms of protecting your vital organs, but is not great for being able to defend and counter attack – or react to your attackers movements
  
• Whilst being down on the ground is the last place you should be, if you have no other option then your mission should be to keep your opponent at your feet rather than at your head. Use your legs to kick out and your hands and feet to spin around to ensure you keep your attacker at your feet.
  
• Get up safely – always aim to get up by stepping back and away from your attacker rather than leaning forwards as your get up. Better still, kick out ferociously and then immediately get up – to create a moment of opportunity to jump to your feet
  
• Bring your attacker down – this is another option but requires a little more skill. It involves bringing your attacker down to your level, ie the floor, before you get up – in order to help even up the odds and give you a better chance of standing up and escaping
  
• Go crazy! Above all, if you are going to fight back and create escape opportunities, you need to go crazy. Lashing out with everything you have, screaming, shouting, clawing, biting, kicking, you name it. You will not win this type of situation with a clinical, stylised, “cool looking” technique.
  
• Your mission is to get back to your feet as quickly as possible and then get away – do whatever you have to in order to achieve that

As Always…

Stay Safe and Have Fun

Al x