Many great boxing coaches and trainers consider the jab the most important punch in boxing. The jab is a non-commital punch used as range finder, a defensive tool, a probe for finding openings and a way to set up your strongest shots. It's a fast and non-telegraphic, but the problem is that the conventional jab is not very powerful. Sure, it'll still chip teeth, bloody … [Read more...]
Getting Back to Your Feet From the Ground
If you're talking about sport jiu-jitsu tactics then pulling guard and fighting an entire match from the bottom position can make total sense. But in a real fight, where punches, kicks, and stomps are being used, you definitely DON'T want to spend one second more than necessary in the guard position. You want to submit, sweep or standup as fast as possible! Today's … [Read more...]
New Release: The Self Defense Guard with Elliott Bayev and Stephan Kesting
I've been working on it for a LONG time, but the 'Self Defense Guard' is finally live at Self Defense Tutorials! This is a really in-depth instructional about how to use the guard in a self defense situation. In a real fight there is always the chance that you're going to end up on the bottom. And if that happens the guard could save your life. But fighting off your … [Read more...]
How to Take a Punch in 3 Steps
Getting punched in the head is always a bad thing. But - if you know what to do - then it doesn't necessarily need to be a fight ending, knockout inducing catastrophe. Of course you should try to dodge, deflect, block or evade a punch that's coming your way. But things don't always go according to plan. In a sparring match or a real fight sometimes you're just going to … [Read more...]
Escaping One of the Worst Positions for Ground and Pound
The ground and pound strategy in MMA is one that relies on getting on top, staying on top, and then beating your opponent into unconsciousness with your fists, forearms and elbows. In other words, it's a slightly more sophisticated version of your basic street fighter's approach to groundfighting... One of the worst ground and pound positions is the so-called 'giftwrap' … [Read more...]
The Dreaded Double Ear Slap
The double ear slap has long been a staple of combatives training. The official story, related by many self defense experts, is that if you slap both of your opponent's ears at the same time then, no matter his size, his eardrums will explode and he'll drop to the ground in a shrivelled heap. Sounds too good to be true, doesn't it? Let's take a look at the best data we … [Read more...]
Leg Kicks, the Forgotten Tool
The leg kick isn't as sexy a technique as a superman punch or a spinning heel kick to the head, but that doesn't mean you can ignore it! It's been proven in countless Muay Thai kickboxing and MMA matches, and definitely has it's applications in the street as well. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0qkY4oKmRg Low kicks have one HUGE advantage over kicks to the body or … [Read more...]
Improvised Weapons Found in the Street
Wherever you are right now as you're reading this, look up and try to spot three different improvised weapons you could grab if an attack was imminent. Seriously: if you're at home pretend that you've got 5 seconds to get your hands on something because someone's breaking in. What exactly are you going to grab? And if you can't get your hands on that object, what's your … [Read more...]
Standing Armlocks in Self Defense
Standing armlocks are a staple in the martial arts, including Aikido, classical ju-jujutsu, and many modern self defense systems. They're usually practised something like this: your partner comes in with a lunging punch, you block and sidestep, control the arm, step in, and then apply pressure to the arm until he taps out. Here's what some of those standing armbars from … [Read more...]
A Guide to Elbow Strikes for Self Defense
Getting punched in the face is bad enough, but the prospect of getting an elbow to the head is downright scary. Depending on how exactly you land an elbow, it can knock someone out cold, or cut them open like a razor blade. And unlike hitting someone with your fist, where your technique needs to be perfect to avoid breaking the small bones in your hand, your elbow is … [Read more...]
Self Defense Against a Stick Attack
Let's talk about self defense against a stick attack. And keep in mind that this information also applies to bats, saps, batons, clubs, tactical flashlights, or pieces of 2x4 lumber. We're just using the word 'stick' as shorthand, because the principles and techniques are the same for dealing with all blunt weapons. First I'll give you the information in video form (this … [Read more...]
5 Steps to Defend against the Sucker Punch
In your regular training you may practice all kinds of cool blocks and counters to punches, but what about defending against the punch that you don't see coming? The sucker punch! That's a really tricky, and very scary situation. But there are certain precautions and techniques you can use to minimise the danger from this cowardly ambush scenario. In fact, here are 5 … [Read more...]
Submissions for Self Defense
In self defense you need at least some submissions in your arsenal. Breaking someone's arm or putting them to sleep with a choke is often a much more effective (and safer) strategy than standing in front of the guy and trading haymakers. Now when it comes to submissions you have thousands of options: armlocks, chokes, wrist locks, neck cranks, face crushes etc. But … [Read more...]
What Knuckles Should You Punch with Barehanded?
Want to start an argument between two martial artists? Ask them which knuckles you should punch with? The fundamental issues here are generating power and mitigating the risk of breaking your hand if you hit a hard bony part of your opponent. I shot a video on this exact topic, so give it a watch and then scroll down where I've included additional … [Read more...]
Two Methods to Make a Really Strong Fist
Boxing when your hand is shielded by wraps and gloves is one thing. All that protection on your hands distributes the force across your entire hand, stabilises your wrist and safeguards the small bones of your hands. But hitting someone in the head with your bare fist in the street is quite another matter... When your unprotected fist meets an unpadded skull there's … [Read more...]