Simply reach out and touch your attacker

Tonight we were working on a basic defensive principle that I teach and I'm not sure if we've discussed in the past.

 

Where one of my students was working grab and pop attack defenses (where the attacker grabs you with one hand and goes to pop you with their other hand - the grab and pop) and using a number of interesting responses the simplest answer came to mind.

 

Simply reach out and touch your attacker, not strike them.

 

If you simply reach out and press against the middle of their chest they really can't hit you with their other hand. Don't believe me, try it in class next time.

 

Now doing so does root both your feet, but if they in turn try to counter-kick you, you can simply press forward and push them back.

Likewise from the press you can readily strike into their throat if a more dynamic response is required.

 

This then opened a line of drills where attacked you immediately press back, and/or slide the opposite foot back, angling yourself away from their attack too.

 

This opportunity allows you to respond to an attack with a less aggressive counter, keeps you somewhat in control of your attacker and allows more aggressive returns if required. A more proportional response for some situations.

 

Of course if your hand holds a Chintzen Bo, or the equivalent, that will get a heck of a response too.

 

Off hand, this also could be an interpretation of Wandan (Wando?) where you have a left vertical knife hand block followed by a reverse punch. Hence the vertical knife hand block might simply be the press.  And of course if they can't touch you, by appropriate knee release and alignment you can still strike them with the other hand.

 

Something to play with.