Hockey Fight Close Combat Technique

By Jeff Anderson

Every fight in a hockey game is a close quarters combat scenario. In fact, it's made even more difficult to do any real damage to the other opponent due to layers and layers of padding and you're trying to launch an attack on two thin blades of metal on a slippery surface.

Given these conditions, these guys have had to learn some pretty nasty (and EFFECTIVE!) close quarters combat techniques to get their strikes in before they're broken up by the refs. And there's a LOT we can learn from these experienced fighters! Here's a self defense technique that works just as well in the street as it does on the ice...

Self Defense Technique Stolen From Hockey Fights

It's very typical to get wrapped up into a "clinch" in a real street fight. In this position, you and your attacker are struggling for dominance and you may only have seconds to either gain an offensive position before he either gets in a good shot or his buddies come up to give him a hand.

In hockey fights, one of the best ways that players gain dominance is by using the other player's clothing. And you can use this same technique for self defense if you're even in a real street fight. Here's how it works...

1. When locked up head-to-head in close quarters combat in a real street fight, reach over your attacker's shoulders with one hand (preferably your non-dominant hand) and grab the back of his shirt as far down as you can.

2. Next, simply pull it up and over his head. Once you have it covering his face, twist it around to the side of his neck to wrap it tight around his face. This will give you control over his body because you now have full lateral leverage over his head, and as we know, where the head goes the body will follow!

3. Having this leverage makes it possible for you to throw your attacker over a chair or into another attacker if you're fending off multiple attackers in a real fight. But your biggest advantage is that your attacker won't be able to see anything and this gives you some pretty easy targets to strike.

4. While your attacker is at a disadvantage, use various close quarters combat self defense techniques to strike him such as elbow strikes, knee strikes, and hammer fist punches to defeat him and give you an opportunity to escape the fight, in close quarters combat.

Combatives Clinch Drill For Street Fight Self Defense

By Jeff Anderson

Can a simple close quarters combat clinch drill save your life? It sure can. One of the most effective, efficient means of expedient self defense is simple, brutal combatives. Clinch drill practice can supplement your combatives training and get you out of a possibly lethal situation.

One of the most critical concepts in self defense is that you never want to get clinched up with one person for more than just a couple of seconds. In the clinch, you're an easy target for any of your opponent's buddies, who'll start punching away at your head until they can get you on your back. You're also likely to get dragged to the ground where you're an even easier target. You've got to get out of there! That's where this simple combatives clinch drill comes in:

Combatives Clinch Drill For Self Defense

Step 1: You don't want to have the OUTSIDE of the clinch. When your arms are on the outside of your attackers, you have a lot less leverage. If you find your arms on the outside, change that fast.

Step 2: Reach under and come up on the INSIDE of the clinch. It's a simple change in arm placement and only takes a split second to gain the advantage. From here you can maximize the leverage of your shoulders.

Step 3: Lock his elbow. As you come under his arms to change position, bring one arm up and over your attacker's arm on the same side. Continue the circular motion so that his wrist naturally comes into your arm pit and your arm is now on the outside of his arm but over the top of it. You'll notice that this locks up his elbow joint and will get him on his toes and open him up a little.

Step 4: Go for the throat. As the opponent opens up, reach up with your other hand and grab his throat. Place your hand in a strong "C" position so you can grab slightly behind the trachea. Squeeze tightly enough to gain control but not crush the windpipe unless it's a life or death scenario.

Step 5: Now your opponent is off-balance and unable to launch an attack. You've also got the opportunity to look around and weigh your options. Once you've gained this superior position, you can assess the tactical situation you face. Where are your other targets? Where are his buddies? Are they coming after you?

You have the closest opponent's arm and trachea, so you can move him wherever you want, including into the ground so you can escape. You could throw him over an obstacle like a chair or even into another attacker, which allows you to deal with the next attacker.

In short, from the clinch, you want to open up your attacker, dominate him, use him as a shield if necessary, and escape. By practicing this simple combatives clinch drill, you can adapt to multiple attacker situations even from the clinch, and survive in self defense.

Self Defense Takedown Technique For Close Quarters Combat

By Jeff Anderson

In a real close quarters combat self defense situation, things get very deadly very quickly. When you're locked up with somebody in a clinch, where you're struggling for position while standing, you can't protect your family or other people who might be with you if you're locked up with a single attacker. If there are other assailants, you could get punched and then stomped, and anyone who's with you is also vulnerable to attack.

One of the most effective self defense moves you can use in close quarters combat is a fast takedown technique. Takedown techniques for self defense can make the difference, especially from the clinch, between surviving and ending up on the ground bleeding. A powerful takedown technique can put your assailant on the ground quickly so you can deal with other attackers or simply escape. Here's one powerful self defense move for taking your attacker out of the fight with a takedown technique:

Self Defense Takedown Technique For Close Quarters Combat

First, always make sure that you own the inside of the clinch by having your arms on the inside of your attacker's. If you're on the outside of a clinch, you don't have as many options for targets, while your opponent has all kinds of options for knees, uppercuts, and other strikes.

For this takedown technique, you'll only need to get one arm inside so if your arms are on the outside, take one arm off of your attacker. Quickly come under his arm on the same side. As you come under his arm, slide your hand up along the center of his chest.

As your hand travels up his body, let your fingers travel up to his throat. There, you'll find your way to his throat and find the "notch" right above the collar bone at the base of the throat. At the same time, you want to place your other hand behind your attacker's neck so get control of his body while you perform this takedown technique.

Finally, press your finger tips into your attacker's throat notch. As you push in, you'll simultaneously push down toward the ground behind his feet. This in-and-down motion is what makes this self defense move so powerful as your attacker will naturally fall straight down, gagging and choking, giving you the opportunity to escape as a follow up to your takedown technique