Sucker Punch, 5 (Defense Against)

Continued from "Sucker Punch, 4 (Defense Against)

Your natural reaction to a sudden movement toward your head is the startle response. I have previously given you -- and warned you about the language in -- this link to a video by Tony Blauer dealing with the flinch or startle reflex. The advantage of the startle response is that it is wired-in by the Designer and that it's extraordinarily fast.

The startle response is fast enough to stop the overhand right sucker punch you saw in the first post of this series. It's fast enough IF you already have your hands in front of you (non-challenging defensive posture). This reflex provides you with the foundation for an effective physical response.

In other words, you train yourself to use the startle reflex as a launching pad for your defensive technique. The particular technique is to thrust your hands forward so that your forearms form a wedge. Tony Blauer's trademarked term for it is a SPEAR, but to me it's a wedge. Blauer explains and demonstrates the technique in this video clip (language, again).

Note the advantages of this technique:

1. It's the extension of a reflexive response, so it's very fast;
2. It's the essence of simplicity, which means an accelerated learning curve;
3. The same move can be used for an attack from the right or left and for a hook. overhand or straight punch.

The wedge is not reflexive in and of itself. This means you must practice. But the fact that it launches from a natural reflex and is so simple will shorten the time it takes to become proficient. Practice slowly to imprint the movement, then work up to full combat speed. Practice against various punches from the left & right.

Just one more post on this subject should do it. I'll wrap it all up in "Sucker Punch, 6"