Sucker Punch, 6 (From Reaction to Action)

Continued from "Sucker Punch, 5 (Defense Against)"

In summary so far, defense against the sucker puncher requires:

1. Perception of surroundings and acknowledgment of reality (vs. denial);
2. Non-challenging defensive posture;
3. Line in the dirt;
4. Startle response launches combat wedge technique.

Everything up to this point is designed to protect you from the initial assault. But if you do not follow up the combat wedge technique, you have only postponed an inevitable beating. If your wedge is powerful enough to drive that assailant back or throw him off balance, you may be able to get away.

If not, you must strike with palm-heel, edge of hand, knees, elbows and feet until you open an opportunity to escape. My book, 12 US Military Combat Techniques That Could Save Your Life explains and illustrates a dozen of the most simple and effective blows, in the best tradition of WWII combatives. In any case, the combat wedge is generally going to be your opening move, not the closing.

Once more I give you a link to a video clip by Tony Blauer. In it, he demonstrates that the combat wedge is simply a Bridge to the Next Move. (You may find some of his language offensive.)

That about wraps it up for the sucker punch. If you would like to review from the beginning, go to "Sucker Punch (Overhand Right)" and follow the links through this series of posts.