Followup to "Can You Tell Me What's Wrong with This?"

Continued from "Can You Tell Me What's Wrong with This?"

Thanks to Bruce and the Warrior for the good points they made. Now, let me add some of my own thoughts.

First off, I don't know where the author conducted his survey, but it would surprise me if violent predators across the nation have simultaneously adopted grappling techniques in their attacks. That's not to say it couldn't happen, but if so, it would really surprise me.

Second, as a self-defense rule of thumb, you should not play your attacker's game. Don't box a boxer, don't grapple with a grappler, etc.

If someone opens an attack by going for a take-down, he'll come in low with his arms apart to encircle your legs. In the post "Self Defense: Technical or Tactical?", Steve Golden made the point that you strike the target that's open.

What's open on an attacker going for the take-down? Just about everything!

Palm heel to the forehead, nose or chin, judo chop to the neck or throat, combat slap to the side of the head, are just a few possibilities. If he manages to get to the inside before you can react, you can resort to a knee to the chin or thumbs in the eye sockets.

Finally, the article's emphasis on grappling the grappler puts emphasis on training to go to the ground. While such an outcome is possible, my philosophy is

"Don't go to the ground with your attacker; send your attacker to the ground."