Self Defense For The Rest Of Us

Bash and Dash Training: Self-Defense for the Rest of Us

"Bash and dash" is the concept that when we find ourselves in a bad situation we strike first, then run away. It's imperative that your bash be effective enough to give you time to dash.
Here are eight proven bashes that just about everyone can do.

1. The Eye Jab: The goal here is to get your fingers in their eyes.
The preferred technique is a slight backhand with fingers together. Relax and flick, like shooing a fly away. Remember: You want to get your fingers in their eyes.

2. The Step (oblique) Kick: The goal here is to get the instep of your back leg into the shin or knee of the bad guy. The preferred technique is to step into the bad guy's leg, targeting the shin with your instep. Step hard.

3. The Scoop (groin) Kick: The goal here is to get your foot in their groin. The preferred method is a kick in a scooping motion. In other words, go in with the top of your foot underneath the groin, then kick up hard.

4. The Ear Slap: The goal is to slap the bad guy in the ear with a cupped hand. The preferred method is to do just that: Slap the ear with a cupped hand. This is simple and effective.

5. The Knee Kick: The goal is to drive the tip of your knee into the bad guy's groin or thigh. The preferred method is to thrust your hips forward, not up, when you bring your knee to the target. This generates more power.

6. The Head Butt: The goal is to drive the top of your head into your attacker's face. The preferred method is to bend your knees, tuck in your chin and drive the top of your head into the attacker's face. If you are grabbed from behind, drive the back of your head into your attacker's face by snapping your head back.

7. The Elbow: The goal is to rake the tip of the elbow across your attacker's face. The preferred technique is a raking motion, either horizontally, vertically or diagonally across your attacker's face.

8. The Bite: The goal is to get space by biting any available flesh. The preferred method is the same as the goal. This is especially effective against the headlock.

I numbered these moves for a reason. After you get the basics of each move, start putting them together in combination. For example do the 2-1 combination. Do the step kick and follow it up with the eye jab. You get the idea.

You may have noticed that these moves are meant to be done at a certain range. When people fight or attack, it's usually from a kicking or punching range, or they'll try to grab you from the grappling range.

The eight basic moves are to be used in what's called the trapping range: too close for punching or standard kicking, but still out of grappling range. A guy named Bruce Lee was quite effective from the trapping range. You can be, too.

If you would like to see these moves demonstrated, check out Street Safe. This DVD not only demonstrates these moves, but also shows training techniques and real-life scenarios for their use.

Finally, power comes from the hips in most of these moves. Get your hips turning to generate some extra power. attackmenot.com