Escaping Holds

Escaping any hold
A wrist grab
Pinned down
A head lock
Grabbing your collar

Escaping anything
The best way to get out of holds is to hit your opponent where it hurts. The pain will cause him to release you. Striking the eyes, is very effective. If his eyes aren't available, grabbing the groin or stomping his foot are equally effective. If you want to be a little nicer try the following...

Escaping a Wrist Grab

Technique #1
Rotate your wrist so that the narrow part of your wrist is aligned with the point where your assailants thumb and fingers are touching. This is the weakest point of his grip. Yank your arm in the direction of this point. It helps to clasp your hands together and pull with both arms.

Technique #2 Use your other hand to lock his hand in place around your wrist. Then rotate your grabbed wrist according to the following...

• If he's grabbing your wrist with the mirrored hand, rotate your forearm in a circle starting with an upward and outward direction.

• If he's grabbing your wrist with a cross hand grab, rotate your forearm in a circle starting in the upward and inward direction.

Another way to remember which direction you rotate your forearm is to Always rotate under and toward the side of your assailant's grabbing arm.

As you rotate your foreamr step closer to your attacker. The closer you get, the more effective the technique. Once you rotate your arm to the top of the circle in either direction, you should point your hand downward and push your assailant's arm toward the ground. The pain caused by the arm's contortion will cause the assailant to follow his arm toward the ground. It's a good idea to practice this on a friend very slowly to avoid injury. If done correctly it should force your opponent to fall on his knees to avoid twisting his arm further. This exercise is most effective the closer you are to the opponent. Do not rotate your wrist. Keep your hand oriented like your holding a gun throughout the entire exercise.

Escaping a Pin
People usually think that they are too weak to get out of a pin, or that their assailant is too heavy. This is not true. There are a couple of ways to get your opponent far enough off of you so that you can strike him in his vulnerable areas. First, bend your weaker leg so that the back of your heal is touching your butt. Then simultaneously lift your hips up forcefully with this leg, while kicking up with your other leg. If these three motions are executed (the last two simultaneously), it should throw the opponent over your head or at least off your body so you can grab, knee or bite him in the groin, or strike him in the throat or eyes. I know biting someone in the groin is probably not a very pleasant alternative but neither is assault or even worse, rape.

Also, spitting in the assailant's eye should free up one of your hands since he will probably wipe his face, so that you can strike him in the neck region and any other region that becomes available.

Head lock. I don't think so!
When a person puts you in a head lock and your body is behind him, reach up his back and over his head, grab his hair near the forehead (where the hair is most sensitive), and yank it back and down. Either throw your opponent to the ground, or take advantage of their exposed neck with a quick tiger claw or palm strike to the chin or neck.

If the assailants hair is too short for grabbing, wrap your hand over his shoulder closest to you and under his nose, then yank his nose up, back and down to drop him or to expose his neck for striking.

When a man puts you in a head lock with your body in front of him, grab his testicles and squeeze as hard as you can. If he has any testicles, he will let go.

Grabbing your Collar. Big Mistake!
If someone grabs your collar or other part of your shirt, use one hand to grab and hold their hand in place. Use your other hand to strike them in the eyes or throat, or to rotate their elbow up, inward and down while holding their hand in place. This should lean them over where its easy to kick or knee them in the chest or face.