The title is posed as a possible hanging question as there are countless excellent self defence responses and techniques to a variety of attacks.
These differ according to type of violence; angle, distance, speed, direction, power and armed versus unarmed attacks - and they often change between self defence systems or even within systems by choice and design.
Even excellent techniques can be rendered as less effective or even dangerous if the sequence of responses they are in are not completed, or if they’re poorly executed or used as a tactically bad choice.
There is by definition probably many responses that can be described as ‘the best’ or near to. It’s all about the context of which they are used.
However, to understand what is a great self defence strike there are some simple principles by which you can evaluate any self defence move - and I’ll describe one such move as an example to aid your own evaluation of your techniques.
The five key principles are:
Can it be done simply, fast and powerfully by (almost) anyone?
The first principle is about simplicity and avoiding Hick’s Law (that multiple choice options delay action through cognitive processing time). It must be very quick and natural to execute and it’s not dependent on specific athletic abilities such as abundant brute power or strength to execute It.
Does it better your position to either fight on or flee?
The second principle is about where you end up versus your opponent post-execution. Does it help you to continue the fight easily or even to run away? Are you balanced and ready (to fight more or flee) after the technique? If it wasn’t fully successful are you still in a good position or are you now exposed (unbalanced, unprotected)?
Does it worsen the opponent’s position to fight?
The third principle is connected to the last one. It’s a pretty important one. If it wasn’t, why do the strike in the first place, right? Is your opponent in a worse position now? For example, if they were kicking as a choice, are you now either inside or outside the kicking range? If they preferred punches, are you now on a kicking range or a close in-fight position? Whatever the position, the perfect move should place the opponent in a position he or she didn’t initially choose to fight from.
Does it protect you from damage during the (brief) time it takes you to execute it?
The fourth principle is about action beating reaction. If your response is a stimuli from something your opponent did, you’ll always be on a back foot until you’ve responded. Does the move protect you during this delay and the execution?
Does it damage the opponent?
Lastly, but importantly, does the move cause damage to the opponent whilst still protecting you?
Achieving all five principles will make a move excellent. Doing three of four may not be bad, too. For example, running away will do four of these. Almost perfect - if the opponent can’t run faster than you.
A possible final principle, and if not certainly a consideration, is this: when the opponent attacked you, he or she had a plan, however brief the plan was. It was maybe as short as delivering a single punch or as long as a sequence of attacks and beyond, but there was definitely a plan. You must destroy the plan. Your move must be counterintuitive to this plan. You want the opponent to freeze instead of you, as a reaction to their plan being decimated.
A lot of criminals may expect you to freeze and stop, letting them rule the game, that’s their plan. It’s a simple one. A more seasoned aggressor may have planned out a striking combination to land on you. Either way, few if any commence a fight with a plan that the opponent will meet them with 0-100mph aggressive force to put them on the defensive - that’s is, if you can’t run away first.
So, for example, you need some simple and fast counter assault techniques in your arsenal. The strike we’ll cover in this article is a great example. See if it meets the five principles?
This ‘best-ever strike’ counter-assault is aimed at possibly the most frequent of all attacks; the untrained (but also trained) circular punch from the front. it relates to any kind of incident where you’ve had time to observe the aggressor and be aware that the attack is coming (but not to flee) and they manage to get into a distance where this most animalistic, untrained and basic of attacks happen: they swing a circular punch towards your face.
The principle of physics is simple here. Just like anything swung towards you the most dangerous place to be is at the end of the ‘object’ as this is where trajectory and momentum will cause maximum damage.
The rest of the equation is very solvable. Being outside of the reach will give you three or four of the principles, but not the last one (damage to the opponent). So stepping back, ducking or otherwise avoiding it is great - but not perfect.
What about the other spectrum of the principle of physics? Being inside the swing and as close to the opponent as possible will remove all or most of the force of the blow. Can you also create an offensive ‘perfect move’ counter-assault as you move into the defensive position of being close?
Yes, you can. Try out this simple solution. This is the double elbow strike. (SEARCH: MASTERCLASS DOUBLE ELBOW STRIKE on home page). This is how to do it.
A. Keep your hands up and in front of you. As you anticipate the strike by the opponent stepping into punching range or you detect the set up to strike via the shoulder or hand movement;
B. Send shoulders forward and collect both elbows together in front of your face at your eye height as a two-point spear as you land your palms on top/back of your head. This spear position is locked through the fixed point of your shoulders and palms firmly fixed on your head (do not move the palms), turning elbows into two sharp and hard points;
C. Send body forward as you execute point B by quickly stepping and aim the elbows towards the opponent’s face. Do not drop them from the eye line. If your opponent is significantly taller than you and the elbows land on the chest, it’s still a success. You’ve still done all five principles, just a little less on the final one; causing damage.
Picture: Krav Maga Master Gheorghe Husar (right) doing the double elbow strike in an instructional video with The Krav Maga Educator Orjan Pettersen for www.Spartans-Edu.org.
If executed properly, you’ve achieved all the main principles. It’s fast to do. Little athletic ability is required. You better your position (especially if you prefer infighting) and you’ve put yourself somewhere different to the plan of the opponent. The hands and arms wrapped around your head has protected it and the sharp elbows on your opponent’s face should have had a pretty bad impact, either temporarily freezing or damaging him or her, including causing them to unbalance themselves backwards.
Of course, you may need to follow-up with further strikes and these depend on the success of the first one. If the opponent has moved one or two steps backwards from the strike, immediately continue with front kicks (if further away) or groin kicks, kicks to his legs or hand strikes, or a combination thereof. If he or she hasn’t moved much, continue with further elbow strikes, head butts or knee strikes to groin.
There are many strikes, moves and techniques in Krav Maga and general self defence. In my experience, few will match the simplicity, speed to proficiency and effectiveness of this one. It’s also very easy to train and instinctive to learn and apply.
Why not try it out - and let me know your experience?
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