During an aggression, all the means are good to take the upper hand over your aggressor. However, you still need to know how to spot and exploit the opportunities!
We talk a lot about impacts, but there is of course the possibility of fleeing, notably by making the aggressor fall, and by avoiding to fall with him, obviously!
In this article, we’ll look at some of the ways to exploit when the aggressor runs or flees.
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What is the point of making the aggressor fall when he is fleeing?
This is the first question that practitioners ask themselves.
Indeed, one could think that the objective has been reached and that we are out of danger! And this would indeed be the case in 99% of the situations.
However, the purpose of these articles is to bring a maximum of content to the readers, that’s why we are going to talk about those 1% of the cases where an aggressor, for whatever reason, can represent a danger by running away. It can be because he took your baby with him, he tries to warn a group of friends, he goes to look for a weapon nearby, or who knows for what reason…
It is also and above all the occasion to talk about two quite efficient techniques to stop a person’s run, which can be useful depending on the circumstances, for instance to intercept a threatening person who is attacking someone else.
The term ” fleeing ” only illustrates a person running. So we will see the technique that allows to stop him.
It’s up to each of us to appreciate their usefulness, while respecting the rules of self defense.
Technique #1: The Trip
Who hasn’t already seen this technique? As soon as we enter school, we see the most vicious ones using it! Basically, you use your foot to “hook” the back leg of your target in the middle of a run.
However, the concept we’re talking about here is a little different from the classic usage; because we’re not trying to hook the foot per se, but rather to kick it in the ankles.
In a (linear) chase, you try to intercept the foot at about the malleolus, and sweep the inside of your own foot inward, so that you cross the back foot with the opposite leg, causing an imbalance and, with speed, a fall. This is similar to a soccer pass.
NB: do not use the back of your foot, otherwise you may lose your balance at the end of the movement!
Keep in mind that you are in motion – worse, you are chasing your attacker – and doing such a technique while running is not as easy as when you are static…
The risks of this technique are due to its difficulty of execution, finding the right timing, and considering the risk of falling if you fail.
Technique #2: Attack the ankle
This technique is much more violent than the first one. Here, the goal is not only to make your attacker fall, but rather to incapacitate him.
You have to hit his back foot when he leans on it to continue his stride. The impact is done with the inside of the foot, from top to bottom.
And then, we target the Achilles tendon.
The effect is devastating, because in addition to destabilizing him in his race, it can break his ankle.
However, there is a disadvantage, because it requires a very good glance. You have to stare at the target – so head down – and be very close to your attacker.
Maintain your guard
Maintaining your guard is crucial in any conflict situation, and it also applies when you are the one chasing.
It is therefore very important to remain on guard throughout in order to overcome the disadvantages of the technique mentioned above.
Since your attention is largely monopolized by your target – the tendon – it will be more difficult to anticipate a sudden reaction from the aggressor, who could, for instance, stop suddenly in his race. Instead of crashing into him at that moment, maintaining your guard allows you to keep safe.
On the same vein, maintaining your guard allows you to eventually grab the attacker by the shoulders to deliver a crushing kick, which increases the accuracy of your attack, slows and destabilizes the attacker in his race, and may even give you an additional opportunity to make him fall.
