Picture yourself walking home from work. It's a clear evening, almost dusk. It's around supper time so the amount of pedestrians out and about is less than normal. You go through a walkway underpass and in less than a second someone has his arm around your throat and is hissing in your ear not to scream or he'll kill you. What do you do?
This scenario may be a little unbelievable, but we're living in denial if we think it doesn't happen. There is a definite difference between getting held up or mugged, and a threat to your life.
As an Auxiliary Constable with the RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) I learned how to control an escalating situation and how to restrain an aggressive suspect. We are given tools (weapons) to use if the need arises, and we are often lucky enough to have our partner within close range. But what do you do when all the structured stand by procedures don't work and lethal force comes into play? What if a situation like the above arose when I wasn't at work, or I was with someone else? I realized that if it came down to my life or an attacker's, I didn't know how to protect myself despite my training.
This is when I was introduced to Rapid Assault Tactics (RAT). This is personal self- defense training that specifically focuses on saving your life. The instructor himself is a survivor of a multiple attack that was meant to end his life, a random act of violence resulting from a simple mugging. It was after this experience that he decided to make it his life's mission and his new career to teach people how to survive an attack.
I learned many small things that could make the difference between life and death.
Escaping A Choke Hold
When grabbed around the neck from behind, your first reaction is to grab your attacker's arm to stop the tightening. This will not work! There is too much leverage in your attacker's forearm to make any difference to the force being applied to your neck. Instead, grab the hand, focusing on twisting the thumb backwards or away from your neck. This loosens the grip tremendously, and even if it doesn't release it, it will buy you some time and stop the pressure from making you pass out.
Use the choke hold to your advantage. Once you have a secure grip on your attacker's thumb, go a little weak in the knees. Let your attacker think he's gaining on you. Then drive the top of your head into the bottom of his jaw. (The top of your skull is very strong and can take a heavy hit like this). Not only will you break teeth, make him bit his tongue (maybe off), perhaps shatter his jaw; you will also stun him, knock him back (or out), and give yourself time to escape.
Pinned To The Ground
In this scenario you've been caught off guard and are now pinned beneath someone heavier and stronger than you. Say he has pinned you at the shoulders. Plant your feet firmly on the ground close to your behind, and when he seems distracted, push your abdomen up with all your might. You could possibly vault him right over your head. If not, your arms will be freer; pull them into your chest so he can't pin them down again. Quickly reach straight up, grab the sides of his face with your hands and drive your thumbs into the inside corners of the eyes. (It requires about the same force as shoving your thumbs into an orange-try it).
Yes, I know that sounds gross, but it hurts like hell and is usually enough to scare off any attacker. Disabling the eyes should always be your first priority if you can do it. (Amazingly, this defensive technique does little if any permanent damage.)
If the struggle is too intense and you can't get to his eyes plant the first knuckle of your forefinger against the side of his head above the ear. With your thumb on the front side of his ear hold tight and rip down sharp and quick. The human ear will rip off with the same effort it takes to rip 12 sheets of regular bond paper. Turn your face away to avoid blood spatter.
Attacked With A Weapon
This is definitely the scariest and most threatening scenario, one I'm sure we would all like to avoid. This is probably the most difficult situation to retaliate in because we all fear getting hurt. Often we experience that slow-motion pause caused by fear; don't be alarmed it's your body preparing itself to fight. In these intense situations your para-sympathetic nervous system takes over and draws blood away from surface tissues and digestive organs and feeds it to the muscles. This means that if you are cut, there is less pain and less bleeding, allowing you to fight harder longer.
