Defend Yourself in an Extreme Street Fight

At some point in your life, you may be in the situation of encountering an abusive person and be in the position of having to fight off one or more opponents. A street fight won't follow rules or niceties; if you find yourself in this situation, you need to do as much as possible to defend yourself and to avoid getting seriously hurt. This article provides an overview of dealing with single and multiple attackers, attack strategies, and defensive strategies. Bear in mind that use of excessive force is illegal but that defending yourself is not, so keep in mind at all times that the aim is to protect yourself and get out of there.
Read the following steps thoroughly to ensure that you know how to follow through, and couple your knowledge with proper practice rather than assuming that simply knowing what to do will be sufficient because it won't be; practice and learn in a safe environment as well as learning the principles outlined here.

Steps

1. Be prepared. Your initial reaction and good mental control are essential for facing an attacker in a street context. As with any form of self-defense, prevention is the best policy. Use the usual common sense guidelines for avoiding meeting thugs in the street, such as not walking down dark streets at night, not going to unfamiliar places without being accompanied by another person, not going to places you know are dangerous at certain times of day or night, etc. Stay alert at all times, as being alert can often give you enough warning to clear out before walking into a provocative situation, and being alert is essential for protecting yourself once you're involved in a fight.
2. Learn what you can about self-defense regardless how likely or unlikely you think it is that you might end up being attacked some day. See the self defense category for more articles on the topic.

   

   This shows a powerful kick. Try to kick not too high but to the knees, groin, stomach, solar plexus, and if size or height permits, kick to the face.

   • Make and keep yourself strong by going to the gym or dojo. Regular workouts to keep up your strength will give you confidence as well as strength. This is especially important if you are fearful of something happening to you; stop worrying and start taking control of those fears by knowing you can respond if needed.

Coping with a single attacker

1. Walk or run away and hide, if possible. Not having to engage the assailant is your best defense.
2. Know how to defend yourself. In the event that you can't get away and you to have to respond to protect yourself, knowing self-defense is crucial. Be aware that the rules of martial arts techniques might not help you, as sometimes even Black Belt Martial Artists can get severely injured on a tough street fight with no rules.
3. Try to talk the assailant out of fighting.
4. Try to stay calm. The calmer you are, the better you will be able to find the gaps to escape through and to know to seize the moment to get away.
5. Remember that the idea that size has absolutely no connection with strength is a myth. Size does actually matter. Don't fool yourself into thinking that you can beat someone twice your size just because you have some martial arts skills.

Coping with multiple attackers

For greater detail, read: How to defend yourself in a fight at school and How to fight off multiple opponents.

1. As with the advice for a single attacker, try to walk or run away, and stay calm.
2. Try your best not to anger the group of assailants even more; yelling fighting words might egg them on to attack you.
3. If possible, try to find out why they are trying to abuse you. But beware: talking too much or asking questions may anger them to attack you harder.
4. If you're not a good fighter, put your back to a wall as it will keep you from being surrounded, and you will be able to go left or right to fight your way out through one attacker rather than a surrounding group of attackers.

Responding to an attacker

For greater detail, read: How to avoid getting beaten up by a bully.

1. Be aware of some of the basic techniques that can be of help. The following techniques can be used in self-defense:
   • Try your best to hit the attacker on the ribs. Contrary to popular belief, it really can hurt.
   • The best place to strike is the solar plexus. Or, strike the area under the nose, or the eye sockets. Hitting the solar plexus can give you time to get away, while hitting the nose or the eye socket can knock the attacker out. Either will work.
   • Hit with your palm instead of using your fist. Punching with a fist can break your knuckles, and it hurts like heck! Strike with the palm of your hand, but be sure to curl your fingers to the top of your palm or you could break your scaphoid.
   • When the attacker punches you, turn to the side to dodge it, then grab their arm, and strike their elbow joint.
2. If your attacker(s) attempts to choke you and take you to the wall, (still choking you), do the following. First, take your left hand, and hold one of their arms with it. Then, use your right hand to strike their elbow joint hard. After this, strike their neck hard (but not too hard), then push them to the wall, and run like the wind. If you want, you can put one of their arms behind their back too.

Using advanced tactics to attack back

1. Use the following techniques to help to give you better odds, but recognize that sometimes you may still need more. Use these advanced tactics as a last resort.

Headlocks

Headlocks can really be tough to get out of.

A headlock is a great way to win a fight. But it should be used carefully, as you could break someone's neck or skull while doing this.

1. Try to move around the attacker initially.
2. Try to go behind the attacker. When you get a chance, wrap your left or right arm around the mid-point (about near the nose) of the head.
3. Hold on for a while, and then release them. Be mindful that they could still attack you once you break the headlock.
4. Some people that take karate classes have learned that to break out of a headlock, you need to step on their foot, giving them pain. If someone tries to do this to you, jump slightly backwards while still having them in a headlock. Knowing how to do this successfully though takes some practice.
5. See below for releasing yourself from a headlock.

Armlocks

There are many ways of performing an armlock. One way is described here.

1. Twist the attacker's arm backwards (not enough to dislocate it), and hold it there. It will hurt the attacker a lot and disable them long enough for you to get away.
   • If you're training in martial arts, then use the techniques you've been taught, as this is a commonplace martial arts move (Judo, Jiu Jitsu, wrestling, etc).

Finding yourself in the mounted position

Being in the mounted position is extremely dangerous. This position is when you're on the ground, and the attacker is on their knees above you, gaining greater control to strike while you're extremely restricted. It's a very common position in a street fight.

1. Know what to do. The key to stop this event from taking place is to block incoming strikes. If you still end up in the mounted position, an attack approach would be to kick the mounting attacker as hard as you can with both legs to the front of the hips. Then, run for your life.
   • Don't just try to launch an attack immediately. That will just make you more vulnerable, as if being on the ground wasn't bad enough!
2. Find an escape method. Attacking might not work, so escape strategies are your best option once pinned down. Here are some suggestions:
   • Use the "back door escape".  Move or wriggle from under your attacker.
   • Use bridging.Thrust your hips upwards and to the side.
   • Use the elbow escape. Use your hands or your elbows to create space between you and the attacker, so that you can pull out one or both legs from under the attacker.
   • Rotate your body so that your face points downward. In doing this, your attacker is now performing a "back mount", which is a lot less favorable to the attacker, and in turning, you may find you adequately loosen the attacker's grip over you and you can get away, by standing up and shaking off the attacker or using the "back door " escape.

Defense strategies

1. Realize that "If you only attack, then you will be vulnerable to enemy attacks. If you only defend, then you can't win the fight." This is why there is an attack and a defense section.
2. Develop a good defense system, or chances are that you will get beaten.
3. Expect to be able to take severe punishment in a fight without panic or giving up in the face of danger. Mental effort is required be able to maintain a physical good effort, so be prepared to psych yourself into affirming that you can survive this, all while it is happening.

Breaking out of a headlock

1. Learn ways to break out of a headlock, as this is a common street fighting tactic. Some suggested methods are listed here but your very best defense is to stay alert and not get into a headlock in the first place. Being aware that someone is approaching you can enable you to turn around and prevent it from happening.
2. In the very initial moment where the headlock is being applied, try ducking and blocking the attacker's arms. This may be enough to get you out of the attempted headlock. Note that the longer you wait, the harder it will be to remove yourself from the headlock.
3. Protect yourself. A headlock can result in cutting off your air or blood supply. So the very first thing to do is to protect yourself:
   • Tuck your chin in.
   • Turn your face toward their chest to protect your face from fists.
   • Grab their hands (held together as they perform the lock) and pull their hands downward. This will lessen the pressure immediately.
4. Stay low. Keep your legs bent and relatively wide. The aim is to maintain your stability, so that the moment you get a chance to counter-attack or free yourself, you're in a good position to do so.
5. Use your free arms to protect your face from punches.
6. Try some of the other following methods when seeking to get out of a headlock:
   • Step on the attacker's foot. Do it quickly and get it right first time. If executed correctly, you will cause them pain, which could be enough to make them loosen their grip, allowing you to get away.
   • Punch the upper inner thigh or groin. Then pull their head up (by hair, eye sockets, whatever), and push them away from you... and run.
   • Pinch your attacker. This method can make the attacker's face hurt, and give you enough precious moments to break out of the headlock.
   • Move your head up and down, fast. The aim in doing this is to confuse them; once you've done so, make a sudden forward movement. This will also cause the attacker holding you in a headlock to fall.
   • Grab the attacker's arms, and push your head under them, and break out. This requires finding a key moment when their hold is less or their focus has been distracted temporarily. An effective strike to the ribs or genitals may cause enough distraction.
   • Use two hands against one of theirs (2v1). Focus both of your hands on one of their wrists and pull it away. It is VERY difficult to apply a good head lock or choke with just one arm so once you've removed one of their arms from the clench you should feel instance relief from the pressure.
   • Or rather than choosing one hand, pick a finger. With one hand take hold of a finger and bend as hard as possible. This technique will break an aggressors finger with relative ease.

Using jiu jitsu to escape a headlock

When stuck in a headlock as seen here, if you know jiu jitsu, here is how to move yourself out of it:

1. 

   Rotate your body. Use your shoulder to do this, and place your arm in front of the attacker's body.
2. 2
    
3. Place your leg behind both of the attacker's legs.
4. 
   Fall backwards. As you do so, trip the attacker over your leg.
5. 
   Get up off the ground as fast as possible. Run.

Breaking out of an armlock

Breaking out of the armlock is a very painful experience. Here are some suggested moves.

1. Prevent the armlock from occurring by holding onto your belt, pants, skirt top, etc. before the lock is executed. Doing this will prevent the attacker from leveraging your arm and wrist backward. Of course, this requires both that you are alert to what's about to happen, and that you recognize the intended armlock.
2. Once in the armlock, try some of the following strategies:
   • Feign a punch toward them to cause the attacker to loosen their grip. Use that moment to remove yourself from the armlock.
   • Really punch or kick the attacker and use the moment when their grip loosens to get out.
3. Try to pull your hand back as fast as you can. This may make them let go sometimes as a reaction, and give you a chance to escape.
4. Be extra careful when trying to release yourself from an armlock, as the attempt could also lead to breakage of your arm.

Blocking

Blocking in terms of fighting means to absorb the impact of an attack without getting hurt. This section details some blocking techniques you might be able to use.

Blocking punches

For more details, read How to block a punch.

1. 

   Blocking can be very effective.

   Learn to identify a punch coming. As with many attack moves, recognizing the move that's about to happen is a big part of defensive strategy. Signs to look for include:
   • Formation of a fist
   • Gritting teeth, angry jaw movements
   • Shallow, forced breathing
   • Once foot suddenly shifted in front
   • Chin drops (to protect the throat)
   • Shoulder drops (this is where the power of the punch starts)
   • Body turns to side, away from you.
2. Move. By the time a person has made a decision to punch, they've already decided where that punch is going to land and have done with their strategizing. You, on the other hand, have a split second to change where that punch lands. So if it's coming for your head, move your head just a fraction and the punch may well miss or at least have much less force than originally intended.
3. Move your hands in the same direction of the punch. Here it helps to make an educated guess as to your opponent's next moves. This is not about making a wild guess, but requires that you make a plausible and educated guess.
4. Try blocking with your arms instead of with your palms, as it can cause your attacker's punching range to decrease and not impact the originally intended target.

Blocking or grabbing kicks

1. Remember that blocking a kick is the hardest technique in fighting. Yet, if you successfully grab someone's leg while they attempt to kick you, you can make them fall to the ground.
2. When blocking a kick, use your palms, instead of the area in your arms which have muscle. You could get severely injured if the attacker's kick lands on your muscles.

3. 

   Observe how this girl is evading that boy's kick

   Evade the kicks. "Using evasion" is simply a fancy way of saying that you should rely on using an array of the following techniques to evade the kicks:
   • Dodge out of the way
   • Duck quickly
   • Jump backwards
   • Move to the side.
4. Keep in mind that dodging kicks will be more effective when you're jumping, moving side to side, dodging, etc., than just relying on ducking all the time.
5. Be unpredictable in how and when you duck and dodge. Don't set a pattern.

Tips

• Stick with a friend or two when walking through unsafe places. This could be enough to help you to stay out of trouble.
• Only fight as a last resort. Talking your way out and getting away are infinitely better options.
• Play to your strengths. Use the tactics that work best for your body and physique. A thin, light person may run better and dodge easier. A big heavy person may be able to block easier than dodge and throw hard.
• Do something unexpected and weird. If you think of something creative in the moment, try it. Surprise always helps.
• If the attacker shows you a weapon in their pocket/hand, give them what they want to rob from you. Your life is more important than any valuables in the world! Realize that they're likely to use it if you annoy or upset them, so comply as best you can.
• Speaking of weapons, it's always better to have one than go into a street fight against a stranger with just your fists. Even a stick, a rock, or an umbrella can make a huge difference.
• Try to avoid looking like a victim. Stand tall and show good posture; that already makes you appear more intimidating. Walk with one hand in your pocket. Street gangs like to bully people who look like they will be easy to bother, and who display outward signs of vulnerability.
• Try to avoid street gang areas if you can.
• Be nice to people. Don't give others a chance to hold a grudge if you can mend fences instead. Don't act like you're scared of other people, as weakness attracts street gang members seeking to attack others.
• Keep trying to talk them out of it calmly, confidently. Stay serene. The less fear or anger you show or feel, the less easily the opponent can control you or read you. The more angry they are, the less controlled they are. Psych them out!
• Learn to Spy and Hide.
• Don't try to anger an attacker intentionally as this might compel them to come forward and really attack when they may simply have been bluffing. Alternatively, if you are extremely good at bluffing, angering them might result in disorganization of their attack, the "surprise" element. However, only do this if you know how to defend yourself already; it's not really a wise tactic.
• Concentrate; this is not for fun!
• It would be helpful to take some Self Defense classes.

Warnings

• Do not use excessive force on opponents. Doing so could get you into trouble if you don't use self-defense in accordance with the law in the United States and other jurisdictions. If you wish to remain within the realm of self-defense as opposed to provoking a fight, it's important that you don't use excessive force, attack while your attacker is already down, or use repeated blows and such once the attacker has been subdued, etc. See warnings for more information.
• Do not start a big fight. The more people involved, the worse the fight will be.
• If the attackers have weapons, run away as fast as you can, and call the police.
• Do not anger them with flaming comebacks or disses. This will make them attack you even further.
• Despite the fact that law prohibits use of excessive force, if they did something that severely threatened your life, you may need to use as much force as needed in self-defense, and worry about the fine details with your lawyer later. What is and is not "excessive force" in the case of self-defense is subject to the context and to interpretation.
• It is better to look like a wimp than to be injured. So don't even think about trying to fight against an experienced fighter or a group just to save "your reputation". Having your health and life intact means more than having your reputation temporarily boosted.
• Watch out for people who may try to abduct you.
• Real men or women (to be respected) do not start a fight for the fun of it. Make sure that you have a reason to fight. Do not be a bully that picks on people or "sucker-punches" someone for little or no reason. It is wise to have a reason when trying to do something, even if it isn't the most reasonable purpose.