Defending Shirt Grab and Hairpull Defenses
Combative Strikes to Release from a Shirt Hold
Combative releases from shirt holds are just that: use your strike arsenal to target the attacker’s vulnerable areas.The attacker was able to somehow close the distance and grab your shirt. If the attacker pulls you, move in the direction of the pull while preparing to employ retzev combatives. If you do not feel your life is in danger, use gentler joint manipulation and pain-compliance techniques (not depicted) that are not designed to produce damage to your attacker.
Harnessing the attacker’s pull and your forward momentum, strike the attacker in the jaw, nose, throat, groin, or any other opportune anatomical target. Continue with your combatives. Note: Your step forward places your weight on your front left leg facilitating a rear right knee strike to the attacker’s groin. Importantly, secure the attacker by the attacker’s left shoulder to create a brace against the attacker’s throat that protects you from receiving an inadvertent headbutt as you drive your knee through the attacker.
Joint Locks to Release from a Shirt Hold
Imi developed a few select joint lock tactics to control someone without injuring the person. The goal was to provide a less aggressive response if the person who grabbed your shirt was incapacitated or someone familiar, or simply someone you do not wish to injure. Realistically, these control tactics may not be optimum for a smaller defender against a larger stronger attacker, though, if executed properly, the tactics will work.
Hair Pull Defenses from the Front
If an opponent pulls your hair, he can control your head, wrench the neck, and cause acute pain. The danger from a hairpull comes from the head being immobilized or forced in the direction of an attack. For example, an attacker can grab your hair to drive the head into a knee strike or to smash your face into an object such as a wall or table.
To understand how to extricate yourself from a hairpull, you must first know how to execute one. To exert maximum pressure and control of the head, spread your fingers and shoot them through the hair at the base of the scalp. Once you have ample hair between you fingers make a tight fist. Now you can pull the head in any number of directions.
To get out of a hairpull, do not yank your head in the opposite direction of the attacker’s pull. Rather, move with him to use his momentum against him while also easing your physical discomfort. Go on the offensive immediately by moving toward your attacker, in the direction you are being pulled. Clamp the heel of one palm against the back of your attacker’s pulling hand while executing immediate counterattacks, such as strikes to the face and throat, eye gouges, and kicks to the groin. Do not pull your head back to resist the attacker’s pull.
If your attacker has tried to grab your hair to pull your head into his knee, apply the 360 instinctive defense #7 downward forearm (see chapter 4) while executing counterattacks to the groin, followed by additional retzev combatives.
Hair Pull Defenses from the Near Side
As with the front hair pull, the defense against a hairpull from the near side requires you to move in direction of the pull. You have several options for your counterattack, including elbowing your opponent in the ribcage, followed by retzev counterattacks. You may also close the distance to your attacker to slap to the groin with your near hand or wheel into your opponent to attack the groin with your far hand, followed by additional combatives. A last alternative is to move into the attacker and use a variation of the headlock defense from the side. Finish with retzev combatives.
Hair Pull Defenses from the Far Side
Use this technique if your attacker reaches around your head to your far side to pull you quickly toward him. Your defense is similar to the hairpull defense from the near side except you must turn into the attacker to slap his groin. Finish with retzev counterattacks.
Hair Pull Defenses from the Rear
Use this defense, similar to defending a choke from the rear, if an attacker grabs your hair from behind and yanks back hard. People with long hair, especially hair braided or in ponytails, are particularly susceptible to this type of attack. Overcome your instinct to resist the attack by leaning forward against the pull. Move in the direction of the pull by pivot to face your attacker. A pull from behind will require you to pivot 180 degrees to face the attacker. This will alleviate the tension on your scalp. Your turn must involve a simultaneous attack, preferably to the attacker’s groin, throat, or head followed by additional combatives.