Course Content
Overhead Stick Attack Hand Range
Alternative Weapon Removal Technique
Impact Weapon Defense: Overhead Attack — Hand Range (Green Belt)
One Hand Overhead Impact Strike
One of the most typical attacks with a blunt object is an overhead swing. In this technique we assume the assailant is using his right hand and the defender is squared up to him or face-to-face. You will execute the defense with your sameside (left) arm and counterpunches with your right arm while controlling the weapon with your left arm.
Your goal is to close the distance to intercept and deflect-redirect the impact weapon harmlessly over your shoulder while delivering a simultaneous punch to the throat, jaw or nose trapping the weapon arm to remove it from the assailant’s grip while delivering more retzev combatives.
The end of any impact weapon is the most dangerous as the momentum and velocity of the swing is at its greatest. One way to practice the deflecting-stabbing movement of the defense is to simulate diving into a pool with your arms in a “V” motion to pierce the water while keeping your legs straight. Keep the fingers together and simply touch both of your hands together at the fingertips resembling the inverted “V.” Do not touch your palms together, only your fingertips.
Now, drop one arm into a straight punch position. Continue building this defense by aligning your deflecting-redirecting hand with a forward body lean burying your chin into your shoulder. The forward combat lean achieves two purposes: it both defeats the attack and protects your head. Essentially, you are diving/bursting into your assailant with the sameside arm and leg to close the distance while deflecting-redirecting the strike and simultaneously counterstriking. Another way to think about aligning your deflecting-redirecting arm is to stand in a neutral stance and jettison your arm directly out to meet an imaginary incoming attack.
Proper arm alignment requires a slight curve in your hand that will intercept the attack. Keep the fingers together and the thumb attached to the hand; do not allow the thumb to impact weapon out because of the danger in breaking it. The deflecting-stabbing defense, when timed correctly and with proper interception alignment, will redirect the object harmlessly along your arm over your head glancing off your back.
Once you feel comfortable with the initial defense, add a simultaneous punch with your other arm, thrusting both arms out together. I recommend a palm down punch or keeping the palm of the hand parallel to the ground targeting the nose, chin or throat.
- Time the defense and counter-attack punch together.
- The next (literal) step forward is with your left leg closing the distance to the attacker.
- As you move into the assailant with your redirection and counterpunch, without breaking contact with the attacker’s arm, loop your deflecting-stabbing arm over the assailant’s impact weapon arm to secure the impact weapon arm.
- Continue your counterattack with a foreleg kick or multiple knee strikes to the groin depending on distance. The most popular method to remove the impact weapon is to use an one hundred eighty degree step (tasai-bake) with your right foot to break or rip the impact weapon away from his hand without taking your eyes off the assailant.
- Continue with retzev counter-attacks as necessary.
Note, another weapon removal option after softening the assailant up with knee combatives, is to switch control of the impact weapon from underneath your armpit to your left hand while using your right hand to grasp the assailant’s forearm to then use your left knee to smash his hand while simultaneously yanking the impact weapon down and out. A final option to remove the impact weapon is to reach across your body with your free arm grab the impact weapon using an inverted grip to sharply snap the impact weapon forcefully down and out of his hand. If necessary, with each impact weapon removal technique you can continue your counterattack with the impact weapon.