Monthly Archives: May 2014

Arm Bar!

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I rarely recommend submission holds in a street fight or a self defense situation.  It is extremely dangerous to be on the ground due to our lack of mobility and any number of variables that can happen on the street.

The truth is you can have the greatest arm bar technique in the world and while you are executing it his buddy can come over and stomp on your head.  So let me say this again, if possible, stay off the ground and use strikes to get up as quickly as possible when already on the ground in a real fight.

That being said, it is still crucial to understand any type of attack so that we can become more well rounded fighters and so that we can learn what to expect in a fight.  I must understand the basics of grappling and submission holds as they may be used against me one day and I want to understand how it works in order to be able to best defend against it.

And of course, there may be a situation where this technique truly is the best counter attack that I can use, and in that case, I want to know how to do it!

In this weeks video I go over the basics of an arm bar from the guard.  You can absolutely break someones arm while doing this, so be careful in training!

If I must use an arm bar, I will then attempt to get to my feet as soon as possible, assess the situation, and leave safely.

Ok, that’s all for now.  Enjoy the video, be safe… and GO DO SOME KRAV MAGA TODAY!

-AJ  @AJDraven – Twitter

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Shotgun Defense

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When dealing with a Long Gun threat, I must abide by similar principles to that of a hand gun or a pistol.  I follow the acronym, R.C.A.T., which we use to defend against the majority of gun threats.

  • Redirect
  • Control
  • Attack
  • Takeaway

First I must redirect the line of fire off of my body.  Once I have made this redirection, I must make sure that the line of fire is never put back on me or anyone that I am protecting.

Second I must control that line of fire, and to ensure that step one is maintained throughout my defense and I stay out of potential harm.  At any moment the gun could fire, and I never want to take the chance that I will be in front of the weapon should that happen.

Third, and often simultaneously with the ‘control’ step, I must attack as strong as I can to the most vulnerable area on the body that is available to strike.

Finally, I must safely take the weapon away while maintaining control of the line of fire.  This may mean striking until the attacker is knocked unconscious, or simply taking the weapon away at the first moment that it is available to take.  Circumstances change based on the type of weapon and the position that the threat is posed to you.

When dealing with a shotgun or long gun, it is important to make the most efficient redirection possible and then get inside the line of fire.  Once inside, I can use the gun as a blunt weapon against the attacker if I move quickly and throw an effective counter attack to gain a momentary advantage.

Remember, when defending against a ‘gun threat’, we are not necessarily racing the finger pulling the trigger, but the change of mind made by the attacker to escalate his threat into an active shooting scenario.

Ok, thats all for now.  Enjoy the video, be safe… and GO DO SOME KRAV MAGA TODAY!

-AJ  @AJDraven – Twitter

Your feedback on the post is welcome.

Please leave it in the comments, or on Twitter or Facebook!