How to Take a Hit
Even if you are a peaceful person, you can be hit. And if you’ve never had self-defense training, fighting experience, or even a fleeting thought of what you’ll be doing at that moment, you may find yourself on your ass not knowing what to do next – and this could be an opportunity for your attacker to strike. more of you.
It’s unlikely you’ll ever have to think about it (and we hope it’s unlikely at least), but it’s worth having a plan in case you ever need one. Here’s how to take a hit.
Protect your head from more than the initial impact
When you get hit, there are actually two hits that can harm you: the initial hit is one, but the secondary hit comes when your body hits the ground. You may not be knocked down, but if you do, you must keep your chin tucked in as you fall so there is no secondary impact to the back of the head.
“The risk of falling to the ground and getting your chin down badly during a fall is basically getting a whiplash or worse, getting hit in the brainstem and just getting knocked out just because of it,” said Tzachi Shemesh, founder and chief instructor . at the Krav Maga experts in New York.
When you fall, make sure your head is as far away from the attacker as possible and always keep your feet between the other person’s head and your head. Your legs, Shemesh said, are your weapons. More on this later.
Get down if you must
It may seem counter-intuitive, but if you don’t have combat experience, it’s best to knock you down right away, so don’t try to fight it.
“If you feel dizzy, if you feel dizzy and maybe you can’t fight well from there, then, oddly enough, the safest place for you will be on the ground until you figure it out with your head.” Shamesh. said. “But having said that, you must know what you are doing while you are walking on earth.”
Adrenaline will pump and things will move quickly, but be as vigilant and strategic as you can be. Rate the other person. Why did they attack you? You may or may not know, but you have to make some hasty judgments here, especially if you feel they are not lone punchers. Shamesh said it was important to determine if you had the ability to run away or if you should react immediately by defending or counterattacking. The situation, he says, “depends on how crazy the attacker is.”
Charles Montoya, owner of Hard Knocks Boxing in White Plains, New York, added that you need to determine if your striker is a bully who hit you unfairly, or someone who feels justified, say because you were mocking him. If the person is a bully, they are more likely to continue attacking you. He pointed out that the struggle is psychological, not just physical, and there is an element of respect in the game. If a person felt entitled to hit you, they might think that one hit taught you a lesson. If they intimidate you, he said, you will have to earn their respect by showing that you are not going to tolerate it.
“Try to stay calm and keep your distance,” he said. If you haven’t been knocked down and are still standing, squat down and wait until your vision clears, then step back slightly. Whether you are on the ground or upright, it is important to maintain distance between yourself and your attacker while you recover your thoughts and vision.
If you decide to run away, make your move
There is no shame in not resisting. If during your brief assessment you came to the conclusion that the other person just wanted to hit you once, you don’t need to escalate the situation. As a rule, you should try to avoid further violence, but especially if you are not prepared for a fight.
Keep your head away from the attacker and your limbs between the two of you, you can just walk away (if that seems like an option to you). Always maintain eye contact with the other person. You don’t need a second surprise attack. Your body language should reflect that you are not ready to spar, so keep your hands to your face for protection, but make sure they are open and not clenched – fists only signal that you are ready to fight. Use your voice too. Be aggressive and persistent, say you don’t want to do it, and make what Shamesh calls an “honorable escape.” By keeping your hands open and showing that you are not going to retaliate, you are also giving the other person a chance to make an honorable escape. But if they don’t choose this path and you can’t get away, you must have a plan B.
If you decide to fight back, be strategic
If diplomacy fails, it’s time to join the fight. If another person approaches you while you are still on the ground, kick them. Shamesh said to aim at the knee or groin and hit hard. While they retreat, get off the ground.
“Your level of craziness at the moment should match theirs,” he said. From there, your strikes should be very accurate. Focus on their face and groin. These are the two goals you need to keep in mind. Protect your face and head – and your own groin as much as possible without compromising head protection – and aim for those two places.
Montoya added that your physique must also be taken into account here. If you’re much shorter than the other person, you shouldn’t be constantly getting in their face. He said to keep low, dodge and avoid straight punches and round hooks by aiming for the opponent’s chin. His advice here was to “be patient.”
“You have all this crazy, nervous energy. It’s very, very natural, but despite that, be very, very patient and look for opportunities,” he said.
In this part, Shamesh recommended thinking about a cat in the bath. A cat is smaller than a human and weaker than a human, but when you tried to bathe a cat, did you ever catch it? No, Shamesh replied, “because he doesn’t want to be caught.” You probably don’t want to get caught either, so keep attacking their face and groin while protecting yourself. Move, don’t be an easy target for them, and strike when you can. Use your legs.
“Size matters, but if you’re not ready to give up, you won’t lose, at least not that easily,” Shamesh said.
During all this, you should also always look for your honorable escape. Let’s hope someone else showed up at that point and you’re not alone, but whether they act as a distraction, a witness, or a backup fighter – or never materialize at all – your goal should be to get out of there. rather than trying to beat up the other person.
see a doctor
Some people fight a lot and know what to expect and what their body can handle. Could you. As soon as you get out of the situation, go to the doctor. Shamesh pointed out that you may have a concussion, which you can find out about if you feel dizzy or throw up. Even if you don’t have these symptoms, just go.
For aftercare, elevate the impact site and apply ice. Finally, consider self-defense classes—preferably before you get hit at all.