How to train for untrained attackers when you're insecure

Let me guess, you've been training for long exhausting periods of time. You've been practicing every technique that your self defense instructor taught. You've been doing everything you can do to defend yourself and yet, your still afraid.

Your afraid that in the face of a cruel and frightening attacker, you will wet your pants. You will forget about everything you've spent your hard earned time and effort training for. You are afraid that if a real attack were to happen, you would freeze as if you learned nothing at all.

Even after everything you've learned, you still feel that your not good enough. You are still afraid that despite everything, you will get hurt. Worse, you are terrified that you might get killed.

What's the solution? How do you defend yourself against an untrained attacker with confidence?

Understand your enemy: 

Knowing your enemy is good but understanding your enemy? That's taking your self defense training to heights never before reached. Why? Because you your understanding enables you to effectively give the proper response.

For example, let's say that I work as a cashier. I come across an angry and potentially violent customer. If I understand his or her thought process on a psychological level, this allows me to end the conflict peacefully via. de-escalation.

How do you understand your enemy? You become your enemy. Put yourself in your attacker's shoes. Imitate his or her walk, talk, speech, tone of voice, actions, etc.

Feel everything that your attacker is feeling. Be a predator preying on the weak. Realize that your motives for doing so are based on your own fears of being weak.

Watch this compilation of fights and pay close attention to the patterns of attack. Once you understand your enemy, it's difficult to be afraid because ignorance leads to fear. What to do with that understanding?

Spar like your enemy:

Why do so many self defense systems fail? They don't teach practitioners to spar like untrained attackers. Do you realistically expect the average attacker to come at you with some kung fu moves or boxing jabs?

If you continue to train with trained attackers then you'll only learn how to deal with the trained, not the untrained. How do you spar like the untrained attacker? Adopt his or her mindset.

Make sure that your sparring partner understands the importance of understanding your enemy. When you are ready, take turns roleplaying between an untrained attacker and trained defender.

Start with a scenario to simulate the initial moment before the violent confrontation (ex. threatening the defender) then go into sparring. Do whatever it is any untrained attacker would do whether it's throwing "windmill punches", tackles, grapples, ground and pound, you name it. Do it at full force and high speed until you or your sparring partner loses then repeat the process.

I recommend purchasing Macho Dyna 8-piece sparring set and chest protector for training. The head gear absorbs the impact whether standing or falling as well as the shin guards and the chest protector. Remember that you'll want to keep it as realistic as possible so don't rely too much on the gear. You might need to omit some equipment eventually once you feel confident enough to train under pressure.

Adapt to your enemy:

When it's your turn to play the role of the defender, you will have a better understanding on how to deal with the untrained attacker. You will begin to notice seemingly chaotic but predictable patterns. Be fluid and respond accordingly.

When you understand fundamental principles of combat (ex. Keeping your distance, controlling your opponent, timing, speed, accuracy, a strong defense, etc. then it becomes easier to respond. Don't worry too much about applying techniques. Instead, go with the flow.

If your sparring partner is swinging too fast and hard at striking range, you could attack from kicking range. You could take your attacker down via. grappling. You could also intercept your opponent's attack by a powerful strike of your own. It all depends on you and what you feel is instinctively right.

Remember to use the environment to your advantage. If you have something to block your partner's vision, use it. If you can use a car as a barrier then use it to escape. There's very little rules in self defense so you must use whatever works under intense sparring sessions.

With consistent training and understanding, you'll be better equipped with overcoming your fears under intense combat. Through hard work, you can essentially deal with any attacker and be one step ahead in self defense. Train smart and train with intensity to get the results you deserve!

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Is grappling effective in self defense?

I've often heard people talk about grappling's use in self defense. Some say it's a bad idea and others say it's a good idea. Is grappling effective in self defense? I will give my stance on the subject.

It all depends on many factors. I can't give you a resounding "yes! It's effective!" or a "no you should never grapple in self defense.." It's what you make of it as a practitioner that determines whether or not it's effective for self defense. What i can say is that much of what is taught in grappling arts such as Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Judo, Combat Sambo, etc. will most likely not work in self defense.

You've probably seen or underwent some training involving stand up grappling as shown in this video. You take your opponent down and apply grappling maneuvers in order to apply a firm grappling hold. In addition, you will probably be given rules that forbid you from striking or be expected to primarily focus on grappling. The problem with this is that 1) There's no soft mat in the street to break your fall. There might be solid concrete or glass that could cause injury or knock you out if your head makes full contact with it. 2) Your training with grapplers, not strikers. Your attacker is probably not going to move around trying to "feel you out" (at least not in America.) Most likely, your attacker will either attack by striking or with a deadly weapon. If your attacker does use grappling and goes for a takedown, it's probably going to be so he or she can continue striking you!    

Will that type of training prepare you for self defense? Most likely not. This does not mean that grappling is completely useless in self defense. Sure you might be able to apply an armbar every now and then but not against every attacker. The effectiveness of grappling depends on several things and more

1) The purpose of grappling
2) How you use it to end the threat quickly
3) Controlling the range between you and your attacker
4) Controlling your attacker.

For example, if someone tries to apply a rear naked chokehold then i'd use a Jiu Jitsu throw. It'd take too much time to figure out how to escape using some fancy grappling techniques then apply a chokehold of my own to make my opponent pass out until a few seconds. It's alot more effective for me at least to throw my attacker to the ground and go into my kicking or striking range (ex. stomp kick to the head.) If you want to learn more, read my post "grappling for self defense vs. grappling for UFC" ( http://everythingselfdefense.blogspot.com/2017/01/grappling-for-self-defense-vs-grappling.html)

In conclusion, grappling's effectiveness depends on how you use it. There's no martial art style that is guaranteed to make grappling 100% effective for you in self defense. Once you understand the basic principles of grappling and combat, you can understand how to make grappling work for you.

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Not all combat is the same for self defense!

One of the biggest misconceptions people have about self defense is assuming all or some forms of combat are the same. Instructors in traditional martial arts, MMA, police and military training, combat sports, etc. seem to lump one or all together in one category and call it self defense. This is not the reality. Not all forms of combat are equally much less best suited for self defense. Each form of combat was made for a specific purpose so the mindset and training will be built upon a specific goal. They are similar but not the same. I will go through several forms of combat and explain how they are different from self defense with educational videos.

* Traditional Martial arts - As I mentioned before in my blog post "why martial arts does not mean self defense" (http://everythingselfdefense.blogspot.com/2016/12/why-martial-arts-does-not-mean-self.html), martial arts' styles were created to suit the needs of a particular generation in time for many reasons (health and fitness, self defense, war, dance, etc.) Ninjutsu for example was designed to help ninjas complete their missions involving espionage and evasion of the enemy. They would use weapons such as katanas to engage their attackers. Other martial arts like Kendo aren't even used for self defense or any fighting. They are used more for building moral character via. Bushido. You will train in katas or "forms ", ancient techniques, weapons, hand to hand combat, etc. in the martial arts world. You might have to invest years in training to perfect your skills.

How is this different from more practical self defense? In the 21st century, alot has changed since the time of its creation. Alot of things that worked back then are now obsolete in the modern world. If you tried to use a katana on an unarmed attacker now, you will run into alot of problems with the law. Modern self defense addresses modern problems. No one will attack you with bo staffs, butterfly knives, katanas, and other ancient weapons that traditional martial arts train you in. No one is going to realistically throw everything in one punch as seen in martial arts demonstrations. Your not going to be able to magically know when you will be attacked. Your attackers will use modern weapons with modern day approaches. Much of the combat shown in traditional martial arts are done for the sake of the art or it's original purpose, not to defend yourself in the modern world.

* Combat sports - Some martial arts like Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Muay Thai were designed for sport. Modern martial arts in the form of MMA train it's practitioners in multiple traditional martial arts within striking, kicking, and grappling ranges. The goal is to either cause an opponent to tap out or get knocked out. There are weight divisions, verbal taunts, rules, sportsmanship, alot of time to prepare, championships, alot of room to fight in the ring, judges, the list goes on.

The problem? The sports mindset is different from the world of self defense. In the real world, you risk breaking your fists in a street fight if you punch incorrectly or solid bone thus reducing your chances of effectively dealing with the next threat. That's why you see MMA fighters and sport based martial artists spar with gloves. The other issue is that you are training to fight someone on a similar skill level when it comes to sport. There's no weapons, no multiple attackers, no dirty fighting, no disadvantages in size, and no one trying to kill you in the ring. On the streets, there are no rules. Effective self defense should prepare you to respond to any situation. There's no "fighting fair" when your defending yourself. In fact, there shouldn't be any fighting at all. Your not going to survive every situation if you treat each one as a fist fight.Your goal should be to end the threat as quickly as possible by putting your attacker at a disadvantage usually through two ways 1) Incapacitation 2) Taking away mobility with or without the use of weapons. For example, if i'm faced with an attacker throwing punches and i have a sweater in one hand then i'm going to throw it in his face. This will provide a distraction for me to land a kick to the groin and another kick to knock him or off balance then run away. If i don't fight dirty then it's skill against skill and if my attacker is more skilled than me, i'm probably going to get hurt or killed. Even if schools in combat sports claim to teach self defense, they most likely won't teach you how to fight dirty or how to use weapons to end the threat quickly.

* Street-fighting - This is like sport except it's a consensual agreement for both parties to fight although there's no assurance that it will be fair. If your attacker hates the fact that you won a fist fight, he or she can shoot you dead in anger and humiliation as shown in this video example. Once you agree to meet someone for a street fight, you are no longer acting in self defense. In self defense, you should attempt to defuse your aggressor or avoid these situations all together for your safety.

* Combat in law enforcement - Military officials will train in hand-to-hand combat (such as martial arts) and weapons to kill or capture the enemy as quickly as possible. The police's main goal is to use weapons and hand-to-hand combat to subdue criminals. They are armed with an arsenal of weapons (handcuffs, guns, tasers, batons, pepper spray, the list goes on.) They are allowed to kill someone if that person has proven to be too great of a threat. Their greatest strength is teamwork and spend alot of time honing their skills together.

How is this different from self defense? You don't have the same advantages and authority as law enforcement does in self defense. Furthermore, your aim isn't to kill unless there is no other way to stop an attacker intending on killing you and you can justify it in court.

In conclusion, you have to know what your purpose is in self defense and abide by a process. You have to know how to make combat systems effective for you in self defense. I'm not confident that many people learning self defense understand the dynamics of real world violence because they are confused. The best thing you can do is understand the different types of combat to avoid confusion and learn how to defend yourself better.

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Attacking matters more than self defense techniques

When you come across any self defense system, you'll want to ask yourself "am I going to be able to recall what I've learned in a real fight? " Unfortunately, many self defense schools teach ineffective techniques that won't work in an actual violent situation. Why do i say that? For the following reasons:

* Your attacker is unpredictable - Many times you will often see demonstrations of self defense instructors doing a certain technique such as a wrist lock or sequence of moves. The students comply because in their minds, the instructor knows best. The problem with this is that the attacker doesn't react. In the real world, you don't know your attacker. You don't know if he or she has a concealed weapon. You don't know if your attacker is trained. You don't know how your attacker will respond if you apply a certain technique if you can apply it at all.

* Combat is fluid and intense - In a violent situation, there's going to be alot of striking and movement at varying speeds. When your under high levels of stress, you won't be able recall complex motor skills. Worse, you might give your attacker an opportunity to land a hit. You might see martial arts demonstrations where the student playing the role of the attacker attempts to grab or choke the defender. This type of attack is rare so the training is unrealistic. In a real attack, your attacker will most likely do alot of striking and some unskilled grappling. As soon as someone is on top of you, your attacker's punches will land straight to your face and other areas before you can perform one technique. In combat, things happen so quickly that you won't be able to use any techniques. Just look at any compilation of attacks on the internet or in person as in this video for instance.

* Techniques promote a faulty mindset - By thinking of combat in terms of techniques, your movements become mechanical rather than natural. You will start to depend on techniques to get out of every situation. If you train to deal with a certain situation but did not train for a completely different scenario in the real world, chances are you will freeze. You won't know whether to do what technique and by the time you do, you would've already been hit.

If you were to ask me "what's the best way to deal with any violent situation?" My response is "attack! attack! attack!" It's easier to memorize only a few attacks than to spend more time learning different techniques for different scenarios. This is because you can end the threat much quicker if you strike than if you applied a sequence of movements or armlock. You might even move faster under an adrenaline rush than if you weren't. Picture the following scenarios and see how the principle of attacking would end a violent confrontation fast.

* Someone tries to grab your shirt with both hands while leaving his/her vulnerable areas exposed. Since your attacker is grabbing you, that leaves the body completely defenseless unless your attacker lets go. What's the solution? Knock him or her out with one hit to the head area.

* Someone puts you in a rear naked chokehold. What's the solution to escape? Strike the groin repeatedly, elbow strike the ribs, strike the face, kick the legs, etc.

* Someone grabs your arm. What's the solution? Knock him or her out by aiming for a specific target (jaw, under the chin, neck, throat, etc.)

Think of any scenario in your head and the principle should still be the same. It doesn't matter what your attacker does, if you can't remember anything else then at least remember to attack until the threat is over. Sure you can use a technique or two but it's not as important as training your quick reflexes, accuracy, power, timing, fluidity. By focusing on using a few solutions for many problems, you learn to end the threat more efficiently.

If you enjoyed this post, subscribe to my blog for updates, more advice, and exclusive content in the near future. I'm proud and excited to offer a FREE sample chapter of my E-book "Jeet Kune Do: How to build your own fighting system for self defense!" It's essentially a step-by-step guide on how to make your own self defense system suited to fit your own needs using Jeet Kune Do. If you would love to receive your FREE chapter of my e-book, click on the link below and share a post via. social media then it's yours for FREE! Be sure to also fill out the survey on the right and provide feedback on my blog. Leave questions, comments, and suggestions below.

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How to improve your Wing Chun

Whether you are struggling or excelling in Wing Chun, there's always room for improvement. This guide will give you several tips on how to improve as a Wing Chun practitioner for self defense by applying Wing Chun principles.

* Strike first - A big mistake Wing Chun practitioners make is waiting for an attack to happen. If you wait for an attack to happen, you might not have time to respond and it puts you on the defensive. By striking first, you control the flow and pace of the fight as your opponent is on the defensive. Make the first hit count especially if you plan on using Wing Chun for self defense. 

* Apply forward pressure - Another big mistake people make is not closing the gap and applying forward pressure. I've made this mistake myself where my sparring partner was throwing uppercuts, crosses, jabs, and realized Wing Chun's power comes from driving your body forward as you attack or defend. If you simply stand there deflecting and attacking your opponent without stepping forward, all your opponent has to do is either move forward to grapple you or back to avoid getting hit. Once you have the opportunity to attack, you keep stepping forward until your opponent is overwhelmed with attacks or falls over. 

In this example (ignore the rest), notice how the Wing Chun chain punches the Muay Thai fighter while stepping forward to drive the fighter back into a mirror. This is the concept of applying forward pressure.   

* Take your opponent off balance - Another common mistake is not taking your opponent off balance. As long as your opponent is still standing, you have not eliminated the threat effectively. Removing your opponent's balance is one of the principles in Wing Chun. If your opponent tries to do a kick, step forward to intercept it and cause your opponent to lose balance then deliver powerful blows to knock him or her over. If your opponent tries to do a high kick, tan sao or trap the leg and deliver a stomp kick to the side of the knee in the rear leg. The quicker you can take your opponent off balance, the quicker the fight will end.

* Keep your balance - The proper way to keep balancing is knowing how much pressure to apply to which foot. Improper application of energy leads to loss of balance. For example you should not put all of your weight in the rear foot and no power in your kicking foot. A solid structured alignment, footwork, and proper use of pressure are all essential in keeping your balance. 

* Steal your opponent's balance - One effective method of keeping your balance is by taking your opponent's. For example, when you are about to fall over and your opponent throws a straight punch - you could trap the hand while delivering a front kick of your own. 

* Don't mirror your opponent's centerline - If you mirror your opponent's centerline, you will have to face all of his or her limbs than if you fought on the outside. By moving to the outside or blindside, you will only have to deal with one arm and leg as you are in a better position to strike. If your opponent rushes in for a kick or punch for example, move in to the side and deliver a kick to the rear leg or trap the arm before you attack. 

* Don't retreat - A mistake Wing Chun practitioners make is falling back from an attack. You might create distance but this doesn't give you an advantageous position. Rather than move back, step to the side in order for you to get a superior position to attack while avoiding the line of your opponent's attack. For example, i'd step to the side and deliver a counter-attack to a charging opponent rather than move back then face the possibility of falling over. You retreat only when necessary to create space and even if you do, you don't lose contact. If say an opponent advances to seize an opportunity to attack me, i move back but deliver a straight punch in the process to create distance before i apply forward pressure.

* Control your opponent - There are many Wing Chun practitioners who allow their opponents to control them rather than the other way around. They lose structure, balance, and technique before it turns into a grappling contest. Controlling your opponent is one of the most fundamental principles in Wing Chun. If you are within range for example, use fook sao to bring your opponent's head forward while delivering a strike to the face. Grab your opponent by the hair or clothing for leverage. Control the elbows to nullify your opponent's striking ability then throw him or her to the ground. Control your opponent, don't let your opponent control you. 

* Go with the flow - Another fatal mistake Wing Chun practitioners make is fighting force with force. Wing Chun is about absorbing strength and using it against your opponent. If your opponent grabs your arm and pulls you forward, that's fine because he/she is bringing you into your attacking range quickly. If your opponent tries to pull back from your lap sao, help him or her fall over by letting go and delivering a kick to the groin.

* Watch your opponent's elbow and control it - The elbow moves slower than the fist. Therefore, keep your eyes on the elbow and you will predict what your opponent will do.

* Proper elbow alignment - Your hands should defend your upper body while your elbows should be aligned to defend your lower body. If your opponent tries to uppercut, you elbow strike the fists and cause them to break.

Practice these principles in your training and sparring sessions. If you enjoyed this post, subscribe to my blog for updates, more advice, and exclusive content in the near future. I'm proud and excited to offer a FREE sample chapter of my E-book "Jeet Kune Do: How to build your own fighting system for self defense!" It's essentially a step-by-step guide on how to make your own self defense system suited to fit your own needs using Jeet Kune Do. If you would love to receive your FREE chapter of my e-book, click on the link below and share a post via. social media then it's yours for FREE! Be sure to also fill out the survey on the right and provide feedback on my blog. Leave questions, comments, and suggestions below.

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Self defense against strangulation

Strangulation is a deadly type of assault in the streets and it probably means your assailant is trying to kill you. You only have a short amount of time to respond properly before you run out of oxygen. Hopefully, you will learn everything you need to know from this guide.

When we are being strangled with a rope or chain, our natural reaction is to use force with force and pull forward so that we can breathe. This is ineffective especially when dealing with someone stronger than you. If your being strangled with barbed wire or any other kind of wire, you won't be able to pry your fingers into it and yank it off of you. What's the best line of defense? Go with the flow. If your attacker is pulling back, simply turn your body sideways or facing him/her. Are there any obstacles such as an attacker pushing his or her knee against you? Clear the way with your arms and turn your body. Attack at full force with palm strikes to the face, chops to the sides of the neck, finger jabs to the throat and eyes, hammerfists to the temple, hits to the chest, etc. Don't worry about trying to release the attacker's grip on the weapon because that's an advantage for you. Once your are doing damage to your attacker's body, he or she will have to let go at some point but by then it would be too late. The last thing you want is for the situation to escalate into a grappling contest. This video demonstrates how this idea should be practiced.

Practice with a sparring partner with safety precautions. If you enjoyed this post, subscribe to my blog for updates, more advice, and exclusive content in the near future. I'm proud and excited to offer a FREE sample chapter of my E-book "Jeet Kune Do: How to build your own fighting system for self defense!" It's essentially a step-by-step guide on how to make your own self defense system suited to fit your own needs using Jeet Kune Do. If you would love to receive your FREE chapter of my e-book, click on the link below and share a post via. social media then it's yours for FREE! Be sure to also fill out the survey on the right and provide feedback on my blog. Leave questions, comments, and suggestions below.

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How to fight against a faster opponent

Many people talk about fighting a stronger opponent but sometimes, a faster opponent is more dangerous. Here's a few tips on how to defeat an opponent who relies on speed in self defense.

* Look for weaknesses - Just because your attacker is fast, doesn't mean he/she knows how to use speed in a street fight. Speed must be developed but there might be some areas where the attacker has not trained sufficiently. In what ways is the attacker slower? Kicking? Footwork? Controlling distance? Striking? Look for specific weak spots and once you find them, take advantage of them by striking there.

* Keep at a close distance - If you move too far back, you create space for your attacker to strike quickly. If you stay too close, you will get hit. Therefore the best position to be in is close enough to where you can quickly move in. Forget about blocking or dodging because you will get hit since your attacker's faster. It only takes a few inches for you to escape the attacker's striking range so distance is key. All you have to do is move out of the direction of the attacker's fast strikes and into your own range as you launch a counter-attack.

* Control the elbows - One of the best strategies to counter a fast striker is grappling. Wrestling, BJJ, Judo, or any other grappling art would be useful in these types of situations. As soon as the faster attacker finished his/her attacks, move in quickly and grab hold of the elbows to neutralize his/her attacks then slam or throw him/her on the ground. There's a good chance that you will get hit but focus on rendering speed useless by bringing the faster person to the ground. Remember to not go to the ground with him/her as it's more dangerous for you. Stay in a standing position as you finish the fight with kicks, stomps, etc.

* Make your escape - Don't think that once your attacker's on the ground you have to necessarily end the fight. Is there an opportunity to escape? Take it. It's not worth risking your life by staying longer in the fight.

Practice these principles with a partner who's faster than you.

If you enjoyed this post, subscribe to my blog for updates, more advice, and exclusive content in the near future. I'm proud and excited to offer a FREE sample chapter of my E-book "Jeet Kune Do: How to build your own fighting system for self defense!" It's essentially a step-by-step guide on how to make your own self defense system suited to fit your own needs using Jeet Kune Do. If you would love to receive your FREE chapter of my e-book, click on the link below and share a post via. social media then it's yours for FREE! Be sure to also fill out the survey on the right and provide feedback on my blog. Leave questions, comments, and suggestions below.

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How to beat an MMA fighter in Wing Chun

Unfortunately there are some MMA fighters who go around bullying those weaker than them out of self-centered entitlement. If you find yourself with an MMA fighter who is a bully, handle the situation without provoking him to fight. Report him to the police if need be and defend those around you. If things spiral out of control and you have no choice but to fight him, here are several tips on beating an MMA fighter.

There's no telling which styles an MMA fighter uses but generally, they train to be pro-efficient in these set of skills 1) Striking 2) Grappling 3) Ground-fighting. By being familiar with each one, you can devise the proper strategy to counter them all.

* Counter-attack the takedown - The takedown is one of the most crucial moves in ending the fight. If you get caught in the takedown, it's over. The MMA fighter can do what he/she wants once you are on the ground. To avoid it, simply widen your stance, lean your body forward, and stop the fighter with an attack to their upper body. You could palm strike the fighter in the neck as you hold it in place and grab the arm or elbow strike to the back of the head. From there, you could do all sorts of strikes. Ideally, you'd want to push the fighter to the ground and control his movements. If the fighter tries to grab your legs, you could trap his/her arms by bending your legs and lowering your stance. Once trapped, the MMA fighter is completely defenseless.

* Control the distance - The MMA fighter will usually have grappling skills in their arsenal of moves. Be cautious not to get grappled as he/she could easily go for an armbar or other submission hold. Use long ranged attacks and anti-grappling as you keep the distance.

* Counter-attack the Muay Thai clinch - Another attack that the MMA fighter may use is the Muay Thai clinch which would also be crucial in ending the fight. One knee to the ribs and it will result in a broken bone possibly organ damage. You could counter by chain punches to the centerline or preferably, sweep the fighter off balance as you attack him/her down to the ground then make your escape.

* Counter-attack high kicks - Another crucial attack in ending the fight are high kicks. If your opponent delivers a head kick, you could block or use tan sao to catch the leg as you kick the other leg (side of the knee) to get your opponent off balance. If the fighter's leg breaks, the fight is over.

* Counter-attack the running knee kick - Yet another attack that could potentially knock you off balance and end the fight is the running knee kick. When you see your opponent running towards you, it's likely he/she is setting up the kick. Move to the side and take advantage of the situation by kicking your opponent off balance or waiting until he/she lands before closing the gap to attack.

* Use your elbows - If you've read my other post "how to beat a boxer in Wing Chun" (http://everythingselfdefense.blogspot.com/2016/12/how-to-beat-boxer-in-wing-chun.html) then you know the use of your elbows to block and counter-attack would come in handy when facing an MMA fighter. If the MMA fighter uses elbow strikes on you, that's an ideal opportunity to quickly take control of fighter's elbows and end the fight by disrupting his/her balance.

* Counter-attack ground-fighting - Whatever you do, NEVER end up on the ground. Once you end up on the ground, you are put in a very dangerous position. If you ever find yourself on the ground due to a mistake, DO NOT let your guard down. Some Wing Chun teachers instruct that if your on the ground, you should simply get up quickly. This is bad advice especially when facing an MMA fighter. Soon as you try to get up, the MMA fighter will seize that opportunity and attack. Often overlooked, Wing Chun ground-fighting would increase your chances of recovering after being knocked down. You should learn some ground-fighting and how to counter-attack certain holds. What makes Wing Chun ground-fighting different from say Brazilian Jiu Jitsu? There's little to no grappling. You essentially apply the same principles and techniques as if you were standing up. If someone were to ground and pound you for instance, you still could simultaneously attack + defend. You also could knock your opponent off balance as well before quickly getting up and ending the fight.

* Fight dirty - The MMA fighter will likely see a street fight from a ring fighting sport mentality. In the UFC, there are several moves that are illegal in the Octagon but legal outside of it. This gives you an advantage. You could break his/her limbs, bite, hit the groin, use weapons, etc.

I hope this guide was helpful. Be sure to practice these techniques with a partner. If you enjoyed this post, subscribe to my blog for updates, more advice, and exclusive content in the near future. I'm proud and excited to offer a FREE sample chapter of my E-book "Jeet Kune Do: How to build your own fighting system for self defense!" It's essentially a step-by-step guide on how to make your own self defense system suited to fit your own needs using Jeet Kune Do. If you would love to receive your FREE chapter of my e-book, click on the link below and share a post via. social media then it's yours for FREE! Be sure to also fill out the survey on the right and provide feedback on my blog. Leave questions, comments, and suggestions below.

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