hair pulling

[jobo]

Supposedly cutting the hair short so it couldn't be grabbed goes back to the Roman empire, the Romans would cut their hair short so the enemy couldn't sneak up behind them and grab them by the hair and slit their throats.

that's interesting, didn't know the skin head cult was that old, but yes short hair seems to be the norm in the armed forces, apart from the dutch

 

[jobo]

Than you would use other techniques. If you like to pull hair and you find yourself up against somebody with no hair you would use other techniques in your martial arts arsenal.

I'm not sure that teaching a motor skill to pull hair, when there is a better than even chance that there is no hair to pull, unless you are fighting girls is a good strategy, better to train to go for something that is always going to be present, like an arm or a head

 

[Gerry Seymour]

I'm not sure that teaching a motor skill to pull hair, when there is a better than even chance that there is no hair to pull, unless you are fighting girls is a good strategy, better to train to go for something that is always going to be present, like an arm or a head

I don't know about "better than even chance", Jobo. I suppose that depends where you live, though. Around here, there's a relatively low chance of there not being hair. Very few wear it too short to grab, unless they are losing their hair.

 

[JowGaWolf]

Some helpful tips for using an opponents hair ...

• Don't just grab the hair any old way. Slide your hands deep into their hair next to their scalp (preferably on the side of their head), then take a big handful of hair and twist to take out all the slack before you start working to manipulate their head. The twist makes the pull more painful.
• One advantage of the hair grip over a regular head control is that you can push as well as pull. Use pushes and pulls to control range and angles. The pushing action is also useful for ramming their head into things.
• Don't be static with your hair control. Constantly manipulating your opponent's posture and position and balance will make it hard for them to counter the grip. Your free hand can strike, defend, or set up grappling techniques. If they do start to get two hands on one to try clearing your grip, take the opportunity to secure a grip with your other hand.
• Don't rely on the pain factor. Treat the hair grip as if you are able to get a gi grip on their skull. If they react to the pain, that's icing on the cake.

If you have a training partner who is open-minded (or crazy) enough to try sparring with hair pulling allowed, it's an educational experience.

This is something that women take advantage of more so than men. I'm not sure why, but I would think that this would be a good go to when the hand finds the hair.

 

[jobo]

I don't know about "better than even chance", Jobo. I suppose that depends where you live, though. Around here, there's a relatively low chance of there not being hair. Very few wear it too short to grab, unless they are losing their hair.

well shortish hair on men over say 14 is the norm is this neck of the woods and it has been so since big hair went out of fashion in about 1994, certainly hair long enough to grab on anyone over 25 or "street " teenagers its a rarity.

you just have to hope you get attacked by someone who goes to a pay,school or an aging hippy

 

[Gerry Seymour]

well shortish hair on men over say 14 is the norm is this neck of the woods and it has been so since big hair went out of fashion in about 1994, certainly hair long enough to grab on anyone over 25 or "street " teenagers its a rarity.

you just have to hope you get attacked by someone who goes to a pay,school or an aging hippy

That's pretty different from here. This is a fairly artsy place. Many of the younger folks would be classified as "hipsters", and there are plenty of aging (and new) hippies about. I'd say the farmers hereabouts are the most likely to have short hair, and that'd be maybe half of them (and they're maybe 20% of the population).

 

[jobo]

That's pretty different from here. This is a fairly artsy place. Many of the younger folks would be classified as "hipsters", and there are plenty of aging (and new) hippies about. I'd say the farmers hereabouts are the most likely to have short hair, and that'd be maybe half of them (and they're maybe 20% of the population).

well our hipsters are sporting an Islamic look of cropped hair and big beards', which means I suppose that beard grabbing in on the cards. But general speaking hipsters don't attack, they are to busy trying to find a restaurant with a good wine

 

[Touch Of Death]

It's a right bugger against bald people though.

Chest hair.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

On the flip side, here's something to even out the odds for folks with long hair.

 

[marques]

I never did a style that taught hair pulling but it can still be a very effective fighting technique. Maybe some styles should incorporate it.

Do you consider it a technique? To be taught? (Not saying it is not.)

It is really effective and it was allowed in my self defence training/sparring. But must of the time it was just a last resource 'mental option' and we trained/tried something more sofisticaded and technically challenging (which may help against bald guys, for instance).

I agree the 'dirty techniques' are easy and effective, but if we allow them all the time we will not develop the fine ones. On the other hand, if we never include them, we forget they exist for our disadvantage.

 

[Jenna]

Can techniques be deployed on fashionable beards too? (cos like if so I will get rid of mine )

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Chest hair.

That's the first post I can remember wanting to mark "Funny", "Informative", "Useful", and "Dislike", all at once.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Can techniques be deployed on fashionable beards too? (cos like if so I will get rid of mine )

Certainly. I've only trained with one guy who wore a long enough beard, but it makes for good control. Have to be careful with it (pulling sideways), but it does work.

 

[Paul_D]

This is something that women take advantage of more so than men. I'm not sure why,

Because they tend to have longer hair?

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Because they tend to have longer hair?

Probably because the folks they fight are more likely to have it - meaning it's a consistent target, whereas it's not, for guys.

 

[Paul_D]

Probably because the folks they fight are more likely to have it - meaning it's a consistent target, whereas it's not, for guys.

Exactly. Ofcourse when (some) people are only ever able to see martial arts or self defense as consisting of "young men men agreeing to fight with other young men men" they forgot their are other people, situations and techniques that apply.

 

[Headhunter]

We do in Shaolin. Hair pulling and takedowns, hair pulling and striking, etc.

Maybe that's why shaolin monks are all bald lol...kidding before anyone takes my comment seriously

 

[Headhunter]

Supposedly cutting the hair short so it couldn't be grabbed goes back to the Roman empire, the Romans would cut their hair short so the enemy couldn't sneak up behind them and grab them by the hair and slit their throats.

Don't know about that but I know a lot of boxers liked to shave their heads so if they clinch up and the heads gets put in it'll hurt more than with hair..I'm probably not explaining that well

 

[JowGaWolf]

Because they tend to have longer hair?

I can see that. Hair is no where near as long as it was in the 80's

This guy makes good use of hair grab. Maybe some guys don't see it as being "Macho" sort of how this guy is complaining. It clearly worked. I'm surprised he let go, he had all of the control
.

 

[drop bear]

Can techniques be deployed on fashionable beards too? (cos like if so I will get rid of mine )

beard pull to rear naked choke works pretty well.