Defense Against The Hairgrab

Last Fearner

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I Agree !

I agree - There are many different effective defenses against a hair grab.
I agree - It is difficult to articulate a specific defense just in words here.
I agree - A very effective initial response is to control the attacker's hand.
I agree - Your response might vary depending on a front, side or rear grab.
I agree - Your attacker will probably be pulling you down or jerking you around.
I agree - You should remain aware of your opponent's follow up strikes.

Now, I will also comment that being aware, and avoiding the grab is primary, but the secondary phase is to prevent yourself from being pulled off balance. In some cases, without even applying the typical first response of grabbing the attacker's hand, a rapid strike can end the assault. At the moment the grab is felt, a hand strike to a vital area (I'm not going to be specific here) or a kick to a knee joint can end it quick.

Proceeding to the grappling phase, it has been mentioned that grabbing the opponent's hand or wrist with both hands might make you vulnerable to a second attack, but this is where you use the bent arms to encompass your head. Be quick, get a good grip, and place your opponent on the defense by drawing them off balance, and using pressure locks. Using one hand on your opponent's attack allows your other hand to defend as well as strike. When using both hands, you can still release one if blocking becomes necessary, but a quick wrist lock will prevent a strike.

It has also been mentioned that bending over is risky, but can be done if it is in conjunction with an effective wrist lock. You certainly should not bend over far without having your opponent under control, and you should always maintain your balance. Bending is usually to apply pressure on the opponent's wrist, and is done just enough to bring them down in a painful control.

Consider this example. Face your partner in class, and shake hands. Now, try to bring your partner to the ground using just your hands. You can change grips or use both hands, but no strikes, and only grab the wrists, hands, and fingers. If this becomes a "tug-of-war" then you might need work on pressure points and joint locks. If you can bring your partner to the ground within a second or two, without much movement or struggle, then apply that logic to the hair grab.

Grabbing my attacker's hand and wrist, I will apply pressure to his wrist so rapidly that if he were in mid-punch to my face with his free hand, he would stop and drop to his knees from the sheer pain. Some hair grabs will allow for more options of bending fingers back. The pain will cause them to release their grip, or break the finger, and move to the next one.

Here's one option that has not yet been discussed, and you might not have considered this yet. After the attacker grabs your hair, reach around their torso with both arms, and hug them close to you. Then, give them a big, wet, sloppy kiss! :ladysman: This will stun them so much that you will be able to do anything in the next few seconds! If kissing them is out of the question, try biting off the tip of their nose, or their ear lobe and spitting it back in their face. I believe this move is called the "Tyson!" lol :lol2:

Shaving the head was mentioned, but if you don't want to do that, how about using some really greasy hair gel so the opponent's hand just slips right off! Or - use some of that stiff hair gel so they cut their hand on your spiked hair.

I have never liked having someone pull my hair, so I usually just go off on them with everything I have!

"I pity the fool who grabs my hair!!!" lol

:eek:verkill:

CM D.J. Eisenhart
 

kidswarrior

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Many good ideas, and I don't want to attempt to improve on the considerable group wisdom. I might only add something Carl Cestari said that sticks in my mind: the usual grab (to a nonvital area) is not the actual attack; it's the setup for the attack. Caveat: if I don't respond quickly with a stopping move of my own, it won't matter!

So Cestari might say, the critical thing is not to counter the grab but to deliver a devastating move of my own. I don't teach this to my beginner/intermediate students, but advanced students can achieve this.
 

still learning

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Many good ideas, and I don't want to attempt to improve on the considerable group wisdom. I might only add something Carl Cestari said that sticks in my mind: the usual grab (to a nonvital area) is not the actual attack; it's the setup for the attack. Caveat: if I don't respond quickly with a stopping move of my own, it won't matter!

So Cestari might say, the critical thing is not to counter the grab but to deliver a devastating move of my own. I don't teach this to my beginner/intermediate students, but advanced students can achieve this.


Hello, Good point here! Grabbing the hair maybe use to off balance you, set you up for a face/knee strike. Keep you from moving away...for additional punishment. Thank-you for that informtion! ......Aloha

PS: Those with oily hair (recommend syntectic oil for the hair)...will be harder to hold on. Try Mobil One oil 5w40w....
 

shesulsa

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Many good ideas, and I don't want to attempt to improve on the considerable group wisdom. I might only add something Carl Cestari said that sticks in my mind: the usual grab (to a nonvital area) is not the actual attack; it's the setup for the attack. Caveat: if I don't respond quickly with a stopping move of my own, it won't matter!

So Cestari might say, the critical thing is not to counter the grab but to deliver a devastating move of my own. I don't teach this to my beginner/intermediate students, but advanced students can achieve this.
You make a good point and I'd like to point out that where they grab your hair makes the difference as to how much control over your head they'll really have. Grabbing the top front won't do much, grabbing on the crown won't do much ... but grabbing a fistful on the side of the head might - especially if they weave the fingers in. THAT's a grab for control.

So stay in control of your head, mostly. "Where the head goes, the body follows" - Doug Hall, RIP.
 

kidswarrior

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...grabbing a fistful on the side of the head might - especially if they weave the fingers in. THAT's a grab for control.

"Where the head goes, the body follows" - Doug Hall, RIP.

Yes, good point. I'd forgotten this adage. Must have been a 'senior moment' :boing2:
 

Kwiter

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Drat! I was going to give the ultimate defense against the hairgrab, a Crewcut ;-)

Crewcut on a woman , naaaaah!
 

CuongNhuka

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Grabb there hand, and this is were it diverts. If you have to turn to punch, kick to the inner knee. Then (after the knee breaks, because it will), run. If they're facing you, grabb there hand(s) and blast them in the ribs as hard as possible. Have the hand holding his'her handmove in the direction opposite the bend of the elbow. Make a simulationous forearm strike to his/her opponents elbow. This will break it. Turn and run. There you go.
If they're mounting you, do the same, but then after you break they're arm, punch them in face, push them off and run. If pinned against a wall, do the approitate, push off the wall to create space, and run.
Any other combinations, you'll have to come with on your own. If you're wondering about why I came up with this, the pople who might want to beat me up don't like to play fair.
 

kidswarrior

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Have been following and thinking about this post since it began. Have both learned and tried to contribute. It occurs to me after reading the collective experience/wisdom of all contributors that actually there are at least four 'hair grabs', depending on where the attacker grabs: the front, the top, the back, or the side.

I think our thread has shown that defenses would vary widely depending on which of the four was used. I'd like to see others' ideas on different responses based on type of hair grab. Maybe the great start we've made would be even more informative? (and I learn a lot by reading all of your experiences/training & techniques/ideas).

Just a thought...:)

Ps: By the way, thanks MJS Mike for starting a useful and informative line of thought.
 

still learning

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Ewwwww....

Hello, This was just a joke......Mobil one is a motor oil that is very good for making car engines last longer.............

When someone grabs your hair the intent is to control you.....FIGHT back anyway you can.......Aloha
 
J

jasonearle

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If they grab you, lets say, with their left hand, bring your left hand up and secure onto their wrist and hand. Twist to your right and step your left foot back and this well lock their arm up keeping them from being able to punch with the other hand and it leaves your right arm free to execute maybe a pinpointed punch w/ one knuckle to the ribs or the pressure point in the armpit therefore controlling their heighth, width, and depth. A visual example is easier to understand this.
 

Shaderon

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If they grab you, lets say, with their left hand, bring your left hand up and secure onto their wrist and hand. Twist to your right and step your left foot back and this well lock their arm up keeping them from being able to punch with the other hand and it leaves your right arm free to execute maybe a pinpointed punch w/ one knuckle to the ribs or the pressure point in the armpit therefore controlling their heighth, width, and depth. A visual example is easier to understand this.


This is the one I immediately thought of but you got there before me, one thing though, I had my husband try and grab my hair while it was in a ponytail and we were walking down the street, so I could try it out before posting it, once he'd grabbed my hair, as he was taller than me, I was "twisting" nowhere, I was stuck so I had to resport to a (fake) back-kick to the knees.
 

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