HANDS ON DAN MARCOU

Can you imagine being knocked down to the ground, onto your back, with a criminal straddling you? Without preparation, you might freeze. But if you properly train for this attack — or any attack — the outcome can be far better.

If you find yourself falling to your back when you’re suddenly attacked, before you do anything else, tuck your chin to your chest. It will keep the back of your head from snapping back and striking the pavement, which could put you out of the fight immediately.

Once you hit the ground and before the attacker is on you, you can use your momentum to roll over your shoulder and get up to your feet. However, if he or she is already on top of you, it is imperative you react quickly before the aggressor can establish balance.

You can still fight from the ground. Plant both of your feet firmly on the ground, with your knees bent, and get your guard up between you and the attacker. You can actually land solid punches to the suspect’s nose and face from this position.

With your right knee, strike up at an angle to the buttocks, trying to drive your knee through the buttocks on a line toward your own left shoulder. If the attacker straddling you is like most, he or she will be leaning forward on the assault. This will compromise his or her balance, causing him or her to fall forward and at an angle toward and over your shoulder.

As stated, you strike with your right knee and drive through the buttocks toward your left shoulder. Follow through by rolling, with your buttocks following your knee and then your back following your buttocks. Continue this full-body roll by rolling over your left shoulder. If the attacker is what we in the self-defense business call “riding high,” this strike and immediate roll before he or she can regain balance will launch your assailant forward. Continue your roll until you are on your knees and the aggressor is on his or her back.

Considering the ferocity of your attacker’s assault and now that you find yourself in a good position to do so, it would be appropriate to deliver impact to and through the attacker’s groin with your knee. That should at least temporarily pause the assault. After the impact to the groin, if possible, disengage and call the police.

If the attempt does not work, remember you can still punch, elbow, scratch, gouge and kick. After a few of these impacts, try the knee-strike rollover again. However, if the attacker is imminently going to cause death or great bodily harm, and if you can reach your legally carried firearm or other weapon, this would be the time to access and use it.

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