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Grabbed From Behind: A Simple Self Defense Counter-Attack

Be Ready To Strike Back

Grabbing your shoulder from behind is an aggressive gesture attackers often use to start a fight. Their intention may be to demonstrate dominance, spin you around, or hold you in place while an attacker facing you prepares to do you harm. Regardless of his intentions, a shoulder grab from behind is a situation for which you should have a counter-attack.

Overview

The best answer to a shoulder grab is to simply move forward (away from the grab) and escape. That is hands down the best option you have. However, you may be in a closed in area where escape is not possible, or as mentioned earlier there may be two attackers one in front and one behind. Whatever the case, you need to have a strategy to take charge of the conflict if escape is not an option. That’s what the counter-attack in the video above is all about.

Breaking It Down

As you can see from the clip above this move is extremely simple. When an attacker grabs you from behind the only information you have is the location of his hand and arm. This counter-attack takes full advantage of that.

By spinning around and dropping your body weight on his arm you will cause your attacker to drop with you. The secret is that you are pulling him slightly off balance while dropping your weight onto his arm. This works no matter how strong he is or how small you are. That’s one of the reasons it’s such a great defense.

There are plenty of wrist and arm locks taught by various systems for dealing with this attack, but the truth is, if your attacker is much larger than you he may be able to simply resist the joint manipulation. There is no way to resist someone pulling you slightly off balance and dropping their body weight on you.

How To Pick Locks. (Who Needs Keys?)

You may find this shocking, but picking open a standard "tumbler" lock, (like the one on your front door), is pretty damn easy when you know how it's done.

And in a "meltdown" survival situation, (once the smash-n-grab crowd has stolen everything not tied-down), the food and water and secure shelter will all be behind locked doors, (which explains why Special Forces are often trained in lock picking... and why they carry a set of lock pics with them).

It's a lot of fun learning this skill, (it doesn't take long)... and kinda nice to help out that buddy locked out of his house after the wife discovered what really happened on that "no money down" real estate seminar in Vegas.

>> Check Out "Lock Picking Kit" Here. <<

Key Points

There are a few key points you’ll want to keep in mind when using this move. First, you must spin to the inside for this to work. Next, you can’t hesitate. The second you feel a grab on your shoulder you must react full speed. This will limit his ability to respond.

Also, when doing this you’ll want to tilt your head downward slightly to protect your face. At full speed you may force him down so forcefully that his face slams into yours. By tilting you head forward and exposing your crown bone to him you will protect yourself against this.

Finally, when you drop your weight you must go all out. Depending on your size putting half your weight into it may not work, and there is no second try.

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68 thoughts on “Grabbed From Behind: A Simple Self Defense Counter-Attack”

  1. this genuinely works as i have used it many times against idiots grabbing me from behind and it can be followed up with a palm straight to the nose. if you were to be attacked for real use this with no doubt in its effectiveness

    Reply

  3. Fantastic maneuver! Quick with no thought or experience required. Almost an involuntary
    reaction. Great for women! Thank you Fight Fast Videos!!!
    Sunny

    Reply

  6. Where I’m from thats not the best move to ever do come to think about no where at all should people be trying to take large foes to the ground. With the exspolsion of mma grappling that’s the number one train form in America your going to get your own arm broken then your face. Teach quick strikes hit & run tactics. Knees, ears, sternum fall back prepare and access the problem or end it with a kick to the groan.

    Reply

  8. MY PARTNER & I, ARE BAIL ENFORCEMENT AGENTS, /FUGITIVE RECOVERY AGENTS,/ ( BOUNTY HUNTERS ) WE HATE THE LAST TERM FOR OBVIOUS REASONS!!!!!!! I GREATLY APPRECIATE SOME OF THE CUTTING EDGE MOVES, YOU HAVE PROVIDED US WITH, {ESPECIALY NIR MAMAN;S ISREALY CONNECTION, & THE BLACK OP:S DVD:S WHAT A TREMENDOUS ADDITION TO OUR ARSENAL OF SITUATION CONTROLING MOVES, AS YOU CAN PROBABLY IMAGINE, WE SOMETIMES GET IN SITUATIONS WHERE FAST & EFFECTIVE MOVES / RESPONSES ARE NEEDED TO CONTROL THE PERSON/PERSONS TO EFFECTIVELY PERFORM OUR DUTY;S AS AGENTS OF THE COURT SYSTEM/JUSTICE, “HATE TO THINK , GRANDMA/GRANDPA, MOM&DAD FRIENDS &SO ON MIGHT LOOSE THIER HARD EARNED MONEYS/PROPERTY, BECAUSE SOME “JACK-ASS ” DECIDES THEY DONT WHANT TO DEAL WITH THIER PROBLEMS MATURELY,RESPECTFULLY,HONESTLY FOR WHAT EVER REASON! THANK YOU FOR ADDING TO OUR TOOL-BELT OF ACTIONS, TO ACCOMPLISH OUR JOBS, SAFELY, & PROFFESIONALLY RESPECTFULLY “BRAHMAJOE SWINNEY” & “TORNADO-TOM” GEORGE [

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  11. i have worked on door work for 50 years, and have used this techniqoe many times,i use it with a follow up of a open hand strike to the face, folloed by a hammer first,and then knee to the groin or thigh,followed by low line kick to the ankle if needed.

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  12. Ever heard of the “unbendable arm” taught by Koichi Tohei, the highest ranking and person who formalized Aikido Training in the 50’s? He taught me and I used to demonstrate by having five men (that’s all who could fit) stand on my arm as I rested my hand on a table or chair and even drummed my fingers to show I was completely relaxed. He also taught holding back thirty or forty people with one’s litle finger.

    Of course, no one with that kind of training would attack someone else…..and it’s good you mention running away as the smartest thing to do. But there could always be someone who stumbled upon the secret of the unbendable arm and other uses of what Tohei Sensei called “Ki” (“Chi” in Chinese) so don’t depend on turning and facing your opponent as in the video.

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  15. That was a cool move, will have to work on it and then work on some follow up punches to keep them down.

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  16. I really appreciate you posting these, Bob. Because of it, I’ve seen enough of this fellow to decide to buy his disk(s) come the day I have some expendable income again. I like how he focuses on bone simple stuff that works.

    Reply

  17. With this move bringing the guy in close to you like it does, before actually taking him down, I’m visualizing a right elbow uppercut to his face (jaw, nose, eye) followed by a left grab and push to his throat and right grab and pull to his groin, step through and behind with your right foot, tripping him and slamming the back of his head into the payment. With vigor! Followed by a right hammer fist to one of his collar bones. Just a thought.

    Reply

  20. Excellent video, short & sweet…I teach CQC.to women age 25 & older and the quicker the better for most of my students.This particular move in the easiest way to drop an assailant quickly. I have a 16 Y/O weighing in @ 103lbs, & unbelievable fast drop a 255lb. 3rd degree B/B….BTW, I do this instructing free of charge to classes of 15 or less. A lot of spectators show up every week hoping to learn thru OSMOSIS….THANK FOR THE TIME YOU TAKE IN EDUCATING PUBLIC ON.SAFETY….

    Reply

  22. This appears to be a great move. Will it work regardless of which shoulder the assailant grabs or which arm he uses?

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  30. Thank you very much for providing me and my family with all the self defense techniques that are absolutely good for getting out of some danager situations.
    I studied marshal arts years ago and at 59 Its still very much a part of my life. The video clips that you provide me I share with my grandchildren. Again thank you

    Reply

    1. Hopefully not too often, but when the situation arises you’ll be glad you have this move in your bag of tricks!

      Reply

  35. Have is everything about the little guy defending against the big guy. Give us something about the older out of shape big guy defending against the younger in shape smaller guy.

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  39. That move works great, especially when the guy just stands there and lets him do it. The only problem with this scenario is the attacker still has a left arm free and with the defender’s arms down by his waist he has no defense for the left hook that is coming his way. If I weighed 130 and exposed my face to a devastating left hook from a guy who is twice my size, my next move is to a gurney and the back of an ambulance.

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  42. This is fine if you have use of both hands and arms. But my left arm/hand is practically useless. I need self-defense strategies for physically challenged individuals.

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  44. This works when someone grabs you from the front too and attempts to hold you in place. This move can be done with one hand as well as two. The key was pointed out in the demonstration—get them moving in a direction they aren’t expecting or wishing to go. Much like a “snap down” in wrestling –an involuntary step forward on their part is all you need in order for you to put the finishing touches on them.

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  45. There’s an accessible Nerve Point on the inside of his elbow which can put his arm out of action for a while. The straighter his arm is, the easier it is to hit this.

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  48. Looks useful to me. I studied Aikido for many years, and the speed here is good without the necessary muscle memory for pain compliance.

    Reply