Learning Self Defence:
Defending against a front hold

By Kru Hemanth Kumar Published on: Tue Mar 15, 2022

Your attacker is probably watching your every move. Press your thumb into the point of his chin and using the other hand, hold the back of his head and apply pressure. Once he releases the hold on you, cup your hand and slam your palm into the attacker’s ear to impact his eardrum. Use the leeway to escape.

Kru Hemanth Kumar

Seasoned Muay Thai fighter and 3-time bronze winner in the world championships, Kru Hemanth Kumar has also perfected Self-Defence techniques targeting vulnerable pressure points. He has spent three decades teaching and training in multiple styles of Muay Thai.

In this article, we will be discussing some crucial moves you can use to escape a frontal hold. You can't control the actions of others, at least not entirely, but that doesn't mean you can't protect yourself. While brute force might get you out of some situations, if your attacker has a hold on you from the front, he’s probably watching every move you make. So, you have to make sure the moves you make are ones that will definitely get you out of his grip.

Because if you fight back and it doesn’t work, you will just be under the grip of an attacker who is now angrier and will probably try to hurt you more. Let’s understand the most effective moves you can use instead. First and most importantly, do not PANIC! Stabilise yourself with strong legs to ensure a powerful blow. And conserve your energy for the actual fight.

Next, press your thumb into the point of his chin while you use your other hand to hold the back of his head. Exert as much pressure as you can. This is a very sensitive area of the chin, and any pressure here can cause immense pain, making him release his hold on you. Once the hold is released or loosened, take this chance to cup your hand and slam your palm into your attacker’s ear to deliver a strong inner fist to his eardrum.

This move will pressurize the ear canal and stun your opponent by throwing off their equilibrium. If you hit hard enough, you can even rupture their eardrum. Either way, it will give you the split second you need to flee the scene and get yourself some help.

The moves discussed in this article are to be used to weaken the assailant and give you enough time to get away. Do not stay where your attacker is. He might have friends waiting. Get away as fast as possible, and call for help. Make sure you practise these moves daily with a willing partner or in front of a mirror, so you don’t panic and/or freeze when this happens in real life.

If you enjoyed reading about these techniques in self-defence, do check out our other blogs. Do share these blogs with friends and family, or with anyone who you think will find the information useful.