In this article, we will be discussing a great technique that you can use to escape an attacker who has grabbed you from the side or the front. A self-defence situation, where your attacker is restricting your movement by grabbing you roughly from the side or the front, is likely to create a lot of panic.

But stay calm; you have both your hands free, which means there’s a lot you can do to reclaim control before the situation escalates into something more serious. With this in mind, let’s look at the most effective moves to handle this threat. First and most importantly, do not PANIC! Stabilise yourself with strong legs to ensure a powerful blow and keep breathing calmly!

Next, use your thumb and four fingers to get a strong grip on the attacker’s sternocleidomastoid muscle. Located at the base of your skull on either side of your neck, behind your ears; the sternocleidomastoid muscle is one of the largest and most superficial cervical muscles.

The primary actions of this muscle are rotation of the head to the opposite side and flexion of the neck. So, applying pressure on it with a strong grip is sure to freeze your attacker’s movement and pin him to the ground, helpless. If held for a long time, this can also disturb the blood flow to the brain, causing him to go unconscious. Giving you that split-second you need to flee the scene and get yourself some 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.