Hand to Hand Combat

They say that even with the best and deadliest of weapons, you cannot oust your opponent, unless, you have the mental strength and toughness to fight. It is all therefore in the mind, otherwise David would not have been able to defeat Goliath. Even if you are armed, you can lose if you are mentally weak. Imagine what can happen if there are no weapons at your disposal. What will you do? From war films, books and the like we have seen the portrayal of soldiers or cops having to fight sans any weapons in a few cases and be involved in a hand to hand combat in such situations. This is exactly what is going to be discussed in this article.

Hand to Hand Combat Techniques
To put it simply, hand to hand combat refers to fighting sans weapons, literally. However, as per a US army definition, hand to hand combat can be with or without hand-held weapons or special hand to hand combat weapons like - knives, daggers or any projectile weapons meant for short range attack.

Hit the Right Spots
Hitting the right spots in such an unarmed combat means to hit the soft targets. For instance, the throat, nose and the nose bridge. Hitting the throat is the most effective way for a person involved in a fight to get a breather from his opponent. The reason is that it hurts a lot and most importantly, it does not even need a lot of force. Other such weak spots on the human body to hit is the pit of the stomach, which gets the wind out of the attacker.

Timing Matters
Striking the opponent with the weapon or anything closest to you to the closest target of the attacker is another vital technique for gaining an upper hand in an unarmed combat. Kicking or striking before the opponent does will perhaps bail you out of the fight without going down on ground.

Strike Right
Palm heel strikes, elbow and knee strikes are essentials for a hand to hand combat. About knee and elbow strikes, most of us know how brutal that can be on the attacker. Palm heel strike is where you strike his chin using the palm of your hand if the attacker is rushing to you to grapple you. The speed and intensity of his charge towards you will give power to the strike. When it is about unarmed combat moves, this point is extremely important. Unarmed self defense is all about thinking and making moves through which a person can use his opponent's power against the opponent himself. Because in such a tussle, just hitting with strength is no use. Sometimes you have to use the power of the opponent against himself, which can come by hitting or using techniques with precision.

Hand to Hand Combat Training
This training is an instrumental aspect of training for military schools services in most of the countries. I mentioned earlier about hitting the right spots. The training involves instructions to hit 3 different zones of the body - the upper, middle and lower. In each of these zones there are vital targets which can easily incapacitate the opponent. Joint locks and joint manipulation is one of the very common techniques taught. In close combat situations, your mind plays an instrumental role too in the way you deal with the situation. There, just brute force and a soldier's strength will not work. A presence of mind and quick thinking is needed and a plan of attack as per the limitations of the opponent is required. For instance, each strike to the opponent should have the weapon remaining on the site of impact for minimum one tenth of a second. This aspect is tackled prominently, in hand to hand combat training.

Israeli Hand to Hand Combat
A better known name for unarmed combat system originating in Israel is Krav Maga. It is an eclectic system involving wrestling grappling and lethal striking techniques. It is most known for its deadly counter attacks. Interestingly, it was derived from street fighting skills and Imi Lichtenfeld came up with this system. Krav Maga techniques basically involve neutralizing threat, aggression and simultaneous defensive and offensive moves. The primary training for this includes aerobic as well as other workouts. The training for this combat method involves simulation of actual situations and the like.

Apart from the military, intelligence and police personnel, those who are into this field believe that a few basic hand to hand combat techniques should be inculcated by civilians for their self defense. Of course, all of us cannot be a la Bruce lee, right? But we can surely hit someone in those really uncomfortable spots!