Page 86 - Pat O'Keeffe Combat Kick Boxing

Combat Kick Boxing

Chapter Six
Blunt Instrument
Attacks

An armed assailant should be treated as a
potential killer. An assault with a blunt
instrument such as a cosh, baton, baseball
bat or iron bar can render you dead or
maimed with just one blow to the head.
Moreover, such weapons lend your
assailant increased reach, leverage and
frightening levels of power. Even if you
successfully block such an attack with
your arms, it may break your bones,
thereby only delaying the outcome by one
more blow of the weapon. (Diagram 4)

Logic dictates that evasion – the Diagram 4
movement of both the legs and upper
body – is absolutely essential for you to stand any chance of victory when attacked
with a blunt instrument. Movement can be backwards, to get outside of the furthest
arc of the weapon; forwards, to move inside the arc of the weapon, or to either
side, to give angular advantage.
The chances of you coming through unscathed in an encounter against a baseball
bat-wielding assailant are slim. It may be necessary to take blows on the arms,
shoulders and legs to protect more vital areas such as the head.
I personally know two individuals, one a weight-training karate black-belt and
one a kick boxer, who had to fight off baseball bat attacks and got injured in the
process.
The karateka cum weight-trainer took the force of the bat on his shoulder in a
road-rage incident, then proceeded to beat the hell out of his assailant. The legacy
however was months of treatment and physiotherapy to put the shoulder right.
The kick boxer, a British champion of genuine class and skill, blocked the bat
but sustained a broken arm before going on to wipe the floor with his particular
assailant!
Both of these men are good martial artists and their skill and bravery carried
them through, but the cost in each case was very painful. I cannot emphasise
enough that if you wish to defend yourself successfully, you must practise.
Improvisation is all well and good, but skill, strength and speed are required when
your back is against the wall.
From the second your assailant moves in to attack you should evade him by
twisting, turning, ducking and rolling as well as by performing evasive footwork.
Never, ever, stand still for a weapon attack. Your aim should be to minimise the
strike’s impact and accuracy even if you are hit.

86