Page 198 - Complete Krav maga : the ultimate guide to over 250 self-defense and combative techniques

against women. You should be aware of the following: Assuming you are
surprised, if the attacker’s intention is to take you to the ground, you are going to
the ground, and you fight from there. None of these techniques (in fact, no
technique) will work if you are totally surprised by a “dumping” motion. That’s

where groundfighting comes in.

These techniques assume that either there is some delay in the dumping
technique (caused by you or the attacker’s method) or that his intention is to hold
you, or take you somewhere, rather than put you on the ground immediately.

Bearhugs are a part of many dangerous scenarios, including being carried into a
secluded area or being dumped on the ground. However, while all these

situations are problematic, there is no immediate danger presented by the
bearhug itself. Unlike chokes, bearhugs themselves do not cause immediate
damage. This is important because with no immediate danger to address, Krav
Maga’s response is to counterattack immediately. If there is even minimal space
to operate, Krav Maga simply counterattacks. If the attacker is hugging you

close enough to limit even short knees and foot stomps, you must create at least
minimal space to operate.

All these techniques will begin with a “space and base” reaction; shift your hips
back, body slightly forward, feet in a fighting stance, and center of gravity low.

Falls

The fight is unpredictable, and you may end up on the ground for a variety of
reasons (slipping, being swept, or tripping over obstacles, for example). It is
important to learn how to fall safely.

Groundfighting

In the Yellow Belt section, we introduced very basic issues on the ground—
movement and kicking. In Orange Belt, we include basic grappling skills applied
in self-defense situations. These techniques are still basic, and are applied in
self-defense situations only. While these techniques do assume very strong

attacks, they do not address all the aspects of a ground fight. They are explosive
responses to immediate threats, rather than the “chess match” response and
counterresponse moves of a larger groundfighting program. As you train in these
techniques, be aware that there is a much larger world of groundfighting, and
that these techniques are only a small portion related to self-defense.