breaking wrist grabs

[baronbvp]

Great techniques here. I recommend you choose your method of escape based on whether you want to stay away from the person and run, or end up close to him and fight.

The attacker's thumb is the weak point. If you just turn your wrist toward the thumb and pull your wrist free, you can maintain some distance and more easily escape the situation. If you attack the thumb, wrist, arm, head, or body, you will be closer to him and had better be prepared to follow up with a next move.

[harmoniouswarrior]

I will say that some of the solution offered (including mine) do require at least some strength versus a "grabber." A person much stronger than you can grip your arm and keep you from twisting it to get away or gain leverage.

This has been my experience as well. Sometimes, it is just not as easy as "using the thumb as the weak link." That stated, I am a big fan of distraction strikes prior to releasing.

After reading this thread and admring the myriad techniques out there (most of which actually work!), I have to say I revised my original reply (in my head--where I'm a legend, ya know?), and agree that a good shin kick (or even a bad one) will take his focus just long enough to allow one to escape an overwhelming attacker.

[straightblast]

I like to start everything off with a distraction, be it a finger flick to the eyes, spear hand to the throat or a quick kick to the groin heck even an unexpected very loud kiai, to give you a moment of flinch response to use a wrist escape

[bushido_man96]

I like to start everything off with a distraction, be it a finger flick to the eyes, spear hand to the throat or a quick kick to the groin heck even an unexpected very loud kiai, to give you a moment of flinch response to use a wrist escape

I agree. Distractions are very important, and we do a lot of them in our Combat Hapkido training.

[cross]

Tried out a few of the techniques suggested and found most were of little use when their was a strength disadvantage. Techniques like grabbing the thumb with your free hand and trying to pull it open are far 2 telegraphed and from trying it with my girlfriend i found she couldnt even bend my thumb when i let her get a proper grip on it. Other techniques that involve grabbing your own hand and trying to pull it out still rely on a fair amount of strength to be effective.

From my experience i would agree with those that mentioned distractions. And would add that the wrist grab should not be what your mainly focusing on. No matter how hard a person is grabbing your wrist, chances are its not going to hurt you beyond being irritating. For a wrist grab to acheive something there must be a follow up attached to it. This is what you need to focus on more than the grab itself. Are they going to punch you? Try to take you somewhere? Grab your shirt or throat? Etc.

To escape a wrist grab(in the rare event that you are wrist grabbed, woman and children who be likely to experience this), the methods i have tested to be effective are raising your free hand into half a passive stance (see pre fight posture thread in self defence section). This will put you in a better position to deal with their follow up. While your dealing with the veerbal that will obviously be involved, if you find you cant talk your way out and calm them down your hand is in a perfect position to palm strike to the chin from under their field of vision. This can lead to any number of follow ups depending on how the attacker reacts.

For those in law enforcement etc who legally are not allowed to strike. Ask yourself how likely it is for you to be wrist grabbed by someone. And what kind of follow up your likely to encounter. Most often the wrist grab will come and go quickly, and the follow up with be more important to deal with.

Not to mention most martial arts schools spend lots of time teaching how to deal with strikes before they land, yet when it comes to grabs you only learn to defend once your already grabbed. If its so possible to block a lighting fast strike before it lands, why cant you stop a less dangerous slower grab attempt before it lands. Or if you are going to work on how to get out of a grab why not work how to recover from a strike after you have been hit? I think there is a need for some consistency.

Enjoy.

[bushido_man96]

Good post, cross. You make some good points about the strength difference, and I have noticed them myself. Distractions are the key. Also, if you have a free hand, PUNCH them with it, or palm, as you stated.

For those in law enforcement etc who legally are not allowed to strike. Ask yourself how likely it is for you to be wrist grabbed by someone. And what kind of follow up your likely to encounter. Most often the wrist grab will come and go quickly, and the follow up with be more important to deal with.

In this case, it is usually the LEO that will be doing the grabbing, to move someone who doesn't want to be moved. Then, you have to deal with the resistance.

[gzk]

Good post, cross. You make some good points about the strength difference, and I have noticed them myself. Distractions are the key. Also, if you have a free hand, PUNCH them with it, or palm, as you stated.

If you're in wrist-grab range, you're probably in elbow range too, and they tend to cut nicely, if you throw an overhand elbow. Or, you could try an upward elbow to the underside of the chin, if you can reach with it. Drive up with your legs a la an uppercut punch. Jerking your controlled arm back toward you may give that elbow extra leverage too, though against a much stronger person, maybe not.

[bushido_man96]

Good post, cross. You make some good points about the strength difference, and I have noticed them myself. Distractions are the key. Also, if you have a free hand, PUNCH them with it, or palm, as you stated.

If you're in wrist-grab range, you're probably in elbow range too, and they tend to cut nicely, if you throw an overhand elbow. Or, you could try an upward elbow to the underside of the chin, if you can reach with it. Drive up with your legs a la an uppercut punch. Jerking your controlled arm back toward you may give that elbow extra leverage too, though against a much stronger person, maybe not.

Good idea. Those elbows are very nasty. It is good to train all different ideas and targets when you are there, to see what you can and can't do. You could also grab them with your free hand, and maybe deliver a headbutt.

[Takusankage Soke]

Keep it simple at first... go through the thumb. The thumb is the weakest part of the grip. Also you must be as the water moving the stone. Do not tighten up when you are trying to get out of a grab, remain loose and relaxed.