Some readers have asked for common sense methods to physically deal with a threat, without a high level of training and expertise and with a minimal level of legal hassles and/or injury to the antagonist.
The KO of Daniel Cormier, at the hands of John Jones, viewed on a smart phone in a grocery store, recently sparked a coaching session of a clerk sometimes charged with dealing with aggressive criminals on the job. In short, the sweeping of a stumbling man of the untrained type is something within the athletic range of the normal, healthy, but untrained man, if done like so.
Please note, that some practice with a friend or family member would be very helpful here, so that the use of his tactic may be understood in terms of balance and body mechanics.
When a man acts aggressively towards you and is set to punch, clinch or strike, as he begins to move forward or if he unwisely squares up and gestures violently, step forward with your left foot, placing your left hand on his chest or right shoulder and pushing off with your right foot, without moving your right foot or dragging it forward.
This should set him back on his heels, with the weight ideally shifted unto the right heel, under the hand he is probably going to hit you with.
Especially if he staggers back, pivot on your left heel and swing your right leg through, striking his right ankle with your shin as you lazily shove his chest or left shoulder with your right hand as your body weight shifts through his position. Done aggressively this may even end with you driving your right shoulder into his chest.
This has worked for me in boxing and stick fights and in one altercation with a fool on Pratt and Light Street some 16 years ago.
See the sweeping sequence below, and replace John Jones' punches and kick with open hand pushes.
Try the sequence at quarter speed with a friend.
Look from 7-10 seconds of the video for the illustrative positions and dynamics. This works easier against a shorter man and is more devastating against a taller man, because of the distance he has to fall.
From 34 seconds on, you will see a head kick from repeated angles in slow motion. The effect this has on Cormiet, who has 100 times the combat stability of anyone you are likely to deal with, is very similar in terms of balance and footing, that a good stop-motion shove, ideally done as the antagonist steps in, will have on an ordinary person's footing. Examine this sequence in detail and look at Cormiet from the waist down.
At 38 the buckling of the rear, right leg occurs and places Cormiet in an essentially un-combative stance.
The second and third portions of the counter sync sweep may be done against a man you rocked with a punch as well.
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Good one, James! Keep 'em comin'!
Thanks this is really good information. I can actually see it much better at 00:32. An push then quick kick to knock his ankles out from under him. Cormiet recovers very well I thought. Spinning to counteract his momentum. If it were me I'd end up on the ground. You can tell he's practiced this.
Thanks. Skip straight to 05:33 in this clip below for a double shoulder-stop as an opening gambit.
youtube.com/watch?v=UcEIzHphQ7Q
Here's the single shoulder-stop, again as opening gambit.
youtube.com/watch?v=dTi8HauJvZE
Thanks for these links, Bob.
This is most helpful.
I can't speak for anyone but myself, but I've had to devote time to light dumbbell work to strengthen the (under-worked) muscles that move the upper arm from the shoulder (ie. weighted, fully-extended arm). This is the only way I've been able to reduce the time between moving my hand from waist or solar plexus level (non aggressive or overtly defensive stance) to head/neck height without telegraphing by excessively bending at the elbow. Whoever gets the first shot to a sensitive target is off to an enormous advantage. The opening 01:40 minutes, essentially. Apologies up-front for sharing my discovery of hot water.
youtube.com/watch?v=cF0niVnmMY0