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Defense part 1: Stances

Lawrence Castanon

Jan 5
3 min

Defense part 1: Stances

Learning how to defend against punches, kicks, and takedowns/throws, is essential to round out your self-defense abilities. The first step to having good defense is your stance. A strong stance will allow you to stop oncoming strikes, and takedown attempts. Additionally, having a strong stance can allow you to attack with more power. Conversely, having a poor (or no) stance can lead to you getting hit and knocked down, controlled, and/or taken down or thrown to the ground. Th

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Do This If Assailant Grabs Both Your Wrists (instructional video included)

Lawrence Castanon

Dec 30, 2022
2 min

Do This If Assailant Grabs Both Your Wrists (instructional video included)

An easy way for an assailant to control a smaller, weaker person is to grab both of their wrists. This method of control works because the assailant can move you around easily by pulling your arms in the direction that they want you to go; and in the case of both your wrists being grabbed, you cannot hit him/her to fight back. Additionally, wrist grabbing is an instinctual technique that anyone can do. For example, in a street situation, it's not unusual to see one person gra

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Defend The Front Bear Hug #2 - Under The Arms

Lawrence Castanon

Dec 22, 2022
1 min

Defend The Front Bear Hug #2 - Under The Arms

A front bear hug where the assailant has his arms underneath your arms (around your waist) is actually easier to defend yourself against than the previous bear hug, because your arms are free to strike him. The first thing you'll want to do if the assailant grabs you around your waist and attempts to pick you up to transport you (i.e., kidnapping etc.), is drop your weight (squat), and begin twisting violently. If the assailant continues to picks you up, repeatedly lift your

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Defend the Front Bear Hug #1 - Over Your Arms (instructional video included)

Lawrence Castanon

Dec 15, 2022
2 min

Defend the Front Bear Hug #1 - Over Your Arms (instructional video included)

Please teach this defense to your children! The front bear hug over the arms occurs when the assailant grabs you around your arms while facing you. It is commonly used on smaller, weaker individuals, including children. It is commonly used by an assailant to pickup and transport the victim fairly easily (i.e. during a child abduction). This is one of the more difficult grabs to escape from because the assailant has control of your body, and has your arms pinned, leaving you w

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Stop The Assailant From Taking You Down (instructional video included)

Lawrence Castanon

Dec 7, 2022
2 min

Stop The Assailant From Taking You Down (instructional video included)

Often times an assailant may try to take you down in the street, doing this gives them complete control and dominance over you. It is a lot harder to try and get back up when someone on top of you, then it is to stop the takedown. The front headlock is an excellent clinch to use in the event the assailant tries to take you down by attacking your legs (i.e. a wrestler's shot). How to perform the front headlock if the assailant leans down to grab your legs (i.e. wrestlers shot

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Holiday Shopping Safety Tips

Lawrence Castanon

Nov 30, 2022
3 min

Holiday Shopping Safety Tips

While you’ll be busy out shopping for gifts, and going to holiday parties, criminals will be out in full force ready to take away your holiday cheer. While the holiday season is always a special time of year, it is also a time when busy people become vulnerable to theft and other holiday crime: To help you navigate this holiday season safely, and securely, I compiled the following holiday safety tips from various law enforcement groups, and crime prevention sections. When sho

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Strikes using the One-arm Collar Grab (2 instructional videos included)

Lawrence Castanon

Nov 15, 2022
2 min

Strikes using the One-arm Collar Grab (2 instructional videos included)

The one-arm collar grab/clinch is a favorite among many Muay Thai Kickboxers, MMA fighters, and Krav Maga practitioners because it's simple to use and is brutally effective. This lesson shows an offensive version where you initiate the one-arm collar grab/clinch to striking. The next blog will teach you a defensive version. How to perform the one-arm collar grab/clinch: Facing your partner, wrap your hand (thumb and four fingers together) around his neck so your wrist is at t

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How To Strike Using The Single Wrist Grab
(2 instructional videos included)

Lawrence Castanon

Nov 3, 2022
2 min

How To Strike Using The Single Wrist Grab (2 instructional videos included)

Grabbing the assailants wrist is a great way to both control the assailant, and lessen the amount of strikes they deliver to you. Use this clinch to set up strikes, takedown, or throws. When the assailant attempts to pull their wrist away, they will pull you close to them. This gives the smaller fighter the reach necessary to attack. How to strike while using the wrist grab: Facing your partner, use one hand to grab over the top of his same-side wrist. This is an overhand gr

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How To Attack Using The Single Over-hook

Lawrence Castanon

Oct 26, 2022
2 min

How To Attack Using The Single Over-hook

The Over-hook is another great tactic to use when in the clinch. Over hooking occurs when, in the clinch, you wrap one of your arms around the assailant's tricep (upper arm). You control them by pulling them into you to meet your strikes. How to perform Single Over-Hook to Striking: Facing your partner, bring your same-side arm over their arm until your bicep/armpit is pinned around their tricep near their shoulder. Clasp your hands together and pull down to bring the assaila

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How To Perform The Single Under-hook With Striking (Pics and video included)

Lawrence Castanon

Oct 19, 2022
2 min

How To Perform The Single Under-hook With Striking (Pics and video included)

The under-hook is a great offensive technique that you can use when in the clinch. The single under-hook occurs when one of your arms goes under the assailant's arm/armpit, while in the clinch. You can control the assailant by pulling them down to meet your strikes. You can also use the under-hook to move them forwards, backwards, and to either side. How to perform the single under-hook: Facing the assailant (your partner in practice), bring your left arm underneath their rig

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Clinch Fighting For Self Defense

Lawrence Castanon

Oct 18, 2022
2 min

Clinch Fighting For Self Defense

Clinch fighting is a type of stand-up grappling, and is a very common position in street fights. Clinches can occur when one fighter wants to get close enough to strike the other, or when one fighter wants to stop the strikes of the other. Clinches can also occur when one or both fighters get tire, or to set up a take down, or throw an opponent. If the smaller/weaker fighter knows how to fight in the clinch, he/she can defend themselves effectively against the larger or stron

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Parents Beware!

Lawrence Castanon

Oct 14, 2022
3 min

Parents Beware!

A few years back a frantic mother stormed into my school visibly upset, pleading me to help her. She went on to tell me that her son got beat up by a school bully. While I understood how stressful this could be for a parent, her reaction about it led me to believe that there was more to the story, and I was right! She told me that her 10-year-old boy held a first-degree black belt from a large franchise karate school (aka McDojo). She went on to explain that she spent thousan

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Learn My Favorite Kick For Self-defense Or Competition (instructional video included)

Lawrence Castanon

Oct 9, 2022
2 min

Learn My Favorite Kick For Self-defense Or Competition (instructional video included)

The low round kick to your opponent’s calf, thigh, or side of knee is a powerful kick that can drop an assailant with as little as only one strike. Also, repeatedly kicking the assailant’s same leg (calf, thigh, or side of knee) can render them immobile. I used it successfully in many matches and it is one of my favorite techniques. How to perform the low roundhouse kick: To perform, from fighting stance, simultaneously rock up onto the ball and toes of your lead leg, as you

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Your most Powerful Short Range Weapon (instructional video included)

Lawrence Castanon

Sep 25, 2022
3 min

Your most Powerful Short Range Weapon (instructional video included)

This week we are covering the most powerful and durable weapon you have in your anatomical arsenal. This weapon is so simple that you have probably used it goofing around with friends. This weapon is the Knee Strike and it can be used to strike the assailants groin, ribs, body, or head/face. When to use the knee strikes. The knee strike is a short-range weapon that is best performed in the “clinch” range, the area where the assailant has grabbed you (or you grabbed him) but

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Grabbed From Behind? Use this Technique

Lawrence Castanon

Sep 17, 2022
2 min

Grabbed From Behind? Use this Technique

Getting grabbed from behind by an assailant can be a startling situation. That's why you need to attack the attacker immediately before they get complete control of you. This simple technique is a very effective first attack, which can set you up for follow up techniques, or to run away. This technique is called the Low Back-kick, and is used specifically for an assailant who is behind you. Your target is the assailant's knee. For maximum effectiveness, use the heel of your f

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This Simple kick can stop an attacker quickly. (instructional video included)

Lawrence Castanon

Sep 6, 2022
2 min

This Simple kick can stop an attacker quickly. (instructional video included)

This simple kick can stop an attacker quickly. It does not require a lot of coordination, and can be performed by anyone regardless of their level of fitness. Performed at full force it will leave an attacker temporarily immobilized, allowing you to escape quickly. This simple technique is the low side-kick to the knee. A few great features of the kick is that you can deliver it while staying away from the assailants punching, or grabbing attempts. Additionally, performing th

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Self Defense Tip: Don't Buy Into This Lie

Lawrence Castanon

Sep 4, 2022
2 min

Self Defense Tip: Don't Buy Into This Lie

Recently I saw another advertisement about a "secret method" that you can use to beat any assailant of any size, without the need of using any strength. These snake oil salesmen then go on to try and sell you their program. This type of irresponsible advertising angers me immensely because it can get you hurt or killed in the street. Having some amount of strength/power is crucial when fighting off any assailant, especially a bigger or stronger one. Think about it, all the te

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Add This Simple Yet Devastating Kick To Your Self Defense Arsenal (instructional video included)

Lawrence Castanon

Aug 30, 2022
2 min

Add This Simple Yet Devastating Kick To Your Self Defense Arsenal (instructional video included)

There is a kick that is very simple to perform, and when performed correctly will stop an assailant dead in his tracks. Additionally, it is a safe kick to perform because it keeps you facing the assailant, allows you to keep your hands up without difficulty, and keeps you outside of their punching or grabbing range. This technique is called the "Oblique Kick". When performing the oblique kick you use the heel of your foot to strike the front, side, or back of the assailant's

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The Right Way To Kick The Groin (instructional video included)

Lawrence Castanon

Aug 22, 2022
2 min

The Right Way To Kick The Groin (instructional video included)

The most effective way to kick the groin is with the shovel kick. It is one of the best self-defense kicks in your arsenal. You can perform it once, or multiple times on the assailant, until they go down. With a little practice you can effectively slow down, or even end an attack with this kick. This is not a front kick! The shovel kick is different than the traditional Karate front kick in that you do not use the ball of the foot or the toes to kick with. Doing so may resul

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