Escaping a headlock

To understand how to escape an assailant’s headlock hold, it is first necessary to describe what a headlock actually is.

An assailant will often use a headlock to subdue and pummel a victim who is smaller. They will often move in quickly, wrap an arm around the neck while forcing the victim to bend forward. This will cause the victim to be off balance and at a decided disadvantage while the assailant pummels them in the head. It is also used as a way to choke someone into submission.

While no one wants to think of him or herself as being a victim, it is always possible. If it should happen to you the reader, there are several easy techniques that may be affective in allowing your release. By practicing with someone at home, keeping your head during an attack, and following suggestions below, you will have a much better chance of getting away than crying, pleading or having hysterics.

A person can be in a headlock while facing the same or the opposite way as the attacker. You could use the same techniques regardless of which way you are being held.

One of the easiest and most affective methods of escape is to snuggle your head as close as possible to your assailant and wrap one arm around his waist. Give him a great big bear hug while turning your face into his body and latching on with your teeth for all you are worth. Don’t just nibble, imitate the biggest, baddest, junkyard dog and attempt to take a piece of your attacker home. When a Pit Bull has latched onto another dog or a person it is almost impossible to get them to release the hold. There have been reports of owners trying to use a piece of two by four or an actual pry bar to open the jaws.

When you are in a headlock, you want to imagine yourself to be this dog. Open your mouth as wide as possible, take all of the tender meat of the abdomen or “love handle” area and make the best attempt possible to bite through the skin. Most attackers at this time are doing all they can to get you as far away from them as possible. Don’t let him go right away.

While still biting your attacker, let the free hand drop down as far as possible between the legs of his firm foundation. As you do this, press all the fingers in the hand together to make it as flat as possible and turn on edge so your thumb is facing up. This creates a solid edge that you can then slam with all your strength into the center between his legs. The great thing with this is that even if your aim is off, his legs will guide your hand where it needs to be.

This is a highly affective maneuver if done quickly. Each step needs to blend right into the next. Don’t bite, pause to think, and then attempt the strike. If you wait between the two, most men will feel the bite and then let loose with a punch to your head.

For the sake of explaining the next technique, assume your assailant has you on his left side and both of your bodies are facing the same direction. Position your feet well apart and try to have your bent right leg behind his left. Using your left hand, execute the same hand strike as above by swinging it between his legs from the front. While you do this, reach up with your right hand and grab the hair on the back of his head. If you cant reach his head, grab the collar of his shirt. Immediately after making the groin strike, slide your left hand down his leg and grab behind his knee. With your right hand yanking his hair (and head) backwards towards your hip, use your left to yank his knee upwards while twisting your hips to follow his movement. Under most conditions, the attacker will end up on the floor so be sure to let go once you feel him past the point of no return.

The twisting motion is needed to give you leverage and a better sense of balance. You will have a firm foundation if he attempts to hold on to you. If by some chance he is able to pull you down with him, try to fall over him and ram as much body weight as possible into a bent elbow strike into his face or abdomen.

Both of these maneuvers are against assailants you know are attempting bodily harm to you. If by some chance it is a friend or buddy playing around and you don’t want to do serious injury to him, use the yanking of the hair and knee by themselves to get away.

Another non-injury causing move is to reach and forcefully pinch a piece of the tender area on the upper insides of his thighs. At the most this will cause a bruise and he will probably not want to try grabbing you like that again. This is an excellent move to teach children as well as it will not leave you and your child in the principle’s office with another angry parent whose child has ruptured testicles.

As in any self-defense technique there are three important points to remember at all times. Practice the moves on a regular basis, stay calm and once you are free, run away!

Only in Hollywood is it acceptable to stick around and see if the assailant gets up. There is an old saying that will always stand you in good stead.

“He who runs away lives to fight another day.”