Hair Grab from the Front

Starting Position: Attacker grabs your hair from the front.

Bring both hands up and slam them sharply down over his hand. This punches his knuckles against your skull, causing him pain. Keep your elbows in so that your forearms protect your face against a punch (very likely combination with the hair grab).

Immediately bend your body sharply at the waist (think of taking a bow). Bend forward to produce immediate pressure against his wrist.

As the attacker drops down, quickly move backward to stretch out his body.

Immediately follow up with front kicks to the face.

Tips: Do not send your hips backward when you bend as this relieves the pressure in the wrist.

Hair Grab from the Front or Side (Impending Knee Strike)

If you feel yourself being pulled down by the hair grab, it’s quite likely that the attacker is making a knee strike to your face. If you began to respond immediately with the regular defense against Hair Grab from the Front (page 194), continue to make it. Although this is not an optimum defense, if you have begun this motion, there will be no time to adjust. As long as your elbows are in tight, they may protect you from the knee strike.

Starting Position: Attacker grabs your hair from the side and begins to make a knee strike.

As your upper body is pulled down, burst inward with the pull. Make 360° Defense #7 (page 55) with the closest arm against the rising thigh. Be sure to block the thigh, not the knee. At the same time, strike to the groin with your free hand. It is possible that you end up “crossblocking” (i.e., you defend with your left hand against the attacker’s left knee). If this is the case, your counterattack may be delayed. Make it as soon as possible after the defense.

Continue driving forward with your body to relieve any remaining pressure or control from the hair grab. If possible, straighten up to avoid any more knee strikes to the face, and continue with counters.

Tips: If the hair grab is from the front and no more knee strikes are coming, you can continue with regular Hair Grab from the Front.

Hair Grab from the Side

If you feel yourself being pulled down, make the defense against Hair Grab—Impending Knee Strike (page 195). It’s also possible that the attacker is simply pulling you off balance, or pulling you toward some goal (a car, an alley). In either case (a downward pull or lateral pull), one principle remains the same: You must burst in the direction of the pull at a speed faster than the pull itself. If the pull is five miles an hour, burst in at six miles an hour. Only by bursting in faster than the pull can you regain control of your body movement.

Starting Position: Attacker grabs your hair from the side.

As the attacker pulls, do not resist. Burst in the direction of the pull, ideally toward the shoulder of the hand that is holding your hair. This limits your vulnerability to a punch from the attacker’s free hand.

As you burst in, reach up with your close hand to clear the hand holding your hair.

With your free hand, counter attack—the fastest and simplest counterattack is usually a punch to the face or groin.

Tips: Remember: If you feel yourself being pulled down, make a 360° Defense against the knee strike that is most likely coming.