Defending the hair grab and pull... and is it even a threat?

Had a fun class tonight practicing our kicks and knee strikes, learning to defend ourselves after getting knocked down to our knees and even our back and letting loose on our new Blitz riot shield.

We are starting to really up the power in our stand up game with improvements all round.

We did cover one particularly serious topic tonight; the danger of a woman having her hair grabbed in a fight or attack. If you think this isn't a big problem watch this youtube clip of a real fight between two women: https://youtu.be/4nqjdJ1WNeU

You'll see that once the first women's hair gets grabbed she is helpless and completely at the other girls mercy as she gets dragged across the floor whilst having punches, kicks and stomps rained down on the unprotected back of her head and neck.

It's pretty grim viewing but highlights a major issue that I personally have with the womens self defence industry. Even though this is one of the most common attacks that women suffer in street fights and assaults most classes refuse to address it for one simple reason...... women don't like you pulling their hair even in training and most classes prefer to pander to this than teach them realistic and potentially life saving techniques. What works (training and practicing counters to this attack) isnt popular or lucrative and what is popular or lucrative (trash training where the "attacker" limply touches the trainees head) doesnt work!

Here at Bushin London we take a different view and ensure that our students are prepared for this eventuality. Sometimes you just have to pad up, put a helmet on and go to work 👊.

Considering this was the girls first attempt at this I think they absolutely killed it! I wouldn't want to catch one of those elbows to the face......