Evade to Enter
What to do when you can't escape from an attacker
What do martial arts instructors mean when they talk about evade to enter?
In our last article we looked at how to evade to escape. That should be our first response to someone attacking us. If you can get away – get away. But if you can’t get away – evade to enter.
‘Escaping’ should be your main objective. If you can run, run. If you can’t run because someone is holding on to you, ‘stun and run.’ Stunning someone might include kicking them in the leg, hitting them in the face with your palm (like the photo above), poking them in their eyes with your thumbs, stomping on the top of their feet, punching them in the throat — and everyone woman’s favorite — a knee strike to the attacker’s groin.
Once your attacker stops attacking you, that’s your chance to run away. ‘Stun and run’ is quite effective if done with enough power and speed..
Power
The first thing I want to emphasize is how to use power in self defense. Many of my female students through the years have shared that concern because someone who would attack them (or had attacked them in the past) would usually be larger and stronger.
First rule — don’t meet force with force. What I mean by that is don’t think you can ‘power’ your way out by using your strength against the strength of your attacker. You may be able to ‘break free’ of someone’s grip by using some of the techniques I mentioned in the last part of the series. However, if you can’t break free it’s usually because the attacker is too strong. That’s why ‘stun and run’ works well.
Second rule — take advantage of the power your body gives you through ‘adrenaline.’ It’s known as an ‘adrenaline rush.’ It doesn’t last long, but it’s usually long enough to help you hit someone harder than you could ever imagine and run away at increased speeds. You’ll probably feel worn out when it’s over, but at least you will be a safe distance from your attacker where you can call police or someone else for help.
I tell my students to think of the adrenaline rush as a ‘super juice’ God built into the human body to help us deal with stress, excitement, or a physical attack. An adrenaline ‘rush’ uses glycogen stored in your muscles. Adrenaline helps you focus on the attack and use power from your muscles in ways you might not have thought possible. Adrenaline is sometimes called the ‘fight-or-flight’ hormone. That’s what you need when you’re under attack — stun, then run.
Speed
The next thing I want to emphasize is the ‘need for speed.’ It is surprising to see how quickly someone can change an attack into a powerful self defense. My goal for students is to accomplish their escape or stun-and-run in less than two seconds.
While a student can usually evade and escape in about one second, evading to enter to escape will take a little longer – about two seconds total. That’s because the student will push, pull, strike, kick or throw the attacker just before escaping to safety. That will add another second to the technique. If the attack is especially strong, the student may launch a flurry of kicks and punches that might add another one or two seconds to the total response prior to escape. The larger goal is to finish your defense in under five seconds to limit injury to yourself.
Again – and this is VERY important – your goal is to escape from an attacker, not fight with them. They may have a weapon or friends nearby who will join in and try to hurt you. If you can’t escape an attack, ‘stun and run.’ Use any method necessary (and legal) to defend yourself. This is a basic tenet of Women’s Self Defense.
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I am here to help you, so please share your comments, concerns, and questions about self defense. Even though I’m emphasizing “Women’s” self defense, the principles and techniques I’ll share are just as applicable for boys and men.
You can be attacked anywhere, at anytime, by anyone. Be ready.
