You could get hit even if you are a peaceful person. You can find yourself on your ass with no clue what to do next if you have never had self-defense training, experience with fighting, or even a fleeting thought about what you would do in that moment.
It is worth having a plan in case you ever need it. Here is how to take a hit.
When you get hit, there are two impacts that can hurt you: the initial punch and the second impact when your body collides with the ground. If you do get knocked off your feet, you should keep your chin tucked so that the impact on the back of your head doesn't happen.
If you don't tuck the chin down as you fall, you're more likely to get whiplash or worse, and you're more likely to get a knockout.
As you fall, keep your legs between the other person and your head, and make sure your head is as far away from the attacker as possible. Shemesh said that your legs are your weapons. More on that later.
G/O Media may get a commissionIf you have no fighting experience, it's better for you to be knocked to the ground immediately.
If you feel dizzy, lightheaded, or both, the safest place for you to be is on the ground.
Adrenaline will be pumping and the situation will evolve fast, but you have to be aware and strategic. The other person should be assessed. Why did they attack you? You have to make a few judgements, especially if you think they are not a one-and-done kind of puncher. Shamesh said that it was important to identify if you could run away or respond with a defense. The situation depends on how crazy the attacker is.
The owner of Hard Knocks Boxing in White Plains, NY said that you need to determine if your attacker is a bully who punched you unfairly or a person who feels justified because you got lippy with them. If the person is a bully, they will keep attacking you. He pointed out that fighting is not just physical, but psychological as well. One punch might teach you a lesson if the person felt justified in hitting you. If they bully you, he said, you have to earn their respect by showing them you won't tolerate it.
He said to remain calm and create distance. If you didn't get knocked down, crouch into a squatting position and wait for your vision to clear up as you back away. It's important to have a distance between yourself and the attacker when you're on the ground or upright.
There is no shame in not fighting back. You don't have to escalate the situation if you come to the conclusion that the other person just wanted to punch you once. You should try to avoid further violence if you aren't able to brawl.
If that feels like an option, you can simply leave and keep your head and limbs away from the attacker. Keep eye contact with the other person. You don't need a second attack. Make fists only signals you're ready to fight, so keep your hands by your face, but make sure they're open and not balled up. Use your voice as well. Shamesh said to be aggressive and assertive, and to make an honorable escape. You have to have a Plan B if they don't take that avenue.
It is time to engage if diplomacy fails. Kick the other person if they advance on you while you are still on the ground. Shamesh said to kick hard and aim for the knee or groin. Get off the ground while they are backing up.
He said that the level of crazy at this point has to match theirs. Strikes have to be very precise from there. Look at their face and groin. You need to keep in mind those two targets. To the extent that you can, protect your face and head, and your own groin, and aim for those two locations.
Your physical attributes must be taken into account as well. If you're shorter than the other person, you shouldn't be going for their face all the time. He said to stay low, weave around, and avoid straight punches and round hooks while aiming for the other person's chin. His advice was to be patient.
You have a lot of nervous energy going on. It is very, very natural, but be very, very patient and look for opportunities.
Shamesh said to think about a cat in a bathtub. The cat is smaller than a person and weaker than a person, but when you attempt to bathe it, have you caught it? Shamesh said that it was not willing to be caught, so keep going for their face and groin. Don't be an easy target for them, and get your strikes when you can. Use your legs.
Shamesh said that if you are not willing to give up, you are not going to lose.
You must always be looking for an honorable escape during this time. Hopefully, at this point, someone else has appeared and you are not alone, but whether they act as a distraction, a witness, or a backup fighter, your goal should be getting out of there, not trying.
Some people fight a lot and they know what to expect. You might not. If you get away from the situation, go to the doctor. If you feel lightheaded or vomit, Shamesh said you could have a concussion. Go if you don't have those symptoms.
Ice the punched area. Consider a self-defense class before you get punched.
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