360° DEFENSE (OUTSIDE DEFENSE)
This exercise serves as a basic introduction to outside defenses, including defenses against hooks, punches, and knife attacks. 360° Defense is a reflexive exercise based on the body’s instinctive reactions. The defense is performed with the fingers extended. This is a relatively instinctive (reflexive) movement, which makes it quick; extending your fingers adds a few inches to the defense.
STARTING POSITION: Neutral (passive) stance, hands up at shoulder/face level. With all these defense positions, make the movement quickly and then recoil.
POSITION 1: With your elbow bent 90°, raise your forearm above and slightly in front of your head to defend against an attack coming straight down.
POSITION 2: With your elbow bent 90°, raise your arm at an angle (like the roof of a house—about 30°) to defend against an attack at 45°.
POSITION 3: Starting with your elbow bent 90°, send your forearm out parallel with the floor (with both arms it would look like horizontal goalposts) to defend against an attack coming directly from the side.
POSITION 4: Bring your elbow (bent 90°) in tight to your body to defend against an upward attack to your ribs. Angle your forearm slightly outward and contract your abs.
POSITION 5: With your elbow bent 90°, point your fingers down to defend against an upward attack to your ribs. This is the exact opposite of Position #3.
POSITION 6: Starting with your elbow bent 90°, lower your arm at a 30° angle to defend against a rising attack to your body. Be sure to bend at your waist, not at your knees.
POSITION 7: Starting with your elbow bent 90°, lower your forearm below and slightly in front of your chest to defend against a rising attack to the center of your body. Be sure to bend at your waist, not at your knees.
TIPS
Defend using the blade of your arm. Put weight behind the defense.
Defend from wrist to wrist.
Your partner should attack with very straight arms. While this would be unlikely in a street attack, it makes an excellent training method both for the defense and to develop vision.
Look at the center of your partner’s chest and use peripheral vision to see all attacks—if you turn your head to focus on one attack, you will not see an attack coming from the other side.
Attackers should begin slowly, one attack at a time, and increase speed as defending improves.