An assailant who grabs you will often try to drag you about, getting you physically and mentally off balance. Being slammed against a wall or furniture is as bad as being punched, and being pulled onto a blow will magnify its effects. Securing release from a grab is important, but it is not always your immediate concern. There is no point in fiddling about trying to release a grip on your lapel while being punched in the face.
Avoiding a Grab Attempt
If possible, avoid being grabbed by moving out of range, pre-empting the grab by striking the opponent or by batting his hands aside so that he cannot get a hold.
If the assailant has hold of your shirt with his left hand and is hitting you with his right, then the left is facilitating but the right is doing you harm. Deal with the blows, then free yourself.
A grab attempt should be viewed as every bit as serious as a blow, since it will make you very vulnerable to being struck.
Escaping a Grab
Some grabs can be broken by twisting or jerking away, or by peeling the grabbing hand off you. If the grab is properly anchored you are unlikely to get free, even with the use of martial arts techniques. However, you can sometimes make the assailant want to let go by hurting him, or make it physically impossible to keep hold by breaking his fingers.