In the world of self-defense we are all familiar with the “ground and pound.” It’s one of the common danger positions bullies might take, jumping atop their victim, straddling their waist while raining down punches to their face over and over again.
We’ve all seen it at some point in our lives usually early in our grade school career, or in an MMA match. In either case it’s dangerous. In martial arts it’s called “the mount,” and aside from rear mount, is one of the most compromised positions one could find themselves in.
Once mounted, a defender’s first priority is to SHIELD. All else is secondary as fists and elbows fly at their face because without first SHIELDING, they most certainly will be knocked unconscious. Bad things happen after that.
To begin with, not being in the mount position is vital. After that, SHIELDING is all we can do. In life we find ourselves in compromising situations because of poor choices on our part, or for no fault of our own. This place might be in an online interaction, a phone call, a PTA meeting, or at a church event.
Instead of retaliatory come backs, over-talking, or even shouting we can just SHIELD. In self-defense this amounts to getting your hands up to block incoming fists. However, even this SHIELD is supported with “off-balancing” the mounted attacker so the strikes are way less damaging, than fully supported, and balanced punches.
In life, this “off-balancing” part of the SHIELD might be a distraction, changing subjects, or even an abrupt exit. “Hey, did you say your kids are in the talent show Friday?” Or, “Oh wow, what time is it? Really, I gotta go! Talk to you later?” Even, “Just spilled my coffee, lol, chat later…”Once again, what we do subtly in SHIELDING is what makes the next move, the “escape” so much easier.
The next time you find yourself in someone’s “mount position” SHIELD, off-balance, and escape ASAP. Do not under any circumstance take pushes to your face, verbally, emotionally, or sonically. Just SHIELD and live to fight another day! SHIELD…
#warriorway #lifedefense # allenhughes #shield
Photo by cottonbro studio: https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-in-black-boxing-gloves-4761671/
