Lapel Grab Defenses

1) Stomp the foot. Double upward spear hands between attacker’s arms to knock them away, followed by double knife hands to the collarbones and double immortal man strikes to the eyes.

2) Stomp or kick to low extremity. Right hand reaches over and grabs opponent’s hand. Left palm heel to elbow and armbar takedown.

3) Stomp opponent’s foot and follow with double palms to ears. Grab the head and knee the groin with the right leg. Outside leg hock takedown.

4) Stomp the foot. Simultaneous palms to knock away arms. Simultaneous left cross knifehand to philtrum and right spear to throat.

5) Defense for a lapel grab (or choke): Don’t wait for grab to pull you off balance or the choke to hurt, but have attacker close. Both arms chop in on attackers bent arms. Collapse arms L over R, tightly trap the attackers bent arms to your chest (Note: watch for his incoming face -use your forehead to protect). Step the R foot back to a L half moon stance, bend knees and sharply drop your weight as you pull the attacker toward you and getting his torso to preceed his hips (center of balance), taking control his spine and pulling him off balance. Strongly and suddenly reverse your motion and weight distribution, double driving forearm strike (X) at the throat. (provided by Rob Johnson of Bolton Martial Arts Club)

6) Lapel Grab #1: Left arm anchor both hands to chest. Hinge back on right leg into horse stance facing 9 o’clock. Right roundhouse elbow to jaw. Option- Hinge forward instead of back. (courtesy of Michael Litton)