The human foot is made up of 26 bones that are tied together by strong ligaments. Of these there are seven tarsal bones that form the area directly below the ankle joint and make up the instep of the foot. Five metatarsal bones that make up the ball of the foot then follow these seven and of course you have fourteen phalanges that form the toes. For those wondering how five toes divide into fourteen bones it is simple, there are only two bones in the big toe and three in the others.
By now you are probably also wondering what basic foot anatomy has to do with an assailant. Actually the knowledge of how the foot and hand (which we will cover shortly) is made up will enable you to better understand how to use them against an assailant.
The heel of the foot is the toughest bone of the foot and it is unlikely you will be able to do damage to it. The ankle bones can be hurt but are supported by the heel so more effort would have to be expended. The tiny bones that make up the instep and the toes on the other hand are very vulnerable and easy to break.
When a male or female assailant grabs you, there is an excellent chance that they have your hands, wrists or arms pinned and out of commission. By pinning you in this way, your assailant has affectively removed two of your most powerful weapons, both hands and elbows.
At the same time, it is important to remember they are not the only weapons you have in your arsenal. Your most powerful weapon is of course your head and by using it while staying calm, you are already in a stronger defensive position. Another strong set of weapons is your legs and feet.
It is possible to break the small bones of the feet regardless of which way your assailant has you facing in regards to him. The important part to remember is to use your own strong heel to make the strike, not the ball of your foot or instep.
To get the desired effect you will need to bring your knee up as far as possible and then slamming it downward with your ankle flexed upward so your heel hits first. For any of the following instructions to work, you must be within striking range of your assailant. YOUR striking range, not his.
If your back is to your assailant, you can bring your knee up without impediment and think for a moment of how a mule kicks with his rear legs. He will bring his leg up with the hoof close to his underside and then kick straight back. In some styles of martial arts, bringing your knee and foot up and also kicking straight back just happens to be termed a “mule kick.”
Ideally, as you slam your heel backwards, you will hit the assailant’s knee, a very unstable, vulnerable joint. Regardless if you hit the knee or the shin, the rest of the technique requires you to allow your heel to slide down the assailant’s leg and onto the bones of the instep or toes.
For those that wear high heels or boots, you will have an added advantage although the technique will still work well in tennis shoes or bare feet. You just have to remember to put as much force behind the strike as possible.
If you have been lucky enough to hit the knee or break the bones of the foot, don’t stop there. Use your head as a battering ram against your assailant’s nose and mouth, if your arms are pinned but your hands are free, attempt to step backwards as close to your assailant as possible, use your strongest hand to reach back and grab a handful of testicles or pinch as hard as you can on the inside of the thigh as close to the groin as possible. To get the idea of how light a pinch can cause pain, reach down and pinch the inside of your own thigh.
As to the human hand, there are twenty-seven bones that comprise the fingers, palm and wrist. The wrist itself has eight strong cube shaped bones that attaches the actual hand to the end of the arm. The palm is made up of five long metacarpal bones. From the palm, fourteen phalangeal bones become the fingers with the same breakdown in individual digits as listed in the toes. Three bones are in each finger, two in the thumb.
The hand itself with all the fingers grasping your wrist, shoulder or arm is strong but one finger by itself is weak. For the sake of simplicity, lets assume your assailant has a big meaty hand wrapped around your left wrist or lower arm. Regardless as to who this person is, he or she has no right to touch you without your permission and if permission has been given, the point of this article would be mute.
Keeping calm, look down at the offending hand, reach over with you right hand and instead of grabbing their wrist or entire hand, simply grab one little finger. The weakest fingers in an average person’s hand are the pinkie and the ring finger. Use this knowledge to your advantage. Wrap your hand as best as possible around the pinkie and with a sharp motion down and back, make the back of the finger smash into the back of your assailant’s hand. You must do this quickly, forcefully and be committed to the act.
By hesitating, the assailant is given time to be aware of what you are doing and take appropriate actions and if you feel squeamish about breaking someone’s bones, you won’t use the force needed to do the most good.
If your assailant is holding your hand in such a way you can’t get a good grip on the pinkie or ring finger, don’t give up. The index finger or the thumb will be as affective; they just require a greater deal of force.
To give yourself an added advantage, precede the breaking of the finger with the foot strike and stomping of toes to get your assailant distracted first. If you are facing him, you can see exactly where the knee and foot for the best quality strike.
These suggestions are just a couple of the possible self-defense escape methods that can be used. As with any technique, no single one works 100% of the time in all given situations and against any or all opponents. They can be affective though by themselves or as follow-ups to other types of defensive moves.
As with any and all techniques, they do little good if they have not been practiced and require a period of thought on you part to remember. With any attack, you will have a very small window of opportunity to get your strikes in and get away. After all, that is your main objective, to get away. Once you are free, run, don’t walk to the closest safe place you can find and call for law enforcement authorities to handle the matter from there.
version 11 is out! go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZk5ICevqJs to watch the trailer
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