Some interesting elements of WWII combat techniques

As a professional self-defense coach, Gutter Fighting Secrets founder William Sherlund does not forget to highlight the importance of World War II combat techniques in his teaching. In this blog, he shares some elements of WWII hand-to-hand combat techniques.

Killing or crippling your opponent with two hands was a common theme in war survival training across many of the world’s most elite forces, be it the American Marines and the British Royal Commandos, among other forces. The lessons they learned in training are applicable to civilian life, even today. Here are some of them.

1. Palm thrust

The heel of the palm otherwise looks like a harmless random part of the body, but with the proper use, it can be a very effective weapon to use in hand-to-hand combat. With your open hand, you can thrust up towards you enemy’s chin and deliver a disorientating shock to his head. Should you find yourself in a tight grip in this position, you can plant your fingers into the sensitive parts of the face, like the nasal area or the eyes.

2. Hitting the pressure points

There are certain parts of the body which, when hit even with a moderate force, can cause excruciating pain for your opponent. You can poke your thumb or your knuckle on the fleshy portion behind your opponent’s jaw, which can send him crashing to the floor in agony. You can throw a punch to your opponent’s chest and he may take the beating, but if you use the same blow on one of his vertebrae or on the spot where the kidney is located, you can surely neutralize him.

3. Breaking free of holds

When an attacker has you held with his hands, this often means that his fingers are doing a lot of the work. In such cases, you only need to dislodge his thumb and cause him to lose grip. If he is holding your wrist tightly , make a circular motion that goes along the direction of the thumb. If you’re fast enough, you can go for a quick counter attack on his person once you get your hand free of his grip.

Personal Protection coach William Sherlund and Gutter Fighting Secrets is a self-defense and survival expert who has used his training over the years to help keep his fellow man safe. As the founder of Gutter Fighting Secrets, he trains people to fight back and never become victims themselves. For more on his company, visit this page.