3 Ways to Avoid Getting Kicked in the Face on the Ground

How to avoid being kicked in the face when trying to stand up from the ground is an important skill for self defence training. As simple as it may sound, it is difficult to stand up safely when pushed to the ground during a fight.

How to avoid being kicked in the face when trying to stand up from the ground is an important skill for self defence training. As simple as it may sound, it is difficult to stand up safely when pushed to the ground during a fight. In fact, there is a greater risk of being punched or kicked in the face at the moment you attempt to get to your feet. In this week’s video we look at the simple idea of getting to your feet safely in self defence and what mistakes to avoid.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) is the perfect martial art to teach you what to do and how to protect yourself if you have been thrown or pushed to the ground. Learning self defence also involves the skill of standing up, unknown to most, pracitioners in Brazilain Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) spend a lot of time learning just that. A little know fact about BJJ is that the martial art has a self defence syllabus designed to manage a range of attackes in a street fight. Below are the critical steps in how you actually stand.

Step 1 – Move your Head to Safety

Of course once you have fallen on the floor, your basic instinct will be to spring to your feet. We strongly advise that you don’t try to stand up straight away. Instead, take stock of your position, first and foremost you must make sure that your head is in a safe position away from your attackers hands and feet and the concrete floor.

Therefore, the first thing to do is to orientate your head to a safe position (see the video for a clear reference in how to do this). Once you have achieved this, then you need to get your body in an upright position in preparation to stand up. In doing so, do not sit straight up. As we explain in our video you will simply be pushed back on to the ground. Instead use the method of turning sideways to sit up while protecting your face as discussed in this instructional video.

Step 2 – Create a Brace/Post to Prevent Being Pushed Backwards

Key to remember is that your attacker is likely to be standing over you. If so, do not try to simply sit or stand up. As mentioned above your attacker will punch or kick you in the face or he may simply push you down again and sit on top of you and punch you again. To avoid this create a brace to prevent being pushed backwards.

Step 3 – Move and Adapt if your Attacker Circles Around

The Second part of our video looks at your attacker’s movement. If they circle or move around to kick you then you must adjust your position in the fight. This will mean that you have to move around on the ground in the manner shown in our video. Not only will this keep you safe but give you an opportunity to attack your attacker’s knees or groin in your own self defence. How and when you stand up depends on where and how your attacker is moving. If they step backwards from your attack then it is possible to exploit the space.

Step 4 – Stand Up Safely

The last stage of our video will show you exactly how to stand in a strong manner that will make it difficult for your attacker to force you back on the ground again. This will require that you keep your back straight and avoid your head being forced forward (see video for details). Although crucial to stand properly, the key point to note is protect your face the moment you actually make your move.

On Closing

As always when trying to defend yourself in a fight you must first protect your head from punches and kicks. This will require that you make sure that your head is not near or lined up to your attackers feet. An obvious point you may think, but many panic when fallen and end up simply trying to spring back to their feet. Follow the steps in our video, better yet join a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu class to learn how to stand up and gain some confidence in ground fight. Learning to ground fight is not simply about rolling around the ground, it should be about learning how to get to your feet quickly and safely.

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