Fighting Technique

What is your "go to" fighting technique? Is there one specific technique that you would automatically be inclined to go with when the chips are down?

Put yourself into this scenario. You are suddenly and unexpectedly awoken one night to find someone at the foot of your bed. You sit up, almost in shock, and see the guy making his way around the bed toward you. You have but a split second to jump to your feet and he is in your face. What fighting technique do think you would go to?

Of course you might ask me how close he was to you when you got to your feet. Perhaps you would want to know how big the guy was or if he was charging you, etc. But only given the information I have given you so far, what fighting technique would be your auto response to this threat?

Mine would be a palm heel strike to the face. Why? Well the palm heel strike can be delivered quickly, directly and somewhat comouflaged. It can land with devastating power and uses the principle of the closest weapon to the closest target. It would be my fighting technique of choice.

One of the nice things about a palm strike is that:

1. It can be delivered very quickly.
2. It can be delivered without telegraphing.
3. It is close to it's intended target.
4. It can be delivered from almost any hand position (it doesn't matter if your hands are at your side, up in front of you or anyplace in between).
5. It can be used as a "first strike", fighting technique, to stun your attacker and then follow up with other techniques.
6. It can be used as a finishing technique, after your attacker is slowed up or stunned.
7. It is fairly easy to hit a target using this fighting technique, even under the duress of an adrenaline rush.

We use the palm heel strike extensively in Street Self Defense 101.

Shihan Michael Pace