Self-Defense Techniques

Specific Techniques

• Uppercut, Turn the lead heel out. Shift your weight. Your heel turns your hip and shoulder into the punch. Never uppercut a person whose head is above yours, opponents eye level should be equal to yours, or below.
• Hook. Generally, horizontal fist works well in close (palm down), and vertical fist works well at a greater distance (palm toward you). Turn the lead heel out on the lead hook, rear heel out on the rear hook. Shift your weight. Same for the cross, overhand, etc. When you double hook, do not turn your heel out until the second hook. The first one is a diversion.
• Jab. Remember, the jab is used mostly to set up other attacks. The jab must be fast, and reliable. Insert it into every gap. Use it to probe the opponent's reactions. Use of the jab ranges from pawing with it to load up your cross to using it to conceal your low entry to a powerful punching weapon. Power has to do with how much you bring your lead hip in line with the shot, and how much you shift your weight into it. Before you can even use your jab as a feint, you have to make it believable. Otherwise your opponent will not respect it. A jab to  the abdomen is a great way to get the opponent to lower the lead hand and expose the chin. If opponent will not lower the hand, use the punch to strike the floating rib. Use it as opponent comes toward you and you slip outside or sidestep, i.e. your head moves on the same first beat that your punch did.