Straight Jab: Fastest Self Defense in the Streets

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If you want immediate effect and has 90 percent effectiveness in the streets, perfect your jab. Make it an accurate and fast jab. When an attacker comes and starts to grab or punch you, you should preempt that attack. Make your straight jab land first. But make sure you know how to throw a jab fast and accurate, in the right form to avoid injury.

I remember reading somewhere how Bruce Lee used to practice fast jabs from time to time, anywhere he was. He would suddenly throw jabs to any direction from various positions or activity---walking, running, standing, sitting, etc. And at any angle. He said you should be able to throw jabs any time, if need be, whatever you're doing.

Simple and Direct

From that time on, I always practiced jabbing. I imagine an attacker suddenly attacking me from various directions and I'd preempt it with a fast jab. Since then, I noted that I could land my jab faster than anyone during sparring sessions. My favorite is to launch a lightning-fast jab as soon as the opponent tries to throw his. His tendency is to open up to release his jab. That's when I quickly go in. Wham! Simple and direct!

You should also have enough courage to launch a counter which is a defense-offense attack. Often, the best defense is a good offensive. But this is stalled or prevented when you lose courage to quickly counter and hope that the attacker would just pity you or change his mind. Your first enemy when sudden attack happens is your hesitance or double-mindedness, and that's when you lose courage to counter or attack first. This e-book should help you understand how to be brave.

Click the image above for more information.

You need to keep practicing your jabs until they're fast, accurate and solid enough, like a sledge hammer thrown at the enemy with great speed. A quick, unexpected straight jab to the face can stop any fight pronto, especially if you hit with your knuckles, not with a flat fist, and hit a soft spot on the face, like the nose or eyes. When I had a job, I used to do this in the restroom or conference room when it's not used and I was all alone there. I even practiced my kicks and push-ups there.

A good, fast kick is a good defense-offense if you can manage it, but I still prefer a straight jab. It's simpler and easier to execute in a split second if you know how and trained well. A wrong kick can be dangerous if your opponent manages to catch it and trap you, unless you're Tony Jaa or Scott Adkins. With a jab, you can always counter-trap easily. I'll probably demo this in a video, if I have time.

Below is a demo of a simple jab. When I finally arrange for a good cam and schedule, I'd post my own training videos here.

Or click here to see the video.

Quick Escape 

A successful jab landed on the attacker's face or neck shocks him to immobility. If his neck is hit, he needs time to recover from the stabbing choke and difficult breathing. If on his face--especially on the nose--it will cause temporary dizziness similar to vertigo or even a near knockout. That will give you enough time to follow up a bit and then go. Fast combinations to the head (on the eyes, lips and nose area) can send an attacker to the ground needing a long time to recover--if you deliver your jab combinations properly. Train yourself to deliver 4 successive solid jabs in 1 or 2 seconds.

Put Power in the Jab

If done with the right form, speed and accuracy, a jab is usually powerful. But it's imperative that you practice your jabs on heavy bags and mitts. If you're a beginner, practice your punches first, hitting the heavy bag lightly initially and see how it affects your wrist. The same with using mitts. Avoid getting your wrist injured. It's the last thing you want. As you train, add more power to your punches as you hit the bag. Do it slowly. You don't need to be in a hurry. 

Do other punching styles later. Master the straight jab and punch first.

Do light jabs for a week. Make sure your form is correct and the wrists do not bend under pressure. Then add power the next week, and so on. The wrists should stay intact upon impact, not bending outward or inward. So you need to have strong wrists. One way of strengthening your wrists is doing regular push-ups. Do them first with an open hand (touching the floor). Later, with clenched fists.