When I was a child, I remember watching many cartoon shows on Saturday mornings, such as Bugs Bunny and Woody Woodpecker. A classic gag used by these shows was the bite the stick and pull out the teeth that look like dentures trope. The character’s mouth would shrivel, and they couldn’t bite anything. They became harmless.
Surgical strikes on military anti-air silos were the first targets during the Persian Gulf War. The allies were destroying anti-aircraft guns and the enemy’s ability to counterstrike. That is practical military thinking. Whether in an arena of war or the alley defending your life, practical military thinking applies to both sizes of combat and confrontation.
Hands are the best primary targets. The weapon hand is the best initial target if there is a weapon–a way to defang your opponent.
“If you cut the fangs off of the snake, you don’t have to worry about the snake.” – Filipino proverb.
Defang
This old Eskrima saying relates to personal combat. Which would you choose to fight? Someone with guns and knives? Or someone with no weapons and hands tied behind their back? The obvious answer is the unarmed, defenseless man. He’s a snake with no fangs. You are safe to avoid or engage the enemy. You are in command, a position of power. Focus on your strikes to the hand to inflict damage there. Once you see the hand in pain, move up the arm and inflict damage.
Defend Still
One caveat, don’t assume you can let down your guard if the enemy is defenseless. You must always be defensive, even if it’s an easy target. Always attack thinking they can mount a dangerous attack and counterattack. When you have your defenses up, you can best respond to surprises.
“Luck is not a reliable tactic.” – Unknown.
Disable and Defeat
Defeating an opponent without risk or injury is the ideal situation. This thinking is how the Shaolin monks justified learning and developing martial arts. They were able to disarm and immobilize attackers without killing anyone or anything. Thus they kept to their religious beliefs of not killing, yet were able to deal with real-world dangers such as bandits and politicians.
Seek to disable the offensive weapons and defensive tools to maximize your combative advantage. Defang the snake, and their bite won’t harm you. In the real world, lawsuits will be your opponent’s last attack, which may be the most damaging. Stop the conflict, disable the attacker, and let the law deal with the perpetrator. Your job is to defend yourself and then stop.
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