Quick Releases

Quick Releases #

Quick releases are techniques to counter various grabbing attacks. The first few (1 to 5) are for breaking off the attack and stepping back. The rest are for getting free, but staying in range to do a follow-up attack.

Notes:

  1. Energize your fingers by opening them and projecting force to your fingertips.

  2. The position of your elbow at the end of (1) and others is forward the shoulder level, ready to strike.

  3. A few of the releases like (12) have the same move on both sides. You can do them at the same time or one after the other. The latter is preferred to confuse the attacker.

The Techniques

  1. Cross hand grab. Slide in with elbow tucked, making your hand point straight up. Lift your elbow so that arm is now horizontal. Pull out against thumb. Freed hand comes to your shoulder, elbow forward. Other hand is underneath protecting your middle.

  2. Same side grab. Same slide in, turn palm up, then come over attacking arm and pull back. Same ending.

  3. Two hand grab of your wrist. Slide in, turn hand vertical, use free hand to help, pull back and out. Same ending.

  4. Two hand grab of your wrists, your hands at waist level. Clap hands together for strength, slide in to bring your hands close to attacker’s chest, turn up and pull over your shoulder. Same ending.

  5. Two hand grab, both your hands are at shoulder level. Clap hands together, slide in to bring your hands close to attacker’s chest, point them down the middle and pull down and out. Same ending.

  6. Cross hand grab. Make a fist, large circle above attacker’s wrist, down hammer fist. Stay in place.

  7. Same side grab. Circle open hand under, then over the top and point down to break grip. Step back with opposite foot as you are doing this. Your hand remains in contact.

  8. Double wrist grab low. Free one hand as above with slight turn in, then free other hand same way, stepping back with opposite foot.

  9. Double wrist grab low. Step along front diagonal (either side), turn back hand over and strike attacker’s hands together. Step back on the same side as the attacking hand, other arm raised with forward elbow. Note: The back hand is the power hand.

  10. Double wrist grab low. Move arms in large circle, bring hands up in front at chest level, Knock attacker’s hands together at a slight offset so that the knuckles of one hit the back of the other. Turn your hands and open wide to the side to free your hands, step back, and force the attacker to lean head forward.

  11. Same side grab. Rotate hand inside, then lock fingers over the top of attacker’s wrist and keep turning into a lock.

  12. Double same side grab. 11 X 2.

  13. Double same side grab. Turn both hands outside, hook thumbs in back of attacker’s wrists, push towards attacker and mainly outward and step in to lock.

  14. Double same side grab. Begin like 13, slide diagonally in direction of your lead foot. Reach under arm and lock fingers backward.

  15. Double same side grab. Begin like 13, step across with your back foot, lock fingers back, turn into kneeling tai otoshi.