Massed Attack-MMA and Self-Defense in Chicago and The Suburbs

A sad fact of life is that many people lack the courage to fight alone against another person. Often, they attack as part of a group, using their superiority in numbers to win an easy (and cowardly) victory. Of all the weaponless self-defense situations, this one is the most difficult to defend. People give all kinds of advice on how to defend this situation. Many claim that mobility is the key, that if you just keep moving and striking, you can create angles between you and your attackers and pick them off one by one. Others say that you should severely bloody one attacker to scare the others off. All of this certainly sounds good, and it all appears exciting in Hollywood movies. Unfortunately, reality has a way of ruining such delightful fantasies. Serious attackers do not attack one at a time. They rush in together, one high, one low and within seconds you find yourself under a barrage of strikes, grabs, and tackles. Invariably, the next stage involves you falling to the ground, where the ultimate step is usually a fearful stomping at the hands of your attackers.

The best counter to such an attack is almost always a good burst of speed. There is no guarantee that this will work, however, since they may well be faster than you, in which case you will merely take your beating in a state of exhaustion. Other times, running is simply not an option; you may be with a loved one or in a confined space. Another counter that is effective is the use of a weapon.

Weapons are great equalizers. If you are carrying a dangerous weapon, you can intimidate even a group of attackers. Should they pull out weapons in response, then you are truly in trouble. Remember that you do not have to carry a weapon to have one at hand. Improvised weapons are all around us; Broomsticks, bottles, pool balls, chairs, belts and a host of other everyday object all make excellent improvised weapons that can even things up with an group threatens you. An excellent idea, then, is to take a quick look around you before the attack occurs to procure an improvised weapon. The danger of this approach is that it usually inspires your attackers to pick up their own improvised weapons and take your beating to a whole new level. Failing this, there is not a to you can do when determined group attacks you.

With certain kinds of groups, you can verbally challenge them into fighting one on one, berating them for their cowardice and appealing to their sense of work in every case. People who are ruthless enough to attack in groups are usually not impressed by such arguments. Sometimes, you just have to be fatalistic and accept that you are about to take a beating and therefore do as much damage as possible before going down.

Talking about massed attacks in these realistic terms is disappointing to many people. Often, they have been told that resounding victory is a definite possibility when attacked by even a large group. It comes as a letdown to be told that victory is unlikely, the same way that children feel disappointment when they learn that Santa Claus does not exist. Still, it is much better to learn the unpleasant truth. At least the heard truth dissuades people from foolishly attempting to fight with a group, except when it is utterly unavoidable. As for the martial artists who claim the ability to defeat groups of people, let them publicly demonstrate this ability on a group of people who are trying seriously to attack and defeat them. Only then will their arguments have any credence.

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