“Blind Him!”

© COPYRIGHT 2010 BY BRADLEY J. STEINER - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Sword and Pen – March 2010 Issue

[Reprinted With Permission]

American Combato
Seattle Combatives


Note, Warning, and Disclaimer: We assume no responsibility whatever for anyone’s use, misuse, or abuse of anything we describe in this article or in this Newsletter. The reader assumes 100% liability for his actions and behavior. We urge that those techniques we describe be employed ONLY in unavoidable self-defense, to prevent serious injury or death at the hands of a dangerous attacker.

ONE of the most decisive and effective unarmed combat actions that anyone can employ in a serious confrontation is a swift, powerful attack directed into the adversary’s eyes.

Obviously, such an action is extremely dangerous and is justifiable ONLY in legitimate self-defense. When you simply cannot avoid someone who is bent upon harming you or someone about whom your care, and when it is obvious that unless you take decisive action you may end up crippled or worse, then attacking the eyes should always be born in mind as a terrific counterattacking or preemptive move.

It is here in the advocacy of such techniques as will be the subject of this brief piece of instruction, that only the dishonest and/or the stupid can fail to see the complete difference between contest and combat. In no form of sporting contest is attacking the opponent’s eyes permitted, and it never ought to be. Such would be absolute madness, and those advocating or participating in such "competitive events" as did allow eye attacks, would be incredible fools or utter savages and barbaric thugs. (Let us hope that the sporting/competitive martial arts in this Country do not deteriorate even farther than they already have, and that we never witness lunacy such as eye attacks being regarded as "acceptable" in some variant of moronic "cage fighting" or "mixed martial arts", etc.).

On the other hand let us be forthright in our espousal of that which works decisively in real world self-defense. We see not the slightest reason to care about anyone who unjustifiably attempts to impose physical harm upon another — for whatever reason. Whether bully or gang member or mugger or rapist or home invader or car jacker or armed thug or "tough guy" or plain troublemaker, or you name it! Once someone decides that he will physically endanger, abuse, humiliate, torment, or otherwise violate another, HE HAS SIGNED HIS RESIGNATION FROM THE HUMAN RACE, AND DESERVES TO BE DISPOSED OF AS EFFICIENTLY AS POSSIBLE.

We took a long time (too damn long a time, in fact) to arrive at this decision, and to formulate what is today our "martial philosophy". And we paid for being a "nice" person. It was a good number of years after our exposure to Kill Or Get Killed and Get Tough!, and other of the WWII classics before our studies (including those with Charlie Nelson) finally overrode the bullshit that ju-jutsu and karate and other “self-defense” training that we had been immersed in, had imposed upon us. By the age of 20 we had finally adopted the proper mindset and the kill or get killed attitude. Prior to that we thought like a "martial artist" (and, in consequence, were hard put to really defend our self well). Here’s an example:

When we were sixteen years of age and a high school student we had the experience — during what we thought at the time was a friendly conversation with a small gorup outside the apartment building where we lived — of being suddenly seized and thrown to the sidewalk by a scumbag (first name "Chuck") with whom we had had previous trouble. This scumbag was a bully. Much larger and stronger than our self — and some years older — this miserable excuse for a human being never liked us and (convenient as we were as a younger, weaker, smaller individual to victimize) this piece of s—t invariably enjoyed inflating his ego by endeavoring to push us around and intimidate us whenever he saw us.

Our "martial arts" training had taught us nothing about such surprise attacks, and we simply were thrown. Today, in a similar situation, we would almost certainly kill anyone who attempted to attack us in such a manner. First, because we have been drilling, conditioning, and training PROPERLY for decades since that unfortunate incident. Second, because we appreciate the potential lethality of being thrown to the ground and we are 100% uninhibited about resorting to lethal force when such is directed against us. We don’t "play” with violence. We are no longer brainwashed to the point of believing that we are obliged to “respond in kind” when attacked, using only similar measures as may have been used against us, and in a similar manner. Third, because once closed with a larger individual whose intention it is to throw us or to apply some submission hold, we would instantly bite a chunk out of his face, rip off his ears, jab into and — hopefully — gouge out his eyes, and KEEP ON ATTACKING HIM until he was absolutely and completely harmless to us, thereafter.

In a way that piece of s—t who bullied us when we were sixteen is fortunate. We can only hope, however, that if he is still alive today he lives in an iron lung or in a wheelchair, and that he needs to be fed and cared for by a keeper. Hopefully, he has suffered horrific punishment from someone else whom he chose to bully. We have never seen this bacteria’s face since our teenage years, so we can only hope. And we do!

Do not wait to be set upon before you learn. GO FOR THE EYES! This is as close to a "sure thing" in unarmed combat as you can get. You can do this immediately upon realizing that serious danger is imminent. Just open your hand, extending your fingers without tensing them, and stab them ferociously into the adversary’s eyes. It’s that simple. And it works. Followup by doing whatever is appropriate or necessary at the time. This may be escaping the scene, or it may be further devastating your would-be tormentor. A man who is momentarily blinded is a wonderful target for powerful kicks that smash into his testicles or that break his knee. He also may be shoved into traffic, smashed down a flight of stairs, punched in the sternum or solar plexus, or hit with an object-at-hand. Write your own ticket! Just be certain that you immediately take advantage of the opportunity you have given yourself when your opponent has been blinded by your eye attack!

"Suppose my arm or wrist is seized when I thrust at his eyes?"

If you train yourself to execute a straight-to-the-target UNTELEGRAPHED eye thrust it is nearly impossible for your action to be thwarted. Like a boxer’s untelegraphed left jab. If the opponent is within range he is going to get hit by the jab. However, if your wrist or arm is grabbed or deflected, then that is because it has caused the adversary to NOTICE and REACT to it. Fine. Break his knee with a side kick as he reacts defensively to your fingertips thrust!

Unfortunately, a straight, extended finger to the eyes thrust is not likely to result in your adversary being permanently blinded. It is a great technique, but this is one of its limitations.

For more permanent results the eyes can be attacked by deliberate, up close gouging. Drive the thumbs into the inside corners of your enemy’s eyes (it often helps to insert your middle fingers into his ears if you are able, when doing this, as it "locks" your gouging thumbs into place). Dig IN and rip OUTWARD with your thumbs. Your assailant will be completely neutralized. Note that when your thumbs are ripping into his eyes a knee to the testicles will snap his head more powerfully forward, deepening the thumb gouge. Also, when your thumbs enter the inside corners of his eyes, a powerful straight thrust forward, using your body weight and the push of both arms, will likely damage both of his eyes — or worse.

One thumb may be employed against one eye, with or without the opposite hand seizing the enemy’s head or neck or collar for stability.

The magnificent “Tiger’s Claw Thrust” as taught by Fairbairn is another terrific way to go after an enemy’s eyes. Again, however, permanent blindness is, unfortunately, an unlikely outcome.

Form the weapon by positioning the hand as for a chinjab smash. Now direct the open, clawed hand forward, and thrust the finger tips into the enemy’s face. Upon fingertips impact with his eyes and nose, the heelpalm of the hand "collapses" in a blow to the enemy’s face. If sufficient thrust has not been generated in a tiger’s claw attack, then simply CLAW and RIP into the enemy’s eyes and face with the hand — just like a wild animal might do.

The end of an umbrella can be thrust into an attacker’s eye (or at least thrust at his eyes, which sets him up for a kick, etc.). Any beverage can be used effectively as a distraction by tossing it into an assailant’s face. A handful of gravel, sand, small change, a handkerchief, food, sunglasses, etc. — virtually anything that cannot be used as a weapon — can be thrown into an enemy’s eyes and will momentarily disorient him.

The eye is a great target for any of those "legal size" (ie less than four-inch blade length, in most jurisdictions) lock blade folding knives.

A woman who is being targeted for sexual assault can often maneuver effectively — via the use of deception — into a position where she avoids being beaten by feigning compliance, and “gently embrace” her would-be rapist’s face as if to kiss him, then suddenly and without warning drives both thumbs into his eyes, proceeding with the gouging technique previously described.

Do not dismiss this advice and instruction lightly. Unlike what you may have been taught (or are being taught) at your local "dojo", "kwoon", or "dojang", this stuff works.
And, once you master it, to paraphrase the old saw, "THE EYE’S THE LIMIT!!”