You can never be certain which punch is coming, but you can stack the odds in your favour. That is the idea behind this video lesson, which borrows the "special set of skills" line for its title. It is for boxers, martial artists and anyone serious about self-defence.

You can invite certain attacks and make others very difficult. That increases the chances of getting the attack you are looking for, which makes your counter much easier, or even your pre-emptive strike.

Why Guessing Does Not Work

Many people train defence as a guessing game. They wait to see what comes, then try to react. The problem is that reaction is slow. By the time you have seen the punch, decided what it is and chosen a response, it has often already landed.

The answer is not to react faster. The answer is to reduce the number of things that can happen.

How to Stack the Odds

Your position, your guard and your angle all send a message. If one side of your head looks open and the other is well covered, most people will go for the open side. If you stand at a certain angle, some punches become easy for the other person and some become awkward.

Use that to your advantage:

  • Make the attack you want look easy and the others look hard
  • Cover the lines you do not want them to use
  • Choose an angle that limits what they can throw
  • Have your counter ready for the attack you have invited

You are not guaranteeing anything. You are moving the odds from fifty-fifty to something much better.

The Pre-Emptive Option

In self-defence, if a situation is clearly about to turn violent and you cannot get away, knowing what is likely to come helps you decide when to act first. The law allows reasonable force, and a pre-emptive strike can be reasonable when you genuinely believe you are about to be attacked. Your first choice should always be to avoid, leave or de-escalate. Never go looking for trouble.

How to Practise

Work with a partner in gloves at low speed. Set your guard to leave one target slightly open and see what your partner goes for. Then add your counter to that attack. Swap roles, so you also learn how other people invite you. Over time, increase the speed while keeping full control.

Take It Further

For a complete self-defence system built on these ideas, look at the Pressure Point Self Defense Course. If you work in security or on the doors, the PPDT Online Course applies the same principles to your job.