Sneaky Weapon Retention When Fighting in Built Up Areas
You often have very little room to maneuver when you're fighting in built up areas like urban or suburban environments. Battlefields, defending against a home-invasion robbery and facing off against a violent urban attacker all place you at greater risk because your maneuvering space can be so restricted.
When you're fighting in built up areas, gaining access to a weapon is one of the most important survival principles. Urban areas should always provide plenty of improvised weapons, including nearby sticks, metal bars, bricks and other objects. Soldiers will probably already have their weapons with them while fighting. In built up areas, however, the confined spaces you're fighting in make it extremely easy to drop or even lose your weapon.
Tripping, falling, banging into a wall or encountering some other obstacle is easy when you're fighting in built up areas. You have a greater chance of losing your weapon when space is tight, but so does your opponent. Either one of you could drop your weapon during a close-quarters struggle. If that happens, your initial impulse will be to try to get it back. Doing this can be a mistake and actually get you killed. Here's why...
When fighting in built up areas, almost every fighter, especially one that lacks training, makes the mistake of focusing on the weapon rather than the true threat. The weapon can't harm you by itself, but your attacker can and he's your real threat. Here are some tips to follow if it looks like you'll be in a life-or-death struggle for a loose weapon, especially when your maneuvering room is restricted:
Weapons Tip # 1 for Fighting in Built Up Areas: Quit being concerned about the weapon and concentrate on your real enemy. Your weapon won't be able to harm you as long as it's still on the ground or the floor.
Weapons Tip # 2 for Fighting in Built Up Areas: Use your opponent's survival instincts as a weapon against him. Use the loose weapon as bait, because he'll go for it instinctively. You'll be able to target him more effectively while he's focusing on the weapon.
Weapons Tips # 3 for Fighting in Built Up Areas: Use everything you can fight with. Kick your assailant while he's trying to get the loose weapon. Pour on the hammerfist blows. Slam him with your knee. He'll never reach the weapon but you'll be able to overwhelm him while he's trying.
Weapons Tip # 4 for Fighting in Built Up Areas: When your enemy is on the defensive you'll be able to get the weapon yourself. Then, either let him escape or finish him off if legally justified.
The hazards you face might be different when you're fighting in built up areas. Think outside the box with your self-defense training and the environment you usually train in.