How to Defend Against a Bag Over the Head

Having an attacker put a bag over your head from behind can be a frightening experience. You can't breathe and you can't see. The trick to defending yourself is to remain calm, turn around and confront your attacker.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Pause to calm yourself. Don't panic or struggle, which quickly can use up your air supply.
2. Squat down on your knees. This should surprise your attacker, and force him to adjust his position. Hold your breath.
3. Pivot around on your right foot while you are still squatting and face your attacker. Reach around and feel for his legs to get your bearings, grabbing his pant leg or behind his knee for leverage. Continue to hold your breath so that you can remain focused on your defense.
4. Find the attacker's groin, and then strike it repeatedly. Hit, punch, grab and squeeze until the attacker loosens his grip of the plastic bag. The idea is to let your assailant know that you are not an easy target, and you will hurt him any way you can.
5. Take your right hand and push the attacker's right thigh or knee back at a 45 degree angle. This will cause the attacker to fall backward, and let loose of the plastic bag.
6. Remove the plastic bag from your head and take a deep breath. If the attacker is running away, take the time to form a physical description in your mind, noting height, weight, clothing and any unique characteristics such as scars, moles and facial hair.

Tips & Warnings

• Unfortunately, this type of attack is becoming more and more prevalent among muggers and other types of assailants. The secret is to not focus on the bag itself, or trying to remove it from your face, which will only cause you to exert the strength you will need to counter your attacker.