On the street, he who hits first, hits the fastest and hits the most almost always wins. Street fighters know that no matter how big, strong or skilled a person may be, he is vulnerable to a sudden, overwhelming assault. That's why the most proficient street fighters use deception to get as close as possible to their victim before launching a relentless attack. They know that if they can get the critical jump on someone, they can usually end the fight in seconds. For the most part, squaring off for a round of mutual combat happens only in tournaments and movies.

When facing an explosive assault at close range, conventional blocks and parries are all but useless. Sudden attacks initiated inside the "kill zone" (arm's reach) do not give you the luxury of evasion. So with no time to duck, block or escape, how do you deal with such an assailant?

There are three ways to survive that kind of encounter. The first is to somehow keep your opponent at a distance where you can react with conventional forms of defense. The second is to launch an interception or stop-hit and crush his assault before it begins. Both methods require some preparation and forethought, and are often impractical in the real world. Most fights are initiated from conversational distance – from within the kill zone – and offer minimal reaction time. Furthermore, stop-hitting is problematic from both a technical and a legal standpoint. To be truly effective, a stop-hit must crush the opponent's attack at its inception. If you employ it, you could find yourself being charged with aggravated assault.

The third method of surviving sudden violence at close range is the least problematic and the most effective: the shield.

John Hutchison assumes the Dynamic Combat fighting stance (1). As he moves into the shield posture, he crouches and raises his arms so he can absorb any attacks on his elbows, forearms and shoulders (2). At the same time, he drives his rear leg into the ground to act as a brace.

The Shield of Dynamic Combat

Dynamic Combat focuses on understanding and dealing with the worst-case scenario, which is defined as the most dangerous situation You are likely to face. The shield was developed in the early 1980s as a method of surviving such assaults. It is a simple, effective technique designed to protect your primary vital targets from a rapid-fire attack and keep your opponent at bay if he charges. This technique is not the rope-a-dope defense used in boxing, wherein fighters take a continuous pounding. Instead, it is a structurally powerful emergency maneuver designed to buy yourself time to regroup, evade or launch a counterattack without being taken out in the process.

In a fight, the first order of business is to maintain bio-system functionality. To ensure your ability to fight back, you must be able to see, breathe and think. You must be able to comprehend your attacker's actions, which means your sight must be unimpaired because you can't stop what you can't see. Your respiratory system must continue to function and supply oxygen to your heart and muscles so they can perform. But most of all, your command center – your brain – must retain clarity and consciousness. It just so happens that the primary area of attack to disrupt these three functions extends from the base of the throat to the top of the forehead - the part of your body the shield protects best. Thus, the first principle of the shield is to protect these functions, and buy time to escape or counterattack.

John Hutchison (right) blocks a jab to the face delivered by Scott Shephard (1). Shephard continues the assault with a light punch, causing Hutchison to transition into the shield (2). Hutchison can now absorb his opponent's attacks on the bones of his forearms and elbows (3).

Updating an Old Concept

Since ancient times, men have utilized shields to form a blockade against their opponents' weapons, to ram and crush through their defenses and even to counterattack. The concept of shielding is simple: to protect your vital targets from attack, thus creating an obstruction your assailant can beat on, slam against or strike without being able to penetrate.

The beauty of the Dynamic Combat shield lies in its simplicity. The idea is to place some area of your body that is less susceptible to injury in the way of an incoming attack. When performed properly, even the most powerful blows can be taken on the elbows, forearms and shoulders. The key is that the shield absorbs; it does not actively block or deflect attacks. Active blocking requires timing and the ability to recognize, intercept and deflect specific attacks. If you can do that, you probably have enough time and distance to counterattack, and there is no need to shield.

Although actively attempting to block every incoming attack with your arms can leave you open to a counter, the shield can and should be adjusted according to the perceived line of attack. Shielding is not just the act of bringing your hands to your head and blindly absorbing punishment. The trick is to keep your eyes open and your bead close to your arms, making slight adjustments as needed. The farther away your arms are from your head, the more open you are and the more likely your shield is not to work. The attacker's blows should he absorbed at the midpoint of your forearms or at your elbows and not at your hands or wrists. Absorbing strikes with your lower arms turns your elbows into levers that can create a ricochet effect when the strike hits. As much as 90 percent of the force of the attack can pass through your hands and into your head. Conversely, absorbing the impact with your elbows and lower forearms stops the incoming blows cold. In fact, if the attacker tries to break through your shield, he could end up breaking his hands.

Avoiding Body-to-body Contact

To be effective, a shield must first protect your primary targets from attack. The Dynamic Combat shield does more than that, however. It also prevents body-to-body contact. Performed correctly, it acts as a wall against contact and control techniques. It can be used to effectively stop a grappler in his tracks and provide the space you need to launch a counterattack.

If the shield is placed too for in front of the face, the attacker can strike around it (1). But if it stays compact and is repositioned according to the perceived line of attack, it can stop virtually any assault to the head (2). Notice that the defender's right arm stays in front of his face to protect his centerline.

Correct and Incorrect Methods

The Dynamic Combat shield is not the perfect defense. The best defense is still a good offense. You should hit when you can and shield when you have to. The shield is not blocking; rather, it is away to momentarily cover and absorb an attack. It is not a spear-like action used to intercept an assault. All these techniques require perfect timing and by their very, nature expose your vital targets.

To be effective, the shield must be performed a specific way. The first rule is to remain compact. You cannot extend your arms away from your head because that will leave an opening for incoming strikes.

The second factor in effective shielding is your power base. You must maintain a strong and stable position for it to work because every time you use it, you experience a collision with your adversary. It may be a short shock wave as his strikes connect with your arms or an all-out head-to-head impact as his body charges into yours. You may have a great shield and stop the attack itself, but if you have poor body position, you can be easily overwhelmed and driven to the ground.

The first step in creating a stable position is establishing a strong drive and brace leg. One leg must be placed behind you and driven into the ground like a sprinter on the blocks. That provides you with the spring-loaded power base you need to absorb impact and generate force in the direction of your adversary. It is also imperative that your spine be forward of the central line so the force can be absorbed by your upper body and pass down your drive leg into the earth. It is also important to face your adversary. There's no advantage to turning sideways in an encounter, especially against an opponent who is capable of swamping you.

The Dynamic Combat shield also prevents body-to-body contact. To illustrate, John Hutchison (right) squares off with Scott Shepherd, who is wearing full gear to protect himself from the impact of the shield (1). When the attacker dives for Hutchison's legs, the defender steps forward and drives a power shield into his head and shoulders (2). Hutchison then chambers his left fist while keeping his tight arm in place to hold off the opponent (3). The Dynamic Combat expert delivers a strike to the face (4), after which he can escalate to more powerful blows.

One Concept, Many Applications

Dynamic Combat teaches several variations of the shield, including the speed shield, the power shield, the ground shield and even the body shield for defense against edged weapons. Because it is one concept with many applications, it will enable you to stop an opponent from raining punches on you, from grappling with you, and from charging and tackling you. Few defenses are as versatile.

To perform the basic shield, raise your arms until your forearms are vertical and your upper arms are horizontal. Lift your shoulders slightly, and move your head and chin forward and down. Your eyes should be looking past the midpoint of your forearms. If you find yourself peering over your hands, your arms are too low or your head is too high, and your shield will have no structural integrity.

Keep your head as close as possible to the inside of your forearms and biceps, and your eyes should be wide open and focused on your adversary. As he attacks, close off that line and let him smash into your lower arms. Practice having a partner -- he should wear gloves so he doesn't break his hands throwing punches at you while you attempt to keep your movements as economical as possible.

To perform the power shield, raise your arms in the same manner, but this time drive your arms and body forward, smashing into your opponent with your elbows and meeting his attack head-on. If he intends to tackle you or reach for your legs, simply bend your knees and drive into him in the same manner. Be careful when practicing this method with a partner, especially when applying the shield against grappling. When he dives for your legs, your counter shield may smash directly into his face and snap his head violently backward. With enough force, you could break his neck.

Richard Ryan (left) says the shield is only an emergency defense against sudden attacks executed from within the kill zone (1). You should immediately transition into an offensive move such as an eye strike (2).

Ryan's Rules of Shielding Shield only when you must. The shield is designed as an emergency survival response to a sudden close-range attack. It is not meant to replace other forms of defense, only to supersede them in extreme situations. Stay tight and compact. The greatest danger in shielding is extending your limbs away from your head. That will open you up to a variety of attacks and nullify the shield process. Don't thrust, jab or extend your arms away from your head any more than necessary. Keep your chin tightly tucked and your forearms as vertical as possible. Counter immediately. The shield is not a perfect defense, and it won't take long for a skilled fighter to figure out how to nullify or bypass it. The trick is to not give him the time to do so. It should be used only as, a momentary defense to help you maintain your ability to see, breathe and think before escaping or launching a counterattack.

Neural-Response Patterns

The shield is based on the body's natural responses to attack. When con fronted with a sudden stimulus to the head, it is natural to raise your hands vertically. If it technique is to work in a high-stress environment, it must utilize such a neural-response pattern. The more unnatural an action is, the less likely you will be to perform it without conscious thought. The best thing about utilizing common neural patterns is that they are nonperishable. They are wired into your central nervous system. You couldn't get rid of them if you tried. That makes the shield an effective defense against the sucker punch and sudden, rage-based attacks.

The only real problem associated with the shield is the risk of overdoing it. It's critical to control your inclination to block incoming attacks as opposed to absorbing them. It takes a degree of icy composure to remain compact and covered when someone is trying to tear your head off. With that Said, it is Important to remember that the shield is not designed to allow someone to pommel you continuously, but only to provide a momentary barrier between his strikes and your targets. An immediate counterattack is highly recommended. If the opponent's assault is too powerful, roll with it, evade and re-engage.

The Dynamic Combat shield is a simple way to teach an effective form of defense without requiring a great deal of practice. It protects your vital areas and can be performed in any environment whether you are upright or on the ground. It offers you more advantages than any other methodology. It just might be the world's best worst-case scenario defense.

About the author: Richard Ryan is the founder of Dynamic Combat™ and the designer of the Tactical Defense Training™ system for law enforcement. He has more than 30 years of experience in martial arts, combative firearms and weapons training. For more information, call (800) 945-4387.

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