Defense against an unfriendly handshake

[Carol]

Defending yourself against an unfriendly handshake.

Do you feel its important to have a defense against such a move?

Some of these defenses were originally part of Ed Parker's Kenpo curriculum, but one of the newer iterations of Kenpo has removed these techniques.

Does your art have such a defense? Do you make it part of your training?

Personally, this is part of my training I'd like to hear from some of you all before I share more.

 

[tellner]

My father's late Aikijujitsu teacher had an excellent one. Take your index and middle fingers and place the lightly, no need to press, on the other guy's wrist. The change in angle alters the grip enough so that it's no longer crushing. You can stand and smile sweetly while he strains.

 

[Hand Sword]

For me, I would take a different approach. We used to practice for them with this and that technique. However, I feel the same way as I do for push defenses. They happen before you can react most times. Usually people reach out to shake, you do the same. You are in a "friendly" mindset. They then become unfriendly and do something. All you can do is react, which means their action has happened. I feel the thing to do would be to change defenses to after the event, just like pushes. The only other scenario where you are proactive in defense is to refuse the handshake in the first place.

 

[Steel Tiger]

The qinna I know has a number of techniques from the "dividing the muscle" and the "misplacing the bone" sets that would work well against an over aggressive handshake. So I guess I could say I have defences against an unfriendly handshake.

I think Imight add handshakes to the set of attacks for my guys to react to.

 

[Andrew Green]

"Yes judge that's right, he tried to shake my hand so I broke his wrist in 3 places in self-defence"

Seriously, if someone is trying to hurt you in a way that warranted physical response, why on earth are you shaking their hand?

 

[Ninjamom]

YES, I think it is a critically important part of training, for the simple reason that it is so much more likely to be needed than many of the other defenses against less-likely hypothetical attacks. It's the easiest way for someone to be 'too friendly', or to try to take control of or intimidate/threaten you, or in general, make it obvious that they can and are willing to use their size strength against you. (Note: I think it's also important that you learn several non-lethal defenses against such a handshake/grab, for reasons I hope are obvious .)

 

[Carol]

"Yes judge that's right, he tried to shake my hand so I broke his wrist in 3 places in self-defence"

Seriously, if someone is trying to hurt you in a way that warranted physical response, why on earth are you shaking their hand?

Spoke about that very subject with a fellow that works part-time as a bouncer. He says he's seen a few altercations start that way.

One, two guys get in an altercation, sometimes its just words. Each of them has their ladyfriends with them, and the ladies want the guys to cool their agreements and shake hands. The guys shake, and one of them turns the handshake in to an attack.

Or, if you prefer, replace "handshake" with "hand grab" and view the attack from that perspective. Any ladies ever have a man come up to them and grab their hand in a way that wasn't kind? If you have, you know exactly what I am referring to.

 

[Hand Sword]

It's true. I've seen some as well. Also, as I said it's something that you respond to secondarily. You don't know about the bad intentions behind those that reach out their hand. It comes after you've made contact, in a "good faith" mind set. There is no hostility beforehand.

 

[thetruth]

I wouldn't call it critical to have a defense but on an even simpler level to the one posted by tellner. If you just keep your index finger straight while shaking hands while gripping with the rest you will greatly reduce the ability for someone to crush your hand. I had an intensely strong islander attempt it and it took him about 10 seconds ro make it hurt. I greet everyone new I meet with this grip. This doesn't need to be practiced with a defense against a handshake and punch as the moment your assailant throws a punch their grip on your hand will relax as it is not possible for both to be given equal attention. They will either throw a weak punch because they are still gripping hard or they will soften their grip to throw a good punch.

Cheers
Sam:asian:

 

[D.Cobb]

It's true. I've seen some as well. Also, as I said it's something that you respond to secondarily. You don't know about the bad intentions behind those that reach out their hand. It comes after you've made contact, in a "good faith" mind set. There is no hostility beforehand.

Why not be prepared at all times?

As tellner and the truth said point your index finger when you shake. If you do it all the time, it becomes second nature. It's not hostile in any way, and negates any extra strength the other guy might have in his grip.

Also defeats the need to react. Because you have been proactive from the get go, you can respond instead of reacting.

--Dave

 

[Tez3]

My father's late Aikijujitsu teacher had an excellent one. Take your index and middle fingers and place the lightly, no need to press, on the other guy's wrist. The change in angle alters the grip enough so that it's no longer crushing. You can stand and smile sweetly while he strains.

That's the one my instructor taught me. It works well!

 

[LawDog]

All great replies. My response to a crushing type handshake,
*Stay relaxed,
*Maintain your ferm grip,
*Look them in their eyes and say, are you done?
When you acknowledging their ferm grip they will usually, but not always, relax and back off.
An aggressive male has little respect for a person, male or female, who has a soft wimpy type of grip,(male thing). When the hand pressure is applied they will be reading your body language and / or your verbal response.

 

[kaizasosei]

basically, im guessing around 80% or more of all handshakes i have experienced were aggressive is some way.
the common theme of handshakes is that the aggressor turns the palm to face downwards forcing the other persons palm to point upwards. this is the standard 'overpowering' handshake...then there is also pushing or pulling in weird directions usually aimed at offbalancing, displacing or sortof locking/holding in an uncomfortable or disadvantagous position..
i have not experienced it that often that someone really shakes hand hard or squeezing...my hands are fairly large so they would not be too easy to squeeze and i am very painresistant so i wouldn't even care much about the physical aspect. id be like...-oh firm grip!
basically the most common is the holding down or off balancing with a certain twist...

what is important is not stretching arm out too far because that puts you at risk of more easily becoming off balanced.
i thought the advice of tellner was very good by releasing grip and holding wrist.
speaking of aikijutsu, i would go with the flow and try to reverse the situation by not letting go of the hand and maybe pulling it down myself(maybe staying a bit on the right side of aggressor), because most people when the try to offbalance you, can easily be offbalanced themselves..having your palm facing up is not that bad and isn't really weaker in the physical sense...i sometimes try to reel them into me because although they push with the arms, there body will often retreat at the first realization of your resistance. also, it is a nice gesture,,like saying 'come to me-i want to be close with you or i trust you and want you to get closer. then many will retract all on their own.
in stephen k. hayessensei book, there is one move against aggressive handshake on a tenniscourt, the move is to jam the persons elbow into their belly by the right side hip area bend their wrist back lock and push inwards not allowing them to escape and then coming in for a judostyle legsweep-...
it might work and i kindof like the move although never really tested it that effective, but i don't think it is that realistic and if done with force will most likely only provoke a stronger counterforce. so it doen't really diffuse a potentialy simple issue but may just escalate things...not saying the move is bad or wrong either but i'd not want to use it unless the handshake is really bad.. and even then it might just be better to just exclaim...'ouch' when griped or 'wowsers!' if tugged..even if just facial expressions. after all at this stage the communication is still fresh and some people having stupid strategies should still be given a second chance.

well, speaking of aggressive handshakes, i myself did one recently about a month ago. it was at a club on a really congested dancefloor that this guy in his early 20s perhaps was acting all rambuctious and overdoing the drunk act by bumping into everyone and hitting them in sneaky ways...then he started pushing and bumping me. so i pushed back and stood strong unemotionally returning his attitude to him.
then he changed his strategy like he had been doing with some ladies there and started smiling at me acting like we were cool, so i accepted and gladly showed some friendship although i made it a point to not look too genuine...then he raises his arm inviting to shake hands in the powerslap kindof way...and then it happened, as he came in to shake hands, acting all drunk again he strafed my chin or neck area...not hard-it didn't hurt one bit-but i was momentarily annoyed because in all my training and fighting, i have never in years had even the slightest thing happen to me that was not calculated to my safety or the collectives advatange. at the moment i though-why did i not evade?? instantly i thought-what if it had been a knife- then i shook his hand, so hard i made him feel that if i wanted i could practically rip his arm out of it's socket. i think he got the picture and didn't enjoy shaking for much longer...we bumped around some more together after that it seemed more comical and i continued to bump back this time more friendly however, then something weird happened maybe he was on some weird drugs cause he just collapsed like a sack of potatoes in front of me.. a couple of people started trying to revive him...i was surprised so i just just stood there and didn't want to seem like i was responsible in any way cause people were staring at me maybe thinking that i dropped him..?? weird huh.? i still have no explaination. i mean, i didnt put any weirdmagic or nasty on him at all...i was just trying to communicative and not let myself get picked on. i think it was the booze or a combination of drugs..??


j

 

[Blotan Hunka]

Punch them in the face with your other hand. Repeat if necessary.

 

[KempoGuy06]

we have one in our school (SKK). When testing we are asked to do it.

B

 

[agemechanic03]

We have a few that are tought in my school, but we use them as One-Steps for sparring. But now that I am thinking about it, you can take and use them in a hand shake that has gone bad if the person is trying to attack you.
#1...You step behind the person with your right leg and stepping under his arm( while still holding hand) and putting his arm behind himself to where you have complete control by pushing down on his wrist. He moves, you push down and move with him or you just push down and put him where you want. We do more with that, but like I said, we use it for sparring.

#2...Step in with your left foot in front of him, all while stepping under his arm once again. While stepping in, take your free hand and grab his hand that you already have and break it across your shoulder.


That help any?

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

I teach quite a few and they all involve changing the angle, taking balance and eventually finalizing the situation with some sort of control. Really squeezing someones hand is not very bright in that you have given them an arm to play with and made your intentions clear. With proper body movement and balance control you can then determine what course of action is warranted.

 

[mrhnau]

I've found something that works pretty well... Keep your index and middle fingers together. Seperate them at a 60 degree angle from the lower two. Seems to lessen the effect of a "vice-grip". Not sure why it works, but it does At least for me...

 

[Fang]

I'm aware of the kenpo ones and there are also some arm manipulations that hapkido has that can work off of the 'interception' of a handshake. However there are other alternatives, like Andrew mentioned why shake their hand at all if it feels off? I have refused many a handshake from people I don't know. Its nothing personal, though in a couple instances I've been 'growled' at for not complying with the social strictures that make us feel as if we need to reply in kind. I don't feel the same way about such things as many people, I don't like to be touched by men or women without preauthorized permission of some sort, unless it is genually the most sincere expression of kindness at the time. When people start touching me or 'feeling me out' I start looking for targets and I become instantly suspicious of their intentions.

 

[qi-tah]

Spoke about that very subject with a fellow that works part-time as a bouncer. He says he's seen a few altercations start that way.

One, two guys get in an altercation, sometimes its just words. Each of them has their ladyfriends with them, and the ladies want the guys to cool their agreements and shake hands. The guys shake, and one of them turns the handshake in to an attack.

Or, if you prefer, replace "handshake" with "hand grab" and view the attack from that perspective. Any ladies ever have a man come up to them and grab their hand in a way that wasn't kind? If you have, you know exactly what I am referring to.

Hmm. Never had anyone attack me by shaking my hand, although i've been grabbed at the wrist a couple of times. Easy to get out of though...

Same side hand grab: just turn yr little finger in until it faces you and drill up. It's very difficult for someone to hang on to you if yr doing that.

Opposite side hand grab: lock their hand onto yours with yr free hand and hook the blade of yr grabbed hand over the outside of their wrist. Then roll over their wrist as you drill downward and they should go down too. Best combined with a low knee or kick as their arm starts to collapse.