Q:

I was wondering: would you say that fights often escalate from shoves where one person shoves another to try to intimidate that person?

If you were shoved by someone, what would you recommend to counter a shove in a way that lets the 'shover' know if he were foolish enough to continue trying to intimidate you (further shoves, trash talk, etc.) , that you can more than handle him, thereby preventing a fight in the process?

Thanks for your advice.  Enjoy your info on your website.

A.

I used to have a statistic from the Department of Justice that showed something like 74% of all assaults begin with a push or a shove. So, yes! -- a shove usually indicates the initial stages of an assault.

One common type of opening gambit is to shove the intended victim back to give the attacker range to connect with an overhand right punch. The key here is that the attacker is using the shove to "control" the distance. It's the same when the attacker grabs your shirt with one hand and curls it in. He is either pushing you away or grabbing you to control the distance to maximize the effectiveness of his punch.

On the shove, I've noticed that many guys (who are shoved) try to stop their rearward motion and react by stepping forward again to show the attacker that they aren't scared -- BOOM! They step right into the punch that is following the shove.

For me, if I was SO close to the guy that he got in a shove at the start of the fight, I would make sure I use the momentum of the push to get me ALL THE WAY OUT OF RANGE OF HIS PUNCHES.

I would GET MY HANDS UP to block the punch that is surely coming. Then I circle away from his power hand. If he declines to follow me, then there is no fight. Even if he is talking trash ('woofing' or posturing) I continue to control the distance between us.

If he decides to charge forward swinging, I avoid the hits, move to the clinch, then takedown, then mount and then finish.  If it is a group situation, I am avoiding the hits, clinching, and slamming him to the ground with a standing takedown and then immediately getting ready for a follow up attack from his friends or others.

If he decides to charge forward and try and tackle me, then I counter (see the site for the answer on countering tackles.)

I've seen two other counters that are cool, but you have to be really good to pull them off. One is to let him shove you, but you use the momentum of the shove to "swing" to the side like a gate opening while trapping his arm. You use your swinging momentum to snap his arm. The other one is when you are shoved and you are losing your balance backwards. Just straighten one of your legs and allow it to swing up into his groin. It's basically a shin kick coming upwards into his crotch. The kick is really unexpected from his perspective and it also helps arrest your backwards fall.

In any situation, however, I don't like to posture to show how tough I am.   BUT -- I don't let someone shove me or push me again either. 

If he's shoved you, back up and get your hands up and prepare for the attack to follow.  If he follows up with an attack or another push, then use the appropriate level of force to defend yourself.  If he does not follow for the attack, don't worry about how you look.  Resist the urge to jump back into his face.  Immediately leave the party or -- if you want to get him thrown out -- report the incident to the doormen.

Lose your ego and live to party another day.

Good luck.

Brad Parker