How To Knock Someone Out With A Headbutt!
Want to know how to knock someone out with one blow?
Without a doubt, one of the most effective close-quarters combat strategies for instantly ending a street fight is the headbutt.
Smashing an opponent’s face into the crown of your head uses one of your body’s naturally hardened weapons on one of the opponent’s naturally vulnerable spots.
What most people don’t realize when considering how to knock someone out with a headbutt, however, is that the most common method of delivering this technique isn’t the most effective method.
Let me explain…
Why Most Guys Don’t Know How To Knock Someone Out With A Headbutt
Most people, when they think about how to knock someone out this way, will grab the back of the opponent’s neck, then drag or pull his face down into the crown of the head.
What that neck grab does, though, is prime your opponent for action.
He feels those hands on the back of his neck and his body subconsciously knows that you intend to pull him forward.
In response, his shoulders will tense and his hands will come up as he prepares, instinctively, to resist you.
Those tensed shoulders will make it extremely hard for you to pull him down into your headbutt with any real force, even if you’re on the inside of a clinch with him.
The most effective way to knock someone out with a headbutt is to use a whiplash effect.
Using A Headbutt Whiplash To Knock Someone Out
This works particularly well when your opponent isn’t expecting the technique.
To do this, you simply reach forward, grab his shirt with both hands, and push him away from you while hanging on to him.
He will react naturally and automatically to your shove because you’ve put him off balance.
His shoulders will disengage and his arms and head will lurch forward due to his body quickly moving backwards.
The secret for how to knock someone out is to use that rear momentum and body reaction to your advantage.
In a split second as you push your attacker forward by the shirt and he’s off balance, sharply pull his body back toward you while tucking your chin to your chest, creating a stable striking surface.
As his arms naturally flail backward and his head snaps back, this whiplash motion will create an immense amount of forward momentum while bringing his face crashing into the crown of your head.
By moving his body first in one direction and then the other in rapid succession, your attacker becomes a rag doll in your hands.
The amount of force generated at the point of contact causes an immense amount of trauma to the body and overwhelms the central nervous system, likely causing a knockout in one blow.
It is a great tip, however I just can’t see myself using my ‘CPU’ to do this. If you get dazed in any way or miscalculate the strike you potentially lose your most valuable weapon i.e. your brain. You’d have to be pretty sure it’ll work for you there and then to take the risk. Looks convincing though.
I agree.
It would not be good to damage the ‘CPU’.
My understanding is that as you do the head butt you should close your eyes as you bring the other guy forward and by doing this you avoid seeing stars and feeling dizzy after you smash his face with your head. Open your eyes right after of course in case you need to take care of something or someone else. What are your thoughts on this?
That’s very good if your going to be involved in a physical altercation with someone. But I’m not going to ever be involved in a physical altercation, it’s going to be a fight to the death. That being the case I want to utilize other things that are more effective, such as gouging someones eyes out or crushing their throat.
I still like your demo though and you are very good at what you do and teach.
OK, but seems to be limited to a case of an attacker of a similar size, or smaller, whom you could easily manhandle. Even then, I agree with George’s comment about not wanting to use my “CPU” as a weapon — headbutting has to be a last resort, when there’s really nothing else available to you; otherwise it’s just not worth the risk.
“This works particularly well when your opponent isn’t expecting the technique.”
That’s true of pretty much anything, isn’t it?
You telegraph the headbut by grabbing the shirt and the fast and standard defence to this will not allow the headbut. The defence is arm over and between and elbow to face hard and fast all one movement obviously followed by other attacks prbably ending in a posted chin jab to finish the fight within seconds.
Hi,
your self defence tactic system seems very interesting to me. Before I decide to sign up for the whole program I would prefer to first have the free DVD snd study it careully before i decide to have the whole packages oc DVDs. Would that be possible?
Kind regards
Tommy R
Thank you for sharing your tactics!
To some of the comments above:
Of course there are defensive techniques against the headbutt and the described tactic will not be suitable for every(!) situation. But like the sites title says: it’s about “self-defense tactics”!
Don’t just look at the technique. It’s about the tactic! And situations can occur where this tactic can work. It “can”(!) work. There is no guarantee for any tactic/technique/whatever in a conflict/fight.
THIS IS AN EXCELENT WAY TO TAKE YOUR OPPONENT OFF GUARD, BUT WHAT IF HE NOT WEARING A SHIRT OR T SHIRT?
PLEASE ENLIGHTEN ME.
REGARDS,
RAVINDRAN
If he’s not wearing a shirt then do something else.
Or grab onto his nipples.
Totally your choice
Go for the ‘pecs’ at the armpits!
It can disable the arms for a few moments, and it will cause the opponent to take their eyes off your face so they will not be watching for the headbutt. Also, if they look down, it positions the NOSE to take MAJOR force! (And the nose will be ’softer’ on YOUR “CPU”…while causing the opponent SERIOUS pain!)
What if the shirt breaks?
Thx for sharing this great tip.
“This works particularly well when your opponent isn’t expecting the technique.”
is a not needed remark because it applies on all defense techniques, isn’t it?
When you get in the heat of the moment of actually fighting with someone, your entire body gets extremely tough and its really hard to feel anything so this is the best time to perform the headbutt. It leaves the other person dazed from the car like whiplash and then the headbutt itself completes the procedure like a car crash often knocks people unconscious. Make sure to aim that persons nose for the crown because it also breaks their nose and blinds them for a very brief time period. If your forehead is used you will take a bit more damage to yourself so be careful. The attacker is the only person that should be hurt in this case. Good luck ladies and gentlemen!
I disagree with the concerns about using one’s head as a weapon. The skull is the hardest part of the body, and its also the heaviest and easiest to shift your weight into.
My main concerns with this technique would be-failing to grab his shirt/his shirt ripping/slipping. Or, as someone said, what if he isn’t wearing a shirt, or is wearing a turtle neck or another high-collared shirt.
If you fail to grab it, you’re in a pretty vulnerable position, aren’t you? Head down, arms and weight shifted forward, balance off?
Just my concerns.
If you can get that close to the attacker to grab his shirt then there are better techniques that keep you in the game and disable to the attacker. Crushing his wind pipe would be easier and less painful for a defense/attack. The other problem is a size issue…I think you would need to be around the same size or bigger for this attack to be largely effective. However, a better idea to use if you are going to head butt someone.
The throat crush has lethal results and consequences. It should be last resort. If initial engagement can put the bad guy in knockout then you can exit stage right.
An automatic KILL move needs to be justified and in this light and loose scenario it is not.
Sounds good, but I think that a full contact demonstration on a B.O.B. dummy would have been helpful, as well as more detail on the exact part of the head with which to strike and the exact target that one should aim for. Thank you.
One should use the area intersection where the top of the head and the forehead meet. That is the strongest part of the head. Corner sections are always the strongest. The target area should be the nose of the opponent. Because the nose is the softest part of the face. I have never used the shirt grab method but the neck grab works very well. With the neck grab you can control the target location.
However, if use a head butt you will also rattle your own head and neck a little.
Good info, hopefully I will never have to use it, cause at the time a head butt would be effective it’s do or die time. And since I am departing for Afghanistan very soon as an explosive dog team handler/trainer, it will be do or die….so many thanks for the training updates…Be Safe everyone and I chat again in about a year.
Dog Soldier!
An honor to be on the same blog! What you would be involved in is entirely different from anything else in the ‘homeland martial arts’. email me for your specific questions or needs. Also send me your apo address over there. and I’ll send you a copy or video of the Worlds deadliest fighting secrets, specifically for psycho hand to hand combat warfare.
If you are handling a dog, I’m sure you are authorized a sidearm.. . practice quick draw access
and cqb one handed point shooting at hip level. You can do this with a bb gun and in a few days get like Clint eastwood in fistful of dollars. On patrol, keep one in the chamber, hammer down, safety off. This is a safe way to carry the M-9 when anticipating anything. Just draw and fire.
Pick up a good ‘punch dagger’ to wear around your neck under your T’shirt or let me know and I’ll mail you one.
I have a well lineaged Black Shutezenhundd. Maximus Magnimus Rex. He already loves your puppy if its a female.
Anything you need, let us know.
Former S/SGt MacV-SOG, 5thSF RVN 67-71
I have practiced this for years using a full face motorcycle helmet. The very first time I done the technique, by cinching my arms around my partners neck, I DID NOT tuck my chin enough. I hit the helmet w/ more of my forehead, and it did hurt!
The whole trick is to completely tuck your chin down so that only the TOP OF YOUR HEAD makes contact. It DOES NOT hurt when done this way. No dizziness at all. Give it a try. As always, start slow and gradually build up to full force contact as you start to trust the technique.
Think of this technique as if you are jabbing a bowling ball into someone’s face. I don’t care how tough someone is, if you do this, you are walking away without any damage to yourself!
Excellent.
Very good observations here by a lot of serious martial artists. Unlike U-tube with the fastest hands obsessions trying to catch up to their MMA mental masturbating speed.
1. This is one of those techniques that looks good in demonstrations but wouldn’t be a good choice in the real world. Of course, as someone pointed out, this depends on your approach to the situation. Like Ron S. astutely mentioned. Are you in a self defense ‘altercation’, a UFC match, or life or death mortal combat? I’m in Ron’s camp. I don’t fight with anybody, maybe just a little play sparring excercise occassionally for alternate reaction timing, hand eye coordinatin, etc.
But I train in something else in a different way.
2. except for the movies and maybe one particular close in usage, head butting is not a desirable initiatory combat strike in any mode, too many disadvantages compared to the knock out advantage, especially as a sequel to two previous physical movements as Jeff is demonstrating.
He is not incorrect in theory and physcial effects, but this is not a ‘highly effective’ street fighting situation. Any movement in and of itself should be a strike, offensively, if possible. Physical movements should not be ‘wasted’ on grabbing a shirt. As was pointed out, shirts can tear or not be worn and this also becomes a flinch telegraph neutralizer. This is a flawed tactic as presented in this video. Clinch fighting is a different animal all together and means you already lost unless you are ‘highly trained and skilled’.
3. Head butting is best applied in only a couple defensive application like being bearhugged from behind with your arms pinned where you would then back head but to the attackers face to facilitate disengagement. But guess what. In the literally dozens of eye witnessed accounts of people getting ambushed and ‘grabbed’ from behind. It never occurs like the sterile studio demonstrations. Never. Unless it’s just your Bud Light buddy grabbing you to keep your ass from getting into trouble that your mouth started… usually you get really hard choked or taken or whipped down or a forearm smash to the back or neck. Real world rear approach attacks are nothing like you practice in your little kiddie chops dojangies. There are very few reliable reactions to a street attack from the rear. And if a pro ambush expert is doing it. You are dead.
4. Bottom line, aside from those of us who do martial arts as an ongoing part of our lives for whatever application and simply learn any and all methods just for the sake of knowing them, don’t waste your time practicing this headbutt move if you are only confined to knowing the best and most effective methods to get the job done. You will only give yourself a ‘headbutt’-ache. As a couple people above said, there are much better moves to work on before anything else.
Yes, its true that a well executed headbutt can definately be a knock out strike, especially by all around fighting experts who are in superior phycial conditioning like Jeff here, but
There is nothing a headbutt can do, that a good elbow/forearm smash can’t do better when it comes to close in work.
But what everybod missed is that you really don’t ever want to get into a situation where you are forced to participate in ‘close in work’ in the first place. This means you already screwed up tactically somerwhere along the line already.
Muhjesbud Maharish,
World’s Deadliest Fighting School.
I agree. I would prefer to use an elbow strike too.
Thank you, Jeff for your excellent defense methods. You are a good instructor.
Good comments ,all . Some are lovers & not fighters = fight if you can win, run if you can’t. Fantasy arena vs. reality place = both need speed! As for cross- arm block 1)uppercut w/ your 1 or
both fists; 2) fast eye-gouge;3) go for 2 hands choke/trachea crush;4)specly if taller foe, slip self under his overtop blocking arm: move sideways to his armpit, go toward his back, let him keep
your arms (you also have his – on defense) , put your knee into his knee-pit and pull down. Stomp
and maim ;it’s not ufc rules = survive! VC boocoo numma ten ! maleens numma one ! ps: If your
adrenelin don”t pump up and kick in and you’ve gone all pale, weak and limp ( sh*t happens!) ,
stop, drop , fall, roll up into a tight ball an’holler yer sorry. Breathe deep and take it. Semper Fi .
i
As I understand it, Jeff, the headbutt is intended to deliver a blow from your top of your forehead to the attacker’s face.The crown of your skull contains the intersection of 3 skull sutures that actually makes that part of the head a vulnerable point.If someone hits you there, you’ll be stunned.
The method of headbutting is one of hundreds of good techniques a person can use. In my street self-defense school I have skinny 12 year old girls and I do believe for the headbuttin thing to work for their skinny butts is to grab and pull their their head into the bad guys nose, not try to pull the bad guy into them, contrary to popular belief size does matter.People say Im wrong. Ok then. If you bet a thousand bucks on who was going to win between a train and a Ford pinto on a head on collision who would win, its obvious. Yes size is a big factor. A skinny girl does not have the muscle mass needed to do any type of pulling the 200 lb dude into them. Bottom line, punch your head into their nose like you would your fist. This is street proven. Jeff, I have learned alot from you on these blogs and applied some of these concepts in my dojo. Thanks Bud
Thanks, Jeff,
Useful information, as always. And it seems to have kicked-off the liveliest discussion so far. Granted, there are no right answers, every fight–and cranium–is different, but there’s a lot of good thinking and experience condensed in this thread. One form of value I haven’t seen touched on, however, is defensive. We all like to think of ourselves as the one on the dishing-it-out side, but knowing what to watch out for is priceless too.
Having no real life experience with this. My concern would be that I could cause myself sever trama.
Thanks Jeff…
Interesting technique…I personally have never seen the headbutt applied this way. I myself have headbutt people, but I usually use the frontal part of the skull (the area just below the hairline). That being said, I have since discontinued the use of this technique as I’ve found that any last minute adjustments of the position (his head hit something on the way in, he flinches, turns his head, shifts in weight…etc.) can cause you to hit an unintended target (such as teeth) and damage yourself in the process. I believe this adjustment is superior. If you intend on damaging the other individual, you need your brain to do it. No sense damaging your “CPU” as others have labeled it here.
Great comments on this one. I have heard a lot of these arguments before in regards to the headbutt. I have also seen a lot of headbutts applied in my time. Fortunately I have never been the recipient of one (except one time by accident, which hurt me more than my opponent).
I don’t discount this technique as an effective offensive move, but think it depends a lot on circumstance, and the element of surprise. Most of the headbutts I have witnessed were delivered by young British males, usually intoxicated, who for some reason consider it their trademark “opening strike”. Maybe it’s because their opponents are intoxicated (since it happens so often in pubs), maybe it’s the element of surprise, or maybe it’s because they use it so often they’ve got the technique down. All I can say is, I have never seen the recipient, if of comparable height, fail to go down, if not completely unconscious, at least stunned and prostrate. This leaves him completely vulnerable to any follow-ups the “butter” or his friends care to deliver to the poor sod for dessert.
So circumstances permitting, hard against soft, with proper technique, and the element of surprise, should never be ruled out completely.
Holy fish and chips, Jeremy, The cop still left in me tells me i met you on another really good blog not related to fighting! But yeah, I’ve seen these opening strike ‘trademark’ head butts as well, in sports bars during psycho soccer seasons. But it wasn’t in a British pub, I’d be too afraid some bloke would bum me out.
And seriously, thats a headbutt i wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of. One by a pro soccer player. Soccer players can be quickly molded into formidable fighters. All the kinetic moves are muscle memoried in already. especially in kicking. And the conditioning level is extreme.
Which brings us all, in this very enlightening forum thread, to the final analysis of the head butt.
Jeffs facilitated whiplash head butt would definately be an instant knock out…if it went down (pun intended) exactly as demonstrated. Especially by someone as good as Jeff. He no doubt would give me a severe ass beating before he would force me to kill him. Maybe I wouldn’t survive either. Although so far I guess I’ve been more than lucky in life.
Mainly because as we all know, the CPU is, after all, the most dangerous weapon of all.
Thats why as interesting as this technique is, I can’t stand the idea of putting it anywhere close to someone’s ability to grab, let alone making contact with it on someone’s face…(unless its a she who looks like lady GA GA, perhaps, if I’m intoxicated enough…) I’ve got other shots that do twice the damage at half the risk.
Bottom line brothers in arms… Head Butts are only to be used as a last resort and under specific ideal conditions of execution.
This is due to what a few comments above touched on. Physics cannot be ignored by fantasy. Size and kinetic energy fundamentals are extremely important as BillR said. Our Combat Marine bro pointed out the ultimate psychological factor. Don’t throw away everything for lack of common sense.
In other words, here is the most valuable inside secret for each of you. ITS MORE PRUDENT TO KNOW YOUR LIMITATIONS, THAN YOUR POTENTIAL. YOUR LIMITATIONS WILL GET YOU KILLED, NOT YOUR ADVANCED SKILLS.
You definately won the fight if you didn’t get into it in the first place. Or if you could have avoided it.
Here is a free but most advanced lesson concerning headbutts.
The only time it would be prudent is if someone got right up bad breath in your face close…i mean way way into your comfort zone like almost carnal distance, with maybe a knife shoved in your groin while whispering, ‘gimme your wallet or your guts are on the floor’ Like a moron did to me one night in aCHicago elbow to ass jammed bar. I was actually trying to get out of the place before someone pulled a fire alarm and every body got crushed.
The suprise of not being able to freely swing chop grab kick or anything because someone else’s back was already pinning my arm on one side freaked me out more than the actuall robbery attempt.
We could have french kissed we were so close and i felt the sharp pinch of his knife on my balls so I did a simple psycho nod with my forehead on his face. As explosive as I could, from a shoulder snap movement. No other body movements. Just my head nod.
He, too, was trapped standing up. No room to fall. I repeated the move, I don’t remember, maybe two or three times before my hands also made it up for the thumb choke. Blood spattering everywhere. He was unconscious on his feet. I moved away as fast as I could. I also was bleeding profusely and needed stitches on my forehead and i had a black eye afterward.
But I didn’t get stabbed or robbed and once outside I got the cops and we grabbed him. He suffered a broken nose and a few forehead stitches as well.
Technique applications depend on situational restrictions, functional abilities and skills, and physics. Fortunately we were the same height, otherwise there would have been severe leverage disadvantages.
Unlike most other strikes, the head butt is a limited linear motion in application. With an arcing range of about 45 degrees optimally. If nothing else is available go for it. but try to follow up on something less risky.
Like women, there is no such thing as a bad technique, its just that some are much better than others.
Using a head butt offensively is relative, but not optimal. Jeff pointed out some good physics, in application. Therefore Jeff stimulated accelerated learning. This is always a good path for higher consciousness. I am buying his course for this reason alone. Even though I don’t need another one. Once again, very good integration here. good luck to all.
I have seen some very devastating headbutts stop a fight instantly. Really, it is some powerful stuff.
Video was very helpful, thanks.
also, check out my site http://howtoknocksomeoneout.com
That ‘head butt’ video tutorial on your site is worth watching.