I have written about this before on my blog but it fits nicely in the category of "Self-Defense Blunders" so I feel it's worth repeating...

I have come across numerous instructors over the years that discourage their students from focusing on the groin as a viable self-defense target. Some claim that the groin is difficult to hit, while others claim it offers little in the way of results.

Now before I get into this topic let me emphasize that the groin should be considered as a secondary target. In other words, it's not a fight-stopping target but does have some value which I am about to explain.

First of all I do agree that "kicking" the groin isn't a good idea. The reason is simple...kicking generally leaves the intended victim standing on only one foot, which in turn compromises balance. Given the explosive and chaotic nature of assaults, compromised balance isn't a good thing.


Claim #1- small target

In reality when targeting the groin, we not only target the testicles but the entire groin / bladder/ pelvis region. On most people, the groin / bladder / pelvis region is generally the size of a soccer ball. Personally, I consider something the size of a soccer ball to be pretty large. However, these same instructors will go on to recommend targeting the femoral nerve on the inner thigh or something similar. While nerve strikes can be great, if they are hit properly, the problem is that we can't always hit them properly under the chaotic and stressful nature of combat. Why is that? Simple, because they are SMALL! So, in short they recommend targets that are smaller then the groin. Personally, I would choose the groin. Everyone knows good and well where the groin is. It's generally pretty easy to hit, especially in close quarters and in many cases it can be hit without visual confirmation.


Claim #2- men are prepared for a strike to this area

This is actually a misconception, especially in martial arts training. I remember my sister once attended a "self-defense " class conducted by a female Tae Kwon Do instructor. During the class the instructor tells the girls something to the effect of -

"never kick an attacker in the groin because...he will most likely be wearing a cup!"

To be blunt, that's the most absurd thing I have ever heard. Out of all of the years I spent studying sexual assaults on women I have yet to hear of one rapist wearing a cup to protect his groin. Most men who have endured wearing a cup in training know how uncomfortable and inconvenient those things are, especially for sexual situations.

Now, many instructors promote similar ideas, but as in the example above they are not realistic ideas. First off, most men aren't prepared to protect their groins because in most cases they don't believe there is a need to do so. Remember, predators choose victims that they believe won't offer resistance. That being the case, they are primarily in predator mode when they move in for an attack. In other words, defense is the last thing on their minds. Also, take into consideration that most contact sports like boxing and wrestling teach that strikes to the groin are illegal. This simply means that practitioners are conditioned to avoid targeting the groin and they are also conditioned to not worry about protecting this vital area. Also, if most attackers were prepared to protect their groins they wouldn't be so fast to expose this vital target during the act of sexual assault. So, to make this simple...most attackers are not prepared to protect their groins.


Claim #3- generally causes a flinch protection response

This is actually one of the points of effectively targeting the groin! In many cases instructors attempt to focus on the "one shot, one kill" philosophy. However, real altercations rarely go as planned and while it's possible to end an altercation with only one good shot, it's usually an exception to the norm. In other words, we should never rely on only one shot and hope that it creates a devastating effect. Instead we should attempt to overwhelm an attacker with multiple counters in order to effect them both physically and mentally, while attempting to make each counter as effective as possible.


While the groin is not considered a fight-stopping target it can be effective as a way to interrupt the OODA Loop, which can buy a split second to follow-up with more vicious tactics or to target more vital areas. In other words, when the attacker unconsciously flinches to protect the groin, this can create openings for other tactics. This is essentially Combat Strategy 101.


Claim #4- position of the groin doesn't often allow targeting this area

This may be true if we are talking about targeting the groin with kicks. However, if we think of other more sensible ways to target the groin, we quickly realize that in most real assault situations the groin is almost always within range of one of our tools. This is especially true during sexual assault situations. I have yet to hear about a sexual assault where the groin wasn't exposed in some fashion.
 

The truth is, the groin can be an effective target when used in combination with other vital areas and during potentially violent altercations. It should not be thought of as a "fight stopper" but it also should not be thrown out because some instructor doesn't understand when, where, and how to effectively target the area.


Take care and stay safe,
Steve Zorn, ICPS
www.personalsafetyunlimited.net