Merritt Stevens Self-Defense System

0.  Basic Block - step aside with your hip, put hand edges up to 
    meet attackers arm, exhale sharply.  Say "Woo!"

1.  Kote Mawashi - Attacker grabs lapel, grab hand to you, step back 
    to your left hip, relax, step forward left, pushing attacker to 
    ground.  Pain is used as a suggestion of a direction to go, not 
    to punish.  When stepping, lift foot and slowly transfer weight 
    into shoulder.

2.  Oshi Taoshi - Block right, throw body weight into right hip, step 
    backwards, straighten arms.  Drop your body weight into atackers 
    arm.

3.  Kote Gaeshi - Block, grab attacker's fist or hand, step forward 
    right, pushing the fist back through attacker's right hip.

    Control technique - Use body step yank to spin attacker over, as 
    he goes down.  Must catch him before he is flat on the ground.  
    Lock arm on shoulder as you lean in, secure armlock with your 
    elbow on his.

4.  Tenkai Kote Hineri - Block, hip-switch feed to left hand as 
    attacker pulls back, step through under the arm to face him, up 
    on your toes, drop it down.  Can take into lock.  Don't want to 
    get arm twisted behind him, stay in fron where your power is.

5.  Shiho Nage - Block inside (punches left), hip-switch feed to 
    left hand, step under with right foot, hand over head.  Throw 
    attacker backwards.

    Control technique - You have him down with your left hand 
    hooked.  Push left palm straight down.  To release arm, push in 
    gently with right hand, free your left to take the wrist and pull 
    out to straighten it, turning him over to lock position.

6.  Gyakugamae Ate - Block, come over attacker's arm with left hand, 
    let attacker run into your hand, drop weight on his face with a
    left step.  Keep hold of his hand with your right hand for 
    pulling into lock with left step yank.

7.  Aiki Nage - Block right, come around the back of attacker's head 
    with your left hand to wrap his chin, drop weight back along arm 
    as in #2, then turn back through him with your right side when 
    he tries to pull up.  Keep turning to his rear corner, and let 
    the arm slide down to where you can turn him over.  (If he 
    doesn't pull up, ride him down.)

    Control technique - Should be palm to palm when attacker goes 
    down.  Turn figers in to #3 wristlock, push gently, turn over.

8.  Ushiro Ate - Catch hand as it comes up, push it across, grab the 
    shoulders, and draw him down backwards.  This move is just a 
    throwaway to get someone out of your way.  Use your fingertips 
    (all 5) to hook the shoulders, and lock his heels down.

9.  Kube Garuma - You are forced to step right, into attackers open 
    side.  Block hands up, right on his head and left on his arm.  
    Continue turning step backwards and in.  (This is the last step 
    of the Walking Exercise in Tomiki Aikido.)

10. Hiki Taoshi - Evasion step right, grab wrist, turn over and 
    raise up slightly with step back, then pull down into arm bar.  
    Left hand rolls over attacker's arm to lock the elbow.  Pull 
    back stepping with your whole body.


<Notes>

Punch straight in to the mouth when attacking, same-hand/same-foot.
Attacker on street is not expecting you to be able to defend.  Do 
not fight his movements, use the element of surprise.

Practice right-handed, 10-1 chance that attacker will be.

Posture - imagine 3 bowling balls at chest, abdomen, and butt.  You 
must be aligned to have power: ass in, belly out, and head up.

Pulling into lock - spin attacker around with a step back of the 
same foot that brought him down.

If you catch him coming down on his foot, you can throw him with one 
step on his line of attack.  Don't practice this, it's there.


<Tie-ins>

All techniques will tie-in, with possible exception of #8 back throw.  
Have your attacker resist the first move you make, then follow where 
he takes you.  Suggestions and other probable attacks:

Resists #2 pull, turn into #3 push.
Resists #4 inside turn, turn into #5 outside turn.
Pushes into Basic Block, tie in to #6 push down.
Pulls away from Basic Block, tie in to #10 pull down.
Pulls back wrist from #3, tie in to #6 face push.

Basic Block, threaten eyes with fingers of both hands, pull into #2.
Choke, turn body just as in Basic Block, grab wrist for #4 take down.
From behind, turn lifting hands to block, continue turn into #2.
Grab left from behind, turn inside, continue pushing into #3.


<Hostage situations>

Knife at your throat from front, push block into the knife, index 
finger pointing along the knife, turn into the knife, push down into 
#1. Knife on other side, push down into #3.  You must use your hips. 
(If he's not holding you, you can just walk away.)

Knife at throat from behind, left arm bar.  Hold knife hand with 
your right, push elbow back into him with turn step.  Slip out from 
under his knife hand and pull it down in #4 wristlock.

Knife thrust, inside hand comes up and in towards you on inside of 
attacker's wrist, outside hand slaps back of knife hand inwards.  
This forces the knife to drop.  You can then control with #3.

Practice with the attacker holding you with the knife.  He gets to 
cut you any time he sees you move to do a technique.  This builds 
confidence that he cannot cut you if you do it correctly.  You are 
training each move for your life in a hostage situation.


<Cuffing Techniques>

Keep your cuffs loaded, that is, cocked down to the last ratchet, so 
you can pop the cuff onto his wrists.

Turn him over after cuffing by lifting his head.  You are 
responsible for his safety once he is in your custody.

Put him into a sitting position with your knee into his back.  Push 
him so that he pops straight up.  Do not lift him; make him stand.

If you hook the cuff chain with your fingers for control, he can 
twist his wrists easily and cut off your thumb.  Use #4 wristlock.


<Searching Techniques>

Have suspect face the wall, both feet turned out 90 degrees, heels 
together.  Step on his heels and he cannot move.  Lean into him with 
hand in the center of his back.

Have him lace his fingers behind his head.  Grab the two center 
fingers together and squeeze.  Cuff him by reaching inside, not 
pulling him first, because he can turn into you.  Once it is cuffed, 
bring it to his back, hold there and back his other hand into it.


<Two cuffs, three prisoners>

Cuff center prisoner normally, hands behind him.  Cuff other two 
together, facing backwards from the center one, with cuff laced 
through his arms.