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Multiple adversaries: when the alternative is to succumb

We have already discussed how not to deal with multiple opponents (read Practical advice on how not deal with multiple opponents), it is now time to analyze what could be the options at our disposal but before starting, let’s repeat that:

What we are talking about are limit conditions where the alternative are simply reduced to zero; accept to fight against more than one opponent at the same time almost always results in a bad defeat (read How to fight with more than one opponent at the same time)
Unfortunately, in self-defense, it is absolutely not rare to find ourselves at a numerical disadvantage and having a strategy to follow, is certainly better than having no idea of what to do (this is the reason that push us to address a so extreme topic)
Finding ourselves in such a desperate situation of physical confrontation can naturally happen to anyone but usually, it is because we have committed more errors in the previous steps of our S.A.F.E. method (read Personal defense: the S.A.F.E. method)

Note – This article has been asked by one of our Core Course practitioners on Patreon (see how to attend our home study classes here Learn Kung Fu online: a beginner-to-expert course).

Multiple opponents: practical advice on what to try to do

The context we are considering is the one where 2 or more people are near us (truly) ready to attack us in within few instants: let’s see what to try to do.

A note by Mater Kongling – In our self-defense method the key is to try to always maintain a clear mind, in order to be smart in preserving life. There are no prizes on the street, it is not a game or a sport: we must strive to abandon infantile conceptions related to pride, desire for revenge (etc.) and arrive at a broader plan of rationality. What we are going to say may not be what we expect or what we would but it is probably the only way to save our lives. Let us now make our decisions with a cool head on how we want to behave in such a highly dangerous situation and then remain faithful to what we have established.

Is it easy to improvise all what we are going to explain in a moment of high stress?

Absolutely not. We need to follow a specific preparation path but before talking about this, let’s analyze in detail the scenario.

1. Focalize the goal and create the conditions to reach it

First of all, let’s abandon the B-movie idea (read Martial arts: movies VS reality, 7 differences) of necessarily knocking out all the aggressors (it is very difficult if not impossible, read Fight with multiple opponents: the different types) and let’s focus instead on more realistic goals (in order of importance):

Find / create an escape way – Reach a favorable condition (get to the car, reach a crowded area, close a door behind us, position unsormontable obstacles, etc.; read /// Subscribe (it's free!) or Login to see this content ///)
Recover a proper / improper weapon – The presence of a weapon (and the demonstration of being able to use it) can represent a very effective deterrent (read Self-defense improvised weapons [MINI-GUIDE]); even in the worst case scenario it will at least make the attackers more cautious (perhaps allowing us to gain precious time)
Start (restart) to negotiate – Silence is our enemy; who speaks does not fight, especially in a situation of mental confusion, such as that of an ambush (read What is negotiation in self-defense?); the point is to speak in a simple way, let people talk, answer and above all ask questions that trigger easy / necessary answers (all without ever raising the level of tension)
Gain time – No matter how, in most cases time is one of the worst enemies of any aggressor; being able to resist waiting for external help (Police, friends, passersby, etc.) could make the difference between life and death; in certain cases time could also give occasion to the less determined attackers to become conscious of the potential consequences of what is going to happen
Make a credible threat – If all the rest failed, against little-determined aggressors, to delude them that no one will come out unscathed from the clash (or that at least one of the members of the group will be seriously hurt) may be a decisive move (read /// Subscribe (it's free!) or Login to see this content ///)
Limit the damage – Last but not least, we must actively protect the weaker parts of our body (eyes, genitals, throat, ribs, etc.) and / or who is with us (friends, etc.); doing this we have to economize as much as possible our energies in order to never fall to the ground; if there is a possibility of escape, putting our back against the wall is the wrongest thing to do but if instead we have no options, it means reducing the attack space available to our opponents by 50% and to decrease the risk of ending on the ground (we will probably be massacred but maybe we will manage to survive; even the most determined can get tired or think they have already done enough)

A note by Master Kongling – Regarding the fifth point, I remember having witnessed (during a trip to London) a very interesting episode: I saw a trio of women flee chased by about ten men. The race was frantic and the 3, having reached a path, had run out of breath to continue the escape. So, just as I was trying to reach them, one of these (the largest) bends to the ground, picks up what was in effect a sort of (wooden) electricity pole and, brandishing it, begins to shout: “Stay away or I’ll I’ll kill everyone…” – She wasn’t intimidated, she had the eyes of a tiger and instead of hesitating or retreating she advanced furiously waving that enormous stick as if she really wanted to hit someone… rationally the girl could have been overwhelmed very easily by this so many opponents and yet… psychologically… his furious screams, his threats and his sincere aggression meant that all those 10 men left in a hurry and scared. What is the lesson to be learned in this case? That the determination to act is everything (read also 9 teachings from the movie Batman Begins) and naturally that energy economization is a priority.

2. Understanding the characteristics of a group of aggressors

In the context of an asymmetrical fight, the dynamics that characterize a group of hostile people are different from those related to a single individual opponent, we could find in fact:

Less determination – If we consider a group of aggressors, it is rare that each of them will give the best; if we add to this the fact that this type of action is “typically” coward, it is not absurd to think that (probably, not necessarily) there will be more determined individuals and others less willing to truly expose themselves
More disinhibition – At the same time, the bigger the group, the more its components lose their personal rationality; this can mean that people who are normally reluctant to physical confrontations, could exert a disproportionate level of violence (sure of the overwhelming advantage, they may try to exploit the occasion to easily appear “strong” in front of the other companions)

Beyond this, it is important to understand that in each group there is always:

A leader – Who decides what to do, how, when to start and when to stop
The strongest component – He / she is not necessarily the leader but certainly the most dangerous
The weakest one – The one that (for example) could try to demonstrate to be strong but without exposing himself / herself too much
The intermediates – The eventual remaining ones

To extend our chances of survival, we must learn to recognize these roles at a glance and before the struggle starts (read Recognize the opponent’s preparation level).

3. Face multiple opponents: how to behave

Without forgetting that every single situation represents a unique scenario, let’s see a few cases to sketch a general strategy (always remembering that there are no perfect, always-working or risk-free solutions).

What to do (if we have no choice) at the beginning of the combat:

One of the intermediates is the more determined – If the leader hesitates and we find that a random member of the group is the more determined to attack us, we must focus on the weakest and show that we are fully able to cause serious damage; at the same time, if we want the others to desist, we must also not exaggerate with the level of violence (read The 6DKF’s diagram about the use of violence) and immediately restart a new verbal negotiation
The stronger of the group is the more determined – If it is the strongest of the group to be the most determined to attack, we must prove our determination above all to him / her (even if not necessarily fighting him / her directly); it is possible (not certain) that if we demonstrate good fighting skills and we start a second negotiation, the entire group desists; the problem is that the effectiveness of this deterrent strictly depends on the situation and on the proportion between our ability and the determination of the aggressors; if the cause of the clash is linked to pride (and not for example to a misunderstanding, a mugging, etc.), it will probably not work
Exploit the leader – If the leader does not coincide with the strongest of the group, we could try to catch him / her as a “hostage” (eg. blocking him / her with a standing controlling technique) and force him / her to give the “orders” we want to the rest of the attackers; for example, we could ask them to maintain a distance, ask to leave their eventual weapons, gain time to recover fighting energies and so on; the point is that even if this ploy is not directly resolutive it can allow us to obtain some of the goals we have listed at the beginning
…

What to do during the combat:

We should continue to monitor the situation, considering each moment the possibility of a safe escape (for us and for those who are with us)
We must control the scenario, to find any possible overwhelming advantage (eg. an improper weapon, a defensive tool, an obstacle to exploit, etc.)
We can try to adopt psychological submission techniques to calm, divide, scare, distract or “disconcert” the opponents (but this requires a very developed deception capability and a not-kaotic situation)
…

A note by Master Kongling – It must be emphasized that these strategies, set up this way (on a purely theoretical level), must be taken with due intelligence and only as examples to be adapted to the various scenarios: under no circumstances they should be interpreted as step-by-step instructions to passively apply.

Final notes

There would be many more things to say but let’s conclude with some reflections:

As we said, to implement each of the tactics mentioned above, a medium-high level preparation is necessary, both on a martial level (to resist and demonstrate real capabilities) and on a tactical level (to keep a cool head and manage the attackers)
In reality, unless we are more than skilled in the art of deception, there is no way to demonstrate determination or martial skills that we do not possess (read How to acquire special abilities); without preparation we will appear like everyone else, like people who are very afraid and who pretend (badly) not to have any
There is no way to negotiate if we do not control our mind (if we are not able to sustain the incredibly high stress of a similar scenario, read /// Subscribe (it's free!) or Login to see this content ///)
Last but not least, there is no way to improvise negotiation abilities in a so complex context; there are too many details to cure (body language, syntactic construction, the tone of voice, etc.; read for example Self-defense: aggression in front of a supermarket)
…

In the next article of this series, we will see what to do in terms of fighting (distance, moves, etc.) against multiple opponents.

In-depth video courses

Basic 6 Dragons Kung Fu exercises – How to build real martial skills for combat
Mind self-control hacks – How to reach a higher level of control over our mind in many fields
Self-defense: not violent self-preservation – What is rational to do before recurring to physical violence
Self-defense basics: how to – The fundamental path of our school toward a serious self-defense preparation

In-depth articles

12 tips on how to survive in a brawl – Ideas and tips on how to manage a self-defense scenario characterized by a brawl
Self-defense: why 90% of martial arts does not work – The bitter truth about the effectiveness of martial arts in terms of self-defense

Questions

Reply in the comments and share your experience:

If the only option was to fight, how would you deal with more opponents?

Author: Master Kongling

Founder of 6 Dragons Kung Fu.

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