Headbutt Technique

[topitbull]

Hello all,

I’ve been in KM for 6 months now and haven’t learned headbutts yet.

I know it probably comes in higher levels but I’m just curious on what the proper motion/striking suface(s) is/are.

Also what situations call for a headbutt?

[taikei]

Head Butt

Tuck your chin, strike with your forehead/hair borderline area(assuming a typical hair style).
2 options, grab opponent’s head for harder strike or for element of surprise strike without grabbing. Aim for soft area of the face.

[clfmak]

There are a number of different types of headbutts. The most common is the one already described, hitting with the hairline. Thats the one I like. It can also be delivered while pinning down both an opponents guards. In various grappling styles and in capoeira, the head is used by thrusting the top of the head into the stomach while grabbing behind the legs (a double leg shoot) or grabbing the ankles or pantlegs (more common in capoeira), either way causing a takedown (a lot of grapplers use the shoulder instead of the head). Headbutts are also used after some takedowns, pretty much any type that drops you on top of the opponent and you’re belly to belly (when I was teaching grappling to a bunch of mexican kids who sort of understood english, I accidentally headbutted this kid and split his lip after a double leg takedown)
The other line of thinking is that one should use the side of the head instead of the hairlie, for a few reasons. For one thing, headbutting a bony area like the face can give you a cut, which will cause blood to flow, possibly into your eyes. With the side of the head, your hair can prevent this, or if you’re bald and you’re cut, at least it won’t bleed into your eyes. Aside from that, there’s a debate that the shape of your skull encourages knockouts if you headbutt with the hairline. There’s an article about this at http://www.defendu.com under the defensive tactics section. People I’ve talked to about this still say that the hairline is the way to go (I like the muscle and bone alignment more with the hairline anyway). If you watch some old UFCs, you’ll see Royce Gracie using this side of the head attack, either from a clinch, a takedown, or the mount (when he can’t get his body upright).

[ryan]

If you headbutt with the side of your hide, you run the risk of taking a shot to the temple, and it is much harder to support the strike with your entire body (it becomes more of a nodding motion.) I wouldn’t do it.

Regarding takedowns, good grapplers don’t lead with their head down–this compromises your base and exposes you to chokes and knees.

[Author]

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