Defense Against a Straight Punch

The straight-punch defense is the most foundational hand defense in Krav Maga. It teaches the simultaneous-defense-and-attack principle directly, and every later weapon defense is structurally a variant of it.

Mechanics

The defense is a forearm redirection — not a block. The lead forearm rotates inward, intercepting the incoming punch at the wrist and deflecting it across the attacker's centerline. Simultaneously the rear hand fires a straight punch (or palm heel) into the attacker's face. The defending hand stays high to protect the head; the attacking hand goes through the target.

The 360 family

The same defense is drilled at eight numbered angles (1 through 8 o'clock from the defender's perspective) to handle any incoming hand strike — straight, hook, overhand, knife slash. Each angle has a different forearm orientation but the underlying logic — redirect with one hand, counter with the other, on the same beat — is identical.

Common errors

• Blocking instead of redirecting — produces a clash, slows the counter.
• Pulling the rear hand back before counter-striking — wastes the half-tempo the defense bought.
• Stepping back — gives the attacker space to follow up.