Control the head and you control the body. In this video lesson I give more information about head control and the principles behind it, for martial arts and self-defence. It is for anyone who trains close-range work, from traditional martial artists to people focused purely on self-defence.

A note on safety first. Head and neck work must be trained with control and a cooperative partner. The neck is vulnerable, so go slowly, use light pressure and let go the moment your partner taps or signals.

Why the Head Matters

The head sits on top of the spine and the body follows it. Turn someone's head and their shoulders turn. Tip it back and their weight goes onto their heels. Pull it down and forward and they have to step or fall. That makes the head one of the most powerful balance points you can work with.

It also matters because people instinctively protect it. Moving the head creates a reaction, and that reaction gives you openings elsewhere.

The Core Principles

Head control does not need strength if you follow a few simple principles:

  • Angles. Move the head in a direction the spine does not want to go, such as turning and tipping at the same time
  • Balance first. Take the head off the centre line and the body is already off balance
  • Leverage. Use the chin, forehead or back of the head as handles, not the neck itself
  • Follow up. Head control is a way of creating an opening or an escape, not an end in itself

Head Control in Self-Defence

In a real situation the goal is to stop the threat and get away. Controlling an attacker's head can buy you space, break a grab or take their balance long enough to leave. Anything you do must be reasonable force for the situation you are in. The law looks at what was necessary, not what was possible.

How To Train It

Start slowly with a partner standing still. Feel how small movements of the head move their balance. Then add movement, then light resistance. Keep the pressure gentle and never crank the neck.

Take It Further

My Pressure Point Self Defense Course builds head control and balance into a full self-defence syllabus. If you work in security or law enforcement, see the PPDT Online Course.