In Krav Maga, survival is the ultimate goal. This is not a sport, not a game of rules or fair play. When your life is on the line, you use every effective tool available — especially those techniques many call “dirty.” These moves exploit human vulnerabilities, pain reflexes, and natural instincts to disable or escape an attacker quickly and decisively.
Below is the definitive, comprehensive list of dirty fighting techniques every serious Krav Maga practitioner should know — detailed with how each is performed. Use only in true emergencies.
🛑 FULL LIST OF DIRTY FIGHTING TECHNIQUES (Expanded & Refined)
👁️ Sensory Disruption & Facial Attacks
- Eye Gouging: Thumbs or fingers thrust deeply into the eyes, either pushing inward to blind or using firm pressure to force release in a grapple.
- Eye Raking: Open or clawed hand dragged laterally across the eyes, causing pain, tearing, and temporary blindness.
- Nose Crush: Upward palm strike or elbow into the nasal bridge to break the nose and cause tearing.
- Fish Hooking: Insert one or two fingers into the corner of the attacker’s mouth and rip sideways to tear cheek tissue.
- Ear Ripping/Clawing: Grab and twist the ear cartilage with fingers or nails, causing intense pain.
- Ear Slap (Boxing the Ears): Simultaneous cupped-hand slaps to both ears, creating a vacuum that may rupture eardrums and disorient.
- Face Biting: Full bite to cheek, nose, or jaw during ground struggles or chokes to disfigure or shock.
- Bridge of Nose Strike: Headbutt or knuckle strike to the nose ridge, inducing pain and bleeding.
🧠 Neurological Disruption
- Throat Strike (Trachea Jab): Knife-hand, finger jab, or knuckle thrust into the windpipe to collapse airway or cause coughing.
- C-Clamp Trachea Grab: Thumb and fingers clamp down on the windpipe, squeezing or ripping sideways.
- Base of Skull Strike: Elbow, hammer fist, or blunt force to the occipital bone can cause dizziness or blackout.
- Temple Shot: Punch or elbow strike targeting the temple for disorientation or knockout.
- Occipital Pull: Grabbing hair or the base of the skull and violently pulling back to expose the neck or disrupt balance.
🦶 Lower Body Destruction
- Groin Attacks: Kick, knee, punch, or claw the testicles or vulva; grabbing and twisting intensifies pain.
- Kneecap Stomp: Downward stomp with heel on or beside the knee to buckle or dislocate the joint.
- Shin Scrape: Using the hard sole to rake downward along the shin, ending with a stomp.
- Instep Stomp: Short, heavy stomp to the top of the foot, especially effective in clinch or bear hug situations.
- Achilles Crush: Stepping hard on the back of the heel or Achilles tendon to collapse or cause a limp.
- Oblique Kick: Side stomp or push kick aimed to hyperextend the knee inward.
✋ Hand, Finger & Limb Manipulation
- Finger Breaks: Isolate and bend a finger back or sideways until it snaps — most effective during grapples or escapes.
- Wrist/Elbow Locks (Quick Break): Sudden torque or hyperextension of the wrist or elbow to cause dislocation.
- Nail Gouging: Using fingernails to dig into the face, neck, or soft tissue, tearing and causing compliance.
- Skin Tearing: Grabbing and twisting skin folds on neck, ribs, or thighs to inflict pain and shock.
- Pressure Pinching: Hard pinches to inner arms, thighs, or sensitive areas to disrupt attacker’s control.
- Tendon Snapping (Finger Pull): Rapidly hyperextending or twisting tendons on fingers or hands.
💇♂️ Hair-Based Control & Injury
- Hair Pulling (Root Control): Grabbing hair close to the scalp for strong directional control.
- Hair Tearing: Pulling hair straight up or sideways with twisting to cause scalp damage and submission.
- Scalp Scraping: Aggressively dragging fingernails through the scalp to cause bleeding and disorientation.
🦷 Biting Techniques
- Bite to Extremities: Teeth sunk into fingers, forearms, or biceps to force grip release or disable.
- Neck/Jaw Biting: Sudden bites to carotid artery area, lower jaw, or neck for shock and pain.
- Gnawing/Shredding: Continuous biting or tearing motion to psychologically force retreat.
- Nipple or Ear Biting: Used to quickly disengage grapplers holding close.
🧥 Clothing and Environment-Based Tactics
- Shirt Over Head (Hockey Move): Pulling the shirt over the attacker’s face to blind and control.
- Clothing Choke: Using collars, scarves, or shirts to choke from front or behind.
- Improvised Weapon Use: Keys, pens, or sharp objects jabbed into eyes, throat, or hands.
- Wall Slam: Grabbing and slamming the attacker into hard surfaces like walls or vehicles.
- Ground Grind: Rubbing the attacker’s face against rough surfaces like concrete or gravel.
🩸 Miscellaneous Close-Quarters Nasty Tactics
- Spitting: Directed into the eyes or mouth to disrupt and disgust.
- Headbutts (Short-Range): Hard forehead strikes to nose, cheekbone, or jaw in close quarters.
- Thumbs in Orifices (Mouth, Ear, Nose): Insertion and ripping or deep pressure to disable or shock.
- Tongue Grab (During Bite): Grabbing and pulling or twisting the attacker’s tongue if bitten.
- Throat Claw: Tiger-claw open hand tearing at the trachea.
- Rib Crush or Pinch: Crushing pinches to floating ribs or intercostals to induce shock.
- Belly Button Jab: Thumb jab to the navel triggering parasympathetic shock (rare but effective).
- Foot Arch Crush: Heel stomp inside the opponent’s foot to injure the plantar arch.
🧠 Psychological Dirty Tactics
- Mock Surrender Followed by Attack: Pretending to give up to lure the attacker into a vulnerable position.
- Screaming in the Ear: Sudden loud noise to cause disorientation or startle response.
- Feigning Injury: Acting hurt to draw attacker closer for a surprise counter.
- Foul Language Assault: Verbal shock tactics to buy time or mentally destabilize the attacker.
🚨 Legal Warning
Many of these techniques can cause permanent injury or death. Their use is justified only in life-threatening situations where no other option exists. Always check your local laws regarding self-defense and use of force.
Final Thoughts
Krav Maga prepares you to defend yourself with ruthless efficiency. These dirty tactics, while brutal, are vital tools when facing real threats. Train responsibly, understand the gravity of these techniques, and remember — survival is the only rule.