If predicting the development and progress of a single person attack is hard, then multiple attackers make the task almost impossible. There are so many theories about what to do because no one really knows a predictable way to succeed.

Although I am a student of Bagua, I often see it promoted as a martial art to fight multiple attackers. I absolutely do not subscribe to this promotion.

You see multiple attackers training following fixed scenarios and treating it as a normal series of techniques. That’s why the idea that you can just “Muay Thai kick him, do all this fancy stuff, and then punch him while using mixed martial arts training” is stupid.

It’s going to get you killed. Conversely, if you insert your thumb into the individual’s eyeball, grasp their skull as if holding a bowling ball, and throw them into their companion, this approach is somewhat more effective.

That’s dealing with a threat to your life brutally.

People tend to talk about facing multiple attackers as if it’s some way to survive Ragnarok, the apocalyptic battle at the end of time in Norse mythology. Everybody but one god and two humans die during Ragnarok, according to the myths. Yet people are looking for an idea, a system they can train in, that essentially tells them, ‘You will not only survive Ragnarok, but you won’t even be hurt when you’re done.’ That simply doesn’t happen. For a single citizen defender, facing multiple opponents is a worst-case scenario.

There’s a lot of psychology that goes into group attacks. One of the things about a group attack is that, for the members of the group, it’s safe. That’s the reason why five guys are going to kick off – there’s less chance that any one of them will get hurt!

In any attack scenario, you’re going to have guys who are far more involved in the attack than others.

It’s important to identify which individuals pose the most immediate danger.

The person doing the most talking is rarely the leader — they’re often trying to prove themselves. The real leader is usually the physically strongest or best fighter in the group. Focusing only on the talker also blinds you to threats from sucker-punches from the sides and rear.

Then there’s the boot guy.

The boot guy is hanging back. Once you go down, he’ll jump in and start stomping you. That’s the person who’ll do you damage. The boot guy is less of an IMMEDIATE threat than the person who’s coming at you straight. More importantly, if you take out the person who’s coming at you with vicious, fast moves, and then you turn to the boot guy, there’s a really good chance he’ll decide to go home.

If you are able to make that kind of thing happen, and if you can demoralise your attackers by dealing viciously with the more immediate threats, you will not HAVE to fight everyone.

Groups are, quite often, made up of cowards. They are more than willing to remain on the sidelines, and when someone larger and more aggressive in their group targets a victim, those who are holding back will wade in with their boots and begin to stomp on the person on the ground.

Against multiple attackers, if escape is impossible, you must drop each opponent as viciously and quickly as possible.

If any individual attacker isn’t incapacitated and on the floor, then the other attackers will swarm you. They will not line up one-by-one to attack you just like you see in the movies or in demos. If you know that you are dealing with multiple attackers, don’t. Just leave, and hurry. You’re not going to win. In that situation, the best you can do is not lose.

When fighting cannot be avoided, key principles are:

• Use footwork to keep attackers lined up in front of you rather than surrounding you, turning a group fight into a series of one-on-ones.
• A moving target is harder to hit; never stand still.
• Don’t let anyone grab you — being grabbed stops movement and gets you taken to the ground.
• Hit hard — powerful strikes can take someone out and deter others.
• Never lower your head (looking at the floor) as you lose vision, but keep it upright and protected; you should try to maintain 360-degree cover at all times.
• Never curl into a foetal position on the ground; it leaves you completely vulnerable. Get up fast if knocked down — staying on the ground is extremely dangerous