I have been bitten once by another human who tried to rip my flesh out.
That was once out of at least 40 attempts.
And yes it really does hurt.
I have observed ‘biters’ more times than I care and in one case seen a man’s ear bitten clean off.
Make no mistake, people who bite can cause you significant harm, and in this article, we are going to unveil some handy tips that will help you to deal with the dreaded ‘biter’.
We have previously touched on this subject, but today we are going to do a ‘deep dive’ and be sure you that have the knowledge to sort the scumbags out.
Why Biting Is Such A Terrible Thing To Do To Another Human
The human mouth is a breeding ground for bacteria and as such presents a severe risk of infection.
Not only that, human saliva contains enzymes and bacteria.
The mouth is not a clean place, and we all know some people view dental hygiene as an ‘optional activity.’
Research has shown that ‘after bite’ infection can occur in as high as 20% of bite cases and that infection can set in between 1 to 8 days post-injury.
Potential infections can include Hepatitis B ( a staggering 75% of Hep b infected persons have a detectable antigen in their saliva.)
The simple truth is that if you are bitten there is a good chance you will become infected making bites a terrible risk to your long-term health.
Hepatitis B is a severe condition that can cause a range of health issues and this is no laughing matter.
How Does It Feel To Be Bitten
My experience of being bitten might differ from other peoples so I can only share my feelings.
It felt like I was being burned and then a clamping feeling that subsided with a sharp pain, presumably as the teeth started to pierce my flesh.
I was bitten on the forearm, but we know (again due to research) that common bite areas include the hands, face ears and nose.
Spotting The Early Signs Of A Person That Bites
When I was bitten the attacker gave no indication that they were going to bite me, but over the years I have spotted a few signs that you should be wary of.
The first is spitting.
Spitting is, of course, another vile activity and is closely linked with biting.
I have no data to prove this, but in my experience, those that have tried to bite myself or ex-colleagues have spat in their direction or at them first.
This spit might not have landed, but it seems to act as a warm-up.
For security officers and police etc., this is a good indication and consider a person that spits to be someone that could upgrade to a bite.
The second sign I have noticed is that the attacker pulls your face to theirs ‘zombie style’.
Although this is, of course, a split second thing before the attack, you need to have a ‘play’ with this feeling in training (without biting of course).
I can only liken it to someone trying to kiss you, weird I know but still true.
And the final sign of a person about to bite is a quick snatch. This is very often when a person tries to grab your fingers to bite them.
The trick here is to quickly turn your outstretched finger into a fist and smash it right into the teeth!
But Bruce Lee Did It
Ok so yes, there is a famous scene where Bruce Lee escapes an armlock in a film with a bite, and yes no one is saying that using bites as an offence in dire circumstances is a no-no.
But when you bite someone there are clear risks of infection to you, so you need to be in a terrible situation (life or death) before you head down this route in the opinion of this author.
What You Should Do
Ok, so what should you do when someone is trying to bite you?
1. Answer Them With A Punch In The Teeth.
Without a doubt, the most effective way to deal with a biter is to smash their teeth in.
Easier said than done as teeth are made of enamel which is the hardest biological material known to man.
But if you hit them hard enough, they will break.
When we are fighting, we tend to try and hit anywhere on the face, but you can cause tremendous damage in a confined space with proper targeting.
Target the teeth with an elbow, hammer or punch and repeat. They will think twice about biting you the next time.
2. Push Their Face Away
If they start zombie grabbing you, push their face away…’walking dead style’.
It is the best way thing you can do.
With a little space, you can quickly enter into shape 1 and again smash them to bits.
3. Use Defence Lab Techniques
Defence Lab has a pre-made range of techniques that are perfect to deal with those that want to chomp on your skin and bone.
From the fantastic Razor to the variety of shape-shifting moves we use, you can smash those ‘little nashers’ in seconds.
4. Avoid putting your fingers near the mouth.
This is a major annoyance of mine, instructors who believe that raking the face is the ultimate self-defence tactic.
Sure, it can work sometimes but when you put your fingers near the face, and in a person’s mouth they will bite down hard.
Try and avoid that at all costs.
Conclusion
That wraps up our mini guide on dealing with people that ‘bite’.
The risks of a person biting you are higher than you think and once they do it can lead to infection and severe health issues.
Learn to spot the signs early and above all deal with a person that bites ‘Rick Grimes’ style.
Defence Lab can give you a wide range of skills that can help to deal with those looking to attack like a zombie.
From devastating hammer strikes, vicious elbows and a range of shapes that smash the opponent to pieces.
Learn at a Lab, learn online, the choice is yours.
Thanks for reading,