Question
With high mask uptake here in Japan, how can masks be used against me and also for me in any situation? Such as being used to blind me or distract an assailant?
CQC enthusiast Japan
Reply to question face masks
Over recent times I have been asked a range of questions pertaining to improvised weapons threats and as such have included expanded but similar subject matter content in answer to your question.
The common medical type mask with elastic ear loops does not pose a threat as far as provision of or increasing scope or level of assault goes.
It would not be very useful to use as a distraction object as it is too light and is unlikely to produce a shock action or interference with any formidable foes objective achievement.
It can make identifying aggressors more difficult if worn with hats and covert eye protection.
Overhead head neck warmers/neck scarfs used as face masks could be used by an assaulter to strangle/choke or as a blindfold/hood.
Collars and hoods as in hoodies can equally be used to choke/strangle blindfold/hood or control and contain and as such CQC/MSD counter measures are the same or similar.
From a self-defence perspective the heavier woolen winter types of overhead neck warmers/come makeshift face masks could be used as a thrown distraction to momentarily interfere with an aggressor’s visual and mental focus.
I don’t perceive any high risk of the face mask as such being used to cause blindness or injury and being so light even if thrown would not be much of a distraction.
Head scarfs or more substantial face coverings could be thrown as in a compressed/parachute missile type weapon to distract, interfere with visual focus and this threat could be countered with mil self-defence evasive or stationary counter measures.
Caps and other clothing or fashion accessories and everyday items have been modified or adapted over centuries to become improvised weapons usually by the addition of sharp protrusions or enclosed metal objects to acts as hard flails or by saturation of cloth garments or accessories as a source of delivery of chemicals/irritants.
Such improvised weapons were used for predominantly deliberate assault actions more than by opportunists and were used against adversaries by thugs and gangsters.
Using a soft face mask to flick the eyes would not be very effective if at all because of it being soft and the retainers elasticity being low level.
In the case of overhead neck scarfs being used as a means of strangulation, chocking or blind folding, use of MSD/CQC self-preservation hard targeting hard cover tactics combined with MSD threat neutralisation counter actions would put a stop to the aggression quickly.
The mil CQC/MSD counter actions modus operandi is threat neutralisation by incapacitation by direct contact foul battle proven means, hard heavy hostile gross motor skills/spiking incapacitation.
The old CQC adage of if you’re grappling with an armed and dangerous assaulter you’re already defeated can be very true and as such counter actions must be able to incapacitate the most formidable assaulter by immediate contact. Tactically correct self-protection that maximises risk reduction including eliminating the improvised weapon being able to come into contact with you the intended target, combined with close to point blank body range incapacitation to neutralise an assaulter employing such improvised weapons assaults is all part of safest and most effective means of such threats neutralisation.
This is the best means of putting a stop to over-dog improvised weapons hostilities if you cannot avoid or escape such threats.
