Boxing with the feet

Boxing With the Feet
By Allanson-win
Printed 1893 England

While not a Savate manual it does include a small but informative chapter on street fighting and Savate.

Subjects covered include ways to deal with multiple attackers, knife and pistol defense and securing a prisoner by using your necktie or braces.

The Author offers sound advice such as avoiding going to the ground in a street fights, and recommends the reader refrain from striking the opponent in the mouth with a bare fist to avoid lacerations ad infection.

It has fallen to the lot of many most inoffensive people to have to put up their fists through no fault of their own, either in a ordinary street fight, at an election, when party feeling runs high, or when attached by a burly ruffian in a dark lane. As a rule, one has an umbrella or stick in ones hand, and with a knowledge of fencing or single stick a good deal of execution may be done with either. But on the supposition that no such accessories are handy, a few remarks may not amiss if they help to give some idea as to the best way for an unarmed man to tackle an ordinary street rough.

When in a row of this kind, do not forget any of the fundamental principles, but remember, at the same time, that you probably wont have a fair boxer to deal with, nor even a good old British rustic, but a tough, sturdy rough from the slums – a fellow who will take any advantage of you, from kicking you in the stomach (this he is pretty sure to try on) with very thick hobnailed boots to stamping on your face with the same should you unluckily slip down.

When such a man is about to go for you, stand very evenly on both feet and rather more sideways than in ordinary ring-fighting, and be ready to sharply lift our left leg from the ground with the toe slightly turned in. If kicking was his game, you receive the kick somewhere on the outside of your leg; if butting with his head – another favourite trick of the rough – you may pick him off in the face with your knee. Whatever his intention may have been, the very moment the attack is over you must do your very best to completely disable him in the shortest possible time; for he wont spare you, and accomplices may be lurking hard by. Don’t hit a rough in the mouth if you can help it. I once had my right hand cut to pieces and poisoned in this way, and, through my assailants “ivories” suffered, it was almost as detrimental to my own knuckles. Bring in your hardest contracted-arm on the side of his jaw, as near the chin as possible, or on the temple, where the skull is thin and weak. Never get his head in chancery, but, should he gets yours, try the back throw, spoken of in the chapter on “In-fighting”

The side-step and slipping may be invaluable in dealing with dangerous assailants, but do not forget that they can often kick very high, and frequently, when you think they are retreating they will kick out suddenly, with a sort of sideways kick, either at your face or body.

This reminds me of la Savate, a style of boxing we don’t think much of in these islands, but which is a good deal practised in France. In one of the first French dictionaries, we came across the following definition of la Savate, which is describes as :- “Espece de gymnastique qui a pour object de passer la jambe a celui qu’on attaque ou par qui on est attaque, et qui consiste a appliquer entre le mollet et la cheville de son adversire un coup do pied qui lui fait perdre l’euilibre.”

But this is by no means all. In this style of French boxing you are allowed to use your feet, hands and head- the latter for butting purposes – on any portion of your adversary, from the crown of the head to the sole of his foot. No “below the belt” restrictions hamper you, and the French Savateurs claim that a combination of British boxing and the Savate should constitute the real art of self-defense, and that our restricted method of fighting should be called the “fistic art” simply.

So highly do the French esteem their “knockabout” style, that they believe a good Savateur is a match for any four ordinary men, and more than a match for any British boxer who can be brought forward.

Without wishing to underrate the merits of the French style, one cannot help feeling that a good many of the statements made concerning it must be taken cun grano.

It is not easy to get anyone in England who can give proper instruction; but, if possible, secure the services of a friendly “Jaques Bonhomme” who is au fait with la boxe as practised in his country. N.B. – Make him promise not to kick out all your front teeth as a “lead off.”

My own humble opinion is that the Savate is not very much use when opposed to really first-rate boxing, but when the nail-shod rough springs it on you unawares it is apt to do much damage. Be extremely careful how you approach one of these heavily booted gentry when he is lying on his back, for, if not quite insensible, he is certain to kick at your face if you stoop down, or the lower parts of your body if you remain erect, and, if either care, he may take a good deal of the “fight” out of you, if he does not altogether disable you.

I have drawn a couple of rough outlines to indicate the manner of delivering two of the most important Savate hits.

One no account allow sentiment to interfere in dealing with a cowardly pest of society, who can only be regarded as a terror and danger to women and children, and a cumberer of earth. If you should be lucky enough to stun one of these fellow, and which to capture him, immediately thrown him on his face, kneel on the small of his back, and tie his hands behind him with his own necktie or braces. Be sure to tie well and tightly, and then, when he come to, make him get up and walk off to justice. Keep near him, holding by one arm; should he kick or struggle, you can throw him on his face again, for when his hands are tied you are master of the situation. The above is only in case you wish to make the capture, and think you can do so without too much risk of accomplices; it is far better, however, when you have stunned your man, to get away as quickly as possible, and inform some friendly policeman or other custodian of the peace of what has happened.

All this only applies when you are attacked by a single individual. Always avoid an attack by a number of roughs, even at the cost of having to chow them a clean pair of heels. If you cannot escape, single out the biggest and strongest, and get the first blow if you can – often, if the champion is knocked down at starting, all the other run off, or slink away like whipped curs. Roughs cannot often run very well, and it is not cowardly to escape, by the best mean nature has afforded you, from the horrible fate of being kicked to death by half a dozen heavy pairs of boots. It would really be almost your duty to run away, and you could not be compared to the soldier who, when told by his commanding officer that if he ran away he would be called a coward said, “I would rather be called a coward for the rest of my life, then be a corpse for five minutes!”

There is a growing habit amongst rough of using knives and is dad to see this un-English method of settling disputes, etc, gaining such ground in this country. If a man attacks you thus armed, you must get hold of his knife-hand at any cost, and then it will be a question of strength, in which wrestling would stand you in a good stead; and if you can get him down you will be quite justified in hitting him, whilst on the ground, with half a brick, a stone – or doing anything is short to completely incapacitate him. Sentiment and fine feeling should be absolutely nowhere with the “knifer”. Similarly with the horrid pest who whips out a sick-shooter; stoop down instantly, as low as you can, and go for his revolver-hand. His shot may then pass over your back, or, at any rate, may not wound you mortally, and you will have a chance of directing the remaining bullets to billets outside your frame – if possible, of course, accelerate the demise of your cowardly assailant by turning the muzzle of the pistol towards him, for the revolver-man, like the knifer is entitled to no quarter and no consideration whatever.

A good knowledge of wrestling is of course invaluable, and I should advise every boxer to learn a few catches and throws, not for use in the ring, be it observed, but to serve in a possible encounter in the street. Whilst on this questions of throws, it may be advisable to mention a catch which certainly never has been practised (and let us hope never will be!) in the ring. When at close quarters, you seize the enemy right hand with your left, at the same time pulling him towards you; simultaneously you duck forward and put your right arm between his legs, catching him round the right thigh. Then if you have given a good pull, you have him clean off his legs in a helpless position across your shoulders and you can then throw him onto this head from a decent height. It is partly to avoid this most dangerous catch and throw that I have recommended a sharp lifting of the left knee whenever a man rushes in head down. It must be remembered, however, that the instant the attack is over, the knee must go down again, otherwise your assailant will try a catch and throw by seizing your left leg – this raising of the knee is quite a sudden movement as a defence against kicking and butting, but of which methods of attach are familiar to the common rough.

As regards the ring and ordinary competitions, be careful to remember that you must not hit or catch a man anywhere below the belt.

Those my reader who wish to study wrestling may be referred to Mr. Walter Armstrong’s work on the subject, in which that various styles are described. As before hinted it is important to understand and practise this branch of the art of self-defence.

Warning - This article is for historical information and academic study only. The Australian Savate home page will not be held responsible for the use or misuse of information contained herein.