“The fence” is a staple In the martial arts and self defense world. If you look up self defense videos and articles, you are bound to come across it over and over again. And most of them don’t quite get it right or completely misunderstand it.

The name was coined by Geoff Thompson in the 90’s. He was a bouncer and martial arts instructor who had been involved in hundreds of fights over many years. He also aspired to be an author and wrote several books on the subject of self defense, with most of his material centred around what he called the fence.

Geoff never claimed to have invented the concept, but he did put a name to it, and had the ability to articulate things in detail better than others. Since then it had been parroted ad nauseum.

If we look up some videos and articles covering the topic, it usually looks like the exact same palm up, bladed stance that was normally recommended by Geoff. The two main things people tend to talk about is how it’s a way to have your hands in a position ready to defend yourself should the opponent attempt to strike, without looking like you want to fight. Putting your hands up to your face in a traditional fighting stance like a boxer might be interpreted as a challenge. You also look like the aggressor to bystanders who are watching and recording what you do. So, you want to stand in a way that communicates you don’t want to fight. It’s about making a compromise between a stance which allows you to defend yourself and sending body language which doesn’t send the wrong message to escalate the situation.

These two concepts do make up some of the mechanics of this method, but they’re not the the core function. This is the part that people are getting wrong – they’re leaving out the most crucial element.

The first priority is controlling distance. It follows that this is also the main purpose of the fence. The most important factor in being able to sucker punch someone is distance.

You can use the fence even if you don’t have your hands up at all, keeping them at your waist in a neutral posture. As long as you’re keeping track of their position and behaviour and have a plan of action if they get too close, you’re applying the concept.

There are four things you need to establish a fence. All the other things like hand position and stance are details. And details are important’ but if you don’t have these four elements, you don’t have a fence.

1. Create a safe distance.

You might also call this a reactionary gap, which is enough space to respond should they attack. See my previous videos about sucker punches for more on this. Close distance enables surprise attacks.

2. Establish a clear boundary.

This means a boundary which is clear to both yourself and your opponent. If your hands are up just like Geoff always demonstrated, it should be pretty clear to everyone involved that you don’t want anyone within arms reach. You could also take a step back when they take a step forward, or put an object like a table in between yourself and the other person. All of these things communicate the fact that you don’t want them to get within a certain range.

3. Choose a trigger point.

Decide exactly at what point you need to take action. For example, if they step forward and touch your oustretched hand, is this when you will act? Will it be the second time they step forward after you already warned them? Whatever trigger point you decide on, you have to do something before they attack. Not during or after. This is a crucial misunderstanding about the fence – some people think it will allow you to wait for them to attack first. This is completely wrong. You need to act first, before their first attack. Range and stance are there for the worst case scenario where you fail to act first.

4. Plan of action.

Once they have hit that trigger point, what exactly are you going to do? In most cases, Geoff would simply punch the aggressor first. You defeat the sucker punch by using it. But it doesn’t have to be a punch. You might clinch and tie them up until help arrives, take down down to restrain or ground and pound, you might even turn and run if you really think you’re fast enough.

Naming it the fence is itself a metaphor, referring to the fence around a property which might not stop people coming in, but it does let both the trespasser and the land owner know that a trespass has occurred. Once you have that clear boundary, you can choose how to deal with the trespass.

One last point, you don’t maintain the fence after the first strike is thrown. You don’t try to keep that posture. You’re now in a fight. Get your hands up like you’re in a fight, use a fighting stance.

Watch the video at the top of this article for words from Geoff himself.