Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, you’ve noticed that the world we live in has become increasingly dangerous. Every day, when you tune in to the evening news, you see stories of assault, rape, kidnapping, and all other manner of person on person crime. In a perfect world, no one would have to worry about such things. Unfortunately, the world is not a perfect place and these stories are all too real. The following self defense techniques and tips could prevent you and your loved ones from being added to an ever growing list of victims.
The first thing to keep in mind when discussing self defense is called situational awareness. This simply means paying attention to what is going on around you at all times. This doesn’t mean that you have to be paranoid and expect a mugger to be hiding around every corner. All you need to do is make a quick mental note of the people around you and what they are doing. This could eliminate the possibility of being taken by surprise if someone were to approach you. It could also provide you with a few extra seconds to avoid a confrontation altogether. The first thing any attacker looks for is a victim who appears unsuspecting and vulnerable.
If a confrontation appears to be inevitable, obviously, the first thing you should do is attempt to run. This may not always be an option, though, because no matter how vigilant you may be, there is always a possibility of being taken by surprise. If you are not able to run and get safely away from an attacker, the next thing you should do is make as much noise as possible. Yell or scream as loud as you can to alert anyone who might be in the area to the fact that you are in trouble. Hopefully, someone will hear you and be able to render assistance or at least alert the police. In some cases, this may be enough to make an attacker rethink the situation and change their mind. Always keep in mind that the most important thing is your safety. No money or material possessions that you carry are worth getting assaulted or possibly killed for. There is no shame in surrendering your wallet or car keys in exchange for your life. These things can all be replaced.
A situation may arise in which you are being attacked when you are alone and no one is near enough to hear your cries for help. In these situations, knowing a few simple self defense techniques could eliminate the threat quickly and possibly save your life. There are several simple things you can do to either create some distance between yourself and an attacker or even incapacitate them so you can retreat to safety. Many of these techniques are effective even against attackers who are bigger and stronger than you. In a self defense situation, the most important thing to remember is that this is no time to fight fair. With your life possibly on the line, you need to do whatever it takes to disable your attacker as quickly as possible. This means identifying the parts of the body that allow you to do as much damage as you can in as little time as possible. This will usually include the eyes, nose, neck, knees, and groin. What you do will also depend on what area of the attacker’s body is left open to you. This will differ in every situation, but one of these areas should be left vulnerable at any given time.
if you are in a confrontational situation that you cannot run from or hide from and fighting is your only option you must make the following assumptions:
Your attacker is armed
He means to seriously injure or kill you
He is not alone
Remember this is no time to fight fair, you have to end the situation as fast as possible and with extreme prejudice. That said here are some self defense techniques that can help you get away and back to civilization.
If you are close enough to your attacker to reach their eyes, this is a very good area on which to focus your efforts. Scratching, gouging, or poking the eyes will leave your attacker in excruciating pain. Also, they will likely release their grip on you and reach for their face. This will create an opportunity for you to get away successfully since their vision will be temporarily impaired as well. Striking the nose will create a similar effect. Striking upward from under the nose with the heel of your hand will create intense pain and cause their eyes to water. The temporary loss of vision should give you the time you need to escape. If your attacker is behind you, an elbow can be used to strike the same area. If the attacker has control of your arms, you can also strike their face using the top or the back of your head. Using the hardest part of your head against their face will cause considerable damage to them while leaving you relatively unharmed.
The neck and throat are larger target areas and may be easier for you to reach, depending on the size of your attacker. There are a number of pressure points located in the neck and throat region, as well as the jugular vein and the carotid artery. Striking your attacker in the side of the neck with the side or blade edge of your hand could temporarily incapacitate them by effecting one of the pressure points. A strike to the base of their throat could have similar effects, as well as limiting their ability to breathe.
The knee is an effective target area for getting your attacker off balance. Striking the side of the knee with your foot will not only cause damage and severe pain, it will also cause them to lose their balance and possibly fall down. This will allow you to escape and get away safely. One of the best target areas to focus on is the groin, especially if your attacker is a man. It’s also one of the easiest areas to locate and reach. Striking the groin with your hand or your foot will likely incapacitate your attacker, at least temporarily. In many cases, a kick to the groin might be your best option before your attacker gets too close to you. Also, remember that anything nearby that you can get your hands on can be used as a weapon. Depending on where the attack is taking place, there is likely something within reach that you can use to strike your attacker. Women may also have things in their purse they can use, such as hairspray or perfume. These things can be sprayed in the attacker’s eyes to temporarily blind them.
Remember, your goals in any self defense situation are self preservation and escape. You’re not trying to win a fight. You want to disable your attacker as quickly, and with as little effort as possible. You don’t have to be a mixed martial arts fighter to accomplish these goals. Staying alert and arming yourself with these simple self defense techniques could mean the difference between life and death.
If you’d like to learn more, how to end an attack in 3 seconds – have a look here
We’ve covered the physical skills you need to defend yourself and remember these self defense techniques can be deadly, but these days you need to learn how to protect yourself online as well. Here’s how to protect yourself from the MOFO hackers who will steal your life without laying a finger on you
