Everyone should know how to defend themselves against an attack. No matter your size, strength, or training, knowing what to do in a dangerous situation is a great help. Here are some basic tips for a variety of self-defense scenarios.
What to Do When You Are Being Held
If an attacker has his arms around you, preventing you from escaping, there are several ways to escape his grasp. Generally, an attacker will put his arms around your neck and throat, leaving his midsection open to attack. The ribs and solar plexus are especially vulnerable, particularly to a sharp blow from your elbow.
Depending on how heavy an attacker’s shoes are, his feet may be vulnerable to a swift stomp. If you are not trained in self-defense, you should not try to follow up these techniques with more attacks. Your primary concern is to get your attacker to loosen his grip and then for you to escape.
If the attacker has your arms pinned from behind, your best recourse is to hit his face with the back of your head. Generally, trying to attack an opponent with a head butt is a very foolish tactic, but the back of your head is considerably less vulnerable to damage that his face is.
If an attacker has you pinned to the ground, you will probably find it very difficult to move your upper body. You should attempt to kick your attacker in his shins, groin, or face, as all of these areas will likely debilitate him long enough for you to escape.
How to Strike With Power
Unless you’ve had training in self-defense, there is a good chance you don’t know how to attack with real stopping power. What self-defense instructors will teach you is to aim through whatever you are trying to hit. In karate class, trainees often have to punch through wooden boards. If they just punch at the board, they will likely only crack it and hurt their hand. If they envision punching just beyond the board, they can almost always punch through it.
The same applies for punching or kicking an attacker. You need to envision punching and kicking through your opponent. You obviously won’t be able to punch through a person, but trying to do so will add much more force to your punch.
Having good balance also helps add force to your attacks. Avoid jumping in the air to attack or taking large steps forward when attacking. Instead, when attacking or defending, stand straight, with your feet placed about one step apart. When striking, take one normal-sized step forward.
How to Have Defensive Posture
When preparing to defend yourself against attack, your hands should be raised about 8 inches from your face, just below eye level. Your hands may be clenched into fists or left open with the fingers extended upward and the thumbs facing you.
When clenching your hands into fists, be sure that your thumbs are outside your other fingers. They should rest between the second and third joints of your fingers. When you place your thumbs inside your fingers and hit someone, you risk breaking your thumbs.
Using these techniques properly is just the beginning of proper self-defense. If you are interested in learning more about self-defense, you can take self- defense classes at martial arts schools in your area, or contact your police department to see if they offer self-defense classes.