Simple Self-Defense Moves You Can Master

Ever wondered how you would react in case of a sudden unforeseeable physical attack? If you and your loved ones were to face sudden and unstoppable harm, would you be able to stand in its way? Modern society inflicts a false sense of security upon modern-day citizens when in reality the dangers of malevolent incidents such as burglaries, robberies or pure hooliganism are just as real now as they were in medieval ages. Luckily, there are highly efficient means of self-defence mechanisms at hand, one could learn with no extensive training, and that could considerably help in these type of situations. Here are some of the basic methods that can ensure safety in violent sudden conflicts.

The First Form of Self-Defense is Prevention

It is a commonly known fact that attackers will generally target vulnerable, distracted and unexpected persons. This way they ensure an upper advantage under the form of surprise, which in most occasions leaves victims frozen to some extent. In order to avoid this type of contexts, one should always have full awareness of his or her surroundings, avoiding secluded or isolated areas and also alternating their daily routes. These are basic security precautions that can help prevent attracting unwanted attention and confrontation.

Besides avoiding direct confrontation, defusing a situation by talking the attacker out of it or by giving them what they want is also preferable in order to avoid violence. However, if the violent outcome is unavoidable, here are some essential techniques of self-defence that will protect you:

  • Push Back – increasing the distance between you and your attackers is mandatory, as this will expand your options considerably; gaining that extra couple of feet distance can prove essential towards a positive outcome of the conflict.
  • Get Loud – even highly trained bodyguards recommend loud vocal reactions in this type of situations, as this will attract the attention of others around you and eventually scare away the attackers.

Essential Body Parts to Kick

If confrontation cannot be avoided, the time before the actual outcome is narrowed down considerably. Thus, in those short moments, before the actual fight unravels, one must conserve all of its energy and focus it on the fastest and most efficient ways to inflict actual damage. In this direction, self-defence experts agree to a range of body parts that are more likely to be targeted, as they are much more prone to be easily hurt.

Another thing experts agree upon is the need to use fists and force when reacting. At this point of the conflict, a violent confrontation can no longer be postponed, thus the upper advantage will be gained by those who react faster and inflict more damage from the start. These are the most sensitive body parts that should represent primary targets of self-defence attacking strategies:

  • The Eyes – scratching, poking or gouging an attacker’s eyes either with knuckles or fingers will be quite effective. Setting aside the amount of pain inflicted, the vision will be significantly altered, allowing more time to escape.
  • The Nose – the most efficient way to strike is through the heel of the palm, placing the hit right under the nose if the attacker is in front. In case the attacker is behind, using the elbow will have just as much impact. When the nasal bones are stricken, a considerable amount of blood will eventually discourage the opponent and leave enough room to get away.
  • The Neck – both the jugular vein and the carotid artery are extremely sensitive parts of the human body, and a well-placed lateral palm hit will temporarily stun the attacker. For maximum damage and if the context allows it, an elbow hit to these areas of the neck will have that much more impact.
  • The Knee – when it comes to self-defence, kneecaps are ideal targets from any angle of hitting. Besides for the fact that your foot will not be in any danger of being caught and immobilized by the opponent, a well-placed kick in the kneecap will leave the attacker partially immobilized and will allow enough time to gain distance from him.

Maximizing the Damage

The first self-defensive weapons at hand are our own body parts, and when it comes to this, using the body’s bony areas will significantly add to the impact of the hit. The best and strongest bony members of the body are the knees, the elbows and the head, and thus, they should represent primary means of attacking an opponent.

In addition to this, using day-to-day objects that are close by can also prove extremely efficient. A pen or a key held in between fingers can be as harmful and damaging as a knife, while if outdoors, throwing sand or dirt from the ground into an opponent’s eyes is bound to leave him incapacitated for enough time to escape the conflict.

Taking advantage of one’s weight can also be crucial in inflicting maximum damage onto an attacker. Regardless of one’s actual weight and size, these can be leveraged through certain positions, in order to increase pressure and inflict maximum damage onto the opponent.

Essential Moves for Releasing from Common Holds

  • Wrist Hold – when the attacker holds your wrist, instead of drawing back, start advancing towards him, putting pressure on his hold until he is no longer able to sustain it.
  • Choke Holds – these can be either frontal or backward, and for both, you must bend the elbow in and push upwards to escape the attacker’s hold.
  • Bear Hug – for this hold, in particular, Krav Maga techniques are the most efficient ones; dropping your weight in order to be able to hit the attacker’s head with your elbow, or pulling the attacker’s fingers back is the most efficient means to get out of this stance.
  • Mount Position – if you are pinned down to the ground by an attacker, Gracie Jiu-Jitsu techniques are the most efficient. Use one hand to hook onto the attacker’s wrist and the other to reach behind his elbow in order to bring his arm close to your chest and trap it. Use one foot to trap both his foot and leg, and then get on top by lifting your hip and turning over on your knees.
  • Sexual Assault – this technique stipulates faking a seeming surrender when the opponent has gotten a complete hold to them, thus making him loosen up just enough to allow an unexpected escape window.

Conclusions

This has been a merely brief review of some of the essential means of self-defense, describing only the largest and most general techniques and circumstances. Real life, however, can always surprise through even more complicated factors, and, in this direction as well as for mastering this discipline completely, finding and following the courses of a good and elaborate self-defence program is highly recommended.

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Kaya Johnson is a 39-year-old sales accountant from Yorkshire. Though not a professional writer, it’s her hobby to put together articles from time to time. She lives alone and sometimes has free time to write a piece or two. She also hosts OddsDigger.com.