How to Self Defense

The key to self defense is the proper mindset. The ability to think clearly, openly and creatively is the most important skill needed to defend oneself or others.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• proper mindset

1. The first step is to ask yourself "what is self defense"? The answer is that self defense is the process by which you prevent yourself from being injured or killed by an attacker. Answers like, learning martial arts, buying a gun or getting a big dog are examples of how one can defend themselves, but the correct answer is much broader which logically means that the possibilities are that much more extensive.

2. The best way to prevent injury or death is to avoid the confrontation. You can avoid certain parts of town, run away or try to talk your way out of the situation. But if all else fails, then it is time to defend yourself.

3. Maintain the initiative. Keep alert at all times. Experts call this condition yellow. Regardless of whether you're are at home, in the office or walking the street, always be mentally prepared for battle. Expect the unexpected. Be aware of your surroundings and look alert. If the bad guy starts making an aggressive move towards you, don't wait for him to throw the first punch.

4. Get mean and get angry. Get your body prepared for battle by getting yourself into a controlled rage. This will lead to an adrenaline dump that will give you instant energy and kill pain, both of which are needed in a fight. I say "controlled" rage because you will still need to be able to think or, as some would say, instinctively react properly to the situation.

5. Use a weapon. Forget about those martial arts movies where the good guy uses some fancy martial arts to defeat ten bad guys using his bare hands. There is a reason why armies from the dawn of time have carried weapons. If you carry a gun and/or knife, then practice with it and use it. Otherwise, pick up a stick, bat, chair, lamp, wrench, hot cup of coffee, clothes iron, car keys, pants belt, pen, rock, brick, billiards stick... you get the idea. Use your weapon with extreme violence. Know when to stop based on self defense laws, but until the bad guy goes down, be aggressive and fight like there is no tomorrow.

6. If you have martial arts training, then by all means make use of it in conjunction with your weapon. But generally speaking, fight dirty. Do everything you're taught not to do in boxing and wrestling. Aim for the eyes, neck, groin, knees, ribs and other body weak points. Of course, a good "clean" right cross to the chin can lead to a fight stopping knockout. The idea here is to not restrict your options with rules. Whether it's a knee to the groin, a classic left hook to the head, a blinding eye gauge or a hot drink thrown to the face, all are available and should be used to defend yourself if the opportunity arises.

7. Clearly, there's tons of information and training that go way beyond this "how to" article. Also, there are legal ramifications and legal standards that dictate when self defense is justifiable and when deadly force is permissible. Consult an attorney in your jurisdiction.

[staysik]

on 1/8/2009 Good tips, I really want to learn self-defense, for practical reasons and fitness cross-training.

[GreenGardenChic]

on 12/4/2008 Oooh, I love these ideas. Great tips for keeping yourself safe.