How to Practice Self-Defense for Real Life

Changing environments, restrictive clothing and unfavorable conditions can compromise your self-defense techniques in a crisis situation.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Self-defense Courses
• Martial Arts Videos
• Cellular Phones

1. Prepare for all environments. Do you work at home or in an office building? How much time do you spend in your car? Rehearse "what if" scenarios for those situations where you are most vulnerable to attack.

2. Identify changing environmental conditions. Practice how you would adapt self-defense techniques in the dark, on the stairs, in the snow, on the beach, in the closet.

3. Practice self-defense techniques in clothing appropriate to each environment. How does a side kick feel in your business suit? How does a bathrobe restrict mobility? Would you be too modest to leave your robe behind to escape if grabbed?

4. Identify weapons in the environment. What do you have available in your car, your office, your home? Rehearse first and second weapon choices in each environment.

5. Prepare a checklist for each environment. Do you have enough gasoline? Is the cell phone battery charged? Do you know where to go to escape or to hide? Have you identified vulnerable scenarios and prepared for them? Have you identified potential weapons?

Tips & Warnings

• Practice self-defense under a variety of environments and conditions. Place emphasis on confined situations and poor conditions to prepare yourself physically and mentally.
• Buy a cellular phone and keep it with you. At minimum, you'll have the ability to call 911 if you're being followed or if trapped in your car.
• Escape the attack if at all possible. Property of any kind is not worth risking your life for. If you use a weapon, be sure the attacker cannot take it and use it against you.
• Remember that, as you scan your environment for weapons, your potential attacker could be doing the same thing.
• Practicing the martial arts is an inherently dangerous activity that can result in serious injury or death. We recommend that you seek proper training and equipment before attempting this activity.

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on 3/15/2006 It also helps to have quick reflexes. You need these quick reflexes to block, dodge and get in a counter blow.

on 11/22/2005 Offer whatever the attacker wants. Remember, your possessions are replaceable. Also, never take a weapon to fight if you wouldn't be comfortable if the attacker had it in his hands.