Self-defense is not only for those who feel a certain affinity with martial arts. On the contrary, whether you are a man, woman, young or not, having at least basic knowledge about self-defense techniques is essential and useful for our daily life. You never know when you might need such knowledge or skills either to protect yourself, protect someone else or escape from a risky situation.
You don't need to be an expert in Judo, Aikido, or Krav Maga, but it never hurts to have a small collection of self-defense skills or techniques up your sleeve in case an attacker tries to take you by surprise. Here are some basic self-defense moves that can help you escape.
Direct Strike.
If an attacker threatens your integrity and is right in front of you, a direct hit could be a good option, although it should be noted that it is not always the best one.
Try to aim the blow at a vulnerable area of your attacker, for example, his nose, eyes, or throat. The blow should be quick and as effective as possible. To maximize your strength, you can plunge your body forward and your fist at the same time. You should do your best to focus the force of your fist on the knuckles of your middle finger, not your little finger, as you will lose the force of the punch.
Free yourself from a wrist grab.
A very common form of attack is for your attacker to grab you tightly by the wrist. Either you have tried to hit him and missed, or he has simply taken you by surprise. The first thing to do is to stay calm, it may not be the best situation but if you get desperate and try to force your way out you could hurt yourself.
Instead, you can try to apply a basic but quite effective technique to help you escape. Twist your wrist inside your attacker's hand several times, until his fingers no longer trap your wrist but your hand. At that point, you will be able to jerk free because the grip will be weaker.
Escape from a bear hug
If instead of grabbing your wrist or arm, your attacker tries to hug you, either from the front or from behind, your first reflex may be to pull your arms away from his body in an attempt to get away from the assailant. However, the best defense strategy is for you to move downward, trying to duck.
This will not only help you escape the grab quickly, but it will also give your body more stability and at the same time make it more difficult for them to pick you up. In addition, it opens up new possibilities for you to incapacitate your opponent as from this angle you can knee him, throw a punch or simply kick directly to his groin. This will give you more time to escape.
Front kick to the groin.
This is a direct hit that gives you the ability to disable your attacker in a single move. By kicking the groin hard, you are hurting a very vulnerable spot of your attacker and it gives you a chance to escape and get to safety. It's a fairly simple kick but you need strength and precision, and above all, speed, because if your opponent grabs your leg it could be difficult to get rid of him. Try to keep your hip forward and knee bent, then extend your knee and leg forcefully until the top of your foot makes contact with your attacker's crotch.
Knee strike
If the attacker is too close to your body to land a blow with your fist or a kick to the groin, you can attempt a knee strike. Keep in mind that the knee bone is one of the hardest bones in our body when defending ourselves. So you should take advantage of hitting your attacker by pushing her upward, making the bony tip of your knee hit her body and cause her pain, thus allowing you to escape.
Elbow strike.
Another fairly strong part of your body is your elbows, and you can use them by bending your arm and raising your elbow up or to the side. With this, you could deliver a strong blow to your attacker's head. If you have a chance to hold your attacker's head before you strike him, you could hit him even harder.
Strike with the heel of your palm.
If you don't feel confident about a direct hit or are afraid of hurting your knuckles, striking with the heel of your palm can become painful and cause quite a bit of damage to your attacker without running the risk of doing it to yourself. The mechanics are similar to the direct blow only that you must do it with the base of your hand open and make the blow go slightly upward.
Attack from the ground.
If you are on the ground, judge your distance and then try to kick your attacker away from you. If he is directly above your body, strike him with both feet at the same time, taking your hips off the ground for more power, then get up and escape as quickly as possible.
Knee attack.
One of the weak points of every attacker is his foothold, the legs. And here, the most vulnerable area is the knees. The knees can be very strong, but they can also be quite a sensitive joint, so a sharp blow or a kick to them could cause severe pain capable of disabling your attacker. You can throw a strong kick towards these and take advantage of the time of pain to escape.
Attack on the ears.
Ears are also quite sensitive areas of the body. You can throw a sharp blow at them if you see the opportunity. Even if it is not possible to throw a blow, you can also grab them and pull them hard, as this will also cause severe pain. The important thing is that you can escape and call for help.
Be prepared, the best defense.
In addition to these basic self-defense moves, the best recommendation is to know other more advanced self-defense techniques, but suitable for all physiques and ages. You can also carry with you some self-defense tools such as a taser or pepper spray. Some items can be used as weapons such as rings, and key chains, among others. Whatever tool you decide to use, you must be cautious that it does not mean harm to you as well.
Although it may be a surprise, it never hurts to prevent the attack:
* If you feel that someone is following you you can scream and run faster, even if you are not sure if it is a possible attacker it is better to prevent the attack.
* Self-defense experts say that shouting the word ‘Fire' is better because the people around will be expecting where the incident is, instead of running to hide, this will make you receive immediate attention.
* Plan your routes through well-lit streets, and if this is impossible, carry a flashlight in your bag and a whistle.
* Remember that the main objective of self-defense is not to do direct harm to your attacker, but to cause him strong temporary pain to disable him. So that you can escape to safety.