The following are Six essential things to both keep in mind and/or practice to defend yourself or your loved ones! Just knowing these things could save your life someday!
We hand this information out at all my self-defense seminars. It is my sincere hope this helps and blesses you should the need ever arise.
1. Stay aware of people in your surroundings. Not surprisingly, criminals exhibit predatory behavior in preparing to attack. They will try to pick a casual location to look for their prey. They will look at with their intended victim far more and for longer periods of time than social norms. They will move when the prey moves. They will stop and look around for witnesses. They will often make several passes by the prey in a sort of ‘dry run’, seeing if the victim will react or to get a sense of how the attack might work. Pay attention! Who is looking at you? Has the same person or car passed by you twice? Does someone appear to be moving with you?
2. Stay with people, go to people. Do not ever let yourself be taken somewhere. Law Enforcement calls it the “secondary crime scene” and most of the time it will be where your worst nightmare resides. If you are approached in a public place do not get in a vehicle with him. Do not walk around the building to the alley — STAY where others can see you. His worst fear is the fear of getting caught, so you should drop to the ground if you need to in order to prevent him from carrying you away. On the other hand, if you are in your house or another location that is private, you need to GO to people. His worst fear is the fear of getting caught — run out the door to a neighbor’s. Crawl out a window onto the roof. Drive your car up to a diner or convenience store. Go where there are lights and others.
3. Keep a barrier between you and the bad guy. Whenever possible use a barrier to block him or use distance to gain time. Keep your doors locked. Stay in your car. Force him to get through a park bench before he can get to you. Use the barrier of pepper spray. The more difficult you make it, and the more deterrents, the more time it takes him and that means he might be discovered.
4. Attract attention. The first thing he might say to you is “Don’t scream or I’ll kill you!” He’s telling you exactly what will ruin his plan. Go ahead, ruin his plan — create a disturbance, scream, throw things, honk the horn. If you think you should yell “fire” go right ahead. You can’t count on others coming to your aid, but you want to appeal to his fear of getting caught and make him think that someone could hear you and be coming.
5. Control his hips, his hands and his shoulders. This might sound strange at first, but the concept works. Control his hips to prevent his body movements. If you can get to his hips you can control the distance between the two of you. His hands are the weapons he will use against you. He will hit you, slap you, stab you or shoot you, but he has to use his hands to do the damage. Assuming you have some level of control of his hands, controlling the shoulders can have a huge effect on his balance and thus the strength and effectiveness of anything he tries to do. If he’s off balance nothing works well for him and gives you a tactical advantage and time to get away.
6. Use your strongest weapons against the attacker’s weakest targets. His weakest targets are those that are most valuable, yet ironically, cannot be entirely strengthened. His eyes, throat, groin and knees are your primary targets. Your secondary targets are his face and his abdomen. Strong weapons that you can employ are your kicks using the bottom of your feet or your toes [with shoes on], your elbows, hammer-fists and palm heel strikes.
You have the power to defend yourself!
We can help you achieve that!
What are you waiting for? Let’s train!
I teach self-defense seminars all the time. Book a seminar or a private lesson!
I would also love to hear from you! We can learn from each other.
What do you think of these 6 principles?
Are there some you would disagree with or modify?
Are there others you would add?
Please add your comments.