How to Effectively Defend Yourself Even Without Martial Arts Training

Can you survive an attack even if you do not have self defense training?  Of course you can!  The best martial arts style focuses on the practical side of combat.  Moreover, effective fighting styles put importance in the right mindset during confrontations.  These are the same principles that you need to remember to survive.  Even if you do not have any background in any fighting styles, you can still defend yourself.  When bad situations becomes life-threatening, make sure you exercise your right to defend yourself.  Do not worry here are some practical tips to effectively defend yourself even without martial arts training.

Avoid the confrontation

When you are faced with an assailant, chances are they are there to get something valuable from you.  Whenever possible, just give them the items that they want.  The threat exists because they do not have what they want.  So it would be a good idea to comply and just give up your bag, phone or cash.  The longer the encounter takes the more risk you put yourself in. 

However, not all encounters end with the perpetrator running off with your valuables.  Some try to hurt you or even try to kill you.  When bad situations turn into life-threatening encounters, defend yourself at all cost.

Manage the distance

In martial arts training, you are taught how to manage the distance between you and your attacker.  Some fighting styles are known to take the confrontation up close and personal.  On the other hand, some martial arts techniques keep their opponent farther away.  But these are trained practitioners of different fighting styles.  For someone without martial arts training, here are some tips and suggestions:

• Put a barrier between you and the assailant.  This can be anything from a wall, a chair, a table, a car or even the person next to you that you hate.  The idea is to limit the possible contact.  I once used a plastic chair to keep a knife-wielding guy at bay.  It may look ridiculous but I survived without any scratch.
• Close the distance – really close.  The idea behind this is that getting really close like hugging or embracing the assailant minimizes the damage that he/she can do to you.  Strikes won’t be as devastating.  But the key here is to hold on tight and not give any opening for strikes.

Managing the distance allows you to control the situation.  Moreover, it allows you create opportunities to evade or attack. 

Have a survival mindset

If you want to live especially when faced with a life or death situation, convince yourself that you will.  In addition, make an effort to translate the mindset into action.  However, this is not about simply retaliating in order to hurt the assailant.  Rather, a survival mindset focuses on opportunities to mitigate the situation, get out of the situation without anyone getting harmed, create opportunities to evade and attack to aid in your survival.  Getting out alive should be your priority. 

Self defense tactics

Martial arts training provide the physical condition.  This is why many fighting styles can punch, kick and use limbs in amazing ways.  Moreover, self defense weapons are often part of the self defense classes.  Students are taught how to use weapons and of course how to protect one’s self from them as well.  But if you lack the martial arts training, here are some sensible and practical ways to defend yourself.

• Instead of punching with your knuckles, you can use the heel; of your palm.  Without enough conditioning, your knuckles can be hurt from punching.  Likewise, the heel of your palm has enough support. 
• Never strike the skull with a clenched fist.  Your knuckles may not be ready to withstand the force.  An alternative is to use a hammer fist strike.
• Use what is available around you.  Instead of striking with your fist or limbs, why not just bang the assailant’s head on the wall.  It is more damage with less risk to you.
• Throw things at your opponent.  This will help distract him/her and give you a chance to escape. Just remember that the best self defense weapon is whatever is available to you.  If all you have is a piece of rock, then proudly toss it at your opponent.  If all you have is a handful of sand, then make do with what you have.
• Since this is a life or death situation, low blows are allowed.  In fact, this is a no holds barred situation.  If you can bite, then munch to your heart’s content.  If you wish you can scratch like a mad kitty.  This is a life or death situation no one will judge you for biting your assailant’s jewels off.
• Don’t forget to breathe.  This will help conserve energy and keep you going.  Most people often hold their breaths while striking or attacking.  This will drain your lungs faster.  Although we want to end the conflict as fast as possible, be ready for an exhausting encounter.

No one wants to be in a life or death situation with someone bent on killing you.  In most cases, assailants just want your valuables.  But when situations become dire, it is important to know how to effectively defend yourself even without martial arts training.

If you have any related links, share it here

image by sardenacarlo CC-0 via Pixabay