How to Defend Yourself

The difference between "turning away and walking off" and becoming tomorrow's headline lies in how well you're prepared to defend yourself in a dangerous situation. You can explore some simple techniques for self-defense, both before and during an attack, whether it’s a physical confrontation or an ambush. Regardless of the circumstances, you must ensure your safety. You don't have to be a martial artist like Bruce Lee to protect yourself.

Protect your face. If an attacker tries to strike your face or grab you from the front, position both hands in front of your forehead in a 'Don’t punch my face' posture and press your arms close to your body. This defensive stance may seem weak, but it works to your advantage as it will catch your attacker off guard. It also helps protect your face and ribs—two areas you definitely want to guard.

Spread your legs wide. Whether you adopt a 'front-back' or 'side-to-side' stance, keep your feet aligned on a diagonal, similar to a martial arts position. This will help reduce the risk of being knocked down or pushed over.

• You’ll have a better chance to win or escape easily if you remain upright. Avoid any altercations that take place on the ground.

Evaluate your attacker. Observe their hands. If they plan to strike you with their hands, they will extend them forward. However, if they’re carrying a weapon, they will likely hide it.

Running is also a defensive stance. Unless the attacker blocks your escape route, attempting to run away is the best way to ensure your safety. Avoid fights if possible and try to flee.

Strike the eyes and nose. If you need to end the confrontation quickly by attacking first, strike with all your might and as frequently as possible, then run and seek help. An ambush in an alley is not the right moment to act like a hero. Protect yourself by ending the conflict swiftly. The eyes and nose are the most sensitive spots on your attacker’s face and are vulnerable to damage if you use your elbows, knees, or forehead.

• At the hardest part of your forehead, near your hairline, forcefully strike the attacker’s nose by extending your neck and driving your forehead into the center of their face. This is the quickest and most unexpected way to end the conflict. No matter how strong, experienced, or violent your attacker is, they’ll struggle to recover quickly from a powerful blow to the nose.

Target the groin area of the attacker. By forcefully driving your knee into the attacker's groin or grabbing it and twisting, you can quickly incapacitate them. Again, this is not the time to hesitate about "playing dirty." If your life is in danger, strike the groin.

• If you want to double the impact, drive your knee into their nose. This will knock them out in a matter of minutes.

Step on their foot. If you're attacked from behind and the attacker is holding you, this method works especially well if you're wearing high heels or any shoes with heavy soles. Move your foot close to the attacker's and stomp on their foot. If they release you, run, otherwise try the next step.

Strike the kneecap. For example, if the attacker is choking you or covering your face, targeting their legs can force them to loosen their grip, giving you a chance to strike back or escape. This is especially effective if the attacker is taller than you and it works well in a defensive position.

• Kick their shin or knee with the edge of your foot, as if you were playing soccer. This fast and painful strike can disable them. Additionally, if their leg is close enough, knee them in the inner thigh, outer thigh, knee, or groin. These spots will inflict significant pain and can neutralize them with just 5 to 7 kg of pressure needed to damage the knee.

Next, try pressing your hand into their eyes. No one can prepare for an eye jab, no matter their size. A sharp slap to the ear can cause disorientation or, if done correctly, rupture the eardrum.

• In some cases, attacking the attacker's throat can also be effective. To choke them out, avoid the cliché 'Hollywood choke' and instead, place your thumb and fingers around their windpipe (it's easier to find if they have a prominent 'Adam's apple'). Digging your fingers into this area can cause excruciating pain and may knock them down.

If you fall, try to land on top of the attacker. While falling on the ground is something you want to avoid, if it happens, use your body weight to your advantage. When you fall, extend sharp parts of your body like your knees and elbows, aiming for their groin, ribs, or neck.

If the attacker is armed, knowing where their weapon is hidden gives you an advantage. If they have a knife, try to stay out of their reach. If they have a gun, move erratically left and right to avoid being hit.

• If you get a chance to escape safely, take it. Be sure you are completely safe before stopping any other defensive methods.
• In many situations, handing over your wallet to the attacker can be a viable option. This is particularly sensible if they have a knife or gun. Your life is worth far more than any money or bank cards you may have. Toss your wallet away and run.

Redirect the attack. If the attacker tries to grab you from behind to choke you, push their forearm into your collarbone rather than trying to lift it off you, as this may be more difficult if they are bigger than you. Place one hand on their elbow (above their forearm) and the other underneath (so both hands grip their elbow from both sides). Then, with a quick and forceful motion, step forward and use the attacker's arm like a hinge to rotate and throw them off balance.

• This technique will prevent them from choking you and will give you the opportunity to counterattack their head, ribs, and legs. When they are behind you, their shin will be right behind your leg, which is a critical spot for kicking and stomping.

Drop to the ground. If the attacker tries to lift you from behind, quickly lower your hips as if you're "dropping into a couch". This will make it harder for them to lift you and buy you some time to counterattack or shift your stance to defend yourself from the front.

Don't hesitate to "play dirty". If the attacker is choking you by wrapping their hands around your neck, kick forcefully between their legs or into their shin, like a soccer kick. This will break their leg or temporarily disable them.

Understand the stages of conflict escalation. Being prepared for each phase can help you avoid physical altercations. Your primary goal is to prevent serious conflicts, which means staying one step ahead and recognizing the situation before your opponent does.

• The "Ignition" stage. This is the early phase of a dispute before it escalates into a full-blown fight. It may begin somewhat harmlessly but can develop quickly and unexpectedly.
• Verbal threats. Once the argument begins to escalate into a threat of violence, such as "I will _____".
• Pushes or other provocative behaviors. The provocative actions that lead to a fight usually don't start with punches or kicks but with tactics aimed to provoke and push you. At this stage, you can still "walk away" without engaging in a fight.
• The actual conflict. When the argument ends and physical confrontation begins.

Use words and distraction tactics to avoid confrontation. A wrong move can ignite a real fight. One thing leads to another unless someone chooses to back down. Try to hold your ground. Physical confrontation should always be your last resort.

• If you're in a heated argument, try to defuse the situation by lowering your voice. People who cause trouble in bars often like to escalate things, but they're willing to calm down and offer you a drink if you apologize and distract them. If you stay calm, they will too.
• If you're ambushed, run toward a crowded area for help. If you make it to a busy street, you're less likely to get seriously hurt. Confrontations in public places have less chance of escalating.

Avoid walking alone. If you have to walk home alone late at night, consider finding someone to go with you. Walking in groups is the safest way to avoid unpleasant situations.

• If you must go alone, try to blend in with a group of people walking. You don't need to know them, as safety can often be found in numbers.

Equip yourself with self-defense weapons. A baton or pepper spray are handy self-defense tools you should consider carrying. Many people also find knives and other weapons useful, but they can be turned against you if you're not trained. Be careful and wise when choosing to carry weapons, and take reputable self-defense classes to learn how to use them. Avoid carrying illegal weapons.

• Consider enrolling in self-defense classes if you live in a high-risk area and fear for your safety.

• If this is a personal situation, you may wonder how bad things need to get before you can rightfully defend yourself. According to the law, any improper physical contact is considered an act of aggression. Even if they only "push you lightly", this action can be viewed as an attack because it may pose a danger to you, and you have the right to defend yourself.
• Look for weaknesses in your attacker that cannot block your counterattack. For instance, if they spread their legs, you can strike their lower legs with a kick.
• Identify areas where an injury is easier to inflict. In men, the groin is a vulnerable spot. A kick to the groin will cause significant pain. In women, pulling hair or striking under the arms can cause discomfort.
• Stay calm. Don’t panic if the attacker acts aggressively. Panic will only signal to them that you are vulnerable.
• If you are attacked and you are in the right, while the aggressor is in the wrong, their likely motivation is to rob you or harm you in some way. In contrast, your goal is only self-defense. You are entitled to protect yourself and your loved ones. But remember, the first principle of self-defense is to flee! In court, you can justify your actions as self-defense only if you exhausted every opportunity to avoid confrontation and escape. If it is clear that you had a safe chance to flee but chose not to, it will not be considered self-defense. Instead, it will be seen as harassment and assault. And you will be held accountable for your actions. Being attacked doesn’t mean you can kill or seriously injure the attacker when you have other legitimate ways of defending yourself.
• Remember, the attacker you face has likely attacked others before. Avoid confrontation if possible. If not, use whatever tools you have to escape as quickly and safely as possible.
• Don’t initiate a fight when facing a robber or attacker. They may have weapons and more experience than you.
• Always carry a phone with you to call for help if needed.
• One way to defeat an opponent is to grab their neck and kick the back of their legs.
• If you fear encountering muggers in the city, consider learning martial arts such as Tae Kwon Do, Kung Fu, or Judo.

• Using a knife or other dangerous weapons to threaten an attacker is not advisable unless you are genuinely afraid for your life. It's not worth risking prison for killing someone or being killed over something as trivial as a wallet. Remember, most attackers will be stronger and more experienced than you, otherwise, they wouldn’t have targeted you.