In the state that the world is in, you need to know self defense. When the SHTF, you could be called on to have to defend yourself from someone intending on robbing you — or worse.
Each of your family members need to know how to keep themselves safe as well — including senior citizens and children. By learning self defense, you can not only protect your supplies, but maybe even your life.
Personal Self Defense
Unfortunately, violence has become a way of life. When a crisis hits, violence will become even more commonplace. There are several methods, along with tools, that you can use to protect yourself from someone who means to do you harm.
You should learn the basics of self defense. When avoiding a physical confrontation isn’t an option, you must make a stand. Most attackers who go after someone either think they can take them physically without a weapon or they’re carrying a weapon themselves.
There are different ways to handle each scenario. When you know someone intends on hurting you, don’t be quiet about it. In a loud, firm voice, say, “Back off!” or some alternative to show the would-be attacker that you mean business and will defend yourself.
For people looking for an easy mark, this can sometimes be enough to make them move on. Though fight scenes in movies are long and drawn out, the truth is that you have seconds to fight off an attacker.
He can subdue you in a matter of seconds and from that point, render you helpless. You can’t let him get the upper hand. Your goal is wound your opponent so that you can subdue him or wound him to the point where you can escape relatively unharmed.
Attack hard and don’t let up. Gouge or punch the areas of the body where people will feel the most pain from a blow or injury. You’ll want to strike the nose, eyes, the center of the throat, the person’s knees or his groin.
Remember that if you can reach him, he can reach you. Do your best to stay beyond his arm’s length and lash out with your fists, the side of your hand or your feet. A hard kick to the groin will take most attackers to the ground.
Always aim to strike what you can reach first with your feet. Kick the person in a vulnerable area. If someone has you by the arms, reach up and with the palm of your hand, bring it up swiftly underneath the tip of their nose with a hard upper thrust.
The hardest bone in your body is the elbow. Don’t hesitate to use your elbow to take your opponent down. Keeping your elbow closer to your body as you deliver a blow will pack more punch than if you extend it out and away from you.
Family Self Defense
It’s not enough for one person in the family to know how to defend themselves because an attacker will often choose the smallest person and the one he considers to be the least risk to himself.
You want every member to know how to fight back — especially your children. There are family programs you can use to teach every member how to fight back when a situation calls for it.
These programs cover things like being aware of your surroundings, not letting yourself be moved from scene one to scene two, where an attacker is weakest and how to break free from different types of holds if you have to.
Make sure your family members know that there are three areas of the body that they can use to fight back against an attacker. These areas are the head, the elbows, and the knees.
These areas are tough and hard and the bones are extremely tough. When used correctly, you can take down any attacker. If someone puts his hands on you and he’s facing you, use your elbow like you would you a fist across the face in a left or right cross.
As the person reels from the blow to the head, immediately bring up your knee with a hard jab into the groin. When you’re grabbed from behind, you can use your head and slam it backwards into your attacker’s face.
You can also use a backward elbow jab to their gut. When you’re fighting off an attacker, it doesn’t matter how big you are or how strong you are because you can use the power of your body’s weight to help your defense.
Always throw your weight behind every strike. You can also use what you have available to strike back with such as ordinary items like keys or pens. There are specific self defense tools that you can buy to have on hand for everyone to use in the event someone does attack you or your family members.
