Comments on: Top 10 Self Defense Techniques

By: jlhuff

jlhuff — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 22:05:03 +0000

I am a 2nd degree black belt in taekwondo. I am also a 4′11″, 110lb woman. I learned in my taekwondo lessons to try to avoid fighting but if I have to fight, use just enough force to get away. As a black belt, I will face legal troubles if I use lethal force when I could have just knocked the person out or something where they lived. I learned many, many techniques to get away from attackers and I have also learned that I can use my attackers assumptions about me to my advantage. For example, people always assume I would be an easy target, weak and unable to fight because I am tiny and I would use that to my advantage in a fight. Most attackers will grab me from behind because they assume I won’t be able to get away and I won’t be strong enough to break their hold on me. I can use the fact that being smaller than them and therefore my center of gravity is lower to pretty dramatically break the person’s hold on me and get away from them. We illustrated this fact in my taekwondo class by having my 6′2″, 180lb instructor be my attacker and grab me from behind so I can then use this particular self defense technique to throw him over my head. People are absolutely shocked when I do that although my instructor would make it more dramatic by putting more momentum into the throw so he would literally go flying across the mat. But even without that it’s pretty dramatic. Also we had another demo of me being grabbed on the arm by someone way bigger than me and still getting away. Size doesn’t matter in martial arts, you can still fight and you can still overcome an attacker even if you’re tiny. We were taught that if we were attacked, to do whatever we had to do to get away, and we taught this to the kids as well. We were taught that even if we had to break the person’s bones or knock them unconscious or kick them in the groin, we did what we had to do to get away, but only that and no more. For the kids, it meant have a screaming, flailing, throwing things, peeing yourself, puking on purpose temper tantrum to get someone’s attention if you had to. We taught them that if someone was trying to kidnap them, if some grownup they didn’t know tried to take them somewhere that it was okay to do things that would be bad if you did them to your parents. It meant that they didn’t have to listen to this person just because they are a grownup. Also we told them to just flop over and be like dead weight, like when your mom or dad tries to carry you when you are sleeping and you’re just heavy and don’t move and don’t help them do anything. We make sure they know that it is okay to do that if somebody is trying to hurt them but not okay to do to their parents just because they don’t want to do their homework or because they want their parents to buy them something. As for adults, you do what you gotta do, hit them with your purse, throw rocks or whatever’s around, fight dirty, anything. But the biggest thing I learned was to try to get out of trouble without having to fight, and that if I have to fight, I am going to get hit but to keep fighting and just deal with the pain, the goal is to stay alive not to be unscathed. One of my favorite techniques I learned with self defense techniques was a side kick to the knee that can shatter the kneecap. Even if you don’t shatter their kneecap, they won’t be getting up anytime soon, it is horribly painful to be kicked in the knee and will incapacitate someone pretty effectively. And as this was taekwondo we learned all about yelling like lunatics when we attack. When the little kids learn their self defense techniques we would have them yell “Stay back! or Leave me alone!” or just a standard martial arts yell (called kihap – pronounced kiyap in korean) because yelling can intimidate your attacker and will get other people’s attention, the last thing a person wants when they are trying to rob, rape, kidnap, or kill someone. It also helps you to breathe while you’re fighting. I just really prefer not to have to fight, but if I have to fight, I am going to do whatever I gotta do to get the hell out of there. I am glad I took taekwondo lessons and learned all the self defense I learned through all my belt ranks all the way to 2nd degree black belt. It made me feel like I don’t have to be a victim just because I am female and tiny.

By: Chris

Chris — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 12:47:18 +0000

Solid chest strikes always work well. There is a panic response that is set off in most people from a strike to the chest. I have been a Hapkido instructor and BJJ instructor for many years and recently started Krav Maga. I have found the best way to go is put your hands up in a “nah mate I don’t want any trouble” type of fashion. This puts them in a great guard and looks good for security cameras. From there you’re in a position to neutralise attacks. For instance a knike attack can easily be stopped before the knife leave the proximity of the attackers body by simply jamming the wrist of him into himself.

Next time a fight errupts strike the chest with a good hard palm or hammer fist. This is a good set up and will temporarily cause panic. The whole idea of a modern fight is to neutralise. To win you need to have the attacker jammed up and unable to hit or stab you. Forget boxing it out, this only works for set-ups. Forget voluntarily going to ground, this causes all kinds of problems on the street (unless the fight goes to ground naturally).

By: Mr.B

Mr.B — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 00:01:12 +0000

Avoid fights at all costs, but if you can’t-

-groin shot
-eye gouge
-break small foot bones with heel
-throat shots
-bite
-stay as calm as you can
-breathe

For professional advice check out Bas Rutten on YouTube

By: truthteller

truthteller — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 02:43:08 +0000

>>and/or is white.<<

Zoso, reading this thread I knew at some point some asshole with a spiritual grudge (nazism) would air his ol' bullshit.

Where I'm from, whiteboys gang up and chase black guys in certain neighborhoods. If I blow one of their heads off, I guess it's because he's white?

Recently a trend started in my area where the whiteguys would look you in the eye & then walk right into you, presumably enjoy a little thrill when the black guy steps out of his way. These guys are too stupid to think that maybe the black guy just wants to get where he's going and not be caught up in some asshole's drama, but this trend (short-lived… wonder why?) took off for a year or two anyway.

It's hard to be humble man among fools, so I began my training at that point, and started carrying walking with a "little friend" to boot. And stopped stepping out of the way of assholes. They came to their senses and now it's safe to be considerate again. The wannabe bullies who try that shit now step right back into their rightful path when they see that you aren't going to let them play "dominant male."

Racial aggression most often has a WHITE face. These are the guys so focused on thinking their the "dominant", and thinking that the law and society will kiss their ass and take their side when stuff jumps off.

And what's more, these are the guys that harbor that ol' pet hate, that ol' spiritual grudge that has them always on the make, in real life just like in whatever discussion on whatever subject you'll ever come across on the web.

By: Mastercarol

Mastercarol — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 13:55:57 +0000

I’ve been teaching and studying martial arts for over 18 years now and for the past 8 of those 18 years I’ve been teaching reality based self-defense.
There is one thing that I was always taught from my Taekwondo instructor; was if someone accosted me and asked for my money or my keys or anything, to give it up gladly and they will leave you alone…he said, no need to fight back.
Well, I have to disagree with that comment and some other so called self-defense instructors who teach, “give up your possessions and don’t fight back, their possessions, you cabn replace them.” True, but whose to say that after they take your possessions they don’t stab you, shoot you or worse anyway? You are worth fighting back. There have been many story’s where someone got robbed and had their purse stolen and a man stabbed her right after that. You need to fight back and you should fight back. Give them your possessions that they ask for, just be ready and prepared for something to happen aftyerwards. Always train that way too.

By: Delicious Bass

Delicious Bass — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 21:54:40 +0000

Let me share some tips. (I’m not a Lawyer) I carry concealed 365 days a year. S&W .357 model 60. 1911’s are great weapons for your house or car, but a little big to keep on you all of the time.

A social fight can be avoided nearly 100% of the time. It’s your choice. Being criminally confronted in the streets is very different. Being approached in a secluded area is cause for much higher alarm than being confronted in a bar. A bar room bully will always allow you an escape and use of deadly force to prevent a broken nose is unjustified. Whereas I would not hesitate to use my weapon if confronted on the street or in a park.

Keys to remember: if your opponent is loud, blustery and flush (red in the face) he is posturing, and if you give him an out where he doesn’t lose face he will almost certainly take it. If your opponent is calm and white in the face he is far more dangerous and you need to be on high alert. The blood in his body has gone to his arms and legs and he is ready to fight. If you are out drinking and jawing back and fourth, you will inevitably be in fights. These are not violent attacks and don’t require self defense. They are fights. You will win some and lose some. Here, a groin attack really is in poor taste.

Truly defending yourself requires that you don’t instigate trouble. Don’t lock eyes with people and don’t engage verbally with people who are looking for trouble. If someone says “what are you looking at?” calmly reply “nothing Man” or “I don’t have a problem.” This is the first line of self defense. If you don’t use it, and tell a guy to S your D. Prepare to fight and don’t act like a victim if you get your A kicked.

If someone persists and comes towards you after you have done your legitimate best to defuse the situation. Do this: Stand up, put your hands up, open palms out in front of you. (this maintains your safe space and if attacked, your hands are where you want them.) Make your last verbal stand (loud enough to be heard, especially if people are around) give a clear warning and command them to “STOP” and say you do not want to fight. Say “It’s over Man, I don’t want to do this.” almost any confrontation will stop here. You should start backing away now. If he persists towards you, now is the time to attack swiftly with everything you have.

If you carry a weapon, when to draw is subjective. The general rule is only draw when you feel that your life is in danger. I feel that being approached on an empty street justifies this, where as being confronted in a busy bar does not. Like I said nearly 100% of social bar fights can be avoided. If you leave and are followed that may be a diiferent circumstance.

By: Bobnoxious

Bobnoxious — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 17:01:53 +0000

I think I’ll stay in tonite

By: Kodanshi

Kodanshi — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 21:48:18 +0000

I actually disagree with #2. Most fights that I’ve been in have NEVER been fair one–on–one fights. And taking someone to the ground when his mates are around will only result in you getting your head repeatedly stamped on!

By: shabbir

shabbir — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 14:05:04 +0000

Its mind blowing ………… I WANT MORE IDEAS……….

By: svetlana

svetlana — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 12:20:00 +0000

uhh about that bull part, he may never win, but he sure as hek gonna either take to the hospital or take you with him to the grave…bull fighting is defenitly not easy its a dangerous yet pointless sport… you eff with a wild animal you always lose… do not compare man with beast. (beasts are all muscle)