Techique
Below are techniques for self defense that will give you a chance to escape an attacker. The secret to self defense is being aware of the fact that the techniques vary depending upon what position you are in. An attack from the front should be handled with a different technique than an attack from behind. The list below addresses each of those variations.Standing in front of you, choking with two hands
An attacker puts his hands on your neck and is attempting to choke you into submission. Maintain your composure and keep your feet planted. As long as his hands are on your neck, you have an opportunity to escape with the following technique.
Self Defense Technique
Tense your neck muscles if he is choking you, and immediately strike your aggressor?s elbows with the bottom of your fist, while at the same time pull his elbows down and into yourself. Follow this sequence deliver with a hard right elbow strike to your aggressor?s chin. Immediately after this move step away from the attacker to escape.
Standing Behind You, Hands on Your Neck
An attacker suprises you by sneaking up from behind. He puts his hands on your neck in an effort to choke you or pull you towards him.
Self Defense Technique
Maintain composure and keep your footing. As long as his hands are on your neck, you have a fine chance escape successfully. Tense your neck muscles if he is choking you and spin around quickly to your right. Rotate your hips hard to your right and punch a smashing under-hand fist to his groin. Then, rotate hard fast to the other direction, still keeping your feet in the same spot. As you spin, swing your left arm across your body in self defense, hand held in a fist near your chest, knuckles turned out. Deliver a left elbow to the attacker's stomach dipping below his attacking left arm. Immediately after this, run from the aggressor. If you have pepper spray, get it ready it as you run away in case the attacker follows you.
Arms wrapped around you (like a hug) from the front
An attacker has wrapped both his arms around yours. He locks his his hands behind you, and has a loose grip because he is trying to make advances on you.
Self Defense Technique
You must stay calm and make him think that you are considering submission to him. Your ability to stay relaxed in this situation is crucial. Your escape technique begins with a backwards step with your left foot in a long stride. As you stride, push with your arms so your attacker?s hip is directly in front of you and deliver a swift knee into his groin. This technique will free you from his bear hug. Immediately distance yourself from the attacker. If you have pepper spray, prepare it as you run away in case the attacker tracks you down.
Arms wrapped around you (like a hug) from behind
An aggressor holds you rather tightly around your waist, under your both arms, from behind. He has clasped his hands in front of you and is trying to make further advances on you.
Self Defense Technique
Stay calm and collected and make a tight fist with both your hands. Begin technique by thrusting the knuckles of your right hand into the top of the attacker's hand. He will release his grip and loosen his hold on you. Quickly take advantage this loose grip by stepping forward away from him by striding with your left foot and sliding your right foot forward and make sure to point your toes to your right. Quickly spin your body to your right and thrust a right-handed punch into your aggressor?s groin. After this technique is executed, run away and prepare your pepper spray in case the attacker follows you. You may not be able to use physical techniques to break free the second time, so pepper spray is very helpful.
Arms wrapped around you (like a hug) from behind, arms encircled - not locked at the hands
An attacker has snuck up on you and placed his arms around you, wrapping up both of your arms.
Self Defense Technique
Again in this case you must fake being cooperative. Make your swift escape by stepping forward with your left foot in a slightly longer stride twice the length of your usual step. As you stride, swing both of your arms to the sky and flex your knees to lower your body level. This technique will free you from the wrap around arms of your attacker. Quickly rotate your body to your right rear and thrust an elbow straight into your aggressor?s mid-section. Now you will be able to run away and get your pepper spray ready for a possible follow-up attack.
Arms wrapped around your neck
An attacker has snuck up on you and placed his forearm around your neck
Self Defense Technique
In rear arm-choking attacts, the victim should turn their chin toward the elbow of the aggressor and push the arm down with her chin to relieve the pressure against the windpipe. The victim should keep the chin down as long and in a near locked position, trying to keep the forearm of the aggressor from pushing hard against the side of the neck. Too much pressure on the side of the neck can cause unconciousness. If possible, the victim should attempt to attack the eyes over the shoulder, punch the groin, or stomp the instep of the foot of the aggressor with her heel.
Groin punches are often effective at making an attacker loosen a grip on a victim but the victim should then stomp on the the aggressor's instep with her heel. After this, an elbow to the attacker's face or midsection can create distance. Again, this tactic should give the victim enough time to reach for her pepper spray. When armed with pepper spray, your physical technique should be geared at creating some distance between you and the aggressor so that pepper spray can be used.
Attacker Suprises Victim Laying Down
An attacker has snuck up on you and placed his forearm around your neck
Self Defense Technique
If surprised while laying down on the couch or in bed you should try to poke the eyes. People who fight using a mix of yells, screams, sprints. These people succeed in getting away much more often than those who choose not to fight.
To some people, it seems obvious that fighting is the only option, but the numbers of people who choose not to fight are high. Often it is fear of getting struck or injured that causes people to not fight. Surveys indicate that this is not a good reason. 55% of the people who offer no resistance get injured anyway.
Sometimes there are good reasons for choosing not to fight. Facing an attacker with a lethal weapon or threatening your loved ones may be that type of situation. When you decide not to fight, concentrate on getting a good description of the aggressor.
In many cases you can combine a fake message of submission with plotting the use of your pepper spray. That is, convince your aggressor that you are cooperating, and then use your pepper spray to stun him and run away.
It is NOT wise to use pepper spray in the face of a lethal weapon, but you may find that the right time arises when the aggressor has put his weapon away.
Dodging Attacker Strikes
Move in triangle pattern
One of the worst errors the average victim makes during a fight is to move in straight lines, either forward and backward, or left to right.
Imagine a line dividing your body down the middle from your forehead to your toes. The attacker is probably going to try to strike you at some point along line. Maybe trying to hit your face, your throat, your chest or your groin.
Your reaction should be to move that line out of the path of the aggressor's strike and more importantly, change the distance between you and the aggressor.
The aggressor has subconciously committed to striking to a particular area of your body. His brain has already associated the target with a particular direction and distance. When you change the target's X and Y position (depth and side-to-side location), it spoils the effectiveness of the attack.
Moving along one line from back to front changes the distance between you and the attacker, but not the direction. Moving laterally will alter your target along the left/right direction, but not the depth of strike required. You must move in a triangle shape to successfully dodge the aggressor.
This pattern of movement will again (as in other cases above) give you room and/or time to prepare your pepper spray for use. The ideal situation is that your pepper spray is ready to go and available on your key chain without any hassle. If you are not fortunate enough to be prepared as such, then these physical techniques should help.
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