Basic Self Defense for Women – Products and Techniques

Most women who were raped or physically attacked, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), admitted they had never imagined something like that would ever happen to them. They were unprepared. They believed if they did not go to a bad neighborhood or look for trouble, trouble would never find them. But they were wrong. A violent crime could happen anywhere and any time. To avoid being a victim or to get ourselves out of such a situation safely, we need to be prepared both mentally and physically.

Knowing some basic self defense techniques can help you gain a sense of control when you get attacked. Easy victims are those who tend to panic, get confused and appear helpless. In this article, you will learn about some useful self defense moves. Plus, we will take a look at the pros and cons of some popular self defense products.

• Rapists or kidnappers tend to choose victims who look weak, submissive and unmindful of their surroundings. It is wise to avoid wearing headphones or reading when you are alone because that will lessen your awareness of what is going on around you and make you become an easy target. Also, when someone who seems like a possible aggressor approaches you, don't be afraid to act or say something unfriendly. No matter how nice and kind you are, you've got to know how to act mean sometimes for your personal safety. Give him a look that tells him, "Don't mess with me!" This strategy can discourage him from making his move.
• When you are attacked or threatened, try to hold yourself together no matter how frightened you are. Don't just cry. Try to communicate with the attacker. Manipulate him. Distract him in all the possible ways you can think of. In a lot of cases, faking compliance at an initial stage tends to work because it could make the aggressor believe he has control over you and become careless. Once you catch him off guard, strike him immediately with the self defense technique(s) you know.

• Try to understand what the offender wants from you. If he only wants to rob you, maybe it is smarter to comply instead of fighting back and risking physical injury, unless you have plausible reasons to believe that you will win the fight. For example, the aggressor is smaller or seems slower than you, or he does not have a threatening weapon. In case the assailant tries to hurt you and you need to fight back, try to attack him with all the speed and power you can possibly deliver. In other words, fight with all your might.
• Trying to communicate and negotiate with the aggressor can be helpful, but NEVER try to threaten him by telling him that you have a self defense skill. It may make him become more watchful and not let you have a chance to attack him at all. Self defense techniques work best when they surprise your offender.

Assuming the aggressor is stronger than you, you should attack certain parts of his body where it would cause the most pain for him but require you to use the least amount of strength. These most vulnerable targets are called the "primary targets," which are the eyes, throat and groin. If you attack these targets with enough force, it could cause excrutiating pain to the assailant and possibly rescue yourself from being a victim. Attacking the secondary targets such as the stomach or shin probably won't make him wince much, but it could create an opportunity for you to strike the primary targets.

Unless you have taken boxing classes, do not try to punch the attacker. Most women do not have strong wrists, therefore by punching the aggressor forcefully, you could sprain and hurt your own wrist instead of hurting him. Open-handed strikes are much better self defense techniques for women. The palm heel strike, if properly performed, can be a very effective way to fight back. To execute this self defense technique, use the bottom part of your palm to hit and push the aggressor away by his chin. Power should come from your hips and shoulders, not just your arms. If possible, also try to poke his eyes with your fingers. This technique can be used as an initial trick to break away from the aggressor and give yourself a chance to escape.

This technique can give the assailant much more pain than the palm heel strike. Attack his throat with the open space between your thumb and index finger as hard as you can. To make it more effective, try to aim at his Adam's Apple. And again, power should come from your hips and shoulders.

By saying "groin grab", I mean testicles grab, not penis. Use this self defense technique when you are in close range of the aggressor. You can do this while either facing him or being held from the back, and it hardly requires any particular self defense skills. Once the aggressor stands that close to you, he automatically puts himself in a vulnerable position. Most victims, however, tend to forget to use this helpful technique and not be aware of their opportunity to fight back because they panic. If the attacker is in tight-fitted jeans, don't try to use this technique. Instead, hit his groin area with your knee, fist or forearm.

There are two basic ways to attack the assailant with your elbow. The easiest way is the front upward elbow strike. Simply bring your elbow up to the target. Assuming you strike with your right elbow, you should also twist the right side of your body towards the aggressor upon impact.

If the aggressor grabs you from the side, make a fist with your striking arm and place your other palm over that fist. Straighten both arms to the other side to gain momentum. Then bend the elbow and strike with full force.

Self Denfense Technique # 6 - Block

If the aggressor tries to punch you (assuming he is right-handed), step back out of the striking range with your left foot. (This will at least help you avoid the full force of the blow in case you fail to block.) At the same time, slap away his wrist with your left palm or forearm.

The front kick is the most basic kick that I'm sure even little kids know how to do. But to make your front kick as powerful and effective as possible, you should follow these steps:

1. Lift up your leg, bend your knee and draw it close to your body. (This move is called "chamber your leg".)
2. Extend your leg towards the target and thrust your hips slightly forward in order to make your kick more forceful.
3. Keep your standing leg slightly bent for a better balance.

To execute a side kick, follow the above 3 steps as when you do a front kick, except that you will extend your leg sideways. For best results, try to hit the target with your heel, not your toes or instep. The most practical target for a side kick is the aggressor's knee. Some women may be able to use a side kick to attack the aggressor's mid-section, but that will require a lot of strength and balance.

Self Defense Technique # 9 - Back Kick

This move can be a bit difficult but very useful if you do it right. As a general kick rule, chamber your leg first. As you extend it backwards toward the aggressor, lower your mid-section and lean forward to increase the impact. The higher your target is, the more forward you will have to lean. This technique is often used to attack the groin area.

It can be extremely hard for a small woman to attack a man with the knee strike. Therefore, the knee strike is often used as a follow-up technique rather than an initial move. Imagine that you already kick the aggressor in the groin, next you can use the knee strike to attack his mid-section. To execute this move, grab the aggressor's head and pull it down as you raise your knee to the target.