What good is a gun or a knife if you don’t know how to use it? That’s why the knowledge or skills of knowing how to defend yourself are more important than the tools required to do so.
We’re not going to focus on how to physically defend yourself with a gun, knife, or any other kind of a defensive tool. Rather, we’re going to focus on the fundamentals and more mental aspects of self-defense that will keep you alive in any bad situation.
AVOID PUTTING YOURSELF IN A SELF-DEFENSE SITUATION IN THE FIRST PLACE
Obviously the best way to defend yourself is to avoid any kind of a situation where you would need to defend yourself in the first place. After all, this is something that most of our parents taught us when we were younger.
You can hopefully avoid a self-defensive situation by steering clear of bad or crime ridden areas, by talking down an angry person who has displayed the intent to attack you, and in a disaster scenario by keeping your preparations and survival gear hidden so that no one would want to come and steal it.
However, it’s also not realistic to think that you can always avoid a self-defensive situation. There will be instances where they are unavoidable or where something or someone takes you by surprise and forces you to defend yourself. Or, someone else nearby may be threatened and you have to intervene to save their life.
In a disaster scenario, people will be desperate for things like water, food, weapons, ammunition, medications, and survival gear. If they see that you have any of those things, you can never discount the possibility that they could attack.
But when they do, the best thing that you can do is to be confident. This doesn’t just mean that you should stand your ground in a fight, it also means that you should project confidence wherever you go. If you appear meek and vulnerable, you’re projecting that you’ll be an easy target.
We’re not saying that you need to walk everywhere you go by standing extra tall and puffing out your chest, as if you’re looking for trouble, but you need to avoid the image of vulnerability at all costs. Stand up straight, wear clean clothes and have good personal hygiene standards, and have others with you so that you can be backed up should anything happen.
Many survival and self-defense experts believe that being aware is more important than actual fighting skills. You can boost your situational awareness by researching body language, which is one of the best indicators of whether or not someone is a threat, and using your eyes and ears on a continual basis.
In other words, if you’re looking at your cell phone or tablet, don’t have your eyes glued to the screen. Look up every few seconds to make sure no one is coming to attack you.
If you’re listening to music on your MP3 or listening devices, only use one ear bud and use the other ear to listen to the world around you. These may seem like small steps, but they can also alert you to danger and save your life.
The last thing you want to do is be frozen solid when someone attacks you or someone you know. It’s perfectly understandable if you’re taken by surprise and don’t know how to react at first, but you need to act quickly because the initial seconds of the fight are the most critical.
You can overcome this by attending self-defensive classes where they will teach you situational awareness and how to avoid being taken by surprise. Then, you can act quicker and end the fight quicker as well.
When you can’t avoid a fight, fight hard and fight to win. If someone is attacking you with the obvious intent of killing you, then you need to fight back the same way. If they won’t show you mercy, don’t show them mercy.
For example, if you find yourself in the middle of a terrorist attack and come face-to-face with one of the terrorists, don’t just try to push them aside and run away. Fight to kill. That terrorist is willing to give up their life in an effort to kill you, so you can’t take any chances. Your life and the lives of the people around you depend on it.
There will be certain self-defense situations where the odds are stacked heavily against you and standing your ground may be more dangerous than trying to win the fight.
Maybe you’re alone and up against three or more attackers, for instance. In that scenario, you may be a dead man (or woman) if you decide that taking them all on is the best course of action.
In a self-defense scenario that you can’t win, the moment you see an opportunity to escape to safety you should take it.
If you’re up against three or more people with the intent to harm you, and car door is open and no one is blocking your path, go for the car and drive away quickly. Contrary to what some people think, it’s not a cowardly act to escape a self-defense situation you can’t win because you can live to fight another day rather than being killed in a pointless struggle.
Remember that all ‘rules’ go out the window in a self-defense situation. Don’t be afraid to kick them in the groin, shoot them multiple times, slash their throat, break their limbs, or gouge their eyes out. Your survival and the survival of your family are your top priorities in a self-defense situation and you should never go easy on an opponent who threatens your lives.
Hopefully you’ll never be in a situation where you have to defend yourself, but if you do, follow the tips we have taught you and your chances of winning the fight go up exponentially.
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