5 Self Defense Tips You Should Know

No one ever wants to find themselves in a fight or having to defend themselves whether it’s a mugging, and attempted rape, a bar fight, or another reason you find yourself in an altercation. Knowing how to protect yourself is important. Here are 5 self defense tips you should know. 

#1 Always Keep Your Hands Up
If you have ever taking boxing lessons this is one of the first things you will learn. When you keep your hands up you will be able to block the strike or reduced the force of a strike. If you keep your hands down you will get hit much more! 

#2 Be the First to Hit
Don’t confuse being the first to hit with starting a fight. You will know when you have an attacker and letting your attacker get the first hit in will make the situation worse. You have to first recover from a strike and it takes time to regain your momentum so that you can fight to defend yourself. When you get the first hit in, it is your attacker who lands up being on the defense, which your attacker likely will not be anticipating. 

#3 Close the Distance
Martial arts will tell you that in any situation of self defense you need to quickly close the distance. If you are too close to your attacker for him/her to strike you, they will not be able to hurt you. Clinching your opponent restricts your attacker, while allowing you to dish out knees, elbows, and close punches. 

#4 Take Your Attacker to the Ground
We don’t mean you should try to tackle your attacker from twenty feet away. That would ensure you were the looser. Instead, you want to close the distance between you and your attacker. You might be able to trip them, throw them to the ground, or drag them. If you have ever done any wrestling, you were taught how to get the position on top. If you manage to get the top position on the ground, you then have the ability to strike out at your attacker and you won’t be attacked back.

#5 Getting Hit Isn’t the End of the World
Too often, a person has the upper hand then they take a couple of shots and just give up. Being hit is certainly not fun and it’s going to hurt but it doesn’t mean it’s over. This is a fight – for you it could be the fight of your life. Your attacker is going to fight, so if you are hit, shake it off, and keep fighting back, because the alternative could be your life. 

