Self Defense Tips — How To Survive An Attack

It’s the classic scenario, you are out late and you find yourself walking down a dark alley.

However you also happen to be at the wrong place at the wrong time and about to be attacked.

For most people it’s their worst nightmare and even me at 5’11, 16 Stone I still get anxiety about a situation like this.

I think it’s important to be able to defend yourself should the worst happen to get home safely to your loved ones.

So today I want to give you some basic self defense tips, but I really hope you never have to use them…

Make Some Noise!:

This tactic can stop the attack from happening in the first place, avoiding all physical confrontation.

The last thing an attacker wants is for everyone close by to know what he’s up to. By screaming or shouting you will quickly draw attention and nine times out of ten spook the attacker for sure.

It’s also said that a loud scream or shout can actually get you a little pumped up. This extra boost of adrenaline can prepare you mentally for violence.

In martial arts like taekwondo they encourage a scream upon attacking, this forces oxygen out of your body and keeps you from getting short of breath whilst in the fight.

Maybe consider carrying a rape alarm.

This tiny gadget can fit on a key ring and all you have to do is hit the button which will release a loud noise for you.

Remember, you are in a dark alley not some forest in the middle of nowhere. If you are being attacked it’s likely that people who can help are not far away.

Stay Calm:

I know, I know this sounds crazy right?

How are you supposed to keep calm when someone is attacking you…well freaking out can cause you to forget all of these tips completely.

You just have to try and stay calm in order to remember your self defense training.

One way to do this is to take a deep breath and get some distance from the attacker.

Some of the most dangerous fighters in sports like MMA are the ones who stay the most relaxed during a fight.

If you practice self defense techniques regularly you will get to a point where the moves are like second nature. This combined with being calm can make you an attackers worst nightmare.

Keep a Low Stance:

So if the attacker is not spooked off by the noise and nobody comes to your aid.

What do you do?

One basic tip would be to bend your knees slightly and keep a low wide stance. This makes you a lot harder to knock over and staying on your feet is super important in an attack situation.

If someone pushes you whilst your legs were close together you will most likely be flat on your back but a wider stance will give you much better balance.

If you’ve ever seen Mike Tyson fight his stance is a great example of this, as being low can helped him to get more power into his strikes.

Keep Your Guard Up:

Another great tip (also lifted from boxing) is to keep your guard up.

Having your arms up and your chin down will make it harder for you to be knocked out.

By slightly lowering your elbows you will be able to protect your rib cage and vital organs.

Keeping your guard will also keep the attacker on the outside in case they try to get in close maybe lift you off your feet.

In all the excitement of a street fight you’d be surprised how many people don’t think to guard themselves, which results in an unnecessary KO.

Grab and Hold On:

Might sound a bit counter-intuitive to grab and pull on your attacker as it could keep them around longer.

But it’s hard to throw punches or use a weapon if your arms are being held in place.

You can gain control of the attacker and tactics such as grabbing or pulling their head down can completely disorientate them.

This will leave them open to knees, elbows, and arm locks.

They got you by surprise, so now you can get them back!

Have a Ground Game:

Here’s a tip that I definitely hope you don’t have to use but if an attacker gets you to the ground you should know what to do.

Mixed Martial Arts call this a ground game but for you could be a matter of life or death.

You should focus on getting back on your feet above all else, kicking your feet at them and using the space to jump back up is a great strategy.

Submission moves will really give your attacker a shock. Learning to turn the tables with arm locks or choke holds can give you a serious advantage.

Use your energy wisely and if you find the attacker over powering then relax for a second. This will cause the attacker to let their guard down and you can explode with an attack.

Conclusion:

If you are out by yourself at night having basic self defense knowledge is very important.

I grew up in South London and for many years there still is a huge issue with violent attacks involving knives.

I feel that information such as this can potentially save a life so I really wanted to get this out there, maybe consider sharing this for me to help spread the word.

Have you ever been attacked and defended yourself successfully? Please share your own story below.

TIll next time survivors