Everyone can learn how to defend themselves. There are some easy self-defense moves that you can practice at home.
Whether you have one of the best self-defense tools at your disposal or you’re facing an attacker down on your own, these additional self-defense techniques are surprisingly simple. You can gain the upper hand when you practice these ideas on a regular basis. Here are the 6 self-defense moves that everyone should know.
#1. Kick the Knee
There is a chance that an attacker might be able to defend their face and throat. They might even be wearing a mask or body armor that would make a strike there ineffective. A swift kick to the knee, however, is almost impossible to block. Make their knee buckle and then get out of there fast.
#2. Upward Thrust
Don’t strike with a closed fist. This creates the potential of a broken finger, knuckle, hand, or wrist. Use a flat, open palm instead. Target the nose of the attacker and then strike with an upward motion. Whether the nose breaks or not, the pain inflicted can be enough to help you escape.
#3. The Classic Eye Poke
It might seem overly dramatic when you see professional wrestlers do it, but in a real-life situation, it really does work. A strong poke to the eye can cause temporary blindness, swelling, and intense pain. Hit the eye right and they might not ever be able to see out of it correctly ever again. Just take a single finger, jab at the eye as hard as you can, and then get out of there if you get results.
#4. Throat Strike
If your attacker cannot breathe, then there is a good chance they will not be pursuing you. A throat strike is surprisingly simple. Just form the letter “L” with your hand and keep it as strong as possible. Then strike with strength toward the middle of the throat. An impact will make it difficult for the attacker to gather air, allowing you to get away as they struggle.
#5. The Foot Stomp
Some attackers are good at defense and have thought out many of the moves you might put on them to get away. That’s why a simple foot stomp can be such an effective tool. If the attacker is close to you, then stomp on their foot as hard as you can. Their inclination will be to protect their knees, which means you’ll likely have an unguarded shot.
Then you’ve just got to hope they didn’t think ahead enough to wear steel-toed boots. If you stomp hard enough near the ankle, however, you’ll be able to avoid that protective item too.
#6. A Glorious Head Butt
Smashing your head into their head is extremely effective as a self-defense move, but you’ve got to do it right. The top of your forehead is the toughest part of your head. You want to make your impact there, hopefully somewhere along the bridge of the nose. The impact will stun the attacker, hopefully break their nose, and you’ll be able to get away.
Be sure to review our guide on defending yourself without a weapon for more ideas that you can practice at home as well.
Stun guns, pepper sprays, tasers, and more are extremely useful self-defense tools. If you don’t have access to them, then practice these moves so you can still properly defend yourself.
