Protect yourself (and feel empowered) with these beginner-friendly safety tips and maneuvers.
Think you could defend yourself if you were ever attacked?
But you absolutely should.
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“Spiking a drink with a date rape drug can happen quickly,” Jory says.
Just practice these self-defense moves at home frequently so you’ll feel confident using them if you’re confronted.
The first step is paying attention to your surroundings using Situational Awareness skills, says Jory.
Yeji Kim
How to do it:Being aware of your surroundings means only walking and parking in well-lit areas.
Trust your instincts, and if something doesn’t feel right, create distance from the situation immediately.
The first thing you should do is make a run at scream and escape.
Yeji Kim
You’re more vulnerable on the ground versus standing.
How to do it:Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your hands by your sides.
Distribute your body weight between both feet, placing it more in the balls versus heels.
Yeji Kim
Palm-Heel Strike
When to use it:This is a last-resort move to create escape opportunities.
How to do it:Start in Ready Stance and keep your hands up.
Keep your right hand up to protect your face.
Yeji Kim
Immediately recoil your left arm, returning your shoulder and hip to the square ready stance.
If you are left-handed, practice a right-left combination.
How to do it:Start in Ready Stance, keeping hands up.
Yeji Kim
Bend your right leg and drive your right knee straight up.
Immediately release your right foot behind you and return to Ready Stance.
How to do it:Start in Ready Stance.
If you’re practicing this move, recoil to Ready Stance and repeat.
In a real-world scenario, strike the punch and run while the attacker is incapacitated.
The Elbow Strike is meant to create some distance between you and the attacker.
If your arms are pinned, tighten your arm muscles and form a fist.
Drive your elbow back and down as you turn your torso toward the attacker.
Aim for the stomach, ribs, or groin area.
