10 Easy Self Defense Tricks and Techniques

Black's Law Dictionary defines self defense as, "the protection of one's person or property against some injury attempted by another." The Bureau of Justice Statistics reports that 4.9 million people over 12-years-old were victims of non-fatal violent crimes in 2008. Learning some basic self defense techniques can help you avoid becoming a victim of a violent crime or, if you do, help minimize injuries.

Be confident

• One of the most important ways to prevent an attack is to walk with confidence and look potential attackers in the eyes---this way they know that you've seen their face and can identify them.

Avoidance

• You can avoid becoming a victim by avoiding places and situations where an attack may be more likely to occur. Avoid excessive alcohol consumption as well as walking through alleys and poorly lit areas. If you have to go out at night, bring a companion, talk on your cell phone while walking, drive on well-traveled routes and park under lights. But sometimes you unknowingly enter a dangerous situation or despite your avoidance efforts, you become threatened anyway. Knowing some fighting techniques can protect you from attack or minimize injury.

Fighting stance

• Stand facing a suspected attacker in a boxer's stance with your knees slightly bent, chin tucked against your lead shoulder and arms up to protect your head. Keep your hands slightly cupped to grab or block punches. Firmly and loudly tell the attacker "No", "Stop" or "Go away". Don't turn your back until he is a safe distance away.

Target body areas

• Several areas of the human body are particularly sensitive. Focus your punches or kicks to the groin, throat, nose, eyes and ears. You can stomp on the tops of feet, kick the knee or the groin jab the throats with an elbow or fist, poke eyes with fingers and bite ears or hands. Don't hesitate to strike the most vulnerable areas first---if you fear for your safety, try to diffuse the situation as quickly as possible.

Biting

• An effective method for fighting off an attacker is to bite him. According to the SAS Self-Defense Handbook, short bites will only further excite an attacker so bite down hard on a sensitive area or any area you can access and don't let go. Because biting is unsanitary and unpalatable, use this technique if you cannot move your arms and legs sufficiently to hit, jab or kick if the attacker has pinned you to the floor with his body.

Finger Jabs

• You can use your index and middle finger or all four fingers to poke an attacker's eyes. Keep your fingers straight and hit hard.

Hand sides

• Keep your hand flexed and parallel to the ground with palms facing up or down, use the pinky side to hit an attacker's throat or neck in a sideways motion, sometimes referred to as a "karate chop". This still stun the attacker's air-flow and buy you time to hit the groin or run away.

Broken nose

• Make a partial fist by folding your fingers in toward your palm. Bend your elbow into your body and use the base of your palm to strike the attacker at the nostrils using an upward/forward blow. Visualize pushing through his face, not just hitting the nose an pulling your hand back. This will mostly likely break the person's nose and give you ample time to get away.

Kicks

• Kick the front of the attacker's knee with your foot. Visualize stepping down on the top of the knee cap. Again, push through with force, as if you're crushing a soda can.

Hold escape

• If the attacker has you from behind in a choke hold, try to wedge your hand in between her forearm and your neck. Turn inside, toward the attacker's chest, crouch down and away to maneuver out of the hold. If you can't escape, strike the abdomen or groin with your elbow. If the attacker is holding you by your wrists, circle your arm down and counter-clockwise to break the hold.