Here’s the bad news – the criminals always have it easier. That’s just the way it is. During a disaster or crisis, law enforcement will be busy dealing with many other issues such as rescue efforts, etc. They’ll be short-staffed and since there will be fewer patrols, law enforcement will be less available.

Most criminal acts are products of opportunity and a crisis situation is as good an opportunity as any for criminals. As human beings, we are generally a peaceful species. Most people abhor violence and shy away from confrontation. This immediately makes most people possible victims. There are people in our society who enjoy the thrill of killing and/or do it because they are mentally unsound. There are criminals who have zero qualms about beating you up and taking your property. Then there are sick individuals who will rape and even kill the woman just so that they aren’t identified.

They have no value for life and no fear of consequences. Since they’re the ones committing the crimes, they often pick the time, place and victim that represents the best opportunity.

Since they’re at an advantage from the get-go, the only way to level that advantage and give yourself a fighting chance is to train like your life depended on it… because it actually does.

In this article, you’ll discover a few self-defense tips that you’d be wise to follow. These tips will give you an edge during a physical confrontation and if push comes to shove and you need to fight for your life, the points below will serve you well.
 

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Know the Difference Between Self-Defense and Traditional Martial Arts:
The problem with traditional martial arts like Karate, Judo, etc. is that they are rigid and take a long time to learn. While the expert practitioners are more than capable of handling themselves, most people who do learn these arts still struggle in a physical confrontation.  And in martial arts, people train to fight within a set of rules.  There are no rules in self-defense, and there are no time-outs.  Doing horse stances and other fancy poses are unhelpful and people who think that these moves will help them will probably find themselves getting beaten up by criminals with no martial arts training whatsoever.

What you need to do is join classes conducted by self-defense experts. Alternatively, you could join Krav Maga classes or any type of close combat training that favors the use of groin strikes, eye gouges and other techniques that are fast and brutally effective.

In self-defense, the goal is survival and escape. You’re not interested in scoring points on difficulty of execution or flashy moves. If a man is about to rape a woman, she’ll have a better chance of escaping by stabbing him in the throat with a pen rather than going into a karate cat stance as she waits to defend herself.

Train in Different Types of Clothes:
It’s easy to throw kicks and punches when you’re in a karate studio and you’re wearing comfortable or no footwear. Women: what happens if you’re wearing a tight dress that restricts your kicks? What if you’re in heels?  Men: Do your business clothes allow you to move properly in order to perform effective hand-to-hand combat self-defense?

When practicing at home, you want to train in different clothes so that you know what your limitations are. You may need to kick off your shoes or hike your skirt up to have more freedom to move.  If a woman is about to get raped, there is no time for modesty, decency and propriety. If your clothing is restricting you and preventing you from kneeing your attacker in the groin, you may have to adjust your clothing, or even the types of clothing you normally wear to execute the move.

It’s either that or you end up being overpowered and raped. You’ll only know how restrictive your clothes can be if you train in them.

The same applies to men – the business suit or the tight fitting jeans that you wear could restrict you too.

Change up Your Training:
Train with different partners so that you can adapt to different people’s moves and techniques. You should also practice in different locations – try sparring while wearing ankle weights. Try being pinned down by two people in your self-defense class and see how you react.

What about in a dark room that simulates an isolated parking lot? How about if your opponent is shouting vulgarities at you? Many people are intimidated when they’re being shouted at. How you train is how you fight – and how you fight will be limited to how you trained - so train for every imaginable scenario.

Try self-defense in a small space with your practice partner and see how that works for you. That’s what could happen if you get cornered in an elevator. What if someone approaches you with a knife? Or a gun? You have to be ready for anything. The more varied and practical your training is, the better able you’ll be should you ever be in a situation where you need to defend yourself. Train as often as you can until your reactions are instinctive.

Your self-defense MUST be instinctive, strategic, and effective during a violent encounter. This will ensure your highest chances of survival.
 

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