True self-defense does not rely on weapons or brawn. It is a skill implementing resources available to every citizen – common sense, leverage, and surprise. Common sense is a comprehensive state of mind that incorporates many truisms that are essential for survival. From walking about in the public square to exploring the wreckage of a natural disaster, it is important to move with confidence. Keep your head up, stay alert of your surroundings. Move from point A to point B without hesitation or dawdle. Do not let your body language communicate confusion or second-guessing. This is preventative self-defense. It is all about how you appear to others. Do you appear to be a weak target or a hard catch? Do you appear oblivious and vulnerable or aware and prepared?
Leverage is application of your physical environment to your advantage. If you cannot prevent a conflict, then be very well prepared to apply every advantage. This includes tactical placement – do you have higher ground? Do you have a place to run to? Can you manipulate the environment to provide barriers or hinder the opponent’s attacks or movement? This also includes leverage of body weight. In a physical altercation, the very last thing you ever want is to be on the ground. Everything is downhill from there. So if someone tries to pick you up or push you down, the appropriate reflex is to immediately lower your center of gravity. Spread your legs, drop your weight, lean a little if you have to. Don’t jump, twist, struggle, and flail. Rather, be aware of your movements. Once you’ve controlled your leverage you can move on to surprise.
Surprise is simply bringing pain to your aggressor by quick and complete surprise. This is very important because it easily eliminates advantages of strength, size, gender, stamina, and even numbers if applied well. You don’t want a fight in self-defense to result in a contest of stamina or strength – always assume you would lose that battle. Never act like you want to start a fight, but if someone simply won’t back down, take sudden, furious blows straight to the various soft spots. The best place to hit is obviously the head, namely the face. Though for male aggressors the best target is also between the legs. Punching works find, but could easily be just as painful for you as for the person you hit. Hitting with the bones on the bottom of your palm, in a straight strike in alignment with your arm, is effective for amateurs. This is great for the element of surprise because you can have your hands up in self-defense when the attacker is approaching, then blast out a heel-palm to the face when he gets too close. Kicking is a great, longer-distance alternative. Remember though, the surprise advantage is eliminated if you coil up for the shot first. Kick fast and hard. Follow through. Drive the upper part of your foot through the obvious target, and swiftly recoil so that you can maintain balance and move away from the attacker. Don’t forget elbows and knees, as they are sturdy and under the radar weapons. The idea is to quickly deliver decisive pain.
The goal, however, is never to win the fight. The goal is to distract your opponent enough to safely escape danger. This runs full-circle to common sense. Be aware of your surroundings in an altercation, as multiple attackers might come. Your ultimate goal in self-defense is to get out of danger. Eliminate the immediate threat and escape.