WOMEN’S MUST KNOW SELF DEFENCE TECHNIQUES AND HOW TO USE THEM

Oct 25

Written By Brighton Women's Self Defence

A few months ago, someone asked me, if you had 10 mins to teach self-defence, what would you show me?

I loved this question in so many ways. It sunrises today’s business lifestyles and outlines how women’s self defence has been previously sold

But before we get into that, it might be good to outline some of the pros and cons of the 10min approach for the short term. However we have just put together our Online Essentials Programme, inspired by this blog, you can learn more about the Online Essentials Programme Here

Cons

Momentary confidence and has the potential of giving you false hope
Likely to forget after a good nights sleep
Not really getting the opportunity to see test and see if the technique really works for you

Pros

Cutting back on the fluff, your just learning the bar minimal of the broad techniques
Gives you 'some' idea of what to do
Can give you a little more awareness on the endless possibility

Feel free to check out and see if we have got any intensives or workshops running, or if your organisation, we would be happy to put one on for you

My first response

So before we go on, please acknowledge that even the simplest skills, ideas and concepts in self defence MUST be practised and developed in order to become effective at it.

It doesn't mean you have to spend every waking moment thinking about them. You just have to put in a little effort, time and energy.

Just like with most things, the more time you give, the better you get at it all and the more confident and competent you will become (check out this blog that gives you some insight into the competent confidence scale)

In the self defence industry, the real danger is false confidence.

Although You can Identify systems that may do this, unfortunately, thats for another day (blog to come)

The if they do, you do problem!

Unfortunately the less you know, the more exposed you are to an alternative attack.

So trying to remember every 'if they do, you do problem'

In the early stages of learning, it's very much like this

You're given a problem, and then you shown an answer to that grab, hold or strick.

It becomes this 2-dimensional approach to learning. While it's very much needed to start with, it's not really realistic.

The problem is, this is how we are all tutored, but we then think, this translates into reality.

but it doesn't, the 'if they do, then you do' thing, is a training tool for learning and one of meny

I could literally name an alarming amount of martial arts that generally think there learning a self-defence in this 'if they do, you do' framework and only that.

If we have 10 mins together, you need to know the broad go-to moves for a range of situations and not a 'IF they do, you do' skills

However, we have to be careful of generalising all gender-based violence with this 10 min lesson

Generalising as if they are all by the same type of person/energy with the same motives.

Thats kinda like saying all you need to do is kick them in the balls. However, that isn't the case

checkout this blog On the 7 Myths if thats your go-to move

So here are the most essential 10mins of your life

Areas follow

Basics

Space
Move
Hands
Gut Instinct
Use everything

What to Hit With

Palm Striking
Elbow Striking
Hammer Fist
Heel
Your Shin
Your Knee
Eye Pocking

Where to Hit

Pain is a non-measurable valuable

1. Space

Space is as much about situational awareness (see blog here) as it is about movement.

But for the purpose of this blog, while keep it to the practical application of space

I know this sounds simple, but its amazing how much I see people moving towards someone wielding a bat and shouting aggressively.
Just because you know the person doesn't mean you know the chimp (blog to come on the two brains).
Keep as much space between you as you can

Flipping space on its head

Space isn't just about getting away. Sometimes getting the safest thing to do is close space.

Closing space can minimise the damage inflicted on you but also set you up for a range of moves you can perform effectively.

(if you train with me, try to remember the 4 primary concepts and how they apply here)

which brings us too the next one

2. Learn to move

Moving sounds like some of them oversimplified comments people that have no express with self defence completely underestimate

With no training, it so so so easy to full over yourself or expose your back

3. Keep your hands Up

As a rule, if there is someone moving towards you aggressively with their hands up, you put them up

It takes time, practice to be able to keep your heads up while your being offensive or defensive

Just go to any self defence club that has a striking base, they will tell you to keep your hands up about 1 million times a session.

its easy to forget in a controlled involvement but ad a little stress its becomes even harder to do

It's uber important and can literally save your life

4. Listen to your gut

If you think you’re at risk, why would you wait around?

If you feel the adrenaline is starting to pump, you have to start doing something (see this blog for a little more on the adrenaline response)

Your gut is way more intelligent than you like to think

After all, we have the tenacity to ignore it, mostly because of are overly optimistic ideals

5. Use everything

If you think you're in danger, use EVERYTHING

Literally, if you can pick it up. Puch it over, then use it

What to Hit With

Parm striking

Learn to parm strike,

Use the bone part of the hand and snap it to someone's face. Not slap, snap

You keep going until you have an opportunity to kick their bits :)

Best place to parm strick

Nose

Groin

2. Elbow
If you had 10mins we would be going over elbow stricks

They’re great for close contact and they is less risk of you hurting yourself

Best place to elbow

Nose and face

Solar plexus

3. Hammer Fist

Make a fist and use it as a hammer. dadaaa

Great for striking the temple

Face

And groin

4. Use your heal

Heal kicking them is a great lower body weapon

Use it to

Stamp on their knees

Shin scrape

And toe stamp

5. Kick with your Shine

Driving the lower part of your shin into someone's groin and do the trick for buying you time and getting away

You can also use the shine to drive into someones

Knees

Thigh

Ribs

and head or face (depending on how into yoga you are

6. Your Knee

Your knee kick is a good weapon for short-range conflicts

Learning to use them aggressively would be time spent wisely

We can use this kick to

Someones face

Groin

Solar plexus

And even legs and ribs

7. Going for the eyes

Eye pocking or gouging is a great tool if your pinned and face them

This is a great one because it’s one of the few techniques that create a reflect action from the attacker.

Although many people get a little squeamish about this one, it still needs to be practised or the likelihood of it being used in a real-life situation is minimal

Taking your fingers or thumbs and pocking them in the eyes

Where to hit?

How you have the tools, now its time to know where to hit

Covered this a little above

People seem to second guess and overthink where to hit. While others randomly flail their arms and legs around hoping to do something meaningful

let's face it, thats kinda how we all feel about life, swinging our arms and legs around until something happens

but the power we can have when we focus our attention and acted with intent can be impactful

Pain is a variable we cant measure

As mentioned a tone all over this site. Pain can’t be measured, most of the above rely on pain to create your escapes and that can be problematic in itself. Most people are likely to become more aggressive once they experience pain

to the next time you see someone doing a demonstration, ask yourself, does this solely rely on pain to escape?

if thats a yes, then don't spend any more time viewing

So here are some targets that do not rely on pain

Eyes (Inisual reflex responts)

Solar plexus (can put someone down if hit with speed and power)

Joints like knees and ankles (bones that they will find it mechanically harder to chance your)

lastly, choking them out or locking them in a submission hold are great ways to withstrain and wait for help or just make them go sleepy

Final notes

To go through and learn all of this effectively, even at a basic level would take a little more than 10 mins.

But you know this

The idea is to create a self defence development programme for yourself, this can and should include times when you are with your friends/family and you should include them in on it.

in the same way as your walking home with your friend, you talk about the 'what would you do if' kinda things

but you formulate it so everyone in the group knows what to do. check out his blog for a little more info on strategies and ideas

Then build your skills up to become efficient and aggressive under premiere

This takes time

Learning to become quick, move fluently all with purpose and intent. Over time you would be a very cool individual with a crazy amount of confidence

Not that, like that workout confidence, or that, I can fit into my skinny jeans again confidence

but the real kind, that kicking ass and takes names kind of confidence that as a functional quality to it

Check out our programmes here.
Intensive

Rounds

Bouts

Fitness Defence

Essentials Programme