Self-Defense Tips + October Question of the Month

I'm co-hosting Unicorn Bell today with: Dear Distracted Writer

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Beth Kennedy in Hurricane Crimes is a self-defense instructor. She’s strong and smart. I wish I was more like her! While researching self-defense techniques that I could describe her teaching her students, I came across easy tips everyone can do to protect themselves. Since October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month that I’d share some self-defense tips with you:

1. When you’re walking by yourself in a dark garage, parking lot, or neighborhood and you don’t have something that can be used as a weapon (umbrella, cane, etc.), make a fist and hold a key or pencil/pen between your fingers. If someone tries to grab you, punch him with that fist, aiming at the shoulder or other limb. You can also aim at the neck or eye to cause more damage.

2. Carry mace or pepper spray while walking by yourself, put your hand in your purse and hold it, so if someone attacks you, your hand is already on your best defense.

TIP: No mace or pepper spray? Carry perfume or hairspray.

3. Carry a taser or stun gun. And know how to use it!

4. Talk on the phone. Let someone know you’re by yourself and where you are in case something happens.

5. If you manage to get away from your attacker, run in a slight zigzag pattern so it’ll be harder for the bastard to aim at you if he has a gun.

6. Scream! Don’t let an attack silence you. Scream and yell for help. Get someone’s attention.

7. Bite, pinch, and scratch. All of these things can hurt.

8. Grab anything you can get your hands on and use it against your attacker.

9. Kick your attacker’s shins. If you’ve played a sport, you know this can hurt.

10. Hit your attacker’s ears with your fist or elbow. A good hit can rupture an eardrum.

11. Kick the front or back of your attacker’s knees. Doing so will cause him to fall.

12. Lift your arm with your hand rigid as if it is a butcher’s knife and chop (karate chop) your attacker’s neck.

13. Hit the nose. Noses are sensitive and can easily break. Give the nose a good punch or even hit it with your elbow. If you don’t know how to punch, try creating a fist and pretending it is a hammer. You can also drive his nose up with the heel of your hand.

14. Go for the throat. No, not with your teeth but with your fist. Doing so could collapse your attacker’s windpipe. I was hit in the throat with a football...it’s not pleasant. Your gasping for breath, your eyes are tearing up, and pain is radiating.

CHOKE HOLDS:

15. If you’re attacker is in front of you (choking you), take your thumbs and gauge his eyes by applying as much pressure as you can. Once he backs up and releases you, run.

16. Also if you’re attacker is in front of you, grab his shoulder and lift your knee with as much force as you can to strike him between his legs. Even if you’re aim is higher, you’ll hit him in the gut. This is my favorite one to do. ;)

17. Another technique if you’re in a choke hold is to bring your arm between your attacker’s arms and flatten your hand in the middle of his chest by his collar bones. Push hard while turning your body away from him. He should release his hold.

18. Yet another move is to swing your arm across your attacker’s arms almost like a windmill to break his hold. You can do the same thing if he’s behind you but you’ll just swing your arm back.

BEAR HOLD/WRIST HOLDS:

19. If you’re ever in a hold with your back to your attacker, lift your arms and swing your elbows back, striking him repeatedly until the hold loosens and you can free yourself.

20. If someone grabs your wrist, bend your knees so you’re in a squat, lean forward slightly while you bend your elbow, bringing your fist toward your body and your elbow to your attacker’s elbow. Doing this will force him to let go.

SHARE: Your self-defense techniques.

QUESTION: Have you ever had to defend yourself like this?

To join this monthly blog hop visit Michael G D'Agostino's blog.

QUESTION: Who would play you in a movie of your life?

That’s easy. Emma Watson. Our birthdays are three days apart and there have been times in my life where we looked alike. Take Hermione Granger from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, for instance. Our faces looked very similar. Besides that, she’s my favorite actress, we have a bit in common, and I think she could portray me very well.