8 Self-Defense Moves You Need to Keep Yourself Safe on City Streets

I have been to places where being polite and lenient can cost you a wallet. Even though these places are notoriously violent, on first look, this doesn’t seem the case. Only when you spend some time you realize that you want to get away from this place as fast as you can.

However, some people are stuck in these places due to job or family conditions.

They don’t have a choice. They can’t go away. The only thing they can do is prepare themselves against the predators that lurk in the dark. This article is for those people.

Disclaimer: Most of these techniques are brutal and require you to use available resources mercilessly. Keep reading only if you feel comfortable learning something that you can use to potentially harm someone. Moreover, use these techniques only if you are in a life-threatening situation.

There are only 10 techniques mentioned in this article. All the techniques are effective and simple. If you use these techniques properly, you can keep yourself safe on city streets.

These techniques are not from any particular style of combat. They are moves from the most effective martial arts mixed together to create a cocktail of the strongest potency.

However, executing these techniques requires daily practice. If you are willing to put in 20 minutes of work every day, you can use these techniques effectively.

Keep in mind, what you practice is what you use, so if you don’t practice a certain technique at least once a week, you will not be able to utilize it to its maximum efficiency. Without practice, your moves will be sloppy and you will put yourself in more danger. Since after attempting something like this, your aggressor will be angrier.

1. The Pen Technique

There are few things you can keep with you at all times and no matter where you are. Things that are sharp, pointy, and can be used as a weapon.

In a way, anything sharp, blunt, swingable can be used as a weapon. So, if you have anything like this, in a life-threatening situation, all you have to do is swing it as hard as you can and hit your assailant on the face or neck.

Now you may be wondering whether you can swing it properly or not. Do you have a cat at home? Have you ever seen her hit things with her paws? You have to do the same thing only once and then run. Just like the cat, have a laser-sharp focus (focus on the place where you are trying to hit, Best places: Face near jaw, neck), don’t make any unnecessary movements, then hit your aggressor with the object you have in your hand with all the strength you can muster, just like your cat hits things with her paws. That’s it. Then run. 

The pen technique specifically focuses on having a pen with you at all times. A pen is a tool of work. Everyone needs a pen. The difference is you are buying pens with strong nibs so that you always have something to protect yourself.

You can also keep a knife with you for self-defense.

Learn how to use a knife, carry a folding knife with you at all times or if you feel uncomfortable carrying a knife, carry a pen with a strong nib.

Situation: This technique is best if your aggressor isn’t holding any weapon

2. Groin Kick

Hit your aggressor in the groin. That’s it.

This video demonstrates how to kick. However, once you hit, you need to run as fast as you can to safety, even if your aggressor passes out. Once you are in a safe place, call 911.

To gain enough flexibility to perform this move perform 5 rounds of Surya namaskar daily. Moreover, ask a friend to hold a pad and practice this motion at least 50 times, both sides, every week. 

Situation: This technique is best if your aggressor isn’t holding any weapon

3. Throat Punch or Palm Strike

If you punch someone without knowing how to punch, chances are you will hurt yourself more than you will hurt the aggressor. You see, the human body has evolved to use tools for every purpose. Unlike lions and rhinos, it’s not built & equipped with hard enough bones or nails to damage an aggressor.

However, you can still train to turn your fists into a weapon. The main point is with training, you have hands that can be used as a weapon. Without training, you will hurt yourself.

Here’s a video that will teach you how to throw a punch.

Here’s a video that will teach you how to throw a palm strike.

However, you aren’t learning it to punch your aggressor in the face. You are going to punch your aggressor in the throat and then run.

Don’t punch the face, don’t punch the nose, don’t punch the chest, punch the throat. It would be even better if you punch while holding something in your hand, like a key, bracelet, phone, etc. Then run.

Situation: This technique is best if your aggressor isn’t holding any weapon

4. Water Bottle Smash / Biting

I literally feel uncomfortable writing this down, however, I know it will be useful for anyone who reads it. The trick is to use & carry a water bottle with you. It’s best if you carry a bottle made of steel. Use it to hit your aggressor in the face.

If you don’t have a water bottle, use your bag, use a stone lying on the ground, use a stick, anything solid enough that it will cause damage and light enough that you can swing it.

Then run. You can get a stainless steel water bottle from here.

The important thing is not what you are going to use to hit the aggressor but how hard you hit the person. To hit hard, you need to train a bit.

If you carry a water bottle with you, swing it multiple times & visualize hitting your aggressor every time you fill it up. By doing this, you don’t need to allot separate time to train yourself. You are literally training yourself every time you fill the bottle.

However, if you have nothing and the culprit is holding onto you, bite him.

Bite him in the hands, neck, arm, face, and nose. Grab and pull his hair if you have to, then punch him in the throat and run. If you have a choice between biting him on the face or neck, always go for the neck. If you get close enough to his neck, bite it, hit it, stab it, anything you can do, do it and then run away, call 911.

I would recommend you to visualize defending & defeating your aggressor a few times every week to prepare yourself mentally.

Situation: This technique is best even if your aggressor is holding a weapon.

5. Running

Don’t make yourself an accessible target. The outcome of a battle is often determined before the first blow is struck. When you have the opportunity to escape from a situation before it turns bad, take it.

If an approaching person gives you the creeps, walk to the other side of the street. If an elevator door opens and the guy standing inside makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up, wait for the next elevator. Those actions aren’t cowardly; rather, they’re a smart way to eliminate danger. (Read this too, Source)

Every time you sense danger, run. This is the best thing anyone can do.

I would recommend running at least twice a week for 30 minutes to build endurance.

Situation: This technique is best even if your aggressor is holding a weapon

6. Eye Poke Technique

If your assailant is trying to grab you, thrust your fingers into the assailant’s eyes and then run. To execute this properly, learn how to throw a jab & do a few finger push-ups daily. Situation: Your assailant is trying to drag you somewhere, you hit his throat, poke his eyes, and run. That’s it. 

This video demonstrates how to eye poke properly.

Situation: This technique is best if your aggressor isn’t holding any weapon

7. HeadButt Technique

You headbutt your assailant and then run. That’s it.

This video demonstrates how to headbutt properly.

Situation: This technique is best if your aggressor isn’t holding any weapon

8. Pepper Spray / Taser

Always carry pepper spray or a taser with you. Make it a habit, like wearing shoes when you go outside. Keep it near your wallet and pick it up every time you leave and always be ready to use it.

You should also keep it in your pocket or somewhere it is reachable enough that you need only three seconds to take it out and use it.

Pepper spray is the best weapon for self-defense. Taser is second best. (Use this pepper spray/Taser from SABRE)

However, to use pepper spray & taser properly, you need to develop a certain amount of situational awareness and practice using them.

Watch this clip.

If you have watched the clip mentioned above, you may understand anything can happen, and situational awareness is the best weapon you can have. However, situation awareness is not the complete answer.

Carry a pen, pepper spray, or a water bottle, and be ready to take a swing anytime you sense danger and then run.

Watch these videos to develop situational awareness:

1. Navy Seal Teaches Situational awareness
2. Situational Awareness: How to Perceive Others
3. Developing Spy Level Situational Awareness

Situational awareness + Pepper Spray (3 Seconds to Use it) + Running (at the first signs of discomfort) is what you need to keep yourself safe.

Watch this clip.

Situation: This technique is best even if your aggressor is holding a weapon

Self-Defence Training Plan

This workout routine requires 1 hour to complete. However, you don’t have to perform all the exercises daily. I would recommend you to perform all the exercises at least once a week.

You can stick to performing two exercises daily.

1. Running: Daily or 2 times a week for 30 minutes
2. Groin Kick: 30 times a day, both legs (Total of 60 reps) (Use a pad)
3. Jab to the Throat: 50 jabs, both hands (Total of 100 reps) (Use a pad)
4. Push-ups: 5 sets of 1 minute (Perform as many reps as you can in a minute)
5. Squat: 5 sets of 1 minute (Perform as many reps as you can in a minute)
6. Bicep Curl: 5 sets of 1 minute (Perform as many reps as you can in a minute)
7. Water Bottle Swings: 50 Swings (Total of 100 reps)
8. HeadButt: 25 reps (Use a pad)

You can get a pad and dumbbells from amazon.

Conclusion

If you live somewhere notorious for violence, prepare yourself. Always be ready with the right tools whenever you leave your house, and don’t expect someone to intervene when you are in trouble. Moreover, train every single day.

I know most of these moves are simple, brutal, and not so cool. But these moves work and are easy to execute in most settings.

P.S Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this article on Self-Defense Moves, feel free to share it. Moreover, leave a question down below in the comment section if you have any.

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