What is the best strategy for self defense?

[ninjachamp6]

To win without fighting is a realistic and practical strategy. This knowledge has been passed down for centuries through Sun Tsu’s book, The Art of War. World famous strategists use this theory. If you use it, perhaps you will live to tell about it.

Reality of fiction

Too often in the martial arts, students learn self-defense that is unrealistic and possibly detrimental to the defender. When it comes to practicality, fight with facts, do not be fooled by your training. Below is only a small list of realities that you can use as a guide to build a better basis for your protection.

Most fights end up on the ground.
Prepare by improving your grappling skills.

There are no rules and no judges in combat.
If it works, use it, and do not stop until it does.

Kicks above the waist are unrealistic.
It is better to be safe than sorry.

How you train is how you will fight.
If it is not contact you will be surprised.

Point sparring is not realistic for true combat.
Pull your punches and pull your chances.
Most people punch to the face or head.
Get used to hooks and crosses, wild and fast.

Attackers do not hold their punch in the air.
Learn to control your opponent, not dance around a frozen one.

Everything is forgotten in a fight.
All defenses will be natural reactions from years of practice.

Punches and kicks can hurt you too.
The attacker might also be prepared, do not underestimate an
opponent.

Most punches and kicks are off target, thus useless.
Do not waste energy, focus on primary striking areas.

Reality is nothing like a movie.
Survival is the name and it is not a game.

[Rickster]

Originally Posted by ninjachamp6

To win without fighting is a realistic and practical strategy. This knowledge has been passed down for centuries through Sun Tsu’s book, The Art of War. World famous strategists use this theory. If you use it, perhaps you will live to tell about it.

So why train to fight? Drop all of the training and study philosophy.

Originally Posted by ninjachamp6

Reality of fiction

Too often in the martial arts, students learn self-defense that is unrealistic and possibly detrimental to the defender. When it comes to practicality, fight with facts, do not be fooled by your training. Below is only a small list of realities that you can use as a guide to build a better basis for your protection.

No intended offense, I have some things to say

Originally Posted by ninjachamp6

Most fights end up on the ground. Prepare by improving your grappling skills.

I completely DISAGREE. From my experiences, most did not end up on the ground. Although, any form of fighting produces a better martial artist when combined.

Originally Posted by ninjachamp6

There are no rules and no judges in combat. If it works, use it, and do not stop until it does.

I kinda DISAGREE
There are laws in particular combat. Reasonable force and control must be obtained upon each situation.

Originally Posted by ninjachamp6

Kicks above the waist are unrealistic. It is better to be safe than sorry.

Practicing high kicks better balance and strength for low kicks. In actuality, I rarely observed, like ground fighting, this in the majority of street-defense.

Originally Posted by ninjachamp6

How you train is how you will fight. If it is not contact you will be surprised.

So, you think all of these women rape and defense seminars, with limited contact, wont help women?

Originally Posted by ninjachamp6

Point sparring is not realistic for true combat.

Point sparring aids in reflex, timing, and some tactic against another person.

Originally Posted by ninjachamp6

Pull your punches and pull your chances.

I dont think any gym allows people to go all out. Some control has to be used.

Originally Posted by ninjachamp6

Most people punch to the face or head. Get used to hooks and crosses, wild and fast.

Most people, the population, do not get attack this way. Last I checked, my parants, siblings, and co-workers nevered had a hook, cross, wild and fast to their heads.

Originally Posted by ninjachamp6

Attackers do not hold their punch in the air. Learn to control your opponent, not dance around a frozen one.

Stop motion is sometimes needed to study the dynamics of the body.

Originally Posted by ninjachamp6

Everything is forgotten in a fight. All defenses will be natural reactions from years of practice.

Part agree. Part disagree. (Natural reactions fail upon the situation)

Originally Posted by ninjachamp6

Punches and kicks can hurt you too. The attacker might also be prepared, do not underestimate an opponent.

As equally important, do not over-estimate yourself.

Originally Posted by ninjachamp6

Most punches and kicks are off target, thus useless. Do not waste energy, focus on primary striking areas.

How can one focus if everythng is forgotten in a fight?

Originally Posted by ninjachamp6

Reality is nothing like a movie. Survival is the name and it is not a game.

Reality is nothing like training. The large population does not train, yet they survive without it for decades.

[Adara]

The following is a list of the six general phases of progression that one goes through in being properly prepared for a self-defense situation - beginning with the least amount of threat to the defender and leading to that which poses the greatest potential for damage. Each phase, or stage, itself, has the potential of reducing or completely eliminating your chances of ending up as a crime statistic as a victim of assault or some other serious crime.

If you are to be properly prepared to maintain a safe and danger-free life, you must insure that your training takes all of these phases into consideration.
General Awareness - Accept that there is danger in the world and choose to do something about NOT being a victim of it.
Awareness of Danger Potential - Tune-in and be aware of your surroundings. Know that the sooner you can be aware of danger that might affect you, the more choices you have for dealing with it.
Escaping to Safety - Know how to choose good escape routes from where you are. Have escape routes pre-planned from your home and everywhere else you frequent regularly. And, have multiple routes to and from places like work, the mall, school(s), and of course, your home.
Distraction Tactics - Don't be in a hurry to fight. If at all possible, use humor, trickery, and other non-threatening, non-confrontational strategies to diffuse the situation or distract the attacker's mind away from you as the target.
Project a Confident Attitude - As a last resort, use firm, committed speech and body language to try to dissuade the assailant from going through with his plan to attack. Let him know, in no uncertain terms, that you will not be an easy target.
Physical Self-Defense - If all else fails, and you end up at this phase - be prepared to win.
It's important to note that "physical self-defense" comes at the end of the list. This is never the preferred choice for handling things as there is always the chance, no matter how good you are, of something going wrong.
As I said, the more options you have in being able to avoid or escape from a situation before it gets physical, the greater your chances of success with the least amount of wear-and-tear.

[Rickster]

Originally Posted by Adara

The following is a list of the six general phases of progression that one goes through in being properly prepared for a self-defense situation - beginning with the least amount of threat to the defender and leading to that which poses the greatest potential for damage. Each phase, or stage, itself, has the potential of reducing or completely eliminating your chances of ending up as a crime statistic as a victim of assault or some other serious crime.

If you are to be properly prepared to maintain a safe and danger-free life, you must insure that your training takes all of these phases into consideration.

General Awareness - Accept that there is danger in the world and choose to do something about NOT being a victim of it.

Awareness of Danger Potential - Tune-in and be aware of your surroundings. Know that the sooner you can be aware of danger that might affect you, the more choices you have for dealing with it.

Escaping to Safety - Know how to choose good escape routes from where you are. Have escape routes pre-planned from your home and everywhere else you frequent regularly. And, have multiple routes to and from places like work, the mall, school(s), and of course, your home.

Distraction Tactics - Don't be in a hurry to fight. If at all possible, use humor, trickery, and other non-threatening, non-confrontational strategies to diffuse the situation or distract the attacker's mind away from you as the target.

Project a Confident Attitude - As a last resort, use firm, committed speech and body language to try to dissuade the assailant from going through with his plan to attack. Let him know, in no uncertain terms, that you will not be an easy target.

Physical Self-Defense - If all else fails, and you end up at this phase - be prepared to win.

It's important to note that "physical self-defense" comes at the end of the list. This is never the preferred choice for handling things as there is always the chance, no matter how good you are, of something going wrong.

As I said, the more options you have in being able to avoid or escape from a situation before it gets physical, the greater your chances of success with the least amount of wear-and-tear.

Great Post. I like it

This is another one-more basic;

Secure: Know where you are
Avoid: Places like dark alleys that look like trouble
Flee: If you see trouble coming, and can get away
Engage: If you can't avoid it and can't run, then fight.

[thelegend731]

I like this, especially Rickster's addition

[Rickster]

Originally Posted by thelegend731

I like this, especially Rickster's addition

Thank you.

One of my teachers always said the best strategy for defense is not going to the places or areas where you may have to use it