Self defense comes with so many easy moves to make, but the areas you target with your first few moves can make all the difference. If you want to escape from your attacker, you should choose the parts of the body where you can inflict the most damage without too much effort. Of course, the position of the attacker and the proximity to you will determine what area you can reach and hit, but the good thing is that there are several parts that you can hit with your hands, knees or even feet, regardless of the position.
The eyes – The eyes are one of the most sensitive parts of the body; your attacker won’t be able to see anything if you damage the eyes in any way and thus they are some of the best he can choose to attack. Scrape, poke, or gouge the attacker’s eyes with your knuckles or fingers and you’ll leave a lot of pain and have time to escape. Temporarily interfering with vision is one of the easiest and most effective ways to deal with a physical attack and get out of the situation.
Nose – This is a good place to aim when the attacker is standing in front of you up close. You can use the heel of your palm to strike just below the nose, throwing your weight into the movement to cause pain and throw the attacker off balance and loose in the process. The nose is also an easy but effective target when the attacker is behind you because you can punch with your elbow. When you target the nasal bones with all your energy, it will work and free you up so you can take cover.
The knees – They are ideal places for self-defense because they partially incapacitate the attacker. The knees are still vulnerable from any given angle and you can easily kick them too without the risk of getting your foot caught. Simply aim for the lateral knee area to cause injury or incapacitate the attacker. The front of the knee causes even more injury, but is not as effective in throwing off the attacker.
The neck – The lateral area of the neck is the best target because it is where the jugular vein and carotid artery meet. Keep all fingers straight and tight together, thumb tucked in, and knuckles slightly bent, then bring them just to the side of the neck. This is known as the knife hand strike and will temporarily stun the attacker, giving you the advantage.
Learning a few self defense moves and techniques can save you a lot of time when no one else is around to rescue you. It helps to be ready at all times.
