Simple Self Defense for Woman

This App shows how each strategy works, explains why it’s effective, and offers helpful tips. The techniques are di- vided into four basic categories:

• Planning and setting boundaries. This category includes ways to sidestep a potentially dangerous situation before it has a chance to escalate. Learning to set boundaries can protect you from a random mugger as well as a violent boyfriend. If you learn to walk away, you can avoid many threats.
• Nonviolent strategies. This category shows how to use nonphysical, nonviolent strategies to avoid or escape an attack. Projecting a confident image, for example, can reduce the likelihood of an attack. Focusing on what you can do, rather than what you can’t, allows you to use your creativity and ingenuity to escape a threatening situation.
• Basic physical techniques (which require little or no preparation). This category describes basic physical tech- niques that you can use in self-defense situations if you need to reinforce your boundaries with fighting techniques. Knowing the techniques will help you feel more comfortable in your environment and make you more confident as you defend yourself, even if only by saying, “No!” Having the ability to fight often means that you don’t have to. The section begins with very basic moves and builds from there.
• Advanced physical techniques(which require some practice). This category features advanced techniques, including joint locks and joint manipulations, more difficult kicks and throws, in case more complicated physical techniques are required to escape from an attacker. These will require practice to perform effectively, especially when you’re frightened. Finally, the complicated issue of weapons — defending yourself against them as well as using them — is addressed.

Simple Self-defense
From all of these options, you can choose the most appropriate combination of strategies for your particular situation. You can focus on the particular approaches that make the most sense for you, combining several strategies to in- crease your safety.
All of the techniques will come more naturally and be more effective if you practice them. Playacting boundary setting with friends, for example, will help you feel comfortable when doing it in a real-life situation. When practicing the physical techniques — the punches, kicks and throws — go slowly at first. Walk through the techniques step by step until you feel confident moving faster. Don’t use full power against a practice partner. Instead, use pad- ded targets, such as a heavy bag, pillows or specially de- signed kicking targets. Take a class with a professional self- defense instructor for hands-on training.

You can practice the techniques on your own, too. For example, you can do the kicks by yourself, “shadow fighting” until you learn how to perform the techniques cor- rectly. Practice balancing on one leg, which is necessary when you kick. You don’t have to spend hours on it every day. A few minutes practicing in the morning or before you go to bed at night may be all you need to gain confi- dence and a working knowledge of basic self-defense strategies that could save your life.

Curated by Jennifer Lawler