Every day, well meaning individuals just like you and I enroll in self defense and martial arts classes in order to learn real self defense training. The idea is to learn how to not get beaten, broken, or killed by a crazed lunatic who doesn't care that you have a life, dreams, and people who love and depend on you.
And, more often than not, what they end up learning are some of the most insanely stupid techniques that will never work against a serious attacker. After you read this article, you'll know why you must find an expert who has more than a certificate or black belt to teach you how to defend your self. You need someone with real-world experience doing what you want to be able to do!
Here are 5 of the most insanely stupid techniques that I have seen being taught to sincere students every day. Learn them if you want. But, use them at your own risk!
1) Putting your keys between your fingers as weapons! I don't know where this one came from but, all you have to do is try it sometime. First of all, when you're under pressure of attack, you're not going to have the time or coordination to get them where they're supposed to be. And second - you'll find that they just don't work very well in that position.
If you want to use your keys - just hold one like you normally would. It's strong, reliable, and if it's already in your hand - it's VERY destructive!
2) "X-Blocking" a knife stab from overhead! Now here's a technique that has been passed on by martial artists who have absolutely no idea where their art and it's techniques came from. And, while your arms may be very strong in this position, you lack the one thing that ancient warriors had when they did this technique - a helmet to catch and deflect the knife when it comes flying out of his hand! It's a matter of natural physics that says that the shock to his wrist that occurs when his arm slams into yours, will open his hand and inertia will propel the knife right into your head or face!
If someone is coming at you with a knife, get the hell out of the way!
3) Taking up a boxers position with your hands. For this one to work, he has to believe the same thing that you do - that your arms are actually indestructible shields! The smart attacker knows that your arms are flesh and blood just like everything else on you, and will just start pounding on your forearm bones to shut them down. Then, once you've lost the use of your arms, he moves in for the kill!
Your arms are good shields, but they must be positioned so that they are protected as well. If you're going to use your arms for cover, then position them so that the attacker has a much more difficult time trying to damage them!
4) Kicking the head! Yeah, let's do that. In an attempt to kick somebody in the head, we're going to sacrifice our groin, femoral artery, base-leg knee, and balance! Again, here's another case of martial artists being absolutely clueless about where their techniques and skills came from and why they were developed in the first place! The high kicks in Tae kwon do, and other forms of karate, were designed for unarmored fighters to kick someone on horseback! So, unless you've got something between your "mommy-daddy button" and the attacker's weapons - don't use these fancy, "look-at-me-ain't-I-cool" kicks on the street!
If you want to kick the guy in the head, take out his legs first. and then when he's down, kick him anywhere you want!
5) Carrying a gun for self defense with no combat training! This one is only asking for trouble. It's amazing how many people have a tremendously false sense of confidence - cops included - just because they're carrying a firearm. It's stupid. Absolutely insane! And the reason is that THE number one skill that is under-practiced, if it's ever practiced at all, is...
...drawing the weapon under pressure!
If you want to carry a firearm for self defense, make sure that you have the training to draw the weapon, aim without the use of sights, and hit your target every time the weapon fires - and be able to do these things while UNDER PRESSURE - not with your gun in one hand and a beer in the other, while you plink cans and bottles off a tree stump with your buddies!
Self defense is more than just learning cool moves or packing some "heat." It involves a mindset that understands not just what to do if something happens - but also what a real situation is like!
So, the question you have to ask yourself is, do you just want to think and feel like you can protect yourself or do you really want to have the skills that will allow you to protect yourself and others of your choosing when it matters the most?
The truth is that...
Effective self defense requires more than just a few "karate moves." It involves the ability to think strategically, and understand how to defend yourself with as little wear-and-tear on you as possible.
If you really want to know what you MUST know to survive a real street attack, read my newest self defense book: "Fight Smarter - Not Harder!" It's available free at: http://www.warrior-concepts-online.com/street-fighting-self-defense-book.html
Jeffrey M. Miller is an internationally-known self defense expert. Each month he teaches literally thousands of students through live seminars, corporate training events, and his in-demand Self Defense Success Secrets Home Study Courses, the lessons to be able to survive in Today's often dangerous world.
