Author name: David DiBella

Socializing in the presence of others is unavoidable. We all go out to eat, gather to watch sports and meet friends on the town. All of these situations put us around people we know nothing about. This becomes extremely dangerous when a conflict arises, regardless of whether or not you are directly involved. When someone gets unruly and is asked to leave an establishment, what follows can be extremely dangerous and often times is. As a general rule, if someone gets asked to leave an establishment you are in, you should leave as well.

Proximity to your attacker will dictate the hand-to-hand combatives you use to defend yourself. When your attacker is very close, punches and kicks may not be an option. Knees and elbows are excellent choices when it comes to delivering powerful blows when your attacker is very close. Here are some things to consider when making knee and elbow strikes part of your self-defense training.

If you exercise good situational awareness, you may be able to utilize verbal control to diffuse a situation before it turns physical. Verbal control is defined as using verbal communication in a forceful, definitive manner to influence a situation. Being forceful is more than physical action. A forceful presence also involves mindset, attitude and verbal communication.

One of the most important factors in determining the outcome of a confrontation is often times physical fitness. Unfortunately, fitness is often neglected in self-defense training. A solid foundation of agility, balance, strength and endurance will be needed when in threatening situations. With a little planning and consistency, fitness can be a fun, routine part of your training regimen.

Self-defense has a serious implication. The term implies that you are on the defense, reacting to someone’s aggression towards you. By definition, you are at a disadvantage. It is always slower to react than to pro act. If you are reacting you are not in control. A well-planned offense is always better than a defense. Offense does not mean that you’re attacking people at will. Rather, you are proactive in implementing a plan, diffusing situations and avoiding confrontations.