Fitness Moves That Can Save Your Life
1. When grabbed from behind and put in a chokehold….
Remember not to panic: This is the first mistake people make in such a scenario. Instead, breathe, as difficult as it may seem. Conserve your every breath. Then, begin to quickly turn your head inward, and in the very direction of your assailant, so as to deconstrict your airways.Next, slither (like a quick fox BARELY dodging an arrow) your head out of the attacker’s arm….
2. When the attacker grabs your wrist and goes for your purse or wallet….
Let’s imagine your stalker is actually a 360-lb., 6’3 man with the grip strength of an angry bear. That description is pretty cruel to picture, is it not? But the best part follows…
Even if he holds an iron grip over your wrist, with just one of his hands firmly squeezing the life out of it, do the following and you will still be able to escape the grip:
First of all, you see that small, round aperture that lies right between the forefinger and the thumb?
Well, if you look quite closely at it, you’ll notice there’s quite a gap, and even the toughest grips can’t hold such a fist shut when any amount of intentional force shoots out against it. So that’s where you need to act….
Make a straight, rapid jerking motion so as to offshoot your grasped wrist or forearm right into the open half-circle aperture just mentioned.
4. You’ll shoot straight out of the wrist/forearm hold and free your whole arm, when done quickly and forcefully, no matter how strong the attacker’s grip really is!!!!
3. When a knife is being pointed at you….
Once again, begin by not panicking, as hard as that may be. Remember that you still maintain control of your next move, which should be to “size up your opponent” with a quick glance; in other words, carefully observe his or her physical appearance, height, weight, length and even body mass in order to determine whether you are dealing with a person who will easily outrun you, one who will outmuscle you but is not very fast, one who is missing any body parts or has a face that is recognizable and “sketchable” (for later giving a more detailed description to the police, if need be.), etc. Next, I want you to focus the entire attention of your eyes on the movement and rhythm of the arm and hand holding the knife, be they on the right or left side of the opponent, because you’ll need to go in the opposite direction so as to angle out of each swipe ---- sometimes even barely missing the blade. Keep your eyes on the tip of the blade at all times, as well as on the hand that directs it. When your attacker strikes and misses, you have about a 1-2 second window of opportunity, depending on how quickly he or she moves, of course; this is where you’ll step in to grab the wrist of the hand holding the knife and try to twerk it out.
You can also kick straight up into the attacker’s groin area during this window of opportunity. Strike quickly and run, if you can. One well-timed, well-placed hit ---- with a little bit of practice and luck at this final “moment of truth” --- should be all you need to give you enough time to do so. Then, of course, yell out for help as you run away, and find the nearest public place of safety, where you can report the attempted crime and provide your assailant’s physical description to law enforcement personnel.
4. When a gun is being pointed at you….
First, DO NOT make eye contact of any sort. This may trigger a shot. DO NOT put the gunman in any position of discomfort or “feeling of danger”, which can do the same. Instead, speak in a calm and relaxed voice, offering what you have and kindly asking what he or she wants ---- is it your wallet, purse, or some other object? Then, slowly pull it forward with one hand, allowing the gunman to reach out with one hand as well ---- now the gunman only has one hand on the gun, but it’s likely that most of his or her attention is now on the item you are handing over.
In this very short window, you have two options: Let them take what they want and pray you are not harmed, or make a quick jerking grab for the gun with your other nearby hand, just as they reach forward for the object, while you angle your face away from the barrel. Either way, it’s a risk. And the second option is not recommended unless you are highly self-confident, have a strong grip, and have perhaps taken a few ‘practice runs’ on this through some former martial arts or self-defense training.
5. When you can run….
Run like your life depends on it, given you’ve first found an opening through which to escape ---- or you have merely provided the right distraction to buy you that extra couple seconds of “sweet escape” through kicking the attacker in the groins, spraying him/her with pepper spray, or even throwing your wallet or purse away from you with a rapid motion, only to watch them drop all else and chase after it!!!
6. When you can’t run….
You can’t always expect a fair fight because life itself is not fair. But do not despair. If you find yourself in this situation, there are still a few things you can do, the first being to look around and observe your surroundings.
Believe it or not, but doing so can give you a slight advantage over the impulsive, animalistic attacker who is often characterized by failing to do the same; often, he is so quickly drawn away from observing his surroundings and is merely driven by his desire to hurt or steal from someone, thinking he will get what he wants --- but not this time!!!! So, as you note your surroundings, the first thing you can do is to see what objects around you can serve as a potential weapon of defense or attack, be they a stick, a tray, a trash can metal lid, etc. The goal is to keep the object(s) between you and the criminal, all the while yelling for ‘HELP’ at the top of your lungs, until he/she becomes truly desperate and flees the scene, before someone arrives to apprehend. This tip has often worked beautifully in real situations!
7. When there’s both nowhere to RUN or HIDE….
Here, you must use the last tip above or simply fight it out until you can leave!!! And it may not be easy, but you must learn to pick your battles and walk away with a few losses --- bumps, bruises, cuts, etc. --- but come out with your life still intact!!!! If this becomes your fate, at the moment, then remember all the advice just covered, and aim for the central points of contact by which you might inflict the most harm and stop your attacker from wanting to continue. Hopefully, the adrenaline now rushing through your blood and veins is now at its best, and you should be able to move more quickly than he can, given it’s your life that’s on the line here. And remember: In most cases, you may only have one shot to pull this off correctly and save yourself, so make every motion count.
But, what are some of these central points of contact, which can feel the most pain in an instant? Well, I’m glad you asked!!! They’re the armpits, the groin area (especially for men), the neck or teeth, nose, elbow joints and even toes, to name a few! Aim for the first opening, and strike quickly and repeatedly, not forgetting to immediately withdraw the body part that strikes so that the enemy does not get ahold of it! Then reach out and strike again, like your life depends on it, which, if you haven’t noticed, does!!!!
8. When you’re down on the ground, just trying to survive….
So let’s say the fight “takes to the ground”, and in an attempt to torture, rape, or simply disable you with greater ease, the attacker manages to pin you down to the ground. Well, guess what? You still have options if you listen closely….
Protect your knees, torso, and face, above all else. And learn to grapple!!! Many places now offer affordable classes for beginners. “Proper ground technique” is a crucial skill that can make all the difference, and it may mean life or death! For more on this, see here.
And why did I mention the fox, by the way, which also so likely happens to be Lauren Gentges’ favorite animal? Because this animal is sly, witty, quick, highly defensive and adaptable? There’s a few reasons. But for more great reading on this magnificent creature, click here and you will not be disappointed. In fact, you will likely thank me instead, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves….
Final Thoughts On All the “Mumbo Jumbo” We Just Talked About Here: Don’t Stress; Pray Instead; Give from the Heart; Love Unconditionally; Forgive, and Be So Much More in This Life…You Only Live Once.
So do consider our proven advice the next time you find yourself in a state of crisis. And remember to look up: The Good Lord has an answer for everything. So worry about nothing, and pray about everything; you will find that perfect solution to meet your present need head on! Believe it, and you’ll receive it. All good things do come in time, and from the Father above, the true Giver of all good things everywhere, the Source of every great blessing.
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