Self-Defense Techniques for Karate Classes

Avoid Threatening Situations

• The ultimate goal of any self-defense system is to protect yourself and your loved ones from harm. The best way to overcome any threatening situation is to avoid it altogether. This means teaching students to always be aware of their surroundings. Avoid dimly lit areas when walking alone at night and try and remain in areas where there are others around. If one is confronted by an attacker or attackers, armed or otherwise, the best thing to do is to run away if you can. Life is not an action movie. Even well trained martial artists may struggle to overcome dangerous criminals or seasoned street fighters.

Face Conflict Directly

• If you are confronted with a situation you cannot run away from you must act quickly and decisively. You want to strike first, strike decisively and then extricate yourself from a situation. If you are in imminent danger of being attacked it's best to attack first. Bruce Lee believed in striking your opponent in the weak point closest to you with the weapon that is closest to him or her. In most cases this means delivering a swift, low sidekick to your attackers knee. A well delivered sidekick to the knee can disable your opponent, allowing you to follow up with more blows or to run away.

  Have your students practice low, fast sidekicks to the knee on heavy bags or against strike pads held at knee level. Delivering a sidekick to the knee is akin to a horizontal stomp.

Attract Attention

• Vocalizing in martial arts is often known as the "kiyap." The "kiyap" has many different purposes. Exhaling air forcefully at the moment of impact can add power and follow through to your strike. It can also be used to strike fear into your opponent. Bruce Lee designed his kiyap to sound like a wild animal or a hysterical woman. In a self-defense situation the kiyap can be used to attract attention. Kiyap loudly as you deliver your kick to the knee and any other blows you follow up with. Even if you get a chance to break away and run, continue to yell and call for help. If you are on the city streets, someone will hear you.

Breaking Free

• Most martial arts systems have complex techniques for all kinds of escapes--- someone grabbing a hold of your collar for instance. Bruce Lee was fond of pointing out that it was perfectly alright to let someone grab a hold of your collar and then to punch them in the nose. The underlying message: The best defense is often a good offense.

  If someone grabs a hold of you keep it simple. If you have a free hand, punch him in the face or throat. Or gouge his eyes with your fingers. If you have been grabbed from behind and your arms are trapped, stomp your heel down into your attacker's foot. The instep has many fragile bones and sensitive nerve endings. A good stomp should loosen your attackers hold enough for you to deliver a sharp elbow to his gut.

  Have students practice grabbing each other and escaping from bear hugs in this manner.

Defending Against a Weapon

• Defending against a weapon is dangerous business. If someone corners you with a gun or knife and asks for your wallet, you are usually better off giving it to him. The money in your wallet and a few charges on your credit card are not worth getting seriously injured or killed over. However, if you feel you are in danger of being killed, harmed or violated then you may need to act.

  If you feel you are in imminent danger of being shot, run away if you can. Most hold-up men are not trained to shoot accurately. If you run away quickly in a zig-zag motion, the odds are you will not be hit.

  If you are cornered by an attacker with a gun, raise your hands to the level of the weapon. Pivot your body and drop your knee on the same side of your body the attacker is holding his gun on. As you do so, use your open hand to knock the gun out of line and to take a hold of your attackers wrist. If you act quickly, you will be out of the line of fire when your attacker shoots.

  With your free hand grab a hold of your attackers gun. It will be hot and you may feel a burn. Pull your attacker's gun away from his body and step forward into your attacker. As you do so release his wrist with your other hand and launch an elbow strike into your attacker's face or throat. This should disable your attacker enough for you to gain control of his gun or to flee the scene.

  This technique can be practiced by students with rubber prop guns in groups of two.

Always Be Realistic

• Even the best martial artists can be mortally wounded by a gun or a knife. Try and avoid trouble in the first place. If you are trapped and your attackers' demands are within reason it may be best to give them what they want. However, if they are going to harm you or violate your person, it may be necessary to fight. If so, remember to act swiftly and decisively. You must assume your attacker is merciless and means you harm. Therefore you should show no mercy until you are safe. In situations like these, one person is going home. The other is going to the hospital. You want to be the former, not the latter.