4 Effective Self Defense Strikes

There are many different punches, kicks, strikes and moves that someone can use to defend themselves against an attacker.

However, are they all created equal, and will they all be effective at self-defense?

The answer is no.

Some self-defense strikes and moves are intended to inflict significant damage and therefore require lots of windup and power, which may be ineffective if you are trying to stun the attacker and flee.

Similarly, some strikes and moves are intended to target certain body parts, hold the other person down, or submit the opponent, and may not be effective in a practical real life situation where you're not trying to wrestle with your attacker on the street.

Here are 4 effective self defense strikes that can be used in an everyday dangerous situation to fight off your attacker and flee the scene.

1. Knee or Kick to Groin

Kneeing or kicking a male attacker in the groin area can stun and incapacitate him, and give you time to escape the situation.

The groin area of a male attacker is a very vulnerable and sensitive area that can cause a lot of pain, shock and loss of balance.

The groin area is also reasonably within reach of your leg or foot and more accessible, making the strike easier to unleash and deliver with great force or speed.

2. Strike to Face

Striking an attacker in the face with a closed fist or open palm is very effective as it targets the eyes, nose, mouth, throat, and general face, which are all very sensitive areas on the human body.

This strike can disorient the attacker by disrupting their vision, focus, and sensory organs, which will give you time to flee the scene.

The eyes, nose and mouth are also very rarely covered by clothing or other objects, so they are completely exposed and hence more vulnerable and susceptible to damage.

Lastly, an attacker's face is normally right in your line of sight, which increases the accuracy and precision of your strike.

3. Reverse Foot Stomp

The reverse foot stomp is a powerful self-defense strike performed when an attacker is holding you from behind.

This move is effective because in these instances, your arms, hands and front of your body are normally subdued by the attacker, but your legs and feet are not.

The best way to perform this move is to push back submit your body into the hold of the attacker so you can get closer to him, look down at their feet, and stomp as hard as you can on the center and toes of their foot.

Ideally this should stun the attacker by causing a wave of pain which will loosen their grip and allow you time to escape.

4. Reverse Elbow

The reverse elbow is another self-defense move that can be performed if a predator has grabbed you from behind.

While this move can be difficult to execute, if you are able to execute it properly, it can cause significant damage to the perpetrator and give you time to escape.

The first reason why this move is effective is because you're again targeting the face which contains the eyes, nose, mouth, throat, and other sensitive facial areas. Any strike to this area can cause significant pain and disorientation.

Secondly, the twisting motion of the reverse elbow can be very powerful and fast, even for someone not very strong, due to the torquing motion of the body.

The reverse elbow is a great move if an attacker has grabbed you from behind and there's enough space between your body and their body to twist your elbow into their face.