The Ultimate Cheat Sheet For Simple Self Defense

One of the biggest reasons I started teaching self defense is because I could not find a simple self defense class out there. I didn't have the time that was required for traditional classes. I'm not going to be able to "take down" an attacker by kicking his ass, but I am going to be able to distract the attacker long enough to get away. 

We all have vital spots, spots that for one reason or another are more susceptible than other spots. 

If someone is grabbing you, trying to trap you or choke you, most probably they have both their hands on you or their intention is to grab you. You have TWO FREE HANDS, TWO ELBOWS, A HEAD, TWO KNEES, TWO FEET, AND TEETH. Use them as weapons. In the movies, you always see victims flailing their arms about, trying to grab away the hands of the attacker or punching them on the side of their arms or their chest. Go for the vital spots to disable an attacker and GET AWAY!

• Eyes: Poke an attacker in the eyes with your fingers. Really Poke. Try it right now. Fully extend your pointer and middle finger and jab the palm of your other hand, as hard as you can. Go on, jab it. Don't let your fingers bend. You can also punch them in the eye. Jabbing and punching them in the eye will basically temporarily blind them. Most probably and instinctively, they will probably release you to bring their own hands to their injured eyes. THAT IS WHEN YOU RUN AWAY! Run to nearest exit that you already should know is there because of the 10 second rule. 
  
• Ears: Punching or slapping someone on the ear really hurts. Hitting them in the ears or eyes is a safe and smarter choice, as it disables the attacker. Again, their hands will most probably instinctively go to their ears, once again allowing you to RUN AWAY!
• Nose: Punching someone in the nose will not only make their eyes water, it will most definitely hurt, and often causes people to bend over. You can head butt someone who has grabbed you from behind and possibly encapsulated your arms. 
• Windpipe: Jab an attacker in the throat. Go on, you know you want to feel yours. Take your finger directly in line with your chin and feel your way down your neck to right before that little U shape at the collarbone and then push in. It should make you cough. Imagine get jabbed or punched there. 
• Stomach: Yup, knock the wind out of them. You can punch them in the stomach or elbow them sideways in the stomach. Practice on a friend or spouse (well, not really practice but pantomime what you would do). 
• Groin: Knee or punch either a man or a women in the groin. We don't recommend kicking as someone can grab your foot and throw you to the ground and now we have a whole new set of rules. Kneeing or punching works.
• Shin: You ever hit your shin on the edge of something? Hurts like a mother. Kick someone in the shin as hard as you can. They will definitely bend over and grab, which you will them RUN AND GET AWAY!
• Top of the Foot: Stomp your foot. Right now. Someone grabs  you, stomp the top of their foot as hard as you can. You might even break a few bones and they won't be able to pursue you as you run away.

Practice and memorize these vital spots. Practice them on/with a friend or a spouse until they become instinctive. Have them come at you from the front and from behind. And practice GETTING AWAY!