By Rebecca Maxwell

No one plans on being attacked in the course of their daily routine but the reality is that danger could find you anywhere and at any time. When you find yourself in a precarious situation, do you know how to defend yourself?

It is best to know ahead of time how to fight back, especially when violence is unavoidable and you are not able to defuse the situation or get away. Here are some self-defense tricks that might save your life one day:

Get Loud and Fight Back – When an unknown person rushes towards you as if to attack, shouting “Back off!” and move towards that attacker, not away. The person attacking might not be suspecting you to fight back so this could give you time to attack first. It might also surprise the attacker and alert others that you are in need of help.

Use Anything Can Be Used as a Weapon – Just like in any survival situation, you can use anything you have on you, a purse, keys, hairspray, dirt, etc., to ward off an attacker. The absence of a gun, knife, or pepper spray does not mean you are without assistance. Anything in the immediate environment could be used as a weapon, and it might be helpful to briefly survey what is around you where you go in case of an attack.

Know the Major Weak Points of the Body – If you have to fight off your attacker, you may only have a small window to deliver a crippling blow, one that allows you to get away. Consequently, aim for the areas of the body that are most easily injured which are the eyes, ears, nose, neck, knees, and groin. The elbows, knees, and head are the most effective body parts for inflicting damage.

Know How to Get Out of Common Holds – Attackers often do not come straight at you. They might grab you from behind with a choke hold around your neck, grab your wrist, or put you in a bear hug. Women are especially vulnerable to having their hair grabbed from behind. No matter how big you are, however, getting out of a hold is a measure of leveraging your weight and throwing your attacker off balance to get the upper hand. Many self-defense courses can teach you how to do so.

Use Prevention as the First Course of Action – Of course, the best self-defense measures are those that preventative. Most attackers are looking for victims that are vulnerable and unsuspecting. Preventing yourself from being the target of violence means taking safety measures like only walking and parking in well-lit areas, changing your times and routes of travel, and being aware of your surroundings.

Rebecca Maxwell is a freelance writer who has written for a variety of websites including GISLouge.com and AKA Mom Magazine. She first started out as a history blogger at My Adventures in History, and her articles have been published in Idaho Magazine, Idaho Family Magazine, and Christian Living Magazine. Rebecca loves all kinds of outdoors activities and is an avid runner and triathlete.