Ok, ladies, listen up. Imagine you’re in the unfortunate position of being on the receiving end of a hook punch from some a-hole. You need to protect your head and at the same time, fight back. I happened to find a video that shows exactly what I’m talking about: The Throat Strike Self-defense. Here’s the thing to remember: This technique is lethal force, if applied correctly and completely. Dial it back a notch, and get the person away from you, so you can heel-toe express yourself out of the situation. REMEMBER: It’s your responsibility to know and understand the self-defense laws in your state. – Dez

Note: As with every technique I post, 1) you need to practice with a willing adult participant, 2) I don’t endorse any of the sites or teachers, and 3) you need to be aware of and know the self-defense laws in your state. The purpose of these posts is to provide you with information about techniques I would use in certain situations. If you really want to become an expert in self-defense, then you need to find a dojang or dojo. If you have questions about how to identify a good dojang or dojo, post your questions in the comments.

I taught this to my nine-year-old nephew. Lately, he’s been dealing with a few nasty kids. It’s important to give kids a little verbal judo when teaching this kind of technique. You can use it, too.

After you push the person back, you say something like:

(Keep your hands up to protect yourself; Palms out. Keep your tone calm and pitch low. Maintain eye contact.)

“We don’t need to do this.”

“Think about (insert a consequence.)”

“This can end right now. We can both walk away.”

You still need to be ready to defend yourself.

This might not work if you’re in a chronic abuse situation. I’m no expert on it. I’m thinking more along the lines of a guy who got a little out of hand, and things are escalating. He’s not a complete stranger. Maybe you’ve had a few dates.

Like every other technique I share, you need to practice this. What you practice is what you will automatically do in a threatening situation. I like this video because the instructor breaks it down well, and it’s something our military uses in combat. That tells me it’s useful.

Be careful. Don’t hurt your training partner. And, if you teach this to your kid, make sure they understand the consequences. Teach them the push and back up part, rather than the follow-through.

Go practice. – Dez

Video Source: Urban Military Combatives Training via Black Belt Wiki.