I’m often asked if there are special classes for women, and I always give the same answer: “We have a women’s class, but the self-defense techniques are trained together with the men. Only the special situations that women might face are practiced separately among the women.” Usually, it’s men who attack you, not women. Here, we provide you with 10 tips for self-defense for women.
I’ve written down 10 basic tips for self-defense that you should definitely keep in mind in critical situations. With a bit of practice, you can master them. All you need is a large mirror to practice your body language. These tips are not just for women but are also useful for men’s self-defense!
10 Tips for Self-Defense
- Tip 1 – “Take a secure stance, feet hip-width apart, weight on both legs” Self-Defense Tip #1: A secure stance helps you maintain your balance. You can’t be easily pushed and fall to the ground. Falling often results in greater injuries. If you fall, your chances of coming out of the situation unharmed decrease significantly. Women are often lighter than men and therefore need a firm and stable stance for self-defense. A secure stance not only gives you stability but also makes you appear steadfast to others. This means: Your stance alone signals to others that you won’t back down and are ready to fight. The stance is an important part of body language. Since your opponent isn’t looking for a fight but a victim, the likelihood of them attacking you decreases.
- Tip 2 – “Be alert – observe who is around you” Self-Defense Tip #2: In self-defense, alertness is the most crucial point to learn. If you don’t notice someone preparing to attack you, you can’t prepare to defend yourself. That’s it! You might think, “I can’t be on alert all the time to avoid getting hurt.” No, certainly not. But you don’t have to. Almost every confrontation has a prelude that you can notice. Then you usually have enough time to remove yourself from the situation.
- Tip 3 – “Facial expressions, gestures, gaze, and body language signal to the attacker if they have an ‘easy victim’ before them” Self-Defense Tip #3: Besides your stance, it’s important to straighten your upper body and head and lower your shoulders. Never look down; this signals fear to your opponent. Look them in the eye and make a serious face. If the potential attacker is still a few meters away, let them know you’ve noticed them. Then walk past them quickly while keeping an eye on them. You can practice your facial expressions, gestures, gaze, and body language at home in front of a mirror.
- Tip 4 – “Keep your arms in front of your body, hands directed at the attacker to stop them” Self-Defense Tip #4: In most cases, you can avoid a dangerous situation or escape through alertness. If that’s not possible, keep your arms in front of your body with your hands directed at the attacker. Self-defense is only possible if you have your arms up! This body language signals “STOP, no further.” Your hands also serve as a barrier and protect you best when directed at the attacker. If you’re holding items that hinder you and can’t be used as weapons, drop them to free your hands.
- Tip 5 – “In distress, be very loud. Yell, shout ‘Let me through’ so passersby notice” Self-Defense Tip #5: If your body language and hands don’t deter the attacker, create a public spectacle by shouting loudly. Attackers don’t like attention. Most attackers don’t want to be recognized. The police also advise women to be loud in danger! Always say what you want the attacker to do or stop doing. Your voice is a crucial part of your self-defense. Here are some examples:
- “Let me through!” if someone blocks your path
- “Keep your hands off me!” if someone tries to touch you
- “Leave me alone!” if someone talks to you
- “Go away!” if someone gets too close
- Tip 6 – “Directly ask people to help you: ‘You in the gray jacket, please help me, I’m being harassed'” Self-Defense Tip #6: If you have the opportunity, call for help from passersby. When others come to help, attackers usually flee. It’s important to address people specifically and directly so they feel compelled to assist. For example, “You with the black briefcase, please help me, I’m being harassed.” Mention a distinctive feature of the person, like a jacket or a briefcase. Don’t worry about giving a full description in the heat of the moment. Just look at the person and shout loudly enough to be heard over the surrounding noise.
- Tip 7 – “If physically threatened, go all out – aim for a knockout blow, such as to the neck or eyes. Scream, hit, and kick as hard as you can!” Self-Defense Tip #7: If you find yourself physically threatened, it’s best if you’ve prepared through self-defense training. A self-defense course can help, but it should be at least six months long because real situations differ from training. Only creativity, which comes after months of practice, will help you in a real situation. If your training was a while ago, you might not fully recall your knowledge. Perhaps you’ll find other benefits in learning martial arts, making it a hobby. I’ve been practicing EWTO WingTsun for over 35 years and am still as passionate as I was at the beginning.
- Tip 8 – “Hit with an open hand to reduce the risk of injuring yourself” Self-Defense Tip #8: Many martial artists know only to punch with a fist. The fists are protected in gloves. However, boxers sometimes injure their hands even with thick gloves and bandages. Punching is typically masculine. For real combat without protective gloves, the fist is only partly useful. For instance, if you punch the head, you risk breaking your hand or fingers on the hard skull. Open-hand strikes are much safer. Try it yourself! Carefully hit a wall with your fist and then with your open hand. You’ll be surprised by the result.
- Tip 9 – “Use everyday objects to defend yourself, such as an umbrella, keys, phone, or handbag, which are more effective than bare hands” Self-Defense Tip #9: You might feel safer holding something to defend yourself. Don’t be fooled by this sense of security. Handling weapons should be practiced; otherwise, the weapon could be turned against you. If you’re in danger, strike your opponent hard a few times and then run away. Aim for sensitive areas like the neck or head, hit no more than three times, and then escape quickly.
- Tip 10 – “If you can run away, do it! An avoided fight is a won fight!” Self-Defense Tip #10: Your main goal should be to avoid a fight and run away. This is possible in most cases. If you can’t avoid a fight, fight with all your might, but only to escape!
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