Handy Self-Defense Skills

Traveling alone can occasionally mean you may be put in a compromising situation at one time or another. While staying away from shady characters and bad parts of town definitely helps, it’s always better to be prepared for the worst than to be caught unaware. Most self-defense skills are ones you could easily think of when you’re calm and collected, but that may not come to mind immediately if you’re in a perilous situation.

One of the most important things is to remember to stay clear-headed and confident. Acting hysterically, crying or hyperventilating is not going to help if you find yourself being mugged or possibly abducted. If you do your best to remain in control of your emotions and the situation, you are more likely to make good decisions.

Next, use your surroundings. Anything can be used as a weapon if you’re creative enough. If your attacker is larger and stronger, you probably won’t be able to use your body alone to fight them off. Small, sharp objects such as pens or car keys can easily be used, as well as a heavy bag or any other heavy objects that could be used as blunt force.

Also remember that the person attacking you has little regard for your life or safety, and pleading or begging with your attacker rarely works in your favor. Don’t be afraid to make an offensive move if that’s what it takes to escape or reach safety. While everyone hopes that they never find themselves in a situation where self-defense skills are needed, it’s always a good idea to have a clear understanding of what would need to be done when faced with a life-threatening or otherwise harmful scenario.