If you are an average guy, you might enjoy watching kung fu movies from the comfort of your couch, but actually performing those complicated kung fu moves might seem impossible. While you might not really sail through the air while delivering a flying sidekick, you can learn practical self-defense moves. Learning about practical self-defense training can help you defend yourself or your family.
De-escalation
One of the best ways to defend yourself is to not wind up in a physical fight in the first place. Tense situations can often be de-escalated before a punch is even thrown. If someone is in your face, patience and a calm tone of voice might help you defuse his aggression. Try not to one-up his crass language. However, be prepared for a sudden attack while you are trying to de-escalate the situation. You can practice verbal self-defense techniques in front of a mirror.
Targets
You do not need to deliver a powerful punch in a fight to defend yourself. You can effectively stop an attacker if you know the right areas to hit. The eyes are one of the best targets to strike. Driving your fingers or thumbs into an attacker's eyes can make it difficult for him to continue to fight. Smacking the ears with your hands also can be painful and disorienting for an attacker. Other prime targets are the nose, throat, groin and shins.
Striking
Movie fight scenes often feature tough guys walloping each other with bare knuckles. However, this can be a harmful practice for the average guy. You can easily hurt or break your hand when you punch someone in the face with your bare fist. The heel of your palm is a safer weapon for striking. A fast palm-heel strike to an opponent's nose can be a devastating blow. Your elbows are also effective weapons for striking an attacker who is at close range. You can practice these striking techniques on a heavy bag at home or at a gym.
Kicking
Martial arts schools often teach students flashy high kicks to the head. But if flexibility is not one of your strengths, you can do some lower kicks to defend yourself. For example, you can use the top of your foot or your knee to swiftly kick an attacker in the groin. You can use the outside edge of your foot to kick an attacker's shins or knees. If an assailant is grabbing you from behind, you can stomp down on the top of his foot with your heel.
Classes
Martial arts classes can give you the training and frequent practice to prepare you for combat situations. Some of the best martial arts styles for practical self defense are jeet kune do, krav maga and Brazilian jiujitsu. Jeet kune do, which was developed by the legendary Bruce Lee, uses some of the most effective techniques from a variety of fighting styles. Krav maga is the fighting system Israeli military forces use, and it has grown in popularity in recent years because of its no-nonsense approach. Brazilian jiujitsu is a good style to practice because many fights wind up on the ground, and this style focuses on grappling techniques.
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