| There's a million different techniques floating | | | | are under attack and fine motor actions fail you, |
| around in the martial world and on the internet. | | | | and you can barely get yourself to move, |
| People claim to have the secret set of moves | | | | sometimes getting in close and using your weight |
| that will be the key to surviving any violent | | | | is the best way to attack an unarmed assailant. |
| situation. Really, I'm not sure such a thing exists, | | | | The elbow strike allows you to do this without |
| so be forewarned that there are not magic | | | | fear of hurting yourself. Not to mention the mere |
| strikes or blocks here; nor do they exist | | | | up and down movement of an elbow can turn it |
| anywhere, for that matter. You can't replace hard | | | | from a strike into an effective block. |
| work and skill. You just can't--no matter what | | | | The fourth technique is a knee strike. This is a |
| anyone tells you. So keep in mind that these | | | | powerful low-line strike that is effective against |
| techniques I'm going to share with you will only | | | | the groin and the gut. Besides its usefulness for |
| work if you practice with the regularly, both by | | | | offense, performing the action of a knee slam |
| yourself, and under pressure with a partner. | | | | and holding it is a great way to absorb round |
| The first technique is on the hammer fist. You | | | | house kicks and very low strikes. |
| probably won't see this in other top fives, but | | | | The fifth and final technique is the claw. The claw |
| bear with me. The reason this is in the top five | | | | can be a scrape across the face, the grasping of |
| self defense techniques I am sharing with you is | | | | muscles or nerves, and a palm-heel strike. This is |
| because it is so simple and so easy to use--yet | | | | great for emergencies. |
| so powerful with surprisingly little practice. It can | | | | Altogether these techniques were chosen from |
| be used both as an attack and defense (a block), | | | | careful consideration. Other top fives would |
| and can be launched from a variety of positions. | | | | probably include a spear hand/finger dart or knife |
| The clenched fist keeps your fingers safe, allows | | | | hand, or a pure palm heel strike or a slap. |
| you to hit successively with ease (although it can | | | | However, the spear hand technique is only useful |
| rob speed) and its strong nature makes you less | | | | against the eyes unless one spends years |
| likely to hurt yourself on accident while using it in | | | | strengthening their fingers through painful |
| a self defense situation. | | | | exercises. If one misses, it is all-too-easy to injure |
| The second movement is the straight punch. This | | | | their fingers. Slaps can easily injure the fingers as |
| is a quick punch that can be made from many | | | | well, and are only useful against the face, |
| angles, and, if mastered, can even be used to | | | | specifically the ear, and the knife hand is not as |
| angle off attacks as a form of simultaneous block. | | | | strong or reliable as the hammer fist when the |
| In many ways it can have reach and angle as an | | | | fists are flying. You don't want your fingers |
| advantage over the horizontal (or "reverse") | | | | constantly exposed. |
| punch, and it has a bit more length on the | | | | In closing, you must practice these techniques |
| hammer fist. For more information on this | | | | over and over until you have the hang of them. |
| fascinating tool, check research works involving | | | | Experiment with them and develop as many uses |
| Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do, Wing Chun gong fu, and | | | | as you can think. Train right, and they will not fail |
| Isshin-ryu Karate. | | | | you. |
| The third technique is the elbow strike. When you | | | | |