What natural weapons do you encourage in self protection and how do you use them most often? A punch is a great weapon, but not necassarily to the mouth or head as you could injure yourself more than the target. Any thoughts? Budo.
Quick point for clarification: By natural weapons are you referring to using parts of our body? If not can you clarify? - Matt
elbows are very handy! Nothing better than a good empi to the face LOL! or a headbutt. so is a hefty palm heel to the face and a stomp on the foot or a kneebreak. fingers in the eyes would be a good one too. However I'd have to say the brain is your best weapon, by being aware of your surroundings and who/what was there, planning ahead to avoid a situation. Reading thru Geoff Thopmsons books this is what he continualy stresses and this is what is pounded <pardon the pun!> into us during our SD training.
Brain Fingers Knuckles Palm Inside and outside of hands Forearm Elbows Head Knees Shins Most parts of your foot The list is endless!
Good list Xubis. Which of these weapons do you use most often (excluding your brain) and how do you use them? Budo.
My choices (in order of personal most common use) 1. Palm strikes 2. SPEARing (see my previous posts on the SD board) 3. Low line (knee or below kicks) 4. Elbows and Hand Rakes (they're a 2 for 1 technique) 5. Knees 6. Close fisted punches Beyond that I consider anything else to fancy for first tier self defense. While that doesn't mean that I wouldn't use other techniques, I consider the above "go-to" natural weapons. - matt
Budo, I'm guessing you didn't mean every part of the body, I mean that is a no-brainer that you could use any part of the body as a weapon. So I'm going to assume you meant specifically what natural weapons are the most practical & effective. 1) ELBOWS: (A) Spears to the sternum, spine & throat. (B) Vertical up to the groin, chin, arms & chest. (C) Horizontal to the face, neck, ribs, knees, shins, spine & arms. (D) Vertical down to the neck, collarbone, thigh, shin, chest & spine. 2) KNEES: (A) Spears to the thighs & shins. (B) Vertical up to the groin, head, face, neck, spine & chest. (C) Vertical down to the chest, neck, spine & head. (D) Horizontal to the knees, thighs, groin, head, chest & back. These are my favorites and are easily learned by beginners and are the most practical & effective natural body weapons for techniques! Sincerely, Teacher: Eddie Ivester
Budo, Like I said in my previous post, the whole body can be used as a weapon! I was giving natural weapons that I feel are the most natural to use, the easiest to perform, quickest to learn and effective when applied. Sincerely, Teacher: Eddie Ivester
Could you expand a little for me please Eddie. I can understand the arguement for the knee and elbow. I guess I'm looking for the arguement against hands and feet. What, in your experience, leads you to believe that knees and elbows are easier than hands and feet? Thanks. Budo.
Budo, Hands & feet can be lethal but are much harder to learn. I mean come on how were you at your first punch or side kick, it took lots of repetitions to throw a well enough executed technique for it to be effective. The hands are fragile with small bones and have to be toughened (without getting into internal strikes) and hands & feet are limited more so to effective striking areas than knees & elbows. How many accomplished Boxers & martial Artist have broken they're hands in a fight. (Tyson at his prime did) Elbows & knees are very hard without any conditioning and are easy to learn. You don't have to do hunreds & thousands of repetitions to execute one correctly. You can hit almost any body part with an elbow or knee and if you screw up the technique it still comes off as a hard & effective blow. Hope this helps. Sincerely, Teacher: Eddie Ivester
How about how you carry yourself? If you look like a victim chances are you are. How about being aware of your surroundings..eyes and ears? Keeping distance between youself and strangers. Your voice, not a scream but yelling fire! In if all that fails, any part of my body that can do the attacker harm... fingers to the eyes, foot or knee to groin, elbow to face or stomach, ectera. Purse to the weapon or head.Try to keep control of self to survive..
I don't put on any act unless i feel threaterned. Like most people, dispite al the good advice about awareness, I go about daily life in ignorant bliss of most risks. It isn't mentally healthy to become paranoid -it is a fine balance.
Curious On reading this thread, it appears that none of those who have posted on it are female!! Given that the thread is 'Womens Self Defence' - 'Natural Weapons' I don't think any of you have an idea what it is like to fight like a woman! For example, how many women do you know who will punch someone in the face? I don't know of any! As a Womens Self Defence Instructor and Martial Arts Instructor I have not found many women willing to do so! As my good friend and fellow Instructor says, he would rather go up against 5 men in a fight than try to separate 2 women who are fighting due to the way they fight! (ie Men shove and throw a punch or two and can be separated by a mate with one hand on their chest, women need an army to untangle them from eachother and anyone going in there may not come out alive!)
Guess what? I am a female 47 yr old that does teach self defence. What I have seen, if a female looks like she doesn't have confidence or is depressed, she has made herself a victim by retreating into herself, eyes usually lowered. A full time bad guy knows this Usually if a person exerts some sort of confience facade, it may make a potential attacker think twice. I do not say have an "awareness' as movies and legend portray, but be observant. Keep distance between yourself and a stranger, if they can touch you, too close. If you are approached by more than 1, do not back into a corner. Look around before you step in a parking lot, esp. if it's dark. Shopping in a store, make sure your purse is closed and the handle is attached securely, don't flash large wads of cash,don't carry your lifes story in your purse. Use your common sense smarts. Try to prevent an attack. That's not being paranoid. If attacked, sure you may panic at first, but if you train,your reflexes will probably kick in and you regain your senses to survive. Your training reflexes will propbably be automatic. Your whole body becomes a weapon.As soon as you get free, confronting the attacker is usually not a good thing. Haul buns to safety File a report then,so details are fresh in your mind.
Forgot to mention, the post was about a womens natural weapons, not how well they fight. Personally I wouldn't want to separate a cat fight myself by grabbing a woman. I would rather use a hose.