For context I'm a runner and there's this dog in my neighborhood who constantly keeps getting out and keeps getting extremely close now I know you usually can stare down a dog (it's a big dog) and they won't do anything but they get extremely close usually and that kind of hostile and I am a smaller dude what could I do in that situation?
This recently happened to me: I was about to test my new pepper spray like I usually do. I sprayed it, and everything seemed normal. I went to wash my hands as a precaution, but then I scratched my eye, and it started burning so much that I couldn’t open it. I mean, I had already washed my hands and everything, even though no pepper spray had gotten on me. Is the burning I felt the usual level of pain when you’re exposed to pepper spray, or is that the minimum level of pain one can feel from it?
Hey, so I'm a disabled woman who will be moving out of my parents place within 1-3 years. I have full use of my limbs but I'm really not the strongest. I use mobility aids very often (wheelchair, rollator, crutches and a cane). I have back problems that often limits my movements/strength etc. I'm also in Canada, so I can't have guns, tasers, pepper spray, knifes etc for self defense. I was wondering what are my options of learning how to physically defend myself. Like who can I see to learn? What type of gym do I contact?
I'm asking because I was "attacked" by a psycho while walking my service dog with my cane this summer. Dude was trying to kick my dog but was unable too. My body was extremely sore afterwards but if my sister wasn't there he would have been able to harm my service dog and I. He kicked me and tried pushing me down but dude was unable too. Since that incident, I've been more self conscious how I can't really defend myself if the guy was much taller and bigger and if I was walking alone with my dog.
Help pls.
Is there any decent pellet air pistol for concealed carry and self defense?
Unfortunately, I find myself in a situation where personal safety is back at the forefront. Situational awareness, de-escalation, and escape are my primary tools, and have mostly worked in the past. I am looking for suggestions for when those things fail.
I understand that carrying a firearm is the gold standard, and used to carry daily years ago. But for personal reasons, owning a firearm is not currently an option. I do carry a knife or multi-tool (for cutting things, not people), but do not plan to ever deploy it in a self-defense scenario. I have just enough training to know that knives are bad news. I also have some pepper spray on my keychain, but it is inconvenient to carry. I also have a pretty mean right hook.
What I am hoping for is some specific suggestions for things I can and would carry that would help even the odds or to create an opportunity to escape. For example, I work in a profession where I am often wearing a skirt suit or a dress, and don't often have pockets. So, some sort of pepper spray that I could carry IWB in a skirt would be ideal. Or something equivalent to the Flash Bang bra holster but for pepper spray. Or a good tac light for IWB carry that still packs enough of a punch to disorient someone. I have thought of getting one of those garter wallets to keep pepper spray in. If I can carry it while wearing a pencil skirt without pockets, that's what I'm looking for. The best defense tool is the one you will actually carry, and I'd like to have as many options to choose from as possible.
For reference, I'm a little over 6' tall and--to put it politely--thicc enough that someone trying to carry me off without seriously injuring themselves in the process is unlikely. But that also means that running is not my strong suit either. I'm also not a fan of ever turning my back on an assailant.
Any suggestions? I'm planning to eventually take some Krav Maga or Jiu Jitsu, but that may be some ways off.
Hello people of this reddit form? I am looking for advice in regards to self defense weapon more specifically knives and non lethal
Happen about 20 mins ago from this post but was being followed home (for about a mile, guy was on a bike doing laps on the blocks I was walking waited for me outside a 711 till I got a ride out of there)
In short I want to find reliable weapons for self defense in case I get into a situation were escaping isnt an option and if required I need to take down a person
People say pepper gel is not good because we have to aim very good, but is that really difficult?
how often do you need to replace pepper spray? and what OC ratio is ideal to stop a large adult man and/or large determined dog? OC-based sprays the best?
what quantity is needed to stop a single man?
gel based the best to avoid blowback?
Is there a reliable product that can deter a dog attack? I frequently visit my local park for walks, and I’ve witnessed close calls with dog attacks. These incidents mostly involved pet owners who didn’t keep their dogs on leashes and then aggressively approached someone. I considered purchasing a retractable self-defense baton, but I’d prefer to avoid causing any harm to the dog. Is there a legitimate spray that could be used to deter a dog from advancing?
So I believe there is a specific person who wants to invade my home. He doesn't know my address, but he somehow managed to get my phone number. I have blocked him but if he can find my phone number then what's stopping him from finding where I live? I can't go to the police, there isn't enough evidence to prove his intent. I have a sort of plan in case he chooses to invade my house. I don't know if this will work though. Basically my plan is to get an aluminum baseball bat and hide behind a corner near my room. He will eventually need to go next to said corner, where I would take him by surprise. I know nothing about this kind of stuff, so there are probably multiple flaws with this plan. Is there anything I should do in case of this situation differently, or completely change my plan?
FYI if he breaks into my house he's probably looking for me specifically
Do you think a pepper spray could stop 2 or 3 opponents from atacking me like you now, the young guys thinks they are like a gang no they always come in group to atack
I (24F) was filling up gas last night with my sister in the car while we were on our way home. It was dark outside but since our area is usually safe and doesn’t have many homeless people like in the city, I wasn’t expecting any weirdos to be out until this stupid guy came out from the store asking me for money.
I’m used to dealing to dealing with this in the city so I just shook my head and ignored him while I was filling up gas. He wasn’t being aggressive just annoying so I figured he would leave us alone but then he went to my older sister’s side of the car and I texted her there was someone there but then another trucker nearby told him to leave us alone and then thankfully he left.
I’m just mad at myself for not saying or doing more because he could’ve potentially hurt my sister. I wished I had gone over and told him to fuck off myself instead of being frozen in place but I was just too nervous that if I did anything he would pull out a gun. I do train in MT and BJJ but I’ve only been doing it for a year and I’d be too scared to actually fight someone on the streets unless they hit me first.
How do I start being more assertive with creepy or aggressive people on the streets?
Thanks!
I'm middle aged, not the biggest guy in the world, EDC is a P365, strong side knife and surefire wedge light. It just seems as if most places I would want to learn don't seem to cater to practical self defense as much as scoring points in competitions in the related art.
I would like to learn some basic judo, standing BJJ, maybe some akido tosses. I have almost no interest in one on one ground combat it seems like a good way to get your head stomped on by someones friend. I would like to learn to deliver an effective teep, leg kick, and learn to throw a proper punch but have no interest in getting in a ring.
Basically I would like to learn a set of skills to be able to break contact, establish range, and go to more effective tools if I feel my life is threatened.
Do any MMA gyms focus on practical self defense? Or is it all people that have doing martial arts from birth and want to be Jon Jones.
i was thinking recently, about a selfe defense item that utilizes smelling salts, it can disorient an attacked for a short period of time, which can be useful, maybe smellign salts in little tiny teabag like bags attached to some body part that you can try to get near the attacker's face, or dissolve in a quick drying solution that sticks on the attackers face that can be sprayed from a spray canister
Recently the community I live near is growing in more and more crime. Now obviously there's basic things I do already. Including I have a fence all the way around, no gate currently as I couldn't afford it, it is a 6 ft deer fence (wire fence), I have multiple security cameras, 2 in the front, 1 on the side, 1 in the back. Pretty much full 360 coverage. However it's an old house with not much for car coverage. I park one car in a garage and I pull my truck up to the garage door pretty much touching the garage door. Boxes and truck are locked obviously.
But now people have started draining gas tanks, could I electrify my truck boxes or something, Iv considered attaching a battery or something to the fence as well. The police basically won't do anything anymore in our community, basically lock them up for a night and release. I'm done worrying and I want some ideas. I hate the idea of people coming near my family
So recently I (highschooler) was in math class and this boy reached over and sprayed the pepper spray on my bag. I got in trouble with the principal because we apparently aren't allowed to have pepper spray at school. The thing is... Every girl carries it. At my school people come from all around the state, we take public transportation and are used to be catcalled and having creepy people running their hands through our hair. I've been sexually assaulted twice and am terrified. I don't know what to do. I understand that most normal schools don't allow it but my schools different. No one even noticed the girls all have pepper spray on them until this guy sprayed my pepper spray on the ground. Some of these girls travel up to 4 hours on public transportation just to get to school everyday. Starting at 4am and getting home at 8pm. Us girls need it. What do I do?
Why do people say bear spray is weaker than the pepper ones I dont get it. When you go buy a bear one they say it is twice as concentrated and 50% stronger than a pepper spray (Nato brand) and it is supposed to bring down a bear so why in a human is less efficient? Why dont use a pepper human spray against a bear then? Can someone explain it to me cuz I am really not following that logic
I almost found myself in that situation and though I'm done.
I've got 2 pepper sprays, one in each hand. Three people are trying to jump me.
What odds do I have?
Country's Poland, btw
Hi all,
I recently found some less lethal .50 launchers/guns like those made by Umarex. Unfortunately there is little information online about the actual effectiveness of those tools when it comes to stopping power etc.
Where I live, models are limited to 11 joules and I wonder if such a piece could ever stop an intruder or attacker - some folks posted clips online in which they test these pieces and easily knock out an attacker, others do the same experiment with virtually zero effect on the attacker.
I am curious about your experiences: Do you think these pieces do work? If so, why? Or if you don’t - why?
Looking forward to hear from your experiences.
Thanks in advance.
This happened a few years ago, probably around 2021, i originally posted it to a sub for creepy people encounters but it got no traction, probably because there was very little interaction.
I was walking through a bit of an alley that connects a square or sort of courtyard with the street (not the stereotypical dark alley but enough of a jack the ripper vibe to get you thinking, especially at night when this took place) as i walked out some guy entered on the right and walked past me (can't really remember him so i can't give a description, but before he walked past me we made eye contact, then laughed and continued on.
I know it's not a super scary encounter where violence was threatened (though i have one of them i may post it at some point) but what kind of person laughs at random people on the street? i probably did the right thing by not escalating and walking away from the person, although i do regret not having my head on swivel mode afterwards, after all i have no idea what this guy saw in me or thought of me to make him laugh.
MS Paint drawing, the red path is the path the creep took and the green path is me.
Also does anyone use body worn video as part of their strategy? these days i often have a few hidden cameras that i like to alternate between, the legality of it is probably a subject within itself but it's fun watching the footage back and then i delete it if nothing happened.
https://x.com/endwokeness/status/1864737190544081076?s=46
Unfortunately , I bet the store cashier will be prosecuted in a liberal city.
i’m 5’4 98 lbs and this mammoth of a girl who’s 5’11 and like 150 lbs who’s somehow younger than me started talking about wanting to fight me out of nowhere and keeps talking about it so i want to know how to defend myself against her and win if she actually tries to fight me
Hi! I’m looking for something for self defense but I’m kind of at a loss for what to do. Everyone’s been telling me pepper spray and tasers but I can’t use pepper spray because I’m severely asthmatic, it could kill me. Taser options are severely limited in my state and the best ones don’t do much other than cause a bit of pain. My mom got one and my brothers tried it to test it out and they both were perfectly capable of continuing what they were doing. A gun isn’t possible because my state does not allow anyone to have a gun or register a gun under the age of 21. Not sure what other options I have that would be easy to carry or keep in my car.
I’m 20 and live alone in an apartment and was looking to get something practical and useful to use worst case. I have two families both with small children that live below me and I’m the only man in the house. Pls let me know
What is the best defense against a group of pack animals, like dogs or monkeys?
Something that will make them run away and has a long range so I am not putting myself at risk when defending.
Are some newer paintball guns powerful enough and effective in this way that I described?
I've been carrying the pocket clip POM for a few weeks now and have had it fall out 3 times already. I typically put it in the "watch pocket" (the small pocket above the regular hip pocket) because I already carry a knife and flashlight with pocket clips in the main right side pocket. It's fallen out twice from there. Just out of curiosity I clipped it inside the hammer loop on some carpenter pants while I was hanging out around the house and it fell out again. What do you guys find works best for easy access without losing it?
Tonight my wife and I were walking down a major metropolitan city street. For the next two or more blocks on our side of the street was dark (as in you cannot see Nader trees kind of dark ). However, we could see a tall figure weaving towards us (he was silhouetted against the light at the end of the black tunnel). He was half to a full block away. I did not feel fear, etc., but at age 66 did not like the idea of encountering him in total darkness with my wife, unarmed, and possibly having to deal with him. So, I asked her to cross the street to the little side. I figured at least then I could see and if he crossed the street I would know something was up and might be able to prepare. Fortunately he kept going, but appeared to be drunk. My question is did I do the logical and prudent thing to cross the street into the light?
I currently study brazialian jiu jitsu in a dojo. I have studied judo and karate in the past. I would like to learn more pertaining to real world self defense.
I have started watching some boxing videos pertaining to defense tactics. I also watch judo videos on u tube. Any other tips you can offer to expand ones knowledge of self defense?
I live in Texas and bought sone pepper spray. I was wondering if I will get into trouble with police for carry it like that. Can I enter a store like that?
I might wanna move from Australia to USA and I've been institutionalized in Australia for schizophrenia and I'm wondering if I can carry a knife in USA for self defense?
So I’m have a troublesome neighbor, and the police cannot do anything as I don’t have any damning proof against this person, I have called them many times and also the management from the building to no avail, just last night (November 25th), this individual followed me from the apartment to a local store two blocks away, wanting to fight because I don’t want anything to do with him, he squared up numerous times and told me he had a gun on him, luckily I was almost in the parking lot and he left me alone, I called the police and they met me at my apartment and talked to me, gave me a card with the case number and the officers name and numbers, I didn’t ask at the time because I was rattled, but now with time to calm down I’m wondering if I would be okay to use pepper spray to defend myself and my family given that the police have Pryor knowledge of this individual harassing me?
I was friends with someone who turned out to be crazy, along with their husband. Ever since I unfriended them, they’ve been stalking us. We filed a restraining order, but they’re still stalking us, and I’m very worried they might break into the house and harm us. All I have for protection is a bat. How can I make my bat more effective and ensure I can defend myself if necessary? I’m already using the sock technique. Now I don’t ever resort for violence as my first option, but they have a good amount of guns. And that’s what scares me.
I formerly did boxing before and haven’t in a while but I really wanna know if having medium length nails is a problem or not… it’s a necessary sacrifice but I really don’t want to cut them. Any woman that might have tips? Or if I have to cut them just let me down slowly…
I really hate to find out from personal experience as I really hate the unnecessary abuse of animals. But after reading the comment from some cunt that thinks it's funny to have his dobbermann attack people I just had to ask it
If you're a self defence nerd and you know all this shit , you're heads on a swivel and you don't look like a target then you're not gonna get targeted for stuff
Like most self defense nerds who actually practice and go to the seminars look like people you don't wanna fuck with.
That chances of actually needing to use it are very low if you know it . It's the crazy people who don't care who they attack , the people into self defense already avoided them
The more you know the less you need.
What would happen to him? Isn't that enough for me to win the fight most of the times and even if it's not it's still enough to stun the toughest man for a few moments and I could just repeatedly kick his face again until he passes out. I have never fought anyone in my entire life but always had this question in my mind. Maybe this question is not for this subreddit but I couldn't find any fight related subreddit
Idk if this is the right place to post it :(
So im 16 years old and im shy, introvert and I rarely talk with other people and dont have much friends at school. When I was going to take a test some random kid which looked like 14/15 years old was blocking the door to the place where my class was headed and he was blocking everyone, so I just kept on walking while he was still there making me push him away of the door so everybody could go in.
Then I was chilling doing my test till like 4/5 guys (most of them looked like 17/18 + the previous kid) showed up at the class I was in when the kid started pointing at me and saying "it was him". They almost got their way in the class if the teacher didnt intervin, and they started saying things like "we need to talk alone", "meet us after lunch", "who do u think U are"
Now, I made it the whole day without getting seen by them, and Im home safe now, but monday I will come back to school and Im afraid they will still try to gang up on me. They didnt treat me physically but the "we need to talk alone" type of comments they trew made me very scared, and I still am.
I didnt recognize anyone's faces but when they were in the door if my class trowing in random "threats" they looked like the type of people who like to get into trouble and fights.
I already told my parents and main teacher about the situation, and I told the few friends + classmates I have a relationship with to try to be more cautious about who is surrounding me. Im almost every school break alone and that makes me be even more vunerable and scared, also I dont want to fight anyone neither I know how to, I Will just try to get into crowded areas at school.
Despite everything I did Im still scared asf that they Will do something to me or start picking on me even more (even tough I didnt show any week signs). Im just scared shitless and I dont know what to do about thid since Im a shy introvert kid who doesnt socialize :(
Please any advice will be welcome
what are your favourite youtube channels/resources for self defence?
general and more specific resources that cover: hand-to-hand combat, weapons choices/training, conflict resolution, situational awareness and defence against both human and animal attacks.
i'm a small guy so a channel geared towards how smaller people can defend themselves effectively would be most ideal, and i need information on how to defend myself from animal attacks too (dogs especially) as that's as likely and common occurrence in my area too unfortunately.
thanks.
When I say "self defense", I'm not talking about just actually defending yourself but actually putting a stop to whatever it is that's led you to protecting yourself.
I'll admit I haven't done much research but from my understanding while self defense classes are generally good at what they teach you, I don't know if they touch on being on the offensive in those given situations so that you can keep yourself safe when they aren't backing down. Pepper spray and tasers are good but I want to know a tried and true method that accomplishes both self defense and being able to stop an attacker without the need for anything other than your hands.
I also want to make it clear I'm not asking so I can learn to fight, I just want to learn to stop a physical altercation as soon as I can when just protecting myself from the blows isn't enough.
Dm if you could answer some of my questions please I’m 🇩🇪 What’s the normal reaction to a kick in the nuts and what’s the most effective way?
Hello, Do you know what the best practice is against attempted murder or rape of women?
I would say that JJB (Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu) or judo is the best, because if someone tries to grab you, you know all the techniques to perform an arm lock, for example. Plus, you gain a lot of strength. (And of course, in most cases, women’s aggressors have never learned to fight; they are actually very weak).
I practice kickboxing, and the problem with boxing is that, while you know how to throw a punch, if a guy is bigger than you and grabs you, I’m not sure you could easily escape.
I’m trying to figure out what would be the best option for my child. Thanks!
Hi all, new to here, have been upping my self defense for a bit now with a crazy meth head stalker who's decided to target me. I got pepper spray now, but was wondering if I use it and it gets on something like a door handle or somewhere else you might touch, and accidentally rub it on your face, say. How long does the spray last on an object like that? I searched and only say results about how long its on the body or clothes. thanks in advance!
Is size everything when it comes to looking intimidating?
I asked elsewhere but it seems suited to here, seeing as we're discussing a self-defence situation.
We've got two guys.
Dave is 6' 5", 95kg. He has 2 black belts, 1 in a style of self-defence, the other, a 2nd Dan in Japanese Jujutsu, a non contact style that covers striking, grappling and weapons defence. He's a big guy, he's done security work before and he's pretty talented when it comes to his kickboxing.
Frank is 5' 6" and 80kg. He has a black belt in the same self-defence style as Dave, is 3rd kyu in the same style of Japanese Jujutsu, has a brown belt in Judo, a purple belt in Bjj with a solid competition record. He's also done a few years of boxing and kickboxing. He's a small guy but broad in the chest/shoulders/neck. Never done any security work, does normal menial labour. He just kind of carries himself in a certain way.
Dave has some impressive stories about his military service and time working in security, to me he's by far the more dangerous guy. I wouldn't quite call him intimidating, but he definitely seems like he knows what he's at. Out of the two, I see him as being the more dangerous guy and I don't think I'd fancy taking him on. In terms of striking, he's definitely more impressive. Frank is a quiet guy, doesn't say much.
Now, a situation popped up last year where things looked like they were about to turn ugly. Speaking to three of the guys involved, all have a fairly long history in martial arts. They're picking Frank to back them up.
Surely and extra 11" in height, 15kg in weight is going to be a lot more intimidating standing beside you if things are about to go south? There are weight classes for a reason.
Should I start martial arts in case of a home intruder?
Is it something worth doing for things like home intruders or thugs approaching me? Just for self defence I want to be able to protect myself. I’m paranoid of thugs or gangsters approaching me at night (I might have to travel alone at night soon) and I’m paranoid of someone breaking into my house.
Should I start? Would it help me? For context I’m a skinny guy too, so I’m not even threatening looking, maybe 5”10 if I’m lucky (realistically I’m probably 5”9) so what should I do?
I’m paranoid I might get stabbed one day, or a thug will approach me, that’s my worst nightmare, a thug stabbing me. I couldn’t bear the pain. Kind of making me scared thinking about it.
Anyone know good brands that are reputable?
I heard Saber and Mace is good, but not sure how loud it should be to be effective unlike pepper sprays or tazers.
110-130db?
Im also thinking of a flashlight but too easy to ignore unfortunately.
This is for self defense (hope I never need it). I understand there is an allowable amount and strength. Ty!
Looking for some steel toe boot recommendations from the smaller-footed crowd (ladies sizes). I’m maximizing my high kick abilities just in case 🫡yknow?
I’ve noticed I usually tend to freeze up or maybe fawn instead of fighting back or fleeing. I get really really shaky, sometimes dizzy, and even sometimes lose my voice (unable to scream).
I’m really worried about having to physically defend myself if attacked. Especially because of recent events…it’s been more on my mind lately.
Is there a way to change that by myself? Like are there some sort of techniques I can use? Things I can implement in real time to maybe help ground myself and be able to take action while still in the heat of the moment if something does happen?
This might not be the smartest idea to survive an attack, but I want to have a blunt weapon to help me solve less risky situations, like a fight between family members.
I already carry knives every day, but i don't want to kill them. I just want something that will hurt enough for them to break the fight, and not look like a psycho in my family's eyes.
I'm looking to make one of these. I know hickory is probably one of the best woods to use, but that seems to be a little hard to come by now. What other good woods would you recommend that could be used for such that won't just immediately shatter
i live in the united state and i’m absolutely terrified daily especially considering now and I was wondering if there was any defense thing I could make at home for cheap or with rubbing alcohol I think I saw that somewhere?
Ok so if I wanted to move to Krav Maga and formally did boxing, is it harder or easier to get into? I’ve not looked up too much to do with Krav Maga as a whole but i know it includes some sort of boxing training. Does anyone have any advice or experience?
I'm looking to be more open with my identity with the new president coming in. Because of how controversial my identity is, how should I make myself safer?
My neighbour is kind of nazi, drug dealer and big, tall guy. He already slapped two of my other neighbour for unnecessary reasons.
I'm not into fighting, except I'm forced too. I usually avoid fight against tall people, just leaving. But he is in my apartment complex.
In the case, he wants to fight. How do I fight a guy who is twice my size, I mean by that his arms and legs are pretty long and I'd guess he hits me before I reach him.
What are techniques to close the distance and stuff?
Let's say they are 4-6, average in height, weight and strength/skills and the woman only has a knife. She is not the weakest, is around 130-150 lbs and did some boxing.
How to proceed if she is being surrounded and attacked? What are her chances to escape? Any fighting technique is welcome.
Don't mention talking and acting crazy. The situation in question is only about fighting possibilities
If you can take 2 classes per week ... is it better to take 2 classes of MMA (Striking + Grappling), or take 1 class of Muay Thai (just Striking), and 1 class of BJJ or similar (just Grappling)?
The question comes from watching a youtube video rating martial arts for self-defence, and the argument was that most real-life situations will end up on the floor so Wrestling-style disciplines will have the advantage.
But the Achilles heel of something like MMA was that, because you end-up doing so many different things at the same time, you never truly become proficient at any of them. Like the man who practices 1000 kicks 1 time Vs the man who practices 1 kick 1000 times.
So, which is better? half-arsing Striking + Grappling separately, or whole- arsing MMA?
I’ve been boxing for 2 years, and just recently i have been getting pain in my inner bicep area when throwing hard left and right hooks on the bag. It feels like an instant sharp pain when I throw the punch, but then after i throw it for the next 5-10 minutes I get a Dull aching inflamed feeling right in the inner bicep area. I can throw max power jabs and crosses and uppercuts no problem, but the hooks bother me.
Also, if I partly extend my arm and push it against the wall hard, it doesn’t bother me, but the second I stop pushing against the wall with that arm and relax, it hurts. So I get pain when I’m releasing pressure.
Do any of you guys experience the same thing when throwing powerful hooks on the bag? And do you know what I could do to fix it?
I’m pretty sure my technique is fine, I’ve been boxing for a while I just throw basic technique hooks. I had the same problem a couple months ago, and I let it fully heal, but the first day getting back to hitting the bag, it came back
I was about to get into a street fight recently 1v1 and respectfully I got no hands so I was close enough to take him down The kid he was fat and much bigger than me so there was no chance I could lift him so I was thinking double outside trip but the argument got broken up so let's say. Street fight 2 scenarios kid about your size or smaller and bigger kid you gotta take it to the ground or ur cooked what shot are you taking?
i didn’t know where else to ask this so sorry if it goes against the rules but i wanted to know if it would be safe to carry a taser without the case? since it would probably take a while to take it out in the situation that i would need it. would it also be a good idea to always have it turned on then? “every second counts” and whatnot.
i usually have the taser and pepper gel in my school (college) backpack side pocket (no zipper just a pouch where you can put a bottle in) because it seems to be an easy place for me to just grab either one.
Hello guys, where I live has always had its fair share of homeless people, normally they ask for something like money or food. We had a state of high alert due to the Olympic Games in Paris, so police were always patrolling the streets and nothing really happened.
Now the patrolling went down and the events of unstable homeless people are becoming more frequent, last week me and my gf were exiting a store and one asked us for spare change we didn't have any and said "No, sorry" and kept walking, my gf noticed the guy was following us, we crossed the street, and he still followed. I stopped, put my gf behind me and waited for him to pass through. He came close to me and I extended my arm to him to prevent him from coming closer to us, I slightly push him, and he turns around and goes the other way.
I think he just wanted to intimidate us, my gf was visibly scared and nervous of him, always looking back.
If this happens again to me or to my gf if she is alone, what should we do?
Think about it: what are people taught in these classes? Primarily, they're told to run away and de-escalate. Imagine being a criminal, knowing that everyone you encounter has been conditioned to respond this way. It's like having a free pass to approach anyone, knowing they're more likely to try and reason with you than defend themselves.
Furthermore, the pervasive myth that knives are unbeatable instills a sense of helplessness in potential victims. This is a criminal's dream scenario. Instead of encouraging people to fight back, these courses often reinforce the idea that the best defense is to avoid conflict altogether. This passive approach makes it far easier for criminals to target their victims.
Self-defense instructors should be teaching people how to assess threats and respond decisively. Instead, they often perpetuate fear and uncertainty by focusing on worst-case scenarios and unrealistic expectations. This not only fails to empower individuals but also creates a pool of potential victims who are more likely to freeze or flee in the face of danger.
The main target group of self defense courses are victims of violence. Their interest is knowing how to stand their ground, not a runner's club.
If a self defense course endorses running away, the techniques tought won't be put to the test, which sustains constant income for the teacher as long as he can sustain the fear inside of participants and the false promise that if the techniques were put to the test, they would work.
For context my eldest brother has massive anger issues and starts fights with me over minor issues in the house, and when ever it escalates and he gets physical he usually pushes me around or grabs my shirt around the chest area.
Is there anything i can do against him?
He's just below my height im 5'2 and he's 5'1, he's about 1.5x my bodyweight which is why he can overpower me.
I have lower body strength because im a badminton athlete and gym as well, but im pretty weak in regard to upper body.
Please help
So, few months ago my friend got made at me and he can easily let his anger get to him and same stuff has also happened with some other people. But anyways when he got made he quickly jumped up and decide to choke me ish and I didn't knew what to do at that point. I know your your gonna say that I need to stay away from him but I have my in reason I shouldn't, any tips to avoid me getting choked from him or by another person in the future?
Hi guys. Sorry if this is a dumb post.
Today when going to work at like 6am, I was riding my scooter on a bike lane on a road. Before I realized this car had stopped on the other side, and two guys (they were literally kids tbh) came to the bike lane and waited for me. I wish I had realized earlier but I didn't and they pushed me off my scooter. One of them kept telling me to give him my wallet. I tried riding off on my scooter again but got pushed again then I just ran to the side of the road. I said I didn't have my wallet then he asked for my bag I kept sAying please stop. I'm not sure if someone on the side had said something but they suddenly stopped and ran back to their car and drove off. By this time I had run off to the side of the road and accepted that my scooters gone, but they didn't take it. When I went up ahead to the intersection I even heard the same kid go "where you running". I made it to work and hid to a side a bit.
In hindsight they were legit kids I could've very easily taken them, but I was just so scared the whole time and freaking out.
Is there any way to train my nerves to not fly into such a panic? I'm a p timid guy anyways and I really need to work on this. I used to go to the gym quite regularly so I'm not terribly weak, and had some boxing training, but at the time I just couldn't think and was freaking out.
https://youtu.be/TtKx41UdCj0You hear a lot about Karate, Brazilian Ju Jitsu, Taekwondo, Boxing, Sumo wrestling, Krav Maga, etc. Then you hear about the styles special forces in militaries use, you look at all the different sports for these. But which one is the most effective and 'powerful'?
My wife was driving me somewhat and she got in a fight with another driver (man), who has been rude.
I tried to de-escalate the situation since I thought that the whole thing was childish and not worth to ruin the night, but the guy said something rude and stopped the car obviously to have a fight.
That's when I decided that a like has been crossed and that I'll go kick his ass, but my wife kept on driving because she knew that shit was about to get down.
And here I am know still made 1 hour after the altercation and I'm asking a question:
I know that the first rule of self-defense is to de-escalate any conflict. But is it really worth it when you get disrespected?
Say you know someones gonna try hurting you in one PARTICULAR way so while trying to remain unfazed you set up a scenario where next time they try to hit you it could result in a concerning injury- can I prick them hard with a penci. I could easily play it off as an accident but would I be wrong since their harrasment isnt as potential harmful as my set up? I never resort to violence but im very pissed
Hey everyone,
I am quite an active guy with 5'8 built and have been wondering which form of self defence should I learn. Aim is to stay fit and agile but also knock down when situation arises.
I’m (F19) a college student in a medium-sized city and my work often has me out early in the morning (while it’s still dark) or late at night, so my dad got worried and bought me pepper spray. I appreciate the gesture, but I have no idea what to do with it. Where do I put it? Do I try and hide it? Do I clip it to my lanyard that I already wear consistently for college? Do I clip it to my backpack that I wear everywhere I go? I understand protection is important, but this has the possibility of becoming a nuisance.
Read the writing down below. Then you'll understand the situation more clearly. (My English isn't good. Please figure out a little bit) I'm a 19 years old. Skinnier and look much younger than the guys of my own age. I'm a naturally calm person, try to avoid problems. I hate to say this but i know I'm physically weaker than most of the people for my physical shape. A few days before an incident happened which made me think about everything. I was in a bus in the window sit. A man sat beside me and spitted outside through the window. As he was spitting i said ' watch it ' in a very good way, not rudely. But this guy took it personally. He asked me if the spit fell on me. I said no. Then, he said 'then why did you say 'watch it'? ( now, i don't know about the rest of the world, but the country that i live in it's very very normal to say 'watch it'. Especially, in that situation, i didn't say this in an offending way). I said 'what are you taking about? I didn't say it in a rude way'. Then, he told me something and told me to lower my eyes. By this time, i got extremely nervous. A cold chill was in my throat to chest. Got absolutely puzzled and couldn't understand what to say. And then the argument stopped. Now, after coming back to home, for more than a week i can't think of anything other than that. I'm feeling extremely coward. What would have i done if something like this would happen to my family? I can't think of anything other than this and very disturbed when I'm writing this. But even after that incident i kinda realised, i might be weak. But if just became a little aggressive and talk for myself, probably he wouldn't accept his mistake but at least he would stop. And i would not be that coward. But i couldn't be brave there. So, my question is how can i be aggressive in situations when i have to?
Got confronted by a road rage mf today. They opened my car door and threatened to hit me. Old-ish guy - 50-60yo. I am 20s. I have at least 20 pounds on the mf and didn't want to ruin my career. I thought I'd just sit there, take the road rage and then apologise. I did that, and then he drove away. But hours after, I feel like a bitch.
Did I do the right thing?
What do I do if I get jumped (2 or more people) I know the obvious answer is to run away but what if I’m in a confined space and there’s too many?
I’m a young woman in my 20s so I’m no stranger to being hit on/approached by men. Usually my tactic is to just completely ignore them, especially if I’m with a friend, I’ll continue talking to said friend. The man giving me unwanted attention will usually take the hint and keep walking. I told my dad this and he was concerned that this might embolden some men to continue trying to get my attention and that making eye contact might be better. I just assume that eye contact might be mistaken as an opening for the unwanted conversation to continue. Thoughts?
What age did you get them into SD, boy/girl? Any tips on making them stick with it? Cheers lads
I feel like dodging kicks is a lot trickier than dodging punches, especially in enclosed spaces, though I'd like some tips on dodging both
How much protection would a puffer jacket give you against different kinds of blunt trauma?
Yesterday I was charged by an aggressive pitbull that was loose with no owner in sight. I wasn't bitten but, more or less a stand off for several minutes before their owner poked their head out their house and called it off. I've had 3 negative incidents with pitbulls in my neighborhood over 4 years. I'm assuming pepper spray is the way to go but don't know if there's more to know than just picking one.
Ordering from Fox and I CANNOT decide which to go with. I think I want to go with the fog but I’m afraid it might blow back in my face. Yet I’m worried the stream would be harder to hit the target in the right place.
I'm looking at martial arts gym in my town.
Their are a few but the most interesting just opened like 2 months ago and it's half the price then the other ones.
I'm affraid it might be a scam the closes down in a few months.
What do you guys think ?
I was thinking that a backpack might be quite an effective shield against knives attacks. Especially if it had some sort of straps on the back: so that you could handle it with one hand, like a medieval shield. Something like the picture below.
https://rebeccashedd.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/b63-p2-straps.jpg?w=600
However, it seems that there are no backpacks on sale with such a system of straps. There are antibullet backpacks on sale (ridiculous in my opinion) but no ne really thought about adding a couple of straps on the back of the thing?
Do you know any brand that could make such a product?
Hi Reddit and r/SelfDefence,
I am wondering if there is a real difference between different pepper spray (oc spray) brands.
I am mainly talking about sprays with more then 1% MC content, I always hear brands like fox labs are much stronger then other brands like sabre or tw1000 even with nearly the same MC Content
I am somewhat educated in this topic but no expert and I am curious if someone has some experience with different brands.
Hi, I am a male, but I am smaller and weaker than the average woman. I am 5'10, 125 and I can only lift up to a mere 60 - 70 pounds over my head. My punching power is on par with a 12 years old girl.
A few days ago I was run over by a big guy in an electric scooter at over 20 mph. I apologized but he threatened to punch me until I was down. I went away unscathed, but I literally feared death.
How can I protect myself ?
I think I should place all my hopes in environmental awareness, descalation skills and running speed and stamina.
I do not think I should take MMA classes to learn how to fight or practice weight lifting. A tiny framed manlet with 6 inches wrists like me will never be even remotely comparable to a real fighter. I already take TMA (Kung Fu) classes for fun. I never thought a TMA could ever be effective in real combat the way it is practiced nowadays, but I am interested in the cultural aspect. I also would not even survive a legit MMA/Combat Sports class, not at all.
I live in Canada so actual pepper spray is banned. However, I am able to buy sabre dog spray. Which I would carry with the intent to ward off aggressive off leash dogs when I go jogging.
But let’s say on my run I meet an unsavoury character and have no other choice than to use it, would dog spray affect a person if it was sprayed at them?
Which is better and why? I see a lot of people recommending Sabre but I rarely see Mace recommended. Anyone have any experience with Mace brand?
First chop down a thick tree but not too thick. Chop this log into the best club length for you, then hack wack and slash with an axe at where the handle should be until comfortable. Now you’re basically done but you can sand it down or wrap something around the grip to make it comfier. The strat here is that you don’t need to learn how to use a club.
so I went to my first night of bjj it was free and the people there are very respectful they actually seem to Want me to learn. I tried a boxing gym and they had me spar my first night didn't teach me anything just basically beat me up. I just want to confidently defend myself if I need to and I won't carry a gun my reasons are private. thank you for your time and any advice you can give me.
Question(s) : What is a good way to tell security that you have defense protection items?
So I drive Uber as a side gig, and yesterday I arrived at a grocery store to pickup to passengers who I'll refer to a Weird Guy and Nice Lady. Weird Guy looked to be in his mid 20s and Nice Lady looked to be in her Mid 30s. Since it was a grocery store pickup and they had a lot of bags, I popped my trunk and got out to help them load the bags. It was Sunday so I'd already done this 100 times and everything seemed normal. We were almost done and suddenly Weird Guy got in my face with a very aggressive look and his hands, while at his sides, were balled up. He did not break eye contact.
Me: What's up man?
Weird Guy: What's up?
Me: Everything okay?
No answer
Me: You good?
Weird Guy: You good?
Me: Just trying to help you with your groceries.
Weird Guy got out of my face and we loaded the rest of the bags in.
As Weird Guy was returning the shopping cart Nice Lady came over to me.
Nice Lady: I am so sorry.
Me: Everything okay with him?
Nice Lady: He has really bad anxiety. This is the last time I'm going anywhere with him.
Me: Does he every get violent?
Nice Lady: Not with me.
Me: How do you guys know each other?
Nice Lady: He lives in my building and asked if I'd go grocery shopping with him.
Weird Guy came back and we began the trip.
During the ride back to their apartment building, Nice Lady was telling Weird Guy that he needs to calm down in public. Apparently he had been verbally aggressive toward workers at the grocery store I had just picked them up from. Based on the conversation during the 5min car ride, it seemed like Weird Guy was a loner with a lot of problems and Nice Lady was trying to help him.
How did I handle the situation when he got in my face? I was able to deescalate and calm him down, but he was right in my personal space, so if he took a swing, I wouldn't be able to react fast enough.
I've driven uber as a side hustle for 6 years now, and while I've had some odd balls, I've never felt as though I was about to be assaulted. I was close to not even letting this guy in my car, but the fact that his groceries were loaded in complicated that, and me denying him service may have also escalated the situation.
Thoughts?
I am 18M, and I was looking into starting a martial arts. I have experience with boxing and very minimal in Taekwondo (did it when I was younger, don’t believe the experience it be useful). My main goal is to be able to defend myself with confidence . I am from Canada, so I know I can’t use firearms or weapons, as much as that’s something I was considering, since using a weapon of some kind is always better. Although I don’t have any goals to do a martial art professionally, I still want to be very proficient and get good at it, and I’m willing to put as much effort as needed. If there’s a good combination between 2 martial arts or so, that’s also something I’d be interested in. I’m very open to any opinion even if it doesn’t directly any of my questions.
What would you say are the main differences one should take into account when training for self defense (aka street fights) versus training for organized fights.
Off the top of my head there is: a lack of gloves and protection, a single round TBD timer fight, the chaos of unpredictability like getting jumped or the other person pulling out a gun…any other things you guys can think of?
I feel like a lot of people train martial arts with the intention of using it for self defense…then get knocked the fuck out when they try to conserve energy like there’s 12 rounds of fighting when it’s more likely to be one or two minutes and they fight a guy who goes all in with no regards to energy, or they go for a takedown and one of the dudes friends kicks them in the back of the head. Or they don’t learn how to punch without gloves and break their knuckle with the first punch.
tldr: what are the main differences between organized fighting and street fights/self defense fighting.
Would things like bleach be an effective substitute?
Hey. So I thought about doing Krav Maga because it seemed like the best way to protect yourself on the streets. I've heard many people hating on Krav Maga and seriously don't get why. The only thing I've read most is that you don't really have any real sparring fights in Krav Maga, because it relies on using objects, suprise or cheap shots.
Is Krav Maga a effective way to defend yourself? Should I consider training another martial art additionally? Thanks
I hear so many different recommendations and would prefer to not waste my money on something that doesn’t work. What is the strongest mace that has the most powerful stream that I can take with me on runs/walks? Is there one that is discreet, yet still very affective? I live in a high crime area, and I need something that isn’t super obvious or finicky to use. Please share! Thanks. 🙏
I'm looking for a dvd or digital download that teaches home security and self defence tactics applicable to your home being invaded.
Hello, I found this subreddit and I want to ask a question, I know that there is no better way to learn but with a professional (sorry English isn't my first language), but how I can at least learn some basics at home, for now I cannot go to a martial arts club or something like that, I want at least to be able to defend myself against normal people (those who attack you for no reason for exemple and didn't know how to fight) of course I know that the best self defense is to a kid fight and run, but o want to be prepared in a case when I cannot run.
I walk my one-year-old son every day after work. I put him in a wrap on my chest and he naps.
In my neighborhood there DOZENS of neighbors who have a dog they keep loose. No fence, no leash.
What’s frustrating is they chase after me and there’s no way of knowing if they’re aggressive and going to jump until it’s too late.
What’s the solution?
I’m not going to carry a gun. I thought about maybe a bat or pepper spray. But even so my hunch is that most of these dogs won’t attack, but there’s no way of knowing until it’s too late.
I’m a male and about to be 27y/o I really wanna start learning some kind of martial art for self defense but sometimes wish I would’ve started sooner. Anyway, does anyone have advice for anyone who maybe didn’t start when they were in their teens or earlier twenties?
I work in a department store that's very crowded.
While I was putting merchandise on the shelves, and angry aggressive guy starts causing a scene behind me.
He was yelling at another customer, telling him to get out of his way. Shouting obesities. Then he directed his anger towards me. He easily could have just walked backwards, turned to his right, and got to where he needed to go.
But NOOOO, we had to move out of his way.
I have pepper spray.
I wanted to tell him to go around us.
I wanted to just say / do something.
But I didn't do anything.
Or say anything.
I just pretended he wasn't even there.
I felt like a coward.
In the end, the dumbass wound up shoving his way through, and getting into the aisle.
That all could have been avoided if he used his 2 braincells to do what I said above: walk around.
I wanted to say, "Why didn't you just go around?"
But honestly, I was scared.
He seemed like the kind of loser to throw his life away in a random stupid situation.
What if that animal had a gun/knife on him?
What if my pepper spray didn't work?
What if it did work, and I got fired? (I'm not a regular worker - I make a great living from my job, and because I have a criminal record, it's hard to find a job for me.)
A part of me thinks I made the smart decision by not doing anything...
But the other part of me thinks, "I should have done something." And now I still feel like a coward.
I feel those internal instincts shouting at me that I should have done SOMETHING.
Be honest? Were my actions cowardly? Or did I do "the right thing." Or was it both?
Hey all! I’m a BJJ blue belt training around 2.5 years, and currently work as a Fireman. I love BJJ and grew up in the martial arts, and I’d love to expand my skillset and knowledge and wanted to know of any courses to become a certified self defense instructor that you would recommend? Thanks!🤙🏽
I, 14F, want to begin learning self-defense/martial arts for health and self-defense purposes. There's no good way for me to take in-person lessons (busy-ish schedule and nowhere near me that has beginner lessons for my age-range), and I'm very new to this, so I wanted to know if anyone had advice?
I've done the bare minimum research-wise, and I might be good with grappling since I throw my brother over my shoulder and slam him onto the couch a lot (though he is only 65lbs, so not sure how impressive that actually is despite me not being athletic at all), but hitting's obviously important, too.
Does anyone know of good online resources for learning? Thanks a lot ^^
What's the most unconventional thing that works great for self defense?
Pepper spray or bear spray for self defense?
I'm looking for something mostly for home security and personal protection if I'm out and about somewhere for awhile. Of course I wouldn't be able to bring bear spray with me like that since the size is large but if it's in a backpack or something if I'm out at an event or have it for the house in case something happens. However the shit is $50+ and it's damn near just a single use thing. Really don't expect to have to use it though so might be worth it.
As far as pepper spray though, what's more effective and the strongest; tear gas/CS gas or regular pepper spray/OC spray? Are there any good ones that incorporate both?
Would you recommend a gel or a spray? I've heard gel is better especially if they start to rub it into their eyes, etc, while the spray works well, it isn't as effective because it's simpler to get off/dodge. I seen a comment on reddit a lil while ago talking about bear spray gel? Wouldn't that work as well? The strength of bear mace but in a gel concentrate?
I've also heard about the foam too but don't think that's as effective as either of these?
Looking for the strongest and most effective stuff we could get. Probably won't get it for a lil while but figured to ask now so I know what to look for! Thanks for any advice, knowledge and experience! Hope everyone is having a good day and that everyone in your lives is safe, healthy and alive.
Why tf does bear spray/mace cost so much?
It honestly seems extortionate. You have these big ol canisters that only spray for 10-15 seconds before it's empty, while you're usually spending more than $50 for it. It just doesn't seem logical or practical.
Hi all! I’m doing my undergraduate dissertation this year, focusing on the relationship between women, self defence, and the internet, especially in the US. If anyone here would be interested in giving an interview (anonymous or not) about any of these topics for my dissertation, or would be comfortable leaving a comment or starting a discussion on a particular point, that would be incredibly useful. I am studying Politics and Social Anthropology at The University of Cambridge, and my email is marthagazzardanthropology@gmail.com. Please do get in contact with any questions or comments, and I hope this is ok to post! Thank you!
This is something I see spouted over and over again.
"Just run away, they can't hurt you if you run, why would you risk your life when you can just run etc"
I think this sentiment is most commonly pushed by people who have never experienced an altercation before, in their minds avoiding danger is so easy by just running away.
The reality is it's never that simple. For one it assumes you won't be chased or you run faster than your attacker. Does everyone just think they're always faster than everyone else? Most people who are not out of shape run equally fast, but there's also the chance your attacker could even be faster than you.
The next problem is distance. If your attacker is only a few feet away and they give chase then you are not creating a lot of distance. They can reach out and shove you off balance, they can get a free hit on your back, and if you slip or fall they will be right on top of you before you can recover. So now you've traded a defensive position (facing your opponent) for the worst place to be, bottom position.
Next we need to consider where are you running? Is it possible to run? I just watched a video where a guy got stabbed on a train in Canada during a dispute and turned around and booked it. On a train. With an open floor plan. The other guy just chased him and stabbed him more. Of course no one helped.
That is a major consideration. There is not always an escape route. Even on the street you have roads full of fast moving cars, crowded sidewalks, objects and other environmental hazards that can get in your way or hurt you.
Not to mention with adrenaline and potential injuries it can be very difficult to navigate at high speeds, and its not easy to make sharp turns while sprinting to avoid danger. Many people run into the road and get hit by cars. Roads are everywhere and cut you off at the end of every city street.
If you want to turn the corner you have to slow down enough so that you don't slip, potentially giving your pursuer enough time to close the gap and tackle you. I've seen so many videos of people running from danger and falling that it makes the movie trope basically a real thing.
You also have to consider what you're wearing. Are you a woman that occasionally likes to wear high heels or bulky footwear? Well that would be a bad night to get attacked. Maybe you're feeling leisurely and wearing flip flops, or restrictive heavy clothing. Either way if you're not dressed appropriately then that could be detrimental.
And finally the last thing I want to mention is social liability. You might be with a loved one, your child, a friend, whoever. You cannot always just drop who you're with and book it. You may be leaving them to a terrible fate. Your life will never be the same. You may not even be able to cope. And lets face it, how often are you actually alone?
So as you can see there's a plethora of reasons when running may not always be the best option. This is why training and carrying a tool is so important.
That's not to say running doesn't have it's place and in many situations it is absolutely the best option. It's just about using good judgment to know when that is.
An active shooter or terrorist event, or even when you spot danger ahead of time are all good examples of when to run. You must also be training your sprints if you ever plan on using it reliably.
In any case if you use good judgment, carry a tool and practice good situational awareness and deescalation you are already more prepared than 99% of the population. Sorry for the long post, i hope this helps some people understand the nuances of running as a defensive strategy.
If A guy with no amateur boxing experience got into a street fight but he has years like 2-4 years sparring with amateur boxers how well could he defend himself against a average guy ?
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ipf1mROm6rg
There's a huge problem with the self defense championship that Natan has kind of brought to the forefront.
It's that to EFFECTIVELY defend yourself you have to go at or near 100% because your attackers are not going to respect your shots and admit that a kick or punch would have stopped them in their tracks unless it ACTUALLY does make them stop in their tracks.
It seemed like the attackers were getting legitimately pissed off at Natan for going so hard. But I understand where Natan's coming from because it's like, I just landed a headkick on you, but pulled it back at the last second and you are just gonna walk through it like it didn't happen??? This happened to Jeff Chan many times already.
I think the solution to this problem would be to either set some more clear rules for the attackers like if you get headkicked, round is over, defender won. If you get spinning back kicked round over, and maybe like if you take an overhand right directly to the face or chin, round over.
I would probably put my money on Natan winning the whole thing because I don't think the other guys are willing to go that far just to win.. But once again I understand where Natan is coming from.
So, I was just assaulted because of a bout of road rage. The guy followed me, pulled up and tried to grab me.
I have some training but it's been a few years since anything has happened so I'm proud that I kept my cool, was able to keep him at arms length, and my only injury is a nip to my inner arm.
Now, this was in broad daylight, with plenty of witnesses and the guy left himself open on so many occasions that I would have been well within my rights to knock him out. However, I have work in an hour, and couldn't be bothered dealing with all the hassle that comes with this sort of shit.
My background is some boxing, JKD, and a little Krav Maga and I was brought up to go all out when the need arises but I would have loved to have been able to use some non-violent take downs using pressure points, or something similar. I had to fight with myself not to knock the guy out as it would have been the quick and easy thing to do, but I'm getting old and can't be bothered with the fallout.
What would /r/selfdefense recommend for this type of altercation?
Yeah, probably talked too many times. But search as broken as it is, did not find anything recent/relevant.
There was an uptick of aggressive/drunk people either in the traffic or neighborhood.
I am 45y old, (after knee surgery, but knee holding up), decently fit male doing HEMA longsword. Carrying a baton is not always an option (too big for pockets and sometimes I do not have anything else just trousers with pockets), I really dislike guns or knives.
Would this be a decent idea? If so, which brand/type?
Hello, i am looking to get into some type of martial arts or something similar to learn some different ways to defend myself/ fight back. i am 23F and i am very short, 4foot 11 to be exact lol. so i feel like learning to defend myself is crucial for my safety when im out and about in the world. What would you recommend for a female my height to take to learn self defence and just generally how to fight back against others if im ever in a potentially dangerous/ deadly situation?
thank you!
Mace? Stun gun? I recently took care of two patients who pepper sprayed their attackers and then went on to get badly beaten. Seems like the pepper spray only served to enrage the suspects. I always carried pepper spray but now I have no confidence in it.
Do you know that United States actually has its very own martial arts system? Developed by Marines and for Marines MCMAP a real combat martial art, not a sport. Civilians can also study it for self-defense.
Like traditional martial arts of the East, MCMAP also has philosophical/ethical component. It strives to develop an Ethical Warrior who embodies core Marine values.
MCMAP manual with techniques is available on Amazon. Book "Ethical Warrior" by Jack Hoban describes the ethical side.
When imagining self defence scenarios I worry about bringing attention to myself and causing a fuss and disruption in the neighbourhood.
I currently have a fear of not being able to scream and bring attention to myself, as I have heard the best thing to do is to get out the situation and bring attention.
Hi,
I can’t afford both. Which should I do first? 29M married no children.
Firearm lessons - already own a 9 MM just don’t know how to use it. Or…
Martial arts self defense.
Plan to do both. But which takes priority? Which is first?
Thanks
Hello all! What should be my first martial arts gym? Near me there are 3 options: krav maga / muay thai / mma (muay thai and BJJ). Im average male, 5' 9 (1.75), 34 years, skinny, goes to gym every week but my cardio sucks (i hate running). My first thought is to visit all 3 gyms and see which one I have the best first impression. (all 3 have really good reviews on google maps). Whats your opinion?
susceptible to robberies or being abused at night ?
I know the recommendation is not to react. However, there is a group of robbers who marked me and said they would kill me if I didn't get what they wanted next time. I have to walk past the same place at night. There is no other way. I need something to defend myself when the robbery occurs. They didn't come armed with guns, i guess, but with knives.
There are two. I can outrun them, but when I was robbed they were hiding and jumped on me. I would need something to stun them and loosen me up and then run
This question is for the guys what would you do if a woman hits you with higher hills shoes in your face couple of times and refuse you to walk away and block you from the corridor and still continue to hit you as many times as she can and as hard as possible?
What would you do in a scenario like that?
Hi, I'm living in the same house with an aggressive-ish dog and don't know how to protect myself. It growls at me frequently and I'm afraid it will bite me someday. The dog belongs to my parents. I live with them because I have a chronic illness and am financially dependent, so I can't just move out.
I don't know what kind of protective device to get, but if I do get one, it will have to be something covert because if my parents found out about it, they would probably forbid me to use it on their dog. (By the way, they refuse to believe that there's a problem.)
Are there budget-friendly, covert devices out there that are effective enough to deter an aggressive dog?
So first, no names locations. Im going to be brief. I met a girl,(absolutely no adult themes, just friends she was clear from the get go and I respected it, )we live very near each other and suddenly things just did a 180. Over the last week there's been strange vehicles in the road on front of the building and the neighbors camera picked up several ppl running around the cars, this is all at around 1a-3a. So I found out almost everything she told me about her life is a lie. She shifts blame to different ppl depending on what guy she talks to. So I'm not concerned about her but how should I properly handle this? I distanced myself today, she instantly exploded,to be expected, I know she was just using me. So my main question: this is a tactic to get me to run her errands, I know that but all the other stuff I hear, she knows I hear it, it's all for show right?
Every time I go somewhere, people walk all over me. Literally. People will run into me, shove me, elbow me, step out in front of my way so that I have to move around them; I’m tired of being the one who moves around people, I want them to move around me for a change!
The reason this happens is I look physically weak. I’m short, 5’3, and very thin.
However, I have a stick with me when I go for walks on the beach or at the park. I hold it at an angle to make distance between me and whoever is walking near me. I’ve noticed that they will move out of my way then. No shoving or elbowing me when I’ve got that stick!
I obviously can’t hold a stick when I go to every day places. But I was wondering if there is maybe something similar I can have with me to keep people from doing this. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated!
When ever im in public, a lot of the times I avoid eye contact with most people I walk by, not because im scared or feel intimitated I just dont feel like striking a conversation, or have to be polite or nice. But when I look away with my eyes, my ears become my eyes and im very aware of what is going on around me, But I always wondered do i appear weak for doing this?
I walk with confidence and purpose, I dont appear weak physically and im aware of my surroundings. Just want to clarify its not like im purposely looking the other way, I just pretty much look past them just no eye contact with 100% of the people I walk past
Hi, my daughter is 10 and wants to start coming and going places alone, meaning school, or close by places, like a shop.
We live in a mainly safe place, small town in Portugal and everything is at walking distance. The main problem are cars running very fast and a certain group of people that usually won't give any problems, but at some given moments they are known for even attacking other people.
I'm not letting her go alone when it's dark or to anywhere I don't know, but I'd like to start training her about dangerous stuff and how to defend or avoid situations.
She's not very tall, and is skinny, which honestly would make it easier for someone with evil intentions to grab her.
Thanks so much for everything 💪
My summer break is ending and I am returning to high school this Wednesday. However I live in a school with a lot of wannabe gang members and fights and before the break I had made a lot of "enemies" and I'm worried about getting attacked by multiple people is there any way I can avoid this aside from staying near staff members (it's a bit school staff members can be scarce) at this point I don't know what to do
I’ve been thinking about but a 12 Gauge for Home defense, but part of me says I don’t actually need it. My reasoning for this being that my defensive arsenal already includes: a Glock 17 chambered in 9mm(Hollowpoints), a Colt M1911 chambered .45 ACP(Hollowpoints), a Ka-Bar USMC Combat Knife, a baseball bat, and a pair of brass knuckles. In the event of a Home-invasion, how fucked am I really without a 12 Gauge?
I wanted to talk about an encounter with an aggressive drug addict I had today and get some thoughts on whether I handled the entire thing correctly. Today in my lunch break I met up with my mom for lunch and we sat down outside at a restaurant located at a busy plaza in my town. I mention this because I want to highlight that the entire thing happened in broad daylight and with plenty of witnesses. Shortly after we arrived, a somewhat disheveled-looking guy about my age (late 20s, maybe he was slightly older) with slightly dirty clothes sat down two tables away from us. He has a black eye and some other light markings of injury on that side of his face and he seems to be mumbling to himself, so I'm already kind of wary and try to avoid eye-contact. I notice the waiters having a similar reaction, but they nonetheless take his order.
After a few minutes, a couple with a small child walks past us - well not exactly past us, they were like 20-30 meters away from us - and the child is bawling her eyes out. The guy starts yelling at the child telling it to be quiet, calls it "mentally handicapped" and imitates a crying sound. My mom and I are beginning to feel uncomfortable at this point. I start thinking about whether I should step in some form, but he luckily stops after a few seconds. The couple didn't react, I'm not sure if they even noticed as the plaza was quite busy.
The homeless guy begins unboxing a seemingly new pair of wireless earplugs. Luckily, aside from mumbling to himself, he just sits there and sips on his drink peacefully. However, a few minutes later, after I had almost forgotten he was there, he suddenly gets up and first walks towards and then right around our table while muttering something unintelligible to himself before returning to his table and sitting back down. At this point, I'm getting more uncomfortable and start to consider changing tables. My mum is increasingly wary of the guy also. Nonetheless, we stay put. The guy clearly seems confused but aside from yelling at that couple earlier, he hasn't done anything yet. But then, like a minute later, I'm suddenly hit on the cheek by some projectile. I'm like wtf is going on here; I look down at what just hit me and it turns out it's the charging box or whatever you call it of homeless guy's new earplugs. I'm still thinking about what I should be doing when the guy stands up, walks over to our table, and picks up the charging thingy. My mom, who is equally shocked as me, confronts the guy and asks him what he thinks he's doing and tells him that he has injured me which is kind of an exaggeration as the hit didn't really hurt. Meanwhile, I'm still figuring out my course of action, so I just downplay it and say it wasn't that bad, trying to de-escalate the situation for now. Ngl, I was also a bit scared in that moment. Guy doesn't apologize but says he has Tourette syndrome and some neuro-something spasticity (don't remember exactly what he said) that causes him to sometimes lose control of his motor skills or something like that. All the while he's walking around looking for his earplugs which he apparently also threw away when he threw the charging box at me. He goes to another table where an elderly couple is sitting and out of nowhere just picks up on of the chairs at that table to look for his missing earplug which the couple of course isn't too thrilled by, but they don't say anything, perhaps because he looks and acts kind of erratic and aggressive.
So to finish this up as I already wrote a literal essay, eventually nothing happens, he sits back down and we stay at the table because my mom said she didn't want to provoke the guy by changing tables. He gets a talking to from one of the waiters and we quickly finish our lunch and leave. Even though nothing really happened in the end, I still felt kind of emasculated if I'm being honest. Like this guy threw stuff at me, didn't apologize and I just took it and even tried to de-escalate. I even told the waiter that everything was fine and that it was no big deal even though I was fuming inside and felt very uncomfortable with the situation. I'm not a small guy (6ft, not super muscular but also not super thin) but have no fighting experience and I kept thinking that this guy could have a knife or something. I still felt like I could have stood up for myself a bit more even when de-escalating if that makes sense.
Anyway. Sorry if something is unclear, English is my 2nd language.
Does carrying pepper spray visibly on a keychain in your hands when you're walking outside/around in public help deter an attack before it happens?
I'm not asking if pepper spray can stop an attack in progress or if it even works against attackers.
Would having a visible self-defense tool likely make the criminal choose an easier target than you?
It was Friday night, at my friends apartment, and me and my friend were drinking quite a bit and decided to go walk to the bar on campus. As we were going downstairs, there was an apartment being quite loud. I made a remark like “wow they’re being really loud” and my friend decided it was a good idea to bang on their door when I wasn’t looking.
When I heard it, I ran downstairs and around the corner. My friend decided to walk nice and slow for no good reason. Six people, four dudes and two girls came out of the apartment and surrounded my friend. At this point they didn’t see me, but I didn’t want to leave my friend to deal with it alone so I go over there.
As soon as I approached them, one of the guys instantly does the stereotypical chest to chest push to me. As this was happening we were still walking (but slower) towards the bar. Im trying to deescalate the situation and not showing any signs of aggression. But they kept insulting and literally screaming at my friend and I. They were saying “white ass bitch” and telling us to “keep walking”. At one point the guy shoves me into another guy and they got wayyy angrier about it. They were also waving their hands in our face. Eventually the biggest guy (at least 6”3) corals them away from us and we kept walking to the bar.
I understand that I did the right thing: I had a choice to get away from a fight and I did just that. I also understand that it was really stupid for my friend to bang on someones door. I wouldn’t have done that. But the reason for this post is I feel like a complete bitch for not getting physical or insulting. Im having troubles getting over that feeling.
