Fight, or Flight? Basic Self-Defense Tips

An emergency situation triggers what is called the fight or flight response. Adrenaline flows, increasing one’s heart rate and the amount of blood flowing to the muscles; a caffeine-free performance boost, if you will. In a face-to-face meeting with an intruder or criminal, this normal physiological reaction is advantageous. The important thing to remember is to make a decision. Rather than freeze, paralyzed by fear, use this natural chemical response to respond. For this entry, we’ll say that “fight” is the most realistic of the two options.

Focus on disabling the opponent long enough to: 1) allow for an escape and 2) call for the authorities. Heroics lead to trouble; find a moderate balance between speed and strength, as the old saying lies appropriate: float like a butterfly, and sting like a bee. Keep moving, and move quickly. Combine this with some basic technical knowledge, and you’ll have a fighting chance.

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