Self-defense is serious business. People focused on personal protection training not only to prepare their bodies, but to prepare their minds as well. While many people are rightfully focused on firearms as a tool of self-defense, some people choose to go unarmed. If you fall into this category, it’s still important that you understand self-defense and have good tools. These may be non-lethal tools or possibly open-hand defense skills. Whether you are armed or unarmed, it’s important to know what works and what doesn’t work. Today, we are going to look at self-defense myths.
Self-Defense Myths – The Wolverine
The first thing we will look at is what I call the Wolverine. The Wolverine is when people take their car keys and insert them into their hands, allowing the keys to slip between each finger, creating a type of claw. While this may look impressive, it is not an effective self-defense tool. The hand and fingers simply can’t support the keys enough to make them a real weapon. Additionally, you risk damaging your hand and fingers when you make contact. Once again, while it looks impressive, it simply isn’t going to do the job.
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Wasp Spray
Next up on our myth list are chemical agents. While pepper spray is known as a very effective chemical agent for personal protection, other items are not as effective. First on the list is wasp spray. While you may laugh at the idea of somebody using this as a self-defense tool, it happens more often than you think. Wasp spray or other household chemical agents may cause some skin and eye irritation, but they are truly not effective as self-defense tools. Additionally, they are generally large in size and difficult to manipulate. In the end, I encourage you to stick with pepper spray.
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Butcher Knives
A very popular item in self-defense circles is knives. Many are small and very easy to carry. However, just like with any personal protection tool, it’s important that you choose wisely. One type of knife that I highly discourage is the butcher knife. In my decades of teaching self-defense classes, I have seen multiple butcher knives produced from purses. The challenge with these knives is that they’re not designed for personal protection and fighting. The handles are not designed to provide a secure grip, and the blades are often thin and difficult to use.
Kick to the Groin
Next up on our list are open-hand striking skills. If this is your primary or chosen mode of self-defense, I encourage you to train and get as much education on this topic as possible. One specific technique seems to appear in every self-defense conversation. That technique is the classic groin kick. While it’s true that a direct kick to the groin can be physically incapacitating, the chances of getting that as a target of opportunity during a fight are extremely rare. Physical altercations are highly dynamic, with significant motion. The chances of getting a clear and effective groin shot are pretty small. This is one of the techniques that, while it looks good on paper, doesn’t work very well in reality.
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Hollywood Knock Out
The last myth we will discuss is what I call the Hollywood knockout. This is the idea that striking an assailant in the jaw or another specific area will immediately render them unconscious. While with trained hands, there is a chance that this could occur, it is unfortunately very rare. Additionally, to execute a technique such as this, you need extensive training and conditioning with your hands and or feet. An unconditioned hand striking a bony jaw will more than likely cause more damage in your hand than it will to their jaw. Ultimately, if you choose to use striking as your method of self-defense, I will once again sound like a broken record and say you need extensive training.
Self-Defense Myths
While this is a lighthearted look at some self-defense myths, personal protection is serious business. The world can be a dangerous place, and I encourage you to take your personal protection and safety very seriously. Consider your options and choose the best tools and weapons to serve your needs.
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