Martial Arts Self Defense

Martial Arts Self Defense – Targeting Areas of the Body

During your martial arts self defense training, you will learn the different areas of the body that are best to target when defending yourself. This is incredibly important because if you can execute a devastating strike, it will not be very effective if it is not properly targeted. There seem to be 5 major areas of the body that are targeted by most self defense videos. They include the: head, neck, torso, groin, and extremities Here is a quick overview of each area and the type of damage that is most effective against it.

The first area to discuss is the head. In almost every self defense video, the best places that are identified to target are the eyes, nose, ears, temple, and jaw. The eyes stand out as a great place to attack because they are made up of soft tissue and are not protected by bone or muscle. Additionally, an effective attack to they can momentarily blind or disorient your attacker which will give you enough time to escape. If you are forced to target lower, then the neck is a fantastic option and is discussed in almost every martial arts DVD. The front of the neck, the throat area, is also composed of soft tissue that has no natural protection from bone or muscle. An effective strike to the throat will cause it to swell, which can temporarily close their airway.

The torso has four major areas that can be effectively attacked, they include: the clavicle, solar plexus, ribs, and kidneys. If your goal is to stun your attacker, then a swift strike to the solar plexus will knock the wind out of them and can temporarily immobilize them. The ribs are also an excellent target because damage to the ribs can also be immobilizing and even cause internal damage as well. The groin is another soft tissue area that has no natural protection. Additionally, because of its central location, almost all offensive martial arts moves can be used to strike it. When striking the groin, aim specifically for the scrotum. If you miss, you still cause a large amount of pain, and if you connect, it can cause the lower abdominal muscles to contract and the attacker will not be able to effectively stand for some time.

The final area that needs to be discussed is the extremities This area should rarely be the focal point of your attacks, however hindering this area in a close quarter situation is extremely helpful as it gives you a control advantage. Additionally, damage to the joints can cause immobilization.

As you can see there are a wide variety of options to choose from, so it is important that your strike serves a purpose. The most effective aspect of martial arts self defense is that with only one or two strikes, you can either disorient or immobilize your attacker long enough to escape, which should always be the top priority. Remember, when striking your attacker, focus on one of these five areas: the head, the neck, the torso, the groin, or specific areas of the extremities