Look, I’m not going to pretend self-defense is glamorous.
At the end of the fight, either you’re injured (or worse) or your attacker is injured (or worse).
They aren’t playing by any rules and you shouldn’t have any silly ideas about what a fight looks like.
You want to inflict maximum pain, quickly, and by any means necessary.
A “throat strike” is a brutal and effective means of self defense, when done correctly.
And it’s also very simple to learn and execute.
You don’t need to be built like a bodybuilder or anything like that to make it work.
The key is WHERE your strike hits.
The throat is a decent-sized target, easy enough for most people to reach on an opponent.
With enough force, the throat strike will:
- End an attack by severely reducing the ability to breath.
- Allow you time to flee the situation and find help.
- Likely stop the person from thinking about attacking anyone else.
This is also a move that only should be used in a life or death self defense event
A hard enough strike is potentially fatal and probably will end up in long lasting or permanent conditions. Use with care.
So, how do you do a throat strike?
Use Your Arm, Not Your Hand (or Fingers)
If you’ve ever watched a movie and seen someone strike a person’s throat with their fingers, well, that’s pure fiction.
Again the throat is a good-sized target, but it’s not a massive target.
Using the forward bone of your forearm gives you a wide enough attacking area to ensure you hit the proper part of the attacker’s body (the trachea).
Now that you know you’re not trying to jab at a mugger with your palm, you’re ready to see exactly how it’s done.
Move In, Not Away
An attacker is anticipating you’ll try to flee. Use this to your advantage and move into your attacker.
As you move quickly, bring up your arm (as if you’re ready to punch) but send the entire arm into the throat of your enemy.
Picture a boxer who is moving in to throw his first punch. When you know an assailant is attacking you, move in with speed and punch that throat with your arm.
When The Attacker Moves Away, Do This Immediately
When you hit their throat, the attacker will almost certainly grasp at their throat, asphyxiated and gasping for air.
But it’s crucial that you make your next move:
- Attack another vulnerability: Their hands are up, protecting the injured area and they are completely vulnerable. From there, a groin attack could stop them completely.
- Flee the situation: If your attacker isn’t backed against a wall, they may be running from you. If you’re not against a wall and the attacker is concentrated on breathing, it could be time to run.
The goal is to make it out alive!
And a simple but crushing throat strike will get the job done for you.