For the most part travel has few serious mishaps. However, in rare cases physical threats to one's well-being are encountered and the traveler or adventurer must be prepared. When your life is in danger will you be satified with anything less but the very best in self-defense? What one needs is a hand-to-hand combat system that is simple for maximum effectiveness and will work under any curcumstances -- regardless of size, strength, or gender.
A system has been designed with the traveler/adventurer in mind. It does not take years to learn and does not include scores of complicated moves. The system is not based on athletic ability or strength, and includes only three moves. Anyone can learn this system in a matter of hours.
The system's components include:
1) Mindset
2) Three Targets
3) Three Tools
4) Ancillary Weapons
5) Practice
For effective self-defense one must have the proper mindset. Instead of thinking like prey think like a predator. If someone wishes to do you harm do not think that you are in trouble, think that he is in trouble.
A simple way to get you into the proper mindset is to imagine that you are walking down the street with someone you love, someone you wish to protect. Your wife or small child perhaps. Someone approuches your loved one intent upon doing him or her harm. How do you feel?
I am sure that in this scenario you'll feel much more aggressive than if someone only wanted to do you harm.
You must train yourself to think that when an attacker confronts you he is not intent on doing you harm, but intent on doing harm to your loved one.
The eyes of a six-foot five 250 pound football player are about the size of yours. His throat is almost as soft and his groin is just as sensitive. When pressure is applied to these three areas size and strength tend to become non-factors. This is why the Three Targets you want to hit are:
a) Eyes
b) Throat
c) Groin
You must drill these targets into your mind until they become instinct.
To hit the three targets effectively one must employ the proper tools. These tools must be simple and few to decrease confusion and increase their effectiveness. In this system only three bodily tools are used:
a) Fingers
b) Elbows
c) Knees
The Fingers
Hold your fingers loosely together with the thumb seperated. Use the fingers to gouge and maim one or more of the Three Targets. Jab your thumb into the victim's eye and clamp down. Grasp and squeeze the throat or groin and tear. Use both hands simultaneously. The fingers are not limited only to three targets, they are also used to grab hair, ears, and almost any part of the body. Remember that proper use of the fingers is not to hit, they are for grasping and tearing like eagle's claws. Keep both hands sticking to your opponents body like a fly to gummed paper.
The Elbows
The elbow is very easy to use. If hitting with your right elbow the left leg should be forward and you need to twist at the hips as you deliver the blow. When hitting with your left elbow your right leg should be forward. Put your body into the motion and breath outward with the blow.
The Knees
With one leg forward lift your back knee in a strike with a twisting motion of the hips. Remember to breath outward with a yell as you strike.
Your arsenal not only includes bodily weapons, but also just about anything you can use with your hands. A pen for instance. The pen is commonplace and is generally not considered to be a leathal weapon. But when one end of the pen is placed in the palm of the hand and locked between the fingers for thrusting, it becomes deadly. Imagine what it can do when thrust into someone's eye. There are several other common items that can be used as weapons. A few are:
*Broken Beer Bottle
*Pool Cue/Ball
*Baseball Bat
*Belt with Metal Buckle (use like a whip)
*Bicycle Chain
*Broom
*Brick or Rock
*Kitchen Knives and Utensils
*Golf Club
*Hammer
*Crow Bar
*Pocket Knife
*Chair
*Scissors
Set aside a regular time to practice. 20 - 30 minutes a day, three to five times a week is usually sufficient. You will want to shadowbox; this is a physical and mental practice. Start your session by vividly imagining that a confrontation is inevitable. You must protect your loved one. Release all of your aggression and energy at your enemy. Do not let him hurt the person you must protect. Use combinations of the Three Tools to visiously attack the Three Targets. Don't worry about him hitting you, hit him first. Don't bother with blocks -- hit him. Imagine what he is trying to do (grab you, throw a punch, push you) and attack with the best combinations for the situation. Mix up your scenarios and make them as real as possible. Experiment with several combinations.
Sample combinations are:
1) a) Thumbs to eyes b) Knee to groin c) Elbow to throat
2) a) Knee to groin b) Fingers grasp/tear throat
3) a) Fingers tear groin b) Elbow to throat c) Thumbs to eyes
4) a) Knee to groin b) Thumbs to eyes c) Elbow to throat d) Fingers tear throat
5) a) Pen to groin b) Thumbs to eyes
6) a) Knee to groin b) Pen to throat c) Broken bottle to eyes
7) a) Baseball bat to throat b) Baseball bat to groin
8) a) Scissors to groin b) Thumbs to eyes c) Scissors to throat d) Chair to groin
Some of these combinations may seem like overkill and that's fine. If one of your blows happens to miss, or does not have the effect you want, then the next one may hit. Usually you will need only one of your tools to hit a target to do the job.
Like putting together letters of the alphabet to make words, you can put the Three Tools, Ancillary Weapons, and The Three Targets together to form combinations that will devestate your enemy.