Everyone thinks they have the easy answer to defending themselves. Ask the average person (and even a lot of trained martial artists) how they’d stop an attacker and the standard answer you’ll get is:

Gouge the eyes and kick to the groin.

In a perfect world that’d be all you needed.

But this isn’t a perfect world and here’s the problem: If your four-year-old nephew and your 90-year-old grandma could have come up with that, you can be sure the bad guys have too—and they’re ready for it. Your assailant will put protecting his eyes and family jewels as a top priority. It’s common sense and a natural instinct. (What’s the first thing you do when surprised? Cover up and shut your eyes.)

If you believe a few cheap and dirty moves will save you, you might as well believe it takes nothing but the Hail Mary in your playbook to win the Super Bowl.

So let’s say you’re attacked and get off your eye rake and your groin strike… but it doesn’t stop them. Only now they’re even more pissed off than ever. Maybe they are amped up on adrenaline or strung out on drugs—who knows—but you do know that your best just wasn’t good enough.

Now what do you do? Do you have anything else to fall back on? They’re not going to fall for the same trick twice and you just made a Plan B your Plan A.

What skills do you really need if you want a real chance of keeping yourself and your loved ones safe? To name a few…

• Recover if you’re caught by surprise or knocked down.
• Protect yourself from punches, kicks and headbutts.
• Escape headlocks, bear hugs or other bad spots.
• Subdue someone until help can arrive.
• Choke an attacker unconscious.
• Or inflict serious bodily harm.

These are the solid, reliable skills that will get you through the thick of things. The dirty tricks will always be there for you. What you really need training on how to handle worst case scenarios and still overcome.

The beginners curriculum at Gracie Barra Clearwater is expertly designed to give you the quickest route to mastering these self defense skills and more. Call 727-204-9731 or contact us to find out how to get started.