12 Best Ways to Avoid Prevent and Deal with an Attack

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These tips on how to avoid prevent and deal with an attack could help you in a sticky situation…

Written by Eyal Yanilov, who is the Head of Krav Maga Global, a Master Level Instructor who trained for 20 years with Imi, the founder of KMG, wrote this article outlining 12 ways to deal with violent attacks. from which we can all learn something.

1. UNDERSTAND THE SITUATION

The mission here is to focus and understand as quickly as possible what is the nature of the confrontation.

2. IDENTIFY THE ATTACKER’S INTENTION

Making an eye contact, reading the attacker’s body language and facing him hands high, should put you in a better starting point. As I put it in one of my articles on the Principles of Krav Maga, your ultimate goal is to be on the upper hand – or to make it simple for you; “win” the situation.

3. MAINTAIN DISTANCE

It is highly important to keep a distance from the attacker. Also, keep in mind that no matter whether the person in front of you is 2 meters high or a 10 year old kid – distance is a crucial factor here.

4. PREVENT A CONFRONTATION

Stopping the progression of violence right at an earlier stage, is also crucial. Hence, you can find these three rules relevant for that matter:

1. Running away (if possible) – the easiest way.
2. Quickly equip yourself with a common object in order to make a threat or practically use it, to defeat the attacker, mentally or physically.
3. Preventing the situation in the first place without creating any contact, however, if you find yourself forced or surrounded then act as quickly as possible is the best way to defeat your enemy.

We train Krav Maga to prepare for the worst day of our lives, in the hope that it will never come.

5. ATTACK PRE-EMPTIVELY

You can use different “Preemptive Attack” to prevent the aggressor from reaching and hurting you. You should use it when:

1. You identify the intentions and means of the attacker.
2. You feel that the danger is immediate and real.
3. You have no other alternatives.

6. COMPLIANCE

Sometimes, using a complying body language while keeping in mind that eventually you have to leave the area ASAP would be the best act.
Submission works well when the attacker seeks for domination, and usually you will suffer very little damage, if at all. Naturally, you might lose the battle and suffer from social damage too, but at least no real physical harm will occur.

Compliance, on the other hand, works well when the attacker seeks for resources – as in the case of robbery – or giving the robber “what he came for”. Please note that the proper process for giving and commencing compliance, needs to be learned and practiced.

In case that you feel compliance or submission won’t work for you at the incident, you either need to start with appropriate-aggressive reactions, or use a fake behavior and then attack if possible.

7. SEEK ASSISTANCE

One of the most important actions a KMG fighter needs to take into his consideration, is seeking for assistance. That’s right, seeking for the help of others might eventually let you overcome the attacker’s harmful intentions.

However, not always you will find yourself able to call for help, so in that case you should be aware of your surroundings and pay close attention to the attacker’s moves.

Moreover, the main and usual assumption will be “it is my job and duty to act, no one can do it for me” etc., so if there is someone who offers his help to you, then you just got lucky.

8. EXECUTE THE APPROPRIATE TECHNIQUE

Use the correct techniques and tactics of KMG while it is important to utilize them at the right place and time with the correct mental and physical states. This is the most balanced way to manage your fight. Exploiting this to your advantage, will lead you to be on the upper hand and take control over any situation.

Moreover, stay as focused as possible and try neutralizing all disturbances and distractions.

9. AVOID ILLEGAL CONSEQUENCES

Being under attack doesn’t mean we have the the right to do whatever we wish to, as such in the case of the use in firearms or even a fist or a stone. On the contrary, you might want to deescalate and even leave the place before the situation turns to a war zone.

We must act according to the law, and therefore the usage of tools and weapons against an attacker is a hard decision if we gain control over the situation.

Hence, acting wisely while conducting Krav Maga techniques towards an attacker is a crucial step in a fight.

10. INFORM OTHERS

Informing people around you as quickly as possible and especially when you are actively defending yourself and counterattacking, is the smartest move you can make. Since you are the victim and the other is the aggressor; when you got a hold of a weapon – use it if possible or hide it if you can so you do not stand out unnecessarily.

11. REACH A SAFE ZONE ASAP

Reaching a safe zone isn’t just for security purposes, but for an entire process your body needs after confronting an attacker.
In KMG, injuries and deep pains can be critical if they are not being taken care of as quick as possible after an incident. Once we reach our safe zone, it is important to double check our body status, look for any caused injuries and treat them quickly.

Call for assistance ASAP; Try to remember as many details from the event as you can such as the attacker’s appearance, how he looked like or was dressed. It is our major interest to identify the attacker so he could be located later on.

12. KEEP IN MIND…

Keep in mind we are here to defend ourselves by all means necessary, with our bare hands, a cold weapon or just with our minds. We need to prevail the incident by being smarter, better and more efficient.
Make sure to keep your distance from the attacker, and apply all needed KMG techniques as you were trained and educated to do. Then use the “post fight’ tactics, such as:

Leaving the area as quick as possible; locating and assisting your friends or family member; searching and locating tools that may assist you to function better; looking and aiming for the exit; and searching for your belongings, especially papers, car keys and phone.

STOP READING. START TRAINING.

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