8 Proven Women’s Self-Defense Practices to Empower Yourself Immediately

Whether we like to openly admit it or not, the typical woman is physically smaller and weaker than the average man.

This is why many muggers and attackers target women.

Most criminals are bullies and cowards, so they aim for the easiest target.

While you might be tempted to put blind faith in women’s self defense products, like pepper spray or a kubotan (a type of women’s self defense keychain), the most effective elements of women’s self defense actually focus on prevention, rather than on reaction, to threats.

If you're a woman that wants to improve your self-defense knowledge, the following techniques and practices will immediately make you safer as you move through your daily routine.

#1 Put Your Phone Away

Like I said, prevention is the first step of self-defense.

Is your text message or Pokémon Go hunting really that important? There’s a time and a place for everything.

Professional criminals absolutely love cell phones, because they make people walking zombies, unaware of anything and everything that is going on around them.

When you’re eyes-down staring at a tiny screen, your ability to maintain situational awareness degrades measurably.

To think about it another way, would you feel safe driving on the highway while looking at your phone instead of the road? When you’re out and about, don’t let something as insignificant as your Instagram feed jeopardize your personal security...it can wait.

#2 Be Aware of Your Environment

You should always be absorbing input about your current situation.

This is known as situational awareness, which ties in to the first point about minimizing distractions.

Instead of blindly walking through an area, keep your head on a swivel, using all of your senses to take in as much environmental information as possible. You can thwart an attack before it ever happens if you know what is going on around you at all times.

This should be the baseline emphasis of a quality women’s self defense course, regardless of any physical techniques taught. Some classes will even share mental escalation models to help you learn to frame threats and recognize the threshold for when it’s time to take action.

As the saying goes, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

#3 Don't Advertise Yourself As a Target

Flashing money and jewelry in a public setting can get you targeted for an attack, especially in an unfamiliar place. So can weighing yourself down by carrying more than you can handle, leaving your garage door open, and leaving valuables or purchases in plain sight.

This is really a subset of being aware of your environment at all times, but it’s more specific in that it encourages you to recognize simple things you can do to prevent becoming a victim, just by thinking from an outside perspective.

Any reputable LEO, military veteran, or martial artist will tell you that avoiding a potentially violent situation is far better than having to use your own tools of violence to neutralize a threat.

#4 Park and Walk Smart

Going beyond instantaneous situational awareness, try to expand your newfound awareness to routines surrounding common points of vulnerability, like entering and exiting buildings and vehicles. (read: when criminals know you’re distracted by opening and closing a door).

Don't automatically park in the same parking space every time, or walk the exact same route.

When someone understands your routine, they can remove light bulbs or otherwise disable the lighting in that area, targeting you because you routinely parked in the same spot. When walking and parking, always choose well-lit, high-traffic areas.

#5 Get Your Keys Out

Whether walking to the front door of your home, your office, or your car door, have your keys out and in your hand before you get there.

You could also thread your keys between your fingers and hold your hand as a fist, but I’d recommend you get a women’s self defense keychain instead. This makes a deadly punching tool, and ensures that your keys are ready to unlock your door so you are not fumbling around looking for them and making yourself a vulnerable target.

There are some very simple techniques you can learn with a kubotan that can act as a force multiplier to stun or disable an attacker if you ever find yourself in a situation where you might be forced to use self-defense.

#6 Lock Your Door Immediately

The instant you enter your car or your home, lock the door. Don't do anything else. Don't set your purse down, walk into the kitchen with your groceries, or start other tasks.

Professional criminals understand that once women enter their car or their home, there is a perceived sense of security and safety. This is when they strike, as soon as you close your door.

Take the extra second to lock your door immediately upon entering your car or home, and then do whatever you were planning to do next.

It’s a small step that you can take to ensure the security of your immediate environment.

#7 Know Where Your Purse Is All the Time

An unattended purse means you're going to lose your smartphone, wallet, and possibly some other possessions.

The biggest risk here is that the thief now has your home address, and any other personal information that was in your purse.

Worse, if you carry any women’s self defense products or have a women’s self defense kit in your purse, like pepper spray, an attacker might try to use it against you.

So, remember to keep your purse close.

#8 Unleash Your Warrior Cry

This one is one of the very best tips that I like to share because it is so simple, but so very effective. I’ve watched plenty of grown men jump from being on the receiving end of an unexpectedly sudden, sharp yell. On top of that, no criminal appreciates loud noises that draw attention.

When you let fly your battle cry, it builds courage inside you, while also signaling for help. Shouting, yelling, and screaming like a crazy person can mentally confuse and cause your attacker to hesitate, which buys you valuable time to escape.

When you let out a powerful shout, you can even issue verbal commands that disrupt an attacker’s focus. Words like, “STOP!”, “NO!”, and “FIRE!” can not only energize you for action, but also work similarly to how police yell, “STOP!”, “FREEZE!”, and “GET ON THE GROUND!” to psychologically interrupt criminal behavior.

Final Thoughts

Women’s self defense is about more than punching and kicking, and it’s also about more than learning a few moves from an afternoon class.

Real self-defense starts with an effective prevention strategy that keeps you out of harm’s way, and that steers clear of situations that can potentially escalate. It’s about recognizing threats early, avoiding behaviors that contribute to vulnerability, minimizing distractions, and taking decisive action when necessary.

That said, it’s also exceedingly important to PRACTICE these concepts in a scenario-based training environment.

Working through what you learn in a controlled setting is a critical part of any self-protection training, particularly women’s self defense.

Find a partner, get a small group together, practice at home, and make it a habit to regularly review what you know. Run through the simple steps in this article with a friend or family member at home, in your driveway, or at work. Practice prevention where you live so that your skills will become a natural part of what you do daily.

I also recommend that you get some specific training in physical techniques to complement prevention training. Remember, you’re not training for the UFC here, your goal is to use simple tactics that work for you to create space so that you can escape and get to safety.

You can Google, “Women’s self defense classes near me,” to find a qualified instructor in your area - but be sure to ask what the emphasis of the class will be. Overly complicated techniques and fear-based training are not the mark of an effective women’s self defense program.

Simplicity, Accessibility, Empowerment, and Confidence Building are what you’re looking for - as an added bonus, well designed training is also FUN!

Yuuki Defense offers powerful and effective women’s self defense training through the Sakura Program. We offer live classes throughout NE Florida. For more information on Sakura, please visit the Sakura Program Site. Train Hard, Train Often.