The 5 self-defense tools that are listed here are very effective and easy to use so anyone can use them even if you have little or no experience of martial arts.
ELBOW
One of the most versatile tools is the elbow because it can be used at close range from many different positions. If you bend the arm sharply you create a sharp tool with the point of the elbow, that can be used in a thrusting action. It is effective in stunning the opponent or even knocking them out when used on the vital spots in the head region. It is also effective against the solar plexus, ribs and groin as well as many other vital spots. The thrusting action works well for lighter or smaller framed people because the force of the elbow thrust is concentrated in a very small area. The elbow can also be used in a striking action. The front of the elbow is used to strike a target such as the ribs or jaw in an inward swinging action. It can also be used in an upward swinging motion to the point of the chin.
FINGERTIPS
The fingertips are a useful weapon to attack the eyes in a thrusting action. No matter how strong your opponent is, their eyes are a weak spot that if attacked it can disable them if they cannot see properly. Getting poked in the eye is a shocking sensation for anybody and can easily unsettle the opponent. Another useful target to attack is the windpipe. Make sure you make the tool rigid by squeezing the fingers together and curling them slightly.
OPEN FIST
Striking with the base of the palm (called the open fist in Taekwon-Do) is a useful alternative to using a punch with the fist. Inexperienced fighters who punch with the fist clenched can hurt themselves if they don't form the fist properly or if they don't make contact with the correct part of the fist. The open fist is a lot safer for inexperienced fighters because it is a firm and rigid tool and does not buckle on impact. Useful targets are the jaw, the point of the chin and the nose. The striking action should be done in a straight line, like a punch.
THUMBS
The thumbs, like the fingertips, are useful for attacking the eyes but are more versatile because you can use it in many different positions. You can use the thumbs to gouge the eyes especially when being grabbed by the opponent and you can attack both eyes with both hands if possible. You can also use the thumbs in a thrusting action to poke the eyes and this can work from many different angles.
KNEE
The knee is a useful tool for kicking someone at close range. Compared to other kicks, a knee kick doesn’t require as much expertise to utilize it properly with sufficient power. The obvious target for a front kick with the knee is the groin region but it can also be used to attack the abdomen or ribs especially from a side-front angle. To get more power, it is best to drive your body weight into the kick.
CONCLUSION
Although these techniques are easy to use for an untrained person, they are not going to be as effective as when you practise them regularly. By practising these moves often, you will be physically conditioning the body, learning to apply more power to the technique as well as mentally conditioning yourself to respond with these techniques if needed. You need to train yourself to be able to use these techniques as second nature otherwise you may just panic or freeze when being attacked. So, my recommendation is that if you want to learn to defend yourself you ought to train regularly by doing a martial art.
