Danger Zone One

The following is an excerpt taken from Tashida Kom’s guide, Self-Defense Tactics 101.

Weaponize Everything: The Art of Improvised Combat

Protecting yourself from an attacker means you do not need to follow any kind of “fighter’s etiquette.” Your only goal is defending yourself and surviving.

Using your surroundings for self-defense involves turning everyday items into improvised tools to create space, disorient an attacker, or inflict pain to allow for an escape. Effective, readily available items include keys, pens, flashlights, NetPhones, bags, or heavy objects like fire extinguishers.

Objects such as canes, baseball bats, billiard cues, golf/hockey sticks, umbrellas, crowbars, mops, and brooms can allow you to strike, swing, or thrust at an opponent from a distance. These can be used to attack, defend, or block—all while preventing an assailant from getting close.

Knives, scissors, screwdrivers, broken bottles, razors, and forks are best used in medium-range engagement. To utilize these at maximum effectiveness, techniques such as the straight stab, ice-pick/downwards stab, upward/underhand stab, and the slash should be employed.

Small but heavy objects—billiard balls, NetPhones, glass ash-trays, small statues, books, laptop cases, beer glasses, rocks, etc—can injure an assailant if thrown at them. Aim at your opponent’s face, targeting their eyes, nose or mouth to inflict damage and/or disorient them.

Keys, coins, wristwatches, and similar objects are best used at close distance to strike at the face or other vulnerable areas. Even sand and dirt, which can be thrown or kicked into the attacker’s face may buy you valuable time to either flee or counter with a strike. Hot beverages like tea, coffee, or even perfumes, deodorants, and repellents can be splashed/sprayed in an opponent’s eyes, offering a momentary distraction.

Everything is fair game when it comes to survival and avoiding injury. You may not always be in a situation where an improvised weapon is at hand—but should one be available, it could be an invaluable tool.

Danger Zone One. Story by Midnight. Art by Salaiix.