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From: ix192@sdccs6.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.women
Subject: Re: Self-Defense
Message-ID: <1297@sdccs6.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 26-Mar-84 16:05:43 EST
Article-I.D.: sdccs6.1297
Posted: Mon Mar 26 16:05:43 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 28-Mar-84 01:26:13 EST
References: <98@fisher.UUCP>
Organization: Hacker's Haven, U.C. San Diego
Lines: 66

[]

Um.  I would have greatly prefered if you had put some sort of loose
definition or destription on "the attacker".  I was seeing my girlfriend
attacking me your way as I was trying to fit her underwear on her teddy bear!!!

Telling stories like the one about your instructor won't do much to help
people, except to over-boost their self-confidence in martial arts.  Unless
you're REALLY good (as in black belt, quick reflexes, somewhat strong with
good endurance) all a stronger attacker has to do is grab you.  Then, unless
you can paralyze (long enough for you get loose) you're as good as helpless.

You also forgot one important thing - hit and run.  Perhaps you taught were
never to do that in your dojo, but unless the woman is in very good shape,
she'll start tiring out trying to overcome her attacker, especially if he's
a big guy with an endurance for pain.  Once the man is somewhat retreating,
RUN!!!  Don't try to fight it out toe-to-toe.  Once you see a chance to 
leave, back out, keeping an eye on the guy if possible or if you can't
run (heels, tight skirt), taking a mad dash if you can.  But judge your
own circumstances.  If the safetly of a crowded street is twenty yards away,
go for it.  If you're in the middle of a four-mile construction area, perhaps
it would be better if finish the man off if it looks quite possible.  BUT!!!
Save finishing an uneven fight as a last choice.  You don't get brownie points 
for finishing off the guy, either.  Escaping unscathed is almost all that 
counts.

Also (now we're really technical here), strength is not so important as the
point of contact of your blows.  Depending on what you want to cause
(pain, damage, disablement) there are a lot of nerve centers to choose from.
Places on your body that hurt when you press hard will cause pain when you
hit them.  Places that will ache for long periods (as in your funny bone,
front of neck, groin/crotch) will do some disabling.  For damage you can
either aim for organs or to crack/break bones.  Bone damage takes force,
so skip that unless you want to trade broken bone for broken bone.  Use
a large, bony surface area (like elbows, fists, knees) to do break things.
Pain, on the other hand, the smaller the hitting surface, the better - it 
increases the force placed on the point of contact tremendously!  Hit with the 
knuckles only when using your fists, jab with three (slightly bent) fingers at 
an eye or neck.  High-heeled shoes are great for this!  A hard kick with a well-
placed heel into the back of a knee or into the instep of a foot should pretty 
much give you a leisurely stroll back to safety.  Hitting on the vulnerable 
parts of the legs will disable the attacker, making your walk to safety only 
have to be faster than a crawl.

BUT taking martial arts isn't a slight guarantee of safety unless you become
to the level of a black-belt, and have gone through several tournaments.
It does a lot of good to know how to fight.  I never had any fights growing
up, but in my last few years of high school I went to a Tae Kwondo school
and came out with a second in our school tournament.  I don't feel safe in 
dark alleys reguardless, and avoid them.  Martial arts are not a guarantee of 
invulnerablilty, especially in this day and age of modern weapons, and I'd 
rather just get out of a fight, even with a fair one-on-one.  I've never had 
a real fight yet, but it seems to me there are better things to do than feed 
your ego with someon else's bruised body.  Fighting one's way out is a heck of
a lot easier than trying to finish someone off.  The whole reason I started 
this article anyway!!  Do a HIT AND RUN.

I'm just waiting for someone to get mugged by a Marial Arts student!

Finished with my (phew!) 1,521 bits,

				   Kenn the Kenf
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				...!sdcsvax!sdccs6!ix192
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