We live in a very urban area. Our front door faces a busy street (it’s a double door.) I already have cameras and alarms that let me know when somebody has opened the door, as well as lights that turn on automatically when there’s motion in our foyer. Nevertheless we’ve had people try to get in several times, and one time, somebody succeeded (I ran down the stairs screaming GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE like a maniac, and the intruder ran.) Not believing that my sheer loudness will generally win the day, I want some kind of self-defense tool that I can keep at hand - something I can grab quickly in case somebody gets in and tries to get up the stairs. Firearms are not an option. Pepper spray? A blinding flashlight? Several friends have suggested a baseball bat, but that seems pretty iffy to me - not sure I could accomplish a solid blow with one in the dark, heat of the moment, etc.

Met up with a friend at a mall a while ago, and he was bringing a laptop to show some (programming) stuff. He brought nothing else: just his phone and cards in his pocket and a laptop in hand.

He took a bus through a very ...problematic... area. I expressed concern about having a MacBook Pro out in the open, but he said "If someone tries to f*ck with me, I got a solid 3lb aluminum slab". He was safe, but hypothetically, if he was mugged in that situation, would it have been possible to use the laptop in self-defense without actually causing significant damage to it?

Although, the best strategy would just be to carry the $2000 laptop in a concealed way to avoid attracting attention for a mugging, What would be the strategy, for a 17-20 year old man with average strength? (A dented corner would be a lot better than having it stolen).

Someone at work is threatening to cut my hair. i’m 19 and he is in his 50s-60s. He may be joking but hes persistently saying he’s gonna lock me in a room and cut my hair and if that happens I’m gonna break his face so i just need to know if i’m gonna go to jail or not

What are good tips and tricks for a parents with young children in a stroller. I'm an anxious person and would like to be prepared as much as I can. I'm currently pregnant with my second boy. I am nervous about carrying pepper spray since my sister's friend decided to spray herself and my sister when they were young.

Thanks for any help and tips you can give. I appreciate it.

The only time I feel I would really need pepper spray is if my wife and I go downtown usually to a bar or dance club. A lot of them make you empty your pockets and pat you down.

The bouncers typically won’t let you in with pepper spray. Are there any discreet looking pepper sprays that don’t look like the usual canister style?

It seems dumb that the one time I actually need it is the one time I can’t have it.

Lee Morrison's Urban Combatives vs Paul Vunak's RAT (Rapid Assault Tactics), I want people who either have experience in both systems or people who have at least seen both systems in action to comment. (Compare, Criticize and Complement, also Pros and Cons). And after your complements and criticisms, I want you to comment IN GENERAL, which system out of these 2 would make an average untrained and undersized 5'6" 140 pound man (168 cm and 65 kg man) be MORE LIKELY to survive unarmed street situations better (and thereby increase his base lethality level compared to his former untrained self) ??? ANSWER TO THE POINT AND DIRECTLY TO THE QUESTION AT HAND. (Don't give answers like make him train Combat sports like Boxing, Wrestling, BJJ. The choice is between only these 2 systems. Nothing more, nothing less. Assume that our undersized and untrained man is able to train 2 days a week for about 1-2 years.) Thank you for participating in this comparison ! Wish you all a great day !

I’m a 100 lb woman and have enrolled in self defense classes but feel like that would not be enough in case of an emergency. I learned carrying a knife could be used against me. I can’t use pepper spray because I have a lung disease and that would actually make me choke and die pretty much. Is pistol permit my next best option? I’m in Upstate NY, btw. I’m also an avid rollerblader and have been chased by four dogs!!!! So thought about bear spray but that’s also like pepper spray. sigh

Regardless, I’m still going to keep up with the self defense classes as they are obviously a good idea and I’m learning good ways to defend myself there. Any advice is appreciated, TIA.

EDIT 2, MORNING AFTER: I do have bipolar and anxiety disorders. I am on meds and seeing a therapist. While bigots are real, I need to keep threats in proper perspective.

OP: Someone with a white supremacist tattoo served us at a place where it's necessary to know our contact information. She didn't seem to care, just wanted our (bf and I) gay money, but better to be paranoid and prepared than dead. Any advice?

EDIT 3, ONE OR TWO DAYS LATER: Her tattoo was the Stormfront logo, but without the words, and it's on fire. This edit didn't stick yesterday, so I'm doing it again today. While I still think she is a legit white supremacist, I don't think she's after me.

EDIT 1, HOURS LATER: I've calmed down. Thanks for the posts. I do need to learn self defense and look into home security asap tho.

EDIT 4, TWO DAYS LATER: I'll end it with this poster I've had on my wall for almost a year now: Don't panic, stay vigilant.

Im 23, 6'6 and 220lb and are decently fit but have never taken any form of self defense training.

Recently went on a trip with some friends and we all got drunk. One of my friends started pushing me to wrestle but I wasnt into it. Eventually he went at it with me anyway and got me on the ground pinned and made jokes like he could get me anytime.

While I go to the gym moderately to stay fit, it was demoralizing to see how unprepared I was to defend myself and made me realize I am not where I need to be in terms of self-defense.

So, what is the best form self defense or training advice in general? While i'm not looking to become a professional, I am willing to dedicate as much time and effort as necessary in order to feel confident and assured of myself if the need to defend myself arises.

Thanks

Can you leave a pepper spray or gel in the car? Looking at the sabre

I just saw a chilling video (on Reddit but I'm not linking to it) of a man walk up behind a woman on the street, sling a thick, looped belt around her throat, and drag her away. It seemed like she was motionless within 20 seconds or so.

What self defense would be possible for a woman in such a scenario? She has no "room" to turn around, and was down on the ground within a few seconds. Belt too thick to really pull away from her neck. The man was clearly strong enough to haul the limp woman around by a belt.

Recommendations? Thx.

Edit: the man was arrested and "faces several charges, including rpe, assault, strangulation, sx abuse and harassment."

Hello everyone. I have been training boxing for over a year now but I have realized since I am 5'4 and have to close distance against taller opponents, this would work pretty bad against a tall attacker on the streets since thats when grappling begins. I was thinking about also adding a specific martial art that mainly emphasizes on throws rather than takedowns or submissions because I am not interested in ground game, I have to still be standing in case there are several attackers. Is sambo and sanda a good idea for this? Or are muay thai throws and sweeps all I really need for situations like these? Thank you.

I was browsing social media and watched a video of a middle-age looking woman walking in the street. A man snuck up behind her holding a belt and looped it around her neck, dragging her to the ground as she passed out without being able to put up much of a fight. It scared me. I would hope I wouldn't be caught unaware like that but I can never be too careful. What would be a good way to resist?

My initial thought would be, maybe if she based out, immediately pulling down on the belt to loosen the choke, but I'm not sure how much time that would really buy her.

I know it sounds stupid but i actually need help. For I am 12-15 years of age and a female, not tall around 5'2 stopped growing a bit ago. I got into this half fight thing with my brother who is taller around 5'4-5'6 around 14-17. He is older than me and considerably quite skinny but stronger than me.I am not skinny neither am I fat, but proportionally wider?? than him. Well in this fight thing he started shoving me with his back and hitting his shoulders back really fast either side to push me away using his elbows as well. Keep reading-

https://preview.redd.it/fgvwov73nlzc1.png?width=390&format=png&auto=webp&s=49c2d1dc111b2f745f5871453b3a1dce2c73f457

Stock image so we have the right thing in mind. And my other brother 17-20, not athletic same height as my other brother not a gym guy only stronger than me bc hes male and older and has thick calves somehow also blocked me off so I had nowhere to go keep in mind this is a hallway in our house. BTW all this was to usher me back to my room when I wanted to leave. Anyways the 14-17yr old brother kept doing that and generating force from his back and shoving me really fast I didn't know what to do. I tried to push him off and I wouldnt punch him or anything, even if i wanted to i couldnt bc he was moving so much. Well yeah I tried to push him off but he js kept shuffling and his back power was inevitably going to be stronger than my weak pushes but still. I feel like there is something I can do if he does this again or someone else. Cus both my brothers do it against me when they want to usher me away but they do it forcibly.

Also remember the brother is taller than me too so its hard for me to do much.

And then after he stopped bc i said 'ow' I pushed him on the chest (prob shoulfnt have but did to try attempt to stand ground) but it felt kinda weak and he pushed me back and felt pushed back more that i pushed him it happened a few more times and I felt weaker than him.

So are there any tactics I can use to defend myself for the back thing and what can I do with the pushing thing, or is it mostly strength issues? Would appreciate some help.

I am editing this as people took it as they can't do anything which is untrue imo, advice for people of this hypothetical situation, for example they have medical reason(s) they can't run, they can walk, they can grip and have all limbs and hands fingers etc, they can't use any chemicals like mace or pepper spray, what would you give these people that are out there in a real self defense situation were they can't have a fist fight to defend themselves and a gun may not be an option or not always be an option, what recommendations for self defense other than guns, if someone attacked them then what and what to use, I would appreciate any real replies that are usable and helpful as this is not real, but there are many people with disabilities or have health reasons that 1 or more of all of these may apply to them and would be nice to be able to give them good advice and recommendations. thank you for your replies. (in this scenario they can grip with their hands and walk and are of sound mind and independent people etc

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I've been trying to find a good self defense flashlight for a while. I want something that is small (no more than 6 inches) and good for edc, but has enough lumens to blind an aggressive attacker. Something that could go on a keychain would also be a plus.

I've been training in boxing for about 8 months now and I'm really enjoying it. However, I'm considering adding Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) to my routine to diversify my skillset, especially for self-defense purposes. Do you think it's a good idea to pursue BJJ alongside boxing, or should I focus solely on mastering boxing for the time being? My plan is to dedicate Saturdays to boxing (padwork and sparring) and Sundays to BJJ, while fitting in strength and conditioning during the weekdays. Any advice or experiences you can share would be greatly appreciated!

I caught up with some old friends from my hometown and went out clubbing and actually had a really great night up until we were about to get into a taxi

We were followed by a group of pretty dodgy looking guys who we found out later were prospecting for a motorbike gang, they kept trying to harass and scare the girls in our group and we told them that we didn't want trouble and that we were heading home

After telling them to back off, in about under 5 seconds one of the guys sucker punches my friend in the head and he knocked out 3 of them

There was a pause for a few seconds and they seemed to back off a bit, We were yelling at them yelling to them to fuck off and that they were being fucking stupid fighting over nothing. I thought that hopefully it was over at that point

One of the guys who got knocked over gained his senses back and panicked and starting yelling for the rest of his mates to fuck us up, a bunch of their friend came running in and swarmed us and it happened so quickly, my mate who intially knocked out 3 of them was then targeted and getting punched in the head by 4 guys

I ran in to help him out and almost got kinghit running in but my other friend punched him over before his punch connected (saw him about to punch me out of the corner of my eye), managed to step over the other guys knocked out on the ground but by the time I got to my mate he has been taken to the ground and I stood over him with my back facing our attackers getting hit, I managed to hold off a few of them but two other guys ran around me to kick my mate in the head, managed to somewhat block it with my arm, I managed to get him up and the 3 of us managed to regroup and break through the circle of guys around us, got the girls we were with and tried to get into a taxi to get out as quickly as possible. We managed to pull out other mate out who got seperated from us and was having to fight a bunch of them on his own.

They were trying to attack us as we left but then the police came, most of them ran but a few of them tried coming after us so I just stood my ground and yelled at them that the fight was over, he keep walking over so I went after him and he ran off.

The police tried arrested us since we had done quite a bit of the damage and were probably the loudest and had bystanders pointing at us but fortunately we had others who told the police we were assaulted and they let us go.

We finally got into a taxi and made it home but at the cost of my friend getting a broken jaw and cracked rib, my other friend got a busted jaw too, other friend has has bruises on his face and my back is sore as fuck. My friend has since been treated in hospital.

Did I do the right thing in trying to avoid violence and defuse it or should have I started using a lot more force a lot sooner.

I have a black belt in Shaolin Kungfu have done boxing and jujitsu and not a stranger to street violence, been in multiple life threatening situations before and seen it go really bad very quickly so I wanted to stop it, for example I managed to stop two guys from stealing my friend truck but we got shot at in return, didn't realise they were armed and it's a blessing no one was shot, broke a guys ribs after almost getting stabbed (violent robbery happened right in front of me) and many more incidents. If you're wondering I lived in a really dodgy city and was one of the reasons I moved.

I realise that even with all my training, real fights are so different and more brutal so although I was wanting to do more I know that escalating it could have lead to much worse circumstances. Turned out it was good I didn't as someone got stabbed close by a week later by the same group of people.

Did I do the right thing, I realise my ego is bruised but at least we're safe and alive.

So I got these really cool car seats today and my mom who I live with in Sebring Florida saw them. She repects my choices and how I choose to decorate my car as I am an adult. However she still wanted to warn me that she felt it would make me more of a target for perverted men who would wait outside of a woman's car to SA or rape them. I personally feel that this could happen to me no matter what I do, whether my car looks feminine or not. She then has me look up rapes and sex trafficking in Florida. I find that one in six women are raped. However I don't think my seats would make much of a difference in whether or not my car is picked to wait near, or that I should let men and how their bodies and brains work dictate my choices that much.

I don’t think I’m allowed a gun because of past mental issues. Even tho I am much better. I know people around me would not want me to get a gun. However some old man was in my yard talking to himself pushing neighbors fence and trying to climb a tree then proceeded to try to open my front door and back door. Took of his shirt and stayed talking to himself. I called the cops and it was a hour wait for them to come home by then he was gone from the area and went to next road (told cops they didn’t even look there). Then 15 min later I saw him called cops again. Well the cops had already left so it’s another hour wait for them to come check the area. Ngl that scared the crap out of me. More so that it took the cops that long. I didn’t even want to stay home tonight. I know maybe the guy was just a crazy old man but it was the idea of how long the cops took. What can I do to protect myself ? I’m going to be getting security camera. I have a husky that serves as an alarm system. Is there any “weapon” that can protect me? I saw byrna but I’ve head mixed reviews.

hey, 16f going to boarding school next year. it's known to have SA cases (especially at night) and the campus is not big. decent security, like curfews and IDs to open doors and such, but i'm very concerned. school does not handle assault cases well and there isn't a lot of publicity about it. last year there was a case apparently and the school didn't punish the person who did it.
i can't find the rules but i'm certain you can bring small knives. there is a size limit though.

any suggestions? i'm very weak and have horrible stamina. thinking of bringing pepper spray and stuff but is there anything i could do to defend myself or train that doesn't involve heavy time commitment or weapons? all i know is to go for the eyes but i don't think that will be enough, esp because like i said i'm not strong.

i do understand that most situations such as these can be avoided by just being careful or hanging around large groups/friends but for the rare exception i would like to be prepared.

sorry if this isn't the right place to go to, i wasn't sure where else to ask :(

I’m a 17 year old boy with a disability. I have cerebral palsy, meaning I do have some mobility issues, which is why I walk with a Posterior Walker. I’ve been in a few fights, lost some, won some. I’ve been contemplating learning self defense. I’m really really interested in it, but I also realise that it might be a less sensible option for a hobby for someone like me to get into. The thing is that i don’t struggle with things like punches or physical strength in general. All I struggle with is balance, and staying on my feet.

Should I still try? Or am I just wasting my time?

Honest advice is appreciated, and DMs are open. Thanks in advance.

I have three teen girls from 15 to 18 and I want them to learn basic self defense. They don’t have to win a MMA cage fight. I just want them to be able to incapacitate an assailant and run away. Any good courses for something like around the Philly suburbs. Specifically the bucks county area?

A few years ago I had an individual attempt to attack me in a parking lot. I’m ok and since have brushed it off since it was assumed the guy was on drugs or drunk. I since have been carrying Sabre Gel on me since it doesn’t have a strong blow back, is sticky, and contains a UV dye for suspect identification. I have been told that I need to test spray it (which I have), and if I haven’t been sprayed with it before to see how I react should not be carrying it. Problem is I am a student pilot, I value my vision a lot and last thing I need to have is damage to my eyes from testing out if my pepper gel hurts me. What are your thoughts on this? I specifically bought the gel since it doesn’t have a strong blowback. Thanks!

I'm a 40 yo male, married with father of two children and to be honest I'm just so sick and tired of being afraid all the time whenever I go outside. It's ridiculous. I hear people shouting or cursing and my heartrate immediately goes up, I withdraw and make myself small. I never make eye contact, I always try to avoid any confrontation. I fcking hate it. Now that I am a father I despise myself because I am worried I won't be able to defend my children or my wife if necessary. I've even noticed I start hushing my son (7 yo) in public if I feel anyone might take offense if he says something confrontational (mainly if we're at a sports match surrounded by fans of team A and he starts cheering for team B).

It's also quite ironic that I'm such a coward because I live in Eastern Europe and violent crime is extremely rare. I've never even seen a gun or a knife in my life, the only violence I'm likely to encounter is road rage, hooligans or muggings. But I'm just so scared of getting beat up, it's depressing for me and (if they would ever find out) those around me.

I've done some Krav Maga for few months couple years ago but did not got the feeling I was getting more confident and I was actually more worried about the focus on lethal moves we were learning (throat punches etc), then covid hit and I did not resume it afterwards. I'm thinking to pick up kickboxing or something in the near future, but to be honest the most important part is getting over the crippling fear which can't be dealt with by kickboxing alone I presume.

Honestly not sure if I'm in the right sub for this, but maybe anyone has experience with such feelings and advice on how to improve?

Hello, not sure if this is the correct sub for this but,

My neighborhood is pretty peaceful....EXCEPT this one house a couple houses down. They own of course, a pitbull that occasionally gets out. I have been attacked by pits before, and until a person experiences the same, they just don't understand the fear that this dog can instill.

Yesterday, I was out front jumping rope when this dog got out. It immediately sprinted toward me from its house down and across the street. I dropped my jump rope and ran inside, but it really made me stop and think, "What if I wasn't right by my house? What if I was walking my own dog and was passing by this house, how would I protect my dog or my wife?"

I went out and bought pepper spray to keep with me but read that it's a crap chute on whether it would actually repel the dog or not. I am looking for something to stop the dog before it can even get close if this were to happen again. I could carry my rake with me, and just start swinging as the dog approaches, but I'd look so dumb carrying a rake with me every time I walk my dog. Is there anything more appropriate? I also don't want to HAVE to carry a pistol with me every time I walk my dog. I live in Texas, so there are no requirements and would be easy to do so, but don't want it to get that far.

I've read an umbrella helps? I don't see this helping. Any advice is appreciated. I would like to eliminate the threat before it can even reach me or my dog.

I work at UT Austin and I and some co-workers are looking for a class (preferably where the instructor could come to our building) on Active Shooter Respose with carbine and pistol.

Anyone have some recommendations on who to reach out too? We are waiting to hear back from U.T.P.D about thier instructor but they are slow to respond.

I feel like if you’re smaller then BJJ would be more effective for holds and things against bigger people but wrestling would be better if you’re stronger since it’s more brute strength to its techniques. I’m trying to decide which to pair with boxing.