I almost didn’t want to write this post because it deals with a subject that frightens me and I put it off for several weeks. But now that the weather is warm and many of us are taking our exercise to the streets, it’s time to discuss staying safe while running or walking solo.
I don’t have statistics that state the numbers of women – or men – who are attacked while on a run or walk. I looked, but couldn’t find them. However, I watch my local news and don’t need statistics to tell me that sometimes the streets are not as safe as we’d like them to be. While the numbers are not readily available, tips for staying safe while exercising outside abound. Here are a few I found:
Don’t exercise solo. Take a buddy with you on your walk or run, no matter the time of day or night.
Always be aware of your surroundings and that means ditching the headphones. Running or walking with music, while it may pump you up, eliminates your ability to hear what’s going on around you and – it’s not rocket science – targets you as a potential victim. If you must run with music, keep the volume low enough so as to not block out the sounds around you or wear only one earphone, say some experts.
Change up your route. This will not only keep you alert as you explore unfamiliar territory, it will deter stalkers. (Yes, I read that on another site and, while it scared me, it bears repeating. But I also think there may be some element of safety in sticking with a familiar route too.)
If your state allows, carry mace or pepper spray. This is a controversial tip because some people say that these can be used against you if an attacker gets hold of them. You may also want to carry a personal alarm that emits a loud shriek. The one below is also a flashing strobe light:
SING – If you are attacked, remember to SING by aiming for your attacker’s vulnerable parts: solar plexus, instep, nose and groin. Admittedly, this is easier said than done so to keep yourself better protected, take a self defense class and brush up on your knowledge every few years.
While the following doesn’t substitute for a hands-on class, EverBeautiful.com contacted Krav Maga Worldwide™ for their tips on staying safe while walking or running outside. Here’s what they had to say:
Running and walking are two of the most simple and least expensive ways to get active. But before you head out the door on an early morning or late night jog, it is important to take the proper safety precautions. Wearing reflective clothing in low light, staying hydrated, not listening to music too loud, and being aware of your surroundings are good places to start. It is also vital to know how to respond if an attacker grabs you during your workout. The self-defense experts at Krav Maga Worldwide™ have put together the following guide to explain how to react in a “bear hug” attack from behind.
The first principal of using Krav Maga is to identify the danger or the most dangerous aspect of the attack. This process begins by identifying what type of grabbing attack is being made. The big danger in a bear hug attack, especially from behind, is the potential for the attacker to control the body of and/or lift the other person. Once the attacker controls your body they can lift you and carry you away (into a van, to a place where other people can’t see what’s going on, to a place where friends are waiting to gang up), they can lift you and slam you to the ground (a huge risk of being knocked unconscious by the slam), or they can drag you around in similar fashion.
Krav Maga Worldwide™ teaches students that the best defense against a bear hug attack is to start fighting back right away. There are two things you must do in order to effectively fight back because of the dangers inherent in the attack. The first step is to drop your “base” or make yourself heavy. The second is to “space” or create distance from the attacker. In this case, because the attack is coming on from behind, there is an extra step; you have to “turn in” in order to fight. Here is a breakdown of each step:
BASE – Making your base heavier is relatively easy. When grabbed by the attacker in a bear hug, bend your legs and drop the level of your hips. Think of it as basically sitting down into a full squat (thighs parallel to the ground). Drop your hips and sit slightly back and into the attacker, with your head up, not folded forward. This immediately makes your center of gravity lower, which makes you more difficult to lift off of the ground. Dropping your base also puts pressure on the attacker as they now have to deal with your weight. From here, you can start to fight without the danger of being controlled and lifted from the ground.
SPACE – You cannot let the attacker stay close to you in a bear hug. You especially cannot let the attacker keep his/her hips close to you. Think about the last time you moved a piece of furniture, or a box of something heavy, you don’t keep your hips far away from the object and rely on outstretched arms to lift it, you scoot your hips and body close to the object and get underneath it. Along the same lines, an attacker has to be close to you to control you in a bear hug attack. With your “base” low, immediately begin sending strikes in a side-to-side motion to vulnerable areas on the attacker. Krav Maga Worldwide™ students are taught to go for a groin strike first. This strike can be thrown whether your arms are “trapped” meaning encircled by the attacker’s arms, or “free”. A groin strike will often cause the attacker’s hips to reflexively move away thus creating space between your body and the attacker’s. Aggressive and continuous, side-to-side motion also serves to create space from the attacker by making you more difficult to hold onto. It’s more difficult to hold onto someone who is constantly wriggling, than it is to hold on to someone who is static.
TURN IN – When you feel you have a solid base, and continuous side to side strikes at vulnerable areas have created just a little bit of space between the attacker and yourself, you are going to “turn in” or turn toward the attacker to continue the fight. You can’t effectively finish the fight with the attacker on your back. And it’s certainly going to be more difficult to get away with an attacker hanging on you. Krav Maga Worldwide™ students are taught to recognize when sufficient space has been created, and make their move to “turn into” the fight where they have full use of all their strikes. You can turn either direction once the space is there, but whichever direction you turn, you are going to turn in behind your elbow. So, if you are rotating to your left to turn toward the attacker, you are going to raise your left arm in front of your face so that the soft targets of your face (nose, mouth, eyes) have something slightly blocking them in case the attacker is looking to strike at you during the transition. You can also use this raised arm to deliver elbows and hammer fist attacks as you are turning in. Once you have turned “into the fight” you will continue to aggressively strike at all vulnerable areas until the attacker is broken and you can get away without being impeded.
For more safety tips and additional information about Krav Maga training, visit: http://www.kravmaga.com.
About Krav Maga Worldwide
Founded in 1997 to promote Krav Maga throughout the United States and around the world, Krav Maga Worldwide trains and certifies instructors and licenses over 150 authorized Krav Maga Worldwide training centers in the United States, Canada, Japan, Mexico, South America, and Europe, as well as over 800 law enforcement agencies and military units. Krav Maga offers the highest caliber of instruction to thousands of people, supporting the company’s core commitment to improving and saving lives. Krav Maga Worldwide continues to develop, promote and implement self-defense and fitness programs.
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