The 6 Best Body Weapons to Defeat an Attacker

Also see: 6 Best Targets to Strike on the Body if You’re Attacked

A six foot two, two hundred pound man is aggressively coming straight at you. You cannot get away, and it looks like you only have seconds before he slams you into the ground or crushes the side of your head with a right hook. You are not armed. Quick, what weapons do you naturally have to fight back? Forget fancy moves from martial arts movies; here is a fast list of the six most effective weapons you always have available:

1. Palm Heel Strike

The base of the hand is rammed hard and fast into the jaw or nose. This is better than a punch in many cases; if you punch the wrong way you can easily break many small bones in your hand. It is very difficult to injure yourself with a palm heel strike. This blow to the nose or jaw is devastating to the attacker. Such a strike can whip the opponent’s head back, cause trauma to both the face and neck, and possibly bring about a concussion.

Here is a demonstration of the palm heel strike:

2. Hammer Fist

Ball up your fist with your thumb positioned solidly over the second bones (middle phalanges) of the fingers. Violently swing your fist down just like a hammer to the top of your attacker’s nose, neck, side of the head, or collar bone (but remember, any strike to the neck, back of the head, or temple area on the side of the head is potentially lethal). Strike with the fleshy part of the fist near the pinky.

3. Y-hand

Properly done this can be a lethal strike. (You must make sure that this and all your strikes are morally and legally justified by the law.) For this strike, put all four fingers together and spread your thumb apart from your four joined fingers. Your hand should look like the letter “y.” If your life is on the line, you could ram your hand with the fleshy “webbing” between the thumb and fingers into your attacker’s throat. If you break his trachea, he will die in seconds.

4. Claw

Just like it sounds. After a palm heel strike, rip your hand down while clawing the face. Use your fingernails to your advantage.

5. Elbow Strike

This is a very versatile close quarter weapon with devastating results if you do it right. Make your arm horizontal to the ground (with your hand almost touching your chest), and violently twist your body while smashing your elbow into the attacker’s head. The elbow is a good follow-up to a palm heel or hammer fist strike. (Do not assume that one strike will defeat your opponent. You will most likely have to fight with a flurry of all six of these weapons.)

6. Knee Strike

Grab their collar or the back of the neck, and yank their body down with great force. At the same time come up with the knee from your back leg. The force will be like a head on collision. Attack the groin with this. Repeat often.