Bruce Lee’s 6 Tips For Self Defence

There is no doubt that Bruce Lee is one of the most influential martial artists of all time. However, did you know he was a genius in self-defence? His chapter ‘Self Defense Considerations’ in his book The Tao of Gung Fu explains just how to practice self-defense in the best possible way. Here is how:

1) Self Defense is not fun: Lee shatters the illusion that self-defence is all about hurting the other person without breaking a sweat. The truth is, you can only hope to avoid getting severely injured. In his own words: ‘You are liable to find yourself fighting hard to avoid serious injury and so much expect to be hurt’.

2) Pay absolutely no attention to his size, his arrogance, fierce facial contortions, nor his vicious language: We see it all the time, there’s people who love intimidating via looks. They stare and dress in a certain way that seems to scare everyone. However, keep in mind that their appearance has nothing to do with their ability to fight or defend themselves.

3) Once you hesitate or stop, the stronger person has the chance to bring his strength to bear: Footwork should always be part of every training session. If you learn how to keep moving, you will eventually wear your opponent down.

4) Make as much noise as possible: The ability to shout, scream or just use your voice in an explosive fashion should be part of your self-defense training a this naturally tends to frighten off lawbreakers.

5) The chance of attack can be greatly reduced if you are alert when walking, especially at night, or in lonely places: We know this is common sense, but you’ll be surprised to know how many people forget to do this. Always keep in mind that if you are alone, the chances of getting attacked are high, which is why you shouldn't listen to music or talk on the phone. Stay alert!

6) Thugs only care about your destruction, which is why they’re rarely considering what you can do: When you hit an attacker, their ego will shrink and they will start thinking about self-preservation rather than winning.