International Women’s Day is celebrated every year on 8th March to celebrate the achievements of women and establish gender equality worldwide.

What you should know:

5 simple tips for self-defence

If you feel you are in a situation where your personal space or safety was in danger, it never hurts to have a few self-defence tips up your sleeve. You can also exercise daily or practise yoga to maintain fitness, which is an important aspect of defending yourself.

5 simple tips for self-defence

Exercise daily

Exercising daily can help you stay fit and agile. Exercises such as planks and crunches play an important role in strengthening your core. Exercises including kicks, alternate punches, knee to chest movement, lunges, and push-up jumps can hone your fitness levels.

Practice yoga

Get in the habit of practising good posture. Walk with your head held high, straight back with your shoulders back. Walk with a sense of confidence to send a message to a potential attacker that you are not an easy target. An important point to keep in mind is that you are more vulnerable when you are on the ground. Therefore, try your best to stay on your feet which will give you more of a fighting chance. While doing yoga, try practising the tree pose. Shift your weight to one leg and keep alternating to gain balance.

Know a few self-defence moves

Women who participate in self-defence classes or learn moves to protect themselves have better safety strategies in place, have increased self-confidence and are capable of dealing with strangers. It never hurts to know a few basic self-defence moves should the need arise. Techniques such as hammer fisting using your car keys and knowing the attacker’s sensitive areas like the eyes, ears, nose, throat, chest and groin can be useful. Moves such as hitting the predator’s nose or chin with your palm, thrusting it upwards which makes them stagger, hitting their chin or throat with your elbow or a kick to the groin can loosen their grasp and help you escape.

Cross-training

Include self-defence in your workout regime for dynamic movement ability and to boost your stamina. You can also cross-train in martial arts to add variety and diversification to your skillset. The more muscle you get to work, the stronger your cardiovascular system will become. Therefore, aim for long-term fitness that will help you protect yourself in all situations.

Stay alert

Be wary of your surroundings. To attain healthy awareness, pay attention to the people around you. You can reduce the risk of an unwelcomed encounter by staying alert and vigilant. It also helps to have your cell phone on your person at all times and avoid texting or talking over the phone, keep your car keys handy before you reach your car, and keep your handbag strapped to your body and not in your hand.

This International Women’s Day, know these basic moves so that you can defend yourself and also protect others in need. To lead a healthy standard of life, find out lifestyle and mindfulness-related information on our Activ Living Page.