Be Street Smart About Self-defense
Editorial
by Sibok Lloyd Fridenburg
Fu For You Summer 2026
Defending yourself does not mean that you are immune from arrest, detention, and prosecution! Police lay charges and make arrests based on the information available to them, it’s not their job to take sides or pass judgement. And, as a skilled martial artist, you are (rightly or wrongly) likely to be held to a higher standard than others in a similar circumstance. But there are ways to mitigate your risk, and much of this happens because of your training at WKFA.
Instructors often talk about the progression of response. Simply put, this means that you can exert as much (but not more) force as necessary to protect yourself or others. It is also the way that we teach self-defense at WKFA. We begin with defense against nuisance situations and, as your skill increases, progress to more lethal situations and defenses. There is a big difference between someone getting pushy at a bar and someone actively attacking or threatening you with a weapon – and your response must reflect that reality. Here is some important advice to use:
- Be Vocal: If you find yourself in a confrontational situation or if an assault has already begun, speak loudly and clearly and say things that make it clear that you are the victim. It may not stop an assault, but if there are witnesses, some of them will likely be recording the encounter. Police will have information that works in your favour after they interview witnesses. Hollering “NO” may momentarily startle the aggressor but does not indicate to witnesses who is at fault.
- Critical Distance: Two arm lengths or more. Unless a gun is involved, the aggressor cannot harm you without moving. That gives you plenty of time to step back again or move to a defensive stance.
- Passive Stance: Face your attacker (from critical distance) in a natural stance with hands open at your side. This position is passive and non-aggressive yet allows you to quickly take a defensive position if necessary. You could also rub or scratch your chin which allows you to remain passive while covering much of your center line.
- Avoid Eye Contact: Focus your eyes on a point where you can take in the whole body of your attacker and be ready to react accordingly. Staring someone in the eyes is a sign of aggression.
- Strike First: Don’t react unless you think the threats are real! The threat of physical violence against you or another person is grounds to strike first, if necessary. You don’t have to wait for the aggressor to throw the first strike if you feel confident that a physical confrontation is unavoidable.
Before a physical attack begins, body language is your most effective defense. I often mention during self-defense seminars that 80% of SD is body language. Non-threatening body language can de-escalate a situation before it becomes physical.
An even better option is “don’t be there”. Be aware of your surroundings, listen to your intuition and if you feel uncomfortable in a place or situation, leave. Listen to your instincts and not to your friends, especially in a situation where alcohol or other forms of impairment may be involved.
