LAS CRUCES — Have you ever heard it said that most communication is non-verbal? Should you find yourself in a confrontation, that you feel may become physical, your body language can help get you out of it, even while it keeps you prepared to hit someone if necessary. I call it a “self-defense stance.” To make a self-defense stance, put your right foot a step behind your left. Keep your hips facing forwards. Your elbows should be bent and your palms facing away from you, as if to say “stop”. Your left hand should be about eye level, your right hand near the middle of your chest.
Use this self-defense stance while backing away a predatory bad guy, while volunteering to leave a territorial situation, and while de-escalating an accidental confrontation. If you can keep your face from showing any fear, the stance gives the message that you are not an easy victim. Predators want easy victims. Remember also to not have any look on your face that might make a person feel you are picking a fight with them. Look at any point on the person’s face, while you speak, until you get the feeling strikes are imminent. Then, look at their shoulders instead so you’ll get an indication of when they start to strike.
In a territorial situation, where you are volunteering to leave, soften your facial expression a bit, even showing fear if you think it will keep you safer, but use the same arm and leg positions so you’ll be ready to hit someone if needed.
If you find yourself starting to get in a fight with an angry person, this self defense stance is a good way to stand, while you are trying to use words to keep it from becoming a physical fight. It keeps you ready to defend yourself if they do take a swing at you.
Contrast this self-defense stance with a fighting stance. In a fighting stance, you stand more sideways, and close your hands into fists. This
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Article Source: http://www.scsun-news.com/silver_city-health/ci_20631824
