Self-Defense Techniques

It only Has to work once

Some self-defense "experts" defend their techniques by saying the techniques may seem complicated or useless but that they "Only have to work once." This is misleading. I would say that they "Have to work the first time." A super-modified 44-magnum semi auto pistol using exploding rounds is useless if it occasionally misfires. If you were a police officer, would you rather carry a 22-caliber revolver that fires every time it is used or carry a 45-caliber pistol that sometimes jams on the first shot? You do not need "deadly" techniques that may or may not work depending on the circumstances; you need reliable techniques that always work to some extent under any circumstance.

Look at the classic battle of the cobra and the mongoose. The cobra has one deadly technique that only has to make contact once and the mongoose will be dead. However, the mongoose has four legs and feet, front paws that act as hands, sharp teeth, high maneuverability, and numerous offensive and defensive tactics. The cobra has no legs, limited maneuverability, and few offensive and defensive choices. In a fight, the cobra only has to bite once to win, but all the mongoose has to do is avoid the bite, while the snake must avoid numerous types of bites, strikes, grabs, etc.

Intimidation

Intimidation may be worse for you than an actual attack. The effects of attack act may only last a short time, but your fear of a potential attack may haunt you for a long period. Never let a threat go unanswered. If you are threatened, then force the situation at that time on your own terms. You cannot have good life while living in fear of a threatened attack.