Self defense instructor, author, and motivational speaker Avital Zeisler joins WIRED to answer the internet’s questions about self defense.
0:00 Self-Defense Support
0:14 “Strike and Flee” Self-Defense
1:04 Shouting for help
1:50 What to do when you’re being followed
2:49 Groin kicks
3:32 Everyday items as self-defense tools
4:37 Keys
5:27 Self-defense mistakes
7:02 Pepper spray
7:43 Best weapon or skill for self-defense
8:39 Being forced into a vehicle
9:10 Running as self-defense
9:34 How to break free when pinned against a wall
10:51 When attacked by a woman
11:19 The bat
12:34 Breaking free from a hair grab
13:25 Improving reaction time and reflexes
14:47 How to escape a chokehold
15:59 Eye pokes
16:19 Overcoming the freeze response
16:43 Deciding to defend yourself
17:07 Best personal safety app
17:59 Deescalation tips
19:57 Getting rid of a creep
21:14 Protecting yourself from domestic violence
22:01 Self-defense when confronted with a weapon
23:03 Toss your wallet and run?
23:36 Trust your instincts
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Some of these suggestions are good in theory, but many of them are unnecessarily risky. Please just take some jiu jitsu classes and carry a self defense weapon. That will cover almost all of these scenarios with a much higher success rate.
1:30 I did that once where I got mugged. I pointed and yelled at some dude "you in the grey hoodie! Call the cops rn". But the grey hoodie guy just took my wallet anyway and ran off.
she gives lots of good advice, but this is another case of the "attacker" being way too cooperative. When she shows the chair, he isnt going to stand back and take jabs at you, its a big guy who will barel through that. if a big guy has your hands pinned to the wall, you are not escaping like she shows. Ladies, carry a gun or a Tazer
Modern TV shows, movies, comics, etc. are awash in scenes of slim, petite women physically dominating/overpowering much bigger and stronger men. Sadly, young women have utterly imbibed this fantasy, to the foolish point that women think they are as strong as men. If Ms. Zeisler can disabuse women of that delusion, then I wager that will be far more effective than any self-defense class or move.
You don't need room to be able to swing a bat for a bat to be effective. A bat is also a solid thrusting object that can not only do damage but help to create space. One of the big advantages of a bat is it is much harder then any part of your body and with just a small amount of practice is going to let you hit much harder then a hand or foot or knee.
lots of people use this tip for mostly comedic purposes, but i would’ve loved to see her respond to the internet joke that if you think someone’s creeping on you/ trying to attack you, be as weird as possible. growl, make strange noises, do a silly dance, etc. the logic is that the perpetrator will be so caught off guard that they’ll just leave you alone. is there any truth to that?
Great video. I just wanted to say that baseball bats can be used effectively in close quarters by using it as a baton instead of a swinging stick. Both hands on the bat and strike with the end of the bat and not the side. You can use it to block attacks lock up limbs and cause damage without swinging it at all.
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I am so happy to see a video on this.
Hitting him with the purse is so silly. What’s that gonna do? Do you have an anvil in your purse
Some of these suggestions are good in theory, but many of them are unnecessarily risky. Please just take some jiu jitsu classes and carry a self defense weapon. That will cover almost all of these scenarios with a much higher success rate.
I generally just bring some pocket sand.
1:30 I did that once where I got mugged. I pointed and yelled at some dude "you in the grey hoodie! Call the cops rn". But the grey hoodie guy just took my wallet anyway and ran off.
7:18 what in the grammar is “check it’s legal”?
If a woman attacks you beat her like a man. Equal rights remember
she gives lots of good advice, but this is another case of the "attacker" being way too cooperative. When she shows the chair, he isnt going to stand back and take jabs at you, its a big guy who will barel through that. if a big guy has your hands pinned to the wall, you are not escaping like she shows. Ladies, carry a gun or a Tazer
I only saw half of this video.
Avital, your father was in the IDF.
Were you?
Do you support IsNotReal's ongoing g*nocide & h*olocaust against Gaza?
Modern TV shows, movies, comics, etc. are awash in scenes of slim, petite women physically dominating/overpowering much bigger and stronger men.
Sadly, young women have utterly imbibed this fantasy, to the foolish point that women think they are as strong as men.
If Ms. Zeisler can disabuse women of that delusion, then I wager that will be far more effective than any self-defense class or move.
Absolutely. I didn't even make it through the advertisement to the video and had an answer
I'm sorry, but I'm not hitting a woman. Never did, never will.
You don't need room to be able to swing a bat for a bat to be effective. A bat is also a solid thrusting object that can not only do damage but help to create space. One of the big advantages of a bat is it is much harder then any part of your body and with just a small amount of practice is going to let you hit much harder then a hand or foot or knee.
A push kick? Really?! Most people wouldn't be able to pull that one off, being either too slow or losing balance
4:20, was not expecting the old lady style smack. Good advice!
I don't know if the chair is a good shield, since the attacker could grab it and attack.
Her face doesn't move???? Botox gone horribly wrong.
Best self preservation tip : Dont live in the USA.
I’m sorry but what makes her remotely qualified to say anything
lots of people use this tip for mostly comedic purposes, but i would’ve loved to see her respond to the internet joke that if you think someone’s creeping on you/ trying to attack you, be as weird as possible. growl, make strange noises, do a silly dance, etc. the logic is that the perpetrator will be so caught off guard that they’ll just leave you alone. is there any truth to that?
Great video. I just wanted to say that baseball bats can be used effectively in close quarters by using it as a baton instead of a swinging stick. Both hands on the bat and strike with the end of the bat and not the side. You can use it to block attacks lock up limbs and cause damage without swinging it at all.
Just get pepper spray. Case closed.
5:16 hair sticks are actually pretty useful as well for self defense if you have long hair
"You can't rely on anybody to come and save you," Rip Kitty Genovese. 😢
She’s incredibly articulate and highly skilled.