How to Defend Yourself if Someone Breaks into Your Home While You Are Alone

Preventing a Confrontation

Contact the emergency services straight away if you can. If you are older, weaker, frailer, or younger, and could not handle a physical confrontation, don't even try. Seek refuge instantly. If you have already called the police, and you are being attacked whilst waiting, this is when you must try to defend - do not put yourself in dangerous situations without even asking for help.

Get "insurance". Do not take this literally - if you would rather the situation closed peacefully without you having to fight, you there are a range of techniques you could try in attempt to end the fight before it has even started. Grab the phone nearest to you. Dial for the police, but do not call yet. Place the phone to your ear. Tell the intruder that if he does not leave in peace, you will call. Do this, no matter whether they leave or not. But giving the fugitive a chance to leave without your possessions is more productive, as it cannot be guaranteed that the police will capture the criminal. Take a photo of the intruder, if they are not disguised. Say you will leak it to the police, the media, and the Internet, if they do not drop any weapons and leave at that instant.

Arm yourself, just in case. Pick up the heaviest, like a vase, or sharpest, like a kitchen knife, object to you. Say you are not afraid to fight for your home and for your own life. Say you will not harm them if they leave calmly, without stealing any of your things.

Bargain with them. This method should only be used if you feel you wouldn't stand a chance in a confrontation of any kind with the intruders. Say you will give them anything they want if they leave you and your family unharmed. Do not do this unless they are armed, and phone the police as soon as they leave if you do this.

Defending Yourself in a Confrontation

Use physical maneuvers only when you need to for self-protection. The successful use of confrontational methods will depend on your own ability to carry them out, and on the attacker's ability to counter them. Use your common sense, and only do what's necessary in the emergency situation. If the intruder has a weapon, an unsuccessful physical attack is likely to put yourself in more danger; be smart, and only use these techniques as a last resort.

Crescent kick. A crescent kick is a defending kick used to protect yourself from an opponent that has a blade. Use this with caution, as if you lose your balance it is possible that they could ruin you in an instant. First, straighten your left leg and bring your right leg up to the height of your left thigh. Secondly, swivel the right leg (still standing on your left) from right to left. This is to block a punch or to hook in their arm. Bring your right leg higher, preparing for the maximum power. Propel your leg forwards with as much force as you can muster. You should now be powerfully kicking the hand holding the blade, and with luck, if performed correctly, the weapon will fly from their hand.

Attempt a 'washing machine punch block'. This is a move used to block multiple punches by professionals in karate. It is difficult to master, but should protect your face and stomach from being injured in combat. Start off with your right fist near your jaw and right elbow resting on your chest. Your left elbow should rest on your hip, the fist protecting your navel. Bring the left arm up to protect your forehead, and your right arm should move further to your right, and complete a full circle of the outside area. As you finish the circle with your right arm, bring your left back down to protect your right shoulder, and overlap your right arm to create a cross shape. Bring your right fist down to point towards your feet, relaxing your elbow, and move the left fist up to protect your jawline.

Learn the neutral protective stance. Right leg in front of the left, both slightly bent, with your fists protecting your face and chest. This will be the stance you hold yourself in when you are in combat.

Catch your opponent so they lose their balance. If your opponent goes to kick you, grab his foot and shove him backwards as far as possible, landing a punch to the side of his head while you do this.

Fighting in a Confrontation

Confront your intruder physically only as a last resort. Unless you are trained in fighting or martial arts, putting yourself in harm's way is not wise unless you have no other option. If possible, hide, escape, or fend off your attacker by other means. If the intruder has a gun or other deadly weapon, an unsuccessful physical attack is likely to put yourself at greater risk. Be smart and only use these techniques as a last resort.

Punch the bottom of your opponent's chin. You should do this from the neutral stance, swivelling your hips for momentum as you land the punch with force. This move can kill people if done too powerfully, as the head will snap back and the neck could break. If you wouldn't kill in defence, it is best to avoid this move. EXPERT TIP Dany Zelig Dany Zelig Self Defense Trainer Dany Zelig is the Founder and Owner of Tactica and the Tactica Krav Maga Institute headquartered in San Francisco, California. He is a 2nd generation Israeli Krav Maga instructor of Imi Lichtenfeld, certified directly by Imi’s most senior disciple and Head of the Rank Committee. He received his Military Krav Maga Instructor certification from the Wingate Institute in Israel in 1987. Dany Zelig Dany Zelig Self Defense Trainer Don't hit areas of their body with low chances of success. Know where you're going to hit them before you attack and aim for areas with a higher success rate. Target the groin, eyes, and throat to stop a bigger, stronger attacker.

Attempt a fish-hook. Curve your finger and hook the inside of your opponent's mouth, pulling as far as you can. They may bite, so don't risk this for too long, but it should cause enough of a delay to enable you to land a good blow to their gut to severely wind them. This move could be completed with a ferocious kick to the shins.

Elbow their nose. A sharp and swift elbow to the nose can be excruciatingly painful and even provoke a break if done right. Their head should fall to the side after carrying out this move, which would enable you to kick their crotch area for a nice finish.

Jab their gut. A short and sharp jab to the gut will wind them and possibly win you the fight - especially as if you are in close proximity they might not see it coming. Be as precise as possible, taking great care not to over-swing, and keep your feet firmly planted for extra strength.

Spray their eyes. If you see an aerosol lying around, or if you own pepper spray, pick it up and spray it in your opponent's eyes. They should stumble back, so a jab to the gut or kick in the calf should finish the move and injure them greatly. If you don't particularly want to fight any further, you could use this moment as a way of making an escape. Always be looking for an opportunity to end the fight, flee, or get help.

Smash their head. If you are near a wall, you should back up your opponent into it. Punch them in the gut swiftly and this should wind them enough to enable you to grasp their head and push it with force against the wall. This could mean all sorts of legal implications if you injured the opponent too much through this. Aim for a knock-out, not a kill, and only do this if you are within inches of losing your own life.

Pin them down. They will not be as familiar with the furniture in your household as you are. Backing them into a sofa arm and pushing them down is a great way of dominating your partner. Remember to make use of what's around you, and if you are in great danger of death, use the heavy/sharp object from earlier.

Threaten them with a licensed fire-arm if you have one. If you live in the United States, it is possible that you have a registered and licensed gun in your possession. Try to find this if you own one. It is not advisable to shoot unless the other party, also, are armed, due to the legal implications. The damage you do in self-defence must be thought appropriate for the situation - for example, if you are up against an unarmed intruder who lacks in muscle, then yes the law still protects you, but your plea of self defence would be compromised by the fact that a gun would not have been necessary to conquer your opponent. Any damage you do must be enough to protect you, no more than this, so strongly evaluate the situation before jumping right in and firing shots.

Staying Safe if They Have A Gun

Duck behind the first solid object you can find. A sofa, a table? You could consider hiding outside the door-frame of the room they are in, or crouching behind a bookcase. You don't need to be hidden, you just need to ensure that the main parts of your body are not exposed to their gun's chamber.

Throw things. It sounds ludicrously simple, but throwing things can cause a distraction enough for you to get to another room. It is utterly unsafe to be in a room with someone armed when you are not. Try ornaments, lamps - anything that will daze them. Don't always aim for their head, as this will make it easy for them to dodge. Throw some things at their stomach and calves.

Hide and tackle. You know your house better than anybody. Consequently, if you can leave the room in a safe and orderly manner, you should find a nook or cranny to wait in. This should be out of the way, but somewhere you genuinely think they'll walk past. As they walk past, you have to make an extremely bold move that would not be suggested unless your situation was life-threatening, or you were being pursued. Wait until they're just about to walk past your hiding place, and put them in a headlock from behind. Use two hands - this is not usual, but they might be able to escape if your grip is not secure. Then, wrestle the gun from them. You don't necessarily have to pull the trigger if this troubles you greatly, but keeping the gun safely out of your opponent's way should make you feel safer.

Attempt a 'melee' attack. If they do not know your whereabouts, but are actively pursuing you, it might be an idea to 'melee' them. Do this by waiting until their back is turned for you - perhaps if they are walking through the hallway or peering into a room to find you. You should find a sharp or heavy object. Sneak up on them as stealthily as possible, holding your breath, and hit their head from behind. This should alarm them, and buy you time to wrestle the gun from them and run.

Aim for the most effective body parts. Everybody should know the best parts of the body to hit in what situation. The eyes. Gouging, poking or scratching your opponent's eyes is very effective as not only does it hurt them but it impairs their vision, giving you an escape opportunity. Do this if you are extremely close to your partner - it is not a move worth performing if there is a gap between the two of you. The nose. Contrary to popular belief, the best time to target the nose is when you are directly in front of or diagonal to your partner, no gap between you. Go for a smack aimed upwards, throwing your entire body into the move. This will force an opponent to loosen their grip on you, and cause immense discomfort. If you are being pursued by an opponent (so they are behind you), elbow their nose or strike a side punch. The neck. The side of the neck is a perfect target if you want to hurt the opposition, but not cause too much damage. Stunning the attacker with a knife-hand strike (whereby your hand is flat as if to slap them, but horizontal) to the throat or even elbow the throat of the assailant for maximum damage. The knee. The knee is an easy target because it cannot be defended with fists and is vulnerable from every angle. Kick the side of the knee with vigor to harm and cause your partner to stagger. A kick to the front of the knee would also do the trick, but is less likely to cause an imbalance. Below the ear. A strike to the area just below the ear will cause severe damage when performed correctly. This can cause death to the partner if executed too strongly, so be very wary. The throat. Take your palm upwards to their nose, which will push their head backwards. This leaves their throat exposed. You can use this opportunity to punch their adam's apple or bash in their neck.

React if the intruder has grabbed your wrist. Don't pull back or try to struggle - instead, get into a strong squatting stance and bend your towards your opponent until they can no longer hold your wrist.

Handling More Than One Attacker

Try the backwards kick. A sharp backwards kick to an assailant should weaken their knees and give you opportunity to escape a headlock from behind, whilst still attacking an opponent in front. This is performed very easily - just bend your right knee and jab it backwards as powerfully as possible.

Get to grips with your side kick. If there are multiple people attacking you want to shake them all off, fast, before they dominate you. A side kick to the stomach of someone harming you might be your last hope. To execute it right, simply bring up the leg on the side of the person you plan on kicking, jab them whilst sliding your opposite foot back slightly, and aim as high as possible. This should cause a definite stumble, which may leave a gap in their attack.

Use your elbows. You may be a whirl of arms and legs when being attacked by more than one person, but that's okay, as long as you are being effective. Elbow the nose of someone next to you if you are surrounded, whilst kicking their calf. This should lessen their defence, and you can dominate them.

Don't be afraid to bite. As animalistic and disturbing as this may be, it could completely shock them. And sometimes the element of surprise is what will buy you time, or eventually, win you the fight. If you do resort to biting, the best places to aim for are the neck and the collarbone. Remember to continue kicking others whilst carrying this out.

Handling the Aftermath

Phone the police if you haven't already. Be honest about the outcome of the fight. Tell them in no uncertain terms how you defended yourself, and what has happened to the intruder now. Describe their appearance and the time they arrived. Try to recall objects that may have their fingerprints. Offer security footage from everywhere in the area that may be able to help them identify the criminal. If you went too far in the fight and took the life of your opponent, be honest with this too, and get a lawyer instantly.

Tighten the security of your household. Get security cameras, security lights, burglar alarms. The works. Repair any damage to doors or windows as soon as possible. Ensure every day that your door is locked and bolted at all times.

Get medical help if required. Even the best fighters can get severely harmed in combat, so don't be afraid to get in an ambulance and treat any sprained or broken bones or blood clots. While waiting for the ambulance, compress any blood with a swatch of material and try to get comfortable if your bones are harmed. Don't try to get up.

Get help to move on. It will be hard to forget an experience like this. Seek counseling if you fear for your mental health and sanity. Take pleasure out of things in life. It is likely that you will be very paranoid for a while after the incident. That's fine, and only to be expected. Don't let this paranoia ruin you, though. Psychologically, it may be hard to feel safe for a long time after the event. Talk to as many people as possible - it will soothe you.