[Survival Self-Defense] "High Heels, a Life-Saving Self-Defense Tool When Used Well"

Editor's NoteWhen you cannot escape from an assailant wielding a weapon, you must actively protect your vital organs with your belongings before fleeing. If you have a self-defense tool, you can effectively use it to protect yourself and escape. Every Sunday, we will serialize how to properly use self-defense tools and how to protect yourself by striking and quickly escaping, demonstrated by Jeon Seong-yong, head instructor of the Korea Arnis Association Self-Defense Center (association president, male in the photo), and instructor Go Kyung-ah (female in the photo).

The self-defense survival education program aims to temporarily incapacitate the opponent and escape from dangerous situations. It assumes various possible real-life crisis scenarios and focuses on simple and swift techniques to overcome extreme situations, buying a golden time of 10 seconds to increase survival rates by 10%.

In this edition, we study movements to defend against and evade upper attacks from an assailant using high heels or dress shoes. By effectively using the pointed heel of women's shoes, one can resist and defend against an opponent's attack.

1. If you cannot immediately escape when an assailant wielding a weapon approaches in a tense moment, other preparations are necessary. If you are wearing high heels, you cannot run while wearing them, so quickly take them off and grasp one of the shoes with your right hand. At this time, it is easier to maintain your center of gravity and to defend, attack, and escape if you take off both shoes.

2. When the opponent attacks with a weapon toward the upper left side, twist your waist to the left and step forward at a 45-degree angle with your left foot. At the same time, use the edge of your left forearm to strike the lower part of the opponent’s right wrist to defend, and with your right hand holding the shoe, strike strongly the inside of the opponent’s elbow. At this time, quickly bend and retract your right elbow.

3. After defending against the opponent’s upper weapon attack, attack the opponent’s front and chin with the palm of your left hand. Twist your waist to the right and strongly push the opponent’s chin upward from below with your left palm. It is important to step forward with your left foot to put your weight into the strike and extend your left palm strongly.

4. With your right hand holding the shoe, strike down on the opponent’s eyes or orbital area. Twist your waist to the left and strike straight down like a hammer to deliver power. After striking, quickly retract your right hand holding the shoe to the right ear area to prepare for or defend against continuous attacks. To block the opponent’s second and third attacks, you must attack repeatedly and continuously, not just once.

5. Since these attacks are not techniques to subdue the opponent, if the opponent is shocked, quickly escape and seek help by moving to nearby shops or other safe places.

※ If the assailant wielding a weapon is right-handed, you must escape to the opponent’s left side, which is farther from the weapon, to reduce risk as much as possible. All movements in survival self-defense require strength and stamina as a foundation. Consistent strength and endurance training will yield greater effectiveness.