How to Defend Yourself in an Extreme Street Fight

Co-authored by Adrian Tandez

Last Updated: October 5, 2022 References Approved

At some point in your life, you may find yourself in a situation where you have to defend yourself from one or more opponents. A street fight won't follow rules or niceties; if you find yourself in this situation, you need to do as much as possible to defend yourself and avoid getting seriously hurt. Bear in mind that use of excessive force is illegal but that defending yourself is not, so remember that the aim is to protect yourself and get out of there as quickly as you can.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Avoiding a Fight

1
Speak in a calm voice to the person who is trying to attack you. If you’re being attacked or threatened by someone in the street, try your best to stay calm. Take a few deep breaths and speak in a low, calm voice to the person. Let them know that you don’t want to fight. If you accidentally bumped into them or if they perceived something you did or said as threatening, apologize and let them know you didn’t mean anything by it.^{[1]
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- Try saying something like, “Hey, everything’s cool. I’m sorry I bumped into you. I wasn’t trying to start a fight. I just tripped.”
2
Stall the person by engaging them in conversation or playing sick. If the person keeps acting aggressively towards you, distraction may be the best strategy to defuse the situation. Try saying something to distract them, such as by paying them a compliment or asking them for directions. You could even pretend that you’re sick, such as by grasping your stomach and acting like you’re about to vomit.^{[2]
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- For example, you might say something like, ““Hey, dude (girl)! I love your shirt! I can’t fight someone with such great fashion sense!” or “Wait, maybe you can help me. How do I get to Willard Street?”
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3
Walk away if the person continues to show signs of aggression. If the person has not yet attacked you, you may be able to avoid fighting by walking away from them. However, it’s best not to turn your back to them if they’re still threatening you. Try walking away backwards and continue to maintain a calm, non-threatening demeanor.^{[3]
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- For example, you might back away from them and reiterate that you have no desire to fight, such as by saying, “I don’t want to fight. I’m just going to leave.”
Warning: Avoid displaying fear as this may make you seem like an easy target. Maintain a confident demeanor, but remain calm and non-threatening. Keep your voice low unless they try to attack you.
4
Throw your purse or wallet far away if they're after money. If the person is demanding money from you, then throwing your purse or wallet as far away as you can is a great way to distract them. They may simply go for the money and take off if you’re lucky. You may also be able to avoid fighting them by running in the opposite direction after you throw your purse or wallet.^{[4]
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5
Yell “FIRE” to attract attention if the person attacks. If the person comes at you despite your efforts to avoid a fight, screaming “fire” in a crowded area is a good way to get the attention of bystanders, distract your opponent, and give yourself time to get away. Try screaming “FIRE” as loud as you can.^{[5]
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- If the person stops pursuing you, then this might be a good time to run away.
6
Run towards lights, buildings, or people and call for help. Look for crowds, buildings, or lights and run towards them. Keep going until you are somewhere safe and then call for help, such as by dialing 911 in the US. Let them know that you were just threatened by someone in the street and that they may still be pursuing you.^{[6]
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- If you have the opportunity to escape or if you think you can outrun the person based on their build, then you might try running for it as a last ditch effort to avoid a fight.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Absorbing and Deflecting Attacks

1
Get into a boxer stance with your fists up and start moving. If it looks like the person is going to attack you despite your best efforts to defuse the situation, put your dukes up! Clench your fists, bend your elbows, and raise your fists up in front of your face to protect it. Keep your feet about shoulder-width apart and start to hop back and forth.^{[7]
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- Staying in motion will make you a harder target than if you stay still, so move back and forth or in a circle around them if they start to attack you.
Tip: Now might also be a good time to let out your best war cry. Even if you don’t really want to fight them, making lots of noise is a good idea because it will distract them and intimidate them. Try roaring like a lion, whooping, or even screaming like a banshee.
2
Clench your teeth to avoid a broken jaw if you get punched in the face. If your mouth is open and they punch you in the mouth, you may end up with missing teeth and possibly even a broken jaw. If a fight is imminent, clench your teeth together and keep them that way to protect your teeth and jaw.^{[8]
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- It’s okay to continue to talk or yell during the fight if needed. Just try not to do so when they’re close enough to hit you.
3
Move towards the punch with your forehead to better absorb the blow. Your forehead is the hardest part of your head, so try to move your head so that they hit you in the forehead if they’re punching at your face. Try to imagine you’re trying to headbutt their fist when you see an incoming blow. This will be less painful for you, and it may injure their fist in the process.^{[9]
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- However, only do this if you are certain you can hit their fist with your forehead. Moving in the direction of a punch aimed at your nose or mouth could injure you more.
4
Tense your stomach muscles in case they punch or kick you. An unexpected blow to your stomach can knock the wind out of you, so keep your stomach muscles tight if they show signs of aggression. Flex your abdominal muscles—the muscles you use to do situps—to tighten them and keep them this way throughout the fight. This may help to lessen the impact of a blow to the stomach.^{[10]
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- Don’t suck in your stomach. This won’t have the same effect as flexing your abs.
5
Turn your body to the side if they aim a punch at your stomach. A punch may not be as painful if they hit you in your obliques (side abdominal muscles). Try to turn your body to the side if you notice them punching towards your stomach.^{[11]
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- Continuing to move back and forth around your opponent will help make it easier for you to change position if you see a punch coming your way, so keep moving!

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Fighting Back

1
Use whatever you have in your hands as a weapon. If you’re holding an umbrella, your keys, or even a hot coffee, these can all serve as helpful tools against an attacker. If you are unable to escape the attacker and you need to defend yourself, assess what you have that you could use.^{[12]
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- For example, if you have your keys in your hand, hold them in your fist and push one of the keys between your middle and index finger to create a claw. This will make your punches more effective.
- If you have an umbrella in your hand, hold it like a bat and get ready to hit the person with it like you’d hit a baseball.
- If you’re holding a hot cup of coffee, loosen the lid and throw it in their face to incapacitate them while you escape.
2
Kick your opponent in the knee or groin like you’re kicking down a door. A hard kick to the knee or groin can stop an attacker in their tracks and give you time to get away from them. Kick them hard with the bottom part of your foot for the most impact.^{[13]
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Tip: A male assailant may be expecting a kick to the groin, so go for the knee first. A hard kick to the knee will also prevent them from chasing after you.
3
Jab the person in the throat or eyes with your fingers or keys. If the person is close to you, a quick jab to the throat or eyes with your outstretched fingers or keys may be the best way to stop them. Hold your keys in your fist with 1 between your index and middle finger like a claw or extend your middle and index fingers and tense them. Then, thrust your key or fingers at their eyes or throat with a quick jabbing punch.^{[14]
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- This will hurt and they should stop momentarily to recover. Run away while they do.
4
Punch or headbutt them in the nose as hard as you can. The nose is a good place to hit because it sticks out and you can break it easily with a well-aimed punch. If you’re very close to them and they’re about the same height as you, then headbutting them may be more effective. Thrust your fist or forehead at their nose quickly.^{[15]
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- Run away while they’re recovering from the blow.
5
Stomp on their feet and elbow them if they’re holding you. If the person has their arms around you, stomp down on their feet as hard as you can with your heel. Then, use your elbow to jab them in the stomach as hard as you can. Continue to stomp on their feet and elbow them until they let you go.^{[16]
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6
Clap your open palms over their ears at the same time. Cup both of your hands and draw your arms back as far as you can. Then slap your hands together over their ears hard and fast. The air that your hands trap and push into their ears will temporarily incapacitate them.^{[17]
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- This move may cause someone to lose consciousness if you execute it properly, but don’t hang around even if they do lose consciousness. Go somewhere safe and call emergency services for help.
7
Punch them in the back of the neck if you’re behind them. If you happen to be behind the person, aim a quick, hard punch at the back of their neck. This should be enough to knock them out if you punch them hard enough.^{[18]
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- Make sure to run away even if the person is unconscious. Call for help when you are somewhere safe.

Expert Q&A
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Question

How do you protect yourself in a fight?

Adrian Tandez
Self Defense Trainer
Adrian Tandez is the founder and head instructor of the Tandez Academy, a world-renowned self-defense training center in Mountain View, California. Trained under the renowned martial artist Dan Inosanto, Adrian is a certified instructor in Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do, Filipino Martial Arts, and Silat, among other things. Adrian has over 27 years of self defense training experience.

Adrian Tandez

Self Defense Trainer

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

You won't know what kind of weapon your attacker has in advance, so you need to be prepared to defend yourself in any situation. You'll need to be resourceful and adapt to what's in front of you so you can protect yourself.