Rough one on the mugging. A friend of ours got mugged in broad daylight a few months ago. Not good, day or night.

Keep your house keys in your hand, and stab them into their eyes.

Aim for the balls. Always the balls.

Any martial art provides discipline and excellent self-defense training, so try out one of the many.

I almost bought something nifty-looking called a "kubaton", until I googled "kubaton" and "uk law" and got results that said things like "il" and "legal", unfortunately always next to each other. Nuts.

Sorry to hear this Alan. I haven't been mugged since I was about 14 when a load of guys beat me up then apologized as they realised I wasn't actually the guy who they'd meant to beat up. Apparently I was wearing the same football shirt. They then had the cheek to ask if I could give them a quid.

Although i've never done it I'd recommend the Martial Arts thing - not to beat the guys up, but to put them on their arses. Going back about 10 years, me and another friend had a playfight with another friend who had been doing Karate for many years. We'd never seen him have a single fight and were quite doubtful of his actual ability. So he challenged us, two against one in my back garden. All I can say is that the fight started then about two seconds later both me and my friend were both on our backs on the grass thinking "What the ...?".

And yes, the Key thing is worth a try, I belive its one of the few "weapons" you're allowed to use.

Man that sucks!

You'd be surprised how many guys are squeamish when it comes to hitting other blokes in the nuts, but it's a guaranteed downer.
I kicked a would-be mugger square in his manhood & a male friend of mine had a go at me
Anyhoo, enough about me

But, keys are always a good bet.
Any kinda aerosol spray (if you have deodorant or anything) in the face.
You shoulda bonked em with the Xbox. May have left the other guy with more damage than you.

I did a self-defence class at school and we were told that you are only allowed to use force enough to defend yourself otherwise you're in the wrong too! I'd definitely remend doing something like a martial arts class so you could get them on to the floor and/or get yourself out of their grip.

The thing with the keys is that you have to already have them in your hand before they attack you. We were advised just to carry our keys rather than have them in a pocet or bag as if you get your keys out to hit them in the face with after they've started beating you it's then a weapon, not an item of defence

Hope you're ok now, anyway

Ta for the sympathy and stuff, folks! *hugs*

My teeth're still a little sore, and I'm especially ticked considering I've still got to find a decent dentist (mine recently went private - git!) plus I'm not sure if my insurance will cover what was taken. *crosses fingers*

When I get new keys for the new locks fitted today, I'm hoping they'll be a decent set for doing people in with.

Bad deal Alan, hope you get that dentist sorted.

There are various simple self-defence courses on -- local colleges are usually a good bet -- or if you're more commited, a martial art. You won't be able to knock them flat with the touch of death just yet, but it's a great way to keep fit, and you'll quickly pick up a different posture. Knowing you're able to deal with an attack is a good way to ensure one doesn't happen: your confidence will show.

Or failing that, ear-clap, headbutt and foot in dangly objects is always a good bet.

We teach Martial Arts/Self Defence for a living and it's amazing how many people join up purely because of what's happening in the world today.

To be honest you're probably better off joining a martial art class (a reputable one) - it takes time, but a decent place will also teach you Self Defence for the streets. We for example, teach against knife attacks, strangulations, womens self defence etc etc. All very easy and all VERY effective.

Kubatons are illegal and you have to know how to use them anyway - bit like any other martial art weapon really.

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I did a self-defence class at school and we were told that you are only allowed to use force enough to defend yourself otherwise you're in the wrong too!

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That's the thing...... it's a fine line...... You're in fear for your life so you defend yourself but could end up in the wrong. Mind you it's something that you'd have to prove in court anyway if it went that far.

Hope you're getting over the ordeal - not nice by any means.

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My teeth're still a little sore, and I'm especially ticked considering I've still got to find a decent dentist (mine recently went private - git!) plus I'm not sure if my insurance will cover what was taken. *crosses fingers*

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Poor you! *huggles* I hope they catch them

/me still feels guilty for not being ther

I'll advise to make sure you're ok emotionally as well as getting patched up physically.

Next I'll say that don't carry a weapon unless you know how to use it. There's the chance that you'll get mugged by someone who is bigger, faster and stronger than you, who'll take the weapon off you and REALLY hurt you.

For a self defence form I'd recommend whatever's most local. If your local gym does karate, do that one, if they do boxing, do that one. In truth I've found that it doesn't really matter, and if it's local you're more likely to keep going.

With my Karate course we had exams every three months. we spent 6 weeks before each exam brushing up on karate and the 6 weeks after learning how to protect ourselves. I can break a nose, a jaw and a neck within a heartbeat, but as a woman it's more covert.

I also learnt to play dead. Not actually dead but a deas-weight is hard to do anything with!

i also learnt that whilst you are not allowed to carry any protection, bodyspray (like impulse (for men) or hairspray) is a very good weapon, it's legal to carry and therefor not a conceled weapon and bloody nasty to get sprayed in they eyes with!

Cat, kindly don't advise people on how to circumvent the law.

(Edited by Staff 16/03/2005 00:44)

Hey, I'm really sorry about that! That sucks.

A few things - kicking/hitting someone in the nuts is a lot harder than people make out, believe me - we've been doing it in my partner's MA class recently, and it's bloody hard to do it deliberately. Though I manage it accidentally often enough when sparring

The keys thing is a good idea. And a chap who used to go to the BF's martial arts class fended off some muggers by using his brolly like a sword - but he got away more on the element of surprise that someone would fight back than any injury caused.

Generally, what I've learned is that, if you can, the best thing by far is to run very far away, very fast. The BF often quotes the "knife-fighting myths" page (http://www.nononsenseselfdefense.com/knifelies.html), which points out that a mugger with a knife is unlikely to advertise the fact until it's too late - for you. The BF ran one class a while back which had (simulated) knife vs unarmed full contact exercises - one bloke in boxing kit, one in knife kit. Knife man told "get stuck in", fist man told "stay alive". Knife man almost always wins - kills or badly wounds unarmed man.
So I guess I'd say, by all means go and learn some self-defence, or a martial art or something - it'll get your confidence up. But the secret, imho, is knowing when not to use it...

I'll also add, get to the gym.

Two more rules of fighting...

A good big one always beats a good little one,

and...

The bigger they are, the harder they hit

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by Cat
I can break a nose, a jaw and a neck within a heartbeat, but as a woman it's more covert.

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I dunno where you did your course, but knowing my dad, whos an offical Karate Govening Body judge, if he saw any instructor teaching that he'd have their lience taken away.

The point of Karate is to be able to defend yourself and to teach you to have the convidence to not panic in situations such as muggings.

You are not suposed to be taught how to kill someone, and if thats how you see it, you should have been removed from the club.

My club used to teach self defence lessons on how to react when being mugged with a knife (we used rubber knifes,) which was helpful, i feel slightly safer knowing that someone in my hand, i know how to get out of situations. My ways do not include breaking someones neck.

Maybe you could try a defence class Alan? Or depending on where you live, maybe talk to Jola as her husband runs a karate club, or if you want my dad could probably recomend one near you.

Hope you're ok.

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by KaTiEStar
I dunno where you did your course, but knowing my dad, whos an offical Karate Govening Body judge, if he saw any instructor teaching that he'd have their lience taken away.

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Unless it was in the army, where they positively encourage that sort of thing

Thats slightly abit different

They are paid to kill people.

Missed you at the weekend btw

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by KaTiEStar
(quotes)
I dunno where you did your course, but knowing my dad, whos an offical Karate Govening Body judge, if he saw any instructor teaching that he'd have their lience taken away.

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Hear Hear!!

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The point of Karate is to be able to defend yourself and to teach you to have the convidence to not panic in situations such as muggings.

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Exactly! It gives you more time to be able to get away without risk of serious injury.

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You are not suposed to be taught how to kill someone, and if thats how you see it, you should have been removed from the club.

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My God - if we had any student of ours think of it that way they would be booted out straight away.

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My club used to teach self defence lessons on how to react when being mugged with a knife (we used rubber knifes,) which was helpful, i feel slightly safer knowing that someone in my hand, i know how to get out of situations. My ways do not include breaking someones neck.

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Same as ours

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Maybe you could try a defence class Alan? Or depending on where you live, maybe talk to Jola as her husband runs a karate club, or if you want my dad could probably recomend one near you.

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Alan - you're more than welcome to chat to either me or hubby - Katie's Dad is also recommended - between us I'm sure we know of someone reputable we can point you in the direction of

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By Cat
I can break a nose, a jaw and a neck within a heartbeat, but as a woman it's more covert.

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Cat..... self defence is one thing but *if* your actions lead to the death of someone by you using your knowledge to kill someone then it would still be classed as murder - woman or no woman! Causing hurt by self defence and causing death by self defence are two entirely different situations Enough said on that subject I'm out!

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by KaTiEStar

Missed you at the weekend btw

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Missed you too!!! and the rest of this lot !!! It's the first one we've missed and it hurt to not be able to make it after we'd beenso much a part of the last few But, we had to be a LONG way away early on Saturday so needed to not be there

I thought I might get away in time to pop in, but to no avail