How to Defend Yourself

Keith R. A. DeCandido, a third-degree blackbelt, was the speaker for the panel “Practical Self-Defense with Keith R. A. DeCandido” on Friday at 1PM in the Hilton 405. He gave a guide to some basic self-defense techniques that can be useful in difficult situations.   

Rule #1: Run. If at all possible, try to avoid any physical conflict. There is no shame in running. It may save your life.  

However, there are times when you may have to defend yourself from an assailant. Decandido demonstrated 12 moves that everyone could do to escape. Even with these moves, you should escape as soon as possible. 

One of the best ways to make sure these moves can be done without thinking about them is to “train” every day. This will make it more natural as it builds muscle memory so, if attacked, it’s like it’s second nature, making reaction time quicker. 

After learning these moves, the participants felt better with their abilities to defend themselves to escape a dangerous situation. 

Author of the article

Award-winning author Amanda Faith may have been raised in Dayton, but her heart and home is in the South. With a lifelong love of teaching and writing, she had plenty of encouragement from teachers and friends along the way. Loving a good puzzle has always been a fascination, and writing gives her the outlet to put all the pieces together. Being adventurous and loving to try new things, it wasn’t long before her characters found themselves in unusual situations. She loves to put people from two different worlds into new situations and to see how they interact, taking them on journeys they would never have normally experienced. Her current adventure working as a high school English professor turned Media Specialist, writing, and doing paranormal investigations doesn’t slow her down from having a great time with a plethora of hobbies. Her published credits include several short stories, poetry, several journal articles, her doctoral dissertation, and her award-winning book Strength of Spirit. With multiple degrees, she has a passion for learning and exploring new venues. She is a staff writer for The Daily Dragon at Dragon Con. Check out her new website (www.amandafaith.net) or on Instagram (@dramandafaith)