Most criminals prey on the elderly because they look like an easy target. Older adults might look and be vulnerable, which often leads to them becoming victims of different crimes. If you are an older individual or someone close to you is, you need to know that seniors are primary targets for those who have ill intent. Older adults are the age group that is most often a target for purse snatching and burglaries. Knowing these facts, preparing for something unexpected, must become a priority for seniors.
Learning Self Defense for Seniors: Tips to Minimize Your Chances of Attack
Seniors who are training themselves in self-defense are not expected to become martial arts experts. Self-defense revolves around other things. It teaches seniors, and others who want to learn, how to be aware of things that surround you and how to more easily recognize those who would harm you. It is essential to learn the basics of self-defense and to know just how much you can do for yourself in a given moment.
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The easiest way to avoid any trouble is to learn how to behave so that someone looking at you doesn’t think that you are an easy target. For example, if your hands are full of bags with groceries during the night or evening and you look tired, you probably seem like an easy target. If your purse or something else of value is at open to sight, you are an even more attractive target. The best way not to look like a victim is to carry fewer items while shopping and keeping your bag hidden under your jacket or simply as close to your body as you can.
According to experts, all that you need to become a target is to look like one. Because of this, it is essential to be aware of your surroundings and act with confidence. If it’s possible, you should always look to conduct activities in groups. If you can’t, you should ask a store employee to escort you to the car after shopping. Another thing that can make you at least a little safer is to do your errands during the daytime. Considering that most crimes happen at night, this might be a good idea.
Defending Yourself
Self-defense for seniors isn’t there to make you stronger. Its purpose is to be ready for unexpected events or direct attacks aimed at you by an unknown assailant. What the person that attacks you wants is for you to think that you are weak. By taking self-defense classes, you will equip yourself with practice, techniques, confidence, and preparation, which will make you less prone to becoming a victim. Training for self-defense can be found at local police stations and martial arts facilities.
Armed Senior Citizens
Weapons can be helpful in defending against an assailant. But self-defense experts do not recommend carrying weapons such as guns or tasers. They can quickly be turned against seniors, which could have a deadly consequence. What we are talking about is not a conventional weapon. Seniors should equip themselves with a can of pepper spray. Pepper spray can be easily hidden, and if used correctly, it can easily be the weapon that overcomes all attackers.
Furthermore, what you need to have on your mind is that everything can be used as a weapon. If an attacker surprises you, the best weapon might be a can of food from your bag or the car keys in your pocket. Hit an assailant in the eyes or the bridge of the nose. You don’t need a genuine weapon or strength to defend yourself. Most attackers won’t be expecting resistance, and this is where your chance of protecting yourself lies.
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