Target-focused self-defense training is the key to a successful self-defense system. Knowing which targets to focus on and how to attack them is really the foundation of any successful fighting system. This is where many martial arts fall short when compared to self defense systems. Martial arts often focus heavily on fine motor techniques that are amazing to look at and extremely difficult to master, but sadly less effective than some simple self defense moves.

The real secret to self defense is knowing which targets are the most vulnerable, annoying and painful. Before I list the top 5, keep in mind that you should never develop targeting (focusing on a single target as your only hope of stopping an attacker). You have to be able to switch targets easily as the fight or altercation progresses. More on this later…

The 5 main objectives:

1. Groin – This is not a huge surprise, but it is often overlooked. Most fights will start with a right tedder. A good fighter will go straight for a valuable target like the muzzle (if he isn’t protected). The groin is an effective target due to the extreme pain and involuntary reaction it causes in men. It’s almost impossible not to double down with a good muzzle shot. This makes for the perfect combination of vulnerable, distracting, and hurt.
2. Eyes: The eyes are a great target because they are our primary sense used in fighting. Hitting the eyes also triggers an emotional response in attackers because it is such a valuable target. An eye gouge will instantly bring tears to the eyes, blurring vision for a second, allowing you to get the upper hand. Eye strikes should only be attempted if the eyes are not shielded. They are especially effective when an attacker has his hands full grabbing your shirt or shoulders etc. Instead of fighting his hold, he just punches in the eyes.
3. Throat: The throat is a particularly sensitive and vulnerable part of the body. Often the natural instinct in a fighting or self-defense situation is to headbutt. This is great if you happen to land a knockout punch, but chances are you won’t. Aim for the throat instead. It’s soft (won’t break knuckles), damaging (can cut off your air supply), and can end a fight quickly (a blow to the neck can cause a knockout). Best of all, a blow to the throat, even if not executed perfectly, is very distracting (I can prove it… press your thumb into the spot just below the Adam’s apple, yeah, not very comfortable, to say the least).
4. Ear: This may seem a bit dark, but the ear is a great self-defense target (and I don’t mean a Tyson ear bite). A slap to the ear can be a very damaging and painfully excruciating blow. A punch to the ear won’t damage his hand (as a punch will), if executed right it will burst the eardrum causing a lot of pain, temporary hearing loss and dizziness. This certainly meets the criteria for vulnerable (requires minimal force to deal a large amount of damage), distracting, and painful.
5. Knee: So far I’ve only mentioned targets that will distract and cause pain by allowing you to escape an attacker by taking advantage of the distraction and running. The knee is a target that can easily prevent an attacker from following you or following through with any type of attack. The knee is not a very strong joint. Yes, they take us all day, so they’re strong in a couple of directions, but they’re very vulnerable when hit in the right place.

The good news is that people rarely protect their knees. Only a seasoned martial artist (not your average street thug) will defend their vulnerable knees effectively. The trick is to hit the inside of the knee. This is the most vulnerable part of the joint. A well-placed blow to the inside of the knee will tear some of the ligaments and tendons in the knee, eliminating your ability to walk, run, or stand. This makes it a perfect target for self defense.

This target is especially good if you are being grabbed from behind. You can strike the inside of the knee with the heel. The front knee is also effective, but requires more strength.

3 principles for using objectives effectively:

1. Know how to hit all of these targets from various self defense scenarios (while being held from behind, being held face to face, from a shooting range, etc.).
2. Learn to always scan attackers or fellow combatants for open targets, these will constantly change during a self defense situation.
3. Always follow up a high-value target attack with another (can be the same target, but not always). For example, if a muzzle blow doubles an attacker, take advantage of this moment to slap him on the ear or an elbow to the back of the neck. The point is that you should never expect one punch to end a fight no matter how brilliantly executed. Hit him until he’s incapacitated (on the ground or you have a real chance of escaping).

These are universal principles. Targets should be the focus of any good fighting or self defense system. As a leader in the self defense industry, I have my own system that I teach, but these principles should be the foundation of any system. How do I know this? Over the years, I have met and worked with dozens of black belt instructors in many martial arts, bar bouncers, Special Forces military personnel from various countries, defense contractors, police chiefs, and high-profile security guards. . Although each person had a different teaching style and set of strokes they taught, they are all very goal focused (because goals are the real key). Just think about it, a fancy punch is just a fancy punch until it lands in the right spot. Every self defense tool known to man is useless unless he hits the right target.