"DO SOMETHING" Part Two

In my previous post I stressed the importance of doing something if you are attacked.  Step one was to execute the strongest possible high block to keep your opponent from striking you in the face.  Even more important, I said you should be yelling for help if you're in a public place.  Your objective is to buy precious time so that someone can come to your aid.  The older you get, the less you want to grapple with a 25-year-old thug.
     Okay, let's suppose you have successfully warded off a blow to the face but still don't see anyone rushing to help you.  Once again, you've got to DO SOMETHING to buy more time.  A highly useful second step in this self-defense sequence may be the "front snap kick."  If you're an experienced martial artist, this is the first kick you ever learned.  And if you are thinking about studying a martial art for the first time, this will be kick #1.
     The front snap kick is nothing like the incredible jumping, spinning kicks that you've probably seen in martial-arts movies.  This is a basic, fast, and extremely powerful kick that does not require a master's skill or balance.  The short video that follows will take you through the fundamentals of the front snap kick.
     There are two things to love about this simple kick.  First, since your legs are longer than your arms, the kick allows you to increase the distance between you and your attacker.  Second, your legs are stronger than your arms, so you're relying on your most potent strike.
     For the purposes of senior self-defense, we're not talking about placing the front snap kick on your attacker's chin . . . or even his midsection.  We're aiming for the groin.  If you deliver a fast, powerful kick to the groin, you will buy sufficient time to turn and retreat.  As I said in my previous post, your objective is to get away from the attacker and call 911.  If you place the front snap kick where it belongs, you're on your way.
     A gentle reminder: you won't master self-defense by reading a blog or watching videos.  If you're serious about learning how to defend yourself from an attack, you need to join a local martial-arts school.  Visit several; ask questions; watch a few actual classes; and select the school that seems most serious about training seniors. 
     In the meantime, here's a brief video demonstration of how to execute a front snap kick if the situation absolutely calls for it.  http://youtu.be/YnJl8eDLrrc