Conquering The Cornerstones: Self-Defense – The 4th Pillar Of Survival

Without self-defense, your chances at survival dwindle, so read on for tips, techniques, and strategies!

RELATED: Conquering The Cornerstone: Fire – The 3rd Pillar Of Survival

Self-Defense: The 4th Pillar of Survival

The Essence of Self-Defense in Survival

Whether it's out in the wild, in an urban setting, or after SHTF, self-defense is just as crucial as water, fire, food, and shelter. In fact, without self-defense, those survival factors are useless and as good as gone.

You might have the food supply to last you a decade but with threats and elements, they could still be destroyed and taken away from you.

Identify your common threats so you can apply the suitable or best defense strategy.

Most Common Threats

1. Intruders or Bad Guys

Someone somewhere will try to get you or your supply since you are competition from resources or a source. Sadly, there are also people out to get you just to hurt you.

Whether it's an individual or a group of people with bad intent, you need to prepare and amp up your self-defense skills and strategies.

2. Predators and Wild Animals

These are very real threats in the wild and even in residential areas. From bear attacks and alligators to mountain lions and shark attacks, you must learn to fend yourself from these survival threats.

3. Natural Elements

While natural calamities and catastrophes like hurricanes, wildfires, and volcanic eruptions are enormous threats, we can still try to defend ourselves and our property from these destructive elements.

Our lives, supplies, and resources are at huge risk from these calamities.

4. Foreign and Domestic Threats

These are large-scale and organized bad guys we could be powerless against. That is why we defend the Second Amendment.

5. Zombies and Aliens

These perceived threats are real to many, or at least considered possible threats in the future. With pop culture, we should know by now to avoid zombie bites and go for the head in self-defense.

Now, aliens can be a bit complicated since they're out of this world, and no one can know for sure if they'll come in peace or not and what their weaknesses are.

You know you can at least try to defend yourself from a lone alien, but the pack will need military intervention.

RELATED: Conquering the Cornerstones: Food – the 5th Pillar of Survival

Self-Defense Techniques and Strategies  

1. Cognitive Skills

The first and most critical skill that you will need to incorporate into your self-defense strategy is basic common sense. The ability to think with logic allows you to keep calm and collected, thus helping you come up with effective survival strategies.

Even in assault situations or when being held against your will, you can think of effective ways to escape or fight off your attacker. In these situations, your quick thinking helps you improvise.

In the wild, common sense dictates that you steer clear of dangerous animals. With know-how and a good memory, you will survive animal attacks or avoid them in the first place.

To further fine-tune your cognitive skills, getting information on survival techniques is the first step. Learning about these strategies by putting them to the test is next.

2. Self-Defense Training

If you haven't thought about a firearm and shooting course, it's about time if you are to have a fighting chance. But self-defense training goes beyond a shooting course.

Martial arts, weapons training, physical fitness training, and operating self-defense tools are self-defense strategies. You might also want to look at parkour training as a good self-defense technique.

Even training your pets for self-defense is a good strategy. Training your mind to be prepared or in a defensive mode is also a good defense.

3. Health and Fitness

Will you outrun or even outsmart attackers? Will you not freak out or drop dead at the first sign of trouble? If you're unfit, I highly doubt it.

Physical preparedness is a real self-defense strategy. You have an edge at survival with a sound mind and a body in tip-top shape.

Besides a healthy diet, physical training and exercise help promote fitness and a healthy lifestyle. Cardio exercises, kettlebell exercises, and a suspension training system are only some of the ways to promote fitness.

When it comes to push and shove in a survival scenario, we all know the physically fit has the upper hand. Here are more survival fitness tips to know for your defense.

4. Self-Defense Weapons and Tools

Even in zombie attacks, there are a set of ideal weapons to effectively fight them off. But seriously, to increase your odds of survival, your self-defense strategy must include weapons and tools.

Weapons tools and training go hand in hand in self-defense. So know your weapons options and how to use them to your defense.

On the other hand, while knowing how to use a gun or other weapons is a true survival skill, making your own weapons is the ultimate test. When you have nothing, you can simply fashion a spear, make a homemade crossbow, or smoke a bomb.

OR! Check out this tactical knife for elite warriors who demand the best and know the difference!

5. Fortification

It could be your home, your survival shelter, or a temporary camp, building a protection system around it is your first line of defense. There are many ways to secure your home or your base—even a car tire wall.

But there are also more modern ways to secure and fortify your home. It's a smart investment to defend your home with a security system not only for when SHTF but present threats.

This video from Green Light Shooting will show you how to prepare and defend yourself from a home invasion:

To protect yourself and your base from all forms of threats is one of the cores of survival. It is helpful to be armed in some way—anything from pepper spray to a firearm can ward off attackers, and a security system to defend your base.

Being proactive, aware, and cautious are the best tools one can use when practicing self-defense. Thus, preparedness in all aspects is your ultimate self-defense.

Have you been working out on a self-defense strategy and training lately? Tell us all about it in the comments section below! 

Up Next: 

• Conquering The Cornerstones: Shelter – The 1st Pillar Of Survival
• Conquering The Cornerstones: Water – The 2nd Pillar Of Survival
• How To Make A Hammock In The Rainforest And Elsewhere

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Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on August 26, 2017, and has been updated for quality and relevancy.