.
It's night.
You're taking a shortcut
and find yourself in an unfamiliar alley.
Suddenly,
you realize that you're being targeted.
And you're going to have to
defend yourself against a sword.
If you don’t know what to do,
this might be your last walk.
Want to learn how to improve
the odds in your favor?
You don't have to be in great shape
to survive a sword fight,
but being physically fit,
and knowing some basic skills
will increase your chance of surviving.
These advantages could give you
the boost you need to act quickly,
and get out of there unharmed,
because you don't want
that sword to touch you.
A sword wound is a lot wider than a bullet.
So a simple stab
can be worse than getting shot.
A stab can tear your organs,
and cause massive blood loss.
Watch carefully
if a suspicious person is approaching you.
And don't show any signs of fear.
Fear could make you hesitate.
And showing how afraid you are
could make them more aggressive.
Instead, keep your cool,
and be aware of your surroundings.
You don't want to step in a hole,
or get backed into a corner.
Running away only works
if you have enough space.
Remember,
an attack will happen quickly,
so trust your judgment.
If you're not backed up against a wall,
run as fast as you can.
If you can't run away,
step away from the attacker.
It's crucial to control the distance
between the two of you.
So when the attacker attempts to strike you,
step back.
If you time it right,
this move will make the attacker
vulnerable to a counterattack.
You can use almost anything as a weapon.
Things that are made out of metal,
or wooden objects, would be ideal.
But grab any item you can
and throw it at the attacker to distract
their attention away from you.
This will give you time to prepare
for your next move.
Miyamoto Musashi, a famous samurai,
survived his first duel
by killing a man
when he was just 13 years old.
He invented a style of fighting
with two swords,
called Heiho Niten Ichi Ryu,
and won at least 60 sword fights.
On the way to one contest,
he made a sword out of a wooden oar.
Having good eye-to-body coordination
is crucial to surviving.
A sword fight is similar to dancing that way.
Only this time you're not showing off
your moves at a party.
You're dancing to save your life.
"Dance fight"
Anticipating the attacker's movements
before they strike will help predict
how they’ll move.
And if you're fast enough,
you'll be able to strike back.
Moving swiftly,
and faking your movements,
can mislead the attacker, giving
you enough time to counterstrike.
"It's about time you show some respect
around here."
"Run for your lives."
If you're confident you can physically
confront an attacker,
your first goal is to pin down
the attacker's arm
that's holding the sword.
Use one of your arms to hold down
the attacker’s arm.
Hold it as far away from your abdomen
as possible, and towards your legs.
Use your other arm or hand to hold
the attacker away.
By doing this, you may be able
to disarm the attacker.
If you can't run or disarm an attacker,
try to pin down their sword.
With your adrenaline kicking in,
you are going to have to strike them back.
Remember,
your ultimate goal is to disable and disarm
an attacker,
so you have time to escape.
Do not try blocking the sword
with your arms.
Due to the length and weight of a sword,
this can lead to serious injuries.
Your chances of surviving a sword fight
are higher than surviving a lion attack.
But we have some tips on that too.
Find out more, here on