Beauty of the first strike

One of your most powerful weapons when defending yourself in an attack is the element of surprise.

In fact, in a majority of fights, the person who "wins" is the one who lands the first punch.

3 "quick tips" to make sure that person is YOU:

1. Don't dress like a soldier!

 Your "The only easy day was yesterday!" t-shirt may help you pick up chicks, but it's also a tell-tale sign you "think" of yourself as a fighter. Keep the combat
  boots and UFC hat at home if you're going into an area where you may be attacked.

2. Don't train in "ready" stance!

  The typical martial arts "ready-to-fight" stance shows your cards. When training, use a "fence" position, and, even better, from a relaxed position with your hands down at your  side, seated, lying down, etc. These are very real positions you may NEED to defend from and your attacker won't expect your strike. We do alot of our trainings with scenarios from such positions.

3. Train for speed first!

  Your right-hand haymaker may pack some serious power, but if  you have to rear it back from left field to land it, you're giving your attacker a LOT of reaction time. Instead, use a  very fast, direct palm heel with your weaker lead hand at the same time you're rearing back with your strong hand. It  will put him on the defensive and set you up for your big "move".