A fighting stance is much safer than just standing with your feet hip-width apart. When you stand normally, you have much less range and mobility than if you take a fighting stance.
If your attacker is punching you, you can use both hands to protect your face. However, usually you want to keep 1 hand free so you can punch back.
Be aware of your surroundings, too. If you get backed into a corner and you can’t escape or move backwards, it’s very likely that your opponent will win this fight.
As you punch, keep your hand in a tight fist with your thumb on the outside of your fingers. That way, you’ll hit your opponent with your knuckles without hurting your fingers too much.
Stay away from any hard areas on your opponent’s body, like their skull or their jaw. These likely won’t hurt your opponent enough to stop them, and they could hurt your hand pretty badly.
Even kicking your opponent’s groin is acceptable in a street fight. The goal is to get away as fast as possible, and a swift kick to the groin can stop someone in their tracks. You can disable your opponent even faster by punching their upper body, then quickly kicking at their lower body. It’s pretty hard to defend your entire body at once, and they may not have enough time to recover to defend themselves properly.
If your attacker starts following you, yell for help and call the authorities as fast as you can.
“Hey, sorry about that. I really didn’t mean to. Can I grab you some napkins?”
For instance, you might say, “Hey man, we’re cool. By the way, I like that shirt you’ve got on. Where’d you get it?” If you go this route, watch your tone so that the other person doesn’t think you’re making fun of them. Stay lighthearted and sincere without laughing or smiling.
Fighting a stranger shouldn’t be taken lightly. You never know if a stranger has a weapon on them, and you could get seriously hurt during a fight.
Never head to a secluded area without other people around. If your attacker is persistent, they may follow you.
