Yesterday's report of a knife attack in Texas was a grim reminder that such incidents can cause serious injuries and panic.  These incidents can occur in your office and even in court.  Of course, the best survival strategy is to avoid being attacked in the first place, but if an attack occurs, some tips may help.

First, face your attacker and keep the weapon in your sight, but do not succumb to weapon focus -- the tendency to focus on the weapon and lose sight of the rest of the assailant.  While you are watching the knife, the attacker may make a move that catches you off-guard.  And call for help!

Try to keep out of the weapon's effective range.  Most often, knives used in these attacks are small and concealable, with a range no more than 4 or 5 inches beyond the attacker's reach.  Attackers also often attack with slashes, so keep this in mind when gauging distance and movement.  If you stay out of arm's reach from the attacker, he most likely will step in to attack, so don't back yourself up against a wall or other object, and be ready to jump back out of reach when the attacker steps in.

Use an object such as a briefcase to block the attack, and even to knock the weapon from the attacker's hand.  If your fingers wrap around the object (such as a padfolio or desk tray), grab the object at one end and use the other end against the attacker -- this will help prevent your fingers from being cut.

Try to keep the attacker at bay until help arrives, and keep calling for help until it gets there or the attacker runs away.  Do not turn and run unless the attacker is incapacitated, as he may catch up to you and stab you from behind.

About two months ago, a meteorite exploded over Chelyabinsk in Russia, injuring hundreds and damaging buildings.  Astronomers have indicated that the meteorite took the planet by surprise because it approached the Earth from the Sun, preventing its early detection.

If you should ever find yourself in close-quarters combat (which you should try to avoid, of course), take inspiration from this celestial bruiser, and come at your enemies from out of the Sun.  Circle them if you can until your back is facing the Sun (or other bright light source).  This can impair their vision and ability to react quickly.  When you see that they are blinded, explode at them like a detonating asteroid, and then run like a comet to safety.  Hopefully, you'll have the same impact as a Russian meteor!

By Chris Wencker

Being in an up-in-your-face shouting match with someone can be very uncomfortable, but it is not necessarily life-threatening.  Because such a situation may escalate to physical violence, you should avoid it and walk away if possible.  If this is not possible, then stay calm and observant, and try to defuse the situation.

First, assume a non-threatening but still defensive posture.  Take a small step back with your dominant foot (it's the same side as your dominant hand) and hold your hands open in front of you, with the palms facing your antagonist, at about chest height.  Speak calmly with the person, and do not shout back (though you may have to raise the volume of your voice to be heard).  This will allow you to be on guard without being provocative, and give you a bit more distance.

Keep your eyes open for signs of an imminent attack.  These may include the person's face going from red and flushed to pale white or a sudden dilation of the pupils (signs that the sympathetic nervous system has engaged), clenching the fists or turning to the side (both signs of an intent to strike), suddenly looking around (for witnesses), or suddenly becoming quiet.  If any of these things happen, or any other abrupt change in behavior occurs, be ready to fight.

Sometimes, the floor is the safest place to be, and other times, it can be the least.  If you are in a closed area (such as court or an office) and you hear gunfire, you should drop to the floor with your feet pointed towards the source of the shots.  This will minimize the area where you could be hit, and reduce the exposure of your most vital areas.  If you are in an open area (such as a park) and you hear gunfire, you should seek cover if possible (and not just concealment -- read more here), and then drop to the ground if necessary.

In arm's-length combat, however, you should avoid the ground if at all possible.  It is common to hear that "90% of all fights end up on the ground."  This "statistic" comes from a study performed by the Los Angeles Police Department in 1997 (read more here), and is not at all accurate.  While it is true that being trained in ground combat techniques can help minimize injury when you find yourself on the ground, you should not prefer this scenario.  I know some martial arts instructors who will teach their students to take an opponent to the ground and then join him* there.  I would strongly advise against this.  Putting an assailant on the ground is a great idea, but you should keep your feet if you can -- this makes it easier to escape or to capitalize on your opponent's disadvantaged position.  In addition, your assailant may have friends nearby, and voluntarily "going to the ground" puts you at their mercy.  By all means, learn to fight on the ground, but use those skills only as a last resort.