This article was co-authored by Tsahi Shemesh. Tsahi Shemesh is a self-defense expert, specializing in Krav Maga. Shemesh is the Founder and Program Director of Krav Maga Experts in New York City. He has certified hundreds of instructors, and his curriculum is taught in over a dozen countries worldwide. This article has been viewed 1,171,460 times.

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While it’s never a good feeling to take a punch, if you know how to prepare your body for it, you can minimize injury and help yourself in a fight. As soon as you can, clench your fists and bring them up directly in front of your cheeks, with your elbows held tight against your body. This will help protect both your face and torso if you get punched. It may be scary, but try to keep your eyes open as your opponent punches so you know where they’re aiming for. Then, try to dodge the attack by slightly bending your waist away from them. If you’re not able to dodge the punch, roll your body backward in the direction the punch is moving and exhale as they make contact, which will minimize the power of the punch. To learn how to stay balanced after you’ve been punched, read more from our Fighting co-author.