Looking for self-defense books? We've gathered 11 free self-defense books in PDF, covering Krav Maga, combat techniques, personal safety training, and military combatives.
These guides teach practical skills to protect yourself in real situations. From escape techniques and pressure points to unarmed combat and threat assessment, written by martial arts experts like Jeff Cooper and John Lofty Wiseman.
Browse our selection below. Every book is free to read online or download as PDF.
Self-Defense Books and Materials
Self-defense training starts with the right knowledge. These books cover basic strikes, escape techniques, and advanced combat strategies used by security professionals and the military.
Whether you want to learn Krav Maga basics or study pressure points for self-defense, these resources give you a solid foundation in personal protection.
Illustrated guide featuring 17 Krav Maga techniques specifically designed for women's self-defense, covering releases from chokes, grabs, and ground attacks. Published by the FEKM charity association.
Beginner's guide to Krav Maga covering history, principles, ranks, belts, and basic movements. Published by the European Federation of Krav Maga (FEKM).
Module 1 of a self-defense training course covering escape techniques, stances, body language, verbal strategies, and situational awareness for everyday environments.
Evidence-based personal safety training covering threat assessment, target areas, de-escalation, and physical self-defense skills. Includes bibliography and professional references. Creative Commons licensed.
Practical guide to pressure points and nerve centers for weaponless self-defense, applying modern physiology and anatomy knowledge. Covers appropriate force levels and separates myth from fact in martial arts targeting.
Comprehensive self-defense manual with photo demonstrations by real practitioners, covering grabs, chokes, punches, throws, and situational awareness. Foreword by Geoff Thompson.
Classic guide outlining seven key principles of personal defense: alertness, decisiveness, aggressiveness, speed, coolness, ruthlessness, and surprise. Written by renowned firearms and combat expert Jeff Cooper.
Complete guide to unarmed combat techniques by former SAS Chief Survival Instructor. Covers positive thinking, streetcraft, body weapons, defense against grabs, strangles, and weapon attacks, plus the SAS five-second knockout.
Comprehensive course guidebook from The Great Courses covering self-defense strategies, Krav Maga techniques, conflict communication, and violence dynamics. Written by a certified KMG expert instructor with a psychology doctorate.
Official U.S. Army Field Manual (FM 3-25.150) covering rifle-bayonet fighting and hand-to-hand combat, including basic and advanced training techniques, warm-ups, and unarmed defense against weapons.
