The neck is vulnerable — plain and simple. Compared to the rest of the human body, it is remarkably weak in its structure -- and yet it houses some of the body's most vital pathways for circulation and respiration, not to mention outright support of the skull. Therefore, neck attacks emerge as a no-brainer for incorporation into self-defense moves. Scott Bolan, a specialist in mind/body conditioning for execution of self-defense moves, says, "One solid smash to the throat will cut off a person's air supply, essentially cutting off the power supply to the house. You can survive for only a few minutes without oxygen -- once you don't have air coming in, nothing else matters."

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NECK ATTACKS VIDEO Scott Bolan Explains How Self-Defense Moves Using the Centerline Can Get You Out of a Choke

Consider a scenario in which an attacker chokes you from the front with both hands, Scott Bolan suggests. "Along the centerline is where human beings are the weakest," he says. "You turn your body so he doesn't have access to your centerline. While turning, you hit his arms with your arm, which is flexed so it's closed to your centerline to break his hold." When countering such neck attacks, Scott Bolan says, the next step would be to fight back. One of the self-defense moves he demonstrates is wrapping one arm around the opponent's neck and forcing him back to break his balance.

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It's then up to you whether you want to break it with a neck crank or use your free hand to implement a devastating neck strike to the throat. Using neck attacks as self-defense moves in this fashion can be extremely effective due to their immediate shock to the system, thus interfering with your opponent's ability to breathe. "The best weapon for [throat strikes]," Scott Bolan says, "are the edge of the hand, the elbow, the forearm and, if his head is angled back, the fist." In the event an attacker comes at you with a punch or a knife, it may be time to use one of Bolan's favorite neck attacks -- a maneuver called the "egg breaker," which combines striking and grappling.

NECK ATTACKS VIDEO Scott Bolan Demonstrates the "Egg Breaker" Counterattack

"You block [the punch or knife attack] and trap the arm, then strike him in the neck with your elbow before wrapping your arm around his neck," Bolan explains. "Then you fall backward. His head hits the pavement and breaks your fall." When training to counter neck attacks with self-defense moves such as the egg breaker, Bolan notes that it's important to the land on the opposite side of your body and butt to protect your partner. "In the real world, however," Bolan says, "let all your weight drive his head into the ground. There's a good chance of a knockout, but it could also be lethal." For more information about Scott Bolan and Mike Gillette’s training programs and products for mind/body conditioning for optimized execution of self-defense moves and more, visit martialpowersecrets.com and devastatingfighting.com.