Asklemmy

Nearly always, they just want to get your stuff and GTFO, so let them have it/give it to them. Try not to seem threatening and try not to startle them, because they’re scared & jumpy and running on adrenaline, too.

Ex-UK police (risk of armed robbery here is vanishingly low).

Comply. Just hand over what they ask for. Get a good look at their face/clothing (especially their shoes which are generally going to be unique and difficult to change whilst running away).

If you decide to fight back you risk getting beaten/stabbed/shot, then you'll make a heroic victim, but you'll still lose all your shit regardless.

If you're in your home then arm yourself, barricade yourself in a room and call for help. Again, you can try and mount a defence but at the end of the day stuff and things can be replaced. Unless they've broken in with the intention of doing you or a family member physical harm then all you lose by hiding/escaping is a tv or a PlayStation.

The first defense is always run away if you can. If you can't run away, give them what they want. If they seem intent on killing you regardless, then you might as well fight. Get some DNA under your nails to help the DA convict them after they find your body.

Personally, I've always just been monstrously large with a resting murder face. That tends to encourage people to take their violence elsewhere, but it's the kind of trick most people can't utilize.

If you think there's a real concern, get some self-defense training. Learning how to fight at a good school could help your confidence and preparedness. However, I'll point out that any good martial arts school will also tell you that rule one is run away if you can. There's no defense better than not being there.

Well robberies are very rare. No one says they they thwarted a mugging last week, plus really dangerous places are like a few blocks big, so you could just walk or drive around the worst of the worst.

If you robbed in your house, I'd just say lock whatever door your in and call the cops, robberies tend to be quick so they'll go after what's easy.

If you're mugged is suggest looking your mugger in the face, talking casually, or comply with their demands.

play dead

Old advice I heard but never had to use, when handing over your wallet/purse, throw it away from you/robber and then book it the other way... they're after the goods, not you.

Real talk. How on earth do you think this works? There isn't a magic sol toution here. There's no way to increase your survivability, realistically. You can try to be as prepared as possible, I suppose, but these situations are so rare and random and case by case there's no real way to increase your odds to not be killed as a blanket statement.