| Self defense training - especially in Today's often | | | | factor contains what I call "option sets" - variables |
| violent world - has to be less about your own | | | | that simultaneously cause each situation to be unique, |
| personal preferences, and more about what you'll | | | | and... |
| need to survive. | | | | ...allow you to choose from all of your skills, |
| While they say that they're looking for effective self | | | | strategies, and tactics, the best ones to get the job |
| defense training, far too many people take up the | | | | done! |
| study of martial arts or enroll in a self defense | | | | The Situational Factors/Control Sets are: |
| program for one of three basic reasons: | | | | 1. Environmental. This includes not only location but |
| 1. Convenience. The school or class is being held close | | | | also range and surroundings. Are you indoors or out? |
| to their home or job. Heaven forbid, we wouldn't | | | | Are you in the middle of a parking lot, between cars, |
| want them to have to go out of their way to learn | | | | or being pinned up against a wall or piece of |
| how to not die! | | | | furniture? |
| 2. Preference. Often a self defense training program | | | | 2. Emotional. Contrary to the way most martial arts |
| is chosen, not because it's effective, but because the | | | | and self defense programs are taught, we human |
| student likes the "style" or approach. People who like | | | | beings respond to stress in exactly the opposite way |
| wrestling will naturally gravitate towards martial arts | | | | from the way we learn. Your self defense training |
| like Judo, Jujitsu, etc. Others, who prefer the | | | | program must present the information in a do - think |
| stand-up - knock-'em down approach will look for | | | | - feel manner that matches the way your learn... |
| karate, boxing, and Tae kwon do, to name a few. I | | | | ...while simultaneously teaching you how to respond to |
| just hope that they will end up with an assailant who | | | | a threat in a feel - think - do manner that matches |
| "plays fair" and comes at them with something they | | | | how we respond to danger. Each emotional response |
| "like!" | | | | "mode" will effect us physically, mentally, and at our |
| 3. The "Buddy-vote." Instead of going against popular | | | | core. |
| consensus, often we might make a choice to do | | | | 3. Attacker-Control. This involves having different |
| something, not because we like it, agree with it, or | | | | options, tactics, and strategies for different types of |
| believe in it - but because all of our friends are doing | | | | attackers. It involves understanding everything from |
| it. Funny how we're still doing things mom yelled at us | | | | attacker-logic to knowing which targets to hit with |
| for when we were kids, huh?! | | | | your different body weapons. |
| Unfortunately, getting the right self defense training is | | | | Knowing which program is best requires that you first |
| not the same as choosing a movie or deciding where | | | | know what you're dealing with and what you'll need |
| to hang out on Saturday night. It will be way too late | | | | to be effective and ultimately successful. A good |
| to blame your friend, the program, or the teacher | | | | program will cover both physical and non-physical |
| after you find out during an attack that you made a | | | | methods. And, above all, it will advocate avoidance, |
| bad choice! | | | | escape, and de-escalation tactics over physically |
| The following 3 self defense tips are the minimum | | | | having to fight your attacker off. |
| requirements for an authentic self defense training | | | | If it doesn't, I recommend that you look for another |
| program that can teach you what you must know to | | | | program! |
| survive a brutal attack - or worse! | | | | If you're serious and want to learn how to do this |
| These requirements cover the three situational | | | | effectively then I want to help you. |
| factors present in any self defense attack. Each | | | | |