| In today's world people have to defend themselves | | | | before getting down to your training. Transferring |
| against violence that can occur very suddenly and | | | | these skills to a street situation where you have |
| seemingly without any warning. Knife attacks are | | | | none of this can make your techniques feel awkward |
| becoming more and more common and the victims | | | | and even completely wrong. What happens if it is a |
| of these attacks can be anyone - a school pupil, a | | | | cold day and you have just been shopping and you |
| shop worker, a couple out for a nice evening. Violent | | | | are confronted? Now you could find yourself with |
| attacks can occur during the day or at night, when | | | | bulky, cumbersome clothing and both your hands |
| you're on your own or with a group. So, we must | | | | have bags in them. How you deal with these |
| learn how to avoid these situations and deal with | | | | restrictions and your response will always depend on |
| them if we are unfortunate enough to be | | | | the circumstances, but it is definitely worth bringing |
| confronted. | | | | this into your training. |
| It is really important never to assume anything about | | | | Although there are some benefits to be gained from |
| your opponent. They can be unpredictable and ready | | | | training how to defend against set attacks, this is |
| to lash out with apparently no provocation. Supposing | | | | more a starting point. Learning the basics and having |
| you are out for the evening and for whatever | | | | a good foundation is important whether you are |
| reason someone starts arguing with you. You stay | | | | studying martial arts or self defense. However, to be |
| calm and manage to calm the situation down and it all | | | | effective in a street situation you need to train for |
| appears to be resolved. The other person starts to | | | | the unpredictable nature of people and be constantly |
| walk away, but what will happen next? Is it really | | | | aware of what is going on around you. |
| resolved or are they simply going to look for their | | | | One simple drill we use at Practical Self Protection is |
| friends to come and help them? Are they heading | | | | for one student to approach another. They may ask |
| off to get a glass or some other weapon to smash | | | | a question such as "Have you got the time?", they |
| over your head? | | | | may simply bump into the other person as they walk |
| To prepare for this type of unexpected behaviour | | | | past. From there they may launch into an attack, but |
| you need to train properly and effectively for it. Your | | | | again this is kept very random depending on the level |
| drills and way you practise should be spontaneous. | | | | of the student. It could be they through a strike, |
| With most self defense and martial art training you | | | | maybe go for a grab, could be they come in with a |
| practise in a uniform or comfortable clothing. The | | | | headbutt. It is trying to make it random and varied. |
| environment is safe and controlled and generally you | | | | The drills are more detailed than this, but it gives you |
| will have done some sort of warm up and stretching | | | | the general idea. |