SELF DEFENSE FACTS YOU SHOULD KNOW!

Self defense or self defence is defined as the deliberate use of physical force for protecting yourself or loved ones from physical harm. Self defense is a subject that just about everyone considers at some point in their lives. After all, self defense is part and parcel of living in our modern day society.

Self Defense is Everywhere!

Just turn on the television or listen to the radio and you are bound to hear dozens of self defense related news stories. For example, the story of a 70 year old grandmother from Chicago who used her husbands .32 pistol to protect herself during a home invasion. Or perhaps the self defense story of a 17 year old girl in New York who successfully pepper sprayed her attacker and prevented a date rape from taking place. These are just a few of the many examples where self defense and crime has touched our lives in one way or another.

"Self defense is part and parcel of living in todays modern world!"

Self Defense and the Crime Clock

If the local and national news does not motivate you to look into self defense training, perhaps the FBI Uniform Crime Reports and United States Crime Clock will. How can anyone dispute the necessity for self defense if a violent crime occurs every 25 seconds in the United States?

Self Defense Means Accepting the Truth!

The first step to learning self defense is accepting the fact that we live in a dangerous and violent world. To think otherwise is both naive and irresponsible on your part. In the violent world we live in today, you actually have only two choices: forget about self defence, cross your fingers and hope for the best; or accept the responsibility of learning to protect yourself and your loved ones from the realities of violence that surround you every day. Obviously, I believe that the second option is the only real choice.

"You only have only two real options: forget about self defense, cross your fingers and hope for the best; or accept the responsibility of learning self defense to protect yourself and your loved ones from criminal danger."

Reasons People Overlook Self Defense

- A Fear of the unknown.
- Possesses a defeatist attitude - I can't do it!
- Thinks the police will protect me and my family.
- Lives a sheltered lifestyle - can't happen to me attitude.
- Has a lazy personality - requires too much effort.
- Is naive or oblivious to the real world.
- Believes God will protect them.
- Claims they don't have time, and too busy to look into self defense training.

"Assume that violent crime can, and very well may, occur anywhere."

Self Defense is Up to You

Only you can take on the responsibility of defending yourself against the possible brutalization lying in wait for you or a loved one. As a reality based self defense instructor, I've watched introductory self defense students struggle with the difficulty of crossing that bridge, from fearful potential victims to confident citizens capable of defending themselves if necessary. The ones who have no problems with the transition are the ones who, unfortunately, have already suffered criminal victimization. But no one has to wait until it's too late. Everyone can make the choice to learn self defense and save themselves and their loved ones before violence strikes.

"The first step to learning self defense is up to you."

What is Self Defense?

So exactly "what is self defense?" Well, the answer to this million dollar question will be varied. For some people it means buying a high tech alarm system in hopes of preventing a home invasion. To other people, self defense means learning how to throw a punch or going out to the gun shop and buying a gun. There are others who think that martial arts like karate and mixed martial arts are viable self defense solutions. But the unfortunate truth is, there is a lot more to self defense and personal protection.

"Everyone can make the choice to learn self defense and save themselves and their loved ones before violence strikes."

Self Defense Has Three Components

First, the broad concept of self defense can best be understood in terms of three broadly related qualities: psychological, intellectual and physical. The psychological aspects of self defense first involve your understanding and acknowledgment of the many serious criminal threats to your physical safety and your emotional well being. It is difficult for you to accept that you may be confronted by a violent criminal predator. But failure to acknowledge this truth is the very psychological barrier that must be overcome if you're going to take yourself and self defense seriously. You must accept the ugly fact that you are a potential victim and that self defense is a necessary requirement to safely exist in our modern society.

Self Defense Means Taking Responsibility for Yourself

Once you've confronted that reality, you've got to jump the next psychological hurdle and accept responsibility for your own personal protection and well being. This acceptance is not as easy as it sounds. We are conditioned to expect that some one or something else will protect us from criminal violence and aggression. True, the police and other well meaning and capable citizens are there to do the best they can. But you must face the fact that if they could protect us from acts of criminal aggression, the statistics on violent crime would look much different.

The United States Constitution forbids our government from depriving any citizen from his or her right to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." Many people have erroneously assumed that this language makes the government responsible for our protection and well-being. Do you believe that your local police department is responsible for protecting you against those who might seek to rob, rape, or murder you? If so, I regret to inform you that you're wrong, perhaps even dead wrong!

The Constitution does protect us from threats against our personal safety and freedom - threats that have been perpetrated by the government itself. But it does not defend us against attacks by individual criminals who stalk our neighborhoods. In countless lawsuits, U.S. courts have ruled that neither the federal, state, nor local governments bear the burden for protecting citizens against the violence of crime.

After all, from a practical standpoint, how could we expect our government to protect us? Is it realistic to demand that our country will supply police in sufficient number to protect every citizen all the time? At what cost? The number of criminals has always exceeded the number of police and probably always will. The stark reality is that we are each individually responsible for determining the extent to which we require protection for ourselves and our families and to making whatever legally available arrangements we can to acquire that protection on our own. For many people, this notion represents a psychological barrier that they cannot get beyond.

Self Defense and Intelligence

Next you have to under stand that effective self defense is also rooted in intelligence (and not necessarily the kind they measure on standardized IQ tests). I'm talking about the same kind of intelligence that makes the dangerous attacker so effective at what he does. You've heard of the term "street smart selfdefense". Well, effective self defence requires that you become street smart. You've got to know who is most likely to be the victim of an violent criminal attack, who will most likely attack this victim, and where and when this attack is likely to take place. You must learn the motives and methods of the criminal, from the rapist, robber, and mugger to the ill-tempered and belligerent bar patron. In other words, awareness, assessment, and strategic preparedness become invaluable sub components of self defense. They will greatly enhance your ability to avoid attacks and, beyond that, to deal with a particular attack if it occurs.

The Different Types of Self Defense

Most people assume the term "self defense" covers every possible aspect of personal safety, but the truth is there are numerous sub categories of self defense that are equally important. For example, here is just a brief list:

- Street safety
- Home protection
- Womens self defense
- Childrens safety
- Workplace safety
- Vacation & travel safety
- Weapons training
- Automotive safety
- Senior citizen self defense

To learn more about these sub categories of self defense see, When Seconds Count: Everyone Guide to Self Defense.

"Some homeowners assume that a sophisticated home alarm system is the best self defense. However, the problem is the alarm system only notifies you of a problem. It doesn't help you confront and solve your problem. The truth is self defense begins and ends with you and only you!"

The Physical Aspects of Self Defense

Finally, there is the physical aspect of self defence. You must develop the appropriate self defense capability for any given situation. Essentially, you need a wide variety of self defence tools or street fighting techniques that will save your life when the chips are down.

Physical Self Defense is Divided into Two Categories:

• Unarmed Self Defense involves the use of various natural body weapons and physical body mechanic techniques to protect yourself or a loved one from physical attack.
• Armed Self Defense requires using various hand held weapons such as firearms, knives, sticks, kubotans, pepper spray and everyday objects called makeshift or improvised weapons.

Self Defense Tips & Guidelines

Here are some self defense rules and guidelines will help you avoid becoming a victim of crime. They are not intended to limit your lifestyle, but to help make what you do a lot safer. Remember, no matter how extreme the precautionary measures are, you may still be confronted with a dangerous situation.

1. Familiarize yourself with your usual travel routes. Be aware of detours or construction sites and avoid traveling deserted roads.
2. Consider carrying a "call police" banner in your car, in case your car breaks down on the side of the road.
3. Be particularly alert at red light, stop sign, and gas stations.
4. When approaching your car, always look under and inside the vehicle before you get too close to it and then enter it.
5. Know how to defend yourself if attacked in your car.
6. If your car breaks down, raise the hood and stay inside with the doors locked. If a motorist approaches you, slightly roll down the window and ask him or her to call for assistance.
7. Never accept a ride from a stranger.
8. Never leave your driver's license, car registration, or operator's manual in your car.
9. When parking your car in a mall, consider leaving a man's hat or pipe on the passenger seat. It makes it look like a male companion is with you.
10.When approaching intersections or stop lights, always keep your car in gear and be prepared to drive away immediately.
11. Never pull into a parking space next to anyone loitering or sitting in a parked car, and never get out of your car if there is a suspicious person present.
12. Familiarize yourself with ambush zones on the streets and avoid them whenever possible.
13. When walking in the streets, avoid high-crime areas.
14. When walking the streets, constantly scan your environment, thoroughly and quickly noting potential problems.
15. When entering a dark environment, allow a few seconds for your eyes to adjust before moving on.
16. Never turn your back on a potential criminal aggressor unless he is so far away he can't reach you before you get to safety.
17. Do not take shortcuts through alleys, parking lots, tunnels, parks, construction sites, or abandoned buildings.
18. Avoid poorly lit stairwells and bus stops.
19. Don't display money or jewelry in public.
20. Avoid walking, biking, or jogging alone. Try to get a friend or family member to go with you.
21. Avoid carrying a lot of packages at once; this can make you an easy target. Try to keep at least one hand free at all times.
22. Wear clothes and shoes that facilitate quick and free movement. Try to wear sneakers or shoes with low heels. If you are wearing high heels and are being chased, kick them off and run barefoot.
23. When traveling on the subway, stay alert at all times.
24. When exiting a bus, watch who is getting off with you and who is waiting at the stop.
25. Vary your travel routes. Constant patterns allow assailants to monitor your behavior, note the regularity of your schedule, and pick an opportune time for attack.
26. When getting money at machines or teller windows, put it away before leaving.
27. Do not carry more credit cards than you plan to use.
28. Plan your biking, jogging, and walking routes. Do not travel through dangerous areas containing a high number of high-risk ambush zones. If possible, let someone know what your route will be and how long you plan to be gone.
29. Walk, run, or jog in the opposite direction of traffic.
30. Be wary in public rest rooms.
31. If you think you are being followed when walking down a street, immediately cross the street at a 90-degree angle and observe the behavior of everyone else on the street. Remember, you can be followed or trailed from directions other that the one immediately behind you.
When waiting for the elevator, stand approximately 6 feet away from the doors.
32. Do not carry chemical sprays, stun guns, knives, or guns unless you have been trained adequately in their use.
33. Before entering convenience stores, banks, etc., take a quick look inside to make sure no trouble is going down.
34. To avoid being pick pocketed, keep your wallet in your front pocket.
35. Don't allow strangers to stop you on the street.
36. Try to avoid streets where groups of teenagers congregate.
37. When shopping, never leave your valuables unattended in a fitting room. When grocery shopping, never leave your purse unattended in your cart.
38. When making a purchase in a store, never recite your telephone number to the store cashier. Instead, write it down.
39. If you must attend the movies alone, avoid sitting in the last few rows.
40. Do not try to reason with a potential assailant unless you are buying time to escape, signaling for help, or setting up a counterattack.

What is the Best Self Defense?

Many people often ask me, "what is the best self defense". The answer to this question is realism! You must find a self defense system that is exclusively devoted to teaching reality based self defense. Reality based self defense (RBSD) or reality fighting martial arts focuses exclusively on real world personal protection circumstances. The operative word is "reality". Reality based self defense is not about traditional martial arts practices, black belt programs or sport combat mixed martial arts (MMA) competitions. The best self defense system is one that equally addresses both armed and unarmed aspects of self defense and personal protection. If you would like to learn more about finding the best self-defense, see my article, How to find a good self defense school.

"The best self defense is one that equally addresses both armed and unarmed aspects of self defense and personal protection."

Reality Based Self Defense is the Only Answer!

If you are looking for real self defense solutions to real modern day conflicts, I offer you my self defense system, Contemporary Fighting Arts (CFA). Contemporary Fighting Arts is a both a hard hitting martial art and unique reality based self defense system designed to provide you with the physical and mental skills necessary to protect yourself and your loved ones in a variety of real world situations. Contemporary Fighting Arts' approach is scientific and focuses on real life self defense. You can learn more about CFA by visiting this link.

Sammy Franco Founder & President Contemporary Fighting Arts

return to top of page

Back to self defense articles