Every Technique is Useful In Context

There is a lot of very bad information about self defense on the internet. A lot of this stems from forums and message boards which are usually collections of people who have such low personal self esteem they can’t wait to rip apart other people’s systems. There are the ever-popular discussions about who should win [...]

Prevention, Detection, Response

Last night I attended a talk on information security given by a representative of a major endpoint security company. They make antivirus software for those who aren’t fluent in geek.
The presenter made an interesting point that I think is relevant to personal security and self defense. He showed an image of a house and talked [...]

The Power of Decision

Making a decision is a powerful mental process. In fact the word “decision” is a nominalization, the turning of a process verb into a noun. A decision is static – set in stone, unlike the process of deciding. This is an important distinction. When you decide something, you draw the proverbial line in the sand. [...]

Self Defense and Statistics

The other day I posted a statistic to my facebook profile – that 70% of adult males carry edged tools, such as knives, on a day to day basis in the U.S. A couple of people called me on the statistic; I have no problem with that. I do have statistics and research methods training [...]

Why I Teach Self Defense And Martial Arts Differently

I just returned from Bonny Eagle High School, a local school, where I taught a group of 24 seniors an 1 1/2 hour self defense class. I have probably done a couple of hundred very short self-defense seminars such as these over the years, and I draw a few distinctions between teaching martial arts and [...]

Dealing With Armed Assault With No or Little Training.

It’s a simple fact that many people will encounter armed violence in their lives. Frequently, after giving a short self defense demo of an hour or so, a participant will ask, “what do I do if the guy has a gun or a knife”. Unfortunately, dealing skillfully with an armed assailant is not something easily [...]

How to Win an Argument – Jujutsu Style

No, I am not going to suggest that you break a person’s arm to win an argument as satisfying as that might seem. Remember that jujutsu is the art of yielding. The majority of self defense instructors (the ones with working brains) will tell you to avoid fighting, physical self defense is always the last [...]

Sex Offender Held In Chelsea King Case May Have Attacked Another Teen in Same Park

The terrible news that San Diego high school student Chelsea King’s body had been found in the park where she disappeared came soon after the police announced they were holding John Albert Gardiner III, a registered sex offender, as a suspect in her disappearance. It seems that police may have their man as he is [...]

There Are Only Two Safe Assumptions In Self Defense

In a real encounter against an assailant, most assumptions can get you hurt or killed. When these assumptions carry over to how you train, they can leave gaps in your skills. For example: assuming an attacker will give you time to fish your pepper spray out of the bottom of a backpack, assuming that an [...]

Preparing For Home Invasion

If we are to believe the news, it looks like home invasion is a growing crime. The truth is that it is hard to tell because home invasion is not tracked as a single type of crime. Instead, home invasion may be counted in crime statistics as a count of breaking and entering, with perhaps [...]

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