Self defense is defined as the deliberate use of physical force for protecting yourself or loved ones from physical harm. It’s a subject that just about everyone considers at some point in their lives.
Self Defense is Everywhere!
Just turn on the television or listen to the radio and you are bound to hear dozens of 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 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 examples where crime has touched our lives.
Self Defense and the Crime Clock
If the local and national news does not motivate you, perhaps the FBI Uniform Crime Reports and United States Crime Clock will. How can anyone dispute the necessity for personal safety if a violent crime occurs every 25 seconds in the United States?
Accepting the Truth!
The first step to learning personal safety 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 it, 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.
“You have two options:cross your fingers and hope for the best; or accept the responsibility of protecting yourself.”
Reasons People Overlook Self Defense
– Fear of the unknown.
– Defeatist attitude – I can’t do it!
– Thinks the police will protect me
– Lazy personality
– Is naive or oblivious to the real world.
– Claims they don’t have time
It’s 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 an instructor, I’ve watched introductory 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.
What is Self Defense?
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, it 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 solutions. The unfortunate truth is, there’s a lot more to personal protection.
Self Defense Has Three Components
First, personal protection can best be understood in terms of three related qualities: psychological, intellectual and physical. The psychological aspects involve your understanding and acknowledgment of the many criminal threats that exist.
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.
Self Defense and Intelligence
Next, you have to understand that effective self defense is also rooted in intelligence. 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”. 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.
The Different Types of Self Defense
There are numerous sub categories of personal safety that are equally important. They include:
- Street safety
- Home protection
- Womens safety
- Childrens safety
- Workplace safety
- Vacation & travel safety
The Physical Aspects of Self Defense
Finally, there is the physical aspect of self defence. You must develop the appropriate capability for any given situation. Essentially, you need a wide variety of skills or street fighting techniques that can save your life.
Physical Self Defense is Divided into Two Categories:
- Unarmed Fighting: involves the use of various techniques to protect yourself or a loved one from physical attack.
- Armed Fighting: requires using various hand held weapons such as firearms, knives, sticks, kubotans, pepper spray and everyday objects called improvised weapons.
Self Defense Tips & Guidelines
Here are some rules that will help you avoid becoming a victim. They are not intended to limit your lifestyle, but to help make what you do a lot safer.
1. Familiarize yourself with your usual travel routes.
- Consider carrying pepper spray.
- Be particularly alert at red light, stop sign, and gas stations.
- Always look under and inside your vehicle before you get too close to it.
- Know how to defend yourself if attacked in your car.
- If your car breaks down, raise the hood and stay inside with the doors locked.
- Never accept a ride from a stranger.
- Never leave your driver’s license in your car.
- Always remember where you park your car.
- Always walk with confidence.
- Never pull into a parking space next to anyone loitering or sitting in a parked car.
- Familiarize yourself with ambush zones on the streets.
- Avoid high-crime areas.
- When walking the streets, constantly scan your environment.
- Avoid entering a dark environments.
Reality Based Self Defense is the Only Answer!
If you are looking for real solutions to real modern day conflicts, I offer you, Contemporary Fighting Arts (CFA). Contemporary Fighting Arts is a both a hard hitting martial art 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 scenarios. You can learn more about CFA by visiting this link.
| Sammy Franco Founder & President Contemporary Fighting Arts |
