A friend of mine asked me the other night after a martial arts class, "how does a bouncer decide if he's just going to throw someone out of the bar or if he's going to call the police on them?" I figured that what he really meant was, "If I pick a fight with a guy in a bar, how can I avoid being sent to jail for it ?" I gave him an answer but I wasn't really satisfied with what I told him and so began to give it some thought.
First off, I would suggest that you avoid getting into fights in bars (or anywhere else for that matter). It's stupid and potentially very dangerous. Even if you are good in a fight, you never know when "Mr. Murphy" is going to rear his ugly head and give the advantage to the other guy. If you have any awareness of someone who you think is "mad doggin'" you, let the security staff and/ or bartender(s) know what's going on so that they can keep an eye on the situation. This can help later if you do find yourself in a fight and the Bouncers recognize you as the guy who came to them earlier in the night and told them what was up. Also, have sense of humor and don't take shit personally. Remember that "it takes two to tango" and if you don't take the bait, the fight is not going anywhere unless the guy just blatantly attacks you. If you "have" to fight, remember that more and more bars and nightclubs are installing and using fairly high tech camera systems and if the cops are going to use the footage from that to investigate a crime, you want it to clearly show that you did everything you could to avoid the fight and that you were acting in self defense.
In some jurisdictions, like the one I live in, mutual combat is not illegal, so long as you stop when he says "uncle". You could only be cited for, at most, secondary crimes such as "disorderly conduct" or "public intoxication" (if you are). Be aware that if you don't stop when he says "uncle" you could be charged with some version of "aggravated assault". I don't know how to else to say it other than this: If he is no longer a threat, stop hitting him! See "The difference between fighting and self-defense" and "Legal" by Marc "Animal" MacYoung.
If you do end up in a fight and the bouncers show up, stop fighting the guy! Don't make the bouncers think that you are a continued threat, to them or the other guy. Get calm and become as cooperative as possible. If you get thrown out, you get thrown out. Take it in stride and go home or move on the next bar.
Secondly, as I have stated elsewhere in my blogs, if you find that you like to pick fights with people, you should consider seeking some psychological assistance. I can understand being young and dumb and wanting to "prove yourself", but if you over the age of 25 and still think that this is an appropriate method of "earning your chops", I think that you should spend some time in deep introspection and look at why that is. Basing you sense of self worth on your ability to kick someones ass is not very healthy. At some point you need to start looking for peace in your life. If you still think that you have something to prove, please consider a regulated, sport oriented, outlet for your issues and aggression, i.e. boxing, MMA, submission wrestling, etc.
Now to answer the original question. Although these are general and idealized scenarios, as a rule, this is how I decide if I'm just going to throw someone out or if I'm going to call the police: First off, Bouncers as a rule, don't really care "who started it". My job is to see the signs of aggressive behavior before it gets as far as a fight and intercede and de-escalate the situation, if I can. If this works, no harm no foul. Just know that you will be watched for the rest of the night. If I walk in on a fight in progress, and have to break it up, you're both getting kicked out of the establishment. How I accomplish this and where you spend the night (home, jail, or hospital) is largely going to depend on how you react to my presence and "interference" in your bullshit drama.
When I and/ or another member of the security staff comes up on a couple of guys "woofin'" at each other, we will usually try to establish a physical presence (also known as"command presence", the first level on the Use of Force Continuum or, ironically, U.F.C.) and try to de-escalate the situation. In order to cover ourselves legally, this will usually entail at some point telling the parties involved that if they don't "cool it" they will be verbally trespassed from the property and, furthermore, if they do not leave of their own accord, they will be placed under citizens arrest and the police will be called to cite for criminal trespassing. Much of this will simply be a show of force on my part, and is just a ploy to get them to stop focusing on each other and to start paying attention and listening to me. Often this doesn't work, because people in this predicament are too drunk to care what we are saying or doing, so they will ignore us and try to carry on.
If they do ignore us and continue with their "woofin'", because they have been trespassed, under citizens arrest laws, I now have the right to call the police and detain the people until P.D. shows up. We now go to the next rung on the U.F.C. and, along with my fellow security staff, take up an escort position on them (usually a hand on an elbow or the small of the back). If this doesn't work and the guys "throw down" despite us, getting between them is usually not an issue but keeping them apart sometimes can be. The trick is to grab the guy who appears to be the most aggressive and drag him outside while the remainder of the security staff deals with the other guy. If this works and nobody is worse for wear, we'll usually just be happy to be rid of you and let you go along your marry way.
If this doesn't work and we now have a brawl on our hands, it now becomes an issue of strategy: I just want these guys out of my bar. If you resist me in my effort to get you outside I will usually get very annoyed and apply some variation of an "attitude interrupter". This amounts to causing you enough pain to get you less concerned about defending you're ego and more concerned about finding a way to relieve said pain. You're physiological response to this pain will usually give me enough room to maneuver you into a position (rear naked choke, full nelson, joint lock, etc.) that will allow me to "escort" you outside. If your behavior has made me put that much work into getting you to stop fighting, I'm probably going to call the police.
I'm still thinking about this, so if the subject of this post interests you, come back from time to time as I will undoubtedly update it.
For reference, please remember that I am not a lawyer. Don't take my word for it on any of this stuff. Be smart and do the research yourself. After all, that is the point of the blog in general!
Stay safe!
Monday, April 30, 2007
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Proper Mental Attitude in High Risk Conflict Resolution
In my work I have found that having an understanding of diplomacy and a sense of empathy to be very advantageous when having to deal with people in high stress/ risk situations. While applying these two attributes I have intercepted and avoided many a physical altercation when interceding in arguments and/ or standoffs while working as a bouncer, and I have avoided having to charge many people with assault and/ or robbery when working as a Loss Prevention Officer.
Although I have no formal diplomatic or conflict resolution training, I have somehow developed an innate sense of their concepts and have been able to apply them very successfully. I attribute this to a number of sources, primarily my early training in Shin Shin Toitsu Aikido and it's emphasis on sincerity, non- contention, and the concept of "Mu Shin", my Grandfather, a career Army Officer and a primary father figure in my life, who himself seems to have an innate understanding of diplomacy and who I modeled much of my self image on, and my Mother, who early in my life, taught me the value of empathy and compassion. Along with these resources, I have also had the opportunity to apply these attributes under "live fire" conditions, which I have found to be invaluable in establishing and re-enforcing their importance under those circumstances.
When I face a potentially violent situation I make a point of never taking anything that is said or done personally. If someone calls me a "fucking asshole", I respond by saying, "you're right, I am a 'fucking asshole' but we still need to bring this to some sort of closure". Generally, I don't mind letting someone let off a little steam at my expense as long as they are not threatening or interrupting the peace of incidental bystanders. I look at each situation as an opportunity to help someone who is in bad place in their life, and as an opportunity to help them grow as a person. This has the effect of doing the same for me. Because of the nature of what I do for a living, I also make sure to do it with a calm and unattached mind (see "Mu Shin" above) so that I don't get caught up in the drama of what is going on and miss subtle body language or furtive movement that could lead to potentially painful, if not fatal, end to the incident.
Of course none of this is worth much if you don't have an effective delivery system. Physically, I try to keep my body language as non- threatening as possible while staying in an "aware and ready" stance. For me this entails keeping my knees slightly bent, staying on my toes, and having my hands above my elbows, usually in a steepled or "Jack Benny" posture. I also try to keep a low, even, sincere, empathetic, and non- judgemental tone to my voice, while keeping eye contact that communicates the same type of qualities. Of course this all has to be done while simultaneously being assertive, which can make it very challenging.
Sometimes, despite my best efforts, the conflict becomes physical and I have to apply self defense or arresting techniques. When this happens, I have learned (the hard way) that it is absolutely imperative to apply said techniques as immediately as possible with no "pussy foot'n" around. The technique applied must be as tight and stright forward as possible. I have found that it is best to avoid "pain compliance" holds and techniques and go rather for the ones that effect the persons posture/ structural mechanics instead. I usually don't care if the person is in pain as long as they are not able to hurt me or get away, although, if the technique is applied correctly, pain is often a side affect. Remember the immortal words of Angelo Dundee, "The first'est with the most'est is the best'est".
Stay safe!
Although I have no formal diplomatic or conflict resolution training, I have somehow developed an innate sense of their concepts and have been able to apply them very successfully. I attribute this to a number of sources, primarily my early training in Shin Shin Toitsu Aikido and it's emphasis on sincerity, non- contention, and the concept of "Mu Shin", my Grandfather, a career Army Officer and a primary father figure in my life, who himself seems to have an innate understanding of diplomacy and who I modeled much of my self image on, and my Mother, who early in my life, taught me the value of empathy and compassion. Along with these resources, I have also had the opportunity to apply these attributes under "live fire" conditions, which I have found to be invaluable in establishing and re-enforcing their importance under those circumstances.
When I face a potentially violent situation I make a point of never taking anything that is said or done personally. If someone calls me a "fucking asshole", I respond by saying, "you're right, I am a 'fucking asshole' but we still need to bring this to some sort of closure". Generally, I don't mind letting someone let off a little steam at my expense as long as they are not threatening or interrupting the peace of incidental bystanders. I look at each situation as an opportunity to help someone who is in bad place in their life, and as an opportunity to help them grow as a person. This has the effect of doing the same for me. Because of the nature of what I do for a living, I also make sure to do it with a calm and unattached mind (see "Mu Shin" above) so that I don't get caught up in the drama of what is going on and miss subtle body language or furtive movement that could lead to potentially painful, if not fatal, end to the incident.
Of course none of this is worth much if you don't have an effective delivery system. Physically, I try to keep my body language as non- threatening as possible while staying in an "aware and ready" stance. For me this entails keeping my knees slightly bent, staying on my toes, and having my hands above my elbows, usually in a steepled or "Jack Benny" posture. I also try to keep a low, even, sincere, empathetic, and non- judgemental tone to my voice, while keeping eye contact that communicates the same type of qualities. Of course this all has to be done while simultaneously being assertive, which can make it very challenging.
Sometimes, despite my best efforts, the conflict becomes physical and I have to apply self defense or arresting techniques. When this happens, I have learned (the hard way) that it is absolutely imperative to apply said techniques as immediately as possible with no "pussy foot'n" around. The technique applied must be as tight and stright forward as possible. I have found that it is best to avoid "pain compliance" holds and techniques and go rather for the ones that effect the persons posture/ structural mechanics instead. I usually don't care if the person is in pain as long as they are not able to hurt me or get away, although, if the technique is applied correctly, pain is often a side affect. Remember the immortal words of Angelo Dundee, "The first'est with the most'est is the best'est".
Stay safe!
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Thoughts on the tradgety at V-Tech
When my alarm clock woke me up this morning I immediately turned on the radio, as I usually do (can't start my day without NPR!), and the first thing that I heard was a report about the shootings at Virginia Tech University.
I didn't pay it much thought as I only had 45 min. to take a shower, get some food, and get to class, but later on while I was at work I had "Love Line" on the radio and the guys were trying to sort of dedicate the show to what had happened. It seemed like a lot of people were either ignorant of what had had happened or were too caught up in there own immediate personal issues, such as the usual "do you think 'three ways' are a good idea?", and "My girlfriend's vagina smells really bad. What can I do?"
The one really interesting call they had on was from a guy named "Eric" who apparently was a substitute DJ at the University radio station. He was friends with one of the guys who had been in the classroom where apparently most of the deaths occurred and said that his friend, in order to have a chance at surviving, hit the floor and "played dead" and had to watch as his lab partner was shot in the eye and then land right next to him. Later when the police showed up and asked for everyone who was still alive to stand up he was the only one who did so.
After this Dr. Drew mentioned that one of the first people who was killed was the RA in the dorm that the shooters girlfriend lived in (the girlfriend being the other of the first victims) and he thought that, because of the apparent interaction that the guy and the RA had, RA's, and people in situations like them, should have some sort of training in how to deal with volatile/ violent people.
Being the safe guy that I am, this got me to thinking. What would be the best way to train to survive a situation like this? I have to say that I really have no idea and I don't know that you really can train for an event like this.
Because the likelyhood of this sort of thing happening to you is probably less than getting hit by a meteor, I think that training specifically to deal with this scenario would be a big wast of time. If you think about it too much you might fall into the pitfall of what Marc "Animal" MacYoung refers to as "What if monkeys". This basically means that, among other things, you can get too caught up in the whole scenario training thing.
I think that the only thing that you can really do is continue with whatever training you are currently doing and look for better ways to do that.
If someone who had no training were to ask me what they could do, I would have to refer them to my "Choosing a martial art for self defense..." post and tell them to get educated about their local and state mental health laws because, ultimately, this is an issue of that system failing. I don't know if this guy, Cho Seung- Hui, would have been helped by "Kendra's Law" or not but he fell through the cracks, and hard. He was well known to a number of V-Tech staff as a person with severe mental health issues but, due to legal restraints as they pertain to the mental health system, they could do nothing about it.
And as far as his use of firearms (please excuse the rant. If you're reading this, I'm probably "preaching to the choir") THIS IS NOT A GUN CONTROL ISSUE! Everything criminal about guns is already illegal. As Mr. Cho fell through the cracks in the mental health system, he also fell through the cracks of the legal system. According to the New York Times, "Federal law prohibits anyone who has been 'adjudicated as a mental defective,' as well as those who have been involuntarily committed to a mental health facility, from buying a gun. The special justice’s order in late 2005 that directed Mr. Cho to seek outpatient treatment and declared him to be mentally ill and an imminent danger to himself fits the federal criteria and should have immediately disqualified him, said Richard J. Bonnie, chairman of the Supreme Court of Virginia’s Commission on Mental Health Law Reform." So, regardless of the legality, Mr. Cho was able to purchase and use two pistols.
Under the circumstances, the only way that I can see that this might have been averted would be if the university system of Virginia allowed students to "carry" on campus (most schools, anywhere in the country, do not allow this). Remember: "An armed society is a polite society." Although I do understand that this would not necessarily apply to Mr. Cho as he was not really concerned about being polite in his state of mind, as a rule, it still holds true. Excessive gun control laws, overall, do not work. If you don't believe me read "Guns and Violence: The English Experience" by Joyce Malcolm. You can start with this review by Dave Kopel of The Second Amendment Project.
I would ask that everyone reading this to please keep the family and friends of everyone involved in this tragedy in there hearts and prayers. I think also that it is important to remember that forgiveness is not for the benifit of the person being forgiven, but rather for the benifit of the person forgiving.
Stay safe!
I didn't pay it much thought as I only had 45 min. to take a shower, get some food, and get to class, but later on while I was at work I had "Love Line" on the radio and the guys were trying to sort of dedicate the show to what had happened. It seemed like a lot of people were either ignorant of what had had happened or were too caught up in there own immediate personal issues, such as the usual "do you think 'three ways' are a good idea?", and "My girlfriend's vagina smells really bad. What can I do?"
The one really interesting call they had on was from a guy named "Eric" who apparently was a substitute DJ at the University radio station. He was friends with one of the guys who had been in the classroom where apparently most of the deaths occurred and said that his friend, in order to have a chance at surviving, hit the floor and "played dead" and had to watch as his lab partner was shot in the eye and then land right next to him. Later when the police showed up and asked for everyone who was still alive to stand up he was the only one who did so.
After this Dr. Drew mentioned that one of the first people who was killed was the RA in the dorm that the shooters girlfriend lived in (the girlfriend being the other of the first victims) and he thought that, because of the apparent interaction that the guy and the RA had, RA's, and people in situations like them, should have some sort of training in how to deal with volatile/ violent people.
Being the safe guy that I am, this got me to thinking. What would be the best way to train to survive a situation like this? I have to say that I really have no idea and I don't know that you really can train for an event like this.
Because the likelyhood of this sort of thing happening to you is probably less than getting hit by a meteor, I think that training specifically to deal with this scenario would be a big wast of time. If you think about it too much you might fall into the pitfall of what Marc "Animal" MacYoung refers to as "What if monkeys". This basically means that, among other things, you can get too caught up in the whole scenario training thing.
I think that the only thing that you can really do is continue with whatever training you are currently doing and look for better ways to do that.
If someone who had no training were to ask me what they could do, I would have to refer them to my "Choosing a martial art for self defense..." post and tell them to get educated about their local and state mental health laws because, ultimately, this is an issue of that system failing. I don't know if this guy, Cho Seung- Hui, would have been helped by "Kendra's Law" or not but he fell through the cracks, and hard. He was well known to a number of V-Tech staff as a person with severe mental health issues but, due to legal restraints as they pertain to the mental health system, they could do nothing about it.
And as far as his use of firearms (please excuse the rant. If you're reading this, I'm probably "preaching to the choir") THIS IS NOT A GUN CONTROL ISSUE! Everything criminal about guns is already illegal. As Mr. Cho fell through the cracks in the mental health system, he also fell through the cracks of the legal system. According to the New York Times, "Federal law prohibits anyone who has been 'adjudicated as a mental defective,' as well as those who have been involuntarily committed to a mental health facility, from buying a gun. The special justice’s order in late 2005 that directed Mr. Cho to seek outpatient treatment and declared him to be mentally ill and an imminent danger to himself fits the federal criteria and should have immediately disqualified him, said Richard J. Bonnie, chairman of the Supreme Court of Virginia’s Commission on Mental Health Law Reform." So, regardless of the legality, Mr. Cho was able to purchase and use two pistols.
Under the circumstances, the only way that I can see that this might have been averted would be if the university system of Virginia allowed students to "carry" on campus (most schools, anywhere in the country, do not allow this). Remember: "An armed society is a polite society." Although I do understand that this would not necessarily apply to Mr. Cho as he was not really concerned about being polite in his state of mind, as a rule, it still holds true. Excessive gun control laws, overall, do not work. If you don't believe me read "Guns and Violence: The English Experience" by Joyce Malcolm. You can start with this review by Dave Kopel of The Second Amendment Project.
I would ask that everyone reading this to please keep the family and friends of everyone involved in this tragedy in there hearts and prayers. I think also that it is important to remember that forgiveness is not for the benifit of the person being forgiven, but rather for the benifit of the person forgiving.
Stay safe!
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
How to choose a knife for Self Defense.
Before I start I would like to say one thing and suggest three others. First, I would like to say that this post is primarily meant to be an interesting read and to "show off" how much thought and research I've put into it for fun. In no way should it be considered as my condonation of fighting with knives (read: "knife dueling") or using a knife on another person in any way other than in the gravest of life threatening extremes.
Secondly I would like to suggest that you research the knife laws where you live (you can start here), read an article called "The Myth of Proportional Armament" by a guy named "SouthNarc", and as has apparently become my habit to suggest, see what Marc "Animal" MacYoung has to say on the subject of using knives. Most of what I have written here is drawn from what they have to say on the subject, along with my own experience of applying it.
Now for the good stuff...
As I am a "Gadget Guy" I am also a "Knife Nut". I don't know why I like knives and I certainly hope that it is not indicative of a flawed character (because there are a lot of us out there ;-).
Being a Knife Nut and also having an interest in self defense, I have spent a lot of time researching knives for self defense and I have developed a few opinions on what to look for.
A knife is a "force multiplier". This means that it is meant to make the job of defending yourself or, heaven forbid, attacking and killing someone, easier than if you didn't have one at all. However, even if you carry a knife, unless you see an attack coming (and perhaps not even then), you may not have time to get the thing into action. With this in mind I have developed a couple of criteria that I filter my selection of a self defense knife though. They are a) accessing and deploying a knife under duress, and b) training to access and deploy a knife under duress.
The first of my criteria for choosing a knife involves finding one that can be carried in such a way that makes it easily accessible when you need it, and has a shape and method of opening it that is conducive to actually getting it out and into play once you have accessed it. It also involves how you use the knife once it is deployed.
In regard to this, when I consider buying a knife, I first look at whether it could be initially deployed as an impact weapon before it is opened, and secondly, I look at whether it can be utilized in a reverse edge method. Although I have (thankfully) never really had to use a knife against someone and this is mostly all theory, I have practiced scenarios and knife sparred a lot. In training, when someone is on top of me before I have a chance to gain space and put distance between me and them, I tend to start by first slashing at incoming limbs (defanging the snake) and then try to bury the knife into someones gut as I draw the knife upward. This is a variation on one of the methods (tsuki-waza) that the Japanese taught the use of the tanto (tanto-jitsu) and I think that this does the most damage under those circumstances.
In regard to how a knife is carried there are really only two ways to do so (and a few variations on those) depending largely on whether the knife is a fixed or a folder.
If the knife is fixed (meaning that it was made all in one piece and does not fold), the only real carry option is in a sheath on a belt at your waist, if you are to carry it unconcealed, and so as a rule, legally. Although this is probably the best way to carry a knife in terms of how quickly it can be accessed, carrying a knife like this can be, and usually is, conspicuous and not always appropriate.
If the knife is a folder, the best way to carry it is clipped in your pocket, as is now quite common and in most cases legal, because it is in plain sight and not considered concealed. Most knives that can be carried in this manner are commonly referred to as "tactical folding knives".
As far as a knife's method of opening in concerned, most "tactical" folders generally have one of three ways to accomplish this. The first, and most commonly found, is the thumb hole (first copyrighted and popularized by Spyderco Knives), the thumb stud (as is commonly found on Chris Reeve's "Sebenza" knives), and the thumb disk (as popularized by and is common on Emerson knives). Opening these knives is usually a simple case of finding the hole, stud, or disk with your thumb and simultaneously pushing up with your thumb and "flicking" your wrist. This is usually simple and effective, however it can take more time than you might like under duress.
The second method is the automatic mechanism (which is commonly called a "switchblade"). I have the good fortune to live in a state that allows the unconcealed carry of automatic knives and I take full advantage of this because I have found that I have to put the least conscious thought into opening one. This is namely because all I have to do is feel for and press a button (which is a gross motor skill), rather that trying to find the above mentioned hole, stud, or disk and get my thumb into it while at the same time flicking my wrist. I have found that attempting this under stress can fail (because it is a fine motor skill) and I have ended up with a half opened training knife in the heat of "battle". This means that I now have to whip my wrist a couple more times to get it into a fully open position, all while my opponent is either trying his best to hit or kick me, or hit or cut me with his own weapon, or is trying to disarm me before I get the knife open and try to return the favor.
The third method is sort of a combination of the above two and is commonly referd to as a assisted opening mechanism. Although I don't think it was invented by him, Hawaii based knife maker Ken Onion has done a lot to popularize them by designing knives for Kershaw and Zero Tolerance Knives. Assisted opening knives are nice because they are, as a rule, gross motor skill in nature to open, and are not technical switchblades and so are legal in most states.
Whichever opening method on a knife you choose will depend entirely upon what you carry and train enough with to become comfortable using and what the laws are where you live. This segues nicely into my other criteria for choosing a knife.
This involves finding one that has a training drone identical (or as close to it as possible) to the one you carry in your everyday life so that you can practice using the one you carry in everyday life (I think it was Wyatt Earp that was quoted as saying something to the effect of, "in a gunfight you do not rise to the occasion, but default to your training").
If you are not familiar with the concept of a training drone I will try to fill you in. Although I'm not sure who developed the idea in contemporary times, overall the idea is not a new one. I would be willing to bet that nearly everyone who has practiced traditional martial arts is familiar with the wooden "tanto" found in so many training halls. This was an attempt in ancient times at making a training tool that would mimic the shape, and carry and deployment attributes, of a live tanto knife.
The basic idea is that, as you must "fight how you train and train how you fight", you must also "fight with the knife you train with and train with the knife you fight with". This means that in your scenario training you should put yourself in environments and situations in which it might be difficult to draw your knife and get it into play, and practice doing so with your trainer. As "SouthNarc" said in his previously mentioned article, "establishing (a) grip on the tool is the most tenuous part of any drawstroke to bring any tool into play". Practicing with a training drone identical to the knife you regularly carry will go a long way to developing your comfort with, and ability to, draw your knife when the fit hits the shan.
Two of the most prevalent American production knife makers, Benchmade Knives and Spyderco Knives, make training drones for their knives and both of their corporate training programs, Cutting Edge Training through Benchmade, and Martial Blade Concepts through Spyderco, make ample use of drones. Other common knife companies that make training drones for their knives are Buck Knives, which covers their Buck/ Strider line and the Strider SmF and SnG, Blade-Tech with their M.L.E.K line, and Blackhawk! Knives in their Crucibal line, which has has the added benefit of using the same knife design for a fixed blade, a folder, and their drone. Incidentally, as I mentioned in my "self defense gadgets" post, I carry a Blackhawk! M.O.D CQD Mk I and with the exception of not having a training drone available for it, it covers all of the other requirements I have for a self defense knife.
At the very least, if you think you may ever need to use a knife in self defense, practice using an identical training drone to the knife you carry. If you want to take your training to yet another level consider some of the other knife training tools that are available such as the Virtual Blade, Shock Knife, and Stab-O-Matic.
Knives can be expensive, especially if you really get into them, so to start off I would suggest the Spyderco Delica or Endura, or the Benchmade Giptilian folder, as a good place to start in order to first get a knife and then get comfortable carrying it. The nice thing about these knives is they are only about $60 and each has a trainer. Although they are not great knives, either in quality or material, they will cut with the best of them and they are generally comfortable to use, although the Spydercos' are not really comfortable in reverse edge or impact application.
If for some reason you are not satisfied with the Delica, Endura, or Griptilian, there is a whole world of knives out there for for you to explore, just be prepared to spend some money. Although I would be willing to bet that it was quoted by a knife maker or dealer, there is a saying that goes, " don't trust you life to a hundred dollar knife". You will find out that what is considered a quality knife rarely sells for under $150.
If you can spend this much I would suggest that you start by looking at Emerson Knives . I like the CQC-7 (I really like the Super CQC-7), CQC-8, and Blackbird models as they are all comfortable in the hand while being used as pre-opened impact device, although only the CQC-7 and Blackbird models are really comfortable being used in the reverse edge method. Emerson is one of the few companies to make trainers for more than one or two of their knives and although they only makes knives that open by the hole, disk, and their own "wave" method, they are solid knives. If you find one that you like you can't go wrong buying one.
Ernie Emerson has been a force to be reckoned with in the knife industry for more than two decades and pioneered (if not invented) the concept of the "tactical folder". His were the "go to" folders for Spec. Ops. shooters throughout the 90's and were popularized by Richard Marcinko in his "Rogue Warrior" books. He has gotten a little gimmicky, I think, with his "wave feature" but it doesn't really get in the way, works well under certain circumstances, and it does have a certain "cool factor".
Along with Emerson, the above mentioned Benchmade Knives, Spyderco Knives, and Kershaw Knives all make higher end production knives and can provide a good place to start in you're own research into what makes a good "self defense" knife. Also take the time to check out KnifeArt.com, E.D.C. Knives, and T.A.D. Gear.
Last but not least, I would like to point out that no matter what knife you choose to carry for self defense and how you train to use it, statistically most knife related assaults accure within the context of domestic violence and the type of knife most regularly used is a common kitchen knife.
If you found this article to be helpful, please let me know.
Secondly I would like to suggest that you research the knife laws where you live (you can start here), read an article called "The Myth of Proportional Armament" by a guy named "SouthNarc", and as has apparently become my habit to suggest, see what Marc "Animal" MacYoung has to say on the subject of using knives. Most of what I have written here is drawn from what they have to say on the subject, along with my own experience of applying it.
Now for the good stuff...
As I am a "Gadget Guy" I am also a "Knife Nut". I don't know why I like knives and I certainly hope that it is not indicative of a flawed character (because there are a lot of us out there ;-).
Being a Knife Nut and also having an interest in self defense, I have spent a lot of time researching knives for self defense and I have developed a few opinions on what to look for.
A knife is a "force multiplier". This means that it is meant to make the job of defending yourself or, heaven forbid, attacking and killing someone, easier than if you didn't have one at all. However, even if you carry a knife, unless you see an attack coming (and perhaps not even then), you may not have time to get the thing into action. With this in mind I have developed a couple of criteria that I filter my selection of a self defense knife though. They are a) accessing and deploying a knife under duress, and b) training to access and deploy a knife under duress.
The first of my criteria for choosing a knife involves finding one that can be carried in such a way that makes it easily accessible when you need it, and has a shape and method of opening it that is conducive to actually getting it out and into play once you have accessed it. It also involves how you use the knife once it is deployed.
In regard to this, when I consider buying a knife, I first look at whether it could be initially deployed as an impact weapon before it is opened, and secondly, I look at whether it can be utilized in a reverse edge method. Although I have (thankfully) never really had to use a knife against someone and this is mostly all theory, I have practiced scenarios and knife sparred a lot. In training, when someone is on top of me before I have a chance to gain space and put distance between me and them, I tend to start by first slashing at incoming limbs (defanging the snake) and then try to bury the knife into someones gut as I draw the knife upward. This is a variation on one of the methods (tsuki-waza) that the Japanese taught the use of the tanto (tanto-jitsu) and I think that this does the most damage under those circumstances.
In regard to how a knife is carried there are really only two ways to do so (and a few variations on those) depending largely on whether the knife is a fixed or a folder.
If the knife is fixed (meaning that it was made all in one piece and does not fold), the only real carry option is in a sheath on a belt at your waist, if you are to carry it unconcealed, and so as a rule, legally. Although this is probably the best way to carry a knife in terms of how quickly it can be accessed, carrying a knife like this can be, and usually is, conspicuous and not always appropriate.
If the knife is a folder, the best way to carry it is clipped in your pocket, as is now quite common and in most cases legal, because it is in plain sight and not considered concealed. Most knives that can be carried in this manner are commonly referred to as "tactical folding knives".
As far as a knife's method of opening in concerned, most "tactical" folders generally have one of three ways to accomplish this. The first, and most commonly found, is the thumb hole (first copyrighted and popularized by Spyderco Knives), the thumb stud (as is commonly found on Chris Reeve's "Sebenza" knives), and the thumb disk (as popularized by and is common on Emerson knives). Opening these knives is usually a simple case of finding the hole, stud, or disk with your thumb and simultaneously pushing up with your thumb and "flicking" your wrist. This is usually simple and effective, however it can take more time than you might like under duress.
The second method is the automatic mechanism (which is commonly called a "switchblade"). I have the good fortune to live in a state that allows the unconcealed carry of automatic knives and I take full advantage of this because I have found that I have to put the least conscious thought into opening one. This is namely because all I have to do is feel for and press a button (which is a gross motor skill), rather that trying to find the above mentioned hole, stud, or disk and get my thumb into it while at the same time flicking my wrist. I have found that attempting this under stress can fail (because it is a fine motor skill) and I have ended up with a half opened training knife in the heat of "battle". This means that I now have to whip my wrist a couple more times to get it into a fully open position, all while my opponent is either trying his best to hit or kick me, or hit or cut me with his own weapon, or is trying to disarm me before I get the knife open and try to return the favor.
The third method is sort of a combination of the above two and is commonly referd to as a assisted opening mechanism. Although I don't think it was invented by him, Hawaii based knife maker Ken Onion has done a lot to popularize them by designing knives for Kershaw and Zero Tolerance Knives. Assisted opening knives are nice because they are, as a rule, gross motor skill in nature to open, and are not technical switchblades and so are legal in most states.
Whichever opening method on a knife you choose will depend entirely upon what you carry and train enough with to become comfortable using and what the laws are where you live. This segues nicely into my other criteria for choosing a knife.
This involves finding one that has a training drone identical (or as close to it as possible) to the one you carry in your everyday life so that you can practice using the one you carry in everyday life (I think it was Wyatt Earp that was quoted as saying something to the effect of, "in a gunfight you do not rise to the occasion, but default to your training").
If you are not familiar with the concept of a training drone I will try to fill you in. Although I'm not sure who developed the idea in contemporary times, overall the idea is not a new one. I would be willing to bet that nearly everyone who has practiced traditional martial arts is familiar with the wooden "tanto" found in so many training halls. This was an attempt in ancient times at making a training tool that would mimic the shape, and carry and deployment attributes, of a live tanto knife.
The basic idea is that, as you must "fight how you train and train how you fight", you must also "fight with the knife you train with and train with the knife you fight with". This means that in your scenario training you should put yourself in environments and situations in which it might be difficult to draw your knife and get it into play, and practice doing so with your trainer. As "SouthNarc" said in his previously mentioned article, "establishing (a) grip on the tool is the most tenuous part of any drawstroke to bring any tool into play". Practicing with a training drone identical to the knife you regularly carry will go a long way to developing your comfort with, and ability to, draw your knife when the fit hits the shan.
Two of the most prevalent American production knife makers, Benchmade Knives and Spyderco Knives, make training drones for their knives and both of their corporate training programs, Cutting Edge Training through Benchmade, and Martial Blade Concepts through Spyderco, make ample use of drones. Other common knife companies that make training drones for their knives are Buck Knives, which covers their Buck/ Strider line and the Strider SmF and SnG, Blade-Tech with their M.L.E.K line, and Blackhawk! Knives in their Crucibal line, which has has the added benefit of using the same knife design for a fixed blade, a folder, and their drone. Incidentally, as I mentioned in my "self defense gadgets" post, I carry a Blackhawk! M.O.D CQD Mk I and with the exception of not having a training drone available for it, it covers all of the other requirements I have for a self defense knife.
At the very least, if you think you may ever need to use a knife in self defense, practice using an identical training drone to the knife you carry. If you want to take your training to yet another level consider some of the other knife training tools that are available such as the Virtual Blade, Shock Knife, and Stab-O-Matic.
Knives can be expensive, especially if you really get into them, so to start off I would suggest the Spyderco Delica or Endura, or the Benchmade Giptilian folder, as a good place to start in order to first get a knife and then get comfortable carrying it. The nice thing about these knives is they are only about $60 and each has a trainer. Although they are not great knives, either in quality or material, they will cut with the best of them and they are generally comfortable to use, although the Spydercos' are not really comfortable in reverse edge or impact application.
If for some reason you are not satisfied with the Delica, Endura, or Griptilian, there is a whole world of knives out there for for you to explore, just be prepared to spend some money. Although I would be willing to bet that it was quoted by a knife maker or dealer, there is a saying that goes, " don't trust you life to a hundred dollar knife". You will find out that what is considered a quality knife rarely sells for under $150.
If you can spend this much I would suggest that you start by looking at Emerson Knives . I like the CQC-7 (I really like the Super CQC-7), CQC-8, and Blackbird models as they are all comfortable in the hand while being used as pre-opened impact device, although only the CQC-7 and Blackbird models are really comfortable being used in the reverse edge method. Emerson is one of the few companies to make trainers for more than one or two of their knives and although they only makes knives that open by the hole, disk, and their own "wave" method, they are solid knives. If you find one that you like you can't go wrong buying one.
Ernie Emerson has been a force to be reckoned with in the knife industry for more than two decades and pioneered (if not invented) the concept of the "tactical folder". His were the "go to" folders for Spec. Ops. shooters throughout the 90's and were popularized by Richard Marcinko in his "Rogue Warrior" books. He has gotten a little gimmicky, I think, with his "wave feature" but it doesn't really get in the way, works well under certain circumstances, and it does have a certain "cool factor".
Along with Emerson, the above mentioned Benchmade Knives, Spyderco Knives, and Kershaw Knives all make higher end production knives and can provide a good place to start in you're own research into what makes a good "self defense" knife. Also take the time to check out KnifeArt.com, E.D.C. Knives, and T.A.D. Gear.
Last but not least, I would like to point out that no matter what knife you choose to carry for self defense and how you train to use it, statistically most knife related assaults accure within the context of domestic violence and the type of knife most regularly used is a common kitchen knife.
If you found this article to be helpful, please let me know.
Friday, April 6, 2007
Definining Martial Arts, Self Defense, Personal Safety, and Profesional use of Force
Again let me start off by saying that I think that Marc "Animal" MacYoung has probably explained this better than I have in his "Four focuses of Martial Arts" ...now "Five focuses", and I would highly recommend you read it for further insight into the subject.
And now for my two cents worth:
MARTIAL ARTS- (From Marriam-Webster Online) Function: noun: any of several arts of combat and self defense (as karate and judo) that are widely practiced as sport.
(From my head) Historically, methods of collecting, organizing, and disseminating tactics and strategies of combat learned in times of warfare and personal combat. Through time they have attracted other attributes such as spiritual, intellectual, and, physical development. Because many of these traditions are hundreds, if not thousands, of years old, they have, almost universally, collected over time a wealth of wisdom and knowledge that are invaluable to the modern understanding of "interpersonal physical conflict".
The strengths of Martial Arts are almost too innumerable to list. They include, as listed above, spiritual, intellectual, and physical development, which together can help instill in a person self discipline, self confidence, focus, historical and cultural understanding, and a sense of serenity, wonder, and awe. Although many of these attributes can be universally understood, much of what you get from studying Martial Arts will be deeply personal and different from person to person. Practicing a Martial Art can enrich and deepen your understanding of life and introduce you to concepts and ways of thinking that could never be understood in a single lifetime.
The weaknesses of traditional Martial Arts stem partially from the source of it's strengths; the length of time that they have been around and developing. Over time many traditional Martial Arts have, understandably, developed techniques, strategies, and training methodologies that have become very complicated and would take an inordinate amount of time to learn and apply in a self defense situation.
SELF DEFENSE- (From Marriam-Webster Online) Function: noun1 : a plea of justification for the use of force or for homicide2 : the act of defending oneself, one's property, or a close relative.
(From my head) The practice and training of practical, common sense and no nonsense, techniques and strategies of avoidance, de-escalation, and physical skills that can be readily taught, learned and applied in a short period of time, and are directly applicable to contemporary threats and environments. The physical techniques taught tend to be simple, straightforward, gross motor skill in nature, and often rely on the bodies natural flinch mechanism, and so are devoid of complicated and flashy movements. The techniques taught in Self Defense will also very between men and women. Men often need to learn techniques more oriented toward the stand up fight, while Women can benefit from more ground fighting oriented skills.
The training methodologies used tend towards those that can help accomplish the above, such as adrenal stress conditioning and reality based scenario training (also referred to as "conflict rehearsal", or more commonly "role playing").
Self Defense programs very often also cover topics that you would not traditionally find in Martial Arts such as tactical awareness (including how bad guys think, and how to identify and avoid conflict and threats), application of the use of force continuum, the legal ramifications of acting in self defense, how to navigate through the legal system if you do have to defend yourself, reading body language, and verbal de-escalation skills.
PERSONAL SAFETY (I could not find a dictionary definition of the term)- those things that you do on a daily basis to keep yourself safe from harm, such as parking under street lamps, locking your doors and windows at night, and being and staying aware of your environment and people around you. It is not so much an avoidance of danger, but rather the application of common sense and learned safety strategies. Harm reduction can also be considered to fall under the definition of personal safety. As an example, engaging in survival sex (which is surprisingly common, and yes, even sex workers have the right to self defense) can be a dangerous activity, but taking active steps to keep yourself as safe as possible, such as knowing your HIV status, lowering your number of sexual partners, increasing your condom use, and keeping your medical appointments can minimize and mitigate your general risks.
PROFESSIONAL USE OF FORCE (again, I could not find a dictionary definition of the term)- the application of force by people employed in occupations that require them to go into harms way. Although Self Defense and Personal Safety play a large role in Professional use of Force, the techniques and strategies used are more often geared towards battlefield fighting (as in the case of military combatives) and arresting techniques (as in the case of police defensive tactics), and are designed to allow their users to, as safely as possible, engage in, rather than avoid, conflict.
Common catagories of Professional use of Force are combatives (hand to hand and contact weapon fighting) and defensive tactics (officer survival, arresting techniques). Although the use of combatives is fairly limited to military personnel (and now, more and more often, "civilian contractors"), defensive tactics are used not only by police officers, but also by those working in many civilian security professions such as loss prevention officers, bouncers, body guards, and bail enforcement officers (bounty hunters). Some people not in security specific occupations such as those working in hospitals and mental health facilities may also train in and use some form of Professional use of Force.
Please let me know if this post was helpful to you or not.
And now for my two cents worth:
MARTIAL ARTS- (From Marriam-Webster Online) Function: noun: any of several arts of combat and self defense (as karate and judo) that are widely practiced as sport.
(From my head) Historically, methods of collecting, organizing, and disseminating tactics and strategies of combat learned in times of warfare and personal combat. Through time they have attracted other attributes such as spiritual, intellectual, and, physical development. Because many of these traditions are hundreds, if not thousands, of years old, they have, almost universally, collected over time a wealth of wisdom and knowledge that are invaluable to the modern understanding of "interpersonal physical conflict".
The strengths of Martial Arts are almost too innumerable to list. They include, as listed above, spiritual, intellectual, and physical development, which together can help instill in a person self discipline, self confidence, focus, historical and cultural understanding, and a sense of serenity, wonder, and awe. Although many of these attributes can be universally understood, much of what you get from studying Martial Arts will be deeply personal and different from person to person. Practicing a Martial Art can enrich and deepen your understanding of life and introduce you to concepts and ways of thinking that could never be understood in a single lifetime.
The weaknesses of traditional Martial Arts stem partially from the source of it's strengths; the length of time that they have been around and developing. Over time many traditional Martial Arts have, understandably, developed techniques, strategies, and training methodologies that have become very complicated and would take an inordinate amount of time to learn and apply in a self defense situation.
SELF DEFENSE- (From Marriam-Webster Online) Function: noun1 : a plea of justification for the use of force or for homicide2 : the act of defending oneself, one's property, or a close relative.
(From my head) The practice and training of practical, common sense and no nonsense, techniques and strategies of avoidance, de-escalation, and physical skills that can be readily taught, learned and applied in a short period of time, and are directly applicable to contemporary threats and environments. The physical techniques taught tend to be simple, straightforward, gross motor skill in nature, and often rely on the bodies natural flinch mechanism, and so are devoid of complicated and flashy movements. The techniques taught in Self Defense will also very between men and women. Men often need to learn techniques more oriented toward the stand up fight, while Women can benefit from more ground fighting oriented skills.
The training methodologies used tend towards those that can help accomplish the above, such as adrenal stress conditioning and reality based scenario training (also referred to as "conflict rehearsal", or more commonly "role playing").
Self Defense programs very often also cover topics that you would not traditionally find in Martial Arts such as tactical awareness (including how bad guys think, and how to identify and avoid conflict and threats), application of the use of force continuum, the legal ramifications of acting in self defense, how to navigate through the legal system if you do have to defend yourself, reading body language, and verbal de-escalation skills.
PERSONAL SAFETY (I could not find a dictionary definition of the term)- those things that you do on a daily basis to keep yourself safe from harm, such as parking under street lamps, locking your doors and windows at night, and being and staying aware of your environment and people around you. It is not so much an avoidance of danger, but rather the application of common sense and learned safety strategies. Harm reduction can also be considered to fall under the definition of personal safety. As an example, engaging in survival sex (which is surprisingly common, and yes, even sex workers have the right to self defense) can be a dangerous activity, but taking active steps to keep yourself as safe as possible, such as knowing your HIV status, lowering your number of sexual partners, increasing your condom use, and keeping your medical appointments can minimize and mitigate your general risks.
PROFESSIONAL USE OF FORCE (again, I could not find a dictionary definition of the term)- the application of force by people employed in occupations that require them to go into harms way. Although Self Defense and Personal Safety play a large role in Professional use of Force, the techniques and strategies used are more often geared towards battlefield fighting (as in the case of military combatives) and arresting techniques (as in the case of police defensive tactics), and are designed to allow their users to, as safely as possible, engage in, rather than avoid, conflict.
Common catagories of Professional use of Force are combatives (hand to hand and contact weapon fighting) and defensive tactics (officer survival, arresting techniques). Although the use of combatives is fairly limited to military personnel (and now, more and more often, "civilian contractors"), defensive tactics are used not only by police officers, but also by those working in many civilian security professions such as loss prevention officers, bouncers, body guards, and bail enforcement officers (bounty hunters). Some people not in security specific occupations such as those working in hospitals and mental health facilities may also train in and use some form of Professional use of Force.
Please let me know if this post was helpful to you or not.
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
The difference between Martial Arts and Self Defense
First off, for your benefit, I must tell you that this subject is covered much better, more thoroughly, and with more research and experience behind it, by Marc "Animal" MacYoung on his website, and reading what he has to say on the issue will be more than worth your time.
And now without further ado...
Although there can be very many similarities, and they can cover many of the same subjects, there are some very real and definite differences between Martial Arts and Self Defense.
To delineate the two more clearly, they can be described as "Self Perfection" (Martial Arts), and "Self Preservation" (Self Defense), which I think immediately clarifies how the two are different.
In Martial Arts the purpose of practice has become to cultivate and develop ones mind, body, and spirit. It is meant to help make you a better person and help you help make the world a better place because you are in it. There can be a definite spiritual element to Martial Arts.
Very often I have heard that a martial art is "not very effective" or, "It takes SO long to to become good at it". This is because so much time is spent on the development of the person as a whole, rather than on developing the effectiveness of the techniques or principals taught. It really is not true that there are ineffective martial arts. All Martial Arts will teach you to defend yourself (remember Bruce Lee's quote of "there are no superior Martial Arts, only superior Martial Artists). The issue is more one of how long it takes you to learn self defense from a Martial Art. Two Martial arts that are an example of this are Aikido and Tai Chi. Contrary to popular belief, these are both VERY effective and powerful Martial Arts. Watch a class of either one and you sill see them literally throwing each other across the room. The problem is it may take you 25 or more years of practice to be at a level where you would be able do this to a person who experienced and knows what he/ she is doing.
There was however a very good reason, traditionally, to make students study for a long time before they learned "the good stuff". It was meant as a safety protocol to keep a dishonest or thoughtless student from abusing what they were taught. If a person had to study for ten or more years before they learned anything that could actually hurt someone, they were probably committed to the program and could be trusted.
In Self Defense on the other hand, the purpose of practice is to develop ones ability in a short amount of time in order to apply the techniques and principals taught in a class as immediately as possible. This is why we have seen the development of Self Defense oriented Martial Arts such as Jeet Kune Do and Krav Maga (along with it's variations), and Self Defense programs such as FAST Defense and Model Mugging, and R.A.D. People have noticed the deficiency in the amount of time it takes to learn Self Defense from Martial Arts and attempted to remedy the problem.
Another difference between Self Defense and Martial Arts is the scenarios one is taught to deal with. In a traditional Martial Arts, the scenarios you are most likely to be trained in will not be terribly varied and be of a "flash attack" nature against a stranger. In a good self defense program (at least those for civilians) the scenarios that you train should be those you will be most likely to encounter in real life, namely those dealing with violence perpetrated against you by someone you know and are familiar with (i.e. domestic violence or "intimate partner abuse").
There have been some Martial Arts that have effectively combined the two elements of the disciplines such as the above mentioned Jeet Kune Do and Krav Maga. The genius and beauty of what Bruce Lee developed in JKD is that there is definitely two, yet interdependent, sides to it: you can learn, in a very condensed period of time, how to effectively defend yourself against a physical threat using the principles of interception, destruction, and footwork drawn from Fencing, Filipino Martial Arts, and Boxing, or you can spend a lifetime practicing and developing the principals of timing, distance, and tactile and spacial awareness drawn from, Wing Chung, Tai chi, Brazilian Ju-Jitsu, and Kali.
Although Krav Maga, from the outside, looks like a purely "practical" system, it has a very deep and rich spiritual tradition drawn from it's Jewish and Kabbalist roots that can keep one interested and active in the art for life. In fact learning and practicing the principals of from these traditions is required at the higher level of the art.
Please let me know if this post was helpfull to you or not.
And now without further ado...
Although there can be very many similarities, and they can cover many of the same subjects, there are some very real and definite differences between Martial Arts and Self Defense.
To delineate the two more clearly, they can be described as "Self Perfection" (Martial Arts), and "Self Preservation" (Self Defense), which I think immediately clarifies how the two are different.
In Martial Arts the purpose of practice has become to cultivate and develop ones mind, body, and spirit. It is meant to help make you a better person and help you help make the world a better place because you are in it. There can be a definite spiritual element to Martial Arts.
Very often I have heard that a martial art is "not very effective" or, "It takes SO long to to become good at it". This is because so much time is spent on the development of the person as a whole, rather than on developing the effectiveness of the techniques or principals taught. It really is not true that there are ineffective martial arts. All Martial Arts will teach you to defend yourself (remember Bruce Lee's quote of "there are no superior Martial Arts, only superior Martial Artists). The issue is more one of how long it takes you to learn self defense from a Martial Art. Two Martial arts that are an example of this are Aikido and Tai Chi. Contrary to popular belief, these are both VERY effective and powerful Martial Arts. Watch a class of either one and you sill see them literally throwing each other across the room. The problem is it may take you 25 or more years of practice to be at a level where you would be able do this to a person who experienced and knows what he/ she is doing.
There was however a very good reason, traditionally, to make students study for a long time before they learned "the good stuff". It was meant as a safety protocol to keep a dishonest or thoughtless student from abusing what they were taught. If a person had to study for ten or more years before they learned anything that could actually hurt someone, they were probably committed to the program and could be trusted.
In Self Defense on the other hand, the purpose of practice is to develop ones ability in a short amount of time in order to apply the techniques and principals taught in a class as immediately as possible. This is why we have seen the development of Self Defense oriented Martial Arts such as Jeet Kune Do and Krav Maga (along with it's variations), and Self Defense programs such as FAST Defense and Model Mugging, and R.A.D. People have noticed the deficiency in the amount of time it takes to learn Self Defense from Martial Arts and attempted to remedy the problem.
Another difference between Self Defense and Martial Arts is the scenarios one is taught to deal with. In a traditional Martial Arts, the scenarios you are most likely to be trained in will not be terribly varied and be of a "flash attack" nature against a stranger. In a good self defense program (at least those for civilians) the scenarios that you train should be those you will be most likely to encounter in real life, namely those dealing with violence perpetrated against you by someone you know and are familiar with (i.e. domestic violence or "intimate partner abuse").
There have been some Martial Arts that have effectively combined the two elements of the disciplines such as the above mentioned Jeet Kune Do and Krav Maga. The genius and beauty of what Bruce Lee developed in JKD is that there is definitely two, yet interdependent, sides to it: you can learn, in a very condensed period of time, how to effectively defend yourself against a physical threat using the principles of interception, destruction, and footwork drawn from Fencing, Filipino Martial Arts, and Boxing, or you can spend a lifetime practicing and developing the principals of timing, distance, and tactile and spacial awareness drawn from, Wing Chung, Tai chi, Brazilian Ju-Jitsu, and Kali.
Although Krav Maga, from the outside, looks like a purely "practical" system, it has a very deep and rich spiritual tradition drawn from it's Jewish and Kabbalist roots that can keep one interested and active in the art for life. In fact learning and practicing the principals of from these traditions is required at the higher level of the art.
Please let me know if this post was helpfull to you or not.
Monday, April 2, 2007
Thoughts on Awareness.
I believe that there are a number of levels of awareness. On the outside ranges there is what is refered to as "Zanshin" in many traditional Asian martial arts and spiritual traditions and ESP in the West. This is intuitive awareness; what you know and understand but do not know how or why you know and understand it. Morihei Ueshiba, the founder of Aikido, was famous for this, and there are numerous stories regarding his demonstration of it. Many other spiritual and martial arts masters, both from the east and the west, have also demonstrated this amazing intuitive ability. In the West we often get glimpses of it in the experience of "being in the zone", or having the hair on the back of your neck stand on end and having the feeling that "somebody is watching you". However Zanshin has the added benefit of being, once acquired, always present. It is, I believe, the highest level of awareness. Although it can be cultivated through the practice of various spiritual traditions, and some martial practices, weather they be from the east or west, I do not believe that it can be intellectually learned. In short, it is a gift.
Next is what is often referred to as "tactical awareness", "situational awareness", or just plain "street smarts". It's what you learn by simply "being there and doing that". I have had great success in developing this through my work as a Loss Prevention Officer and it translates well to being a Bouncer. Although it can often translate to different situations, its effectiveness is largely dependent on being familiar with your environment. It may fail you if you find yourself in an unfamiliar environment or culture. If you are not fortunate enough to be involved in a "Warrior Occupation" (a job that requires you to read body language effectively in order to keep yourself and/ or others safe, and one that requires you to engage in conflict rather than avoid it), I think that you can develop this awareness by taking away the things that come between you and your environment. The fact of the matter is that there is no substitute for experience. Try driving your car less and walk, bike, and take the bus instead. The bus is always interesting because it puts you into close contact with people and behaviors that you may not regularly be aware of or come in contact with. In general, just get out there and engage with different people and environments. Just be careful as this can be dangerous, but remember that danger increases the learning curve. There is a good reason why Nietzsche coined the adage, "that which does not kill you makes you stronger".
Below this is what is often referred to as "tactile" or "spacial" awareness. This is about being aware of how and where a body moves in time and space when you are engaged with it, i.e. fighting or making an arrest of a non-compliant subject. It is "feeling the energy" of an opponent. This can only be developed through experience, weather it be regular access to hands on live conflict, or force on force training and sparring. This is how a boxer learns to see holes in a opponents defense and how a wrestler can feel where an opponent is moving. Because of it's close and experiential nature, it will also feel as though it has elements of Zanshin to it.
Each of these types of awareness can work in accord with each other and very often your conscious awareness of them is blurred together. Working on developing them will greatly enhance your personal safety and aid in your ability to sleep in your own bed (or at least a bed of your choosing ;-) at night.
Please let me know if this was helpful to you or not.
Next is what is often referred to as "tactical awareness", "situational awareness", or just plain "street smarts". It's what you learn by simply "being there and doing that". I have had great success in developing this through my work as a Loss Prevention Officer and it translates well to being a Bouncer. Although it can often translate to different situations, its effectiveness is largely dependent on being familiar with your environment. It may fail you if you find yourself in an unfamiliar environment or culture. If you are not fortunate enough to be involved in a "Warrior Occupation" (a job that requires you to read body language effectively in order to keep yourself and/ or others safe, and one that requires you to engage in conflict rather than avoid it), I think that you can develop this awareness by taking away the things that come between you and your environment. The fact of the matter is that there is no substitute for experience. Try driving your car less and walk, bike, and take the bus instead. The bus is always interesting because it puts you into close contact with people and behaviors that you may not regularly be aware of or come in contact with. In general, just get out there and engage with different people and environments. Just be careful as this can be dangerous, but remember that danger increases the learning curve. There is a good reason why Nietzsche coined the adage, "that which does not kill you makes you stronger".
Below this is what is often referred to as "tactile" or "spacial" awareness. This is about being aware of how and where a body moves in time and space when you are engaged with it, i.e. fighting or making an arrest of a non-compliant subject. It is "feeling the energy" of an opponent. This can only be developed through experience, weather it be regular access to hands on live conflict, or force on force training and sparring. This is how a boxer learns to see holes in a opponents defense and how a wrestler can feel where an opponent is moving. Because of it's close and experiential nature, it will also feel as though it has elements of Zanshin to it.
Each of these types of awareness can work in accord with each other and very often your conscious awareness of them is blurred together. Working on developing them will greatly enhance your personal safety and aid in your ability to sleep in your own bed (or at least a bed of your choosing ;-) at night.
Please let me know if this was helpful to you or not.
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