Once again we have another article from our occasional contributor, Steve Forester. This article is a bit longer than some of his previous ones, but is well worth every minute you put into reading it. Too many times are people looking for "more advanced" ways of defending themselves. All the while allowing themselves to get further away from the basics of self defense. They become "Tool Collectors" looking for another, more complicated method to put in the 'Tool Box". The problem is that most real world self defense situations are over in seconds, which means that a lot of the time you'll only have a fraction of a second to decide on the best way (or Tool to use) to protect yourself.
And by the time you've decided on the best method (or tool) to use, it's too late to use it.
Steve's article will put things in perspective, and make it clear that Self Defense is NOT Rocket Science, and that when it comes to Personal Protection........
The Simpler The Better
by Steve Forester
A lot you readers here at the Blog are already familiar with the concepts belo, but just throwing out a few things I've recently "discovered" that are mandatory for self defense, IMO.
I currently operate under 2 Basic Principles:
1). The more simple you make it, the better the product.
2). The simplest things are the hardest to understand.
Like all of you, I have been training in martial arts related activities most of my life. As a result, we can have an ingrained concept - that we might not even realize - that "complicated is better". Not so much here, but most guys outside our circle are looking for that secret sauce system that will allow them to overcome an attacker twice their size without ever being hit. We know that is pure fiction, but look at people you know and think about it. Everyone is looking for that edge over the other guy. The "Magic Finger" John Benner used to call it. It seems the more complicated you make it, the better people like it,
However, in a real self-defense situation what are we really going to be able to do? How many techniques can we make reflexive? How many techniques are necessary in a 3-5 second conflict to "break contact and escape"? More about technique in a moment.
And, #2, The Simplest Things Are The Hardest To Understand". I started thinking about Mr. Blackthorn’s post from the other day with the video from David James of Vee Arnis Jitsu, and sort of had an epiphany. I started thinking about just using hammer fists - just those alone - how simple they are and how much damage they can do with the right body mechanics. More about that later also. Now, add in elbows. Just these two techniques alone can comprise an entire fighting system. I like the EOH and CJ also, but I discovered these work better for me and my personal situation. Again, refer to Techniques below for more.
Now, I believe "self-defense" consists of three critical components: Mindset, Physical Conditioning, and Technique. Yeah, I know. Not exactly earth shattering news, but hear me out.
#1 is Mindset. Many elements that people lump into the Combat Mindset, but lets just take Mental Toughness. I have been working with Mike Gillette's, "Strength Psychology" and like how he articulates things that we maybe feel and have experienced, but not translated into words. I suppose anyone who has been in the military can readily relate, but anyone can absorb with a little effort.
One thing I like was when Mike stated: "Mental Toughness can make up for lack of natural ability". Wow! I could really relate to that. When I played football, I was one of the smaller players, but started every game. I learned that with some mental toughness, good body mechanics, and my inherent good reflexes, I could prevail over much larger individuals who had more athletic ability. The learning point is learn your natural abilities and extenuate those and negate any weaknesses.
Now, I know you might be thinking: "Here comes the sales pitch", but I am not going to do that. Instead I'm going to give you something FREE! . Go to the link below and scroll down to "5 Ways to Become Tough as Nails", and can download the PDF and the video for FREE! BTW, you can also access more free stuff there.
https://www.criticalbench.com/free-stuff/
Tough As Nails explains the basics, but you'll get an opportunity to buy his "Strength Psychology" book and video. Up to you, but I did and I think worth it. Goes into more depth on the concepts in the free report. If been in the military, this will be familiar, but also helps explain the military's logic of basic training which I didn't understand at the time.
#2. is Physical Conditioning. #4 of Mike's "5 Ways To Become Tough As Nails", is Physical Toughness. As Mike says, mental toughness and physical toughness work together and can't have one without the other. The Yin and the Yang. Physical conditioning develops mental toughness, and mental toughness increases the ability to train harder. They both feed off each other.
#3 is Technique. I think a solid unarmed self defense method is the foundation of self defense and as much a component of our "Triad" as physical and mental toughness. It all works together. Hard to be mentally tough and have no idea of how to physically defend ourselves. All three work synergistically to produce a whole that is greater than the sum of it's parts.
I believe there is no "one size fits all" method. A lot depends on one's personal attributes: size, strength, athletic ability, etc. I am rather "short and (somewhat) stout", so what feels more natural to me is to cover, drop body weight, keep all strikes within my power zone (or frame as Jim West calls it). I don't like to reach out and get extended and off balance. I use footwork to maneuver in this "in-fighting range" where I have the advantage. Or, to use footwork to draw them in which was the point of much of the 2003 Keane Seminar.
As far as strikes, Joe's post inspired me to set up a system of just hammer fists. Horizontal and vertical hammer fists like David James was showing. I worked this out on BOB after viewing the video and liked. Hmmm! Then, I added close range elbow strikes. Elbows and hammer fists go together like peanut butter and jelly. These are my main stays. I also included some "specialty strikes" for use as the opportunity presents itself: Knees, uppercut punch to the groin, and head butt.
Targets? Lower: groin, solar plexus, liver shots. Maybe side of neck and collar bone. If the assailant is 6'5", that is what I can best reach while staying within my power zone.
Now, we got a pretty good unarmed combat system. Simple, but, again, how much are we realistically going to be able to execute under stress?
Now, we add weapons. Here is my current thinking on self-defense weapons: practice and train on what we will actually carry. Are we really going to carry a K-Bar knife, or a 36" stick around? Probably not. Here is a rule I came up with: The more something is a weapon, the more effective it will be, but the least likely to carry.
So, I first put a "paper weight" in my lead hand, and a "weighted book mark", in the rear. Now I repeated my hammer fist/elbow system. Wow! Especially when using good body mechanics, these add a wallop to the impact while using the same mechanical motions. Then, I tried experimenting with things I might actually carry such as a tactical flashlight, tactical pen, and even using the can of pepper spray as an impact weapon, and these worked well also. And, these are things one might actually legally carry from day to day.
Just as with our unarmed combat system, one's EDC weapons will depend on themselves and their lifestyle. I try to not have too many weapons to avoid confusion. Maybe 2-3 at most.
But then need to train those. When I train I don't change into "gym clothes and sneakers". I train in the same street clothes and shoes (boots) I normally wear. And I train fully kitted up except I substitute training weapons for the real ones. I carry the same things, the same way, every time I leave the house, so there are is no confusion in a real attack.
I see guys who, especially with firearms, carry first this and that handgun, in this or that location. Sometimes carry and sometimes not. Just fooling themselves, I think. In the shock and information overload of a real attack will likely never even remember they have a weapon.
These are very simple concepts, but effective and will not fail under stress. I have confidence in the methods and can use under stress.
The same way with firearms. I see guys going to class and paying a great deal of money to learn firearms when it is actually dirt simple. The Fairbairn method of handgun and carbine takes perhaps a few hours, easily taught in one day, or less. And you remember it months later instead of forgetting in 3 weeks that you learned in class. Yes, it is for close range but at what range are civilians attacked? No one yells "stick 'em up" for 15 yards away. And, as FFT says, why are you shooting at targets from than 5 yards away? Can you justify that as self-defense?
Going back to the two principles, I look at a lot of self defense methods out there and most offer a great deal of material which violates Principle #1 . Various packages that consists of multiple DVD's. I think to myself: "How could anyone make all that stuff reflexive"? Instinctive? We know in the stress of the moment, unless trained into the sub-conscious, it will never even be remembered, much less utilized.
That leads me to principle #2: appreciating simplicity. It is not that it is hard to understand, but hard to believe. Hard to accept that "simple is better". Everyone wants complicated, flashy, sexy. They see something that is gold and they dismiss. Too simple, they say. They want that Magic Finger.
This is not a complete self defense plan. Need Avoidance, and Deterrence strategies as primary. And an Evade & Escape strategy. Escape is always the goal.
This stuff is a last resort when all that has failed. I like how Kelly McCann put it: "If we could have walked away (or run away), we already would have". Just by the fact that we are using means all those options have been exhausted.
And, although a good unarmed foundation is necessary, and should be learned first; it is the last option. We always use self-defense weapons first if possible.
This are simple, common-sense concepts, but the hardest to understand. Carl Cestari said all this 20+ years ago, but it has taken me all that time to really understand on a deep and personal level.
When our lives depend on what we do in the next 3-5 seconds, this is what it will come down to, I think.
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