Top 5 Excuses NOT to learn Self Defence

This blog is a guest contribution from Chris Roberts of SAFE International

In this blog, I will look at the Top 5 Excuses I have heard to not learn self defense. While my business SAFE International obviously has a vested interest in self defense since it is my profession and passion, I find it interesting to hear so many excuses to not learn self defense.  While it would be great to spend weeks, months, and years learning how to protect oneself and their family, I still hear the excuses when it comes to just spending a few hours learning this valuable skill that could potentially save your life or the life on one of your family members.

Video: The Importance of Fighting Back

 

In this video, taken from a seminar I taught in July 2010, I discuss the importance of fighting back if attacked. This is especially relevant for women. For too long, misinformed instructors have taught women not to fight back for fear of further injury. This is possibly the worst advice you could ever receive. Watch the video to find out why.

Self Defence Begins with the Self

The first time someone gets involved in a confrontation that spirals out of their control, their first thought is often “I need to learn how to defend myself.” With that, they will Google, they will read, and then will often end up at the local martial arts club, boxing gym or MMA academy. Convinced that learning how to fight better will solve their issues, they throw themselves into training. They attend class 2-3 nights per week, pay their money, sweat, bleed, cry and feel proud of their efforts. Next time when that bully/abusive  boyfriend/drunken idiot at the bar hassles them, they’ll teach him a lesson, right? Maybe.

Very rarely is a far more important question asked; “What could I have done to prevent this from happening in the first place?”

Video: Scenario Training

Another short video from the earlier years of Senshido. In this clip we see how scenario training with verbal dialogue and multiple attackers changes the training environment considerably. You also get a chance to see the Shredder in action in a live, no-compliance drill.

Video: Pattern Interruption

Greetings all. Sorry about the long break between videos, as you can see, we've been very busy! Today's video is again from Rich Dimitri and is a brief excerpt from his On the Cutting Edge Seminar. In this particular clip, Rich touches on the conceppt of Pattern Interruption and how to use your verbal skills to mask your physical retaliation. Enjoy!

Video: The Nervous System's Effects on Self Defence

Here is another clip from a recent Progressive Defence seminar in which chief instructor, Joe Saunders, outlines the effects of the sympathetic nervous system during a high stress violent altercation, and how it can impair combat effectiveness. Enjoy.

Daily Video: 13.07.2010 - Senshido on Multiple Attackers

Today's video is from one of the original Senshido DVD's, "Outnumbered but not Outgunned" and deals with strategies to survive mutiple attacker situations. Enjoy!

Daily Video: 11.07.2010 - Dr Ruthless Women's Self Defence

This video comes from the famous (infamous?) "Dr Ruthless" Melissa Stoalt. I have in the past been critical of some of her material, but mainly due to the over-exagerated reactions of her attackers. Building confidence and self-esteem is one thing, but false confidence which can be crushed when a real attacker doesn't fly accross the room from your elbow strike is not good. Even so, there's lots of good info in this clip and it's a great learning tool for women looking for realistic self defence.

Daily Video: 08.07.2010 - The Gift of Fear

In this video, Gavin DeBecker speaks to an American TV show about his outstanding book "The Gift of Fear" and the principles of intuition and violence prediction he uses in his service to his clients. This is a three part series, but is full of fantastic information. If you are interested in real self defence and have not read DeBecker's work, you owe it to yourself to pick up "The Gift of Fear" and read it cover to cover. Enjoy.

Daily Video: 07.07.2010 - "The Raw Directive"

Today's video contains some bad language, so once again, if you have kids or impressionable minds around, best you err on the side of caution.

It comes, once again, courtesy of the AIM Academy in Melbourne (see Resources section) and features RAW Combatives chief instructor, Jim Armstrong. While we do differ in choice of technique in that we advise against closed fist punching for those without high degrees of training, Jim's core message about "flicking the switch" and making a decision to attack is key to all effective self defence. And he phrases it in a way that only a Geordie can. :)

Enjoy!

Daily Video: How to Avoid Becoming a Victim

This is an oldie but a goodie. In this clip from the early 90's, Marc MacYoung gives some fantastic tips on how to avoid common violent crime. While some of this information has since been supplemented with modern studies and methods, there is a lot of gold in this clip. Enjoy.

Daily Video: 01.07.2010 - ATM Mugging Defence

Today's video comes from Tony Blauer, founder of Blauer Tactical Systems. In this video, Tony goes through a great strategy for avoiding being mugged at ATMs. It requires intuition, quick thinking and a little bit of acting, but it's certainly a better option than fighting for your life or losing all your money! Enjoy.

Daily Video: 30.06.2010 - Forgiveness is Power

Today's video comes once again from one of the pioneers of RBSD training, Geoff Thompson. In this video, Geoff talks about the importance of forgiving those that have done you wrong - not for their sake, but so that you may allow yourself to let go of the "duty" attached to hatred and vengeance. This video may not be for everyone, as it discusses some very sensitive issues regarding pedophilia, of which Geoff was a victim as a young boy. I encourage everyone to watch it and make up their own minds.

Daily Video: 29.06.2010 – The Bystander Effect

Today's video is a news story about a man who acted in good faith to help a woman being mugged, only to be stabbed and have no one come to his aid as he bled to death. The Bystander Effect is something that is addressed in a variety of Progressive Defence courses and this is a classic example of it. Look for future articles on the subject and how we can safeguard ourselves against it.

Daily Video: 27.06.2010

Today's video comes from a CBS news story on George Thompson's Verbal Judo. George is a little ill in this video, but this is still a great example of tactical communication for law enforcement and security. Quote of the video: "I'm selling you compliance." Enjoy.

Daily Video: 26.06.2010

Today's video is not directly related to self defence, but sound mind and sound control over our emotions are just as vital to good self protection as any kind of fighting skills. Here, one of the early pioneers of RBSD training, Geoff Thompson, talks about turning negative emotions into positive energy and the amazing things he's been able to accomplish as a result. Let us know if you enjoy it!

Daily video: 23.06.2010

This video is from Richard Dimitri's 2007 seminar in Sydney.

While demonstrating his Shredder concept, Rich was asked how well it would work against a grappler. Never one to let words alone prove his point, Rich asked the most experienced grappler in the room, our own Joe Saunders, to do a live, no-compliance drill with him. The drill would be that Joe had to submit Rich doing anything he wanted, while Rich would only use the Shredder concept. After a highly unsuccessful Round 1, Joe had a second chance in Round 2, this time starting standing up. Despite managing to catch Rich with a hip throw which badly aggravated an old shoulder injury, Rich continued fighting and would have removed Joe from his sight had it been a real altercation. Watch for yourself!



This is a great example of the survival mentality that I referred to in the recent article "Permission to Survive." Despite being taken by surprise, put in a disadvantageous position with a much larger person on top of him, and suffering a serious injury, Rich continued to fight and survive. There's a lesson in that for all of us.