Self Defense : A summary

Self-defense is a set of skills, strategies, and mindset principles designed to protect oneself from potential threats and dangers in various situations. It encompasses both mental preparedness and physical techniques to effectively respond to challenging or dangerous scenarios.

Self defense is easily 90% soft skills. It all starts with the mindset, having common sense, situational awareness and the ability to decide in a stressful situation.

The hard skills are only used when one is so pressed that not doing anything will result in grave bodily injury or lethality.

Here's a breakdown of key aspects of self-defense: Mindset (25%): A major part of self-defense is mindset. Cultivating a mindset of empowerment, confidence, and assertiveness is essential for navigating challenging situations with resilience and strength.

Within your mindset, the most important aspect is to define your mission. (Sam Rosenberg, Live Ready).

What is your mission? Your mission is the most important thing. Be very clear about your mission. Defining your mission helps you draw the boundaries of what you are willing to do, and what you can do. 

Think about your mission pertaining to self-defense.  

For example: 

1. I want to make sure I go home safe and live my life. 

2. I want to make sure my family goes home safe. 

3. I want NO legal troubles related to self defense, just enough to escape and get help.

Within this framework, we need to be very clear about who we are dealing with. Am I dealing with a drunk friend? A family member? A co-worker or a roommate having a bad day? Or a criminal?

1. Awareness (25%): The majority of self-defense is practicing situational awareness. We got to be mindful of your surroundings, to be able to recognize potential threats, and trust your instincts (Gavin de Becker). By staying alert and attentive, you can better identify and avoid potentially risky situations.

Don’t just look up or down, but  look around you.  

Be on YELLOW  alert when in public situations. Trust your INTUITION.

1. Prevention (15%): Prevention is a crucial aspect of self-defense. It involves taking proactive measures to minimize the likelihood of encountering dangerous situations. This could include avoiding poorly lit areas at night, staying in groups when walking alone, and trusting your intuition if something feels off.

2. Common sense right?

3. Verbal Skills (15%): Verbal self-defense is a powerful tool for de-escalating conflicts and asserting boundaries. Effective communication techniques can help diffuse tense situations and prevent them from escalating into physical confrontations.

1. Decision making (10%): Self-defense is also about being able to think under stressful situations. Absent experience, we are going to freeze.

2. “In a stressful situation, it’s not your body that fails you first, but your mind.”

   Train and have some plans, ideas of how you want to handle stressful situations.

Before we go on to the hard skills, we have to understand the bad person’s mindset. The safe environment that we are in is because of a contract between all of us, a societal contract. The bad individual has no qualms about breaking this social contract, while all of us are still abiding by it. As such, the good individuals are already at a disadvantage.

What can the average person do to close that gap? 

Apart from mindset, situational awareness, focus on strength and fitness. Train. If you are strong and fit, you may resist successfully and buy yourself some time to escape.  

1. Physical Techniques and continued practice (10%): While physical techniques are a component of self-defense, they are not always the first line of defense. However, knowing how to protect yourself physically can provide a sense of confidence and security. Basic techniques such as strikes, blocks, and escapes can be learned and practiced.

1. Self-defense is a journey, not a destination. It requires ongoing learning and practice, to stay prepared and effective in various situations. Participating in workshops, training sessions, and self-defense classes can help you build and refine your skills over time.

Ultimately, self-defense is about taking control of your own safety and well-being. It's about equipping yourself with the knowledge, skills, and mindset needed to protect yourself and others in times of need. By embracing these principles of awareness, prevention, and empowerment, you can navigate the world with greater confidence and security. Finally, I also urge you to be familiar with the laws related to self-defense.