Street Proven Fight Winning Attitude

Most fights are lost for one very simple reason, hesitation. The person being attacked either does not react fast enough or is less willing to use violent force than the attacker.

Learning self defense and street fighting skills are a huge part of ensuring that you are victorious but your attitude and mindset are even more important.
When most of us (law abiding, courteous citizens) are attacked we don’t know how to react. We don’t use violence in our daily life, it is foreign to us. In fact, most people are downright uncomfortable with violence.

This is where criminals have a huge advantage. They survive off of violence and they are very good at scaring us normal folks into giving them what they want at the threat or use of a little violence.
On top of this most of the time it is hesitation that causes someone to lose a street fight. This is even a problem for those of us who are comfortable with the thought of using violence to protect ourselves and our families.

This is why simply knowing self defense and how to use violence will not save your kiester in a real street fight.

There are really two kinds of hesitation. The first kind is simply not acting soon enough. For example the all too common “I’m not going to hit first.” Other people simply refuse to accept the fact that a fight is coming until they get hit.

Don’t be that guy (or girl). Don’t get me wrong I’m not suggesting that you turn into a loose cannon, but if you feel threatened or you get that little twinge in your stomach that is telling you “somthin’ ain’t right” you must act immediately.

Let’s take a moment and discuss a little life lesson. Patience is only a virtue when you are dealing with your spouse, your child, or the DMV. Patience which is often hesitation in disguise will not serve you well most areas of life, especially not in a fight. Taking action puts you in control of the situation.

Control is good, especially when you are talking about control over your life.
Act, don’t react.

Okay enough with the philosophical stuff. Let’s get practical. If you are the first to hit you are statistically much more likely to win the fight. Enough said.

The second type of hesitation is more common for people who have martial arts or self defense training. This kind of hesitation causes people who ‘know better’ to get hurt and killed in street fights every year.

I’m talking about scale of violence. Many trained martial artists will lose street fights because they fail to bring enough violence into the fight. They know what to do but they just can’t bring themselves to do it.

They are comfortable with the thought of using vicious moves, and if you asked them if they would eye gouge someone who was threatening their life they would say ‘hell yeah.’
As with many things in life the trouble starts when they have to put that thought into action. The thought of doing an eye gouge is a lot different than the act of plunging your thumb into the eye socket of someone threatening your family.

When it comes down to it they are afraid to hurt someone who is trying to hurt them. This is the absolute worst reason to lose a fight.

If you don’t know how to fight and you get your butt kicked in a street fight you can’t really be criticized.

If you do know how to fight and you just failed to be mean and nasty enough to win you will get no sympathy from anyone who is experienced with street fighting or self defense.

The key is that once you engage a person who you know has no regard for your health and safety you must return the favor. As the old cliché goes you must fight fire with fire.
He is willing to do whatever it takes to win. The only thing that will stop him is him realizing that you are willing to do terrible things to him (stuff like snapping all the ligaments in his knee, blowing out his ear drum with an ear slap, or biting out a chunk of flesh).
Showing him that you are willing to use nasty street fighting moves will make your wallet suddenly much less valuable to him.
Criminals may be mean, cruel, and heartless but they aren’t stupid enough to lose an eye over a wallet.
It all comes back to that fight winning attitude. What are you willing to do to protect yourself? I am willing to use whatever means necessary. I hope you feel the same way.

If you do feel this way your fighting mindset should be as follows:

If someone tries to hurt me I am going to immediately use the most savage and violent force I know to eliminate the threat to my life.

It’s as simple as that. A fighting mindset doesn’t require meditation or hours of training. It requires you making a decision and promise to yourself that you will take the necessary action to save your skin.

Stay Smart and Stay Safe,

 

Derek
Special Agent Combatives

P.S.  Pick up your copy of Special Agent Combative System or Brutal Beyond Belief Today!

Great Fighters Know The Value Of A Good Distraction:

All great street fighters (or any kind of fighter) know the value of distraction. However, most average guys still believe in the ‘fair fight’ fantasy they have seen in movies or heard about in stories from our parent’s generation.

I’ve got some news for you. Those fair fights in the good ole’ days weren’t always so fair. And I can tell you for sure that today’s bar and street fights are never fair.

Okay so I’m sorry to ruin the romance about fighting, but what does this all mean for you. Well if the times have changed you have to change with them. So I’m going to tell you about one of the most useful little tools you need to have in your bag of nasty self defense tricks.

Ever noticed how it’s pretty hard to focus on more than one thing at a time? Have you ever seen that video where you are asked to watch the basket ball as several men pass it back and forth? If you haven’t check out the video below before you read on.



This video makes it pretty clear that our minds have a hard time focusing on more than one thing at a time. You would be foolish to not use this to your advantage.

There are literally thousands of things you can do to distract an attacker no matter where you are. But to make it more clear I will go over some of the general ways to distract in a self defense situation, then talk about some specifics for each type.

Verbal Distraction: This kind of distraction is often used subconsciously by attackers. This includes yelling obscenities and heckling a person. It almost always forces the person being attacked to think about what is being said instead of focusing on what the yelling guy is doing.

If you find yourself in a self defense situation you can use this technique too. You don’t have to have something clever to say to make this work. Just yell something. Keep in mind that if a fight wasn’t eminent you have probably just made it eminent by yelling at the guy. So don’t use this unless you are pretty darn sure a fight is coming your way.

Also if someone tries to use this technique on you in a fight the key is recognize it early, ignore what is being yelled, and instead focus on the attackers body movements looking for targets etc.
The best part is, now that you are aware of this distraction technique it will be much less likely to work on you.

Physical Distraction: This is anything you do which touches a person’s body and causes their mind to change focus from you to whatever the distraction was. Physical distractions are great self defense tools because it is even harder to ignore a physical distraction than a verbal distraction, even if you know it is a distraction.

A great example is throwing your drink at someone. If you are in a bar and a guy is trying to fight you or you know a fight is coming, chuck your drink at him. If it is one of those thick glass tumblers, all the better, you might not have to do anything else (how’s that for quick and easy).
However, if you were not the pitcher of your high school baseball team you probably aren’t going to take him out with a glass to the face, but that really isn’t the point of this move. In fact winding up to chuck it is a bad idea because it lets everyone in the room (including him) know that you are about to throw your drink (unwanted attention). Instead toss it in his face from a relaxed position in front of your body.

I guarantee he will be distracted for at least a second, long enough for you to deliver good shot to the face or groin, or maybe kick him off his bar stool (always a classic).
I’ve got more great distractions to share with you all, but I would like to hear from you too. If you have any distraction techniques you have used or know of any great tricks please share them with the other readers by leaving a comment below.

I’ll finish this post up next week and tell you about the other distractions I know work well.
Alright I hope you learned something from this, other than the fact that moon-walking bears are hard to see. If you want to learn how to follow up these distractions with some vicious and effective finishing moves check out my home page.

Stay Smart and Stay Safe,

Derek
Special Agent Combative System

Never Surrender

Presently at Special Agent Combatives we are pretty certain we have it easy when it comes to self-protection training.  All it required was years of arduous work and training to produce our research into an uncomplicated, nevertheless operational system.  Afterwards we merely had to bundle it and promote it around the globe.  It all sounds pretty easy doesn’t it?  Well when you compare that with what folks must do to enter the correct mindset to fight and train it completely does appear pretty easy..  You are the one who must build up the will to survive and fight, and in your blackest hour you must harness your courage and do what appears unimaginable.  You are the one who refuses to say die, we simply tell you how to be sure the other guy does.

General George S. Patton once said, “Courage is fear holding on a minute longer,” that's all you have to ask of yourself in the worst case scenario.  You may never come across a life or death battle, and you should try to avoid them, but when all that remains is to fight, fight hard and do not quit until you can’t fight anymore or one of you is lifeless.  Now that might sound extraordinary, but there's no happy ending if you give up.  If your boat sinks you don’t stop swimming because you’ll drown and die, and the same principal applies once you are in a fight.  Don’t assume that you may be saved or they’ll spare your life.  You must dig deep and reject losing.

We live in a society where most people don’t care about an individual’s character as long as they get the job done.  They can be a total lowlife, but if they produce they’re alright to keep around, but in a fight the true you will determine the winner.  It's crucial to train and it provides you the advantage in any fight, but what makes the difference is what you have inside.  Your desire to succeed and ignore pain must be nurtured, and through training your confidence will increase with each strike.  Once you quit in a fight your training won’t count worth a damn, but if you desire it seriously enough you'll be amazed at what you’re capable of when forced.

As a pupil of human battle I’ve discovered many cases of unbelievable bravery in the face of overwhelming odds.  In many instances those fighting were well trained, but that was merely part of the equation, it was their volition to keep fighting regardless of injures or losses.  Many were just average people who didn’t want to die on that day, and did what they had to, to survive and live.  That’s why at Special Agent Combatives we do the easy part, we train you, you’re the one who has to dig deep and keep fighting.  When that moment arrives we believe we’ve furnished you with the best training imaginable, but you have to do the rest.  Remain strong and continue training.

Review of Dynamic DeCuerdas Eskrima

I have been studying DeCuerdas Eskrima ifor some time now and I must attest that it is one of the deadliest close-in blade fighting systems in the world.
The late Grandmaster Gilbert Tenio openly taught a mixture of 19 Eskrima systems while keeping the core of the DeCuerdas teachings secret. GrandMaster Tenio passed down the true teachings to Master Richard Van Donk who is now revealing them in a step by step, level by level teaching format that is done as both a direct how-to instruction and also shown in a dojo setting teaching the art of DeCuerdas Eskrima.

These teachings are now available as the DeCuerdas Eskrima Home Study Course which encompasses levels Levels 1-4 of the 7 levels of this practical and dynamic art. Study through Level 4 will give you a Black belt.

Now you can achieve your Eskrima Black Belt and be recognized anywhere in the world. GrandMaster Richard Van Donk is a prestigious member of the World Head Of Family Sokeship Grandmaster Council and several others.

This is a Complete Learning System that has been created for you..... to make you skilled and confident with knives and sticks and give you the ability to save your and your loved ones life in a real situation, and that is what I am all about. Training for real combat. This system is not for competition. It is for survival in the real, sometimes harsh world.

This Course is unique in all the world. It was created and filmed in REAL TIME. Beecuse of this it took years to complete, filming the students as they progressed though the levels just as you will do. This isn't just a quick set of of video footage like many courses. GrandMaster Richard Van Donk recruited a group of individuals from all walks of life who had no Eskrima background when they started.

This system is not difficult to learn on your own and I highly recommend you add it to your self-defense arsenal. You wont be dissappointed.


TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS GREAT COURSE CLICK HERE

Derek
Special Agent Combatives.

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Special Agent Combative System: The Fluid Shock Wave Principle

In this article I would like to introduce you to a fighting principle called the Fluid Shock Wave Principle. The Fluid Shock Wave Principle is emphasized in all of the special agent combative system counterstrikes. It is not an unknown concept in the martial arts; this striking principle has been called the focus punch, the energy sink, the heavy hand strike, and many other terms relating to a "vibration" type of strike. Unfortunately, learning how to deliver such a strike often took a lifetime of constant practice, since few individuals understood the strikes physics or a dynamics. I will explain them to you in this article.
I began researching striking principles after studying pressure point control tactics as a special agent. I learned that motor points are more sensitive to strikes, which allowed all of the strikes forward momentum to dissipate into the target before starting the recovery. The analogy that is often used to describe such a strike is the action of hammering a nail.
The foundation of the fluid shock wave principle is based upon nerve motor points as targets and a method of striking which maximizes kinetic energy transfer. We know that nerves are one of the most sensitive types of tissues in the human body. This is especially true when stimulated by various types of pressure or strikes. We also know that when a nerve or nerve motor point receives an unusually high degree of energy, the nerve may become over stimulated and experience a motor dysfunction. Since motor points are composed of large muscle mass which is saturated with microscopic effector/motor nerve tissue, the potential for injury from a strike is normally limited to a bruise. Therefore, striking a motor point becomes an ideal target for liability concerns, and very practical tactically, since over stimulating a motor nerve stops resistive muscular action.
An important aspect of the fluid shock wave principle is the mechanical aspect of the strike itself. What a strike or impact is made of a target, energy is transferred from the energy source into the target. The degree of energy, (known as kinetic energy) which is dissipated into the target, will be dependent upon the velocity, the mass of the energy source, and the duration of the energy transference. The efficiency of the strike will determine the length of the motor dysfunction.
To generate an optimal fluid shock waves strike with the hand, leg, or impact weapon, I have made the following observations:
1. Velocity: to increase the velocity of a strike substantially enough to effect a motor dysfunction, is very difficult. Velocity must be double at a minimum to have a substantial effect on power generation.
2. Mass: in contrast to velocity, the mass behind a target can be substantially increased by attempting to strike with the total body weight. This is one of the secrets of the fluid shock wave principle. This can be accomplished by several methods. The first is to ensure that all of your joints are locked on impact. This is a principle called "energy leaks," which describes how kinetic energy may be lost on the impact exchange. For example, if you allowed your wrist to buckle on a hand strike, energy will dissipate in the wrist instead of the opponent's motor point. The reduction of kinetic energy will be substantial, and will dramatically affect the length of the motor dysfunction if it occurs at all. Therefore, all joints must be locked (not hyper extended) on impact.
The next important element in maximizing the mass behind a strike is the use of your total body mass. This is accomplished by placing the emphasis on rotating your hips, or axis behind the strike itself. In conjunction with locking all of the joints on impact, you can generate power based upon your body weight, instead of striking with just the weight of your limb another important element of the fluid shock wave principle, is the concept of energy duration or "time one contact." During my study I have identified and learned measurements of the duration of the fluid shock wave itself. The length of energy transfer must exceed approximately 30 milliseconds to achieve a motor is dysfunction. Ironically, this is almost exactly the length of energy exchange that occurs naturally when you allow all forward momentum to stop before retracting a strike.
Technique considerations
With the Special Agent combative system I have developed a unique strategy of the defensive and offensive striking by combining motor points and the torso for targets, with the fluid shock wave principle of striking. Unlike other striking systems, the Special Agent combative system does not advocate striking to the head. Not the face, the head. The head as a target is comprised mostly of skin and bone, not muscle mass or sensory nerves. Therefore, strikes of any type to the head with a closed fist should be avoided if possible. This is a tactical consideration. For example, the head is generally a hard structure. You will receive severe hand injuries from striking an attacker on the head. Trust me, I have done it. This will disable you only infuriate the attacker.
The Special Agent Combative System philosophy on utilizing defensive counterstrikes is that strikes should be delivered to the torso or nerve motor points whenever possible. If you strike to the head it should be in the face with a Palm Heel strike or Hammerfist or with jabs to the eyes.
The targets of the special agent combat of system strikes are as follows;
Palm Heel strike: the Palm Hills strike was designed primarily to stop its edit and attackers forward momentum. This strike is delivered in a stiff arm motion, and can be targeted at the attacker's face or checks. Generally, this strike is followed by straight punch to the torso.
Straight punch: the straight punch is normally considered the power hand strike. Although this strike can be delivered to the head, it is strongly recommended that this strike be delivered to the torso, specifically the solo plexus region.
Forearm strikes: forearm strikes are used when the subject attacker had deeply penetrated the reactionary gap, and the straight punch or palm heel strike cannot be used. Forearm strikes are generally very strong techniques and should be delivered to the torso. I also use them when striking the brachial plexus or side of the neck for what's called a brachial stun.
Brachial stuns: the brachial stuns are, without any doubt, the most effective and reliable stunning technique within the special agent combative system. Brachial stuns were designed to replace the necessity of hand strikes to the head. This technique can be delivered with the back of the hand, the inside of the hand, the inside of the forearm, or the outside of the forearm.
Front thrust kick: like the palm heel, the front thrust kick is designed to stop an attacker's forward momentum at the edge of the reactionary gap. The recommended target for this kick is the upper thigh lower shin. Attempting to kick any higher would normally result in the attacker grabbing your foot or your leg. Front thrusts are also very effective when targeted towards the attackers groin or knee.
Knee strikes: the knee strike, as utilized by the Special Agent combative system, is delivered to the attacker's thigh, groin, abdomen, and face. Striking to the thigh creates a high level motor dysfunction to the attacker's leg, and also creates a high-level stun. I have used this technique many times when trying to control an attacker. When I strike their thigh several times with a knee strike they lose function of that leg and go down usually holding their thigh and writhing in pain.
Angle kick: also known as the peroneal kick, is one of the most effective Special Agent combative system counter strikes. The angle kick is delivered mainly to an attacker's thigh and knee. This technique will create a motor dysfunction that will often last 10 minutes or longer. The angle kick is also known to create a high-level stun that is only second to the brachial stun. The pain is often so intense, that attackers often believe that their legs are broken. The pain normally diminishes in approximately 20 minutes. Giving you plenty of time to escape.
So this week's lesson has covered the fluid shock wave principle. Embracing this principle will give you much more powerful techniques that you can use to create your reality-based self-defense system.
Derek A. Smith is an expert in self defense. He is a 30 year veteran of Law Enforcement, Security, and the Military. Derek also has over 30 years martial art and combative training. If you want some of the best training to prepare yourself for any self defense situation Derek of course recommends his courses Special Agent Combative System or Brutal Beyond Belief. In these courses I eliminate the fluff and teach only what works based on my 30 years experience. You can see them on my website at http://www.specialagentcombativesystem.com.

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With its innocent appearance and usefulness both as a dagger and a hairbrush, we believe the Honey Comb is the all around answer to personal defense at home at work or overseas. As a hairbrush it's particularly appropriate in glove compartments, travel luggage, or a woman's handbag and will look perfectly natural in virtually any environment. Its light weight, and effectiveness make it an ideal self-defense weapon especially for women. It's a great value for the money and is easily appropriate gift for Christmas, birthdays or graduations.

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Self Defense Training - Do You Know How to Defend Yourself Or Are You a Victim Of False Confidence?

There's an old saying in the martial arts that, "Pride goes Before The Fall." In the realm of self defense training, regardless of whether you train in a martial art, or in a modern self defense system, there is a world of difference between "thinking" that you can defend yourself, and actually having the skills necessary to survive a real world attack.

The truth is that there are countless schools of martial arts out there professing to be teaching people how to protect themselves, lead by teachers who are sport athletes with no real-world self defense experience. There are even more so-called self defense experts popping up every day on the internet who are more than ready to sell you some magical, "silver bullet" system for mastering the art of self defense "in 30 minutes or less!"

What both of these are selling is not sound, solid, and proven self defense ability.

No. What both are selling amounts to nothing more than the abstract, "feel-good" qualities of:

Hope
Peace of mind
a Sense of security, and...
Confidence

But, in reality, none of these things are real. They are only states of mind and feelings - both based on what we "think" we can do, rather than on any actual results.

Now, don't get me wrong, or get your panties in a twist.

I never said that the techniques being taught are not effective. Well, most of them anyway.

After all, EVERYTHING is valuable - in context.

But, here are a couple of things I want you to think about as you go through your training - even if you are already a black belt or instructor (of course, even if you are - you ARE still training... right?!):

1) Does your instructor spend more time complimenting you, than he or she does correcting you?

While we all need to know that we are getting things right, and that we are progressing - we are training under a teacher to break old habits, learn better ways of doing things, and to get direct feedback so that we can progress - how we get feedback about that progress can make a huge factor in our success. And often - more often than not - that feedback takes the form of having our mistakes pointed out to us. I would highly suggest that if you are training for effective, real-world self defense ability, and you have a teacher who is always patting you on the back...

Find a different teacher! They're feeding your ego and breeding a sense of false-confidence!

You need a teacher who will not only teach you what you need to know. But also one who will not patronize you, or create a false sense of confidence.

2) Do you train solely on your own without the benefit of direct feedback?

While it is possible to get a lot of information from sources like books, magazines, self defense dvd's, and even online video directories like YouTube, you cannot limit yourself to them. Because... the one thing that you cannot get from these sources is...

Direct feedback from the teacher who wrote the article, or is demonstrating the technique in the video.

This feedback is the single greatest benefit of training face-to-face with a qualified teacher of self defense (see above). Without it, you would be surprised to find out that what you "think" is being conveyed, is not what's is being done at all.

It's amazing how our ego can convince us that we are really doing one thing, when in reality, we are doing something VERY different!

3) Are you trying to learn self defense with the same training partner?

Worse than this would be to try to learn with no training partners at all, but what most people fail to realize is that you are not training to learn a martial art system. I know that sounds confusing but what I mean is this...

Anyone can simply learn the skills and step-by-step kata within a martial arts system - even attain rank for their skill and progress - but this is not the same as learning how to defend yourself against a live human being who is trying to beat, break, or kill you!

To effectively learn self defense, it is important to train with as many different body types as possible - as well as with as many fighting styles as possible!

The reality within self defense is that you don't know who your attacker will be, any more than you will know...

Your attacker's size
What, if any, kind of training they possess
If they will be armed or unarmed
Whether or not they will have help
How far he or she is willing to go in their attempt to hurt you, and...
Many other unknowns!

So, you owe it to yourself to work with as many different partners as possible, and with as many different situations or attack scenarios as possible. If you don't have anyone to train with, start a training group in your area. If you are a member of a dojo or self defense class, avoid limiting yourself to training with only one or two "friends." Get around and work on different bodies and with different personality types - especially those that scare you the most!

Self defense is a very deep subject and one that requires attention to detail...

... and a commitment to getting the kind of training you'll need to survive - not just "think" you can survive!

Effective self defense requires more than just a few "karate moves." It involves the ability to think strategically, and understand how to defend yourself with as little wear-and-tear on you as possible.

If you really want to know what most people don't know about how to master self defense and how to survive a real street attack, read my newest self defense book: "Fight Smarter - Not Harder!" It's available free at: http://www.warrior-concepts-online.com/street-fighting-self-defense-book.html

Jeffrey M. Miller is an internationally-known self defense expert. Each month he teaches literally thousands of students through live seminars, corporate training events, and his online self defense courses, the lessons to be able to survive in Today's often dangerous world. Jeff says, If you really want to know how to survive a dangerous attack, then I can teach you how to defend yourself against any attacker - guaranteed!"

Women's Self Defense - 5 Easy & Effective Self Defense Moves Every Woman Must Know

On my journey to find the best self defense system I uncovered what I intuitively already thought was true. This truth is that the most simplest move or technique is usually the best and most effective. You can search high and low and learn the most intricate and deadliest martial art out there. But what good is it going to do you if cannot perform it under stress or if it takes ten years to become proficient at it?

The largest barrier to self defense is your mental state. Everyone reacts differently but most people will initially freeze up when faced with a life threatening situation. The only way to work past this mental state is through realistic practice with a partner and by knowing the most vulnerable areas to attack on another human being.

I absolutely do not recommend practicing the following self defense moves full force or full speed on your partner. Instead you want to practice them slowly and deliberately so that you will have them hard wired into your brain and your muscle memory will take over when the pressure is really on!

The following targets and descriptions of the basic self defense moves are violent and graphic. I have watered down my language describing them so as not to offend some people. Obviously great care should be taken not to injure your training partners. When training with a partner you should stop before the point of injury and visualize continuing all the way through the target.

The best way to practice them is to have your partner put you in a situation and your job is to go slowly and identify a vulnerable area and practice accessing that target from whatever situation you may find yourself in.

The following moves and targets are given in no particular order.

Self Defense Move #1 - The Eye Gouge

This one is pretty straight forward however it warrants some discussion.

Us "normal" people have a natural aversion to harming another human being. Attacking someone's eyes is absolutely no exception. Morgues are full of people who left scratch marks all over their attackers face but for some reason they never had the nerve to stick their finger or preferably their thumb directly into the eye socket of their attacker.

I am not talking about scratching at the eyes here either. I am talking about sinking your thumb all the way in up to your knuckle at the inside corner of the eye, rupturing the eyeball and then dragging your thumb knuckle deep all the way across and to the opposite corner of the eye.

This will definitely cause a reaction from your assailant that will buy you time to escape to safety. The police should have no problem identifying your attacker at the local hospital emergency room either!

What if they have glasses on? Simple you slide your thumb from the cheek bone up and under the glasses. I could elaborate on proper technique but that would make for a much longer article.

Self Defense Move #2 - The Ear Slap

A good and properly performed slap on the ears will at worst disorient your attacker and at best rupture their ear drums sending them crumpling to the ground in pain. Let's say for example that someone has grabbed you in a bear hug from the front underneath your arms and is carrying you off to their trademarked creepo van.

You know where his arms are! He has left himself wide open and defenseless!

For some reason or another you have decided not to gouge the eyes. Maybe you are saving the eye gouge as your last option if the ear slap does not work. Anyways the critical component of this technique is to cup your hands just like you would if you were clapping loudly at a sporting event. No opera claps here! With both hands cupped you "clap" or "slap" both ears at the same time. If you only have access to hitting just one ear that will do just fine too!

The important thing is that it should be a good hard clap with a cupped hand. This point is critical. Your fingers should also be pressed tightly together. The cupped hand creates a vacuum which ruptures the ear drum of your attacker.

Take care with your training partner here! Do not actually clap over your training partner's ears. This can cause permanent damage and a lifetime of pain for your partner! For practice just go slowly and keep your fingers spread open to avoid an accidental injury. In real life keep your fingers tight together and hand cupped.

Also in real life you are aiming to have the center of your palm seal your attackers ear canal.

One word of warning! How you practice usually dictates how you will actually strike when the real pressure is on. So you may want to improvise and practice an ear slap on an empty Javex bottle or something like a watermelon that your training partner is holding up. If you get to know the feeling of performing this technique properly you will be able to tell the police to look for the guy with a ruptured ear drum at the hospital emergency room. Injuries make it so much easier to identify your attacker!

Self Defense Move #3 - The Ball Buster

Nothing new here! If you can reach the testicles with your knee, foot or hand you have found one heck of a sensitive area!

The real issue here is launching your attack without setting off any radar. Guys are conditioned from a very young age to instinctively respond to any incoming threats to this vulnerable area. An attacker can usually respond in time to avoid most kicks because they see it coming and subconciously respond or flinch! Ideally you want to get close and use your knee because it flies under the peripheral view.

The goal is to kick or knee the testicles and follow through. In a self defense situation you are aiming to try and kick or knee them up through the groin area and try to follow through all the way up to their neck!

What if someone has grabbed you from behind in a bear hug over your arms? Stomp on their foot and get an handful of their family jewels and squeeze as hard as you can for as long as you can till the guy either drops to the ground or lets go. You want to squeeze until you feel something burst. Then you run to safety.

Self Defense Move #4 - The Throat

This self defense move can be lethal so do not mess around and take it easy on your training partner.

A strong forearm strike to the windpipe can cause enough damage to collapse the wind pipe and your attacker will suffocate. Surfaces that you can attack this area with are endless it can be a punch, edge of hand blow, forearm strike, elbow, hammer fist or even the webbing of you hand that is made when you make an "L" shape with your pointer finger and your thumb.

You can even place a cell phone inside your fist so that the bottom of the phone is just slightly protruding out the bottom of your fist and then you hammer fist the throat. The unforgiving structure of the cell phone is sure to cause serious damage.

The one thing to always remember is that a strike with to the throat area can potentially kill the other person. A strike to any area can potentially kill another person if they have the right pre existing medical conditions!

You can even take this target further and include what I call the "Ring Around The Collar". The sides of the neck are vulnerable due to the nerves that run through this area. The back of the neck is where the brain stem is and is the one common connection between your brain and the rest of your body. Impacts to the entire "Ring Around The Collar" can cause serious life threatening injuries. Take special care of your training partner and never go full speed or full force on any of these areas. Use a light touch and slow controlled movement in practice. Practicing in this manner will build muscle memory.

Self Defense Move #5 - The Lower Leg

The vulnerable spots here while not immediately life threatening can lead to injuring your attacker either directly or indirectly. When I say indirectly I mean if you manage to break your attackers ankle and they go crashing down onto the side walk and split their head open.

If someone has grabbed you from behind tying up your arms the areas of the lower leg to aim for can look something like the following. You can use the edge of your foot, assuming that you are wearing shoes, and scrape as hard as you can down the attackers shin. This is should get them to loosen their grip! Whether you are wearing shoes or not you can stomp your heel as hard as you can directly onto the top of the attackers foot as high up and close as you can to where the foot meets the ankle.

How about if someone has knocked you to the ground and is standing over you? What you can do in this situation is bring your knee up and in line with the ankle and then lift up and place the front of your shin directly on their lower shin just slightly above the ankle joint. Then you press down and slam all your body weight across and down into the pavement.

The ankle joint attack takes practice. It can be done standing and stomping across and down. It can be done from the inside of their legs by rolling all of your body weight outwards.

You are looking to strike just above the to knobs that you can feel on each side of your ankle joint. This tears the ankle joint and sends your assailant either limping away or crashing down into the pavement.

Be careful with your partner. Go easy and go lightly. On the ankle attack you want to go slow and give your partner time to roll ahead of your pressure and simulate falling to the ground. Be careful. When in doubt go slow! Even if you are confident, go slow and do not injure your training partner!

Those are the five easiest and most effective self defense moves that just about anyone should be able to perform to stop just about any assailant. Seriously injuring your attacker will free you up and buy time to get to safety.

When your own life and safety is on the line a pain/compliance, pressure point kind of defense will usually do you no good because the second you release your attacker and try to make an escape they will have an opportunity to attack you one more time.

These moves can be deadly so the utmost respect should be taken when practicing them with a partner.

The five self defense moves discussed should only be used in situations that warrant extreme self defense and all other options have been exhausted.

Stay safe and respect your training partners!

Scott Smith is a researcher and reviewer of various self defense systems and products. His reviews and opinions can be viewed at http://www.my-self-defense-journey.com

A free seven week mini self defense e-course is available on his website which includes video instruction on some of the self defense techniques discussed in this article.

Visit http://www.my-self-defense-journey.com for more information and for self defense product reviews.

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Brutus the Bulldog Self Defense Keyring can be attached to keys or easily stowed elsewhere.

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3 Annoying Myths in Self Defense

There are a lot of self defense myths and falsehoods out there. Unfortunately, every martial artist has heard are fallen victim to one or more of them. I am no different in this case.

Yet there are three big ones that seem to trick people time and time again. So in hopes of exposing these myths, I am showing you these today.

Annoying Myth #1: There is an Ultimate Self Defense Style/ Course

The forums ring with people claiming this self defense course is the ultimate self defense course or this style is the ultimate self defense style. These people are often cleverly coined forum warriors.

These people are often affiliate marketers of a specific course or just wannabe martial artist, many of which have never been in a serious fight in their lives. No wonder so many of their comments leave people confuse.

In truth, when you want to determine a self defense style, a lot of things come into play. What is you size? How strong are you? What is your style of learning? All these things come into play when you are determining the best method for you.

You also have to look at the school. How well do the students.

Remember, when you are looking for a good self defense school, you do not need to find the very best. That is a life long journey. You just need to find a good school that will show you how to effectively get the job done of defending yourself. Thats all.

Once you get that down, then, only if you choose to, you can begin searching for schools that can advance your techniques because you will know what to look for.

So in a nutshell, instead of searching for the ultimate style, just focus on finding a style that you think works well for you, and a school where the teacher is a good communicator who answers your questions and the students are good fighters.

Annoying Myth #2: You Can Become A Deadly Commando In Just a Few Days With this Take-Home Self Defense Course!

You have probably seen ads for these on the internet or in self defense magazines. Some top secret law enforcement or army guy tells you that they have the ultimate top secret self defense technique that will turn you into an army super soldier in days. Yet when you get them, what you learn does not live up to the hype.

Again, we are not attacking take home self defense courses. There are some very goods ones out there that, when used along with live martial arts training can really help you to improve your overall technique.

However, when a scam artist states that their course can deliver impossible results with very little training, you have to wonder. Our opinion is, when you see these offers, dont get over excited. They may have some very valid tips, but nothing that will make you a one man or woman army.

So, again, martial arts training from a school mixed with take home self defense courses can be very good if you get the right one. But take home self defense courses without proper training from a school can often be incomplete and leave you unprepared for a real life-death situation.

Annoying Myth #3: Your Own Two Hands Are Your Best Self Defense Weapon

This myth is absolutely ridiculous, and makes me angry more than anything. This myth states that there is no better self defense weapon than your own two hands and feet. And to me, there is no sillier of a myth than this.

For those of who self defense dreamers with Champaign wishes and caviar dreams, who think that this empty hand combat is the only way to go, allow me to elaborate...

You are walking down the street when an attacker tells you to get in the car. You tell them, I dont think so, and put up your dukes. The attacker then pulls out a gun. Who will be the victor?

I can almost guarantee you it will not be you.

Now, if you have been specially trained in the art of unarmed combat through the military, law enforcement, and martial arts you're chances are much better than that. However, those people know and understand the importance of using more than just your hands and feet.

Now don't be mistaken, training in any empty hand combat is an excellent idea. It conditions you, and shows you how to effectively defend yourself. However, empty hand combat should only be used as an absolute last defense.

The truth is the most effective self defense weapon you could use is not your hands or feet, or anything else for that matter. The most effective self defense weapon is your brain. In other words, good old fashioned common since.

Think about it for a second. If you had a choice of a way to stop a criminal dead in their tracks, I am sure you could think of about 3 or 4 that might be more effective then just using your bare hands.

For example, you might think of using a taser gun, to stop them dead in their tracks. Or you may want to use a pepper spray to shoot at them for 6 feet away. You could hit them with a stun gun and run like heck or you could pick up a stone or brick and throw it at them.

You see what we mean?

Too many people think that the world is a kung fu movie, when really its not. The real world thugs will not only hurt you, they will kill you and they don't care about your empty hand abilities or not. So you need to do as much as you can to legal stack the odds of survival in your favor.

But what happens if someone takes away my self defense weapon?

Well, there is a possibility that this could happen, but again, by educating yourself on self defense products you can greatly reduce the chance of you being harmed if this happens. For example, did you know that most stun guns have a disable pin that, once removed renders the device inoperable? That means they could never use your stun gun against you.

You may also want to think of the fact that having the advantages of having a self defense weapon on you far, far outweighs the disadvantages of not having anything to defend yourself with.

Think of a self defense weapon as the ultimate diversion. It is a doorway out of a difficult situation, so if you find yourself in a situation where someone is taking you self defense weapon away, don't tussle with them. Throw it at their face. Use it to your leverage and always, always, run as if your life depended on it, because in truth it does.

Nerode Abraham is a martial arts enthusiast, and has done extensive research on the area of self defense weaponry. You can find out more and purchase self defense products including Stun Guns, Taser Guns, and Pepper Spray [http://www.projectsecuritycorp.com] at Nerodes Website.

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Self Defense Weapon Pros and Cons

Choosing A Self Defense Weapon

If you don't have military or police background, and aren't a big fan of that movie where people purposely hurt themselves, you probably have never seen a stun gun, taser, or pepper spray.

While I believe it's always best for a citizen to learn practical and effective empty-hand self-defense methods first, in some cases you may not have access to an instructor. And in other cases, it may not be practical for you to take a self defense class, due to physical limitations.

If this describes you, then you probably want some sort of self defense weapon that you can use right now to protect yourself. I understand, so I'm not going to sit here and tell you that you shouldn't buy something to use for that purpose - because it's your RIGHT to defend yourself!

But, if you don't really know what each device does, you may have a hard time deciding which product best fits your needs. So, here's a brief run down of each product category and what their capabilities are...

Self Defense Weapons And Their Pros And Cons

Defense Sprays - (a.k.a., "Mace", pepper spray, tear gas)

This is my number one recommendation for a simple self-defense tool that almost anyone can use effectively. If you've used an aerosol can, you can use a defense spray.

Defense sprays are chemical sprays that incapacitate an assailant by their irritant or inflammatory effect. The defense sprays that most sites offer mainly rely on an extract of hot pepper plants for their effectiveness. This extract is called Oleoresin Capsicum (OC). OC is an inflammatory agent that has an instantaneous effect when sprayed into the eyes and face of an assailant.

The heat from pepper extracts is measured in Scoville Heat Units. The typical jalapeno pepper rates at about 2,500 Scoville Heat Units, while the some of the sprays on this website rate at up to 2 million Scoville Heat Units. So, to get an idea of the effect of getting sprayed, just think about the last time you rubbed your eyes after handling a jalapeno pepper, and multiply that feeling by about eight hundred times!

Probably the best thing about Pepper Sprays is the fact that you can hit someone with a good spray from several feet away, and although it usually takes 20 to 30 minutes for the effect to wear off, there are no long-term ill effects from being sprayed.

If you do decide to purchase a defense spray, make sure you get a good, quality brand like Mace, and that you replace it every six months to ensure your spray will work when you need it.

Stun Guns -

A stun gun is a device that relies on a pulsed electrical current to incapacitate an assailant. They are highly effective at stopping an assailant in their tracks, and the loud crackling noise that they make when you hit the "on" switch can be very intimidating to a would be attacker.

As effective as they are, stun guns do require you to make actual physical contact with the assailant. The stun gun must be brought into contact with the assailant's body to exert its effect.

Also, a stun gun (like any weapon) can be turned against you. In addition, thick clothing can sometimes lessen the effect of the stun gun on an assailant.

For these reasons, I recommend you choose a good defense spray over a stun gun as a first line of defense. But, at close range where there is no room to spray the assailant without risking spraying yourself, a stun gun could possibly allow you the chance to escape.

Tasers -

Tasers are basically stun guns that work at a distance. Tasers fire a barbed dart (ouch!) that penetrates the assailant's skin. The dart is attached to the handheld unit by two wires that deliver the electrical impulse that disables the assailant.

Most have a fifteen-foot range and come in two designs. The first design looks a lot like the "phasers" that you have seen on Star Trek. This design costs less and is probably easier to aim if you have never fired a pistol. If you have ever used a remote control to change the channels on your TV, you can probably aim this type of taser.

The second taser design resembles a pistol, and operates in much the same manner, but is equivalent to the standard taser in all other respects.

There are two main drawbacks with tasers:

1. You have to hit your target.

2. You may only have one shot and one chance to do so.

Also, tasers tend to be expensive. The fact is, pepper sprays are easier to use, so when in doubt, just buy a can of pepper spray.

Other Self Defense Weapons -

Kubotans - A kubotan (also known as a "pocket stick") is a handheld device that attaches to your keychain. The effectiveness of the kubotan in delivering short, powerful strikes to an assailant's vital target areas is unquestionable... if you know what you're doing with it. Get training in empty-handed self defense first if you plan to buy a kubotan for self defense.

Personal Alarms - Personal alarms are devices that emit an extremely loud and high-pitched "whistle" when activated. Some include hidden switches that can ensure only the owner can deactivate the unit.

They are mainly useful for drawing attention to you if you are attacked, because the loud noise they make can bring unwanted attention to an attacker. No criminal wants to get caught, so the last thing they want is attention. At 120 to 150 decibels, personal alarms definitely draw a lot of attention.

Having said that, my take on them is that they are close to useless for self defense. My advice is to just buy a good alarm system for your home, and carry pepper spray with you in an easily deployed place on your body (preferably, on a key ring that you carry with the Mace can in your hand, ready to go).

Knives and Firearms - Are they effective? Of course. But, if you decide to carry a knife or firearm for personal protection I strongly encourage you to research and become familiar with the laws of your state first.

If your research leads you to believe it is a legal option in your area, the next logical step would be to seek expert instruction in their usage before you start to carry one for self-defense.

In future, we'll be offering advanced courses in knife defense and hand-gunning for home defense at select Self Defense Black Belt Program locations, so be sure to sign up for our newsletter on our site to stay informed on when those courses become available.

Mike Massie is the national director of operations for the Self Defense Black Belt Program(tm). The SDBBP is a comprehensive reality-based self defense program that offers realistic self-defense skills you can learn in as little as three to four months. You can find out more about the SDBBP and find a licensed facility offering the training at http://selfdefenseblackbelt.com/.

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Choosing The Right Self Defense Class

You just had a close call - you were waiting for the bus after staying at work late. The neighborhood gets a little rough after hours and a suspicious character approached you. Before things could escalate, a handful of people joined you at the stop. Still, the situation was enough for you to seriously consider how you would react to being attacked. Is it time for self-defense classes? It could be.

Self-defense classes are a common way for people to learn how to handle a situation where they become a victim to violence of one sort or another. There are several different types of self-defense classes available - from martial arts to simple self-defense classes, and it can be confusing trying to choose the one that is right for you.

Here are a few tips for you, to help choose a self-defense class that will deliver the knowledge you need to protect yourself:

o Investigate the different programs - If you don't have the time to spend learning a martial arts discipline, then maybe a weekend course that offers you techniques and other escape strategies will work for you. You don't necessarily need to physically defeat an opponent - you merely need to provide yourself an opportunity to escape safely.

o Good courses don't tell you what to do - Instead, good self defense courses provide you with simple techniques, information on the options you have when a situation arises, and also teach you how to analyze the type of danger you are in. Every situation is different, and you should not be fooled by those classes that give you the absolute answer for every situation.

o Find out the background of the instructor - Your instructor should have extensive experience in their field of self-defense. Discover if they have a self-defense philosophy that matches what you are trying to achieve. Ask if they mind if you sit in on a class or two to get a feel for the program. Then ask whatever questions you want of the program and the instructor. Find out as much information as you can before you make a decision on your self-defense class.

o It's not always about physical defense - You should find a course that offers you information on awareness of your surroundings, verbal confrontations, de-escalating a confrontation as well as physical techniques. The most successful self-defense classes for the average person encompass several different areas, and do not focus solely on physical defense.

o Get referrals - As with anything you are about to commit a significant amount of time and money into, you want to do as much research as you can. Talk to others who have taken self-defense classes and find out what they liked and what they didn't like. You can also talk to your local YMCA or YWCA, local colleges, and the area rape crisis center. They will often run classes or be able to offer you the names of people who can provide solid self-defense skills.

Take your time to find the right self-defense class. Determine what your needs are, and then begin your search from there. Martial arts may be the right way for you to go, or you might just want an evening course over a couple night to help you lean to defend yourself.

Any course you take should provide you with more than just a physical way out of a situation. Most courses will teach you how to recognize a situation and react as quickly as possible to avoid any danger altogether. In doing this, it gives you a feeling of power and confidence when you have to wait at the bus stop - next time it might be alone.

Visit us for your FREE subscription to the about-self-defense newsletter where you will get great information on various styles, weapons, classes, and self defense books and videos. Self Defense [http://www.about-self-defense.com]

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Are You Trying To Learn Self Defense? Here Are 5 Tips To Make Sure You're Training Is Street-Ready!

Are you serious about wanting to learn self defense - the kind of skills that will allow you to escape from an attacker who really wants to beat, break, or kill you? Effective street self-defense training is very different from what is typically being offered by the average martial arts, karate, or self defense class at the YMCA though.

Unfortunately, many students who get involved in martial arts or self protection classes with the intention to learn self defense, only end up being disappointed. They find out very quickly that what they are learning is either lessons for winning a trophy in a sporting contest loaded with rules, or...

...half-baked ideas from someone with absolutely no real-world self-defense experience whatsoever!

The problem with most self defense programs is that they focus almost entirely on technique, and not enough on teaching the student how to assess, control, and choose best options for specific encounters. If you are serious about developing skills that will allow you to survive a street attack, then you must learn self defense skills that go about step-by-step mechanics.

Here is a list of 5 considerations that your training must address for your self defense training system to be "street-ready," and worth the time, effort, and money that your pouring into it:

1) The techniques are based on defending against modern attacks and attackers - not 16th century Chinese, Japanese, or Korean warriors! You must make sure that you're self defense system is teaching you how to handle and survive against the most probable attacks that would be thrown at you TODAY - not hundreds of years ago!

2) Training is not limited to "classroom" or dojo ('martial arts training hall') study. Chances are that you're not going to be in a wide open space, in loose-fitting clothes and bare-feet when an angry, aggressive, or criminal attacker decides to jump on you!

3) Training assumes that you will be the under-dog, and not the superior fighter. No matter how much skill and ability you have, you must assume that when an attacker chooses you, that he or she already has the advantage - whether it be in size, strength, speed, ability, weapons, or allies that you don't know about!

4) Everything you do must at least consider the laws governing self-defense. If not, you may find yourself locked up instead of your attacker - charged with assault or murder - because you went too far!

5) Training must be "situational." You should be learning "options." You do not know who your attacker(s) will be, what the attack will look like, or where you will be, so you must train to handle as many situational contexts as possible!

Contrary to popular belief, or the sales messages being hyped up by so-called gurus online who are offering to teach you the ONE single move that will devastate any attacker - any time, the reality is that...

Effective self defense requires more than just a few "karate moves." It involves the ability to think strategically, and understand how to defend yourself with as little wear-and-tear on you as possible.

If you really want to know what most people don't know about how to master self defense and how to survive a real street attack, read my newest self defense book: "Fight Smarter - Not Harder!" It's available free at: http://www.warrior-concepts-online.com/street-fighting-self-defense-book.html

Jeffrey M. Miller SPS, DTI, is an internationally-known self defense expert. Each month he teaches literally thousands of students through live seminars, corporate training events, and his online self defense courses, the lessons to be able to survive in Today's often dangerous world.

Self Defense Moves - Seven Topics Across Seven Levels in Silat Training System

The self defense moves in silat syllabus are divided into seven levels. Each level concentrates on specific self defense skills. The levels are marked with belt just like any other self defense or martial art. Those seven levels are white belt, blue belt, brown belt, yellow belt, green belt, red belt and black belt. For every level, each silat exponent needs to master seven topics which emphasize in specific required skills in that level. The seven topics are; Bunga (which teach the exponent how to master the defensive and striking position), Jurus (which includes the art of attack and defense), the Belebat (which teach the students to art of the defensive and counter attack movements), Tapak (the routine on how to destroy your enemy through step pattern movements), Buah (the art of self defense), Tempur Seni (the art of self defense combat) and the Tempur Beladiri (the fast action of combat sparring).

Every silat exponents will starts to learn from the easy skills until advance skills across the seven levels. On the first level (white belt), the exponent will be given Anak Gelanggang or Beginner Silat Exponent title. In this level the students will learn on how to master the basic skills of silat, to balance between fitness and brightness of psychology, psychomotor control and also cognitive development. This consists of physical and mental approach that will combine with all positive aspects in silat activities.

At the second level (blue belt), the exponent will be given Pesilat Remaja or First Rank Junior Silat Exponent title. This level brings elements of self defense and more clearly how to apply their knowledge and unarmed self defense skills either in martial arts performances or competitions. Silat exponent will be able to receive self defence moves skills to develop practical and cultivation of moral values in more effective methods. The aim is to produce a harmony community and well mannered exponent in order to develop strong self-esteem to succeed.

While, the third level (brown belt), the exponent will be given Pesilat Perkasa or Second Rank Junior Silat Exponent title. This level focused on the basic motion, method, manner and Silat as Malaysian self defense. This level also emphasize on strengthening the nation in terms of arts, self defense and traditional martial arts sport.

At the fourth level (yellow belt), the exponent will be given Pesilat Muda or Young Silat Exponent title. This level objective is to strengthen the Malaysian Silat methods in terms of motion, method, manner and form of self defense. At the same time the silat exponent will inheritance the knowledge of silat essences, practices and skills of martial arts that developed from Bunga; which form the Silat self defense skills, martial arts and martial sports. Silat establish movements that embedded positive values, which can form a healthy lifestyle.

At the fifth level (green belt), the exponent will be given Pesilat or Silat Exponent title. This level will teach the exponent to unite the martial arts and self defense moves particularly catching methods followed by striking, topple down, locking and counter attack techniques. This counter attack skill also known as 'pelepas' or self release technique. Silat exponent also will learn how to use the step pattern known as 'melilit' or circling around the enemy in order to expand the self defense technique. The silat exponent will be introduced to 'Sikap Pendekar' or Warrior's Attitude as the way of life either throughout physical or spiritual aspects; A warrior is a being who has knowledge, practices and is skilful in silat internally (spiritually) and externally (physically), based on the Malay custom, arts and culture in parallel with syarak, one that uses his knowledge and crafts at the right place for justice and peace with a calm soul with physical properties based on the spirit of a chivalrous majestic warrior. This Warrior's Attitude was written by Pendita Anuar Abdul Wahab, the founder of Silat Malaysia.

At the sixth level (red belt), the exponent will be given Pendekar Muda or Junior Warrior title. At this level the silat exponent will learn the weaponry system which emphasis on 'penyerang aktif' or active silat exponent methods. This method is a powerful method particularly to defense you against 3 or more enemies. As silat also known as the art of war, this concept is derived from weaponry methods. Normally, the exponents will train to use multi-weapon at this stage of training. The weaponry training starts during Tempur Seni session. The 'kaedah pemotong' or 'penyerang aktif' then will be developed unto Tempur Beladiri (combat training). As silat derived from human anatomy movements, it will perfect every silat training activities in purposed of self defense.

At the seventh level (black belt), the exponent will be given Pendekar or Warrior title. At this stage the warrior will be given the Silat knowledge that origins from the art of war from multiple aspects of knowledge, practice and traditional weapon skills system. The Malay warrior attitude is the same in Warrior's Attitude. The warrior also will be train to become silat guru to implement the self defense moves education to others. They are also exposed to science teaching, management, spiritual, technical and co-curriculum in purpose to strengthen community, religion, race and nation.

This article was submitted by Cikgu Nizam, an expert and world leading self defense coach online. Did you find these tips on self defense moves article useful? Find out more about self defense by going to http://www.SelfDefenseKnife.org

Are you Mentally Prepared for Combat?

Many people study martial arts and practice their moves and truly believe that they are ready to inflict harm upon another individual, including death, in defense of their own, or a loved one’s life.  They believe that because they have pretended to jab someone eyes with their finger, crush their throat; dislocate their elbow like Steven Seagal, etc, they will be able to do it in a real life and death situation. Let me tell you that reality is nothing like the classroom or dojo. Shadow boxing techniques or pretending in the dojo does not prepare you for the reality of combat. 

I remember the first time I saw a man stabbed up close.  I was in the 10^th grade growing up in Chicago.  One of my so called friends used to bully me and another friend.  One day my other friend being bullied (we’ll call him John) showed me a knife he had and told me if the bully (we’ll call him Frank) messed with him that day he was going to cut him.  I thought John was just blowing smoke, but he wasn’t.  Not ten minutes later Frank came down the stairs in our school hall and the first thing he did was push John in his face.  In a split second John pull the knife from his pocket and started stabbing Frank with short quick jabs.  Frank reached down and grabbed the knife and actually broke the blade from the hilt (cheap knife).  The fight continued until others and I broke it up.  I was just inches away when this happened.  The result was John being expelled from the school, Frank lost the use of several fingers from grabbing the knife, and I never knew what happened to the stomach wounds.  I had to go to court as a witness to the whole thing. Since then, I have seen the result of many knife attacks and have been the victim of a knife attack myself and was once even attacked with a sword by a drug dealer when I was an undercover drug agent in Michigan.

Throughout the course of self defense training, there is so much emphasis placed upon learning the specifics of each move that the mental preparation often gets overlooked. However, preparing your mind for combat is just as important as preparing your body. I will tell you that you never know how you will react in battle, but you can mentally prepare yourself for that possibility with proper self defense training. 

Here is a closer look at some different ways that the mental aspects of defending yourself will affect your physical abilities. It doesn't matter how much you train, the first time you have to use your techniques in a real situation is unlike anything you have experienced. I remember the first time I dislocated a guy’s finger when he grabbed me in combat.  I used a technique I had used many times in mock battle in my Combat Hapkido training.  But until now these techniques had been in slow motion.  His finger dislocated so quickly and so easily that I actually screamed louder than he did.  In true battle your body will get pumped full of adrenaline and your mind will start racing with fear. You will begin to wonder if the techniques you have learned, been practicing, and want to use will actually work.  It is at this point that your mind either reacts and draws upon your self defense training or simply overload and freeze. In law enforcement we call this tunnel vision.  If your mind freezes, your body has no choice but to hesitate. If you hesitate, your attacker will have the edge over you, which is the last thing you want in a combat situation. Unfortunately, there isn't a lot you can do to prepare for this, however knowing that this will, not might, happen, will help you cope with the adrenaline rush that comes with this fight or flight moment.

It is very important that you practice self defense because this training will make you more prepared for combat than the average citizen who is not used to combat and will fold with the first blow. The unfortunate truth is you will likely be attacked when you least expect it. The attacker will use the element of surprise to gain an immediate advantage over you, which is what he expects with his attack.  However, by studying as best you can for such attacks and staying mentally alert of your surroundings, you can eliminate this edge. When I go out to eat at a restaurant I still sit facing the door so that I can see trouble coming.  You will be prepared to react immediately to any situation that arises.  If you don’t have a good idea of your surroundings, when attacked, your first few moments will be spent analyzing your surroundings and opponent, instead of taking immediate action.

The biggest consequence of ignoring the mental aspects of self defense is that you will not do what you want to do when attacked. Your mind controls your body’s natural reactions. If you completely ignore the mental aspects associated with defending yourself, your body will simply not be prepared to react to your mind the way that it should and will shut down. Your reaction will not be in unison with your mind.  I have been in situations where the adrenaline was pumping and my body was shaking uncontrollably and I could not react as I wanted.  Luckily as a special agent I am trained to break that tunnel vision and move on with my attack and defense.   When it comes to defending yourself your mind and body need to work in unison.

Hopefully, you now have a better understanding of how mental preparation through self defense training affects your ability to protect yourself. Three benefits of mental preparation include:

1.      Preventing your mind from freezing,

2.      Being more aware of your surroundings, and

3.      Making sure that your mind and body are in sync

Armed with this new knowledge, you can ensure through your self defense training you are focused on both the physical and mental aspects of defending yourself.

If you want some of the best training to prepare yourself for any self defense situation I of course recommend my courses Special Agent Combative System or Brutal Beyond Belief.  In these courses I eliminate the fluff and teach only what works based on my 30 years experience.  You can see them on my website at http://www.specialagentcombativesystem.com.

Another great self defense course is “Street Fighting Uncaged”.  Jeff Anderson is the creator of this course and like me he is self defense expert, decorated combat veteran, and a security professional.  His course teaches the secrets that are only known by hardened gangbangers, prison inmates, and a handful of "dangerous men" who fight for a living and it combines every technique, every move and every strategy you’ll ever need to know to help destroy your opponent in a real life street fight.  

Get it Here Now!