I just found this great video on self defense weapons. Unlike some of the other videos, this isn't just some long winded and boring listing of various weapons. Instead it really talks about the best kind of weapons to consider using AND talks a little about how to use them.
It's only 8 minutes long and it's very good. Anyway, check it out by Clicking Here Now.
And I'm doing a test relating to something with this post. If you could share this post with others on Google+ or Facebook that would be great and it would help me test something. I've never asked for this before but again, I'm simply testing something out. Please share this video with your friends that may be interested.
Showing posts with label self defense. Show all posts
Showing posts with label self defense. Show all posts
Monday, September 2, 2013
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
The truth about survival self-defense
However, how much time I spend teaching survival techniques and tactics means that I get to interface with a lot of people. Because of how I do "testing" with what I teach it also means that I get to see how people are likely to react in live survival situations.
I've said this before in the past, and I'm going to say it again. If you are thinking of your firearm as a self-defense weapon you are probably making a HUGE mistake. Amazingly few people can kill a wild animal when they are half starved. Squeezing a trigger on a human you're looking right at is quite a bit more difficult.
The thing is, I see it ALL THE TIME. People who say they can go hunting and kill an animal even though they've never been. But when push comes to shove, killing another living thing IS NOT EASY.
Killing another human being is VERY hard. Why else do you think soldiers come back so mentally messed up? It's the killing of other humans that does it. It's the knowledge that every time the trigger is squeezed you're trying to kill someone.
Even soldiers who have spent their childhood with a parent out hunting in the woods and killing various and sundry wild animals STILL come back from having to kill people messed up mentally.
It is something not spoken about at all, but without exception, every single special operations soldier I have ever known (myself included) has got some issues from killing people. Yes, it's true that most of us do a very good job of hiding it, but the problems are still there.
So let me give you the truth about surviving ... and the whole "prepping" thing in general.
If you aren't actively studying a method of self defense then I honestly have no idea what you think you're prepping for. If you have a bunch of food and a starving mob figures out that you have it, do you really think they aren't going to try and take it from you? (which by the way, did you know that stock piling food is now ILLEGAL ... a post on that hopefully soon)
Not only that, actually practicing self defense is particularly important for women. In a SHTF situation your ammo won't last forever no matter how much you have, sooner or later it's going to run out. Then what?
Now, let me give you another truth ... most forms of "self defense" won't actually help you to defend yourself much in a down and dirty fight. for your life.
When it comes to self defense, the only forms that matter are Krav Maga (easily the best), Brazilian Jui-Jitsu (of particular benefit for women) ... and possibly Eskima (which is tough to find outside the Phillipines).
If you have a Krav Maga studio ... and I mean a REAL Krav Maga studio that has instructors licensed and trained through krav maga global ... then whether a man or woman this is without question your best option. The great thing about Krav Maga is it is AMAZING at teaching "situational awareness" as well.
If you can afford it, throwing in a couple of months of Brazilian Jui-Jitsu a couple of times a year is also advised as well, again especially for women.
If you can't defend yourself hand-to-hand then you aren't actually prepping for any sort of disaster. If you are a man and you aren't making VERY sure that the women around you can defend themselves then you are just asking to have survivors guilt if there is a disaster.
BOTTOM LINE:
Self defense is probably THE MOST IMPORTANT aspect of being a prepper. And please don't think of your firearm as an actual method of self defense. It probably isn't.
Saturday, January 14, 2012
The problem with "make" instead of "stock pile"
Should there be some kind of natural disaster or something that forces me and my family to bug out (called the shit hitting the fan, or TSHTF for those new to this whole thing), I'm the kind of prepper that doesn't stock pile a whole lot. I want to grow, make, create, or hunt what I need.
There are a lot of pros and cons to this. On the Pro side, prepping this way is decidedly less expensive. Not only that, but learning how to create, I'm not even dependent on my specific bug out locations (BOLs) and could really bug out anywhere.
That said, doing things this way does have its Cons. The biggest of which to my mind is in "operations security" (OPSEC). In other words, gardens are visible. I live in ski country so my garden would need a green house during much of the year... which is still yet more visible.
Now, I have a plan for dealing with those things "as much as possible".
What I'm getting at here with this quick Saturday post is that there is no "perfect" or "right" way to prep and each method has its separate pros and cons. What is VITAL is for you to understand is the weak points are with even the METHOD you are using to prepare for some kind of disaster.
Knowing where you're weak can help you either fill those weak points or somehow use those weaknesses as an advantage.
There are a lot of pros and cons to this. On the Pro side, prepping this way is decidedly less expensive. Not only that, but learning how to create, I'm not even dependent on my specific bug out locations (BOLs) and could really bug out anywhere.
That said, doing things this way does have its Cons. The biggest of which to my mind is in "operations security" (OPSEC). In other words, gardens are visible. I live in ski country so my garden would need a green house during much of the year... which is still yet more visible.
Now, I have a plan for dealing with those things "as much as possible".
What I'm getting at here with this quick Saturday post is that there is no "perfect" or "right" way to prep and each method has its separate pros and cons. What is VITAL is for you to understand is the weak points are with even the METHOD you are using to prepare for some kind of disaster.
Knowing where you're weak can help you either fill those weak points or somehow use those weaknesses as an advantage.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
It's about awareness
When it comes to survival, like I've said a few times now self defense is important.
And when it comes to self defense, awareness is a major piece of that. In the military it's actually called "situational awareness."
At any given point in time, you need to know who is around you, what do they look like, how are they moving? What are your options should there be a physical encounter (e.g. a fight)?
What weapons are immediately at hand?
How far away is it? What kind?
Now here's the thing about that ... some "weapons" don't appear to be a weapon at all.
As an example, a decent sized heavy book is actually a VERY powerful weapon and often there are books all over the place.
It's about being aware of your options.
Further awareness is also about your ability to determine something as a possible weapon (or shield) that others may not consider.
My last point on this ... situational awareness is a SKILL that must be honed. You have to work on it.
Pay attention to the cars around you when you drive, what kind they are ... and by "around" I mean within a quarter mile if you're on a major road or interstate.
When you are walking or in a store, how many people are there, what do they look like? WORK on it, be aware of who is around you and what they are doing. Be aware and develop this skill.
And when it comes to self defense, awareness is a major piece of that. In the military it's actually called "situational awareness."
At any given point in time, you need to know who is around you, what do they look like, how are they moving? What are your options should there be a physical encounter (e.g. a fight)?
What weapons are immediately at hand?
How far away is it? What kind?
Now here's the thing about that ... some "weapons" don't appear to be a weapon at all.
As an example, a decent sized heavy book is actually a VERY powerful weapon and often there are books all over the place.
It's about being aware of your options.
Further awareness is also about your ability to determine something as a possible weapon (or shield) that others may not consider.
My last point on this ... situational awareness is a SKILL that must be honed. You have to work on it.
Pay attention to the cars around you when you drive, what kind they are ... and by "around" I mean within a quarter mile if you're on a major road or interstate.
When you are walking or in a store, how many people are there, what do they look like? WORK on it, be aware of who is around you and what they are doing. Be aware and develop this skill.
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
The Male Mistake
With a firearm in our hands we men can feel pretty invulnerable, especially if we know how to use it properly.
The problem with a firearm as a weapon of self defense is that VERY few adults can actually shoot someone without a fair bit of hesitation. The military has to spend time training this natural hesitancy out of its infantry.
An adult typically understands what it means to squeeze the trigger in a way a child does not. Believe it or not, a well trained, reasonably accurate marksman of a 10 year old child will find a firearm more valuable as a personal safety weapon than a 40 year old Dad. The 10 year old is much less likely to hesitate should the need arise than the 40 year old.
This is exactly why I have spent most of my posts here on a blog about survival on self defense. In my opinion, someone planning to survive a disaster that can't adequately defend themself isn't really planning to survive a disaster.
That means men need a way of defending themselves against other men. Personally, I really like a plain old walking stick. It doesn't look like a "weapon" the way a knife does (thus potentially lulling an attacker into a false sense of security) but when used correctly can cause insane damage.
Now here's the thing. Far too many people swing for the head or even the body. The truth is, you want to go after arms and especially legs. A male will need to keep another male "at distance" until the attacker is disabled and can then move in to incapacitate.
So, if you're a man do you have a hardwood, decent length walking stick as part of your bug out bag?
The problem with a firearm as a weapon of self defense is that VERY few adults can actually shoot someone without a fair bit of hesitation. The military has to spend time training this natural hesitancy out of its infantry.
An adult typically understands what it means to squeeze the trigger in a way a child does not. Believe it or not, a well trained, reasonably accurate marksman of a 10 year old child will find a firearm more valuable as a personal safety weapon than a 40 year old Dad. The 10 year old is much less likely to hesitate should the need arise than the 40 year old.
This is exactly why I have spent most of my posts here on a blog about survival on self defense. In my opinion, someone planning to survive a disaster that can't adequately defend themself isn't really planning to survive a disaster.
That means men need a way of defending themselves against other men. Personally, I really like a plain old walking stick. It doesn't look like a "weapon" the way a knife does (thus potentially lulling an attacker into a false sense of security) but when used correctly can cause insane damage.
Now here's the thing. Far too many people swing for the head or even the body. The truth is, you want to go after arms and especially legs. A male will need to keep another male "at distance" until the attacker is disabled and can then move in to incapacitate.
So, if you're a man do you have a hardwood, decent length walking stick as part of your bug out bag?
Monday, December 26, 2011
Where women go wrong in defending against a man
When women try to defend themselves against a man, they will often try to keep the man away from them. They will lash out, often trying a kick at the groin, and then running away.
This is a HUGE mistake. First, it's much harder than most women believe to actually kick the groin. So what happens is that only the inner thigh somewhere is hit, which does hurt a little. But now, when she runs away, she's dealing with someone that is now going to be much more aware of potential attacks and will be ready for them. Not to mention being much more likely to react violently.
A woman needs to keep a male attacker VERY close until he is absolutely incapacitated. At arms length distance, a woman has preciously little hope of defeating a man. At elbows length distance however things are different.
In fact, ideally a woman will get a man so close to her that she can raise her foot and stomp down on the top of his without him even seeing it happen until the small bones along the top of his foot break and he's in excruciating pain. The top of the foot has a lot of small bones, is easy to hit, and even the strongest "jack boots" don't protect this area very well.
Now that he's suddenly in pain and bending down, the next areas to think about are the nose or the back of the neck, depending on his reaction. Even a relatively tiny woman can easily knock a full grown man out with a blow to the base of the skull.
Or, if it's the nose, kicking the head back (even if you don't break it) then leaves the man little ability to defend against a KNEE to the groin.
At no time should a woman try to "kick with her foot" at the groin of a man. A knee however is entirely different, especially if his head is back or he's back pedalling because he just got smashed in the nose.
Finally, once a woman has started something like this SHE CAN NOT STOP until he is on the ground and absolutely not moving. Keep attacking, keep going after the back of the neck, the throat (strikes, not strangles), even the abdomen if he's fallen and the woman is on her feet (stomping down on someone's stomach is likely to leave them unable to move very far for a while).
Bottom line ... the age old saying "keep your enemies close" applies here. If you're a woman then you want a male attacker as close to you as possible until he has no ability to even get up and walk after you, let alone chase you.
This is a HUGE mistake. First, it's much harder than most women believe to actually kick the groin. So what happens is that only the inner thigh somewhere is hit, which does hurt a little. But now, when she runs away, she's dealing with someone that is now going to be much more aware of potential attacks and will be ready for them. Not to mention being much more likely to react violently.
A woman needs to keep a male attacker VERY close until he is absolutely incapacitated. At arms length distance, a woman has preciously little hope of defeating a man. At elbows length distance however things are different.
In fact, ideally a woman will get a man so close to her that she can raise her foot and stomp down on the top of his without him even seeing it happen until the small bones along the top of his foot break and he's in excruciating pain. The top of the foot has a lot of small bones, is easy to hit, and even the strongest "jack boots" don't protect this area very well.
Now that he's suddenly in pain and bending down, the next areas to think about are the nose or the back of the neck, depending on his reaction. Even a relatively tiny woman can easily knock a full grown man out with a blow to the base of the skull.
Or, if it's the nose, kicking the head back (even if you don't break it) then leaves the man little ability to defend against a KNEE to the groin.
At no time should a woman try to "kick with her foot" at the groin of a man. A knee however is entirely different, especially if his head is back or he's back pedalling because he just got smashed in the nose.
Finally, once a woman has started something like this SHE CAN NOT STOP until he is on the ground and absolutely not moving. Keep attacking, keep going after the back of the neck, the throat (strikes, not strangles), even the abdomen if he's fallen and the woman is on her feet (stomping down on someone's stomach is likely to leave them unable to move very far for a while).
Bottom line ... the age old saying "keep your enemies close" applies here. If you're a woman then you want a male attacker as close to you as possible until he has no ability to even get up and walk after you, let alone chase you.
Friday, December 16, 2011
Survival starts with self defense
In far too many cases online, I see "survival" sites talking about survival in terms of food and water, "bug out bags", starting fires, and so on. In those few cases where self defense is talked about, it's in terms of using some kind of firearm.
The problem is that not many people can easily shoot another person. For that matter a fairly significant portion of people can't even shoot an animal, let alone a person.
That means if your primary mechanism of self defense is your firearm then you are actually extremely vulnerable to an attacker.
You see here's the problem, while having food and water to survive a disaster is important ... it's EVERY BIT IF NOT MORE important to be able to defend the food and water that you have.
Fire's create light and often smoke, both of which are fairly easy to see from a long distance in the event "the grid is down" or you have "bugged out" and you're in the woods or something. That means in the event of some kind of event which requires you to use your survival skills the only question is, "how long will it take until I must defend myself, my family, my food, and my water?"
The question is not IF you will need defense ... only when you will need to do it. And in the event of massive civil unrest, you can count on that happening much sooner rather than later. Not only that, unrest happens with very little real warning which means you may find yourself in a situation of having to defend yourself quite quickly.
Where it becomes even more important is with women. A woman NEEDS to know how to defend herself against a man. Where it gets really ugly is that most martial arts and MMA classes will not teach anything remotely close to the correct strategies and techniques a woman needs.
A woman attempting to use normal martial arts, or even some of the more extreme MMA techniques is going to get hurt.
I'm going to try, in later posts, to talk about self defense for both men and women separately.
Then I'm going to cover PROPER techniques for how to correctly shoot a firearm.
And of course I'll get into firebuilding, what should go in a "bug out bag", and those sorts of things as well.
If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment and ask.
The problem is that not many people can easily shoot another person. For that matter a fairly significant portion of people can't even shoot an animal, let alone a person.
That means if your primary mechanism of self defense is your firearm then you are actually extremely vulnerable to an attacker.
You see here's the problem, while having food and water to survive a disaster is important ... it's EVERY BIT IF NOT MORE important to be able to defend the food and water that you have.
Fire's create light and often smoke, both of which are fairly easy to see from a long distance in the event "the grid is down" or you have "bugged out" and you're in the woods or something. That means in the event of some kind of event which requires you to use your survival skills the only question is, "how long will it take until I must defend myself, my family, my food, and my water?"
The question is not IF you will need defense ... only when you will need to do it. And in the event of massive civil unrest, you can count on that happening much sooner rather than later. Not only that, unrest happens with very little real warning which means you may find yourself in a situation of having to defend yourself quite quickly.
Where it becomes even more important is with women. A woman NEEDS to know how to defend herself against a man. Where it gets really ugly is that most martial arts and MMA classes will not teach anything remotely close to the correct strategies and techniques a woman needs.
A woman attempting to use normal martial arts, or even some of the more extreme MMA techniques is going to get hurt.
I'm going to try, in later posts, to talk about self defense for both men and women separately.
Then I'm going to cover PROPER techniques for how to correctly shoot a firearm.
And of course I'll get into firebuilding, what should go in a "bug out bag", and those sorts of things as well.
If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment and ask.
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