What’s Self Defense? A subset of survival, self defense isn’t a technique or piece of gear – although those things help. Self Defense is best described as “THE ACT OF DEFENDING ONESELF, ONES PROPERTY, OR ONES CLOSE RELATIVES”; Or “a legal plea of the aforementioned as legal justification for deadly force”.
Take note
It’s an ACT not an ART. To fully comprehend this you need to understand the distinction between a doctrine, strategies, techniques and strategy; particularly the way they apply to Self Defense. Consider Philosophy as the simplest beliefs, theories, and attitudes of an individual or group. When we discuss the doctrine of self defense we’re referring to the basic belief that you’re accountable for your own life, your property, and your immediate family like your mom or your child.
Strategy is an adaptation or complex of adaptations (as of behaviour, metabolism, or construction) that functions or appears to serve an important role in achieving evolutionary success. Strategies like instruction, mental preparation, avoidance, and risk management are an essential part of securing your security and providing you with a feeling of that security.
Tactics
Tactics are the art or skill of employing available means to accomplish an end. An example of this in self defense is knowing what to do and when to do it, when to not do something, and what impact one can anticipate. As an example, if somebody tries to stuff you into the trunk of the vehicle, gouging out their attention is acceptable and will have a predictable effect.
Doing the same thing in a debate over who jumped in front of you at the ticket counter isn’t appropriate, but will nevertheless have a predictable effect. Techniques are the way technical details are handled (as by a writer) or basic bodily movements are used (like a dancer); also: ability to take care of such particulars or use such motions. As an example, understanding how to leave an individual unconscious, break their skull, or make them let go of your hands is merely knowledge of techniques. Knowing when you can, should, and will employ each falls under strategies, strategy, and doctrine.
Good to know
What is a Self Defense Class or Course? A Self Defense course or class should cover the fundamental doctrine of self defense (otherwise why teach it?) , The Strategies of the course (which should include avoidance and non-violent solutions), Tactics (these can be specific to the path – an armed self defense class will teach marksmanship and weapons retention), and techniques (such as how to maintain a pistol, the way to break a limb, or how to use pepper spray).
Unfortunately many courses you may find will tout themselves as the “be all-end all” of self defense when they are actually designed as a game or art form, or simply tackle one facet of the notion of surviving a violent assault. Just like I do not want Michelangelo to paint my home (it costs too much and takes too long)I do not think taking kickboxing classes for the rest of my life will spare me at a straight out attack tomorrow. I am not saying that studying a martial art, or training in and engaging in a game is bad- I promote it! It does not hurt to understand and improve in your physical capabilities. You need to understand though that the attention of an art or game is different than that of Self Defense.
Did you know?
Oftentimes Law Enforcement Officers will learn self defense against their parent company – and the simple philosophy will change from self defense to apprehension- Quite simply you take to kill, but you hit a individual only in areas that won’t injure them along with your baton and then secure them for arrest. That philosophical change has gotten many officers injured or killed, along with many others in trouble since it’s a thought intensive paradigm change at a time as soon as your complex reasoning is at its worst (high strain and imminent danger).
Conclusion
So once you look for a program, search for one which does not depend on you having the ability to run away (that is an option, just not one you can always rely on) or one which dismisses doctrine, strategy and tactics to concentrate on techniques. Look for a course that teaches you how you can injure or nuetralize an attacker- not just”how a person could”. Look for a course that knows real violence, and takes the fact that when a 5 foot woman gets assaulted by a 6 foot guy, the only effective blows will be low blows, and kicking a guy when he is down is not”dirty” it is smart- you do not need to lift your leg too.