Most people’s goals when it comes to personal safety are to keep themselves and their loved ones out of harms way. Martial arts, self defense courses and handgun ownership is the American way of personal protection. However, does owning a handgun or participating in these activities have real-world application?
I have studied a number of martial arts disciplines am a handgun permit holder. I do not want to be misunderstood. Martial arts, gun clubs and self defense programs are great disciplines and wonderful sports. Most of these programs teach discipline and are character building. They provide good exercise, social skills and expand knowledge. Some studies suggest martial arts may even reduce hostility.
For the disciplined enthusiast, these activities will certainly provide excellent self defense skills. But at what cost? And for the average person will they adequately prepare the occasional participant for real-life violence? The answer, unfortunately, is that they do not.
When, during your martial arts class, did anyone ever swing a chair at your head, or try to push you forcefully into a car, or wake you in the middle of the night with a knife to your throat? These are examples of real-life violence.
• Do martial arts programs understand the relationship that exists between the brain and the body under high stress?
• Is the gun club able to appropriately identify the primary characteristics of violent crime?
• Does the gun club acknowledge that most self defense shootings occur in low or no-light conditions?
• Do they know what criminals look for in victims?
Does the self defense program understand the recognizable clues of body language?
• Have they practiced the art of interpersonal communications and de-escalation?
• Have they given any thought to unexpected emergencies and emergency planning?
Most of these issues are not even discussed, much less part of the curriculum. However, they are all vital in today’s widening concerns about what personal safety entails.
There is value in learning how to shoot a handgun and under what conditions it might be appropriate and legal. But the core of personal safety is not in learning fighting and defensive techniques. The essence of personal safety is cognitive. How the brain recognizes, processes, interprets and acts on information will always trump technique. For it is there, in the decision-making process, that outcomes are formed.
Research into violent crime and interviews with victims reveal that many violent encounters can be avoided, by knowing what to look for. Anyone interested in their own personal safety should be prepared to respond to unexpected violence with strategies and techniques that are simple yet very effective should they find themselves in a situation that they cannot immediately escape.
Martial arts styles emphasize motor skills, often employing techniques which require fine and complex motor skills - which are unavailable to most people when placed in high-stress situations. A good self-defense program should focus on motor skills the average person can remember, and quickly perform, in unexpected situations.
Translation: there needs to be an emphasis on gross motor skills, which are available to most people when under high stress. This is often referred to as the Flight or Fight Syndrome.
We must also recognize how the brain works. When confronted with any task, the brain “scrolls” through its data base to find applicable principles to apply to the task. If there is nothing in the data base that is applicable, the brain stalls and does not know what to do.
Therein lays the importance of training. The quiz is: what type of training will best serve an individual in regards to personal safety?
Many states are now considering passing legislation commonly referred to as the “Castle Law” or “Castle Doctrine”. Generally, these laws provide a legal standing for civilians not to retreat when confronted by an assailant. It also allows for reasonable force in defense of their own life or another’s. In addition, it often time removes civil liability for the outcome. In some states, this law is reserved for the home. In other states, it extends outside of the home.
Civilians, under this law can stand their ground rather than retreating, using reasonable force. What it reasonable? Here is another shortcoming in traditional training. They do not teach the participant what is reasonable.
When planning for your own safety, your loved ones or that of your organization or company, please consider taking a holistic view by answering the following questions:
1. What does the law allow me to do?
2. What legal obligations do I have?
3. Are there policies (in my work environment) that restrict my legal abilities?
4. What is it that I need to protect myself from? Example: if I live in New Orleans, it might be prudent to have an inflatable raft and several days food supply on hand. Therefore, emergency planning might be part of my overall personal protection plan.
5. Do I need to consider emergency planning in addition to self defense?
6. Have I identified my critical assets?
7. Do I need to purchase a handgun? Do I need to apply for a permit to carry? Note: statistically, it is much more likely you will lay your hands on someone using reasonable force than pointing a handgun at an adversary.
8. If I decide I need to learn self defense, is it a program that addresses many of the needs outlined in this article, or does it just focus on technique?
This is not the world we grew up in. For instance, it is estimated that the world is experiencing four times the number of natural disasters with significantly greater loss than several decades ago. There are changing demographics and geopolitical circumstances that should impact the ways and methods we use to embrace personal safety. Be enlightened when it comes to choosing yours.
Terry Hipp is a career veteran of the Criminal Justice System. He serves as the CEO and Sr. Director of Training & Education at Assault Prevention LLC.
For more than 25 years, Assault Prevention has helped individuals, groups, and organizations proactively plan for successful mitigation of unexpected violence and emergencies-and as a result, bring about a sense of control to their daily lives.
He may be contacted at:
AssaultPrevention.ORG
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