THE “STAR FORMATION.”  The Quick, Safe and Effective Countermeasure AGAINST THE EMOTIONALLY DISTURBED PERSON!

 

The next time you and your security team are confronted by an emotionally disturbed or otherwise out of control student, patient, inmate or subject you might want to consider trying my Star Formation Technique.  The STAR is ideal for efficiently and effectively using three or four staff members to control just about any disruptive or violent person in almost any type of environment.  As a matter of fact, the STAR is one of the few CQC (Close Quarter Combat) Countermeasures that works equally well in an environment as narrow as a prison cell and as wide open as a gymnasium.

 

The STAR (Safety Tactics Against Resistance) works off the conventional Triangulation Formation, where the Contact and Cover Officer operate from the strong-hand and off-hand Level 1 positions (they stand at the hypoteneuse of the triangle with the Bad Guy standing at the apex),  The contact officer uses Professional Communications (Pro Com) to attempt to chill the attacker, and, if de-escalation fails, the Cover Officer asks:  “Sir, is there anything I can say to get you to go along with the program today?  We really hope there is.”

 

If and when the violent subject refuses to go along with the program, the above Confirmation Question serves as the Star Signal – in other words, the signal for the security team to immediately for themselves into the Star:

 

1.      The Contact Officer slides one step to his/her left so that he/she is now in the subject’s Inside Position.

2.      Cover Officer 1 slides from the Off-Side 1 to Level 2 and grabs the subject’s hand and arm. 

3.      Cover Officer 2, who had moved onto the scene unobtrusively when the signal went out that a violent subject was being confronted, “appears” at the subject’s opposite hand and arm and also takes control.

4.      Cover Officer 3 appears “out of nowhere” at the subject’s Level 3, which is directly behind the subject.  He/she quickly displaces the subject’s balance by driving his/her shoulder into the Bad Guy’s hips and sliding both hands down the legs until he/she grabs the ankles an quickly lifts the Bad Guy off the ground in concert with Cover 1 and 2 who simultaneously pick the Bad Guy off the ground from their positions.

5.      The Contact Officer controls the subject’s torso by capturing him with both arms around the chest.  At all times, the Contact Officer talks to the subject and attempts to calm him/her.  Even if de-escalation is futile on the Bad Guy, by the way, it sure sounds good to witnesses, and, not unimportantly, sure looks and sounds great on camera.

6.      The Violent Subject is “gently” lifted off the ground and just as “gently” deposited face down on the ground, hopefully without injury.  Staff members should anticipate the subject to react violently to being grounded, but the STAR has an answer for that, also.  The Contact Officer vises the subject’s head with both knees, trapping it.  The Contact Officer gives authoritative verbal directions and augments the direction with Pressure Points (Pain Compliance).  One or both of the Cover Officers on the arms can perform what I call the Invisible Handcuffs (Pain Compliance on the Index Knuckle while sliding toward the Bad Guy’s head).  If necessary, Cover 3 can perform a Modified Figure-Four Leg Lock.

7.      The Violent Student, Inmate, Parolee, Patient, or Subject ain’t going nowhere, Dog.  Emphasis on nowhere.

 

A caveat.  For security staff working for schools, human service agencies, or hospitals, the STAR is only to be used when all else fails.  When the Bad Guy must be stopped now, otherwise not only the security staff will be endangered, but the population inside and outside of that agency!

 

Until the next post, stay safe.

Hammer

 

 

 

 

 

THE HAMMER FIST STRIKE – VERSATILE, EASY-TO-DO, AND DEVASTATING.

 

This month I am conducting another 4-week Self Defense for Women program.  I have 18 beautiful and energetic women, all of whom are committed to protecting themselves so they can enjoy the adventures and joys life has to offer.  The thought of some miscreant attacking, dragging off and killing any of them energizes me into giving them the best self protection techniques I know.

 

The problem in any class such as this, though, is to teach as many skills as possible in the short time I have them without teaching so many that they forget almost all of them when the time comes to use the skills.  It is a fact that the human mind can only absorb so much, and, worse, under stress, when the resting heart rate spikes from 70 BPM to about 250 BPM, it is only possible to retrieve a survival skill when the student has repeated the skill at least 25 times during training in correlation with the actual threat (The Condition/Stimulus Response Training Principle).

 

Thus, the Hammer Fist Strike.  Second only, in my opinion, to the extremely versatile Palm Heel Strike (which I have extolled in past posts), the Hammer Fist is a terrific strike for any woman to employ against any attacker who attempts to drag her away from the Initial Crime Scene (where she is found) to the deadly Secondary Crime Scene (where she is raped, injured, tortured and/or killed in an isolated, secluded environment)

 

WHY THE HAMMER FIST?

1. It is easy to use.  Easy to do.  Just make a strong fist, which anybody can do.  Strike with the bottom of the Hammer Fist on the opposite side where the thumb resides.  This creates a hard, unforgiving surface, much like the peen of a hammer.
2. It is very powerful because it is delivered in a downward motion, from shoulder height.  Imagine you are going to deliver the Hammer Fist through the target to the other side of the target.  If the woman/girl hits and sticks on the target – as opposed to bouncing off – the effect will be much more devastating.
3. It is also a relatively versatile strike.  Not only can it be delivered downward into the target, it can be driven backward into the genitals as the man attempts to grab the woman.
4. The Very, Very Vulnerable and Effective Targets include the :
   • NOSE.  The nose, in my opinion is one of the five Primary Targets (Groin/Eyes/Nose/(K)Nees/Throat).  Driving the Hammer Fist straight down on the nose will temporarily stop the attack because it will cause instant tearing, an inability to see, and, very likely, will break the nose.  The nose is always a great target because, no matter the size and strength of the attacker, he can not develop any resistance to the punch in his nose!  More than that, a good strike to the nose will result in overwhelming pain.  Think of this:  If you have ever been holding a baby and that child dropped his or her forehead onto your nose, you know how disorienting a strike to the nose can be, even when delivered by a baby (In a future post I will discuss the wonderful Head Butt To teh Nose.  A devsatating technique, by the way.
   • GROIN.  The groin is also a great Primary Target.  Striking the groin with even a deflected strike will still startle and distract the Bad Guy at the very least, giving the woman time and opportunity to deliver another strike.  A solid strike to the groin, however, will stop the attacker in his tracks!  How to do this?  Form the same Hammer Fist and imagine the Bad Guy is very close to you and standing behind you at a slight angle.  Simply drive the Hammer Fist  straight back (imagine you are facing away from a door and you wish to knock on that door with your fist.)
   • FLOATING RIBS.  Can’t get at the groin with the first strike?  No problem, deliver the same backward strike into his ribs.  The ribs are a Secondary Target, but the affect will be to open up other targets.

 

Remember.  One strike will hardly ever stop him!  Never stop hitting him until you are safe.

 

Until next time, stay safe.

 

Hammer

 

 

 

A STEP TOWARD REDUCING SCHOOL VIOLENCE, ESPECIALLY BULLYING!

 

Fact.  Eighty-six (plus) percent of all workplace violence, including school violence, could be prevented (OSHA, 2007) if warning signs of same would have been reported and/or acted upon.  This includes bullying, about which I recently posted, violence against teachers, suicides, and even some instances involving outside – seemingly unconnected violence spilling over into the school place. 

 

Bullying,, to me, ranks as a national disgrace.  Studies show that over 65% of children have been relentlessly and systematically bullied.  Physical and psychological violence.  It’s your guess which is worse.  To me, it’s both.  Think of this:  A child is triple victimized when he or she is bullied.

 

1. The child is victimized by the bullies (more often than not, the bully is joined by at least one other friend, plus one or two others cheering from the sidelines and coercing others to do likewise.
2. The child is victimized by his or her friends or fellow students who stand by and do nothing.
3. The child is victimized by the school system who through our educational history have either been incapable of stopping bullying within the school system, or. worse, have been unwilling to develop an effective system of reporting these ugly incidents (of bullying), investigating reports, and taking appropriate action in concert with parents.
4. There is a fourth dimension of betrayal.  This from parents who do not ask their child the right questions; who do not observe subtle and dynamic behavioral and emotional changes indicative of depression, hopelessness, anxiety, etc.  Parents, however, are not the issue in this particular post.

 

Why is this an issue today?  Two adolescents, victims of steady, unrelenting and cruel physical and emotional bullying, could only find the answer to their torture and inexorable anguish at the end of a rope, joining hundreds of other children who have taken similar routes in the past few years.

 

So, what can the schools do?  Your guess is probably as good as mine, but maybe here’s a start:

 

• Design, develop and engineer a reporting system that encourages and rewards students to report acts of bullying, or, for that matter, any other type of behavior that threatens the safety of students, teachers, etc.
• Honestly look into each reported incident without prejudice, presumptions and/or hidden agenda,
• Work in concert with all parents.  Make it easy and painless (anonymity?) to report problems with their children, to inquire about what their child is doing.
• Encourage counselors and teachers to contact parents regarding problematic behavior.
• Security Staff and teachers must be alert for any type of behavioral signs that violence, mischief, bullying, suicidal ideation is active.
• Schools need to develop and enforce a Counter-Bullying Protocol.

 

Next Post:  Bully-Be-Gone.  Realistic and doable steps that can stop the bully in his or her tracks!

 

Until Then.  Stay Safe.

Hammer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BULLYING – IS THERE AN ANSWER OUT THERE?

 

This is my pulpit, so why not use it?  I have written dozens of posts, an E-book, and taught numerous classes on counter-bullying strategies and techniques.  Matter of fact, this post started out to be a monograph on how to physically discourage or just plain stop the bull in his or her tracks.

 

But I’m at a loss, friends.  At a loss because, you see, two children, both around 11 years old, waited until their parents were asleep or away for a few minutes, then tossed a rope across something sturdy and high up, then hung themselves until their oh-so-young lives were gone.  Why?

 

Because they were victims of bullies.  That’s why.

 

I hear tell that over 65% of children are victims of bullying.  I figure, then, that there are many other children considering suicide mainly because they foresee no end to what is to them endless and relentless torture, humiliation and shame for as far as their eyes can see.  What might be worse – although I really have a tough time conjuring up anything that could possibly be worse than relentless pain and shame – is there seems to be no answers out there.

 

And, ironically, it is shame that might keep them from confiding in other about what is happening to them.  As a matter of fact, many of their best friends already know about them being bullied because the same best friends are (inert) bystanders and witnesses to the bullying and none of them stepped forward then when it meant the most.  Matter of fact, those best friends even joined in the laughing and mocking from the sidelines (because they wanted to appear to be on the bully’s side to prevent themselves from being bullied).

 

And, if they confided in school administration, teachers and/or counselors, nothing meaningful ever happened to the bullies, and, arguably, things got worse because of the inevitable revenge attack once the school bell rang.

 

What can be done?  Truly, I don’t know for sure; but I do know something must be done.  Parents must be more pro-active.  They must ask intelligent questions.  Maybe not like “Honey, are you being bullied at school?  Although that’s a start.  But probing questions about how things are going; who are your friends?  Tell us, what you did today at school, etc.  Just showing that type of interest every day can bring great results.  But, please, don’t stop at questions.  Observe.  Look for signs of depression.  Look for changes.  Is he eating less?  Caring less about hygiene?  Gone silent?   Gone from a good student to a poor student with slipping grades?  Don’t stop there, either.  Contact the school and ask questions.  Ask the administrators enough questions and be persistent and I guarantee they will start looking into things.

 

And the school.  Cripes, the school.  How about a Zero Tolerance Policy on bullying?  How about following through with a class or two?  Do something about it.

 

As for me. I will continue to put out my Bully-Be-Gone classes and posts.  It’s what I do.  But unless parents become Safety Coaches and teach their kids these skills and augment the skills with their love and support and total effort to extinguish the relentless pain, anguish and shame (and I have been there.  These are not meaningless words), bullies will continue to hold forth in our schools, playgrounds and neighborhoods, and we can expect to read and weep about more children at the end of the rope.

 

Please Stay Safe.

 

Hammer

 

 

 

 

ACTION AGAINST VIOLENCE

April 21, 2009

 

PROTECTING THE GIFT

 

In a recent post I talked about the abduction and murder of 13 year old Esme Kenney.  Esme was attacked on a public recreation path less than 500 yards from her Cincinnati, Ohio home.  Predictably, though, the child was not killed on the path, which was the initial crime scene.  That grisly act was committed in the nearby woods – the secondary crime scene.

 

The perplexing question has to be, what can a parent do to protect the child?  Of course, the second question must be what can the child do to prevent his or her abduction and/or murder?

 

Ordinarily, I would counsel the parent to constrain the child from going off by herself.  But 13 is about the age when parents begin to loosen the reins, so to speak, plus, the girl was only 200 yards from her house! 

 

Parents need to be aware the children have been taken from inside their own homes, swiped out of their front yards while the parents were inside.  It happens so damn quickly, and, worse, most sexual predators are deadly combination of out of control desires and seeker of thrills, that, often, the only thing that will deter the abductor is both parents to be right there.

 

So, once again I wonder what is the answer?  Truthfully, there is no “answer.”  Only strategies to maximize the survival quotient of your child and minimize the opportunity for the predator to strike.  If you have followed some of my posts, you also know there must be strategies for the child to fall back on if and when she or he is attacked.

 

• Parents who intend to safeguard their child must take the role of Safety Coaches.
• Safety Coaches need to provide full time encouragement, support and survival training for their child.
• Recommended Safety Coach’s Curriculum.

Ø     Play the “What If Game” with the child.  Make it fun and as non-threatening as possible.  The coach feeds the child situations involving other adults and the child comes up with responses as to what he/she would do.

Ø     Talk to the child about adults and which of them the child should trust or not trust.  Come up with categories that indicate those whom the child should trust – a very small group – and those you should not.

Ø     Teach Principles, such as to never leave the scene with any adult who is not on your “always trust” list.  Also, never, ever go anywhere with any adult for any reason.

Ø     Teach the Principle of RAP.  Always Recognize potential danger (I have gone into Signatures of Danger in previous posts); be Alert and Aware of adults who do not “belong” in this environment, who are paying too much attention to you, who are “sharking” the area (driving back and forth), etc. Also, always Assess yourself and others on the scene.  Check out the body language, movement, etc. of the adult on the scene, but even more importantly, Assess your gut feelings.  When you get that creepy feeling, it is your gut-instincts telling you to get the heck out.  Your instincts are hardly ever wrong.  Position Yourself For Safety, an important preventive step which includes:

• Buddy System.  Always have at least one other child with you.  Just having one other child present reduces the chances of being approached by as much as 75%.
• Distance.  Put as much space as possible between you and that strange adult as safely possible.  Don’t try to hide in a secluded spot, though.  If you do, you are playing right into the pervert’s plans.
• Find A Safe-Looking Adult With Children.  Teach your children to never be along in an isolated area.  This is the Ideal Hunting Ground for the predator,  That being said, there should be others around when you suspect you are being sharked.  Run to an adult who you have seen with his or her children in the past and you believe is safe.  Failing that, go to an adult accompanied by his or her children.

Ø     ACT NUTZ.  The abductor is looking for several characteristics in the ideal victim. 

• The child should be isolated.
• The child should be quiet when approached.
• The child should be polite, shy even.
• The child should allow the abductor to approach, grab and carry him/.her off with speed and without alarming witnesses.

        

Ø     Therefore, parents might want to teach their child to be as noisy and as uncooperative as possible.

 

Until the next post, please Stay Safe.

 

Hammer

      

ACTION AGAINST VIOLENCE

April 21, 2009

 

PROTECTING THE GIFT

 

In a recent post I talked about the abduction and murder of 13 year old Esme Kenney.  Esme was attacked on a public recreation path less than 500 yards from her Cincinnati, Ohio home.  Predictably, though, the child was not killed on the path, which was the initial crime scene.  That grisly act was committed in the nearby woods – the secondary crime scene.

 

The perplexing question has to be, what can a parent do to protect the child?  Of course, the second question must be what can the child do to prevent his or her abduction and/or murder?

 

Ordinarily, I would counsel the parent to constrain the child from going off by herself.  Thirteen is about the age when parents begin to loosen the reins, so to speak, plus, the girl was only 200 yards from her house! 

 

Parents need to be aware the children have been taken from inside their own homes, swiped out of their front yards while the parents were inside.  It happens so damn quickly, and, worse, most sexual predators are deadly combination of out of control desires and seeker of thrills, that, often, the only thing that will deter the abductor is both parents to be right there.

 

So, once again I wonder what is the answer?  Truthfully, there is no “answer.”  Only strategies to maximize the survival quotient of your child and minimize the opportunity for the predator to strike.  If you have followed some of my posts, you also know there must be strategies for the child to fall back on if and when she or he is attacked.

 

• Parents who intend to safeguard their child must take the role of Safety Coaches.
• Safety Coaches need to provide full time encouragement, support and survival training for their child.
• Recommended Safety Coach’s Curriculum.

Ø     Play the “What If Game” with the child.  Make it fun and as non-threatening as possible.  The coach feeds the child situations involving other adults and the child comes up with responses as to what he/she would do.

Ø     Talk to the child about adults and which of them the child should trust or not trust.  Come up with categories that indicate those whom the child should trust – a very small group – and those you should not.

Ø     Teach Principles, such as to never leave the scene with any adult who is not on your “always trust” list.  Also, never, ever go anywhere with any adult for any reason.

Ø     Teach the Principle of RAP.  Always Recognize potential danger (I have gone into Signatures of Danger in previous posts); be Alert and Aware of adults who do not “belong” in this environment, who are paying too much attention to you, who are “sharking” the area (driving back and forth), etc. Also, always Assess yourself and others on the scene.  Check out the body language, movement, etc. of the adult on the scene, but even more importantly, Assess your gut feelings.  When you get that creepy feeling, it is your gut-instincts telling you to get the heck out.  Your instincts are hardly ever wrong.  Position Yourself For Safety, an important preventive step which includes:

• Buddy System.  Always have at least one other child with you.  Just having one other child present reduces the chances of being approached by as much as 75%.
• Distance.  Put as much space as possible between you and that strange adult as safely possible.  Don’t try to hide in a secluded spot, though.  If you do, you are playing right into the pervert’s plans.
• Find A Safe-Looking Adult With Children.  Teach your children to never be along in an isolated area.  This is the Ideal Hunting Ground for the predator,  That being said, there should be others around when you suspect you are being sharked.  Run to an adult who you have seen with his or her children in the past and you believe is safe.  Failing that, go to an adult accompanied by his or her children.

Ø     ACT NUTZ.  The abductor is looking for several characteristics in the ideal victim. 

• The child should be isolated.
• The child should be quiet when approached.
• The child should be polite, shy even.
• The child should allow the abductor to approach, grab and carry him/.her off with speed and without alarming witnesses.

        

Ø     Therefore, parents might want to teach their child to be as noisy and as uncooperative as possible.

 

Until the next post, please Stay Safe.

 

Hammer

      

ACTION AGAINST VIOLENCE

April 21, 2009

 

PROTECTING THE GIFT

 

In a recent post I talked about the abduction and murder of 13 year old Esme Kenney.  Esme was attacked on a public recreation path less than 500 yards from her Cincinnati, Ohio home.  Predictably, though, the child was not killed on the path, which was the initial crime scene.  That grisly act was committed in the nearby woods – the secondary crime scene.

 

The perplexing question has to be, what can a parent do to protect the child?  Of course, the second question must be what can the child do to prevent his or her abduction and/or murder?

 

Ordinarily, I would counsel the parent to constrain the child from going off by herself.  Thirteen is about the age when parents begin to loosen the reins, so to speak, plus, the girl was only 200 yards from her house! 

 

Parents need to be aware the children have been taken from inside their own homes, swiped out of their front yards while the parents were inside.  It happens so damn quickly, and, worse, most sexual predators are deadly combination of out of control desires and seeker of thrills, that, often, the only thing that will deter the abductor is both parents to be right there.

 

So, once again I wonder what is the answer?  Truthfully, there is no “answer.”  Only strategies to maximize the survival quotient of your child and minimize the opportunity for the predator to strike.  If you have followed some of my posts, you also know there must be strategies for the child to fall back on if and when she or he is attacked.

 

• Parents who intend to safeguard their child must take the role of Safety Coaches.
• Safety Coaches need to provide full time encouragement, support and survival training for their child.
• Recommended Safety Coach’s Curriculum.

Ø     Play the “What If Game” with the child.  Make it fun and as non-threatening as possible.  The coach feeds the child situations involving other adults and the child comes up with responses as to what he/she would do.

Ø     Talk to the child about adults and which of them the child should trust or not trust.  Come up with categories that indicate those whom the child should trust – a very small group – and those you should not.

Ø     Teach Principles, such as to never leave the scene with any adult who is not on your “always trust” list.  Also, never, ever go anywhere with any adult for any reason.

Ø     Teach the Principle of RAP.  Always Recognize potential danger (I have gone into Signatures of Danger in previous posts); be Alert and Aware of adults who do not “belong” in this environment, who are paying too much attention to you, who are “sharking” the area (driving back and forth), etc. Also, always Assess yourself and others on the scene.  Check out the body language, movement, etc. of the adult on the scene, but even more importantly, Assess your gut feelings.  When you get that creepy feeling, it is your gut-instincts telling you to get the heck out.  Your instincts are hardly ever wrong.  Position Yourself For Safety, an important preventive step which includes:

• Buddy System.  Always have at least one other child with you.  Just having one other child present reduces the chances of being approached by as much as 75%.
• Distance.  Put as much space as possible between you and that strange adult as safely possible.  Don’t try to hide in a secluded spot, though.  If you do, you are playing right into the pervert’s plans.
• Find A Safe-Looking Adult With Children.  Teach your children to never be along in an isolated area.  This is the Ideal Hunting Ground for the predator,  That being said, there should be others around when you suspect you are being sharked.  Run to an adult who you have seen with his or her children in the past and you believe is safe.  Failing that, go to an adult accompanied by his or her children.

Ø     ACT NUTZ.  The abductor is looking for several characteristics in the ideal victim. 

• The child should be isolated.
• The child should be quiet when approached.
• The child should be polite, shy even.
• The child should allow the abductor to approach, grab and carry him/.her off with speed and without alarming witnesses.

        

Ø     Therefore, parents might want to teach their child to be as noisy and as uncooperative as possible.

 

Until the next post, please Stay Safe.

 

Hammer

      

 

 

YOU CAN HEAR A PUNCH COMING A MILE AWAY

 

Ever been punched?  Not a great feeling, is it? I’ve been punched, probably too many times, and, no, it did not feel very good, if you’re wondering.  Thinking back on it, though, what was worse was the debilitating hesitation as my attacker threatened me, poked me with his finger as he bobbed in and out of my personal space.  I should have known better, but I was paralyzed by persistent thoughts that I could wait him out, maybe even catch him off guard then rush him.

 

It’s that internal dialogue that opens us up to punches, kicks, strikes and worse.  I don’t blame others for weighing the consequences of cold-cocking someone who is just harassing you.  The consequences for punching someone’s lights out are always a consideration; and anyone thinking of the possibility of being charged with assault or being sued can’t really be blamed – as I already mentioned – for hesitating until he or she is positive that the fight is on.

 

Which is swell.  Really it is.  Unless your up against an asshole who doesn’t live by your rules, or, for that matter, anyone else’s.  He is going to attack you when he is damned good and ready and there isn’t a goddamn thing you can do about it.  That’s what he’s there for. 

 

Tim Larkin’s Target Focused Training has a great philosophy when it comes to asocial violence.  Violence itself is the only thing that can work against violence when the rules do not apply.  Incidental to that thought process is a concept known as Creating Automatic Decision Points.  These ADP’s are created so that intended victims will be able to know by a few distinct Signatures of Danger when you are about to be attacked.  Once you encounter one or more of these signatures, you have reached that ADP and you can respond accordingly (counterattack or disengage).

 

AUTOMATIC DECISION POINTS

 

• Non-Verbal Decision Points. 

 

•  
  1. Invading Your Personal Space.  Despite your protestations, the thug has invaded your PSZ (Personal Safety Zone).  It is imperative that you make it clear to him that he must get the hell out of your face, like now, just like you must make it clear before he enters the space that he must not come any closer.  It is important to understand that any normal person who lives by the rules would probably apologize and back up.  What you do and how you do it is up to you, but do something.  Me, I’m moving somewhere unless I am trapped.  If that’s the case, then, me, I’m hitting an open target.  Hit the sumbitch between strides.
  2. Going From Maniacal to Silently Calm, to Hiatus, to Target Stare to Bingo.  Your harasser goes from maniacal rage and the movement patterns of a Tasmanian Devil, then suddenly he calms and goes silent.  The attacker has resolved what he is going to do and how he aims to do it.  There is a short hiatus when he turns away from you for a second or two, but, as surely as a frog will bump his ass when he tries to fly, he will return his  attention to you and he will Target Stare at the spot he intends to punch, kick, stab or grab you.  The attack is on.  You?  You do what you want when he goes into the hiatus.  Me, I just ain’t gonna be there for the Target Stare.  If I cannot move for environmental reasons, I got something for him.
  3. Silence.  Long time ago, someone pretty wise told me a truism.  Despite what happens in movies, fighters never throw a punch when they are talking.  When your harasser goes silent, as in the ADP above, he, more likely than not, is having an internal dialogue about what he is going to do to you.  Once again, this is the time to do something.

 

• VERBAL AUTOMATIC DECISION POINTS.

        

•  
  1. THE THREAT.   The Attacker is trying to ramp up his courage and confidence.  A threat is not always followed by a punch, but you need to take it seriously.  The key is to break up his confidence with verbal de-escalation.  Change his Channel from his mental channel – the Fight Channel – to any other channel.  De-escalation tactics like distraction techniques, humor, redirection.  I will talk about those in future posts and have discussed them in past blogs.

   

• PRE-ATTACK ACTION ADP.

            

•  
  1. THE FINGER JAB.  This is always dangerous.  The thug is testing the waters.  If you do nothing here, you are telling him, “C’mon in, the water’s fine.”
  2. THE SHOVE.  The shove is an ADP that is always followed with some sort of attack.  He’s setting up the punch, getting you off balance and preparing to stride in an nail you like roofing slate.  Once again, trust me, this jerk either finger jabs or shoves you, this is exactly when you prepare to block and/or duck the incoming bomb and deliver one of your own.
  3. THE PUNCH.  If you are hit, no matter how light, you are likely going to get hit again, this time pretty damned hard.

 

So, they you are.  Do what you can to de-escalate the individual who threatens you, but when you reach one or more of these ADT’s, you are about to be attacked.  It is up to you what you want to do about it, but, if you elect to do nothing, I suggest you have a great hospitilization plan, Dog.

 

Stay Safe.

Hammer

ACTION AGAINST VIOLENCE

March 21, 2009

 

EVADING AND ESCAPING THE CHARGE AND TACKLE

 

Being tackled to the ground can be a terrifying turn of events for anyone.  Probably why the charge and tackle is one of the 30 most common types of street attacks.  Successfully defending against such an attack requires a combination of mental and physical countermeasures, including:

 

1. Mental Conditioning.  Stay focused mentally. Stay calm.  You have less than 1 ½ seconds to orchestrate your actions and now is not the time to panic and freeze.  More likely than not, your mental curriculum should include:
   • AWARENESS.  Now is not the time to be oblivious.  Surprise is the best friend of the tackle-attacker.
   • ANTICIPATE:  You need to be Spinal Tuned.  In other words, your mind and body should be prepared at all times to act.  At some point before the attack, you need to have a plan of action, germinated by the self-thought:  “What would I do if such and such happens?”
   • TACTICAL BREATHING.  “Breathe, don’t freeze.”
   • SURVIVAL PSYCHE.  If all of the above is in place, the primal thought in your mind should be “I knew this could happen and I am ready for it.”

  

1. Balance is always an advantage.  Feet shoulder width apart, your power foor slightly rearward, giving you not only a wide but deep platform.  Knees bent and your nose directly over your center.  More about balance in a future post.

 

1. MOVEMENT.  Evade the tackle with good tactical movement (GTM).  GTM includes quickly moving diagonally, never straight backwards.  Moving linearly back is slow – the attacker will easily overtake you – but it is easy to trip over your own feet.

 

1. COUNTERSTRIKES.  In a wide open environment evasive movement is crucial.  A J-Step often will keep a tackler at bay.  However, in a closed environment, your movement will be restricted, so you are going to have to stop the attacker with a strike or two, depending upon how he attempts the tackle.

 

1.  
   • HIGH TACKLE/NARROW ENVIRONMENT:  Palm Heel Strike to the attacker’s forehead or chest to slow down the attack.  Follow up with other strikes.
   • MID LEVEL TACKLE/NARROW ENVIRONMENT:  As the bad guy attempts to tackle you around the waist, lower your center as you drive both forearms hard onto his Supra Scapular Nerve Motor Points (where the traps connect to the sides of his neck).  This should slow him down.  Now, with his head still lowered (as it will be when he attempts the tackle), grab the back of his head and drive it downward while driving an ascending knee strike into his face.
   • LOW LEVEL (ANKLES OR LOWER SHINS) TACKLE/OPEN OR NARROW ENVIRONMENT:  Defeat this pernicious tackle attempt by quickly sprawling both feet backward, thereby evading his grasp, and simultaneously driving your body and both palm heels against his rear shoulders.  You will end up on top of him, and he should end up face first on the ground.  Never stop hitting and kicking him until you can escape.

 

A CAVEAT HERE:  You cannot hope to learn genuine Survival Skills in a blog.  These will work best in a hands-on self defense program.  The suggestions above come from my PPCT GAGE (Ground Avoidance and Ground Escapes) Program.  I also teach these and other techniques in my self defense course for women, men and teenagers.

 

Until the next time.  Stay Safe.

 

Hammer

 

 

 

ESCAPING COMMON STREET ATTACKS – The Hair Pull.

 

The Hair Attack is almost entirely restricted to attacks on women, often performed by other women.  Either way, a hair attack is painful, maybe even mortifying.  It is also a tough-escape.  When performed against a woman by another woman it is almost always motivated by anger, jealousy (over a man, perhaps), even rage.  If you have ever seen this type of attack, you know it can get pretty ugly, fast.

 

When perpetrated against a woman by a male attacker the motivating factor often is a preamble to a sexual assault with a lot of malice thrown in.  The side-goal is to humiliate and dehumanize the woman.

 

But motivational factors is not the point here.  Escape is.  The two moves I have in mind will work against either gender, but they are designed primarily against a man. 

 

1. The male attacker expects you to try to desperately pull away.  Thing is, the more you try to distance yourself from the attacker – by pulling away – the more painful the hair pull.  I say, do the opposite of what you naturally feel like doing while also doing the opposite of what the bad guy expects you to do.

 

1.  
   • Move #1 is difficult to describe outside of the classroom setting where you and I could work together.  Clamp both hands down on top of the bad guy’s hand to prevent him from twisting your hair harder.  Also, you want to gain control over that hand.  Now, lower your center and turn clockwise until you are at an angle where you are slightly behind him.  By doing so you create a nice little wrist lock.  Painful.  While he is trying to gain control over his hand and prevent you from breaking his wrist, you can attack vulnerable targets.  Try a slanted foot strike down on his knee.  Break it.  Go home and watch 30 Rock.

1.  
   • Move #2.  Quick and devastating.  Clamp down on his hand or hands.  Prevent him from twisting.  Quickly turn your body toward his – not away from his as he expects.  Release one of your hands and drive a fist or palm heel into his groin, hard.  Keep hitting vital targets.  Go home and watch Family Guy.

 

Next Blog.  Another Common Attack.  Another cool escape.

Until then, Stay safe.

Hammer

ACTION AGAINST VIOLENCE

March 14, 2009

 

NOW YOU’VE GOT ME.  NOW YOU DON’T!         Escaping the Most Common Street Attacks.

 

Now you’ve gone and done it.  Got yourself entangled in one of the 20 most common types of street attacks (see March 10 Post, Part I).  Could be in pretty deep poop, unless you stay in focus and do something about it, like quick.  Not just any actions will do, though. You have to be dynamic and your move has to disempower the hands, arms, legs that are holding you or striking you.  Not only that, whatever you do should in some way cause the bad guy’s brain to split, to weaken by going in directions other than it intended to.

 

Take the most common street attack – the wrist grab – for instance.  Almost always the preamble to another attack move.  Often, the bad guy expects you to freeze for a second or two, but this is where you change his expectations (and mental focus, too) by doing one of two or three things.

 

• Use a quick Wrist Release.  Quickly lower your center, make a fist(s) and power that hand upward, if the bad guy’s palm is down, or down if his palm is up.  As you are moving the hand turn the hand so that your thumb is up (blade your wrist and hand) and escape through the hole between his thumb and gingers.  Done quickly and aided by your center mass, it is almost impossible for him to hold on.
• Distract and then escape.  In the case where the bad guy has great superior strength, you may want to weaken his strength by changing his thought process.  As he is concentrating on preventing you from escaping, drive the front instep or toe of your shoe hard into his lower shin.  Simultaneously escape the grab.  Be aware, of course, that, most likely, things will get pretty medieval from that point on.  Likely he will re-grab with greater intensity, or simply escalate to a more serious attack.  Ergo, my suggestion is you distract, escape, and immediately begin to hit other targets which will open up with your distraction kick.
• Use a Target Focus Attack.  Here’s a thought.  Cut out the “middle man.”  The bad guy has one or both of your hands tied up with one or both of his hands.  He has attached himself voluntarily to you, and, in your mind, you should thank him for that.  Why?  Because, if he is grabbing you with his upper body striking levers, he cannot possible block your punches or strikes, nor can he strike you with them.  I call this a Free Throw.  Take the Free Throw ASAP. 

Ø     Step 1.  Make no attempt to free yourself from his grip.  He will think you are freezing,

Ø     Step 2.  Maintain eye contact with his face.  This will induce Singularity of Focus on his part.  In other words, he will maintain focus on your upper body.  I will call this Channel 6.  That is where his mind wants to be.

Ø     Step 3.  Now that you have induced Singularity of Focus (Channel 6), drive your rearward foot hard into his lower shin.  You have now changed him from Channel 6 to Channel 22 (your channel, baby).  His mind and body are effectively split, which means both are significantly weakened for about 2 to 3 seconds.

Ø     Step 4.  You have about 2 seconds to do damage and escape.  Release your hands from his weakened grip, and, before he can recover, tattoo him in vulnerable, Big Dollar open targets, like the groin, eyes, nose, knees, solar plexus, throat, etc.

 

Next Post:  Hair Pull.  Until then, Stay Safe.

Hammer

 

 

 

MOST COMMON STREET ATTACKS AND BEST BETS TO ESCAPE, PART I.

 

I thought it would be cool to go over some of the most common types of street attacks and suggestions on how best to escape them (in Part II). 

 

OF course, I have repeated this mantra so often in past posts that I’m sure you are tired of reading it, but your best escape move is never to have to make the move.  By that I mean that nothing – and I mean nothing – beats prevention and avoidance.  And topping the chart of prevention and avoidance has to be the 4 A’s of Assessing yourself and your surrounding; Awareness of obvious and not so obvious changes in the other person and the environment; Anticipation, meaning, always have a plan of action, or at least a mind set that asked “what would I do if the worst case scenario goes down?”and, finally take Action exactly when action is required!

 

THE MOST COMMON STREET ATTACKS

1. Wrist/Arm Grabs.
2. Lapel or collar grab.
3. Lapel Grab and Sucker Punch.
4. Front Choke.
5. Rear Choke.
6. Roundhouse Punch.
7. Front Bear Hug.
8. Rear Bear Hug.
9. Side Headlock and Punch.
10. Hair Pull.
11. Charge and Tackle.
12. Front Headlock.
13. Rear Strangle Hold.
14. Overhead Strike with Weapon.
15. Bad Guy In Mount (straddling the chest), Victim’s (Woman) Hands Pinned To Ground.
16. Ground and Pound from the Mount Position.
17. Choke From Mount Position.
18. Choke From Guard Position (Man in between woman’s legs, on the ground).
19. First In-First Out (attacks when victim is first going in or first coming out of a car, garage, house, etc.).
20. Bear Hug From Rear/Objective is to pick woman up and carry her off.

 

Next Post:  How To Escape.  In the meantime, give some thought to what you would do?  How you might prevent this from happening?  How you might defeat this attack before it even begins?

 

Stay Safe.

 

Hammer