TEACH THE CHILD TO EVADE AND ESCAPE THE EVIL CHICKEN HAWK!

 

In law enforcement we call child predators Chicken Hawks.  The nickname’s a slur.  As in evil, cowardly, skulking, opportunistic.  Also, if not avoided or stopped quick, very deadly.  If you read my last post, you know I am referring to the cowardly Chicken Hawk who abducted, molested and drowned a young girl in a lake not far from where I live.  Tied the girl to a weight and dropped her in the water, he did.

 

In my last post, then, I elaborated – with a pretty heavy heart – on how parents and schools can help prevent this by being their child’s Safety Coach.  As promised, in this one I’m going to elaborate on what the child can do if ever they are in the grasp of a sexual predator.

 

For starters, one thing is clear (to me):  Without a Safety Coach to teach them, the child will react naturally, which means he or she will do nothing and freeze, 98+% of the time.  Reacting to a potential or real attack with action, speed, and fury is an Unnatural Act!  It must be instilled in the child through training.  So, if you cannot or will not inculcate the following skills, find a training system that will!

 

KID ESCAPE TECHNIQUES WHEN EVASION FAILS

 

• HAVE A PLAN:  Encourage your child to think ahead of time of an escape route, etc.  This is tough for a child to do, so, when you are coaching your child, play the What If Game to encourage them to think in scenarios.
• BREATHE, DON’T FREEZE!  Get oxygenated blood going to your brain and always do something!  Never freeze.  That is what the predator wants most.  Over 98% of victims freeze upon First Touch.  Teach your child to use First Touch (by the predator) as a Mental Trigger for action!
• TURN THE PREDATOR’S PSYCHOLOGY AGAINST HIM.  Teach the child that time and movement are the Chicken Hawk’s enemy.  Therefore, do things that will expand the amount of time he has to spend at the scene:

Ø      Run In A Serpentine Motion.

Ø      Destroy the Environment.  Throw objects in his path as you run.

Ø      Put Out The Fire.  Roll on the ground as if you are trying to put out a fire with your shirt.  Roll away from him.

Ø      Crab Walk Away From Him.

Ø      Make Noise and Act Crazy.  Arouse witnesses.  Scare the Bad Guy into thinking that soon witnesses will descend on the scene.

Ø      “Help Me!  He is not my father!”

Ø      Use Natural Barricades in the Environment To Buy You Time.

 

• IF AND WHEN HE GRABS THE CHILD, MAKE IT HARD FOR HIM TO HOLD ON!  This is a key escape move.  Teach the child how to be like an unwilling pet who wiggles, kicks, scratches, etc. so that it can escape. 

 

Ø      Grab on to anything and hug it!  Wrap your hands around a tree, a pole, a bed post, the handlebars of your bike.  Anything that can buy you precious time.

Ø      Play dead in his arms as if you are the perfect victim, and, then, when he least expects it, squirm, wiggle, kick, bite and escape.

 

• DROP. LOCK AND ROLL!  Teach the child to play “Twister.”  Quickly drop and lock on to his waist or legs.  Drop head first, if possible.  The end goal is to hook on to his ankles and or shins with your hands and feet.  Yes, the predator might pummel the child and try to break him/her loose, but, please remember “Self Defense is not an injury free activity!”  The key here is that the Bad Guy cannot walk quickly and will not be able to carry the child from the Initial Crime Scene with the speed required. 
• CHANCES ARE, IF HIS TIME AND “INVISIBILITY” IS COMPROMISED, THE CHICKEN HAWK WILL GIVE UP THE HUNT AND DISENGAGE WITHOUT HIS PREY.  WILL MOVE ON TO ANOTHER VICTIM!

 

In the next post:  Your Child’s Escape and Evasion Strategy if Dragged To the Getaway Car!

 

Until then, Stay Safe.

 

Hammer.

YOUNG GIRL FOUND AT THE BOTTOM OF LOCAL LAKE

 

I had planned on posting about something entirely different, until I got the bad news yesterday.  A young girl, who had been abducted from her neighborhood a few days ago was found by police searchers at the bottom of Lake Wallenpaupak, a resort area located in the Poconos not far from where I live.  The poor girl was tied to a weight, so, once again, I find myself pitted against the inexorable, relentless and totally unmovable force of the Chicken Hawk.  The child hunter.

 

I have dedicated myself and much of my training to the safety of young people.  Children, teenagers. In school and out of school.  During the school year and, now, during Summer break. 

 

Problem is, teachers, security, administrators, parents and students, so does the predator dedicate and commit himself to getting these children and teenagers into his clutches.

 

Obviously, he’s better at what he does than I.

 

So, what can parents and children do to protect against this miscreant?  The remedy sounds simple.  But, obviously, it is not.  If it was, there would be no girl at the bottom of the lake.

 

Parents must be their child’s Safety Coach.  Must always be attentive, supportive.  Safety Coaches in that they must train their children constantly to:

 

·        Always be aware of men in their environment who are paying too much attention to them.

·        Always report to them whenever they are approached.

·        Never, Ever leave the original scene with anyone!

·        Always trust their gut instincts when someone gives them the creeps.

·        Have their permission to treat adults rudely and abruptly when an adult attempts to invade their PSZ (Personal Safety Zone) without their (the child’s) permission.

·        Have their permission to “Act Crazy” when approached by a person who might be trying to abduct them.  Teach the child that all predators are looking for a meek, mild, and especially a quiet child.  The child should be a “barrel of noise and movement.”  Never freeze, or stand still. Do something!

·        Never, ever allow any adult or teenager to touch them anywhere on their person, especially their “special zones (teach your child that their “Special Zones” is anywhere that would be covered by their bathing suit)!

·        Never talk to any adult.  If the adult asks for help with anything, understand that any “normal” adult would probably never ask a child for help.

·        Leave the area as soon as the child realizes that an adult is stalking him/her in a car or on foot.  Go to another “safer-looking adult,” preferably a woman with children.

·        If trapped in an area with an adult, yell and move and make eye contact.  Make it clear you will not be an easy target.  Run in a zig-zag motion, using barricades in the environment to buy you time.  Throw object at the Bad Guy’s feet.

• Whenever possible, go outside with at least one friend. Try not to ever be alone outside of the home.

 

In the next post, “What Your Child Must Do If Grabbed.”

Until then, Stay Safe.

 

Hammer

 

 

 

YOU GOTTA KNOW THE TARGETS

 

My last post spoke of the efficacy of learning principles over techniques.  This post, I thought I could talk about one of the key principles of my many self defense training programs (Kid Escape/Counter Abduction Techniques/Comet Kids/Advanced Fighting Arts For Women/Sixty and Beyond for Seniors, etc.):

 

Primary Principle:  There will always be Open Targets.  Concentrate on hitting the most valuable (Primary Targets) Targets.  If Primary Targets are not immediately open, always hit Secondary Targets to force the Primaries to open.

 

Elaborating on this principle:  If a Bad Guy grabs you with both hands, every conceivable target is open!  As long as his hands are on you, he/she can not use them with which to strike you and he cannot use them to block.  Granted, if he or she is stronger than you and he has your arms and hands tied up, you will have difficulty using them to strike.  But, need I remind you that your hands are not your only striking levers?

 

PERSONAL WEAPONS

 

Your personal weapons include anything on your body with which you can hit the attacker.  They include the:  Front and Back of your head.  The Head Butt has been known to shock, stun and even knock an attacker unconscious.  Other Personal Weapons include your:

• Teeth.
• Shoulders.
• Buttocks ( a nicely timed butt-strike can knock a rearward attacker back a step or two).
• Elbows.
• Forearms.
• Hands/Heel of palms/Fingers/Fingernails/Backs of Hands.
• Knees.
• Shins.
• Feet.

 

There are other personal and Improvised Weapons I could go into, but, suffice to say that virtually anything can work to free you from a jam.  But, since Personal Targets are the theme here, let’s delve into that area for a minute or two:

 

SECONDARY TARGETS

 

Secondary Targets are body zones you can hit with very little difficulty.  However, striking a ST will rarely end a fight in your favor.  Hitting ST’s, however, will open up the Primary Targets:

 

• Top of the Feet,
• Toes of the Feet.
• Ankles.
• Shins.
• Knees (Knees can also be a Primary Target.  I say, if the knees are open, always go for them.  Striking a knee with a good kick can drop a Bad Guy instantly!).
• Inner and Outer Thighs.  The Femoral Nerve Motor Point is halfway between the groin and the knee.  Common Personeal is on the outside.  Hitting either or both can stun an attacker.
• Bladder.
• Stomach.
• Solar Plexis.
• Floating Ribs.
• Ears.
• Nose.
• Forearms and Wrists.
• Fingers.
• Chin.

 

PRIMARY TARGETS

 

Once again, the key is to hit one or more of the many Secondary Targets, many of which should be easyto hit.  Follow up immediately as other targets inevitably open up.  Train yourself to concern yourself with these targets, even if you are also being hit at the time.  Targets are the key!

 

• GROIN.
• EYES.
• THROAT
• *NOSE
• *KNEES.

 

Kneeing the groin, gouging an eye, and/or driving the ridge of your hand or your fingers into the throat will cause an immediate sensory breakdown.  The once confident attacker will now have problems seeing you, will be hard pressed to breathe, and/or will start to fold toward the ground.  Whether hitting the attacker’s nose or knees, however, may not have the immediate affects of the first three targets, but the Bad Guy will experience great not only great pain, but will experience watering of the eyes and disorientation (nose) and will fold quickly to the ground (knees).

 

During my self defense trainings, one scenario is a realistic one where the attacker grabs the woman or teen (SD For Women and/or COMET Kids) with one hand and starts to pull the “victim” toward him (the attacker).  The response I always hope for and every once in a while actually see is the “victim” grabbing the Bad Guy’s hand and holding it to his or her (the “Victim’s) body with the opposite hand (so the Bad Guy can not use that hand to block or strike) and then shooting the same side hand into the attacker’s face several times since the attacker lost the ability to block any incoming strikes once he/she elected to grab his/her intended victim.

Until My Next Post, Stay Safe.

Hammer

 

 

ACTION AGAINST VIOLENCE

 

TECHNIQUES VS PRINCIPLES

 

I played in a golf tournament the other day, and, afterwards, over a few beers, talked self defense with a woman with whom I had just been golfing.  I hope I can do a better job explaining the difference between techniques and principles today than I did with her over a few beers.

 

The woman spoke about her brief experience with martial arts.  She spoke of the various techniques she had been taught in order to react to this attack from this angle and another technique she had been taught (Note:  I am not saying she learned the technique.  Just that she had been taught it.  There’s a difference.) as a reaction to another type of attack from that direction.  And so on.

 

This I believe is unreliable, invalid and, doubtless, ineffective training.  Need I repeat my oft-repeated axiom that “nothing, or at least as close to “nothing” as possible, ever happens on the street in the same way, same angle and same intensity as it does in training.?”

 

I believe in teaching principles, not techniques.  Not that long ago I was attacked from behind and driven to the ground.  I must admit that my first reaction was to use a technique I had hard wired against a tackle from behind.  I threw the bad guy off with a Donkey Kick Escape, but immediately after that I relied on key principles of survival and the correct procedures and techniques simply followed.  Naturally, without thinking about it.

 

What principles did I rely on?  “Look For Open Targets and hit them hard and quick.  Other targets will automatically open up and hit the most vulnerable and the ones (Primary Targets)with the “Highest Dollar Value.”

 

When you rely on principles you are task oriented.  Being task oriented removes a lot of the survival stress because you are not trying to think under high survival stress. 

 

So, all I had to do was to follow what I have been teaching for years.  Rely on the following principles, which, by the way, will work no matter if you are on the ground, standing, tackled by surprise, or see the punch coming from a mile away:

 

• Breathe In and Exhale.
• Hit his most vulnerable, open targets with my nearest personal weapon(s).

Ø     I drove my middle two fingers hard into the attacker’s Jugular Notch underneath his Adam’s Apple.

• Once you Attain the Expected Physical Reaction, Follow Up with Strikes to Other targets as They Open Up!

 

Ø     The Bad Guy recoiled backward (on the ground), so I attained the top position (Guard Position).  Drove my forearm into his face and broke his nose.

• Don’t Stop Until the Bad Guy Is Done!

 

Ø     Followed up with a Descending Knee Strike to his inner thigh (and groin).

Ø     As the injured attacker tried to roll away I established a Shoulder Pin Neck Restraint until he went limp, unconscious.

 

  One final point.  I believe if I had been trained repetitiously on techniques against staged attacks I would have been hard pressed to have reacted the way I did to being tackled from behind.  My face hit the cement, and, for a second, I thought I would pass out.  But, then, my training and self-conditioned Survival Psyche kicked in.  Just the like the other principles above, the Survival mentality is Principle-Driven.

 

Never, ever allow yourself to give up.  Ever!

 

Until the next post, Stay Safe.

Hammer

ACTION AGAINST VIOLENCE

 

TECHNIQUES VS PRINCIPLES

 

I played in a golf tournament the other day, and, afterwards, over a few beers, talked self defense with a woman with whom I had just been golfing.  I hope I can do a better job explaining the difference between techniques and principles today than I did with her over a few beers.

 

The woman spoke about here brief experience with martial arts.  She spoke of the various techniques she had been taught in order to react to this attack from this angle and another technique she had been taught (Note:  I am not saying she learned the technique.  Just that she had been taught it.  There’s a difference.) as a reaction to another type of attack from that direction.  And so on.

 

This I believe is unreliable, invalid and, doubtless, ineffective training.  Need I repeat my oft-repeated axiom that “nothing, or at least as close to “nothing” as possible, ever happens on the street in the same way, same angle and same intensity as it does in training.?”

 

I believe in teaching principles, not techniques.  Not that long ago I was attacked from behind and driven to the ground.  I must admit that my first reaction was to use a technique I had hard wired against a tackle from behind.  I threw the bad guy off with a Donkey Kick Escape, but immediately after that I relied on key principles of survival and the correct procedures and techniques simply followed.  Naturally, without thinking about it.

 

What principles did I rely on?  “Look For Open Targets and hit them hard and quick.  Other targets will automatically open up and hit the most vulnerable and the ones (Primary Targets)with the “Highest Dollar Value.”

 

When you rely on principles you are task oriented.  Being task oriented removes a lot of the survival stress because you are not trying to think under high survival stress. 

 

So, all I had to do was to follow what I have been teaching for years.  Rely on the following principles, which, by the way, will work no matter if you are on the ground, standing, tackled by surprise, or see the punch coming from a mile away:

 

• Breathe In and Exhale.
• Hit his most vulnerable, open targets with my nearest personal weapon(s).

Ø     I drove my middle two fingers hard into the attacker’s Jugular Notch underneath his Adam’s Apple.

• Once you Attain the Expected Physical Reaction, Follow Up with Strikes to Other targets as They Open Up!

 

Ø     The Bad Guy recoiled backward (on the ground), so I attained the top position (Guard Position).  Drove my forearm into his face and broke his nose.

• Don’t Stop Until the Bad Guy Is Done!

 

Ø     Followed up with a Descending Knee Strike to his inner thigh (and groin).

Ø     As the injured attacker tried to roll away I established a Shoulder Pin Neck Restraint until he went limp, unconscious.

 

  One final point.  I believe if I had been trained repetitiously on techniques against staged attacks I would have been hard pressed to have reacted the way I did to being tackled from behind.  My face hit the cement, and, for a second, I thought I would pass out.  But, then, my training and self-conditioned Survival Psyche kicked in.  Just the like the other principles above, the Survival mentality is Principle-Driven.

 

Never, ever allow yourself to give up.  Ever!

 

Until the next post, Stay Safe.

Hammer

ACTION AGAINST VIOLENCE

 

TECHNIQUES VS PRINCIPLES

 

I played in a golf tournament the other day, and, afterwards, over a few beers, talked self defense with a woman with whom I had just been golfing.  I hope I can do a better job explaining the difference between techniques and principles today than I did with her over a few beers.

 

The woman spoke about here brief experience with martial arts.  She spoke of the various techniques she had been taught in order to react to this attack from this angle and another technique she had been taught (Note:  I am not saying she learned the technique.  Just that she had been taught it.  There’s a difference.) as a reaction to another type of attack from that direction.  And so on.

 

This I believe is unreliable, invalid and, doubtless, ineffective training.  Need I repeat my oft-repeated axiom that “nothing, or at least as close to “nothing” as possible, ever happens on the street in the same way, same angle and same intensity as it does in training.?”

 

I believe in teaching principles, not techniques.  Not that long ago I was attacked from behind and driven to the ground.  I must admit that my first reaction was to use a technique I had hard wired against a tackle from behind.  I threw the bad guy off with a Donkey Kick Escape, but immediately after that I relied on key principles of survival and the correct procedures and techniques simply followed.  Naturally, without thinking about it.

 

What principles did I rely on?  “Look For Open Targets and hit them hard and quick.  Other targets will automatically open up and hit the most vulnerable and the ones (Primary Targets)with the “Highest Dollar Value.”

 

When you rely on principles you are task oriented.  Being task oriented removes a lot of the survival stress because you are not trying to think under high survival stress. 

 

So, all I had to do was to follow what I have been teaching for years.  Rely on the following principles, which, by the way, will work no matter if you are on the ground, standing, tackled by surprise, or see the punch coming from a mile away:

 

• Breathe In and Exhale.
• Hit his most vulnerable, open targets with my nearest personal weapon(s).

Ø     I drove my middle two fingers hard into the attacker’s Jugular Notch underneath his Adam’s Apple.

• Once you Attain the Expected Physical Reaction, Follow Up with Strikes to Other targets as They Open Up!

 

Ø     The Bad Guy recoiled backward (on the ground), so I attained the top position (Guard Position).  Drove my forearm into his face and broke his nose.

• Don’t Stop Until the Bad Guy Is Done!

 

Ø     Followed up with a Descending Knee Strike to his inner thigh (and groin).

Ø     As the injured attacker tried to roll away I established a Shoulder Pin Neck Restraint until he went limp, unconscious.

 

  One final point.  I believe if I had been trained repetitiously on techniques against staged attacks I would have been hard pressed to have reacted the way I did to being tackled from behind.  My face hit the cement, and, for a second, I thought I would pass out.  But, then, my training and self-conditioned Survival Psyche kicked in.  Just the like the other principles above, the Survival mentality is Principle-Driven.

 

Never, ever allow yourself to give up.  Ever!

 

Until the next post, Stay Safe.

Hammer

 

 

 

THE INTERVIEW

 

Almost every attack begins with The Interview.  Which is when the attacker does three things:

 

• Makes his or her final decision that you are his or her ideal victim.
• Uses words to distract you.  Maybe a simple question, a request, but the intent is toxic, maybe deadly:  To get you looking away, at something else, to split your mind and body away from the moment.
• To built the ground he needs to propel him into you for the attack/

 

I say, then, that, since that is the case, we need to prepare ourselves for The Interview, maybe even more than we need to get ourselves ready to fight.  Maybe, if we can survive The Interview, we can evade and escape the inevitable attack. 

 

Ok, then, how do we do that?

 

• Step 1: Get Our Heads Straight!  Think like a Tough Target.  Realize that you don’t know this person and that he/she is talking to you like he/she definitely knows you. 
• Step 2:  Refuse or Say “No!”  Make it clear you do not want to be “interviewed.”  Take a step back and get into a ready stance (hold your purse like a weapon; give him/her a Felony Stare, your power foot back).  If you refuse, or say “no!” and she/he refuses to back off or desist, you know you are dealing with an attacker.  Normal people know how to take “no!” for an answer.
• Step 3:  Always Control Your Space.  Sure as I am sitting here in my skivvies, the attacker will follow up The Interview by invading your personal space.  State clearly:  “Stay Back!”
• Step 4:  Nearest Weapon, Nearest Target.  This really is not Step 4.  This should be done as soon as the potential attacker begins The Interview.  Make certain your hands are positioned correspondent to where his or her hands are.  If and when his/her hands move, so do yours.  Remember:  Wherever the other person’s hands are is the Nearest Weapon, which means whatever of your body parts are correspondent to those hands is your Nearest Target.  Protect that target and you will send a subconscious message to the other person that you are ready.
• Step 5:  BE WILLING.  If you’ve been following my blog, you probably know already that it is more important to be willing than it is to be able.  Therefore, make your decision now what you (are willing to) are going to do.

 

      IF IT IS FIGHTING YOU DECIDE TO DO - 

Ø     Breathe Tactically.

Ø     Take the Fight to the Interviewer First.  Put the element of surprise in your corner; get him or her on the backs of his feet.

Ø     Or. Counterattack early and often.

 

IF IT IS NOTHING YOU DECIDE TO DO.

 

Good Luck, and, until next time, Stay Safe!

Hammer

 

 

 

 

Ok.  You’ve made yourself into a Tough Target, followed the Principles of Avoidance, but, crap, the guy has entered your PSZ (Personal Safe Zone) and looks like he’s about to do some damage.  How could this happen?

 

There could be any number of reasons why a super-focused predator would attack, so, fact is, crap happens, so we have no choice but to deal with it. 

 

So, question is, what do you do?

 

And the answer will always be, it’s totally up to you.

 

In the mere millisecond or so you are going to have to act, it is you who must be willing to act decisively.  Probably a disappointing answer if you are looking for a blueprint for self defense.

 

If you beg for your life and you survive, that was the best strategy.

If you run and scream for help and help comes, that was the right strategy.

If you fight and live to tell about it, that was the right strategy.

 

However, I will say this.

 

• The chances for survival goes up exponentially if you

Ø     Have a friend with you (a 75% better chance, as a matter of fact).

Ø     Have taken a good self defense course (and actually practiced the moves).

Ø     Immediately go into a fighting stance and shout with authority a confident “No,” or “Get back!”

Ø     If you have to use force, your chances of surviving go up exponentially when you use the element of surprise (which I have detailed many times in past posts), and

Ø     Hit open targets and continue hitting targets as they open up until the threat is over!

   

• I know all this is over simplistic, but, believe me, what I say is true.  The decision to beg or fight is up to you entirely.  Perhaps you will do both.  Yes, that is what I said.  I teach this in my Self Defense for Women classes.  Tactical Begging actually works because it cues into the predator’s expectations, influences him to lower his guard, which is when you can lash out and:

• Gouge his eyes with your thumb and/or fingers.
• Crush his throat with a Web Strike; Beak Strike or Ridge Hand Strike (see past posts).
• Impale your knee into his groin, and, when his hands and head drops, grab him by the back of the head and drive your knee into his face.
• Drive your temple directly onto his nose and follow that with a knee strike to the groin.
• If he grabs you  and pulls you in like he is going to hug you, pretend to go with it, lay your head on his shoulder while you reach around with your dominant hand, hook the fingers inside his jaw bone and drive your thumb into his eye.  Follow that baby up with whatever you want to, then, go home.
• Or, when he gets in too close and threatens to light you up, go into a Tactical Begging Stance, forming both hands into a prayerful appearance, then, when he least expects it, drive a horizontal elbow strike into his face and follow it up with a reverse elbow strike to the same face.

 

You got the idea,

Stay safe.

Hammer

PREDATOR BE GONE, PART III- Principles Of Avoidance

 

The S.H.A.R.P. (Sexual Harassment Assault and Rape Prevention) Principles of Avoidance chapter is pretty extensive, so I’m going to cut it down a bit.  The key, once again, is to understand that you can avoid sexual predators about 98% of the time by adhering to the simple principles I have detailed in this and the last two posts.  Ninety-eight per cent is pretty sweet, I think you will agree.  And in my fourth post on the subject I will discuss what to do if the other 2% goes down.

 

There are 3 Principles of Avoidance:  Know Your Limitations; Control the Environment and Control Your Fear. 

 

1. KNOW YOUR LIMITATIONS applies to understanding your personal strengths and weaknesses.  A key issue is Physical Appearance.  Your physical appearance is often the most important factor leading to you being either selected or rejected as a victim.  Fact is, gender, height, weight, apparent strength and fitness, and age play a major role in you being selected or not.  If you read my last post (June 6) and note the segment on recreating yourself into a Tough Target, you can almost guarantee that you will not be selected based on your physical appearance! 

 

An extension of physical appearance is voice pitch and an ability to maintain a calm, but authoritative tone.  Voice tone and pitch can quickly communicate your confidence (or, of course, anxiety) within seconds of first encountering an assailant.

 

1. CONTROL THE ENVIRONMENT should not be taken literally, but it means simply that you need to understand how and when to avoid the environment entirely, and how to use the environment, if and when you do enter, as an advantage to help you escape to help you retreat, or, if necessary, prevail.  For the sake of brevity, I’ll sum up the guidelines:

 

1.  
   • Check Out the Outside of the Environment Before Entering.  Look for unsavory people/person eyeballing you, etc.  Is the establishment you are thinking of entering appear to be isolated, difficult from which to escape?
   • Check Out the Inside of the Establishment Before Going Too Deep.  Stop, look and Listen.  Trust Your Gut Feelings about the place (could be an elevator, also).  Assess the people/person occupying the place.  Is the place going to be difficult from which to retreat?  Do/does the people/person appear to be hostile?
   • Identify Barricades:  If you must enter this questionable environment, identify furniture  and other objects which can be used to place/throw between you and an assailant.  If you have to move tactically or run, certain objects can be thrown at the assailant’s feet to slow him down.

 

1. CONTROL YOUR FEAR.  You need to understand that the phenomenon of fear is closely associated with how you mentally prepare yourself for the possibility of defending yourself against an assailant.  Yes, the Survival Psyche, or Mental Conditioning, when we come down to the bottom line, often is what will determine your fate.  The world is a circle, and, so, my friends, is the element of survival.  If you followed my posts, you know I believe that 98% of survival is awareness, preparation and avoidance.  Failing those keys elements, though, you are going through life oblivious to people and circumstances surrounding you.

 

Surprise and Shock, then, will be your dominant mental and physical reaction to a spontaneous, close quarter attack (an attack you would have detected long before it became spontaneous and close-quarter combat) Here’s the thing:  when you become surprised or startled by an unexpected threat perception, fear manifests and activates your Sympathetic Nervous System, which, means, when that happens to your unprepared mind, to put it as succinctly and as bluntly as possible, you are indeed screwed!

 

Ø        Under SNS you will lose your ability to make life preserving decisions.  More likely than not, you will freeze in place, be unable to move tactically, and whatever moves you do make will be guided by irrational thoughts!

Ø        Under SNS your eyesight and ability to hear will be diminished.

Ø        Your heart rate and respiration will increase greatly and so will the element of panic.

Ø        Your physical actions will be those of a true victim, which is why the predator who is attacking you chose you in the first place.

Ø        ARE YOU GETTING THE IDEA?

 

Bottom Line:  When you are mentally prepared for anything, surprise is a limited possibility.  But even when “surprise” happens, you are ready for it, and, therefore, you are in control of your fear!

 

In Part 4, we discuss what to do when the Bad Guy has you cornered.

Until then, Stay Safe.

Hammer

 

 

PART II.  PREVENTION PSYCHOLOGY AMD PRINCIPLES OF AVOIDANCE (PREDATOR BE GONE).

 

So, what do you think?  In my last post (Part I. June 5), I asked you to think about how you might avoid the predator altogether, understanding that prevention, preparation, practice and avoidance comprised over 98% of successful self defense, and considering the Predator Profile I discussed.  You might could want to compare your thoughts with mine.

 

The important thing, though, is you start thinking about the subject.  That in itself is a huge step toward not only avoiding the evil bastard, but even prevailing if or ever you do confront him.

 

1. Develop A Prevention Mindset.  Albeit obvious and common sense, this is a giant first step. It is important that you always remember that in a real life or death crisis, common sense is the rarest of commodities.  So never minimize a principle because it is one of those Duhh Thingees.

1.  
   • The 4 A’s are the foundation of your Prevention Mindset. 
   • Awareness:  At all times be aware of what and who is around you; be aware of subtle changes in your surroundings, including yourself and others. 
   • Assess:  Assess means that at all times you should assess that what you have observed.  Ask yourself what does that person’s body language tell me?  Why is he eyeballing me?  What are my Gut Instincts telling me?  What barricades, barriers and potential/improvised weapons are in my environment that can help me escape and evade?

1.  
   • Anticipate:  You can Spinal Tune your mind and your body to work as a powerful unit to help you escape, evade, and even overcome an assailant by asking yourself “What would I do, if such and such happened?”  Have a Plan of Action and maybe even a Plan B.

1.  
   • Action.  Trust me, Dudettes, by assessing, being aware, and anticipating, you Spinal Tune yourself to the point you can and will spring into action at your earliest chance once danger appears in the form of your assailant.  Just as important, by adopting this Prevention Psychology, you will most likely become aware there is a Bad Guy lurking like a shark.  Stalking you.

 

1.  
   • Become a Hard Target.  What I just noted in the above paragraph is no trivial concept.  The great majority of victims never are aware they are being marked (all predators mark, or select, their victims by virtue of how that animal carries itself), stalked, and tested until it is too late!  By making yourself into a Hard Target you will have discouraged almost any and every potential assailant in your zip code.

 

1.  
   • How Do I Recreate Myself Into A Hard Target?

Pretty simple recreation formula, actually:

Ø        Assess/Anticipate/Awareness.

Ø        Profile the Attacker:  Simply by being aware of a predator and his “games,” you will have “busted the bastard.”  99 + % of assailants will back off once they are busted.

Ø        Look at the assailant when he is sizing you up.  Size him up and look disgusted.  Be a good “witness.”  Take note of what he is wearing, color hair, eyes, etc.

Ø        EXAMINE YOUR CLOTHING FOR ESCAPE OR DEFENSE POSSIBILITIES.

Ø        DO NOT ENTER ENVIRONMENTS THAT ARE OBVIOUSLY UNSAFE WHEN POSSIBLE (Future Post:  How to deal with unsafe environments).

Ø        CONSTANTLY BE ALERT FOR ANYONE WHO SEEMS TO BE PAYING “TOO MUCH” ATTENTION AND/OR FOLLOWING YOU.

Ø        STAY IN “HIGH WITNESS AREAS” WHEN POSSIBLE.

Ø        ALWAYS BE AWARE OF POINTS OF ESCAPE.

Ø        ALWAYS MAINTAIN YOUR PERSONAL SAFE ZONE (PSZ).  ALWAYS “CONTROL YOUR SPACE.

Ø        HAVE AN ASSERTIVE/CONFRONTATIONAL VERBAL RESPONSE PREPARED PRIOR TO THE ASSAAILANT INVADING YOUR PSZ.

   HAVE A PHYSICAL PLAN OF ACTION AND DECIDE YOU ARE WILLING TO USE IT!

 

PART III.  We talk about some Principle of Avoidance and in Part IV we talk about what to do if the assailant has you cornered.  Cool Stuff, I promise.

Until Then, of course.  Stay Safe.

HAMMER

 

 

 

PPCT S.H.A.R.P. PREVENTION PSYCHOLOGY AND

 

PRINCIPLES OF AVOIDANCE.  PART I.

 

I was talking with a real estate agent the other day and our discussion got me to thinking about several agents in my area (Northampton, Lehigh, Bucks Counties in Pennsylvania) who were stalked, set up and either raped and/or killed since the 1980’s.  Got me to thinking about some key Principles of Prevention and Avoidance, which are an integral part of my PPCT SHARP (Pressure Point Control Tactics Sexual Harassment Assault and Rape Prevention) Training Seminars.

 

Heck, since I got myself thinking about it, why not post it?  Problem is, there are so many variegated but cogent segments of the Prevention Psychology and the Principles of Avoidance that we’re going to have to examine the issues in several sequential posts.  I hope you’re game enough to hang in there for them, Dudettes.

 

FIRST, A BRIEF EXAMINATION OF THE PREDATOR PROFILE.

 

Might be a good idea to better understand how the predator  operates.  Once you get that, the principles might make more sense.  Leastwise, that’s the Game Plan:

1. The predator will establish ideal hunting grounds and find a casual looking surveillance point.

Ø       If he is in a shopping mall, he may sit close to a store that caters exclusively to women.

Ø       He may also set up in a position that is close to an exit that is rarely used save for store employees.

Ø       More likely than not, the predator will select as his ideal hunting grounds, surveillance points near or make contact with women working in or patronizing:  Laundromats; Child Care Centers; Real Estate Agencies; Hospitals; Convenience Stores; Nurseries, you name it.

Ø       Clever Miscreant Bastards, for sure.  One of the more violent men I supervised on state parole back in the 80’s, would look for real estate ads in the paper, call the agencies and respond to the ad.  When he reached a woman agent, which was almost every time, he would arrange a meet.  If the woman refused to meet alone, which almost never happened, he would not show for the meet.  However, when he did meet with the women, he would appear excited about purchasing the property, but ask for a second meeting in a more isolated situation and then rape the woman.  Or, worse–

1. He will begin following you if you are in a public environment and begin to ascertain if you are  an easy target.

 

1. The predator will follow you by matching your walking pace.

 

1. Before the predator makes contact, he will look around for witnesses.

 

1. He will look for a location in which to ambush you with low witness visibility to avoid unexpected witnesses.

 

1. Immediately before the attack, he will quickly enter your personal safety zone (PSZ).

 

And, yes, there are other nuances and details I am omitting, but I hope you get the general idea.  And here is how we are going to proceed from here:

 

·        Review the predator sequence here.

·        Think about the 6 strategies a bit and give some thought to what strategies you might use to avoid the assailant.

·        Ninety-eight % of successful self defense is prevention and avoidance (and preparation), so, if you can adopt a good prevention strategy, you are home free.

·        Well, almost—-

·        There is that pesky other 2% of situations where you simply are careless, pre-occupied, or, simply taken by surprise.  It happens to armed and highly trained police officers and soldiers.  It can happen to you.

·        Question is:  The predator does stalk you to an isolated environment and does invade your PSZ.  Your final assignment:  What do you do in that scenario?

 

All Will Be Answered In Due Time.

 

Until Then.  Stay Safe.

Hammer

 

 

 

 

 

ACTION AGAINST VIOLENCE

May 15, 2009

 

DON’T WAIT FOR ADRENALINE TO KICK IN TO “LEARN” SELF DEFENSE TECHNIQUES.

 

I just completed my fourth of four Self Defense for Women classes at the local community college last night, and, frankly, it might be the last one I teach in that venue. 

 

HERE’S THE THING, Hammer Fans:  It is simply too hard on this Old Dog to experience girls and women who do, or, better put, refuse to do the following during training:

 

·        Refuse to strike their training partner with any significant power, even when her partner, who is playing the “Bad Guy” role, is attacking and either wearing protective gear or holding a strike bag.

·        Apologize to her “Bad Guy” partner after “striking” the Bad Guy.

·        Refuse to even feign an eye gouge or throat strike (all I ever ask anyone to perform on those areas is the lightest possible touch drill), claiming that those areas are “icky,” or “yucky.”

·        Absolutely refuse or decline to take part in any techniques on the ground.

·        And, as in every class I have taught, forget to scream, yell, or say anything (I prefer the liberating and empowering yell – “Kai!”) when under attack.

·        And, probably the worst to me, when questioned about her refusal to strike with any body mass, or to actually even Touch Drill the eyes, throat, nose or groin (“GENT – “ the acronym for the Primary Targets, include the Groin, Eyes, Nose/Nees and Throat), or to take part in Ground Counterattack drills, state with absolute confidence and certainty that “ when the adrenaline kicks in, I will do what I have to do—“

 

PLEASE, LET ME MAKE THIS CLEAR.  There is no way on Earth, ladies and gents, that any of my lovely students, nor you, for that matter, will magically learn to defend yourself in a life and death struggle when your adrenaline kicks in.  And I am sure that anyone in their right mind who is reading this understands that, but, for the sake of clarity, allow me to explain why.

 

WHEN you perceive that you are under a possible deadly threat; when you have never faced that type of threat before; when you are forced to defend yourself against such a threat; and, finally, when you have little or no confidence in your ability to defend yourself, your mind and body will be flooded with survival stress hormones, which will accelerate your heart rate from around 70 beats per minute (BPM) to over 220 BPM.  When this happens, your SNS (Sympathetic Nervous System) will be activated –  the adrenaline my optimistic students were referring to –  and you will experience the “benefits” of the adrenal rush, better known as Fight of Flight.

 

THE BENEFITS OF ADRENALINE, especially on an untrained person, are:

 

1. An inability to make quick and effective self defense related decisions. (depreciation of cognitive skills).
2. Auditory Exclusion.
3. Visual Dysfunctions, such as Tunnel Vision, and Inability to Focus, Loss of Near Vision, Loss of Night Vision, Loss of Monocular Vision.
4. Inability to use Fine and Complex Motor Skills.
5. Accelerated Heart rate and Respiration.
6. An inability to fight at 100% maximum output for longer than 10 seconds.

 

Add to this the fact that the Bad Guy will almost always be stronger, faster, more experienced at fighting, will have a definite attack plan, will often be armed, and will orchestrate and time his or her attack in such a way that you will not only be surprised, you will not breathe, will freeze in place (9 out of 10 male and female victims of a surprise attack will not breathe and will freeze upon the attacker’ First Touch). 

 

BOTTOM LINE.  Unless you train seriously and learn to think like a Hard Target (previous blogs), adrenaline will never be your friend and training coach if and when you are attacked.  Even if you “participate” in a serious self defense program, if you refuse to carry out the strikes and other techniques as they are designed – Touch Drill Training really works.  Your body and mind learns when it replicates the techniques in training – you will never be able to replicate the moves with the predator so close you can smell what the asshole ate and drank at the local Bar and Grille a few hours before he attacked and had his way with you.

 

IF I never teach another Self Defense for Women class, it is because I have finally tired of driving home afterwards and conceding to myself that, for those women who have falsely believed in the Magic of Adrenaline, or, simply of providence, I have done absolutely nothing. 

 

Nothing.

 

Until the next post, please Stay Safe.

 

Hammer