When I discuss personal safety and a self-defense plan, I highlight four parts that I feel are critical to success.
The continuum of personal safety and self-defense include:
- Understanding crime and the criminal mindset
- Effective personal safety and prevention strategy(ies)
- Toolbox of simple physical defenses and weapon use
- Survival mind-set and warrior’s fighting spirit
Part 1 – Understanding Crime and the Criminal Mindset
The first part of training in self-defense centers around understanding that crime is a process and is not about the bad man jumping out of the bushes. It is understanding that our attackers more than likely will be known versus the stranger attacks. This is especially true if you are a female.
Therefore, your training should be able to answer the following questions. Do you understand how crime happens? Do you understand the crime triangle? Do you understand the five stages of violent crime? Do you understand what a criminal is looking for in a victim/target?
Part 2 – Having Effective Personal Safety and Prevention Strategies
The next part of training is about your own personal safety and prevention strategies. How do you handle your body language? Do you know what it is saying about you and telling others? What habits are you currently engaged in that could place you in harm’s way? What new habits are you developing to lower the opportunities for crime to happen to you? Are you utilizing the color coding process to be able to find an escape route when needed? Do you feel comfortable using verbal self-defense?
Part 3 – A Toolbox of Simple Physical Defenses and Weapon Use
The third part is simple physical defense and weapon use. We are not looking for complicated, muscle driven moves. Every self-defense move that is utilized should be quick, effective and based on natural body reactions. The goal is to create an opportunity for escape and survival; not go 3 rounds in a caged mixed-martial arts fight. Are you comfortable around weapons? Are you comfortable improvising with tools on hand: hairbrush, pen, cellphone, newspaper, magazine, shoe, etc., as potential weapons? Do you know where to strike to get the quickest response?
Part 4 – A Survival Mind-Set and a Warrior’s Fighting Spirit
Part four is the mental rehearsal for self-defense. It’s giving yourself permission that you do have the right to defend yourself. That you are worth defending. It’s creating a mind-set that states, “I will survive!” It is about taking fear and turning it into power. It’s about you believing in you and about believing that you can do what it takes to defend yourself.
By utilizing the above four parts, you can successfully create your own personal safety and self-defense continuum.
Upcoming Seminars and Webinars
Take a look at our available seminars & online webinars and come join us for some self-defense training!
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