Practical Self-defense tips

This week's entry is by guest blogger and World In Motion instructor extraordinaire, Glenn Murphy, who is bringing us the first in a series of terrific tips for self-defense.

Glenn runs quarterly self-defense workshops, designed exclusively for women, at the World In Motion studio. He has been training an teaching martial arts for over 20 years, holds a black belt in Aikido, and is a certified instructor in the Russian Martial Art of Systema. Both arts incorporate the use of distance, timing, fear control, and psychological tactics to prevail over larger and stronger attackers, making them ideal for keeping women safe. Over 30 women participated in his workshops at WIM last session.

Here, he offers tips on how to recognize and avoid violent encounters. If you are interested in signing up for his next set of workshops (probably in early August - exact dates tbc), please e-mail him at glenn@ncsystema.com to be placed on the waiting list.

Glenn's tips for practical self-defense:

Remember this well:

• It is better to avoid than to run; better to run than to fight; better to fight than to be assaulted

Therefore, the first and most important level of self defense is avoidance. But how do we avoid violence, or avoid becoming victims of violent assault? It starts with understanding. You should understand that:

• Everybody is a potential victim of violence. Police statistics show that the average 21-year old woman has about a 1 in 4 chance of experiencing a violent crime within her lifetime.
• Criminals do not care about your personal philosophy, and being a pacifist will not keep you safe. True pacifism comes from being able and prepared to fight, but choosing not to.
  
• If you ignore the reality of violence, and take no steps to prepare for it, then that is not pacifism - it's cowardice. And sadly, criminals - like all efficient predators - specifically target those who appear weak and afraid.
• That said, violence tends to happen in certain places, at certain times, and in specific ways. If you know the where, when, why and how of violence, you can successfully avoid it 99% of the time. In this installment, we'll be looking solely at the where; in future weeks, we'll explore the when, why and how.
  

In truth, violence can happen just about anywhere. But statistically, it most often happens in or around:

1) places where young males gather together i.e. bars, clubs, sporting, house parties, sporting events.
2) places where people's minds are altered by alcohol or drugs, allowing inhibitions to drop. i.e. Again - bars, clubs, house parties.
3) lonely places, where there are few witnesses around to interfere. i.e. empty parking lots; empty streets and alleyways; empty parks, beaches and jogging trails.

• Obviously, we're not always able to avoid these places altogether. But if you make an effort to be more aware when you find yourself in these places, then your chances of experiencing violence drop exponentially.
• In rowdy, crowded places like bars, clubs or parties, make a note of where the exits and escape routes are. Stick with friends, avoid separating yourself from the crowd, and make sure you all leave together.
• Avoid lonely streets and parking lots altogether if possible (and especially at night). But if you have to traverse them, again, go with a friend. If you're alone, be aware that you are particularly vulnerable, and be attentive to your surroundings.
• Do not rummage in your bag for your keys on the way to the car - have them in your hand way before you enter the car park. Don't check your cell-phone messages on the way to the car, either - even a few seconds of inattention can be enough for a stalking predator to approach you unnoticed. Walk fast, get in quickly, lock your doors, start the car, and drive straight home. Phone calls, messages and car tunes can wait.

Do all this, and your chances of being a victim drop from 1-in-4 to around 1-in-500.

Want to learn how to decrease the odds further?  Check back here for the next entry, and sign up for classes if you can.

Stay safe,

GM