With the holidays fast approaching shopping in crowded stores is inevitable. Crowded venues, especially shopping malls, are prime targets for thieves, carjackers and abductors. It’s easy to focus on quickly getting in and out of a store without paying attention to your safety. Keep in mind it’s your responsibility to safeguard yourself, your loved ones and your possessions.
When it comes to self-defense, the more simple the better. Under stress you must rely on gross motor skills and an instinctive reaction. A training regime involving complex techniques and prolonged decision making cycles will not serve you well. Keep in mind the KISS acronym – keep it simple, stupid.
Suddenly, you are in a situation where you are being verbally attacked. You must take immediate action for your personal safety. Your conditioned response may prevent verbal aggression from easily escalating into a physical attack. Here are six things you can do to diffuse verbal aggression.
Self-defense training is a journey that never ends. Learning is constant as we live in a dynamic world with new and adapting threats. One of the biggest assets one can have is an open mind. Very few things are constant or absolute. Expose yourself to a variety of training. Here are some areas of training and resources to consider.
When in public places, such as transitional spaces, it’s best to go unnoticed. The less attention you draw the better. A “grey man” is a person who goes unnoticed by blending in with the environment and not stimulating others. Learning how to “go grey” will help keep you out of criminals’ cross hairs. Here are four things you need to know to stay under the radar.
The most basic, easy to execute self-defense techniques are usually the most effective. When faced with stress, danger and fear our bodies operate in a diminished capacity. It is important to keep this in mind when practicing self-defense techniques that must be applied in a variety of circumstances. The more simple a technique is to execute, the better.
People like to share, tell stories and discuss what they do in order to protect themselves. One of the most common things people share is how they hold their keys as weapons while going to and from their car. Keys can be an effective weapon when used correctly. The “brass knuckles” method seems to be the most popular way of using keys as a weapon. This article will look at the downfalls of this method and discuss better alternative, the “pinch” method.
Running outside is generally considered a safe sport. However, as with any activity that takes you out and about in the world, it definitely has its risks for predator assault. Women are especially vulnerable to assailants due to our strength and size. Women runners, therefore need to stay smart and balance personal safety practices with the way we love to run.
Staying vigilant is a key component of self-defense. We cannot predict the time, place or nature of crimes. It is easy to become complacent and let our guard down. Do not justify complacency by saying things such as “I am only running a quick errand”, or “It’s daytime, nothing will happen.” Keep in mind that often times criminals can hit or or miss. We cannot. Here’s 5 things to always keep on your mind to help you stay on guard.
Transitional spaces are uncontrolled spaces we must pass through when going from one place to another. A transitional space could be a parking lot, a shopping mall, a gas station or a bad part of town. Transitional spaces cannot be avoided and usually present a increased level of risk. Being aware of the increased dangers and how to avoid them can help keep you safe in transitional spaces.
