Author name: David DiBella

Self-defense can be overwhelming. There are many aspects, lots of information (good and bad), and often times confusion around what works and what doesn’t. This alone makes it hard to know where to begin in regard to training and making self-defense habitual. Here are three things you can do right now to improve your safety.

There’s no question, most people are eager to learn self-defense. They will read self-defense blogs, watch a few YouTube videos, and perhaps take some training. However, all too often the planning stops there. What you need to do is adapt your self-defense skill set to your personal life and circumstances. As long as there is a disconnect between your training and your circumstances, you will not get the maximum benefit from your training.

Calling for help can be a challenge. There are no shortage of “panic button’ type devices that you can buy, most of which require a monthly subscription. With the press of a button, these devices can call 911 and text a message and your location to a list of contacts. If you already own a capable device, there is no extra cost for this feature.

Almost without exception, when I get an inquiry about self-defense training it is from people wanting to learn physical techniques that will allow them to escape from someone who is bigger, stronger, faster and determined to harm them. The reality of the matter is this. The overwhelming majority of problems can be avoided through good decision making, situational awareness and by making self-defense a lifestyle. If you make yourself an easy target and do not foresee and avoid trouble before it becomes a physical altercation, your chances of prevailing unharmed greatly diminish.

It’s easy to become complacent when it comes to self-defense. But we must not forget, trouble can present itself anytime, anywhere. Here are a few things to help you keep your guard up at all times.