Tips for Self Protection

You may be wondering why this page has been titled self protection as opposed to self defence. In essence this has been done to bring to your attention that looking after yourself doesn't start from the point someone is swinging a punch at your face. How you behave and how you react prior to and during confrontation can potentially stop that punch being thrown (or that knife being thrusted) in the first place. Sticking to a few rules will reduce the necessity to get physical.

What you're not going to see on this page is a step by step, self defence by numbers pictorial break down on how to overcome a baddie. If you were expecting that then you're going to be disappointed. Whatsmore it'd be a waste of your time. Self defence techniques must be automatic and to have any chance of them working you need to practice them over and over again until they are branded on your mind. Simply looking on the internet to achieve a quick fix would be a waste of your time. Sure, reading about self defence/protection is important but only as a complement to actual training. Remember, humans are unpredictable and thus do unpredictable things. Books are inanimate and as such aren't the best of sparring partners. Whilst the dojo (training hall) cannot create the exact scenario of a street fight/attack it's the closest thing to it whilst staying safe.

The following points require little in the way of effort - most are common sense. What's important is you carry them out.

Target Hardening

Ever wonder why the same people always seem to get picked on? Why bad luck and misfortune always seems to go their way? Why they end up getting stitched up by anyone that sells them something? It's because they're a soft target.

Target hardening is a phrase coined by Geoff Thompson, a founder member of the British Combat Association and a respected authority on self defence/protection. It describes how by the very nature you carry yourself, from your confidence and posture right the way through to your clothing, increases/decreases the chances of being attacked. The harder you are as a target the less likely you are as a victim. Forget age/gender for the moment because both men and women, young and old are attacked. The question is why did the attacker choose (and they do choose) that individual.

Muggers want an easy life and as such will always go for the weakest prey. Consider yourself as a mugger for a moment. You have a choice between jumping out on the following two people:

a) A nervous looking individual shuffling along constantly looking at the floor.

b) A relaxed, confident walker. Back straight, head up, looking around.

OK, so it's fairly obvious but not as obvious a saying a 5ft woman and a 7ft rugby player so hopefully you get the point. Individuals are chosen to be attacked irrespective of gender/age because they look like they're not going to put up a fight. The next time you're in a train or driving along have a sneaky peek at those around you and spot the victims. Whatever you do don't stare at anyone for too long!

If you carry yourself as a victim, you'll increase your chances of being one.

Your Wallet/Purse

This is a difficult issue for some and I give this advice as something I would do even as a trained martial artist. Others have a great problem with this, mostly to do with ego and not fighting back but here you go:

If someone jumps out on you in the street with a knife or (sadly increasingly likely) a gun demanding your wallet/purse, give it to them! Ask yourself this - would your wife/husband/children/parents/friends want you to be stabbed to death over a piece of leather, some plastic and a few quid? Of course not. I for one am not going to take the chance of leaving behind a widow and two fatherless kids because I felt it necessary to fight back over something that can easily be replaced. However, DO NOT HAND IT DIRECTLY TO HIM. Toss it away from you.... chances are that he is more interested in your wallet and/or purse than you and he will go for it. RUN LIKE MAD IN THE OTHER DIRECTION!

This shouldn't be confused with other scenarios - this is purely where you feel in your heart of hearts this individual has no desires beyond the contents of your purse/wallet. If we were talking about someone more hellbent on gratuitous violence this would be very different and would depend on a number of other factors. As this is a website open to anyone to view (including my junior students) it's best to leave that for obvious reasons but I'd be happy to discuss my thoughts individually.

Getting into your Car in a Car Park.

Be aware: look around you, look into your car, at the passenger side floor, and in the back seat (and check out under the car as you approach).

Look at the car parked on the driver's side of your vehicle, and the passenger side. If a male is sitting alone in the seat nearest your car, you may want to get into your car the opposite side to that car, walk away or find someone to watch/wait whilst you get in the car.

Where best possible avoid parking your car so as you have your back turned on everything when loading items into the boot.

If approached by an individual whilst in your car, lock it (if you haven't already done so). If they then proceed to ask you a question, don't under any circumstances wind your window down more than half an inch. If the person genuinely wants help/directions you'll be able to hear them clearly. The mistake most people make is winding it down so far they can be grabbed or something valuable on the passenger seat can be stolen.

IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY (and better paranoid than dead.)

Disarming Tactics

A number of criminals use the tactic of needing help to target victims and get them close in – either to snatch valuables or to instigate an assault. Most famously Ted Bundy used to wear a fake plaster cast and ask for help getting into his car – a number of victims were snatched this way.

Consider this, someone walks up to you in the street and innocently asks if you have the time. The first thing you do (even if you don't have a watch) is look down at your hand either to give the time or indicate you don't have a watch. This split second is all someone would need to get you off guard. If it's late at night, there's no one else around and someone asks you for a light/the time/directions answer back quickly and confidently 'No'.

This very scenario happened to me quite a few years ago late at night (18 years old, Lewisham, SE London. 2am walking home. Possibly with 'Soft Target' in neon lights above my head). At the time I had a strong feeling I was about to be attacked by two fellas who'd crossed the street to ask me for a light. My resounding 'I DON'T SMOKE' without pausing from my stride stopped them in their tracks. To this day I don't know whether they were muggers or just two fellas with nothing to light their Marlboros with having just met the rudest person ever. Frankly, I don't care.

Attackers look to disarm you in any way they can. Either by quick tactics or longer tactics. Michael Sams carried one of his victims shopping home for her, no doubt having a lovely chat along the way. I won't go into what happened next.

Donal McIntyre (McIntyre Investigates, BBC TV) spent ages chatting to a man supposedly helping him find his stolen mobile phone (all on hidden camera). After a very long friendly chat, out of the blue went a knife to his throat, the attacker demanding the laptop computer he had with him.

Don't be too Curious

Beware of strange noises outside, even seemingly “safe” ones. If the noise is persistent and unusual, don’t whatever you do, open the door. Call the police. It may be nothing, but better safe than sorry. It’s been reported in America that attackers are taping the sound of a baby crying and playing this outside homes of single women to lure them out.

Hit them First, Hit them Hard

If it's your honestly held belief (to quote the legal jargon) you're in danger, don't think twice about making the first move. Hit them with anything you can - elbows, head, knee or fists. Hit them hard and keep going. You are perfectly within the law provided you break off your defence once you have stopped your attacker using the minimum force necessary.

In Conclusion

This really only scratches the surface of self protection but hopefully it'll serve you some good. Hopefully it'll also give you an insight into the club and how serious self protection is taken. If you're looking to take up karate because of self defence then you can be certain we take it very seriously.

Not all karate clubs teach self defence in isolation. As bizarre as this may sound it's true. Most will stick to the more traditional elements of martial arts which bear only a passing resemblance to an actual confrontation and tell you it'll serve you well in the street. Don't get me wrong, I'm a firm believer in the traditions of martial arts and its many positive aspects. However, violence in society has evolved from the time karate was first practised.

Key Points

Watch the way you carry yourself. People quickly make judgements about others so make sure that judgement isn't that you're a victim.

If you are being attacked/mugged run if at all possible.

Be aware of your surroundings and don’t take unnecessary risks.

If you have the slightest worry, ask for assistance.

Paul