Use of Force

Under United States law you are allowed to use only the force necessary in defending yourself. Do some research on the self-defense laws of the State you live in. You cannot cripple or maim someone for pushing you. If you use more force than is necessary you could find yourself facing jail or prison time. Even if someone is trying to kill you, you should attempt to use only the force necessary to incapacitate your attacker without killing him, unless you have absolutely no choice. After you have incapacitated an attacker you should seek the most immediate avenue of escape, not to evade the police, but to evade the attacker once he regains his senses. If it comes to having no choice but to kill an attacker, you must be able to articulate to a Judge every detail that lead up to the event, you must be able to prove that you had, at the time, reasonable fear that your life was in mortal danger, and if anyone witnessed the altercation who could collaborate your account you should bring them with you to court. Be honest with the Judge and don't stretch the truth, don't try to make a simple aggressive shove look like an attempt to kill you.

Reality based self-defense: Avoidance and Environmental Awareness

Reality based self-defense: Avoidance and Environmental Awareness

Avoidance and Environmental Awareness

The best way to stay out of trouble is to avoid it. If you go to places like bars and nightclubs, or areas of  towns or neighborhoods known for a lot of criminal activity, then you are taking the potential risk of encountering violence. Back alleys and dead end alleys are also hot spots for trouble. These places take on an even greater potential for trouble in the hours of nighttime. If, for some reason, you find yourself in one of these areas then you must remain alert and aware. Be environmentally aware; this means to take notice of every sound and try to identify its source and direction. Take notice of other people you may encounter at such times, and make a mental assessment based on their facial expressions and body language whether they present a potential threat. Don't stand there looking them up and down as this might be considered a challange. Just take quick notice and absorb as much information about their demeanor as you can. Be aware of your surroundings, take stock of anything in the immediate environment that could be used as an improvised weapon should the need arise. Things like metal trash cans or trash can lids, bricks or stones laying about, fire hydrants that you can push someone over, chairs (in bars or nightclubs) that can be used for the same purpose, or that can be used in lion tamer fashion. When you first enter into an area or a bar take an immediate assessment of avenues of escape should you need to make a quick exit. Take notice of anything that can be used as an obstacle, such as tables or desks. Never do anything that will detract from your senses, like listening to headphones or talking on a cell phone, or texting, when you're out walking. It's better to be safe than sorry.

Reality based self-defense: Improvised weapons

Reality based self-defense: Improvised weapons

Reality based self-defense: Improvised weapons

Reality based self-defense: Improvised weapons

Improvised weapons

In most States of the US many weapons are illegal, especially martial arts weapons. The police can arrest you for using pepper spray against an assailant, yet pepper spray is sold in places like some auto parts stores or other places. It doesn't make sense. Why is it allowed to be sold but not used ? As far as firearms go, personally I'm against their use, though they do have their place. But you don't have to spend a lot of money on buying a defensive weapon such as pepper spray or tazers. Almost any everyday common item can be utilized as an improvised weapon. Car keys can be used for stabbing and raking soft targets. Rat tail combs can be used for jabbing, and, with the teeth, raking the back of the hand or targets on the face or neck. A metal alloy five and a half inch long mini flash light can be used like a kubotan or yawara stick, plus in the dark, the light can be used to temporarily blind an assailant. A thick broken tree branch can be used for clubbing. A walking cane can be used for striking, or by using it's crook for trapping. Heavy ash trays make good projectiles, as do hefty stones. Wasp and hornet spray can be sprayed into an assailant's face and eyes, and it has a longer range than pepper spray. It can spray up to thirty feet. And pencils and Pens can be used for stabbing soft targets. These are just a few examples of common items that can be used in place of weapons should the need arise. If you had to, what could you come up with in a pinch ?

Reality Based Self-Defense

Reality based self-defense is an interesting area of study and practice. It has much to offer and there's lots to learn from it. Traditional martial arts like Karate, Jujitsu, and Kung Fu, are ok for the dojo or the sports arena, and some practitioners can even make it work on the street, but for most practitioners it is impractical for real life self-defense situations, where you are likely to be taken by surprise, as by a sucker punch. Traditional martial arts rely on trained muscle memory responses, and arts such as Jujitsu have literally hundreds of techniques. In Jujitsu you have several different counters to, say, a head strike. The problem becomes that when you have a bunch of options to choose from in defending a head strike it slows your response time as your cerebrum decides which technique to use.
Reality based self-defense systems generally have a syllabus of only a few techniques and tactics that can be applied to a wide variety of different attacks. This is true of Krav Maga. It is also true of Senshido, the system developed by Richard Dimitri. Also, reality based systems don't generally rely on learned muscle memory responses, but rather focus on training to launch a defense/offense from off of the amgydalic flinch response. In my opinion, the best RBSD instructors and authors out there today include Richard Dimitri, Loren W. Christensen, Tony Blauer, and Larry Jordan. Another good instructor and author I've come across is Keith Pascal. I started out at the age of 16, with different practice partners, teaching myself Jujitsu. Later I incorporated elements of Taijitsu and Krav Maga. I'm committed to RBSD, and always working to improve my skills, and men like those named above only help me to improve further. You see, I was born with a congenital deformity of my left leg. It is about 5 inches shorter than my right, congenital absence of fibula, and my foot up to the instep had to be amputated at the age of 6. Consequently I have to wear a prosthesis. As a child and early teen I felt very vulnerable, like one of the weak of the herd (so to speak), and I was bullied and ridiculed a lot by my peers. So I felt the necessity of having an edge, and that's what led me into the martial arts and RBSD.
Someone might ask, "Why would I need RBSD skills" ? Look at the world we live in today, watch the News for a while, and that will give you your answer. Others are free to do as they choose. As for me, I choose to be prepared. If you're one who is interested in self-defense, then don't seek a martial arts class. Seek a self-defense class, unless, of course, your interest is in the sport aspect, which by the way, is for the dojo or the sports arena, not the street.