The Vital Pyramid
A proper self defense game plan starts with a few basic principles. Once you understand these basic principles, you’ll be ahead of 95% of the population when it comes to self protection.
From here on out, it’s important that we use the term self protection, rather than self defense. The fact of the matter is this… if you are playing defense, you are losing (credit to Lee Morrison of Urban Combatives).
This brings us to the first principle of self protection… mindset.
Self Protection Principle #1 – Mindset
In order to prevail in any altercation or assault, it is critical that you have the proper mindset. In the world of self defense instruction, developing the proper mindset is often ignored.
So, what exactly is the proper mindset?
It is simply this… you will do whatever is necessary to win the fight. Notice that I did not use the term survive. The problem with that term is this… if you don’t survive, you’re dead.
However, you CAN survive even if you lose a fight. By having the mentality that you will win at all costs, you will pretty much guarantee that, even if you lose the fight, you will still inflict significant damage to your assailant. That may be all you need to survive.
To have the mindset that you will win at all costs, you are going to have to reach into the dark recesses of your mind and find the being inside of you that is willing to do anything to win the fight. This may even involve taking the life of another human being.
It is necessary to tap into that mindset, because in all likelihood, an assailant is willing to take your life to get what they want. If you can’t match their mindset, then you will be at a significant disadvantage.
Criminals do not value human life. For you to win a fight against a criminal who attacks you, you need to devalue their life.
Self Protection Principle #2 – Act like a predator
Photo by Wayne Christensen
Predators typically avoid attacking other predators. They are looking for easy prey. There are a few reasons for this.
First, a predator is not interested in being identified. Therefore, they will look for opportunities where their prey are not paying attention to what’s going on around them.
This makes it easier to ambush them. A successful ambush means they will likely not be identified.
Second, a predator does not want to be caught. If you are not an easy target, they will think it likely that they can get caught if they try to rob you or assault you.
If you look like a predator, that will suggest that any altercation with you may be prolonged. This increases the likelihood that they will get caught.
Lastly, a predator does not want to get injured. If they think there is any possibility that you can injure them, they will avoid you.
So, how do you act like a predator?
When a predator is on the hunt, they are extremely alert. Just think of an eagle circling in the air, looking for prey.
However, in this instance, you are looking for potential predators. If you can spot them soon enough, you can avoid them altogether.
Avoidance is the simplest form of self protection.
If you appear alert and wary, if you stand tall and look confident, you will look like a predator, and someone who should also be avoided.
Self Protection Principle #3 – Tactics
Photo by JESHOOTS.com
It’s important that you learn some basic tactics.
For example, if you are walking down the street, and you spot a potential predator, then consider walking in a different direction, or cross to the other side of the street to avoid the predator.
That is a very simple tactic.
Another tactic is to deploy pepper spray in case a predator gets to close to you, and avoids your warning to back off. You deploy the pepper spray, and then run.
Tactics essentially involve strategies for dealing with different situations. In the world of self protection, we learn to employ a few tactics that can address a variety of situations.
In other words, we really don’t need to develop a lot of “techniques” in order to be successful at prevailing over our assailant.
This is a significant difference between traditional martial arts training and combatives training.
In the martial arts, we learn literally hundreds, if not thousands of different techniques to deal with different types of strikes, kicks, takedowns, etc.
Unfortunately, in the real world, knowing a bunch of techniques does not work under stress, particularly if you are dealing with an armed assailant.
In combatives training, we stick with a few different techniques that are then utilized in our tactics.
For example, if someone larger than me gets inside my personal space, I may look to knee them in the groin first, then attack the head. No matter what, I won’t stop my assault until they are on the ground, and no longer a threat.
However, in order to execute my tactics and strategy, I will need some skills. This leads me to the last principle of self protection.
Principle of Self Protection #4 – Skills
Self Defense Company Combatives
If you are walking around unarmed, the best skill you can have is the ability to knock someone out with a single strike. Ending a fight quickly is always in your best interests.
Here in America, many people feel that simply carrying a gun is enough to save the day. However, unless you are very skilled in the use of that weapon, you can be beaten by someone who is a skilled predator, even if they are not carrying a weapon.
Skilled predators are typically able to ambush their victims. Every single top line predator in the animal kingdom hunts by stealth and ambush.
There is a pretty good video on Youtube that demonstrates how an individual with a knife can clearly stab someone with a gun if that individual with the gun has the gun holstered.
With this in mind, you must develop a number of skills in order to improve your chances at surviving any potential assault.
These skills include soft skills, such as being more aware of your surroundings, and hard skills involving empty hand and armed fighting skills.
Final Thoughts
Developing the ability to protect yourself is effectively an insurance policy. We pay good money for life and health insurance, so why not take the time to add another layer of insurance?
By simply becoming more aware of your surroundings, you will be ahead of the game. Too many people in this world become victims because they were simply not paying attention.
Take the time to start developing your plan for self protection today. Not only will you benefit, those who depend upon you will as well.
Thanks for reading!
