The Truth Tree Guide to Self-Defense

Self-Defense Basics for Beginners

Introduction

The world has always been stressful and violent; more so in the past than now; however--

Violence can come to you.

Anyone can become violent, especially if they think God is on their side.

Identify the dynamics of the enviornment you are in.

Try to be sensitive and inoffensive.

Avoid conflict.

Disengagement

Study conflict resolution strategies. Take a course in Non-Violent Crisis Intervention.

Put the issues in perspective.

Try to achive a win-win agreement. You won't 'win' an argument or a fight. Consider the potential costs.

Consider the L.E.A.P.S Method:

1. Listen

2. Empathize

3. Ask (suggest a course of action)

4. Paraphrase (Re-state and get acceptance of the plan)

5. Summarize (enact the plan).

Recognize that there are situations you can't talk yourself out of.

Fight or Flight may be better than no action at all.

Awareness

Self-Awareness

Predator Preferences
Age
Physical Condition
Dress
Behavioral
Location

Pre-Incident Indicators

Unnatural impediment to your movement
Correlation of someone's movement to your own
Any sudden change in a person's status as you get near or pass
Predatory movement. ie. circling, positioning,
Target glancing
Persons closing on you from oblique angles to meet you path
A hand hidden from view
Bumps, shoves, pushes, or grabs
Relative absence of other people or authorities
A vehicle stopping along side you slightly to the front or rear
Any second pass of a vehicle
Any intoxicated person
Any religiously enthusiastic person
Obvious attempts at 'baiting' you
Glances or cult signals

Environmental Awareness

Cooper's Color Code
Condition White - No threat. Completly safe.
Condition Yellow - A low chance of threat. Comfortable surroundings.
Condition Orange - A threat is highly possible. Be fully alert.
Condition Red - A threat is likely. Clear and present danger.

Child Safety

It is vital to keep an identification file for your child. These records will help police and other agencies find and identify your child.

Description. Keep a constantly updated description of your child handy. Height, Weight, eye color, age, and hair color and style. Although these things can be altered and obviously change with age, they are invaluable to any initial search teams. Remember, having this information written down and ready to present will help prevent miscommunication that can occur.

Photo records. Keep and updated photo of your child. This photo should be updated at least every 6 months.

Finger prints. Your local police department will provide this service. For very young children, hand and foot prints may also be avaliable and are a fail safe way to identify your child.

Dental Records. Regular checkups at the dentist's office provide more of a service than just clean and healthy teeth. Like finger prints, dental records provide an excellent for of identification.

Keep these records in a safe but accessable location in your home, such as a fire proof safe with other important paper work. In the event of a missing child, you will be able to provide necessary information to the police department at a moments notice.

Safety

Always know what your child is wearing, who they are with, and where they are going.

Never put a childs name on their clothing or bike. If a stranger can see the name, they can attempt to convince the child they are somebody that knows them.

Make sure your child knows who to go to if they become lost. Instruct them to look for a uniform. Police Officers, Fire Fighters, Security Guards, and Store employees.

An adult should never ask a child for directions or to help find a lost pet. Teach your child not to approach any stranger asking for such things. Instead, find a trusted adult.

If approached by a stranger in a vehicle turn and leave (run) in the opposite direction the vehicle is moving.

Establish a neighborhood crime watch in your area if there is not already one. Meet parents of other children. This is another valuable resource.

Teach your child to dial 911 in an emergency.

Make sure as early as possible your child knows his or her full name, your full name, phone number, and address.

"What if". A good way to help teach your children safety is to play "what if". Ask them a question or give them a senerio to work out to see how they react. This works for any type of emergency. Phrase the questions in a manner that will challenge your kids but not scare them or make them feel helpless.

Teach them to FIGHT!! Punch, kick, gouge, rip, scream, and run. Teach them to attack the eyes, throat, groin, and other vital areas that size makes little difference. Sometimes people may ignore a child just screaming. Have them scream "HELP!" "This is not my mother/father!" or "This person is trying to kidnap me!" Teaching your children to protect themselves can save their lives.

How to Survive an Engagement Against an Attacker

Seek and use cover.
Cover is something that can physically protect you (a thick brick wall). Concealment is something that can hide you but not protect you (a shrub).

Use time wisely.
Take advantage of opportunities to escape, get help, find cover, or at least re-load.

Visualize your success.
Play mental "What If" games with yourself. Think how you would react. Win.

Keep your techniques as basic as possible.
Even master martial artists will stick to the basics in a real fight. The reason is because it's the simple stuff that works. Remember K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple, Stupid)

Attack the attacker. Do whatever it takes to win, and do it NOW!
Be aggressive. Strike three ways: hard, fast, and continuously. Don't stop until the threat is completely neutralized.

Breathe deeply and regularly.
This will help you think clearly and provide your muscles with much needed oxygen.

Don't just look, see.
To quote the Sigint (Signal Intelligence) Warriors. 'Find, know, and never loose the enemy.'

Be aware of false cover.
A sheetrock wall or bush will not stop a bullet.

Consider firing in bursts.
Practice 'double tapping' and burst firing. When caught in a gunfight, fire until your attacker is stopped.

Never bluff or make threats.

Aim for center mass.
Don't try for a 'head shot' and don't try to 'shoot the gun out of his hand'.

Never shoot while running. Shoot then move.
The five necessities in winning a battle: Shoot, Move, Communicate, Secure, and Sustain.

Use your eyes and ears.
Keep aware of your surroundings. Know where your attacker is and what he is doing.

Be careful of muzzle-masking.
Don't shoot yourself or your cover.

Maximize distance and minimize exposure to threats.
In other words, get the heck out quickly as you can.

Use the 'third eye' principle.
Where you look, that's where your weapon should be directed. (Use common sense here when 'looking' at a bystander, ally, or arriving police.)

Channel fear into efficient life-saving action. Don't focus on injuries.
Fear is a natural defense. It gives your body strength, endurance, and speed. Use it to full advantage.

Do not lower your gun to look between shots.
Keep your attacker targeted at all times. Do not stop your attack to see what your adversary will do next. This applies to hand to hand attacks also.

Stand back from your cover.
By standing back from your cover, you'll lower the chance of being struck by a ricochet or by a round that penetrates the cover. You will also have a better field of vision and reduce the chance of being 'flanked'.

AVOID FIGHTS!!
The only way your really 'win' a fight is not to get into one.

Finding Cover

Whenever you enter a new place, look around to see what is available for cover and for concealment. While you're at it, look for all possible routes of escape. After some practice, you will do this automaticly. Remember that if you should need cover, concealment, or an escape route, you will probably need it immediatly - without having to think about it. Don't wait until you need it to try to find it.

Listed here are some ideas to look for, for cover.

Hard Cover: An object that can stop a bullet. (An Engine Block, Fire Hydrant, Large Tree)

Soft Cover: An object that can slow or deflect a bullet, but probably won't stop it.

Concealment: An object that can hide you from sight, but that would be easily penetrated by a bullet. (Bushes)

Interior Encounters

Residential homes are probably the hardest places to find good cover. Most bullets can penetrate the sheetrock walls and light furniture. However, a little cover is better than none. For this reason is it important to remember to stand back from your cover. If a round does penetrate, it's trajectory and velocity may still be changed enough to miss you if you are not right up against the cover.

Inside your own home or other familiar place, your best advantage is that you will know the layout and object placement better than an intruder. Try to use this to your advantage. If you must move, move very quietly - an intruder may shoot toward any sounds. If you can find good cover and remain still, that is your best option. Unless other family members are in danger, do not move to intercept an intruder, let him come to you while you remain hidden behind cover.

Door jams: These are normally doubled up 2x4's, making them thicker than the walls. In most residential homes, this is probably your best bet.

Heavy Furniture may provide some soft cover. Dressers, Beds, Couches. Use the "long way" if you can.

Heavy Appliances, avoid items with gas lines or hot water.

Outside/ Urban and Suburban Encounters

Fire Hydrants (crouch down)

Public Mail Boxes

Telephone / Utility Poles (again, avoid gas lines, power lines, hot water or steam pipes)

The Curb (laying down the long way along the curb) - make sure it's high enough.

Parked Vehicles (see below)

Steel or Brick buildings.

Automobile Encounters

The roof supports may provide some protection but the doors themselves will not. Avoid 'hiding' behind the door.

The best use of automobile cover is the engine block. If the threat is in front, say in your car and fire around the A pillar. If the threat is from the side, exit the vehicle and use the engine block as cover. Remember to keep your legs covered by the tire and rim. Do not drape across the hood.

Rural and Wilderness Encounters

Shallow Graves - dips or indentations in the ground.

Large Trees - make sure it's a living tree, a dead one may be hollow.

Rock or dirt mounds. Stay low to the ground and DO NOT silhouette yourself.

Note: although it may look like good cover, try if you can, to avoid places that are all too obvious. You may be better off in a shallow grave in the weeds than behind the only tree in the area...

GUN FIGHT WISDOM

It's better to have a gun and not need it than to need it and not have it.

Your gun must be legally owned.

Your gun must be legally carried.

Communication skills are as (or more) important as combat skills.

Do not drink and carry.

Be aware, Be Prepared, practive avoidance and disengagement.

A gun, knief, club, or broken bottles can all be lethal.

Know the upside and downside of warning shots.

Using your firearm is your final option.

Control, and do not voice, your anger before, during, or after a defensive shooting.

If you are in imminent danger of great harm or death, draw your weapon.

Only draw your weapon if you are fully prepared to use it.

55% of gunfights take place 0-5 feet.

20% of gunfights take place in 5-10 feet.

20% of gunfights take place in 10-21 feet.

95% of gunfights take place in 0-21 feet. (Source- FBI)

The average man can cover 21 feet of ground in 1.5 seconds.

The average man cannot draw a gun from concealment in under 2 seconds.

Seek and use cover. Be aware of false cover. (ie bushes - that's concealment, not cover)

The average gunfight is over in 3-5 seconds.

3 to 4 shots are usually fired.

Most gunfights take place in low light conditions.

On average, one shot in four strikes someone.

A gunfight is stressful.

The 'fastest draw' is to already have the gun in your hand.

The 'fastest reload' may be to draw a backup gun.

A handgun is a marginal self defense weapon.

Give the 'Prident person's warning'.

Don't worry about property damage. Worry about innocent people.

Don't shoot to 'wound' or 'kill'. Shoot to STOP.

Never shoot a criminal who is trying to escape.

Aim Center Mass. Do not attempt a 'leg shot' or to shoot the gun out of his hand. That only works on T.V.

Your backup operate the same as your primary weapon, or be a 'no brainer'.

Draw fast slowly.

It's the person, not the gun, that wins the battle.

A flashlight can illuminate, disorient, and serve as a weapon.

1996 USA FATALITIES FOR: Autos: 43,649 (half due to alchohol)
Falls: 14,986
Poison: 9,510
Fire: 3,741
Drowning: 3,488
Medical Mistakes: 2,919
Firearms: 1,134
(Source: National Center for Health Statistics 1996)

99.8% of all guns are NOT used in a crime in a given year, 99.6% of handguns will NOT be used in a crime in a given year.
(Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation)

Florida has had right-to-carry in effect for over 10 years. Less than 1% of carry permits have been revoked in that time for gun-related crime
(Source: Florida Dept. of State)

73% of weapons used in violent crime; murders, manslaughter, robbery, and aggravated assault; are OTHER THAN guns.
(Source: 1997 FBI Uniform Crime Report)

The number of firearm fatalities these days is horrible. Many can be chalked up to improper storage and use. Most could have been prevented if the people involved were properly trained and actually cared. Like martial arts, respect and discipline should be mandatory in all firearm circles.

Get Trained!

If you've never handled a firearm, or even if you have the first thing you should do before purchasing one if take a class on them. The National Rifle Association offers many classes. Otherwise any local gun shop will have information on classes and instructors.
Of course these are not your only options. If you are between 15 and 18 years old, check your local police department and see if they have a Police or Law Enforcement Explorer program. In addition to firearm training, Police Explorers get a lot of other police training - and some experience if you have a good department. I did that for two years and loved it. Also you could enlist in the military - I did that to :-).

Treat every firearm as if it is loaded.

Check and clear any firearm you handle immediatly else'.

Keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction at all times.

DO NOT load the weapon until you are ready to begin firing.

Keep safety ON and your finger OFF the trigger until you're ready to fire.

As far as you know, the "Safety"- doesn't work.

Inspect all firearms before using them

A firearm that malfunctions can be as deadly to the operator as to the target. Before using a firearm, inspect it for cracks, chips, dents and other defects that may effect its operation. Make sure it is clean and lubricated. Also inspect the ammunition for the same things.

Know your target and what's beyond

It is important to know what and who your target is. Shooting at a silhouette in a dark room is a bad idea. Identify the target as a threat before engaging.
Know what is beyond your target. If you miss or the bullet passed completely through the target, it will damage or kill whatever it is beyond.
The same applies to target shooting, hunting, or just plinking. Do not shoot if you can't identify what's beyond. Shadows, bushes, privacy fences, sheetrock walls WILL block your view but WILL NOT stop your bullet. Keep this in mind before engaging a target.

Use only the correct ammunition

Using the wrong type of ammunition in a firearm can and most likely will cause serious damage to not only the weapon itself, but probably the shooter to.

Secure stored firearms

Lock firearms in a strong safe. If not possible to lock them up, at least use trigger locks. NEVER keep them where children can get at them (which is illegal, by the way). It's also a good idea store ammunition and guns separately if possible. Of course, if you have a firearm for the purpose of home protection, this wouldn't be logical.

Never use drugs or alcohol while handling firearms

Anything that can impair your judgement must be avoided when it comes to handling firearms.

Use safety equipment

Obviously this really does not apply when having to use your weapon in an emergency. But any other time you should always wear proper eye and ear protection.

Teach your kids

If you have kids and own a firearm the best thing you can do for them is to teach them gun safety. In fact, in today’s world, it would be good to teach them gun safety even if YOU don't own a firearm. Teach them how to safely handle a firearms, and more importantly, when NOT to handle one.

Children who are "sheltered" from reality will not know how to handle reality when mommy and daddy are not there to hold their hand. They are in more danger of an accident due to rebellious behavior, curiosity, and ignorance than children are taught. Remember, education is always a safer bet than ignorance.

As Eddie Eagle says, "Stop, don't touch, get away, tell an adult." Visit the NRA's Eddie Eagle site for more information on how to educate, and therefore protect, your children.

Physiological Reactions to Attack

The following is what you can expect to happen to you in the event of an attack. Training and experience can offset some of the negative responses, but even the best trained are not fully immune to these effects.

Tunnel Vision (not seeing your surroundings)

Auditory Exclusion (eg. not hearing your own gun fire)

Distorted perception of space and time (eg. 3 seconds felt like 10 minutes)

Fixation on the attacker

Reflexive crouch (a natural, instinctive defensive posture)

Loss of ability to make fine motor moves (your body is on overdrive)

Increased ability to make gross motor moves (your body is on overdrive)

High stress

Adrenaline Flow (fight or flight)

Increased blood pressure

Elevated threshold of pain

Shock

Suprise

For these reasons, it is necessary to work with your reactions and train as realisticly and safely as possible.

After the Attack

Do not voice anger before, during, or after the event.

Do not joke or make derogatory comments about the situation or the assialant.

Remember your goal is to STOP the attack, not kill or injure.

Be the complainant.

Call 911. Notify police and paramedics.

If the threat is neutralized, put any weapons away safely.

Keep your hands visible when police arrive.

If you are holding an attacker at gun point, identify yourself to police.

Follow all police instructions immediatly.

Do not make any sudden or fast movements.

Accept being handcuffed. Don't argue.

Tell the police you were in fear of death and press charges.

Be calm (as you can). Identify evidence and witnesses.

DO NOT EVER alter the scene. (this includes 'dragging the body back inside')

DO NOT EVER alter the scene. (yes, I put that twice)

Don't discuss a self defense shooting in detail without legal counsel.

Don't get angry on the witness stand.

Rules of Engagement

You thought there were no rules to self defense combat? Well, in a way you're right, but in a way you're also wrong. There are some important "rules of engagement" you need to follow. This is to keep you safe as well as keeping innocent people (like your own children) safe. Ignoring these rules may very well make you the killer of innocents you thought you were trying to stop.

Do not engage unless you have to in order to protect yourself or another from an immediate threat.

Engage to stop the attacker - not to injure to kill.

Keep attacking - hard and fast - until the threat is no longer a threat.

Always, ALWAYS check and identify your target before engaging.

Know what is beyond your target. Do not engage if you may endanger others by doing so. (ie. The attacker is in front concealment and you don't know what is beyond that - THINK - it might be someones child on the other side).

Use only the amount of force necessary to stop the treat.

If and when police arrive, follow all directions immediatly but without sudden movements. Keep you hands visible to them. Don't argue.

Useful Topic Links

Blauer Tactical Systems, Tony Blauer

Contemporary Fighting Arts, Sammy Franco (Maryland)

Defensive Tactics Institute (California)

Defend University

Escape Self-Defense

Hand to Hand Combat Notes

Minnesota Kali Group, Rick Faye (Minnesota)

Mr. V's Kempo/Karate/ Jujitsu

Modern Warrior (New York)