Here is a good visual safety reminder....
http://www.ou.edu/oupd/ssn3.jpg
http://www.ou.edu/oupd/ssn3.jpg
Free Pictures Of Self Defense Charts....
- Thread starter Heath
- Start date
Here is a good visual safety reminder against scam artists and be aware if you know what he is up to then things could turn violent so try to say simply no thank you , don't agrue and let the police know what is up.
http://www.ou.edu/oupd/grule.jpg
http://www.ou.edu/oupd/grule.jpg
I remember somewhere that maybe it is an old saying or may in fact be in the KJV Holy Bible which says
" Jesus Christ beat the devil with a ugly old stick "
which is pretty accurate considering what the honest hardworking policeman has to do in order to stop a bad guy or like a mother who uses her shoe or kitchen rolling wood stick to stop a bad boy misbehaving. Here is a police baton, please read to understand.
You can thank God, The Holy Creator for a ugly old stick that is considerably thick next time you have to stop a bad street criminal guy who is a scumbag from doing evil harm towards you. God Bless, Heath
http://thediagram.com/2_4/pr24_tech.html
" Jesus Christ beat the devil with a ugly old stick "
which is pretty accurate considering what the honest hardworking policeman has to do in order to stop a bad guy or like a mother who uses her shoe or kitchen rolling wood stick to stop a bad boy misbehaving. Here is a police baton, please read to understand.
You can thank God, The Holy Creator for a ugly old stick that is considerably thick next time you have to stop a bad street criminal guy who is a scumbag from doing evil harm towards you. God Bless, Heath
http://thediagram.com/2_4/pr24_tech.html
The next time you are out in the woods and you go seeing not a good situation " Uh-oh " and back off then the cubs stumble near you then the mother bear roars then charges wanting to maul you ....also rememeber a while back on the t.v. news, there was a woman in California, she was mauled by a mountain lion and threw rocks which did not help and a gun would have helped fend away the mountain lion. God Bless that woman, and I think the mountain lion did get her best friend ? God Bless that family and pray for them.
Here is a visual chart and when you open that one make sure to scroll downwards and upwards and to the left and right. The another thing is all of us Deaf people need to watch out is for snakes since we can't hear them in the woods and bring a trusted hearing person along with you , if you can and also always be armed in the backcountry with a gun so that animals do not charge and maul you. This is what you are more likely to come across in the woods, two animals that can be dangerous and people come across them almost all the time with increasing frequency plus snakes to watch out and remember any animal can be dangerous even if you did not provoke the animal. The animals are just defending their terroritory and do not mean to hurt you. It is like they say this circle of an area is my property so try to study up on animal behavior and things like that and please have fun and be safe in the woods and always have safety in mind with campfire being located near a river which unfortunately bears like to come for water and to maul some fish for dinner. Don't let the bears eat you for dinner though
and as always be safe in the woods. God Bless, Heath
http://thediagram.com/5_4/wheretohitthem.html
Here is a visual chart and when you open that one make sure to scroll downwards and upwards and to the left and right. The another thing is all of us Deaf people need to watch out is for snakes since we can't hear them in the woods and bring a trusted hearing person along with you , if you can and also always be armed in the backcountry with a gun so that animals do not charge and maul you. This is what you are more likely to come across in the woods, two animals that can be dangerous and people come across them almost all the time with increasing frequency plus snakes to watch out and remember any animal can be dangerous even if you did not provoke the animal. The animals are just defending their terroritory and do not mean to hurt you. It is like they say this circle of an area is my property so try to study up on animal behavior and things like that and please have fun and be safe in the woods and always have safety in mind with campfire being located near a river which unfortunately bears like to come for water and to maul some fish for dinner. Don't let the bears eat you for dinner though
and as always be safe in the woods. God Bless, Heathhttp://thediagram.com/5_4/wheretohitthem.html
Hi, I came across this interesting article .....
http://www.fightingarts.com/reading/article.php?id=408
http://www.fightingarts.com/reading/article.php?id=408
This one was scary and eye opening ... it could happen, even to a strong, powerfully built man and not just a woman here is the concept the thief, liar and the murderer uses and how they employ this very shocking but deceptively simple tactic as well what to watch out for.
This article is a discussion on armed robbery and murder and how you can prevent it. This is a very un-common article and worth reading. It can save your life !!!!! I can see how very easy it would be for Deaf people to accept $5.00. This one is an eye opener :jaw: God Bless...
http://www.fightingarts.com/reading/article.php?id=453
This article is a discussion on armed robbery and murder and how you can prevent it. This is a very un-common article and worth reading. It can save your life !!!!! I can see how very easy it would be for Deaf people to accept $5.00. This one is an eye opener :jaw: God Bless...
http://www.fightingarts.com/reading/article.php?id=453
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Whenever you are squared off with a dangerous adversary and there is no way to safely escape, you must strike first, strike fast, strike with authority, and keep the pressure on. This offensive strategy is essential to the process of neutralizing a formidable adversary in a street fight. A first strike is defined as the strategic application of proactive force designed to interrupt the initial stages of an assault before it becomes a self-defense situation.
One inescapable fact about street combat is the longer the fight lasts, the greater your chances of serious injury or even death. Common sense suggests that you must end the street fight as quickly as possible. Striking first is the best method of achieving this combat objective because it permits you to neutralize your adversary swiftly while at the same time precluding his ability to effectively retaliate. No time is wasted and no unnecessary risks are taken.
The element of surprise is invaluable. Launching the first strike gives you the upper hand because it allows you to attack the adversary suddenly and unexpectedly. As a result, you demolish his defenses and ultimately take him out of the fight.
One inescapable fact about street combat is the longer the fight lasts, the greater your chances of serious injury or even death. Common sense suggests that you must end the street fight as quickly as possible. Striking first is the best method of achieving this combat objective because it permits you to neutralize your adversary swiftly while at the same time precluding his ability to effectively retaliate. No time is wasted and no unnecessary risks are taken.
The element of surprise is invaluable. Launching the first strike gives you the upper hand because it allows you to attack the adversary suddenly and unexpectedly. As a result, you demolish his defenses and ultimately take him out of the fight.
Do not confuse the first strike principle with the single attack methodology. The single attack (AKA "simple attack") is one of the five conventional methods of fighting conceived by Bruce Lee whereby the fighter delivers a solitary offensive strike or it may involve a series of discrete probes or one swift and powerful strike aimed at terminating the fight. Whatever the strategy, the single attack is clearly unsuitable for street self-defense.
First, in a volatile street fight, what sense does it make to remain uncommitted to the adversary? I can assure you that you cannot neutralize an opponent by lingering at the perimeter of the encounter. Rather than toying around with single probes and other "feelers", you must commit yourself 100 percent with the most effective flurry of blows appropriate to the ranges, angles and use of force justification that presents itself.
Second, you cannot afford to gamble that one perfectly executed kick, punch or strike will end the street fight. Do not get me wrong - it is not that it cannot be accomplished. I know for a fact that a powerful and accurately placed blow can end a street fight. However, single strike victories are few and far between.
The first strike principle, however, is much different from the single attack because it is a constituent of your overall compound attack. It is not predicated upon one isolated strike. Your pre-emptive strike is just one of the many offensive blows that shower your opponent.
First, in a volatile street fight, what sense does it make to remain uncommitted to the adversary? I can assure you that you cannot neutralize an opponent by lingering at the perimeter of the encounter. Rather than toying around with single probes and other "feelers", you must commit yourself 100 percent with the most effective flurry of blows appropriate to the ranges, angles and use of force justification that presents itself.
Second, you cannot afford to gamble that one perfectly executed kick, punch or strike will end the street fight. Do not get me wrong - it is not that it cannot be accomplished. I know for a fact that a powerful and accurately placed blow can end a street fight. However, single strike victories are few and far between.
The first strike principle, however, is much different from the single attack because it is a constituent of your overall compound attack. It is not predicated upon one isolated strike. Your pre-emptive strike is just one of the many offensive blows that shower your opponent.
BEWARE! Do not be a defensive fighter in a street fight
A defensive fighter is one who permits his adversary to seize and maintain offensive control in a fight. Beware! this defensive mindset can get you killed in street combat. Simply put, allowing your antagonist the opportunity to deliver the first strike is tactical suicide. It is like allowing a gunslinger to draw his pistol first. Never forget that in unarmed combat, if you permit the adversary to strike first, he might injure or possibly kill you, and he will most certainly force you into an irreversible defensive flow that can preclude you from issuing an effective counter attack.
Employing the first strike principle requires an offensive mentality that compels you to act rather than react. You must be aggressive and take affirmative and absolute control of the situation by making all the decisions and acting immediately without apprehension or trepidation.
Unfortunately, some martial art instructors teach their students to wait for their opponent to make the first move. This can be a BIG MISTAKE! In the mean streets of America, this reactive type of approach will get you a one way trip to the city morgue.
There are also self-defense practitioners who are simply too timid to take the initiative and attack first. Many will not strike first because they simply do not know how to successfully execute a preemptive strike. While others are uncertain about the legal requirements and justifications. As a result, they second guess their instincts, hesitate, and end up kissing the pavement. Therefore, it is imperative that you have a basic understanding of the legal requirements of launching a preemptive strike in a self-defense situation.
First Strike Justifications
The most difficult aspects of the first strike principle is exactly when can a martial artist strike first. Well, since every self-defense situation is going to be different, there is no simple answer to this question. However, there are some fundamental elements that must be present if you are going to launch a preemptive strike.
First, you must never use force against another person unless it is absolutely justified. Force is broken down into two levels: lethal and non-lethal. Lethal force is defined as the amount of force that can cause serious bodily injury or death. While non-lethal force is defined as an amount of force that does not cause serious bodily injury or death.
Keep in mind that any time you use physical force against another person, you run the risk of having a civil suit filed against you. Anyone can hire a lawyer and file a suit for damages. Likewise, anyone can file a criminal complaint against you. Whether criminal charges will be brought against you depends upon the prosecutor or grand jury's views of the facts. Nevertheless, I can tell you that if you are trained in the martial arts, a jury of your peers will hold you to a much higher standard of behavior.
Second, the first strike principle should only be used as an act of protection from unlawful injury or the immediate risk of unlawful injury. If you decide to launch a preemptive strike against your adversary, you had better be certain that a reasonable threat exists and that it is absolutely necessary to protect yourself from immediate danger. Remember, the decision to launch a preemptive strike must always be a last resort where all other means of avoiding and defusing violence have been exhausted.
A defensive fighter is one who permits his adversary to seize and maintain offensive control in a fight. Beware! this defensive mindset can get you killed in street combat. Simply put, allowing your antagonist the opportunity to deliver the first strike is tactical suicide. It is like allowing a gunslinger to draw his pistol first. Never forget that in unarmed combat, if you permit the adversary to strike first, he might injure or possibly kill you, and he will most certainly force you into an irreversible defensive flow that can preclude you from issuing an effective counter attack.
Employing the first strike principle requires an offensive mentality that compels you to act rather than react. You must be aggressive and take affirmative and absolute control of the situation by making all the decisions and acting immediately without apprehension or trepidation.
Unfortunately, some martial art instructors teach their students to wait for their opponent to make the first move. This can be a BIG MISTAKE! In the mean streets of America, this reactive type of approach will get you a one way trip to the city morgue.
There are also self-defense practitioners who are simply too timid to take the initiative and attack first. Many will not strike first because they simply do not know how to successfully execute a preemptive strike. While others are uncertain about the legal requirements and justifications. As a result, they second guess their instincts, hesitate, and end up kissing the pavement. Therefore, it is imperative that you have a basic understanding of the legal requirements of launching a preemptive strike in a self-defense situation.
First Strike Justifications
The most difficult aspects of the first strike principle is exactly when can a martial artist strike first. Well, since every self-defense situation is going to be different, there is no simple answer to this question. However, there are some fundamental elements that must be present if you are going to launch a preemptive strike.
First, you must never use force against another person unless it is absolutely justified. Force is broken down into two levels: lethal and non-lethal. Lethal force is defined as the amount of force that can cause serious bodily injury or death. While non-lethal force is defined as an amount of force that does not cause serious bodily injury or death.
Keep in mind that any time you use physical force against another person, you run the risk of having a civil suit filed against you. Anyone can hire a lawyer and file a suit for damages. Likewise, anyone can file a criminal complaint against you. Whether criminal charges will be brought against you depends upon the prosecutor or grand jury's views of the facts. Nevertheless, I can tell you that if you are trained in the martial arts, a jury of your peers will hold you to a much higher standard of behavior.
Second, the first strike principle should only be used as an act of protection from unlawful injury or the immediate risk of unlawful injury. If you decide to launch a preemptive strike against your adversary, you had better be certain that a reasonable threat exists and that it is absolutely necessary to protect yourself from immediate danger. Remember, the decision to launch a preemptive strike must always be a last resort where all other means of avoiding and defusing violence have been exhausted.
Does A Reasonable Threat Exist?
To determine if a reasonable threat exists, you must accurately assess your situation. Assessment is the process of rapidly gathering and analyzing information and then accurately evaluating it in terms of threat and danger. In general, there are two factors to assess before launching a first strike: the environment and the adversary. Let us start with the environment and its related elements.
THE ENVIRONMENT
Since a street fight can occur anywhere, you must quickly evaluate the strategic implications of your environment, which is made up of your immediate surroundings, such as a street corner, parking lot, football stadium, golf course, grocery store, gas station, the beach, etc. There are six essential factors to consider when assessing your environment. They are: escape routes, barriers, makeshift weapons, terrain, positions of cover, and positions of concealment. Let us take a look at each one:
1. Escape routes. These are the various avenues or exits that allow you to flee from the threatening situation safely. Some possible escape routes are windows, fire escapes, doors, gates, escalators, fences, walls, bridges, and staircases.
2. Barriers. A barrier is any object that obstructs the assailant's path of attack. At the very least, barriers give you some distance and some time, and they may give you some safety - at least temporarily. A barrier, however, must have the structural integrity to perform the particular function that you have assigned it. Barriers are everywhere and include such things as large desks, doors, automobiles, dumpsters, large trees, fences, walls, heavy machinery, and large vending machines.
3. Makeshift weapons. These are common, everyday objects that can be converted into offensive and defensive weapons. Like a barrier, a makeshift weapon must be appropriate to the function you have assigned to it. You will not be able to knock your assailant out with a car antenna, but you could whip it across his eyes and temporarily blind him. While you could knock your assailant unconscious with a good, heavy flashlight, you could not use it to shield yourself from a knife attack. Makeshift weapons can be broken down into the following four types: a) striking, b) distracting, c) shielding, and d) cutting.
4. Terrain. This is a critical environmental factor. What are the strategic implications of the terrain you are standing on? Will the surface area interfere with your ability to fight your adversary? Terrain falls into one of these two possible categories: a) stable terrain- principally characterized as stationary, compact, dense, hard, flat, dry, or solid ground, and b) unstable terrain - principally characterized as mobile, uneven, flexible, slippery, wet, or rocky ground.
5. Positions of cover. A position of cover is any object or location that temporarily protects you from the assailant's gunfire. Some examples include large concrete utility poles, large rocks, thick trees, an engine block, the corner of a building, concrete steps, and so on. Positions of cover are important not only because they protect you from gunfire but because they buy you some time and allow you to assess the situation from a position of safety. When choosing a position of cover, avoid selecting the following objects because bullets can penetrate them: a) internal doors, b) small trees, c) car doors, d) all glass windows, e) dry wall, f) tall grass, g) trunk of your car, h) overturned tables, i) trash cans, j) shrubbery, and k) fences.
6. Positions of concealment. These are various locations or objects that allow you to hide from your adversary temporarily. Positions of concealment are most commonly used to evade engagement with your assailant(s), and they permit you to attack with the element of surprise. Positions of concealment include trees, shrubbery, doors, the dark, walls, stairwells, cars, and other large and tall objects. WARNING: Do not forget that positions of concealment will not protect you from an assailant's gunfire.
To determine if a reasonable threat exists, you must accurately assess your situation. Assessment is the process of rapidly gathering and analyzing information and then accurately evaluating it in terms of threat and danger. In general, there are two factors to assess before launching a first strike: the environment and the adversary. Let us start with the environment and its related elements.
THE ENVIRONMENT
Since a street fight can occur anywhere, you must quickly evaluate the strategic implications of your environment, which is made up of your immediate surroundings, such as a street corner, parking lot, football stadium, golf course, grocery store, gas station, the beach, etc. There are six essential factors to consider when assessing your environment. They are: escape routes, barriers, makeshift weapons, terrain, positions of cover, and positions of concealment. Let us take a look at each one:
1. Escape routes. These are the various avenues or exits that allow you to flee from the threatening situation safely. Some possible escape routes are windows, fire escapes, doors, gates, escalators, fences, walls, bridges, and staircases.
2. Barriers. A barrier is any object that obstructs the assailant's path of attack. At the very least, barriers give you some distance and some time, and they may give you some safety - at least temporarily. A barrier, however, must have the structural integrity to perform the particular function that you have assigned it. Barriers are everywhere and include such things as large desks, doors, automobiles, dumpsters, large trees, fences, walls, heavy machinery, and large vending machines.
3. Makeshift weapons. These are common, everyday objects that can be converted into offensive and defensive weapons. Like a barrier, a makeshift weapon must be appropriate to the function you have assigned to it. You will not be able to knock your assailant out with a car antenna, but you could whip it across his eyes and temporarily blind him. While you could knock your assailant unconscious with a good, heavy flashlight, you could not use it to shield yourself from a knife attack. Makeshift weapons can be broken down into the following four types: a) striking, b) distracting, c) shielding, and d) cutting.
4. Terrain. This is a critical environmental factor. What are the strategic implications of the terrain you are standing on? Will the surface area interfere with your ability to fight your adversary? Terrain falls into one of these two possible categories: a) stable terrain- principally characterized as stationary, compact, dense, hard, flat, dry, or solid ground, and b) unstable terrain - principally characterized as mobile, uneven, flexible, slippery, wet, or rocky ground.
5. Positions of cover. A position of cover is any object or location that temporarily protects you from the assailant's gunfire. Some examples include large concrete utility poles, large rocks, thick trees, an engine block, the corner of a building, concrete steps, and so on. Positions of cover are important not only because they protect you from gunfire but because they buy you some time and allow you to assess the situation from a position of safety. When choosing a position of cover, avoid selecting the following objects because bullets can penetrate them: a) internal doors, b) small trees, c) car doors, d) all glass windows, e) dry wall, f) tall grass, g) trunk of your car, h) overturned tables, i) trash cans, j) shrubbery, and k) fences.
6. Positions of concealment. These are various locations or objects that allow you to hide from your adversary temporarily. Positions of concealment are most commonly used to evade engagement with your assailant(s), and they permit you to attack with the element of surprise. Positions of concealment include trees, shrubbery, doors, the dark, walls, stairwells, cars, and other large and tall objects. WARNING: Do not forget that positions of concealment will not protect you from an assailant's gunfire.
THE ADVERSARY
Before launching your first strike, you must assess the source of danger. Who is posing the reasonable threat? Is it someone you know, or is he a complete stranger? Is it one person or two or more? What are his intentions in confronting you? Pay very close attention to all available clues, especially nonverbal indicators. Your answers to these important questions will shape your overall tactical response. There are five essential factors to consider when assessing a threatening adversary: demeanor, intent, range, positioning, and weapon capability.
1. Demeanor. What is the adversary's outward behavior? Watch for both verbal and nonverbal clues. For example, is he shaking, or is he calm and collected? Are his shoulders hunched or relaxed? Are his hands clenched? Is his neck taut? Is he clenching his teeth? Is he breathing hard? Does he seem angry, frustrated, or confused? Does he seem high on drugs? Is he mentally ill or simply intoxicated? What is he saying? How is he saying it? Is he making sense? Is his speech slurred? What is his tone of voice? Is he talking rapidly or methodically? Is he cursing and angry? Remember that all of these verbal and nonverbal cues are essential in accurately assessing the assailant's overall demeanor and adjusting your tactical response accordingly.
2. Intent. Once you have assessed the adversary's demeanor, you're in a much better position to assess his intent. In other words, why is this person confronting you? Does he intend to rob or kill you? Is he trying to harass you? Is he seeking vengeance for something you have done? Or is he a troublemaker looking to pick a fight with you? Determining the assailant's intent is perhaps the most important assessment factors, but it also can be the most difficult.
3. Range. Range is the spatial relationship between you and your adversary in terms of distance. In unarmed combat, for example, there are three possible ranges from which your adversary can launch his attack- kicking, punching, and grappling ranges. When assessing your adversary, you'll need to recognize the strategic implications and advantages of his range immediately. For example, is he close enough to land a punch effectively? Is he at a distance from which he could kick you? Is he in a range that would allow him to grab hold of you and take you down to the ground? Is he within range to slash you with a knife or strike you with a bludgeon? Is the assailant moving closer to you? If so, how fast? Does the threatening assailant continue to move forward when you step back?
4. Positioning. This is the spatial relationship between you and the adversary in terms of threat, tactical escape, and target selection. In street combat, it's important to understand the strategic implications of the assailant's positioning before and during the fight. For example, is he standing squarely or sideways? Is he mounted on top of you in a ground fight? Or is he inside your leg guard? What anatomical targets does the adversary present you with? Is he blocking a door or any other escape route? Is his back to a light source? Is he close to your only possible makeshift weapon? Are multiple assailants closing in on you? Is your assailant firing his gun from a position of cover or concealment?
5. Weapon capability. Always try to determine whether your adversary is armed or unarmed. If he is carrying a weapon, what type is it? Does he have an effective delivery method for the particular weapon? Is he armed with more than one weapon? If so, where are they located? There are four general points of concern when assessing the assailant's weapon capability, including hand/fingers, general behavior, clothing, and location.
a. Hands/fingers. When strategically scanning your adversary for weapons, quickly glance at his hands and all his fingertips. Can you see them? Is one hand behind him or in his pockets? If you cannot see his fingers, he could be palming a knife or some other edged weapon. Remember to be extremely cautious when the assailant's arms are crossed in front of his body or when he keeps his hands in his pockets.
b. General behavior. How is the assailant behaving? For example, does he pat his chest frequently (as a weapon security check)? Does he act apprehensive, nervous, or uneasy? Or does he seem to be reaching for something? Is your assailant's body language incongruous with his verbal statements?
c. Clothing. What the assailant is wearing can also clue you in on what he may be concealing. For example, is the assailant wearing a knife sheath on his belt? Could there be a knife concealed in his boots? At other times you may have to be a bit more analytical. For example, is your assailant wearing a jacket when it is too hot for one? Could it be to conceal a gun at his waist or shoulder? Could he be concealing a gun or edged weapon.
d. Location. Does the assailant seem suspiciously rooted to a particular spot? Or is he running back to his car, possibly to get his gun? Is he close enough to grab that beer bottle on top of the bar? How far is the assailant from a makeshift weapon?
Before launching your first strike, you must assess the source of danger. Who is posing the reasonable threat? Is it someone you know, or is he a complete stranger? Is it one person or two or more? What are his intentions in confronting you? Pay very close attention to all available clues, especially nonverbal indicators. Your answers to these important questions will shape your overall tactical response. There are five essential factors to consider when assessing a threatening adversary: demeanor, intent, range, positioning, and weapon capability.
1. Demeanor. What is the adversary's outward behavior? Watch for both verbal and nonverbal clues. For example, is he shaking, or is he calm and collected? Are his shoulders hunched or relaxed? Are his hands clenched? Is his neck taut? Is he clenching his teeth? Is he breathing hard? Does he seem angry, frustrated, or confused? Does he seem high on drugs? Is he mentally ill or simply intoxicated? What is he saying? How is he saying it? Is he making sense? Is his speech slurred? What is his tone of voice? Is he talking rapidly or methodically? Is he cursing and angry? Remember that all of these verbal and nonverbal cues are essential in accurately assessing the assailant's overall demeanor and adjusting your tactical response accordingly.
2. Intent. Once you have assessed the adversary's demeanor, you're in a much better position to assess his intent. In other words, why is this person confronting you? Does he intend to rob or kill you? Is he trying to harass you? Is he seeking vengeance for something you have done? Or is he a troublemaker looking to pick a fight with you? Determining the assailant's intent is perhaps the most important assessment factors, but it also can be the most difficult.
3. Range. Range is the spatial relationship between you and your adversary in terms of distance. In unarmed combat, for example, there are three possible ranges from which your adversary can launch his attack- kicking, punching, and grappling ranges. When assessing your adversary, you'll need to recognize the strategic implications and advantages of his range immediately. For example, is he close enough to land a punch effectively? Is he at a distance from which he could kick you? Is he in a range that would allow him to grab hold of you and take you down to the ground? Is he within range to slash you with a knife or strike you with a bludgeon? Is the assailant moving closer to you? If so, how fast? Does the threatening assailant continue to move forward when you step back?
4. Positioning. This is the spatial relationship between you and the adversary in terms of threat, tactical escape, and target selection. In street combat, it's important to understand the strategic implications of the assailant's positioning before and during the fight. For example, is he standing squarely or sideways? Is he mounted on top of you in a ground fight? Or is he inside your leg guard? What anatomical targets does the adversary present you with? Is he blocking a door or any other escape route? Is his back to a light source? Is he close to your only possible makeshift weapon? Are multiple assailants closing in on you? Is your assailant firing his gun from a position of cover or concealment?
5. Weapon capability. Always try to determine whether your adversary is armed or unarmed. If he is carrying a weapon, what type is it? Does he have an effective delivery method for the particular weapon? Is he armed with more than one weapon? If so, where are they located? There are four general points of concern when assessing the assailant's weapon capability, including hand/fingers, general behavior, clothing, and location.
a. Hands/fingers. When strategically scanning your adversary for weapons, quickly glance at his hands and all his fingertips. Can you see them? Is one hand behind him or in his pockets? If you cannot see his fingers, he could be palming a knife or some other edged weapon. Remember to be extremely cautious when the assailant's arms are crossed in front of his body or when he keeps his hands in his pockets.
b. General behavior. How is the assailant behaving? For example, does he pat his chest frequently (as a weapon security check)? Does he act apprehensive, nervous, or uneasy? Or does he seem to be reaching for something? Is your assailant's body language incongruous with his verbal statements?
c. Clothing. What the assailant is wearing can also clue you in on what he may be concealing. For example, is the assailant wearing a knife sheath on his belt? Could there be a knife concealed in his boots? At other times you may have to be a bit more analytical. For example, is your assailant wearing a jacket when it is too hot for one? Could it be to conceal a gun at his waist or shoulder? Could he be concealing a gun or edged weapon.
d. Location. Does the assailant seem suspiciously rooted to a particular spot? Or is he running back to his car, possibly to get his gun? Is he close enough to grab that beer bottle on top of the bar? How far is the assailant from a makeshift weapon?
Don't Stereotype Your Adversary
It is important to consider that the person you must strike first may not fit your stereotype of a dangerous adversary. I know of several people, for example, who erroneously imagine that they will be confronted by a "typical scumbag" - a loathsome, contemptuous, male of another race. But what if your adversary turns out to be a clean-cut, business executive of your own ethnic background who menacingly waves his fist in your face? Will you be able launch a first strike without trepidation?
It is important to consider that the person you must strike first may not fit your stereotype of a dangerous adversary. I know of several people, for example, who erroneously imagine that they will be confronted by a "typical scumbag" - a loathsome, contemptuous, male of another race. But what if your adversary turns out to be a clean-cut, business executive of your own ethnic background who menacingly waves his fist in your face? Will you be able launch a first strike without trepidation?
Resolve Moral Issues Now
Before you decide to execute a first strike in a street fight, it is very important that you raise and resolve moral issues concerning the use of a pre-emptive force in defense of yourself and others. Do your religious or philosophical beliefs permit you to launch a preemptive strike? Could you take the life of another in defense of yourself or a loved one? As a law-abiding citizen, the law clearly gives you the right to defend yourself under certain circumstances. Can you accept that, or does the possibility of a justified first strike induce moral doubts in your mind? If you have any apprehension or your conscious precludes you from initiating a preemptive strike then do not attempt to do it. Let me remind you that executing a first strike requires a particular type of psychological and emotional makeup - it is not for everyone!
Good luck and train hard!
Before you decide to execute a first strike in a street fight, it is very important that you raise and resolve moral issues concerning the use of a pre-emptive force in defense of yourself and others. Do your religious or philosophical beliefs permit you to launch a preemptive strike? Could you take the life of another in defense of yourself or a loved one? As a law-abiding citizen, the law clearly gives you the right to defend yourself under certain circumstances. Can you accept that, or does the possibility of a justified first strike induce moral doubts in your mind? If you have any apprehension or your conscious precludes you from initiating a preemptive strike then do not attempt to do it. Let me remind you that executing a first strike requires a particular type of psychological and emotional makeup - it is not for everyone!
Good luck and train hard!
suthrnphoduck
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Hey Heath,
Thanks for the tips. I took Taekwondo for awhile until the instructor had to move to another state. I see you have a big interest in martial arts and self defense. Do you teach martial arts? By the way have a safe holiday and Merry Christmas to you.
Thanks for the tips. I took Taekwondo for awhile until the instructor had to move to another state. I see you have a big interest in martial arts and self defense. Do you teach martial arts? By the way have a safe holiday and Merry Christmas to you.
LemonLime2 said:
You are welcome and I am not a certified instructor at all. I did it out of my heart and wanted to help Deaf people be much more safer, stronger and better and not go through what I had to go through. I am Deaf myself too. I would like to teach one day professionally and certified so that I can help Deaf people. I had to learn self defense the hard way through a bad experience which sparked my interest in self defense, also alots of my family is in the military and law enforcement too as well. I tend to lean more on the military hand to hand combat and I also enjoy the various martial arts. You please have a Merry Christmas and I am not sure if you know about this excellent website.
http://tkdtutor.com/
and I am not sure if you have seen my website I am building as a one stop resource for Deaf people.... I plan to really work on it extensively after New Years to make it a very nice website. Please remember it is still under construction and you still can look around and learn alots of vital life saving skills and things like that. You can email me on suggestions etc on my website that I am building for all of you
It is at :http://www.freewebs.com/deafselfdefense/
My e-mail for the Deaf self defense website is :
deafselfdefense@yahoo.com
Hope this helps and Merry Christmas !!!!
Lies Your Parents Told You:
1. Just be nice to them and they'll be nice to you.
Remember this one? Didn't work in the sandbox either, did it? Be warned, there are people out there that will interpret your niceness as weakness and naivety and either terminate you just for the fun of it or jack your hat, shoes and money after they rip off your face. Try telling a rabbit to just be nice to the fox...don't fool yourself, everyone on the street starts as a rabbit, (read - "victim"). Nice is the best way to get along with strangers but it isn't enough when you don't know the rules, the players or the action. A good street teacher can save a lot of learning the hard way but every teacher has his price that you must pay.
Lesson: Don't be naive and waltz into places you can't handle. Fade into the room, step sideways to get your back out of the door and casually look things over. Take your time.
Variation 1.a Just Ignore Them...
Ignoring a fox locking onto him is not going to do a rabbit any good at all, now is it? Oh, getting tired of being called a rabbit? Some tournament trophies and a brown belt prove that you are a lion, and that old fox better watch his tail or you'll
fly it from your car antenna, right? Well, even a lion cub will get eaten by the jackals if he gets out on his own too soon or strays too far. Rabbit just means 'victim' and even tough guys get to be victim. Tough seldom wins over sneaky and nasty. Trying to convince the jackal that you are lion enough to take him by puffing up just gives the game away.
If your disguise is cool and the scavengers and predators of society can't tell right off whether you are a victim or a warrior in disguise, they will interview you. They will move into your space, stand in your blind spot and crowd you or they will
make conversation to put you at ease so you don't bolt before they are close enough to grab you. They will surround you and blind side you. If you don't know what a blind spot is, (because your tounament opponents were always ordered to stand straight in front of you and to bow before they attacked) or don't notice them moving on you because you really are ignoring them, then you really are a bunny.* If you relax during the vocal part of the interview, you are a bunny. Not only are you a bunny but you are not a particularly aware bunny so now you are a dead bunny!!
So if being 'nice' and ignoring don't work; that is, they don't convince the scavenger/predators that you are not their next meal, what might? You scope them as in "to get them in the cross hairs of your cannon." Scoping is not glaring or sneering which will just get you pounded for a different reason. Scoping is a message sent by a look that says, "I see you. I peg you. I have your number, and I know your games and I can handle it." Then you look away. If you look down to break eye contact, you lose. "I'm a victim in disguise" sign just popped out of your head for him to read. Slide your eyes sideways and scope the rest of the room. Glaring, staring or sneering are not scoping, they are showing your teeth. If he sees a little bitty scaredy teeth, guess what? Believe it, your best bunny glare will not impress a true coyote, and neither will your best lion cub roar. Better to scope and leave him guessing. Of course a cub trying to pull this on someone much older or bigger than himself is just as futile...give it up and go back to the briar patch until the fox is gone.
Sun Tzu wrote that we should only fight battles that we can win and no one has said it better yet. Everyone knows that some years and practice are necessary to make you really bad so don't try to bluff out of your league. Practice on your friends.
After you scope him and decide that a predator is eyeing you but he doesn't look that bad then, if you have back-up, you may be able to hang around and enjoy the scene but keep him in your peripheral vision and follow his moves. Watch him without looking at him. Martial artists call it "to look at nothing and to see everything." By using a soft focus you can increase your peripheral (sideways) vision up to about 200 degrees.
Remember the movie Little Big Man where Dustin Hoffman's sister is teaching him to be a gunfighter? She tells him to make snake eyes--this was her way to soft focus and gain peripheral acuity because the peripheral vision processes fast movement better.
If bad guy slips out while you are getting up to leave, go to Red Alert. If you feel safe when he leaves because he's gone, you just got yourself some free flowers...he may just be moving the scene to a more private place. Do yourself a favor and go out a different way which you checked out before hand. Or stay. Or leave with a group. Acting unaware can bring an attack upon yourself and paying too much attention can cause the same thing but for different reasons.
A scope/check slide is between equals. A scope /pin is for scavengers that you are confident that you can handle (or at least are willing to try) and lasts just a bit longer than the check so that the message is a short, unemotional, "If you want me, try me. I'm not going anywhere."
Of course you may be blowing it and get pounded for challenging someone with a rep to make or a low self esteem hair-trigger type who needs to fight everyone to find all those he can beat. Better make sure that your scope doesn't carry any
hidden fear or worry messages in your body language or you just may have to prove that you really are tough.
The other thing you have to do in the real world outside your house and home is to show respect. Something like 60 to 70 per cent of non-hospitalizing assaults on young women by strangers happened when the young woman in question was followed home and pushed or slapped by strangers pissed off over her aggressive and rude driving.
Most young males are pounded for rude body contact on the sidewalk, giving the wrong person the 'punk bump' as you pass. The street will make you pay for rudeness until you get tired of it and mellow out. Being on a skate or a bike is no guarantee that you won't get called for buzzing the citizens either. Two Gold's Gym heavies I knew saw a skate buzz some folks and though he had enough sense to avoid them they took the two steps necessary to hip check him...he bounced off one into the other, then into traffic. Tough lesson.
*Blind spot: one blind spot is behind the corner of the jaw, under your left the ear which the mongrel in front of you will hit with his right fist when you look to your right at one of his boys who just got your attention by yelling or swearing at you.
Hint, hint.
1. Just be nice to them and they'll be nice to you.
Remember this one? Didn't work in the sandbox either, did it? Be warned, there are people out there that will interpret your niceness as weakness and naivety and either terminate you just for the fun of it or jack your hat, shoes and money after they rip off your face. Try telling a rabbit to just be nice to the fox...don't fool yourself, everyone on the street starts as a rabbit, (read - "victim"). Nice is the best way to get along with strangers but it isn't enough when you don't know the rules, the players or the action. A good street teacher can save a lot of learning the hard way but every teacher has his price that you must pay.
Lesson: Don't be naive and waltz into places you can't handle. Fade into the room, step sideways to get your back out of the door and casually look things over. Take your time.
Variation 1.a Just Ignore Them...
Ignoring a fox locking onto him is not going to do a rabbit any good at all, now is it? Oh, getting tired of being called a rabbit? Some tournament trophies and a brown belt prove that you are a lion, and that old fox better watch his tail or you'll
fly it from your car antenna, right? Well, even a lion cub will get eaten by the jackals if he gets out on his own too soon or strays too far. Rabbit just means 'victim' and even tough guys get to be victim. Tough seldom wins over sneaky and nasty. Trying to convince the jackal that you are lion enough to take him by puffing up just gives the game away.
If your disguise is cool and the scavengers and predators of society can't tell right off whether you are a victim or a warrior in disguise, they will interview you. They will move into your space, stand in your blind spot and crowd you or they will
make conversation to put you at ease so you don't bolt before they are close enough to grab you. They will surround you and blind side you. If you don't know what a blind spot is, (because your tounament opponents were always ordered to stand straight in front of you and to bow before they attacked) or don't notice them moving on you because you really are ignoring them, then you really are a bunny.* If you relax during the vocal part of the interview, you are a bunny. Not only are you a bunny but you are not a particularly aware bunny so now you are a dead bunny!!
So if being 'nice' and ignoring don't work; that is, they don't convince the scavenger/predators that you are not their next meal, what might? You scope them as in "to get them in the cross hairs of your cannon." Scoping is not glaring or sneering which will just get you pounded for a different reason. Scoping is a message sent by a look that says, "I see you. I peg you. I have your number, and I know your games and I can handle it." Then you look away. If you look down to break eye contact, you lose. "I'm a victim in disguise" sign just popped out of your head for him to read. Slide your eyes sideways and scope the rest of the room. Glaring, staring or sneering are not scoping, they are showing your teeth. If he sees a little bitty scaredy teeth, guess what? Believe it, your best bunny glare will not impress a true coyote, and neither will your best lion cub roar. Better to scope and leave him guessing. Of course a cub trying to pull this on someone much older or bigger than himself is just as futile...give it up and go back to the briar patch until the fox is gone.
Sun Tzu wrote that we should only fight battles that we can win and no one has said it better yet. Everyone knows that some years and practice are necessary to make you really bad so don't try to bluff out of your league. Practice on your friends.
After you scope him and decide that a predator is eyeing you but he doesn't look that bad then, if you have back-up, you may be able to hang around and enjoy the scene but keep him in your peripheral vision and follow his moves. Watch him without looking at him. Martial artists call it "to look at nothing and to see everything." By using a soft focus you can increase your peripheral (sideways) vision up to about 200 degrees.
Remember the movie Little Big Man where Dustin Hoffman's sister is teaching him to be a gunfighter? She tells him to make snake eyes--this was her way to soft focus and gain peripheral acuity because the peripheral vision processes fast movement better.
If bad guy slips out while you are getting up to leave, go to Red Alert. If you feel safe when he leaves because he's gone, you just got yourself some free flowers...he may just be moving the scene to a more private place. Do yourself a favor and go out a different way which you checked out before hand. Or stay. Or leave with a group. Acting unaware can bring an attack upon yourself and paying too much attention can cause the same thing but for different reasons.
A scope/check slide is between equals. A scope /pin is for scavengers that you are confident that you can handle (or at least are willing to try) and lasts just a bit longer than the check so that the message is a short, unemotional, "If you want me, try me. I'm not going anywhere."
Of course you may be blowing it and get pounded for challenging someone with a rep to make or a low self esteem hair-trigger type who needs to fight everyone to find all those he can beat. Better make sure that your scope doesn't carry any
hidden fear or worry messages in your body language or you just may have to prove that you really are tough.
The other thing you have to do in the real world outside your house and home is to show respect. Something like 60 to 70 per cent of non-hospitalizing assaults on young women by strangers happened when the young woman in question was followed home and pushed or slapped by strangers pissed off over her aggressive and rude driving.
Most young males are pounded for rude body contact on the sidewalk, giving the wrong person the 'punk bump' as you pass. The street will make you pay for rudeness until you get tired of it and mellow out. Being on a skate or a bike is no guarantee that you won't get called for buzzing the citizens either. Two Gold's Gym heavies I knew saw a skate buzz some folks and though he had enough sense to avoid them they took the two steps necessary to hip check him...he bounced off one into the other, then into traffic. Tough lesson.
*Blind spot: one blind spot is behind the corner of the jaw, under your left the ear which the mongrel in front of you will hit with his right fist when you look to your right at one of his boys who just got your attention by yelling or swearing at you.
Hint, hint.
2. Just stand up to a bully, and he'll run from you.
Some guy is giving you the eye or some lip so you stand up to him. "Bullies are looking for victims, not a fight," is current social wisdom. What they don't tell you is that bullies may in fact be motivated by fear, insecurity and other manifestations of
low self-esteem but they are also very practiced at being themselves...they have spent years perfecting their style at home and school. They practice knocking down those who stand up to them every day.
How many times do you get to practice standing up to a bully?
The internal chemistry of the street is a lot different than in the dojang. A dedicated bully knows his stuff, and has no scruples about fairness. Just because he's a jerk doesn't mean he's stupid. Also, I've talked to a lot of street people and just about everyone of them has had martial arts training some time or other.
If you obviously outclass him and he's in your face, is he bluffing or does he have a secret weapon? They have people stand up to them all the time and they have their backups in place whether it's a punchdagger, steel toed Docs or a back-up buddy. Are you ready for that? If you do take on a jerk, win or lose you must know that it is not over yet. You suspect that if you lose, it hurts. (Do you know that winning hurts almost as bad?)
Losing has other costs you may have to pay...if he hangs where you hang, he just might make a career out of wrecking your fun and face in front of the ladies. If you can't win, must you give up and eat his crap for the rest of your life? If he is
seriously knocking you, you must choose on how you take the pain, because hanging where this kind of jerk can have at you is guaranteed pain. The pain comes from fear and your feelings of cowardice if you don't fight, the juice of anger at yourself for letting him get away with it, OR it comes from standing up to him and taking what comes. (Even staying out of his way has some pain to it.)
Surprise folks, standing up to him may be the best thing to do but not because he will back down.
If he learns that every time he messes with you that even if he beats you he must really fight for it he will sooner or later shoot his shot on easier targets. Make him work for his fun and it may not be worth it to him. The physical pain of being
trashed is, to some people, less than the pain of feeling inadequate.
Of course you don't want to try this on a crazy or a gang-banger who may just feel that he has to kill you to save face.
Now, if you win, it ain't over yet, either. He's got something to prove now and he won't care if it's fair. A carload of drunks in your face can seriously ruin your whole evening, no matter what you see in the movies about trashing a whole gang with one super-kick! Being hunted by a pack of jackals because you stomped one of them may sound like ultimate cool but the pay is bad and the down time only able to eat through a straw and piss through a tube is the pits.
In some places these things are taken care of by a shotgun as you leave your house so add up the profit / pain ratio. It is fairly easy to take a punching without getting more than a few bruises on your forearms, (if you practice) and everyone may just go away happy. Then it may be really over. Replying to some jerk later in revenge is a sure way of signing up for a never-ending game of escalating violence!
Variation 2.a. Stand up to or beat the leader of the group and the others will run.
Time to die, folks. Most deaths in fights not caused by weapons are caused by a group stomp on a person who has gone down. Every group leader has his sergeants who will back him or tie you up for him to take out. Taking on a group is
nonsense if you have any other choice at all. I hope you haven't put your training on hold and reached a pack a day yet, because it is time to get out of Dodge! Running will spread them out so if you have to fight you have a better chance at one to one. Did you let them surround you? Oh dear, too bad, so sad.
Variation 2.a.i...only cowards run.
Yeah-right and only kryptonite can hurt you. Get out of there pronto. Wiley Coyote may be as smart as a doorknob but it is Roadrunner's speed that saves him. (Actually I hated the Roadrunner, what a clean-cut suit and tie type jerk. I always wanted to be able to rewrite ol' Wiley into a gourmet roast-runner meal.) If you don't want to be a roast-runner you had better learn how to outrun a car and how to leap tall fences without slowing down, which can be done if you know how and practice, practice, practice.
Just remember, never run home! The civilians are always protected. This rates right up there with the #1 rule for girlfriends; never grab my elbow! Speaking of girlfriends and running in the same breath here, don't. Don't leave them that is. Bad form. Uncool. Bad, bad, bad. You never leave your own when you cut out, you must always take them with you. If she's not prepared to fight or to run then why are you playing the role? Remember, this is the 'stand up to them' section.
If she can't back you up then you back up before it hits the fan. Way before. Really. No fooling here, guys.
Some guy is giving you the eye or some lip so you stand up to him. "Bullies are looking for victims, not a fight," is current social wisdom. What they don't tell you is that bullies may in fact be motivated by fear, insecurity and other manifestations of
low self-esteem but they are also very practiced at being themselves...they have spent years perfecting their style at home and school. They practice knocking down those who stand up to them every day.
How many times do you get to practice standing up to a bully?
The internal chemistry of the street is a lot different than in the dojang. A dedicated bully knows his stuff, and has no scruples about fairness. Just because he's a jerk doesn't mean he's stupid. Also, I've talked to a lot of street people and just about everyone of them has had martial arts training some time or other.
If you obviously outclass him and he's in your face, is he bluffing or does he have a secret weapon? They have people stand up to them all the time and they have their backups in place whether it's a punchdagger, steel toed Docs or a back-up buddy. Are you ready for that? If you do take on a jerk, win or lose you must know that it is not over yet. You suspect that if you lose, it hurts. (Do you know that winning hurts almost as bad?)
Losing has other costs you may have to pay...if he hangs where you hang, he just might make a career out of wrecking your fun and face in front of the ladies. If you can't win, must you give up and eat his crap for the rest of your life? If he is
seriously knocking you, you must choose on how you take the pain, because hanging where this kind of jerk can have at you is guaranteed pain. The pain comes from fear and your feelings of cowardice if you don't fight, the juice of anger at yourself for letting him get away with it, OR it comes from standing up to him and taking what comes. (Even staying out of his way has some pain to it.)
Surprise folks, standing up to him may be the best thing to do but not because he will back down.
If he learns that every time he messes with you that even if he beats you he must really fight for it he will sooner or later shoot his shot on easier targets. Make him work for his fun and it may not be worth it to him. The physical pain of being
trashed is, to some people, less than the pain of feeling inadequate.
Of course you don't want to try this on a crazy or a gang-banger who may just feel that he has to kill you to save face.
Now, if you win, it ain't over yet, either. He's got something to prove now and he won't care if it's fair. A carload of drunks in your face can seriously ruin your whole evening, no matter what you see in the movies about trashing a whole gang with one super-kick! Being hunted by a pack of jackals because you stomped one of them may sound like ultimate cool but the pay is bad and the down time only able to eat through a straw and piss through a tube is the pits.
In some places these things are taken care of by a shotgun as you leave your house so add up the profit / pain ratio. It is fairly easy to take a punching without getting more than a few bruises on your forearms, (if you practice) and everyone may just go away happy. Then it may be really over. Replying to some jerk later in revenge is a sure way of signing up for a never-ending game of escalating violence!
Variation 2.a. Stand up to or beat the leader of the group and the others will run.
Time to die, folks. Most deaths in fights not caused by weapons are caused by a group stomp on a person who has gone down. Every group leader has his sergeants who will back him or tie you up for him to take out. Taking on a group is
nonsense if you have any other choice at all. I hope you haven't put your training on hold and reached a pack a day yet, because it is time to get out of Dodge! Running will spread them out so if you have to fight you have a better chance at one to one. Did you let them surround you? Oh dear, too bad, so sad.
Variation 2.a.i...only cowards run.
Yeah-right and only kryptonite can hurt you. Get out of there pronto. Wiley Coyote may be as smart as a doorknob but it is Roadrunner's speed that saves him. (Actually I hated the Roadrunner, what a clean-cut suit and tie type jerk. I always wanted to be able to rewrite ol' Wiley into a gourmet roast-runner meal.) If you don't want to be a roast-runner you had better learn how to outrun a car and how to leap tall fences without slowing down, which can be done if you know how and practice, practice, practice.
Just remember, never run home! The civilians are always protected. This rates right up there with the #1 rule for girlfriends; never grab my elbow! Speaking of girlfriends and running in the same breath here, don't. Don't leave them that is. Bad form. Uncool. Bad, bad, bad. You never leave your own when you cut out, you must always take them with you. If she's not prepared to fight or to run then why are you playing the role? Remember, this is the 'stand up to them' section.
If she can't back you up then you back up before it hits the fan. Way before. Really. No fooling here, guys.
3. The police are there to protect you.
The police are there to protect the system as a whole but can do little to help anyone part. They clean up, listen to the lies and put away any identifiable bad guys they can. Your problems are small stuff unless you get snuffed, which isn't likely anyway. If they can't keep Mr. Bigg safe at all times, how can they help you from getting a broken nose? Strutting your stuff, being a jerk and smart mouth and depending on: "I'll call the police!" to save you is dumb, dumb, dumb.
If you want safety out there with the big boys then you have to do it yourself...lift weights for strength, wrestle for stamina, train your martial art for balance and timing, and practice your moves. Practice soft focus, practice broken-field running at night, practice sizing up the players without giving yourself away (i.e. is he tough or bluff, has he experience, where is his knife, his back-up knife, has he boots or runners, is his lady holding a weapon and ready to back him? etc. etc.) The jerks and bad guys think of this stuff and practice, why don't you?
What the police can do is to help you defend yourself if you get in over your head. They can put on the pressure that may take the hit out of the sting. They know who's who and may be able to step in if you are being hunted. They can't act without info but if you are facing death or destruction, they may be able to cool the flames or move a serious player to a back burner.
Variation 3.a. The cops are your enemies.
Just as silly as hoping a cop will save from your own foolishness is thinking that the cops have nothing better to do than dust you off for being alive. Man, they will let the jackals do that. Playing silly bugger with the police, harassing them for fun
and frolics can get you in their scope. If the nasty boys decide that you must go, no cop will do a favor for the one who spends his time giving them trouble. Street enemies are enough, why make enemies of the cops just to show off? Even career
criminals don't make it personal with the cops because it is just too dangerous. If you aren't planning an anti-cop lifetime, don't start or you may not be able to quit later.
The police are there to protect the system as a whole but can do little to help anyone part. They clean up, listen to the lies and put away any identifiable bad guys they can. Your problems are small stuff unless you get snuffed, which isn't likely anyway. If they can't keep Mr. Bigg safe at all times, how can they help you from getting a broken nose? Strutting your stuff, being a jerk and smart mouth and depending on: "I'll call the police!" to save you is dumb, dumb, dumb.
If you want safety out there with the big boys then you have to do it yourself...lift weights for strength, wrestle for stamina, train your martial art for balance and timing, and practice your moves. Practice soft focus, practice broken-field running at night, practice sizing up the players without giving yourself away (i.e. is he tough or bluff, has he experience, where is his knife, his back-up knife, has he boots or runners, is his lady holding a weapon and ready to back him? etc. etc.) The jerks and bad guys think of this stuff and practice, why don't you?
What the police can do is to help you defend yourself if you get in over your head. They can put on the pressure that may take the hit out of the sting. They know who's who and may be able to step in if you are being hunted. They can't act without info but if you are facing death or destruction, they may be able to cool the flames or move a serious player to a back burner.
Variation 3.a. The cops are your enemies.
Just as silly as hoping a cop will save from your own foolishness is thinking that the cops have nothing better to do than dust you off for being alive. Man, they will let the jackals do that. Playing silly bugger with the police, harassing them for fun
and frolics can get you in their scope. If the nasty boys decide that you must go, no cop will do a favor for the one who spends his time giving them trouble. Street enemies are enough, why make enemies of the cops just to show off? Even career
criminals don't make it personal with the cops because it is just too dangerous. If you aren't planning an anti-cop lifetime, don't start or you may not be able to quit later.
4. Always back up a buddy, even if he's wrong.
It depends on what you call back up. If he expects you to play his game with him and he wants to rassle alligators then you can say no. Suicide is not in the buddy contract. If he gets jumped then it's different, you fight your way clear together. But if he's knocking down the hornets nest for fun, don't stay unless you think it is fun too.
If he's drunk then try to haul him away before his 'targets' start to pay serious attention. If you can't get him away, then it is your call as to whether you will take a trashing for trying to save his butt or whether you just might be able to help...it is your call and no mere acquaintance has the right to force you to clean up his garbage for him just by calling you brother.
True brothers is different but most steeters are quick to 'brother' you when they are in need but won't be there to back you up. A true brother will not let you growl in the face of the wrong jackal or will take you out himself with less injury to keep the pack off you--sort of like not letting you drive if you are drunk. If he is not a real brother but it is still low key stuff and not costing you any teeth yet then help, but as soon as you can, drop this guy, especially if you carry the bruises from fights he started but couldn't finish. This way you salvage some honor and some teeth.
Sun Tzu wrote in 500 B.C. in China, "The best general is not the one who wins a thousand battles but the one who avoids a thousand battles."
No one has improved on this since. If all you do is fight someone else's battles because he has a big mouth and hides behind his black belt buddy, ain't something wrong?
It depends on what you call back up. If he expects you to play his game with him and he wants to rassle alligators then you can say no. Suicide is not in the buddy contract. If he gets jumped then it's different, you fight your way clear together. But if he's knocking down the hornets nest for fun, don't stay unless you think it is fun too.
If he's drunk then try to haul him away before his 'targets' start to pay serious attention. If you can't get him away, then it is your call as to whether you will take a trashing for trying to save his butt or whether you just might be able to help...it is your call and no mere acquaintance has the right to force you to clean up his garbage for him just by calling you brother.
True brothers is different but most steeters are quick to 'brother' you when they are in need but won't be there to back you up. A true brother will not let you growl in the face of the wrong jackal or will take you out himself with less injury to keep the pack off you--sort of like not letting you drive if you are drunk. If he is not a real brother but it is still low key stuff and not costing you any teeth yet then help, but as soon as you can, drop this guy, especially if you carry the bruises from fights he started but couldn't finish. This way you salvage some honor and some teeth.
Sun Tzu wrote in 500 B.C. in China, "The best general is not the one who wins a thousand battles but the one who avoids a thousand battles."
No one has improved on this since. If all you do is fight someone else's battles because he has a big mouth and hides behind his black belt buddy, ain't something wrong?