This blog covers everything related to self defense including but not limited to training, techniques, principles, martial arts, hand to hand combat systems, weapons, various scenarios, tips, sparring, psychology of combat, the list goes on. It is not restricted to just one fighting art but welcomes every reader regardless of experience to gain knowledge on self defense.
This self defense guide will teach you how to defend yourself against suffocation from objects such as pillows or plastic bags. If you read my post on self defense against strangulation "http://everythingselfdefense.blogspot.com/2017/01/self-defense-against-strangulation.html" then you should grasp the basic principles on how to deal with suffocation. Here's several tips on how to deal with someone trying to suffocate you.
* Face your attacker - If someone comes up from behind and pulls a bag over your head, turn to face your attacker. If someone is trying to smother you with a pillow then that's fine, as long as you know where your attacker is.
* Attack - When you get an idea where your attacker is, attack. You could break the fingers, strike vital nerves in the arms, push your attacker away, strike your attacker, kick, etc. Eventually, your attacker will loosen his or her grip due to pain or injuries.
* Disengage then engage - Once the grip has been loosened or released, disengage quickly. Remove the bag or pillow from your head to breathe properly again and engage your enemy. Attack your enemy until you bring him or her down.
If you enjoyed this post, subscribe to my blog for updates, more advice, and exclusive content in the near future. I'm proud and excited to offer a FREE sample chapter of my E-book "Jeet Kune Do: How to build your own fighting system for self defense!" It's essentially a step-by-step guide on how to make your own self defense system suited to fit your own needs using Jeet Kune Do. If you would love to receive your FREE chapter of my e-book, click on the link below and share a post via. social media then it's yours for FREE! Be sure to also fill out the survey on the right and provide feedback on my blog. Leave questions, comments, and suggestions below.
The Dim Mak "touch of death" is a set of martial arts techniques focused on targeting the body's vital points which could potentially result in death. Typically, this is done with finger or knuckle strikes. There's alot of controversy on it's legitimacy in combat but if you were to ask me "is the Dim Mak real?" My answer would be "yes but not in the way you think."
There's a scientific basis for Dim Mak being authentic. This does not however prove the existence of Chi or other mystical beliefs. While Dim Mak has it's history in Chinese medicine acupuncture, there's documented knowledge in western society. Modern medical literature has many articles suggesting that targeting the body's vital points can result in serious injury or death. There's been a documentary showing a scientific study conducted in Asia with instruments being used to observe the effects of Dim Mak on the body (see videos below.)
Why is the Dim Mak effective? The carotid sinus is a special sensory organ regulating the pressure of blood flow to the brain. The carotid sinus is located over internal and external carotid arteries. When blood pressure is too high, the carotid sinus signals the vasomotor center of the brain to decrease the blood pressure by dilating peripheral blood vessels and slowing down heart rate. That's why it can result in a loss of consciousness along with a build up of plaques in the carotid arteries. By striking this area, small tears can result in the carotid arteries and blood clots. Death can occur by striking this area. That's why doctors look for a pulse because the carotid artery is a major indicator of life. A very helpful resource in understanding more on Dim Mak is Dr. Michael Kelly's (a sports medical doctor) book "Death Touch: The Science of Dim Mak (1). In this book, he explains that stimulating a nerve through a Dim Mak point connected to an internal organ can cause damage.
Another helpful resource in understanding Dim Mak is Moontagu's youtube channel (2). A western view on Dim Mak and it's effects on the body is explained for each Dim Mak point. When you look at Dim Mak from a scientific point of view and it's effects on the nervous system along with the body's organs then you will see it's legitimacy. Can Dim Mak be applied in self defense? Yes but because of it's lethal nature, Dim Mak should only be used in certain types of extreme situations.
With an extensive knowledge of the body, you will be able to use Dim Mak in combat.
If you enjoyed this post, subscribe to my blog for updates, more advice, and exclusive content in the near future. I'm proud and excited to offer a FREE sample chapter of my E-book "Jeet Kune Do: How to build your own fighting system for self defense!" It's essentially a step-by-step guide on how to make your own self defense system suited to fit your own needs using Jeet Kune Do. If you would love to receive your FREE chapter of my e-book, click on the link below and share a post via. social media then it's yours for FREE! Be sure to also fill out the survey on the right and provide feedback on my blog. Leave questions, comments, and suggestions below.
In this self defense guide, i will teach you how to intercept your opponent which can be done either by a direct strike for a knock out or destroying a limb. Keep in mind that the way you apply Jeet Kune Do principles in the streets is different from the way you apply it for the sake of the art. In self defense, you must eliminate the threat quickly. If you don't, you will endanger yourself or others further.
1) Situational awareness - In order to intercept in Jeet Kune Do and end the threat quickly, you need to be aware of your environment. Who is a potential threat? Who isn't? Is there a potential for an ambush? Make mental notes of your surroundings.
2) Read body language - In these situations, it's important to read body language. Let's suppose you get into an argument with someone who's being aggressive towards you. If you don't know how to control distance and read body language then you won't be aware of an impending attack. There's several cues in the body that give away someone's intent of attack. Is your potential attacker's body tense? Is your potential attacker in a fighting stance? Is your potential attacker clinching his or her fists? How is the body positioned? You need to be aware of these cues and be ready to respond accordingly.
3) Empty your mind - In order for you to land an intercepting blow, you must empty your mind of all distractions and focus only on your response. You should have a peace of mind and body even under high pressure. If you are tense and afraid then you won't be able to respond effectively to your opponent. Thought and action must be in harmony with one another. When you sense your opponent is about to strike, you commit to your strike with power and precision. You cannot hesitate for a split second or your opponent will land the first strike.
4) Recognize the body's vital points - Your primary targets of attack should be the temple, jaw, under the chin, throat, neck, the nose area, back of head, and other areas of the head in order to knock your opponent out. For the arms, you could hit the biceps, ulnar nerve, shoulder, or armpit. Striking the leg's femoral nerve and other vital areas will incapacitate your opponent's legs upon impact. Spend time learning which areas of the body you ought to hit and for what purpose. This video gives some helpful insights on the arm's pressure points.
5) Intercept or destroy the limb - There are several ways you can intercept your opponent's attack. I will generally focus on the single direct attack leading to a knock out and limb destructions. To intercept with a single direct attack, you could evade and strike a pressure point responsible for a knock out. You could also deflect your opponent's attack while striking your opponent in a knock out pressure point. Moving to a side position as you attack is also effective for intercepting your opponent. For limb destructions, the goal is to destroy a limb's use in combat whether by breaking it or incapacitating it through nerve strikes. There are several possible applications for limb destructions. For example, you might come across a very tall attacker so it might be difficult to knock him or her out when he or she has a longer reach than you. There's several ways you could destroy the limb. One is by delivering an elbow strike to the fist, causing severe damage to the hand if not breaking it entirely. You could also deliver strikes to major nerves in the arm to numb it's use before you close in and cause a knock out. If you want to learn more about limb destructions, i recommend watching Master Wong's videos on JKD which are focused on teaching them.
Practice timing your interceptions and limb destructions in training with safety equipment (gloves, head gear, shin guards, etc.) Hitting your sparring partner in vital areas is risky so be careful not to apply too much force to avoid injury or causing a knock out.
If you enjoyed this post, subscribe to my blog for updates, more advice, and exclusive content in the near future. I'm proud and excited to offer a FREE sample chapter of my E-book "Jeet Kune Do: How to build your own fighting system for self defense!" It's essentially a step-by-step guide on how to make your own self defense system suited to fit your own needs using Jeet Kune Do. If you would love to receive your FREE chapter of my e-book, click on the link below and share a post via. social media then it's yours for FREE! Be sure to also fill out the survey on the right and provide feedback on my blog. Leave questions, comments, and suggestions below.
When Bruce Lee founded Jeet Kune Do and developed Jun Fan Gung Fu, he wanted to express himself honestly. This is the freedom that Jeet Kune Do provides it's practitioners - the freedom to express yourself through bodily movements. There's no set way of dealing with a particular situation. There is only your own way of fighting.
When i went out looking for a style that suits me, i realized that each martial art confined me to a certain way of doing things. I thought that i connected well with one particular style until i realized - i didn't like it. I didn't like some of the approaches to combat. I didn't like some of the movements and footwork. Granted, i did agree with some of the philosophies but i didn't see the need to be what the art wanted me to be. I wasn't the kind of person the art expected of me.
When i learned and applied Jeet Kune Do to my martial arts training, i could feel the freedom in every movement. I could feel immense power and fluidity, no longer being confined to any set patterns. I realized who i am truly am. Deep within, i am an aggressive and enraged person. I realized for me, the best defense is a strong and brutal offense. I'm about destroying an attacker limb from limb, the whole body, the mind, and everything else. To me, Jeet Kune Do is about embracing the depths of the darkest parts of yourself along with the good and expressing the essence of who you are. I express who i am and my emotion of anger through the way i engage in combat. When you do that then you are able to unlock your potential as a martial artist and a human being. Sadly, i believe very few martial artists express themselves honestly. Instead, they seek to conform to set patterns of what others expect of them.
By freeing yourself from the expectations of others, you learn how to unlock your highest potential in combat. When applying Jeet Kune Do philosophy to martial arts training in self defense, your ultimate goal is to discover who you are. What kind of person are you? How do you prefer to end a conflict? What is your ultimate goal in life? What are your physical and mental abilities? What techniques and strategies work best for you? If you can attain knowledge of yourself then you will find a way to defend yourself effectively using Jeet Kune Do principles and philosophy.
If you enjoyed this post, subscribe to my blog for updates, more advice, and exclusive content in the near future. I'm proud and excited to offer a FREE sample chapter of my E-book "Jeet Kune Do: How to build your own fighting system for self defense!" It's essentially a step-by-step guide on how to make your own self defense system suited to fit your own needs using Jeet Kune Do. If you would love to receive your FREE chapter of my e-book, click on the link below and share a post via. social media then it's yours for FREE! Be sure to also fill out the survey on the right and provide feedback on my blog. Leave questions, comments, and suggestions below.
This self defense guide will teach you what to do in a hostage situation. Let's suppose that your in a bank or store when suddenly, an armed attacker or attackers take you hostage. It's very important that you have an idea of what to do in those scenarios as many things could go wrong.
* Disarm - If you are the only one taken hostage then you apply the same principles as you would if you were disarming a gunman or knifeman (see "how to disarm a gunman" http://everythingselfdefense.blogspot.com/2016/11/self-defense-against-gunman.html and "self defense against a knifeman" http://everythingselfdefense.blogspot.com/2016/11/self-defense-against-knife.html). If you and your attacker are surrounded by police then you have the advantage. Distract him or her before you attack. If possible, try to get the attacker to direct the weapon away from you. As soon as you sense an opportunity then strike with explosive speed. Control the weapon, redirect the line of attack, take your attacker down, and disarm. This video explains which techniques don't work and which one is more effective in a hostage scenario.
* Comply - If you and other people are taken hostage by multiple attackers then comply. Do whatever the armed attackers ask of you and get into a non-threatening posture. Doesn't matter how much self defense you know, it's safer to comply in these situations. You don't want to risk any innocent people getting hurt or killed. You and others also face the risk of getting accidentally shot by the police.
* Gather and leak information - As you comply, gather as much information as you can on your attackers. Are they mentally ill? Are they committing an armed robbery? Are they terrorists with a political agenda? What demands are they making? Who are they making the demands to? Do they intend on killing the hostages eventually? Where are they located? Where are the hostages located? Is there only one attacker or multiple? What kind of environment are you in? When you've gathered enough information on who your hostage takers are then you ought to find a way to leak it to the police. You could leave a door unlocked, a window open, create an opening in an area of the building, messages, etc. so the police can gather intelligence. If you can't then don't worry about it. Your safety should be your first priority. The information you get also lets you know what the proper response is.
* Escape - If you have an opportunity to escape without your attackers noticing then do so. Give other hostages the opportunity to escape undetected if possible. Otherwise, lay low and comply with your hostage takers.
* Empathize with your hostage takers - Try to get them to see you and others as human beings. Figure out why they are taking you hostage and what they want. This allows you to get a glimpse of the kind of people they are.
* Plan your moves - Complying isn't enough, you should already have a plan A and plan B then a plan C. Plan A should be comply. Plan B should be to leak info. or escape. Your last plan should be to fight. Don't just lay or sit there waiting for the police to rescue you. Hoping that they'll come in and save you while you remain completely unharmed is unrealistic. By the time they come in, you might already be dead. In the meantime, you need to be proactive and use your time wisely.
* Have a plan of attack - As soon as the hostage takers intend on killing or torturing their hostages and the police haven't arrived yet then you need to act quickly. You should've collaborated with the other hostages in taking out the hostage takers at some point. Use the environment to your advantage. Use whatever weapons and methods of distraction are available. Remember when faced with multiple hostage takers, the best way to deal with them is dealing with one at a time. You will need to take out at least one armed hostage taker as quickly and as silently as possible then disarm him or her without alerting the others. Even if it's not possible, you just need enough time to get the weapon and attack. In these types of situations, the use of deadlier force might be necessary than in a normal self defense situation. You might need to kill as many as you can with your bare hands or the weapon. As soon as the police enter or the hostage takers are eliminated, you need to comply with the police. Get down on the ground with your hands above your head and drop your weapons to communicate the police that you are not a threat.
In this particular situation, notice how the gunman pointed his gun at a man and the man responded by attempting a disarm. Immediately, the others rushed in to tackle the gunman and disarmed him. If you are trained in dealing with weapons and these types of situations then you have to take the initiative. By taking the initiative, you inspire others to take action.
Practice these tips with multiple sparring partners in various scenarios. If you enjoyed this post, subscribe to my blog for updates, more advice, and exclusive content in the near future. I'm proud and excited to offer a FREE sample chapter of my E-book "Jeet Kune Do: How to build your own fighting system for self defense!" It's essentially a step-by-step guide on how to make your own self defense system suited to fit your own needs using Jeet Kune Do. If you would love to receive your FREE chapter of my e-book, click on the link below and share a post via. social media then it's yours for FREE! Be sure to also fill out the survey on the right and provide feedback on my blog. Leave questions, comments, and suggestions below.
In this blog post, i will provide you with some background on who i am and why i started this blog.
Since i was a child, i was always interested in the subject of self defense. I've come up with plans on what to do if there was a home intruder and how i'd defend the family with improvised weapons. I was introduced to martial arts through films such as Bruce Lee's "Enter the Dragon", "Way of the Dragon", Jackie Chan's "drunken master", among other films. To top it off, my brother was a Karate student so he taught me a bit on Karate. Since then, i studied many different martial arts every now and then. One of the things that inspired me to learn hand to hand combat was watching two of my friends engage in a street fight with each other one night. It started when they agreed to duel each other so we all gathered around them in a church parking lot. Both agreed that whoever gets knocked down first is declared the loser of the fight. From the time the fight began, i was surprised to see how well both fought. They both seemed to have an understanding of how to street fight. Both landed several punches then retreated. Both landed many kicks to the midsection but they tensed their albs in order to absorb the impact. Finally, one of my friends fell over by accident after a kick and lost. I was eager to get in the fight but one of my other friends said "no he's too little."
I've had a bunch of sparring sessions with friends and family. We'd engage in fist fights light contact sparring and such. With family, someone would almost always get hurt so we had to stop completely. With friends, i remember engaging in a duel using weapons. I had a small piece of paper shaped into a sword and he had a piece of metal serving as a switch. He cut my legs up a couple of times but i gave him several paper cuts on his hands and fingers. My mom was very upset on the aftermath of the fight. I've also had a sparring session with two of my friends in school where it was a two on one. I can remember slamming one into the chair and trying to attack the other one. My teacher came to break up the sparring session.
I've got into watching shows like "Samurai Jack", "24", and other films. Just seeing how well they adapted to every situation made a huge impact on how i saw not just martial arts but combat in general. I'd ask my older brother questions on how deal with a particular violent situation at the age of 13. I was already coming up with certain ways to defend myself. I didn't retaliate even after being hit by several kids in school. I didn't want the situation to escalate into further conflict and chose not to respond or to avoid the situation all together.
There's several more darker experiences leading me to the self defense world such as anger issues and family. I've never been in a street fight with friends or strangers because i didn't see the need for it. I've never had that deep of a problem where i needed to resort to violence against friends or strangers. I did have several fights break out between me and family. Violence was at one point a way of expressing my anger and frustrations. Sometimes, it was done out of self defense. When my older brother scared me, i can recall one incident where i attacked him by swinging wild punches and i had to be restrained. When i saw my mother beating my sister with a switch, i intervened by landing several kicks (one which split her lip in two). I received a beating in the process. I was also violent towards my abusive father. Bullying also had a negative effect on me growing up. Child abuse, bullying, and getting robbed all these dark experiences built rage up within me among other negative effects. That was the driving force in learning self defense.
I began learning and practicing Wing Chun in 2013 among other martial arts. I realized i had several deep insights in self defense and i wanted to share them with people which is why i started this blog. What makes this blog unique? It teaches simple self defense principles as opposed to techniques and demonstrations. I realized that many martial arts schools and some self defense schools have unrealistic training methods to dealing with violent situations in the street. This is because they don't seek to understand the criminal mindset. Another reason why i don't teach techniques is because what works best for one person may not work for another person. I'm against traditional standardized education because there's so many variables in combat that it's not possible to teach them all in one set of curriculum. I post links that help me personally but i encourage everyone to find the answers to their own questions using the principles i advise. I put a strong emphasis on open-mindedness and look for new ideas while challenging old ones.
What mainly sets this blog apart is the emphasis on dealing with every possible violent situation in self defense. While your average self defense school may teach basic self defense on the street, i inspire people to adapt to every possible situation. Whether it's your average street attacker regardless of size or skill, expected or unexpected attacks, multiple attackers, armed criminals, animals, active shooters, suicide bombers, etc. - strive to persevere your own life at your highest potential. I also tend to give advice on other topics such as situational awareness, conflict resolution, weapons, diffusion, verbal self defense, training, psychology, the list goes on. My goal is to teach people effective self defense by providing a few solutions to many problems. The purpose in all of my posts is to teach people to never surrender when it comes to saving their own lives.
I hope to reach my goals and provide you with insights on how to defend yourself to your uttermost potential.
If you enjoyed this post, subscribe to my blog for updates, more advice, and exclusive content in the near future. I'm proud and excited to offer a FREE sample chapter of my E-book "Jeet Kune Do: How to build your own fighting system for self defense!" It's essentially a step-by-step guide on how to make your own self defense system suited to fit your own needs using Jeet Kune Do. If you would love to receive your FREE chapter of my e-book, click on the link below and share a post via. social media then it's yours for FREE! Be sure to also fill out the survey on the right and provide feedback on my blog. Leave questions, comments, and suggestions below.
As i've discussed in my older blog posts, you may come across martial artists who intend on hurting you. It's important that you learn how to defend yourself against martial art bullies. This self defense guide will give you some essential tips on evading or defeating a martial artist in a street fight. It's important to note that you should have some basic hand-to-hand combat skills. Otherwise, it will be much more difficult to take down a martial artist. With that in mind, here are several tips on defense against martial artists.
* Fight with uttermost aggression - If you come across having to defend yourself by fighting a martial artist, you need to be as aggressive as possible. Attack at full force and speed. Chances are, most martial artists do not know how to deal with an aggressive and outright violent attacker. This is because they typically train in a calm and controlled environment against other compliant martial artists. If you can attack a martial artist with overwhelming force, you will eventually land a few hits and probably stress him or her out.
* Fight dirty - Many martial artists train with rules such as point systems or forbidden moves during sparring. Nine times out of ten, they won't know how to defend against dirty fighting tactics. In fact, they might even be taught to avoid them and that's their weakness. Be as brutal and as ruthless as you can be. Headbutt, eye gouge, bite, use improvised weapons, the environment, etc. If a martial artist puts you in an armbar, bite down on the calf muscles as hard as you can. Use dirt, sand, glass, and other means of blinding the martial artist as you attack. Do as much damage as you can.
* Learn how to deal with high kicks - One of the key factors in determining whether or not you survive an attack by a martial artist is taking advantage of high kicks. Kicking high takes alot of time and compromises an attacker's balance. When a martial artist kicks high, close the gap between you and your attacker then knock him or her balance. You could trap the leg and land a stomp kick to the rear leg. You could also evade the kick and counter-attack with a kick to the rear leg. There's several ways of dealing with high kicks. This video gives insights on dealing with high kicks.
* Take the martial artist off balance - The key in defeating a martial artist or any fighter is taking away balance. When faced with a Wing Chun fighter for example, he or she is vulnerable to takedowns and grappling. Once the martial artist is on the ground, his or her striking power is almost useless.
Practice these principles with a sparring partner. If you enjoyed this post, subscribe to my blog for updates, more advice, and exclusive content in the near future. I'm proud and excited to offer a FREE sample chapter of my E-book "Jeet Kune Do: How to build your own fighting system for self defense!" It's essentially a step-by-step guide on how to make your own self defense system suited to fit your own needs using Jeet Kune Do. If you would love to receive your FREE chapter of my e-book, click on the link below and share a post via. social media then it's yours for FREE! Be sure to also fill out the survey on the right and provide feedback on my blog. Leave questions, comments, and suggestions below.
Active shootings have become more common and have taken many lives so it's of critical importance that you learn what to do before active shootings take place. If you don't have a plan beforehand, you will probably freeze when an active shooter starts firing rounds. This self defense guide teaches you some of the basic and most fundamental keys in dealing with active shootings with a few helpful videos:
1) Situational awareness - Studies show that active shootings are usually planned in advance. Active shooters have some emotional and psychological issues before they go out to commit horrendous acts (see link below.) They also have access to weapons. It's important you keep track of those around you and their body language. Signs such as pulling shirts down, wearing unusual clothing, or leaving bags in certain areas are key to spotting active shooters. Knowing where the exits are and where your attention needs to be are also key elements in situational awareness. If you suspect an active shooting is about to take place, you need to take action.
2) Escape - As soon as you sense shots being fired or smoke grenades being tossed in, you need to escape through the nearest exit as soon as possible. Some active shooters will use smoke to conceal themselves before they shoot civilians. If you have a gun, you don't want to try and engage in a gunfight with an active shooter. This is because if you get killed in the process, you won't be able to effectively help others. You may also be mistaken for the active shooter by the police and killed by accident. If you can land accurate shots as you make your escape then do so but ultimately you will want to get to safety and call for help. Make sure that you run in unpredictable patterns only if the shooter is firing at you. Other than that, run as fast as you can in a straight line to an exit. Be sure to alert others of the danger to prevent them from entering.
3) Hide - If you are stuck inside a building then you need to hide. Before you do, you will need to get as many people following you as possible if they want to survive an active shooting. Get inside a room and lock the doors. Turn off all lights and barricade the doors. Turn off your cellphones and be as quiet as possible. Get down as low as you can in a far corner of the room to avoid gunfire. If the active shooter sees that he or she cannot access the room quickly enough, the shooter might believe there's no one there or not bother trying to break in.
4) Fight - If you are caught in a situation where you absolutely must fight as a last resort then you need a strategy and end the threat by any means necessary. If you have an ally such as a cop or civilian trained in firearms then you need to protect him or her at all costs. If that person dies, you lose a huge advantage over the active shooter. If you are with a group of people then you have a numbers advantage against the active shooter. If you are trained in gun disarming then you need to take the initiative and take out the gunman yourself. Since there's only active shooter, he or she cannot defend against every attacker. Perhaps you could have someone serve as bait to distract the gunman while you take the gunman down and attack until you disarm him or her. Once the gunman is down, you could have the other survivors use weapons or hold the shooter down then disarm him or her. You will need to be resourceful and use cover, concealment, distractions, improvised weapons, among environmental factors when fighting an active shooter.
Practice defending yourself against an active shooter in various scenarios with a partner using a fake gun.
If you enjoyed this post, subscribe to my blog for updates, more advice, and exclusive content in the near future. I'm proud and excited to offer a FREE sample chapter of my E-book "Jeet Kune Do: How to build your own fighting system for self defense!" It's essentially a step-by-step guide on how to make your own self defense system suited to fit your own needs using Jeet Kune Do. If you would love to receive your FREE chapter of my e-book, click on the link below and share a post via. social media then it's yours for FREE! Be sure to also fill out the survey on the right and provide feedback on my blog. Leave questions, comments, and suggestions below.
Whether it's a spear, a staff, or any other long thrusting weapon - you will need to learn how to deal with each one using some fundamental principles. They are as follows: 1) Distance control 2) Redirect the weapon 3) Close the gap 4) Control 5) Disarm. That being said, here's some advice on how to defend yourself against a spear attack and even disarm a spearsman.
* Look for an improvised weapon - Look for a weapon that you can use against someone attacking you with a spear. It could be anything such as a gun, knife, rocks, etc. An improvised weapon is better than no weapon especially in these situations. You could use it as a shield, a projectile, or a distraction to blind your attacker's vision as you attack.
* Keep your distance - You have to move around and keep at a certain distance away from the spear. If you are too close, your attacker can make a full committed thrust with the spear and you will get hit. If you stay too far from your attacker, you will eventually get driven back and hurt or killed. Keeping your distance is very critical for what follows next.
* Redirect the line of attack, control the weapon, and close the gap - Timing is of the essence when dealing with a spear thrust or hit. When your attacker makes a committed thrust or hit with the spear, you can move out of the line of attack or simply redirect the line of attack with your hand and grab the weapon. You will want to grab the spear with both hands for better leverage. If you don't then your attacker can redirect the spear or pull away from your grip easily. It's very important to move in close to your attacker's body to avoid having your attacker redirect the spear in your direction. You can kick your attacker in the process as a distraction or in an attempt to get him/her to release the weapon.
* Disarm - Continue to rotate the spear upwards or downwards until the grip is weakened and you can force the spear out of your attacker's hands. From there, you can attack him or her with it.
* Evade when needed - Sometimes you will need to evade a spearsman if you are too far away as the spear can be thrown at you. Be sure to find cover and concealment as quickly as possible.
Spend time practicing with a sparring partner using a fake spear. If you enjoyed this post, subscribe to my blog for updates, more advice, and exclusive content in the near future. I'm proud and excited to offer a FREE sample chapter of my E-book "Jeet Kune Do: How to build your own fighting system for self defense!" It's essentially a step-by-step guide on how to make your own self defense system suited to fit your own needs using Jeet Kune Do. If you would love to receive your FREE chapter of my e-book, click on the link below and share a post via. social media then it's yours for FREE! Be sure to also fill out the survey on the right and provide feedback on my blog. Leave questions, comments, and suggestions below.
Let's assume that you are walking down the street on your phone and suddenly you are attacked by a group of assailants out of nowhere. Would you be able to defend yourself? If so, how? If you have no idea how to defend yourself against an ambush, you've come to the right place! This 2-step self defense guide will teach you the basic fundamentals in surviving an ambush.
1) Have situational awareness - This is probably the most important step. Without situational awareness, you won't be able to effectively deal with an ambush. You don't have eyes in the back of your head so you need to channel your attention to where it matters most. Keep an eye on those around you and read their body language. Do you see people who look suspicious? Do they stare at your every movement? What do their facial expressions say about them? Are you being followed? Do you hear someone running from behind you? These are all important observations you should make in order to spot an ambush before it happens. You will need to put yourself in the minds of your attackers to do this well. A useful technique in these types of situations is one that the military uses called slicing the pie. The idea is to scan corners or potential hiding places in circular angles where the enemy cannot see you but you can see your enemy. If you create distance between you and potential attacker or attackers, you create more time to react. Jim Wagner elaborates more on this concept.
2) Attack or avoid your attackers - If you spot the attackers and can avoid them all-together, do so. If you are hit from behind, you need to turn quickly and face your attacker or attackers. The second best way to deal with an ambush is by attacking. Your attacker or attackers will expect you to go to the defensive or comply when there's an ambush. By attacking or counter-attacking at full force, you surprise your attacker or attackers. This video explains how this works.
Practice countering ambushes in training with your sparring partners and using these principles in mind.
If you enjoyed this post, subscribe to my blog for updates, more advice, and exclusive content in the near future. I'm proud and excited to offer a FREE sample chapter of my E-book "Jeet Kune Do: How to build your own fighting system for self defense!" It's essentially a step-by-step guide on how to make your own self defense system suited to fit your own needs using Jeet Kune Do. If you would love to receive your FREE chapter of my e-book, click on the link below and share a post via. social media then it's yours for FREE! Be sure to also fill out the survey on the right and provide feedback on my blog. Leave questions, comments, and suggestions below.
What makes the Jeet Kune Do philosophy so unique compared to other martial arts' philosophies is the emphasis on expression of freedom and creativity. Jeet Kune Do has no set form or pattern way of thinking. There are no belt systems or forms. Instead, Jeet Kune Do helps it's practitioners see only the beauty in movements rather than styles. The techniques and principles of combat are bent to the will of the practitioners, not the other way around.
When Bruce Lee was alive, he would study each individual movement and find flaws. He'd almost always wanted to know "why? Why do we do things a certain way?" He'd discard the traditional methods of using a particular type of attack or technique in favor of what worked for him. According to William Cheung, Bruce Lee criticized modified footwork and asked "look, why is it like that? Why do i have to do this?" (see link below.) That's when Bruce Lee realized the truth in combat existed in each individual, not a particular style or system. What works for one person may not work for another person. In this video, Dan Inosanto lists the differences between Jeet Kune Do and Wing Chun.
The freedom that is found in the JKD philosophy is the ability to fight in your own way. There's almost no rules in Jeet Kune Do. You do what works best for you. For example, conventional wisdom says "don't take the fight to the ground because of the possibility of weapons and multiple attackers.." Jeet Kune Do's answer is "can you make it work? How can you beat someone on the ground quickly addressing weapons and multiple attackers? What exceptions exist? What are the proper conditions for taking the fight to the ground?" Another saying people bring up in combat is to not kick high because you could lose your balance. Jeet Kune Do's answer is once again "can you make it work?" Perhaps you could steal your opponent's balance through trapping the hand as land a high kick to the head. When does kicking high work and when is it not applicable?
Jeet Kune Do isn't just about the freedom from principles or styles, it's also about making your ideas work. For example, i like to apply a bit of psychology and psychological warfare in combat because i find them useful in certain situations. I take inspiration from Sun Tzu, accounts of warfare from the Bible, and other sources. As long as what you use works in combat, the JKD philosophy is - use it. Can't find a useful technique for a particular situation? Invent your own.
That's the beauty of Jeet Kune Do and apart of being fluid. It's about not confining yourself to a predictable pattern or way of fighting. You are your own best master.If you enjoyed this post, subscribe to my blog for updates, more advice, and exclusive content in the near future. I'm proud and excited to offer a FREE sample chapter of my E-book "Jeet Kune Do: How to build your own fighting system for self defense!" It's essentially a step-by-step guide on how to make your own self defense system suited to fit your own needs using Jeet Kune Do. If you would love to receive your FREE chapter of my e-book, click on the link below and share a post via. social media then it's yours for FREE! Be sure to also fill out the survey on the right and provide feedback on my blog. Leave questions, comments, and suggestions below.
I'm going to be covering a controversial topic surrounding violence on men and women. The question i will address is "should men hit women in self defense?"
My answer is it depends on the circumstances. Your appropriate response should be determined by the amount of force being used against you. If the woman is insulting you,tells you that your violating her personal space, and pushes you then obviously punching her wouldn't be justified. If you can avoid the situation without fighting back then do so. If the woman is attacking you with a deadly weapon and deadly force then hitting a woman is justified. Grab the arm, break it, disarm the weapon, land a few hits to the face and knees, do whatever you need to do to survive.
Keep in mind that this also applies to men. If a man pushes you and you have the opportunity to leave then do so. There's no favoritism in self defense. You have every right to defend yourself regardless of the person's gender.
If you enjoyed this post, subscribe to my blog for updates, more advice, and exclusive content in the near future. I'm proud and excited to offer a FREE sample chapter of my E-book "Jeet Kune Do: How to build your own fighting system for self defense!" It's essentially a step-by-step guide on how to make your own self defense system suited to fit your own needs using Jeet Kune Do. If you would love to receive your FREE chapter of my e-book, click on the link below and share a post via. social media then it's yours for FREE! Be sure to also fill out the survey on the right and provide feedback on my blog. Leave questions, comments, and suggestions below. http://www.paywithapost.de/pay?id=7b715806-c78b-4bfd-badf-4242da2bf8f2
In this self defense guide, i will teach you several tips on becoming a better fighter. Keep in mind, i'm not training you for ring fighting or just beating the average punk on the street. I'm teaching you how to fight against people of any skill level be it average to highly trained attackers. Assuming that you've already trained in hand to hand combat, these are principles you need to keep in mind and you will become proficient in self defense.
* Be aware of your environment - If you aren't aware of your attackers or potential attackers and the environment you are in then you won't be able to properly defend yourself. You will be easily taken by surprise and lose opportunities to escape much less survive. Be mindful of your surroundings.
* Strike first - It's very important to beat your opponent to the punch quite literally. If you check out my post "how to end street fights FAST" (http://everythingselfdefense.blogspot.com/2017/01/how-to-end-street-fights-fast.html). By landing the 1st strike accurately and without warning, you could end the fight or at least severely injure your attacker and give you more opportunities to strike him or her down. Remember it's about quality more than quantity in violent situations. This video will give more insights.
* Strike in vital unguarded areas - You shouldn't blindly hit your opponent wherever. You should hit vital areas such as the eyes, nose, groin, jaw, neck, temples, solar plexus, ribs, sides of knee, thighs, shins, under the chin, back of the head, throat, knees, sternum, and so on. When you strike an attacker in one area, his or her reaction is to either defend or evade but this opens up an unguarded bodily area to attack. The same happens when your opponent attacks you and vice versa. Practice landing accurate quick shots in training so it will be second nature in combat.
* Use improvised weapons - If you have weapons and you know how to use them, use them. Don't hold anything back. Adapt to the level of violence. The more lethal force is being used against you, the deadlier the weapons you will need. Use guns, knives, bats, chairs, sticks, brass knuckles, tactical lights, stones, broken glass, the list goes on. Weapons are great equalizers especially against trained fighters. This video will explain further in detail.
* Use the environment as a weapon - There are many tools in your environment that you could use to your advantage such as barriers (fences, cars, or walls) and other objects. You could slam your attacker on concrete or into a car. You could also throw dirt or sand into your attacker's eyes to blind him or her temporarily as you strike at full force and full speed. If you want more, read my post "how to use the environment as a weapon" (http://everythingselfdefense.blogspot.com/2016/12/how-to-use-environment-as-weapon.html).
* End the threat quickly - The longer a fight goes on, the more danger you put yourself. You don't know if your attacker has a weapon or friends in waiting. Many people in martial arts learning self defense make the mistake of moving around like it's a fight. You need to put yourself in the mindset that if you don't end the threat as quickly as possible, there will be more threats coming your way. Be aggressive and constantly attack your opponent. Don't let your attacker breathe until the threat is over. Quickly shift from being on the defensive to the offensive or you might find yourself knocked out eventually.
* Don't step back - When you step back, you are giving your opponent a psychological advantage. You need to exert dominance over your attacker, not submissiveness. If you keep moving back when your attacker is striking you, fear might take over and eventually you will get hit. This video explains the mechanics behind stepping back.
* Get in superior positions - Avoid staying in front of the direction of attack and get in superior positions to attack your opponent. For example if your attacker came charging in at you, move to the side and deliver an attack of your own. By understanding how to get in superior positions of advantage will put your opponent at a disadvantage.
* Fight dirty - Remember that in the streets, there are no rules. Eye gouging, headbutts, biting, limb breaking, and other brutal tactics are useful in incapacitating an attacker.
* Pay attention to body language - One thing you should never do is give away your intention to attack. This is a common mistake i see people make. By tensing up your arms, clinching your fists, moving your fists around, and throwing jabs trying to figure out where to hit are giving away your moves. By doing this, your attacker can predict what you will do and he or she can counter-attack you. Here's a training tip i came up with to help you use body language to your advantage. Get in front of a mirror and practice striking without telegraphing your attacks. Make sure that your completely relaxed and your eyes aren't wandering around. Be sure to also have your hands completely still before you explosively strike quickly. Practice speed and timing. You could also trick your opponent into thinking you will hit him or her in one area only to hit in another area.
* Have a strategy - If you have no strategy then you will get hurt or killed. Without knowing your enemy first and foremost, you cannot develop an effective strategy to defeat him or her. In order to have an effective strategy, you must think and respond quickly. If your facing someone who is superior than you in hand-to-hand combat for example then you need an equalizer such as weapons and injure him or her.
* Adapt to every situation - This is probably the most important tip. If you don't know how to adapt to various situations, you won't survive. Adapting to the circumstances is one of the most fundamental keys to self defense. Adapting might require you to change your strategy of attack when the first did not succeed. What works in one set of situations will not work in a different set. Proper judgement will allow you to assess how to deal with them in self defense.
* Use distractions - If you can distract your enemy in combat be it through fake attacks or other objects then you allow an opportunity to land a fatal blow.
* Be in the present moment - Don't focus on the outcome of the fight. Don't focus on past failures in self defense. If you focus on either one, you will lose period. Be in the present moment of the fight. Respond to your opponent's movements and allow mindfulness to rule.
* Understand and control distance - By controlling the distance between you and your opponent, you are able to attack while avoiding your enemy's attacks. Learn how far your arms and legs can extend so you can use them effectively in combat.
* Change the patterns and rhythm of attack - Everyone has his or her own way or rhythm of fighting. In order to be a skilled fighter, you must learn to recognize patterns and rhythms then change your own to catch your opponent by surprise. For example, you may notice your attacker likes to bob and weave as he or she throws upper cuts mixed with punches to the head each time you attack. You could strike to gauge a reaction and quickly deliver a kick to the groin or sides of knees. If you like to punch hard and fast in combination, you could suddenly pause briefly to surprise your opponent before you land a kick to the solar plexus or groin.
By recognizing how to create opportunities to attack or escape a violent situation all together, you are better able to defend yourself. If you enjoyed this post, subscribe to my blog for updates, more advice, and exclusive content in the near future. I'm proud and excited to offer a FREE sample chapter of my E-book "Jeet Kune Do: How to build your own fighting system for self defense!" It's essentially a step-by-step guide on how to make your own self defense system suited to fit your own needs using Jeet Kune Do. If you would love to receive your FREE chapter of my e-book, click on the link below and share a post via. social media then it's yours for FREE! Be sure to also fill out the survey on the right and provide feedback on my blog. Leave questions, comments, and suggestions below.
In this self defense guide, i will teach you how to defend yourself against an attacker wielding pepper spray. When defending against pepper spray, you apply almost the same principles as you would when dealing with a gun (see "self defense against a gunman" http://everythingselfdefense.blogspot.com/2016/11/self-defense-against-gunman.html.)
1) Get out of range and line of fire - Pepper sprays have limited range so you can avoid getting sprayed by moving quickly away from your attacker. You also need to move out of the line of fire and into a better position to attack.
2) Take cover - As soon as someone tries to attack you with pepper spray, take cover behind an object or barrier. If none is present, block the pepper spray as you turn your body to the side and close your eyes tightly. This is to prevent the pepper spray from getting into your eyes and affecting you.
3) Attack - The reason why you'll want to block the pepper spray as you would punches is to avoid getting the spray into your eyes but also to avoid any incoming attacks. As soon as you have the opportunity, land your attacks on the person. Even if you get sprayed in the eyes, it will take a few seconds for the pepper spray to take effect. This gives you plenty of time to eliminate the threat quickly. You could grab the arm controlling the pepper spray and break it or takedown your attacker then disarm him or her. When the threat is over, wash the pepper spray out with cold running water and other means.
Practice these principles with a partner using a safe substitute for pepper spray. If you enjoyed this post, subscribe to my blog for updates, more advice, and exclusive content in the near future. I'm proud and excited to offer a FREE sample chapter of my E-book "Jeet Kune Do: How to build your own fighting system for self defense!" It's essentially a step-by-step guide on how to make your own self defense system suited to fit your own needs using Jeet Kune Do. If you would love to receive your FREE chapter of my e-book, click on the link below and share a post via. social media then it's yours for FREE! Be sure to also fill out the survey on the right and provide feedback on my blog. Leave questions, comments, and suggestions below.
The Nunchaku or nunchucks is a traditional martial arts weapon consisting of two sticks connected with a chain or rope. I will give you some tips on how to deal with someone attacking you with nunchucks. Essentially you apply the same concepts you would with a baseball bat or any blunt force weapon (see "Self defense against a baseball bat" http://everythingselfdefense.blogspot.com/2016/12/self-defense-against-baseball-bat.html.)
* Find an improvised weapon - Pick up a weapon you could use to defend against nunchucks. If you can't find any then you may want to use clothing and wrap your arm around it to lessen the damage your enemy can do to you. Strike high or low depending on where your enemy swings the nunchucks.
* Intercept your enemy's attacks - The best time to burst into your enemy is before or after an attack is complete. As soon as your attacker is about to swing, close the gap between you and him quickly then block the arm from moving. From there, you strike and disarm the weapon by striking a pressure point in the arm. You could also grab the link holding the sticks together and strike down your enemy.
Practice your timing and these principles during sparring with fake nunchucks. If you enjoyed this post, subscribe to my blog for updates, more advice, and exclusive content in the near future. I'm proud and excited to offer a FREE sample chapter of my E-book "Jeet Kune Do: How to build your own fighting system for self defense!" It's essentially a step-by-step guide on how to make your own self defense system suited to fit your own needs using Jeet Kune Do. If you would love to receive your FREE chapter of my e-book, click on the link below and share a post via. social media then it's yours for FREE! Be sure to also fill out the survey on the right and provide feedback on my blog. Leave questions, comments, and suggestions below.
If you are a JKD practitioner wondering how you can improve the Jeet Kune Do five ways of attack then this guide will teach you. Take note that this is for self defense purposes. It is not done purely for the sake of an art. Here are several training tips to help you understand how to improve the ways of attack in Jeet Kune Do.
* Single direct attack - When confronted with a potential attacker in your face, a single direct attack will end the fight quickly. For more, read my post "how to end street fights FAST! " (http://everythingselfdefense.blogspot.com/2017/01/how-to-end-street-fights-fast.html). In order to use this type of attack, you must understand how to set it up. In ancient times, Samurai trained to end a violent confrontation in one swift stroke. The first attack meant the difference between life and death (see link below for reference.) This video of Iajutsu demonstrates this in application. This same concept is applied in hand-to-hand combat. Karate has adopted this mindset in Ikken hissatsu "to annihilate at one blow." Of course you won't kill your opponent, but you will at most cause a knock out. As a JKD practitioner, you should like a samurai have the peace of mind and concentrate on the decisive moment of the fight. Forget about everything else. Through reading your opponent's body language, having excellent intuition, accuracy, timing, speed, commitment to attack, power, structure, evasion or deflection, judgement of distance, understanding the line of attack, and more then your intercepting attacks will improve. When your opponent telegraphs his or her attack be it a clinched fist or raised arm, that's when you strike at an unpredictable angle. Be sure that you don't telegraph your attacks or your first attack might fail. Your target should be the temples, under the chin, the jaw, neck, the nose area, or back of head.
Practice sparring with these ideas in mind with a partner. A training method i recommend is having your partner wear a punching mitt and a boxing glove. Practice evading or deflecting the punches as you punch the mitt at the same time.You could also practice this in all out sparring.
* Attack by combination - The idea of attack by combination is to overwhelm your opponent with a series of strikes until you create an opening. Ideally, you should strike high and low at different angles. One strike is bound to hit your opponent's unguarded area when done right. Change the rhythm and pace of your attacks to throw your opponent off guard. If you attack fast and hard then suddenly stop, your opponent will be confused thus leaving an exposed area to attack.
Practice sparring with a partner using padwork. It might help if you train with a target bag to train attacking at different angles and help improve accuracy. Go at different paces from slow to fast.
* Hand Immobilization attack - Essentially the Wing Chun concept of trapping an opponent except it's not limited to grabbing only the arms. You could grab your opponent's hair, head, shirt, or jacket. You could stomp kick your opponent on the foot and trap it as you attack. You could also use the environment to immobilize your opponent. If for example you are fighting in close quarters, you could use the wall as leverage to trap the leg and prevent your opponent from kicking. The attack by hand immobilization is a means of forcefully creating an opening in your opponent's defenses.
Practice with a sparring partner. When the opportunity presents itself, take it as you go with the flow.
* Progressive Indirect Attack - This is accomplished when you perform a fake strike to gauge a reaction from your opponent before you quickly change the direction of your attack. In order for this to be effective, you need to understand how to use body language to your advantage. Otherwise, you won't be able to trick your opponent effectively. Make your opponent believe you are committing to a strike to a certain area with your eyes, hand and leg movement, facial expressions, etc. Practice sparring with a partner or in the mirror. This video explains in further detail.
* Attack by Drawing - This is done when you lure your opponent in a trap. This can be done by leaving an area of your body exposed briefly before you deflect or evade the attack and counter-attack. Attack by drawing can also be accomplished through other means. You could verbally or non-verbally anger your opponent and if he/she charges in, you intercept his/her attacks quickly. You could also pretend to be exhausted as you briefly lower your guard and if your opponent falls for it, you intercept your opponent quickly. There's many ways you can draw your opponent to attack with proper awareness of yourself and your surroundings.
Figure out how you can trick your opponent into committing to an attack. For example, i can use my long hair as an advantage to get my opponent thinking that's my weakness. As soon as my opponent tries to grab it, i intercept him/her. If my opponent successfully grabs my hair, i trap the hand as i land a devastating strike at the same time or break his/her arm.
It's important to understand how to blend all of these ways of attacks together and know when each one is applicable. If i am executing attack by combination against a Wing Chun or Krav Maga practitioner and he or she bursts in to nullify my striking range, i still have an opportunity to attack. Why? Through attack by drawing. My opponent has went from my striking range into my grappling and trapping range. I can trap the arms, headbutt, bite, and takedown. I could also do a hip toss and stomp kick to the head. Remember to flow naturally from attack to attack.
If you enjoyed this post, subscribe to my blog for updates, more advice, and exclusive content in the near future. I'm proud and excited to offer a FREE sample chapter of my E-book "Jeet Kune Do: How to build your own fighting system for self defense!" It's essentially a step-by-step guide on how to make your own self defense system suited to fit your own needs using Jeet Kune Do. If you would love to receive your FREE chapter of my e-book, click on the link below and share a post via. social media then it's yours for FREE! Be sure to also fill out the survey on the right and provide feedback on my blog. Leave questions, comments, and suggestions below.
This self defense guide will teach you how to defend yourself against suffocation from objects such as pillows or plastic bags. If you read my post on self defense against strangulation "http://everythingselfdefense.blogspot.com/2017/01/self-defense-against-strangulation.html" then you should grasp the basic principles on how to deal with suffocation. Here's several tips on how to deal with someone trying to suffocate you.
