Tips on becoming a skilled fighter

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.

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How to use the environment as a weapon

While using various melee weapons such as your fists or knives in self defense are good, the use of the environment will greatly improve your skills as a fighter. The reason why the military and other great war strategists were so successful was because they realized the importance of using the environment to their advantage. Here are several key principles you should know to become a better warrior whether facing one opponent or multiple opponents.

* Don't restrict yourself to close quarters combat - Don't assume that you always have to fight your opponent face to face. You can fight from a distance with various tools and weapons from many different positions. It is not an act of cowardice, only resourcefulness. 

* Use improvised weapons - Are there cars nearby? Use them as obstacles. Slam or push your opponent into them. Do you have a ball point pen? Stab your opponent in vital areas with it. Is there a window nearby? Break it and use the broken glass to stab your opponent. Bright lights? Flash them in your opponent's eyes as a distraction. Are you in a confined area? Push your opponent into the walls and restrict his/her movements. When faced with projectiles, you could find cover or concealment. There's many different ways you can use weapons to improve your chances of survival. Learn to see everything around you as a weapon. 

* Camouflage - Soldiers and snipers are skilled in blending in with the environment to ambush their enemies. You can also use it applying your knowledge of nature to strategically defeat say a group of armed attackers. Blend in with your surroundings until you become virtually invisible. 

* Confuse your enemies - Attack at unpredictable patterns from various positions and conceal yourself in fog, water, buildings, trees, etc. Don't be confined to one predictable method of attack as the enemy can quickly figure you out. The more you stress and frustrate your enemies, the more chances you have of throwing them off guard.  

* Use traps - There's many ways you can use booby traps or other means of defeating your enemies such as luring them into dangerous animals or into hidden explosives. Drawing them out in the open, ambushing, and bating them are just some ways you could attack your enemy. 

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.

    

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How to fight multiple opponents

How to fight multiple opponents: 

Fighting multiple opponents is a very dangerous situation as your attackers may have weapons and various skills aside from a numbers disadvantage. Hopefully this guide will help in dealing with multiple attackers.

1) Try to diffuse the situation - Are you given the option to leave? Best well take it. Talking your way out should be your 1st option or avoidance. If they are clearly out to hurt you then proceed to the next step.

2) Move strategically - Never let multiple attackers surround you. Once surrounded, you will be overwhelmed. Instead, move around your attackers in circles. The goal is to get at least 2 attackers or more depending on their numbers lined up while attacking the one closest to you.

3) Fight quickly and efficiently - Don't spend too much time spending too much energy on one opponent that you become too exhausted to fight the others. It's therefore crucial that you change your attack strategy. Focus on incapacitating your attackers and taking them out with one hit. Break their arms, knees, knock them off balance, and other techniques such as Dim Mak would work well. Joint locks, Muay Thai clinches, other submissions would not work well as your opponent could be armed or break the hold, making you vulnerable. Instead, grapple one opponent and use him as a shield as you push him/her against the others or into a brick wall.

4) Prioritize - Is there someone who's armed or more skilled than the rest? Take that person out first. If you can disarm or knock that person out, you can hopefully discourage the others and maybe get a knife in self defense. The important thing is to prioritize which attackers to take out first, second, and last.

5) Use Psychological attacks - Getting to your opponents heads is critical in surviving against multiple attackers. Is there a leader? Take him out 1st. The leader is usually the one taking the initiative to attack. Once the leader is down, that will discourage and break the morale of the rest. Be ruthless. The more visible the damages you create, the more your attackers will be discouraged. The sight of an arm break will likely send a powerful message that may scare off your attackers. Are there psychologically weaker guys? They usually are reluctant to attack unless the more dominant attackers are bringing you down. Perhaps you could firmly exclaim "i'm going to get you!" as you fight your way through in an attempt to scare them off.

6) Escape - If you are able to, escape. You don't have to keep fighting until everyone is down. The longer the fight goes on, the greater chances of injury or death.

Some more important tips:

* Pay attention to allies - If you have friends who know how to fight or are armed then you ought to use them to your advantage. Be sure that you protect them at all costs.

* Use of weapons - Don't hesitate to use any weapons at your disposal such as knives, guns, sticks, pipes, glass, sand, dirt, cars, walls, doors, rocks, bikes, and other deadly objects. Weapons will be a great equalizer to deal with multiple opponents and may scare them off. If you disarm someone, pick up the weapon as soon as possible and start using it. Don't let it fall into another attacker's hands.

* Use of the environment - Use your environment to your advantage. Trees, cars, walls, doors, pools, and other areas can be used as obstacles to separate attackers from you.

* Be wary of who your fighting - A group of hooligans will behave much differently from a well organized gang. A street gang will be far more dangerous, aggressive, and violent than a bunch of punks who want to feel powerful by beating those weaker than they are. Even if you survive a gang attack, they may put a price on your head.

* Training tip - Practice with a group of friends in unscripted sparring sessions and different scenarios. Learn what realistic combat looks like. Every group of multiple attackers are distinct. Some may ambush you. Some may try to sneak up from behind. Some may come at you all at once or some may move strategically. You will have to learn how to adapt to each kind of attack by keeping basic principles in mind - fighting one at a time by strategic movement, finishing each opponent quickly, prioritizing, etc.  Practice good, quick, and mobile footwork in coordination with your attacks/blocks.

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.

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How to effectively train for self defense

How to effectively train for self defense:

Self defense is the science of taking measures to protect one's own health and life. The problem with many self defense instructors is that they are too accustomed to teaching techniques and drills that are useless in the streets. You can practice techniques but if you fail to condition yourself to survive and adapt when they fail, you will get seriously hurt or killed. Effective self defense relies on fundamental principles more than techniques. That being said, i hope that my tips will help you in creating effective training.

* Learn unarmed combat - Whether it's martial arts or other unarmed combat systems, you will want to learn the fighting art that you are most comfortable with. To gain a better understanding of how armed combat works, it's helpful to understand how to defend yourself unarmed. There is no "one size fits all" to self defense. If you managed to throw a punch that your self defense instructor taught you and you ward off your attacker then good but what if you miss? By learning hand-to-hand combat, you will know how to deal with those situations.

* Work out with purpose - Don't just get muscular or physically fit, have a purpose for why you want to get physically fit and build muscles. Muscles may actually hinder your self defense training. Instead, focus on learning which muscles and physical abilities are useful in self defense. Learn which muscles are responsible for improving punching and kicking power then work those out. Work on balance, speed, agility, strength, stamina, and other essentials to self defense using various exercises.

* Choose quality practice over quantity - When i was a boy, i used to practice Karate high kicks but could never do them right because i didn't understand them. Don't just practice a technique without understanding. Understand what your practicing and why. Focus on using proper form and techniques as you incorporate it in your muscle memory rather than winning a sparring session. Push hard but not too hard. Train smarter not harder.

* Absorb what is useful and discard what isn't - As Bruce Lee said "absorb what is useful and discard what is useless. Add what is uniquely your own." There are many self defense "how to" guides teaching you how to defend yourself of a particular situation such as a gun disarm. While there are great techniques, there are also ones that are completely ineffective. There are many martial art techniques used in sports such as MMA which work well in those situations but when applied in self defense, they are useless. For example, using a Brazilian Jiu Jutsu armbar would work well in a competition but wouldn't work well in the street because you leave your whole body exposed to attack. As a student of self defense, you must have discernment. What techniques are best suited for self defense vs sport or training? You can pay a self defense instructor to teach you techniques but the questions you ought to be asking are - Is it simple? How simple? Are these techniques effective? How effective? Are they practical? How practical? Are they efficient? How efficient? Are they realistic? How realistic? Question the authority. Credentials won't mean much if you end up killed for using impractical techniques in a lethal circumstances. Therefore it is best to figure out for yourself as a fighter which techniques are practical and which aren't.

* Adapt to various situations - While you can learn techniques and practice sparring drills for many hours, you won't be able to apply them in self defense if you do not adapt. There are many variables that could alter the outcome of an attack on the street thus it's important to train in various situations without rehearsals. For example, if you've learned to disarm a gunman at close range then how would you respond to a gunman who pulled out his gun and fired from a longer distance? Adapting to every situation is crucial in self defense and you must be conditioned to it in training. If you practiced sparring with one partner then practice sparring with multiple attackers. Train sparring opponents with practice guns, knives, bats, etc. Spar with boxers and other types of fighters. Practice mock scenarios where you are forced to expect the unexpected and remember to keep certain principles in mind.


* Learn how to avoid conflict - Many self defense instructors teach the physical aspects of self defense but self defense can also be verbal, psychological, emotional, and mental. People will insult you and provoke you to attack so you must practice self control while not allowing your enemy to harm you with words. There are also cues and signs indicating a potential threat. Learning to diffuse a situation before it gets violent is more skilled than fighting itself.

I sure hope that these tips will greatly aid you in your training for self defense. 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.

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Self defense against a swordsman

Self defense against a swordsman:

If you've read my other blog post on self defense against a knifeman (http://everythingselfdefense.blogspot.com/2016/11/self-defense-against-knife.html)  then you should have a general idea of how to disarm a swordsman. Like self defense instructors teaching impractical fancy knife disarms, self defense instructors also teach fancy impractical sword disarms as well. I've taken some courses in sword fighting and had some experience in disarming during sparring sessions. Therefore, i will use what i know to help you defend yourself against a swordsman. While it is highly unlikely that you will come across situations such as these, there are several criminals who have used swords to murder innocent people and cops. In the case that it does happen, you should note several differences between swords and knives.

Knives are short range weapons, move quicker than swords, don't require committed attacks, used more for lightweight, etc.

Swords are long range weapons, move slower than knives, require committed attacks and blocks, heavier than knives, have longer handguards than knives, etc.

1) Be Vigilant - Pay close attention to your surroundings. Keep a safe distance from strangers. Recognize that it's much harder to conceal a sword than it is to conceal a knife. Your primary goal should be to avoid conflict and run.

2) Strike first - If you can't run away and your at a close distance then don't wait until the swordsman draws his/her weapon. It takes only a few seconds for a swordsman to get into a fighting stance, grab his sheath with one hand, grab the hilt of the sword with the other, pull it out, and point it directly towards you. That's plenty of time for you to close the distance and grab the handguard then do whatever attacks you want before you disarm the swordsman. Don't waste a single second.

3) Use a weapon - If the swordsman has already had his/her weapon drawn then it's time to improvise and get a weapon of your own if you are unarmed. Look for an object that the sword cannot cut apart and that would either serve as cover or an offensive weapon.

4) Move outside the line of attack - There are around 9 angles from which a swordsman can strike. Regardless, the same principle applies for any angle of attack. This video demonstrates the general idea of how to prepare for attacking a swordsman.

5) Control the blade - From a relatively safe position, you can briefly struck at the swordsman vision as a distraction as your other hand grabs the hilt then perform a disarm. You can redirect the blade several ways 1) Using a palm strike or slapping perhaps grabbing at the safe parts of the blade (sides, top, etc.) as you strike. 2) If the situation calls for it - you could grab the entire blade with one hand and the hilt with the other then disarm your attacker. Historical accounts actually affirm that with proper hand techniques, you could grip a stationary blade and not get cut. This is very risky so use with extreme caution. Do not use this on a moving sword as you are likely to get your hands cut off in the process. This would only work on a still blade. Do not grab the sharp edges of the blade with both hands and wrestle it out of the swordsman's hands as you will also get cut. Grabbing the sword would probably work best against a two handed swordsman as the previous video demonstrated. 3) You could alternatively push the attacker's arms away to redirect a strike before you control and disarm.  

6) Disarm - For a one handed sword, it'd be best to throw your opponent off balance or immobilize via break his arm to render his attacking ability useless and make it easy to retrieve the weapon. For a two handed sword, you could tilt the blade until the attacker's grip is lost under pressure.  Run away an dispose of the weapon where the attacker cannot reach it.

Several important key things that may save your life:

* Timing - As i've mentioned before, a swordsman has to commit to an attack or block. By that, i mean that the swordsman must use his/her body namely footwork in coordination with the arm and wrist to attack or defend. A swordsman cannot kill you unless he/she lunges forward or moves his/her arm to a certain degree before retreating to a defensive position. When is the perfect time to intercept? Before or after an attack is completed.

* Footwork - A swordfighter's stance is very essential in attacking and defending. By knocking the swordfighter off balance, you greatly reduce his/her attacking power and gain a grand opportunity to disarm him/her.


* Use your environment - Pay close attention to your surroundings. If you can get a sword stuck in a tree or car roof, a wall, that would be a great opportunity to strike at the swordsman and disarm him.

* Vision - A Swordsman's vision is vital in attacking and defending. Obstructing his vision with bright lights, sand, dirt, toxic substances, and other objects will briefly distract him/her thus giving you enough time to make your attack or retreat.

* Control - Grabbing hold of the swordsman's wrist and arm like you would a knife or the hilt is key to a successful disarm. Once you've gained control, you could drive the sword into the swordsman or take it away.

* Distance - It only takes some distance for the blade to reach you. A swordsman especially one with one-handed swords would have to extend his/her arm in order to strike, briefly leaving it vulnerable. This allows for you to control and isolate the offending arm (wrist + elbow).

* Accept pain - You will get cut mildly or severely but it's entirely possible for you to survive.

Mistakes to avoid:

* Don't try to "catch" the blade - I did an experiment with a friend where i'd kneel down then attempt to catch a downward sword strike. As soon as i got in position, he simply redirected his practice sword to a different angle and i was hit to the side instead. It doesn't take much for a swordsman to redirect a sword with just the flick of a wrist. It'd take a miracle for you to perform this move correctly.

* Don't move back too much - The more you move back, the more opportunities you give the swordsman to strike you. If you back up into a wall trying to avoid the sword, you will most likely get killed. You will want to be just close enough to avoid getting struck by the blade. Move around the swordsman to get into a position where you can strike and disarm.

I'd encourage you to spend some time practicing these techniques and principles with a partner using a fake sword. 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.

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