Rules of Self Defense

The Rules of Self Defense

The rules define the game. Judo rules, create the judo sport, MMA rules create the MMA sport and martial arts have a style and etiquette all their own, based on their culture of origin. These rules are designed to balance entertainment with participant safety. While technically, when it comes self defense there are "no rules in the street", there does exist a specific set of tactical factors you must abide by in order to maximize your chance of survival.

The “Rules” of Self Defense

1. Your tactics must be simple, gross motor skills. When you experience FIGHT or FLIGHT stress, millions of years of evolution kick in and prepare you for battle. Among dozens of perceptual changes you will experience (from tunnel vision to loss of hearing) your heart rate increases and your blood flows from your extremities to your vital organs and major muscle groups. The result is that you will only to be able to perform gross movements of the legs and arms. Finite skills that involve subtle movement of the fingers, wrist, small precise movements and tactics that require cognitive planning and strategy will be impossible. You'll only be able to perform a handful (3 to 5) of simple skills. LtCol Grossman’s Book “On Combat” gives an excellent analysis of this physiological and psychological experience under combat conditions.

2. You will be attacked when you are injured, tired and older or appear weak and distracted. Criminals, like predators, choose targets of opportunity. If you appear weak, you will be a target. The most effective defensive tactics enable you to perform under any possible physical restriction. This includes the use of weapons. The rule is simple, if you can leave your home, you better be able to protect yourself.

3. Your assailant is armed.
Criminals will stack the odds in their favor. Career criminals who know that using a weapon carries a heavier sentence may try to strong arm you instead of using a weapon during the first contact. After you survive the first attack, he may then decide to use a weapon. According to the 2005 study by the Bureau of justice http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/index.cfm?ty=tp&tid=70 in approximately 70% of violent crime arrests there was a weapon present.

Another scenario is low light conditions. How can you tell if that punch isn't a stab? In order to increase your chances of survival, you must assume every attack is a weapon attack. Methods that require you to first identify the weapon and then shift gears and use a different set of techniques have an extremely low success rate. Hick’s Law proves this as fact. Hick’s Law describes the time it takes for a person to make a decision as a result of the possible choices he or she has. The more choices you have, the slower your reaction time.

4. Your attacker is larger and stronger than you.
In the street, intimidation is a big factor. Bigger people with bad intent will pick on smaller people. Nothing has changed since grammar school. Knowing this, methods that require you to overpower your enemy should be avoided.

5. Your assailant will have friends.
Criminals need an edge. It could be a weapon, it could be size and it could also be accomplices. Most times you won't even know it's a multiple attacker scenario until it's too late. Smart street fighters will have friends waiting in the background. The idea of having different tactics for single and multiple attackers is ludicrous for two reasons. First, every attack is a multiple attacker scenario regardless of what you see initially. Second, you can only fight what is directly in front of you. Once you engage, your mind will only allow you to focus on one act, one target and one direction. (See Rule number 1)

6. You must consider every environment.
Attacks happen where you work and live. Through the course of your day and depending on the season, your environment is constantly changing from icy parking lot, to carpeted floor. You can’t move 10 feet in any direction without running into a wall, a piece of furniture or a change of elevation. Sliding foot work that looks good in the gym or dojo is impractical under real world conditions. Even your footwork must be “pre-programmed” to handle any terrain.

7. You must use tactics that cause maximum injury to your attacker, minimum injury to you. This is the name of the game. The person who wins is the one with the least amount of injury. From weapons to empty hand, everything thing you do must cause more damage to your target at a faster rate than you are being injured.

8. Your attacker has intent on killing or injuring you. Anyone who is willing to threaten you or use force on you has no regard for your safety. In order to maximize your survivability you must assume this to be true and react accordingly. That means doing whatever you need to survive, without any regard for your attacker’s safety. Anything less will leave you vulnerable.

What makes a good self defense system?
A good system of self defense only needs to consider the factors of distance, position, momentum and balance. Distance: where you are in relation to the target. Position: how you are situated in with your target; standing, one standing, the other on the ground, both on the ground, etc. Momentum: increase yours by injuring him and moving through him. Injuring him more and more with each attack until he can no longer counter attack. Finally, balance, maintain yours, and disrupt his. These criteria for self defense are purely tactical. There’s no mention of style or system. These are common denominator, common sense factors that must be adhered to whenever possible. Along with good fitness, the right system and an "assume the worst and hope for the best" attitude. You will be able to survive and win most any situation.
Train Honestly,

Damian Ross
The Self Defense Training System
The Self Defense Company