Is it a System or a Collection of Techniques?

In the video above we take you through four different scenarios with The Self Defense Training System: an imminent threat in your face, a two handed grab, a knife to the throat and a gun to your head. We illustrate how the SDTS solves these four different scenarios with one set of skills where other methods require you to learn four completely different sets of techniques.

An effective system not only looks at solving the problem at hand, but it also takes into consideration the effort and circumstances it takes a person to perform the solution. Most curriculum being taught as self defense techniques only look at the situation and have no regard for the person performing the technique. Your only consideration is that you are expected to memorize dozens if not hundreds of reactions in stressful and demanding situations. Unfortunately with little continuity between the reactions there is no way you will be able to do this in real world conditions.

In fact most self defense reactions taught are rooted in finite motor skill sets that are not available in hormone induced scenarios where the fight are flight mechanism is activated. Even though you can try to replicate some of these effects with exhaustion, you can not duplicate genuine fear. Thinking you can simply train to over come this fear in practice is ridiculous because your DNA will prove you wrong 10 out of 10 times. The only way to overcome this fear is to inoculate yourself through real life experiences or train to operate in the parameters of "fight or flight." In fact when you focus on using gross motor skills you will take advantage of the fight or flight reaction.

A system needs a building block of continuity. The concept and bio mechanics taught on day one must hold true throughout your training. Most systems, in fact all other systems we have encountered aren't really systems at all, but a sampling of random techniques used to provide solutions for specific, individual situations. A workable system must be adaptable based on a core set of principles not a random selection of "best" answers.

What has happened with self defense is this: martial arts expert gets a situation. Martial artist looks at the situation and gives his best answer. With the next situation presented, the process repeats itself with little or no regard to the last answer. The result from our expert is a series of responses based on the individual scenario.

The problem with this is that it only focuses on the situation without regard for the people expected to practice and execute these techniques. You are just expected to learn them and perform then under stress. Any failure is a failure on your part, not the part of the system. Well the "system" is wrong. That would be like a soccer coach teaching you to prepare for every possible attack from every angle and every location on the field and then putting you in a game expecting you to be ready for every possible angle of attack. You can imagine the infinite number of scenarios you would have to train for to be ludicrous, yet you are expected to do that with your self defense training.

Like a good soccer coach you need to learn basic skills, foot work, ball handling and then move on to strategy and learn how to apply those in the game. Self defense is the same. You get your core set of skills, understand the tactics and then move through how to apply them. This is how a system works. The skills are the tools that enable you to adapt.

Consider this as well, learning motor skills require repetitions. That number you have to practice to become proficient can be anywhere from the hundreds to the thousands. The actual number required depends on two things, the individual and the complexity of the skill. One things for certain, the larger the number of techniques and the more complex the techniques the longer it takes to learn them and the shorter you will retain them. It takes longer to learn how to play the piano than kick a ball. Further more your piano playing will deteriorate faster than your ability to kick a ball. Simple techniques = faster to learn, more powerful, longer retention. Complex techniques = longer to learn, less power, shorter retention.

A proper system of self defense must be simple, repeatable and adaptable. To really evaluate if a system is really effective goes beyond an individual response to a particular situation. You must be able to look at a wide variety if techniques and look for continuity across the board. In broad terms, the first thing you learn should have something in common with the last thing you learn. Your training should directly reflect your purpose.


Train Honestly,


Damian Ross, CEO The Self Defense Company


Damian Ross is CEO of the Self Defense Company and developer of The Self Defense Training System, the most lethal and effective self defense system in the world, The Guardian Defensive Tactics Police Combatives Program, 60 minute Self Defense and the Family Safe Program. Mr. Ross also founded the Self Defense Instructor Program that helps people develop their self defense careers from the ground up. Mr. Ross is originally from Ridgewood, NJ where he was a High School Hall of Fame Athlete in football and wrestling as well as a varsity wrestling coach. He then went on to Lehigh University where he was a varsity wrestler and football player. Mr. Ross has 3 black belts, 4th Degree in Tekkenryu Jujutsu, 2nd Degree in Judo, 2nd Degree in Tae Kwon Do. In addition to his martial arts experience, Mr; Ross spent 8 years in the professional security and personal protection business. He is internationally recognized as one of the foremost authorities in reality based self defense.