Real-World Self-Defense - Are You On The Right Road for Surviving a Violent Attack?

This is something I shot a few days before my father passed away.

I was on my way to visit my dad in the Hospice Center, and got to thinking about how peoples' reactions to his impending death were just like those that I here from victims, and from those who say that they are training to be able to handle a real-world self-defense situation.

After you've watched it, feel free to leave a comment or question and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.

Peace, Happiness & Safety!

Jeffrey M. Miller  SPS, DTI







If you're not already a subscriber of my online newsletter, you can subscribe by going to www.warrior-concepts-online.com and clicking on one of the free ebooks that I'm giving away there. Then, after you subscribe, I'll start sending you some free lessons, articles, and other tips and information for making yourself as safe and secure possible in today's often dangerous world.

3 Keys To Effective, Real-World Self-Defense

By Self-defense expert Jeffrey M. Miller
(C) Warrior Concepts Int'l, Inc.


When you think about self-defense situations, what are the top three considerations for being effective? Is it having strength, stamina, power, or a ton of way-cool, tricky, martial arts techniques?

While all of those things help to one extent or another, none of them really touches on the priorities that will help you to prevail in a life or death, self-defense, struggle.

Don't get me wrong. It certainly helps to be the bigger, faster, stronger, or more skilled combatant. But these things are only helpful if you're in a situation where they will serve you.

Let me explain it a different way.


Strength only matters if you are in a position or can grab your assailant in a way that allows you the use of your strength. And as for power...

... power is derived from size and motion. If an assailant jumps you and pins you to a wall or the floor, you will find it difficult to generate any sort of power as we normally think of it.

Stamina only matters if you're in a fight that's going to last minutes instead of seconds. Typically, karate and boxing tournaments have two minute rounds or bouts. That's an eternity in a life-and-death, self-defense situation where the goal is to get things over and done with in...

...less than 10 SECONDS!

As for knowing a lot of techniques, what can I say? Information is power, right?

But, what if you're new to this whole idea of self-defense? What if you just started taking classes or learning how to get away from a dangerous attacker? Or...

...what if, no matter how many techniques you know...

...your attacker is a better, more skilled, more experienced fighter?

Then what?

A Simple Formula

I've written extensively about what I call, "The 6 Phases of an Effective Self-Defense Strategy." This is designed to lead my students through just that, the phases that a self-defense situation can go through, and how to make sure that we have sufficient training to be able to operate effectively in each phase, or stage, of an attack.

Admittedly though, the 6 phases are the ideal - the best case we can hope for. They all function as they should when you have warning from your assailant and you can see things coming.

Often though, attacks happen with little or no warning at all. So, how do we trim even more off the top and come up with the minimum elements necessary to be able to come out of a situation with as little wear-and-tear as possible?

The key here is to focus on the situation that we're talking about. In the "6 Phases" formula, we can see the attack, or potential for danger, coming. So, we attempt things like...

Escaping to Safety,

Confusing the attacker, and...

Dissuading, or convincing him find another victim

This is just a quick outline for our discussion here. If you aren't familiar with the "6 Phases For Effective Self-Defense," you can learn about them in "The Karate-Myth." It's a great resource for understanding the "science of self-defense" and how to make protecting yourself as easy as possible. And, of course, it's loaded with some really great and easy-to-learn techniques for stopping an attacker and putting him where he belongs... on the GROUND! Click the link to read more about "The Karate-Myth" and the valuable bonus reports that go with it.

Just the Basics

When the attack comes with little-to-no warning. When it comes at us quickly and ferociously and we don't have the time for escape, let alone trying to distract or talk our assailant down, we need just the basic-basics.

So, the 3 Keys - the unbreakable elements of an effective self-defense strategy are...

• 1) Situational Awareness - Pay attention to what's going on around you. Actively look at people, instead of avoiding contact as is the case in most social situations.

• 2) Stay Focused - You could also call this step "Controlling Your Fear." If you notice someone or something that could be a threat - perhaps someone who looks angry or suspicious, keep your eye on them. You don't have to stare-and-glare, but you should be aware of them and what they're doing. I talk about this concept quite a bit in my video, <="" b="">.This also extends to the actual attack. Stay as calm as possible so that you can watch what's happening. For many people, their reaction is to close their eyes and "hope for the best." I didn't say this was easy, just what you MUST do to be successful.
• 
  And finally...
•  
• 3) React Immediately and Decisively - As soon as the attack happens, start your defense. Don't try to figure out who this person is or why they're attacking you. You must immediately do three things if you stand a chance at winning. You must...
• • A) Neutralize the effects of what they're doing. Cover your targets or ride-off the blows that are landing.
  •  
  • B) Keep your head. Stay focused on what you can do and as soon as you have an opportunity...
  •  
  • C) Take whatever targets open up. If he leaves his throat open and your can hit it - hit it! If you can kick his groin, kick his groin. Whatever presents itself, take THAT thing! And keep taking targets until he's down and out or help arrives.

Sounds simple, I know. But that's what training and a good teacher is for - to help you to do the tough things like controlling your fear, focusing under pressure, and teaching you the most effective ways to hit certain targets.

Remember, you can have whatever theories you want in life. You can have your favorite style, teacher, techniques, or whatever. But, when the rubber-meets-the-road, so-to-speak, and you're face-to-face with your worst nightmare...

...you must pay attention, stay focused, and do what works!

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This article is copyright (C)by Jeffrey M. Miller and Warrior Concepts International, Inc. It is free to use in it's original form, with no alterations or additions. If it to be used online, all links must be active and without the use of "no-follow" type coding which would prevent the reader from accessing the resources being referenced. 

For additional information about how Jeffrey Miller or Warrior Concepts can help you create the life you've always dreamed of living and how to protect that life from anything that would harm it, go to the Home page or call WCI at 570-988-2228

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Does Your Self-Defense Training Suffer From This?

Do you know why it's getting more and more difficult to find the "best" martial art or self-defense system?

Do you have any idea why, if your attacker has been paying attention and not living under a rock somewhere, that it's getting harder and harder to have the advantage in a fight or self-defense attack situation?

It's because...

Everyone is doing the same thing!

I don't mean that all the martial arts styles and self-defense systems are doing exactly the same thing, but...

When you look at each style or system, you very quickly see that vitually everyone is focused on applying the same skills, against the same targets, and in practically the same way... REGARDLESS of what they're calling what they do.

On top of that, if you take a good, hard look at the way Ninjutsu, Ninpo-taijutsu, or Budo-Taijutsu (whatever you want to call it) is being practiced today, by and large, most teachers and students are doing the exact same thing. Everyone is saying that their art or system is "best," when in fact they are going about things that the teachers and students in the conventional martial arts are doing.

I call this, taking the Path of "Greater-Sameness."

Everyone wants to do the same thing as everyone else... only better.

The problem with this is that, every fighter, attacker, and potential threat to your well-being... has seen your moves before.

He may not have seen your stance or kamae, but he's seen one like it.

He certainly expects you to "block" or counter what he's doing - regardless of whether you call it a "block" or a ken-nagashi, or whatever.

In fact, if he can see what you're doing - at ALL -even a little bit...

whether he's trained or not...

He's NOT going to let you do your cool moves... BECAUSE he can see them coming.

So...

What's the answer?

Well, I can tell you that, for starters, it does not lie in or on the Path of "Greater-Sameness."

In fact, if you're going to be able to survive, you absolutely must think differently.

About fighting.

About conflict.

About Self-defense.

And about "Surviving violence."

You must think about these things from the perspective that no one else is doing. Not other martial artists. Not other self-defense "experts" and practitioners. And not even others studying the same art that you are!

That goes for the everything from the way you punch, kick, and apply a joint lock, to the way you actually think about and assess a violent situation.

My "Inner-Circle" students know this. My in-house, dojo students know this. And those who attend my intensive seminars and yearly Ninja camps know this.

And now it's time for you to know and understand this fundamental truth, if you're going to get out of the same trap that every other student and teacher of martial arts and self-defense are caught in.

Now, if you think that you don't need to know this... that what you're doing is perfect and unbeatable... or if you think I'm "full of it," then I wish you all the "luck" should you ever find yourself in the "thick of things."

But, if this is something that you think you want to explore, to know and understand, to Master...

Then, I have a special treat for you. Because...

I recently conducted a special, closed-door and private online training session with some of my most serious students to discuss not only the problem of "Greater-Sameness," but also to teach alternatives that are literally so far outside the proverbial "box," that your opponent can't see them to defend against them!

You're in luck because I recorded the entire class and I am making the recording available to serious students who want to learn how to escape the deadly trap of greater sameness-based training and action.

Am I describing you? Do you want one of these copies so you can learn what my close, personal students know about real-world self-defense?

If so, all you need to do to claim your free copy of this powerful tele-class, is to send me an email with the words, "Greater Sameness" in the subject block, and then a quick note to say you're requesting the link to the recording.

That's it!

But, you need to hurry because this isn't something that I'm going to be offering for free for very long.

So... if you want to listen in on this private, closed-door, training session... send that email request right now!

Real Self Defense Training - 5 Insane Self Defense Techniques That Even My Dog Won't Try!

Every day, well meaning individuals just like you and I enroll in self defense and martial arts classes in order to learn real self defense training. The idea is to learn how to not get beaten, broken, or killed by a crazed lunatic who doesn't care that you have a life, dreams, and people who love and depend on you.

And, more often than not, what they end up learning are some of the most insanely stupid techniques that will never work against a serious attacker. After you read this article, you'll know why you must find an expert who has more than a certificate or black belt to teach you how to defend your self. You need someone with real-world experience doing what you want to be able to do!

Here are 5 of the most insanely stupid techniques that I have seen being taught to sincere students every day. Learn them if you want. But, use them at your own risk!

1) Putting your keys between your fingers as weapons! I don't know where this one came from but, all you have to do is try it sometime. First of all, when you're under pressure of attack, you're not going to have the time or coordination to get them where they're supposed to be. And second - you'll find that they just don't work very well in that position.

If you want to use your keys - just hold one like you normally would. It's strong, reliable, and if it's already in your hand - it's VERY destructive!

2) "X-Blocking" a knife stab from overhead! Now here's a technique that has been passed on by martial artists who have absolutely no idea where their art and it's techniques came from. And, while your arms may be very strong in this position, you lack the one thing that ancient warriors had when they did this technique - a helmet to catch and deflect the knife when it comes flying out of his hand! It's a matter of natural physics that says that the shock to his wrist that occurs when his arm slams into yours, will open his hand and inertia will propel the knife right into your head or face!

If someone is coming at you with a knife, get the hell out of the way!

3) Taking up a boxers position with your hands. For this one to work, he has to believe the same thing that you do - that your arms are actually indestructible shields! The smart attacker knows that your arms are flesh and blood just like everything else on you, and will just start pounding on your forearm bones to shut them down. Then, once you've lost the use of your arms, he moves in for the kill!

Your arms are good shields, but they must be positioned so that they are protected as well. If you're going to use your arms for cover, then position them so that the attacker has a much more difficult time trying to damage them!

4) Kicking the head! Yeah, let's do that. In an attempt to kick somebody in the head, we're going to sacrifice our groin, femoral artery, base-leg knee, and balance! Again, here's another case of martial artists being absolutely clueless about where their techniques and skills came from and why they were developed in the first place! The high kicks in Tae kwon do, and other forms of karate, were designed for unarmored fighters to kick someone on horseback! So, unless you've got something between your "mommy-daddy button" and the attacker's weapons - don't use these fancy, "look-at-me-ain't-I-cool" kicks on the street!

If you want to kick the guy in the head, take out his legs first. and then when he's down, kick him anywhere you want!

5) Carrying a gun for self defense with no combat training! This one is only asking for trouble. It's amazing how many people have a tremendously false sense of confidence - cops included - just because they're carrying a firearm. It's stupid. Absolutely insane! And the reason is that THE number one skill that is under-practiced, if it's ever practiced at all, is...

...drawing the weapon under pressure!

If you want to carry a firearm for self defense, make sure that you have the training to draw the weapon, aim without the use of sights, and hit your target every time the weapon fires - and be able to do these things while UNDER PRESSURE - not with your gun in one hand and a beer in the other, while you plink cans and bottles off a tree stump with your buddies!

Self defense is more than just learning cool moves or packing some "heat." It involves a mindset that understands not just what to do if something happens - but also what a real situation is like!

So, the question you have to ask yourself is, do you just want to think and feel like you can protect yourself or do you really want to have the skills that will allow you to protect yourself and others of your choosing when it matters the most?

The truth is that...

Effective self defense requires more than just a few "karate moves." It involves the ability to think strategically, and understand how to defend yourself with as little wear-and-tear on you as possible.

If you really want to know what you MUST know to survive a real street attack, read my newest self defense book: "Fight Smarter - Not Harder!" It's available free at: http://www.warrior-concepts-online.com/street-fighting-self-defense-book.html

Jeffrey M. Miller is an internationally-known self defense expert. Each month he teaches literally thousands of students through live seminars, corporate training events, and his in-demand Self Defense Success Secrets Home Study Courses, the lessons to be able to survive in Today's often dangerous world.

Self Defense - How to Successfully Evade a Strike

By Jeffrey Miller

One of the basic skills when you're learning the science of self-defense, is the ability to defend against incoming strikes. In fact, in the 5 phases that an attack and defense scenario progresses through, this ability to neutralize the effect of the attack he's throwing at you takes place in phase 2. When we think about defending or neutralizing the force of his attack, many options are available. This article focuses on the option of evasion.

If you were to take a close look at several different martial arts or self defense systems, you would find just as many different ideas about what to do when an opponent is attacking with a punch. This is partly the reason that everyone is so focused on "style" and which one is best.

There are generally 4 different options for evading or dealing with a punch. In a defensive situation, you could:

1) Hold your ground and use "ducking" or covering actions which cause the punch to miss its mark while leaving you in a position to crush the assailant's attack.

2) Use long-range, defensive footwork which pulls you back and away from the attack at a safe angle - bladed and covered just outside his reach. This makes it very difficult for him to reach you easily without doing extra work.

3) Move directly forward into the safe space that is created by his strike. This committed action takes the fight to him while he is busy missing with his own punch.

4) Employ light, evasive, shifts of the body to slip his punch, while simultaneously flanking him. In one movement, you simultaneously avoid his attack, disrupt his initial strategy, and trap him in a position where he can't get at you because of your relative position to him.

Again, if you were to compare the different conventional approaches to self defense, as-well-as the more well-known and conventional martial arts, you would find that each favors one of the above strategies over all others. You would find that:

• Self-defense classes tend to be stand-in-one-place-and-apply-the-technique-with-strength strategy.
• Jujitsu and some styles of karate use the defensive back-peddling and counter approach.
• Tae Kwon Do, other forms of karate, and the "Adrenal Response-based" self defense systems use the "get-em now!" Approach. And...
• Aikido leans toward the evasive turns and trapping techniques.

There is a system that uses all of these strategies to give you a complete set of tools. This system is called EDR, or Emotion-based Defensive Response. EDR's basis is in the fact that your body and mind are driven by the emotional responses you have to different situations. And, by recognizing the validity of each of these responses, and training to be able to take advantage of each, you end up with many more options than you would get from the conventional approaches.

Are you serious about learning real world self defense? Download my new ebook, "Fight Smarter - Not Harder." Self Defense Training Jeffrey M. Miller is an internationally-recognized personal protection expert and one of the top 10 self defense instructors on the internet today. Jeff says, "If you really want to be able to defend against and survive a real attack, then I can teach you how to defend yourself against virtually any attacker - guaranteed!"

Sef Defense And The Power Of "Backwards" Thinking!

Allow me to start off by expressing my deepest condolences for the victims and families of the recent attacks in Texas and Florida.

Violence in the workplace has become an ever-present danger in our world today. And, regardless of what we might believe about the likelihood of being attacked ourselves, none of us knows who's might be out there - planning who-knows-what - and where and when they will carry out their intentions!

Walking around in denial is not the solution to insuring your safety. Never forget that each and every one of us - including those people closest to us whom we love - can all become the victim of a violent attack! And, as I said, workplace violence is one of the greatest threats to the average adult in today's world!

Perfect examples of this are the two most recent shooting attacks which took place at Ft. Hood, Texas and in Orlando, Florida. The first one committed by a professional and a psychiatrist - an officer of the United States Army no less! And the other, executed by a former employee who had been let go due to poor performance - 2 years ago!

As I was welcoming students and parents to martial arts class on Friday - the day of the Orlando shooting - there was quite a bit of discussion about the two attacks. We were also discussing my new projects to present and train several organizations - including an international security association in southern New Jersey.

During one conversation, the subject turned to my work as a corporate workplace violence consultant and self defense trainer and how what I teach could have prevented the Orlando attack. Suddenly, one of the parents who hadn't heard about the shooting said, "Well I guess you were too late for them, huh?" To which my immediate reply was...

..."absolutely not..."

"THEY were too late for me!"

It's amazing how we can often approach a problem from a backwards type of thinking, isn't it? What I mean by that is that we can live as though someone or something else will be, or should have been, there to rescue us from our problem. We think, "If only this or that would have happened, we would have been okay."

When, the truth is that: the world demands that we act and prepare from an forward-thinking, proactive manner. That means that we, and we alone, must predict potential future problems - especially when the danger signals are everywhere around us. And, the universe expects that we do what we must in order to make sure that we have the ability, capability, and willingness to handle these things should they arise.

"But," I can hear you saying, "how can I know that 'that thing' was going to effect me?"

And the answer is...

You can't!

But, based on the fact that this type of event or situation happens to people just like you every day - you CAN do everything in your power to insure that it doesn't happen to YOU!

This is not a foreign or strange sort of logic. It's the same reasoning that you and I apply to different parts of our lives every day.

As an example:

We don't want to have to walk to work, be limited in our travels, or spend more money on public transportation, etc. So - we buy a car.

We don't want to be poor, live in a box on the street, or depend on welfare. So - we get a well-paying job or grow our own successful business - things that will give us the money we want to be able to live the kind of life we want live.

We don't want to lose our car, house, or end up with astronomical medical expenses should we become ill or fall victim in an accident. So - we get the insurance coverage we need to take care of these things if something should happen.

So, no - there is no difference between what we do to protect ourselves from the "possibility" of these things happening, and learning the skills necessary to protect ourselves should we find ourselves in danger of an attack - including an act of workplace violence!

You don't "expect" for your car to be stolen or to end up in an automobile accident. But, you know that it might happen.

You don't foresee the the likelihood of your house burning to the ground or for a burglar to break in and steal your valuable possessions. But, you know it's a possibility.

I could go on and on but you see what I mean.

You don't need more of the backwards logic that only creates more victims. You need to take positive, proactive action.

And, you don't need to wait until you take care of this or that problem, project, or whatever "thing" you keep using as the reason that "this isn't the best time."

There will never be a "best time." But I'll tell you what there will be.

And that is...

A WORST TIME!

...the moment when you're being overwhelmed by an attacker bent on beating, breaking, or murdering you!

THAT will be the "worst-time" to think about the self defense and workplace violence survival training that...

...you DON'T have!

Oh, and before I forget, what kind of consultant and trainer would I be if I didn't offer you a solution to this critical problem? This one's on me, compliments of WCI Consulting!

If you're a manager or business owner concerned with the problem of workplace violence, I recommend that you get your copy of my hard-hitting report, "Attack-Proof Your facility!" It's available free to subscribers of my corporate workplace violence training newsletter.

Here's the link: www.wcinternational.com/SubscribeNewsletter.html

If you're concerned about having the right knowledge, attitudes, and skills to defend yourself and others, then I recommend that you check out all of the free articles and reports available at www.Warrior-Concepts-Online.com

You can also get your free copy of my safety DVD, "Danger Prevention Tactics," here. It contains strictly non-physical strategies and tactics for avoiding, escaping from, and surviving potential violence - including violence in the workplace! Just pay a small fee to help me get it to your door. Get your copy of Danger Prevention Tactics at: www.warrior-concepts-online.com


Until next time,



Jeffrey M. Miller, SPS
Warrior Concepts Int', Inc.
WCI Consulting
362 Market Street
Sunbury, Pa. 17801
USA

Ph# (570) 988-2228
email: warriorc@warrior-concepts-online.com

Workplace Violence Article Archive

Defending Yourself 101 - Stay Out of Jail by Not Confusing Defending Yourself With Fighting!

There are a lot of programs out there, both online and off, promising to make you a master of defending yourself.

Unfortunately, many of them have less to do with defending yourself, and more to do with street fighting. And, while both can look the same, there is a huge difference between a fight and actually defending yourself in a real-world street encounter with a violent assailant.

And, do you want to know a secret? Well, it's not really a secret at all.

It's this...

Self-defense is a legally definable term.

That's right. To be able to claim that you were defending yourself, you must meet certain, very specific guidelines. And, as an ex-cop myself, I can tell you that the police and district attorney know what is and what is not self-defense.

For the record, here are a few so-called self-defense programs that will cause you to be defending yourself against the criminal justice system:

1. A program that teaches you to "go ballistic" and just jump on an attacker and beat him into the pavement. To prove that you were defending yourself, you must show that you did the minimum necessary to stop the attack and get to safety.

2. MMA or competition-based sport martial arts systems. Rules or no rules, if you are involved in a competitive sport that somehow justifies, or gives you, a morbid sense of pleasure from hurting other people, then you are not studying or developing the skills for defending yourself. It's funny. When I was a cop, just about every fight that I broke up involved both combatants telling me that he was "just defending himself."

For the record, it's impossible for both combatants in a real self defense situation to be the "defender!"

3. Any program which neglects the important pre-fight phases of a self-defense situation. Defending yourself begins long before the physical punches, kicks, grabs, or weapon attacks are coming at you. Any program that avoids tactical evasion, escaping from the situation, and other verbal and non-physical lessons for defending yourself and jumps straight to fighting is cheating you in two ways.

First, the program is cheating you out of a ton of things that you can do to avoid having the situation go physical in the first place. And, it's setting you up for possible legal consequences if you do have to end up defending yourself against a real attacker.

If you want to learn the secrets, strategies, and tactics for effectively defending yourself, then you must find a teacher or program that understands the difference. If you're looking to learn how to fight, then call it that and don't disguise it as something else.

If you do, you just might find that, after the law is finished with you, you'll be defending yourself against "Big Bubba" and the other members of the "Jailhouse Gang - if you know what I mean!"

Do you want to know how I do it? You can learn more about defending yourself with this strategy and others in this powerful course called, "Foundations of Self-Defense Mastery."

Defend Yourself

And don't forget to get your free self defense dvd: "Danger Prevention Tactics: Protecting Yourself Like A Pro". Click here to get your free course and self defense DVD and learn how to really protect yourself! http://www.warrior-concepts-online.com