? to board members :Awareness / self protection

[John Skillen]

Have you had any success through awareness training or self defence techniques that you have learned through seminars or classes?.
take care
John

[Chris]

Hi John,

Hard to say specifically what prompts certain changes in my behaviour now. I think it's generally just a collection of good information from seminars, classes and materials.

How strong that influence has been I'm not sure, I don't know how much of what I do now I would do naturally. I have specifically remembered lessons learned and they have helped me.. I've also IGNORED lessons learned and paid the price.

[NickR]

I was attacked when I was 18 by 2 lads that were older than myself, but shorter and not much more built than myself.
I had been doing Karate once a week for the previous 9 months.

I was walking down the street, both of them heading towards me, one stopped walking a few yards infront of me the other passed behind me, this odd fact alerted me to check over my shoulder to see where the other guy was...

BANG ! big punch to the cheek/eye area (would of been side of head if I had'nt turned), I stumbled dazed, quickly recovered and turned so that I was facing between them.

Bang ! 2nd punch came in from the same guy, I managed to step into his punch, reducing the impact by putting my arm up and getting a straight punch to the guys face, did'nt do much damage, but it was enough for him to not return the favour, I turned as I realised the other (original attacker) guy was closing in on me and intercepted a rather slow punch, grabbed the arm and piled a couple of kicks into him, they were badly targetting but was lucky enough to push him at the same time and he ended on the floor.

By now about 20-30 seconds had passed and passers by were watching, the other lad came in with a punch, he was obviously tiring and I easily got out of the way and stepped past him so both were on the same side of me.

I ran off...

Luckily I avoided a black eye, getting a bruise on the cheek bone and a few other scuffs and marks.

I think Karate gave me the confidence/courage to fight back. At the time, I realised I was too slow and that I was not very strong, as I was disappointed how weak I was, but atleast the training did give me stamina to keep going and also the movement, turning, stepping in and out was valuable, even if I did'nt use correct posture or stance.

But I know there was no specific stance or technique that helped me.

I actually quit Karate after that thinking was such a waste of 9 months training, when I did'nt use a single technique I learnt and realised punching thin air had not help me develop kicks or punches that were effective.

I then moved on to Tae Kwon Do, as there was an emphasis on training with pads (and sparring) in club/style, which I hoped (at the time) would atleast help me develop effective techniques.

[andy.fearn]

just the general state of being switched on as possibly saved me some trouble. along with the art of talking my way out of potential trouble has helped also

[Ghost Of Avalon]

Twice I've used the Fence effectively to ward off drunkards from me and my girlfriend. On the first occasion I gave the man a shove as I told him to f*ck off immediately. He was so agressive that I decided to pre empt if he took another step towards either of us. He just glared at me for a few moments and then staggered off. The other was more of a happy drunkard who still seemed to be looking for some excitement. I just kept him an arm's distance away and then three guards came over and dragged his ass away. Him I noticed long before he reached us (we couldn't leave because it was winter and we were waiting for our last train home with no money for a taxi). The first drunkard caught me by surprise since I was drunk and engaged in an argument with my girl. I was lucky enough to live to learn about that stupid mistake.

Nowadays the few weirdos who've come to ask for money or something similiar I've spotted way before they even open their mouths. Reading some of Geoff Thompson's books and watching some of his videos got me into the whole awareness/avoidance thing and also the Fence concept.

[John Skillen]

Yes Geoffs teachings helped a lot of people see the light.
stay safe mate
John

[Sea Bass]

I had a situation that happened to me that I think could have turned out bad for me if it wasn't for some of the training that I have done. I work as a mail man in a bad area and a guy came up to me asking for his mail. He gave me a address that doesn't exist. Warning bells were going off in my head. He was fidgity looking me up and down and looked like he was in a withdraw from drugs. (There are lots of drug dealers in the area). I kept some distance between us and told him that there wasn't an address in which he told me. He than started to reach behind his back. At which time I Yeld stop don't move. He froze looked around and than turned around and ran away. I don't know if he was reaching for a knife or gun but it felt like he intended to mug me. If he wasn't you would think he would have been like dude relax I just wanted to show you my address or something. I just heard that a mail man was muged 2 blocks from the same place where this happend to me.

[John Skillen]

you were lucky mate good call
take good care
John

[westernway]

Hello,
actually, watching Geoff Thompson's "the Fence" and "the 3 seconds fighter" plus reading his articles on the need of being pre-emptive saved me in a couple of occasions (in one I pre-empted the assailant, in the other one I was able to defuse the situation off the fence).
On the other hand, training and sparring in traditional Asian martial arts hadn't really helped me.
I must say that "British realism" has been more helpful than "Asian classicism" for me!
Cheers

[Sponsored content]