Many today want to reinvent the wheel. This is especially true in martial art and self-defense circles. People want to create their own styles, systems, and martial arts. And while there have definitely been advancements and improvements when it comes to training, nutrition, and equipment, there is still much to be gained by studying the…
Regarding self-defense against weapons, Echanis was correct when he wrote that “the defense against an armed assailant by an unarmed defender creates a distinct and critical disadvantage integral to the survival of the unarmed soldier.” Weapons are integral factors in lethal capability, and an armed person, regardless of size and physical power becomes a more…
The chin jab is one type of palm heel strike that goes back to the simple and effective techniques taught by Applegate and Fairbairn. It doesn’t take a lot of skill or accuracy to perform, and it is simple to learn, making it an ideal technique to teach for combat or self-defense. It’s a staple…
“In the course of a street fight, there are going to be occasions where blows will be exchanged. It is therefore logical to develop well-timed, fast, powerful, and explosive punches and blows.” – Phil Giles I agree with the quote above that Giles wrote in Street Tough: Hard-Core, Anything Goes Street Fighting Fundamentals. Learning to…
Self-Defense against a knife attack while unarmed is always a worst-case scenario, and one you really should do everything in your power to avoid. I talk and write so much about awareness and avoidance because it really is extremely important and your best bet at keeping yourself safe and unharmed. What makes self-defense against a…
I’ve been asking groups of people, “What is self-defense?’ for 25 years now. I’ve heard many replies over the years, and many have included knowing how to punch, kick, and a whole slew of other ways to injure and maim an attacker. I’ve always agreed that learning physical principles, strategies, and tactics to physically stop…
Self-defense instructor and author Peyton Quinn has led the field in reality based self-defense training for many years. His books A Bouncer’s Guide To Barroom Brawling: Dealing with the Sucker Puncher, Streetfighting, and Ambusher and Real Fighting: Adrenaline Stress Conditioning Through Scenario-Based Training do an excellent job of conveying the realities of street fights, violence…
“Fighting is 90 percent mental and 10 percent technique. It’s all about having a complete, or holistic, fight mentality. This is where a dissonance starts to emerge between martial arts and combatives.” – Kelly McCann Martial art training, reality based self-defense training, and any other program of physical personal protection won’t help you one bit…
Fights are not self-defense. Let me repeat that, fights are not self-defense. I say this because I often hear people saying, “it was self-defense,” when it was nothing of the sort. When I was working in the City Attorney’s Office, I prosecuted a guy for assault who plead self-defense, when it wasn’t. He lost and…
Five Gun Disarm Tips Gun disarm techniques are often a heated topic among martial artists and self-defense practitioners. Opinions vary based on styles, experiences, and training backgrounds. But one thing everyone can agree on is the seriousness of the subject. And because of the seriousness of gun disarms, it should be obvious that I can’t…