A Holistic View of Self Defence

Jon Purton
Mar 12, 2018
3 min read

Martial Arts, Self Defence, Personal Safety. Terms in this day and age seem to be interchangeable. The differences and subtleties of how they are interpreted by the community of instructors is a very interesting topic.

Traditional Martial Arts? Boxersize? Traditional Martial Arts for the Street? Street Tae Quon Do? How about just straight up MMA? How does any of that differ from Street Defence? Krav Maga? Keysi? How does that differ from a personal safety course? How about an online lecture based self defence course?

Instructors can't even agree on the answers to these questions, I don't see how the community with such a mixed message can expect students to understand what they are learning and how it relates to a modern violent encounter. It's great that we ask questions of each others styles and we hope that leads to improvement throughout the industry. However as with anything that someone has devoted a lifetime to mastering, there is understandable bias.

My question is what do we need to look at to give the most holistic self defence system possible?

The Dictionary defines self defence as:

"The defence of one's person or interests, especially through the use of physical force, which is permitted in certain cases as an answer to a charge of violent crime"

Below I have included a list of certain criteria for your consideration, my definition of what a style should cover to be holistic in it's nature, give the student the best possible understanding of modern violence and give the skills to make the most appropriate action when faced with it. This understanding should lead to an intelligent choice that allows the practitioner to return home safely to their family and not be in trouble with the law if they have had to use physical force.

Physical Fitness = Strength - Conditioning - Mobility - Nutrition - Personal Effects of Substance Abuse.

Situational Awareness = Bad Guy Awareness - Don't present yourself as a victim (Body Language & Focus Locks) - Escape Routes - Multiple Bad Guy Awareness.

Emotional Fitness = Fear Management - Give yourself Permission - Indignation (How Dare You!) - Never Give up - Personal Effects of Substance Abuse.

Intimidation Management = Understanding the Bad Guy (BG Interview) - Ego management & De-fusing Skills - Non Violent postures - Bad Guy Effects of Substance Abuse

Choose Non Physical = Running - give the bad guy what he wants (Not always appropriate) - Shout for Help - Cause a scene - Create Witnesses

Intimidation Physical = Pre contact Cues - Reactions - High Alert to Explosive Action - Barriers - Physical Skills (Standing striking, trapping, throws, takedowns.) - No Rules - Techniques that for different body types - Action from loss positions.

Intimidation Multi Opponent = As above - heightened danger = heightened response, Human Shields, Never Give Up - You will likely receive (Stress Testing).

Ambush Single Opponent = (Bad Guy taking action before you're aware) - Immediate Action Required - Protect Vital Areas - Positive action from all levels - Grab Escapes - Rise above pain.

Ambush Multi Opponent =As above - Immediate effective movement on all levels - Extreme survival response required.

Protection of Others = Defusing Skills - Prepared to be the aggressor - Restraining Techniques.

Intimidation Weapons = Defusing skills - Understanding different weapons, use & disarms i.e. Improvised, Long & Short, Blunt & Sharp - *Gun (Long & Short Barrel) - Equalisers (Chairs, Environmental Shields) - heightened danger = heightened response.

Multi Opponent Intimidation Weapons = As above - heightened danger = heightened response.

Ambush Weapons = As above - Understanding & Situational Awareness - Immediate Action Required.

Multi Opponent Weapons Ambush = Understanding & Situational Awareness - Worst possible scenario. - Includes Terror Tactics.

Legal = Physical confrontation always a choice made for you (practitioner) - Understanding Threat Level - Appropriate Response - No attacks post threat.

If you have any questions regarding this post please let me know, especially if there is something that you think should be added.

Jon