Do you give self defense advice to?

[bodhitree]

Your elderly/vulnerable relatives? I have a great aunt who is 86 years old and still walks to the grocery store alone. This is great for her health and the fact that she has that kind of independence is also great. The problem is the grocery store is not in the greatest of neighborhoods and we all know that criminals/drug addicts/ predators prey on the weak. My aunt does not carry a purse (smart move).

My question is:

Do you try to give self defense advice to your friends/loved ones? What kind of advice do you give? I have given my wife some articles to read about awareness and what not, she hardly seems interested.


Any thoughts welcomed.

[sanjuro_ronin]

Your elderly/vulnerable relatives? I have a great aunt who is 86 years old and still walks to the grocery store alone. This is great for her health and the fact that she has that kind of independence is also great. The problem is the grocery store is not in the greatest of neighborhoods and we all know that criminals/drug addicts/ predators prey on the weak. My aunt does not carry a purse (smart move).

My question is:

Do you try to give self defense advice to your friends/loved ones? What kind of advice do you give? I have given my wife some articles to read about awareness and what not, she hardly seems interested.


Any thoughts welcomed.

Hmmmm, I usually start off with, " if its hard enough for someone who is a trained fighter to defend themselvs on the street, what exactly do you think you can do?"

The first step is realization, once they understand, I usually advocate the ol "hit n run" and IF they wanna learn, I set about developing power, without power you can do no damage, no damage means no chance of escape.
Weapons - especially improvised ones become very important.
Mace, the good stuff, works.
Problem with most "tools" is getting to them, that is half the training there.

[xcakid]

I ussually go and teach them how to do the following:

1) handgun safety and how to shoot.
2) buy them a stun gun and/or a folding knife show them basics.
3) show them "soft" areas in the body to attack

I have done this with every girl I have ever dated. I have an ex-GF that went on to shoot competitively. Couple of ex's that went to to MA, not sure how far they got though. My family all know how to shoot and carry various weapons with them at all times. My brother has 5yrs or so of Arnis training and he and my sis in law are currently taking some tai chi classe. Not practical apps though, just health apps. My mom is getting on in age and live in an assisted living apartment. So she pretty much just relies on 911 and property security these days.

[Beginner]

How about hidden needles & spicy oil? They are quite handy...

[Chief Fox]

I don't give advice to to people who have lived for 86 years.

[bodhitree]

I don't give advice to to people who have lived for 86 years.


can't argue with that.

[Lee Chiang Po]

Most old and weak individuals are simply not capable of defending themselves by force. And there are many more ways of defend one's self than by force. A loud whistle, knowing how to be observant of one's surroundings and move away from potential problems. Even knowing the best times of day to be out and what areas to avoid. These will keep you as safe as carrying a gun in most cases. Physical confrontation should be a very last resort because the chance of personal injury is just as great as that of inflicting it on someone else. Even a strong and healthy person might not be able to defend themselves in some situations. Weapons are none selective and in the hands of someone that is not really capable of using them might prove more dangerous to the individual than to the attacker. So the only real way to make one's self safe would be to not put one's self into a dangerous situation. I think the real problem is that most people that have never been accausted just do not think it will ever happen to them. And when it does it tends to change their entire world.

[SevenStar]

yeah, exactly. Even when giving advice to younger people, I don't tell them where to attck - unless they are practicing it on a regular basis, it likely won't do them any good anyway. In the self defense seminars I've given, the majority of time was spent educating - awareness - having your keys ready instead of fumbling around for them when you get to the door. walking a few feet away from the curb so you can see around it before you get to it, looking under the car as you approach it, etc. This is knowledge that is vital, as no training is required to use it.

[bodhitree]

yeah, exactly. Even when giving advice to younger people, I don't tell them where to attck - unless they are practicing it on a regular basis, it likely won't do them any good anyway. In the self defense seminars I've given, the majority of time was spent educating - awareness - having your keys ready instead of fumbling around for them when you get to the door. walking a few feet away from the curb so you can see around it before you get to it, looking under the car as you approach it, etc. This is knowledge that is vital, as no training is required to use it.


That is the kind of advice I was talking about. I am aware that the elderly are not going to be elbow striking the throat of an attacker.

Good stuff guys.

[The Xia]

1) handgun safety and how to shoot.
2) buy them a stun gun and/or a folding knife show them basics.
Of course, the legality of carrying handguns, stun guns, and folding knives varies from place to place.

[Black Jack II]

Yes,

Awareness and pre-conflict as we have talked about here being key but I also give basic advice on striking zones with non-by rote tools being placed in the mix.

Easy gross motor stuff that they may have a shot at remebering.

[boshea]

My question is:

Do you try to give self defense advice to your friends/loved ones? What kind of advice do you give? I have given my wife some articles to read about awareness and what not, she hardly seems interested.


Any thoughts welcomed.

(Off topic but somewhat relevant)

I don't think this man (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070627/ap_on_fe_st/odd_pickpocket_pummeled) needs advice from anybody.

[xcakid]

Of course, the legality of carrying handguns, stun guns, and folding knives varies from place to place.

True.

That's why I don't live in CA, NJ, NY, MA, MD, and HI :p

[spaced]

Hmmmm, I usually start off with, " if its hard enough for someone who is a trained fighter to defend themselvs on the street, what exactly do you think you can do?"

The first step is realization, once they understand, I usually advocate the ol "hit n run" and IF they wanna learn, I set about developing power, without power you can do no damage, no damage means no chance of escape.
Weapons - especially improvised ones become very important.
Mace, the good stuff, works.
Problem with most "tools" is getting to them, that is half the training there.

I have to disagree with a portion of your statement there sanjuro. Although power is essential, you do not necessarily need power to cause damage or do something that will aid your escape. Force instead of power can be used to uproot your opponent or trip them over, thus making your escape.

[SanSoo Student]

I have given simple advice to a couple of girlfriends that cared to ask. Usually unarmed rape/assualt defense (because if the person is armed, running is the best thing to do). Like hands up and clawing the eyes, kicking the in-step/knee, kneeing the groin...fast stuff that will allow you to run away.

With the whole discussion on power generation or off-balancing/uprooting, I feel that striking areas of pain that cause the attacker to pause is the best. Like the kick to the inner heel/in-step from a high heel show hurts like hell and that opens it up for other self defense moves. I do stress that the most important thing to prevent is being lifted off the ground like in a bear hug or something like that.

[SevenStar]

sure, but what are the odds of them retaining that info in a high stress situation if they aren't activiely training it?