Blog Archives

Violent Attack, Breaking Down the Pre-contact cues

5/29/2012

This video recently generated some buzz on the PDR Facebook forum as a means to generate ideas from individuals in the self-defense world. The scenario is that the girl with the gray sweatshirt (we will refer to her as "Gray") supposedly bashed the other girl ("Red Hat") on Twitter.

Tony Blauer asked students/coaches to take a stab at the following questions:

1. What's the moral?
2. What are we learning as humans/coaches?
3. How are we (you) as coaches turning this into education/lessons?
4. What's the problem with 'just' cataloging' pre-contact cues?
5. If she hadnt attacked her and they just spoke would you have seen the pre-contact cues?
6. What was the most important pre-contact cue?

Let's not over-think this one. Here are my personal answers.

1). Don't trash-talk about people on social media

2). If you DO bash people on social media and they show up to your doorstep, they are probably not there to sell magazines. If they show up to your house ANGRY, accusing, AND having an additional person filming the event, beware!!

3) Pre-contact cues:

a) The first pre-contact cue to this attack was when Gray pressed <enter> on submitting the insulting/harmful comments on social media.

b) The next pre-contact cue was Red Hat showing up at her doorstep.

c) Red Hat showing up to Gray's house with a friend FILMING the action. Who does that!?!

d) Yes, physically, you can see Red look around for witnesses then position herself closer for the attack as well.

4) It is important to understand the scenario, in this case the root of the problem and how far Red Hat was willing to take things. This entire event was avoidable.

6) I couldn't hear the audio to know what was said, but given what we supposedly know about this scenario, the arrival the aggravated party on Grey's doorstep was the most important pre-contact cue.Your feedback is welcome! What are your thoughts on the questions above?

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Watch Your Marketing!

5/21/2012

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Recently, combative expert Tim Larkin, who was Black Belt Magazine's 2011 Self-Defense Instructor of the year was at the airport in Las Vegas, ready to board a plan to the UK, and was denied entry into the country. The reasoning was that he was deemed a security risk because he was planning to teach his program. Mr Larkin gets lots of flak in general for people misinterpreting and misunderstanding his program. In essence, he teaches human destruction, but what everybody seems to neglect is that he prefaces that it is only proper to use his information in the face of criminal, asocial violence. Regardless of these facts, Mr. Larkin is no longer making people safer in the UK, which is unfortunate for those who really need training. To reiterate what fellow PDR coach Jake Steinmann said, the take home here for self-defense instructors is to carefully put out your message as to what it is you are teaching and why your students need it.

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Corporate Health and Wellness Fair and Self Defense seminar a hit!

5/17/2012

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We just finished up with a health and wellness fair for a large organization located in downtown Arlington Virginia. There were about twenty vendors with booths set up with everything from health foods to financial planning. Many of the employees were excited to see this as a course offering for their health and wellness week and were eager to talk to us about what we were going to teach. The self-defense seminar we put on for them was a hit. It was a receptive group of attendees and I think pretty much everyone came away with with a new perspective on mindset and self defense. We look forward to putting on more personal defense seminars for them in the future!

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Not Good Enough

5/9/2012

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I recall a conversation with a security officer I had a while back. We were talking about self-defense training and he told me, "I don't need self-defense, I have this." He proceeded to place his backpack on the security counter we were standing at, unzipped a side compartment, dug around a bit and pulled out a small leather case; he gently unbuttoned and eased out a shiny miniature stun-gun the size of a Zippo (unlike the Zach Morris 1980's cellphone stun-gun pictured here) and proceeded to click it and zap the air. I nodded politely and said, "seven seconds." It took this man seven seconds to access his personal defense weapon. Seven seconds is a lifetime during a moment in time where violence is escalating or your are suddenly attacked. Thinking that having a self-defense tool equals having a self-defense skill-set can be a dangerous mistake. You don't have seven seconds in the street to dig through your bag or purse to prepare your weapon.

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May Newsletter Self Defense Tips and New Workshops

5/3/2012

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NOVA Self Defense Newsletter

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NOVA Self Defense provides education and training for confrontations and violent attacks.

Self Defense Tips

Carrying a Weapon for Self-Defense:

Guns, knives, tasers, and bear traps. Whatever your style, some people seem to just be obsessed with weapons.

A dangerous thought belief is that carrying a weapon automatically makes you "safer." Some people tend to relax or ignore utilizing their awareness and avoidance skills just because they have a gun or a knife on them. Taking the abandoned alleyway or being rude and challenging someone for a parking spot is suddenly ok.

Another flawed thought process is:
... If I am threatened, I can take out my gun or knife and the person will back down or run away...
That may happen, but what if they don't run away?
Is the person a lethal threat? If yes- are you prepared and properly trained on how to effectively use your weapon? Will you be able to articulate why you made that decision to the police or in court?

If you pull a lethal weapon in a not-yet-lethal situation that could be considered "brandishing a weapon." The bad guy could then attack you and claim self-defense!

The take-away: Carrying a weapon as an additional self-defense option is a reasonable decision only if you responsibly train how to effectively access your weapon under stress and understand the possible repercussions of your actions.

Upcoming Training Opportunities

PDR Intro Self-Defense Seminar

When:       Sunday June 17th 11:30am-3:30pm
Where:     Ballston Crossfit
                   1110 N. Glebe Rd. Arlington, VA
Cost:         $80 prepay Register Here


This course is an excellent introduction to the fundamentals of Personal Defense Readiness. In this seminar begins with a thought-provoking lecture on awareness, self-defense concepts, mindset, an fear management. In the physical portion of the session you will learn and apply some basic close-quarter strikes. Most importantly, you will learn essential skills on how to weather ambush attacks and get back into the fight. This course concludes with the attendees having the opportunity to try out what they learned in replicated scenarios against instructors simulating realistic, violent attacks wearing impact reduction suits.

Coming Soon 2-hour workshops:

Knife and Gun Defense

Learn options for dealing with an attacker using a gun or knife when you are unarmed. How do these attacks happen? How can you defend yourself?   Cost: $40/person

Women's Self Defense - Level 2

-Defeating the ambush
-Review and practice of striking skillsScenario training
-Practice what you have learned against instructors wearing impact reduction suits
Cost: $40 per person

We want to hear from you!

If you are interested in attending either of these, send an email to [email protected], in the subject line write "Womens Self-Defense," or "Gun/Knife." Once interest is established we will schedule these courses.

Advanced Training

Interested in taking your traning to the next level?

Experienced students who want more intense traning are urged to contact us. We will set you up with like-minded athletes for advanced, small-group sessions.

(Discounted rate from our regular private sessions)
[email protected]

Goals for NOVA S.D.

We are looking for a facility in the Arlington/Alexandria/Falls Church area to offer regular training during an evenings on a weeknight.

We also would like our Saturday AM classes to be offered at 10 or 11 am.

If you know of any locations we could use or rent, please contact us!

Follow us on Facebook

www.novaselfdefense.com

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Violent Attack, Breaking Down the Pre-contact cues

Watch Your Marketing!

Corporate Health and Wellness Fair and Self Defense seminar a hit!

Not Good Enough

May Newsletter Self Defense Tips and New Workshops

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