I wanted to illustrate a few examples of how pepper spray or other irritants can have varying effects.  In the first video the spray was not debilitating. Yes, it was a cheap shot to unload a canister of spray in the guys face then sucker punch and challenge him to fight, but that's not the point.  Although he hesitated a bit before engaging into the fight, he was still able to engage and fight and the spray alone did not render him unable or unwilling to fight.  It is unclear if the sucker punch or the spray slowed him a bit, but he was still able to fight, throw chairs, and engage with the instigator.

(please note, videos were removed from youtube; I will repost when I get a new channel up and running!)

In the second video, the kid who gets sprayed freaks out and falls to the ground screaming- I cut the portions leading up to this, he was definitely the crying, screaming type.  The spray 100% did it's job by taking the fight and resistance out of the kid, giving the officer a safe means of getting control of him.

Quick tip about evaluating your tools:
Consider context when you look at videos like this to see the varying effects of something ubiquitous, like pepper spray:

Consider what you know, don't know, and is unknowable:

• What brand or strength was the spray?
• Was it a direct hit? Was the recipient reactive to the spray?
• Was the canister expired, sitting in somebody's car for 10 years before being used?
• Was this an experiment with bros attempting to one-up the cast of Jackass 3?
• Was anybody in the video being violent or aggressive towards someone else?

You can find many examples of this happening with video searches of pepper spray, but I only consider the effects credible where they were used in a violent or escalating encounter, particularly when the subject sprayed was being overly aggressive or violent. In my opinion, people doing training exercises being sprayed also does not count, since in that moment their life did not depend on fighting through the irritant, and they consented to it and in some cases may have been more mentally prepared for what they were about to have happen.

If pepper spray is something that you carry, please do some research on the varying effects, which from what I have seen run from: no effect, slight hesitation, causing rage, to complete debilitation- and if you do end up having to use it, get the hell out of there immediately, rather than waiting to see the extent of the effect or lack thereof.

Train smart & stay safe,

Evan D.
Owner/Lead Coach
NOVA Self Defense

A couple weeks ago I attended a 2-day training session at the Kembativz Civilian Training Center in Fredericksburg, VA, lead by Kelly McCann.  Kelly has been a leading figure in the self-defense industry for a long time, but this was my first opportunity to train with him and his team.

The facility itself was awesome; huge matted space in an open area.  From what I understand they used to run a Muay Thai and CrossFit program out of their location; they also have a bar attached to the training area!

Regarding the seminar, I can’t speak to whether the content covered was the norm for a McCann seminar since this was my first one; however, this being last seminar to be held at this facility before closing up shop and making his business mobile, it was apparent that many of the participants in the room had trained with him before, and many traveled a long ways to make it to this one.

What I was most impressed with was with how Kelly, Michelle, Bart, and the rest of his team conducted themselves as professionals.  The entire session he & his crew were providing feedback, getting hands-on, and improving how we were learning as we practiced the combative sequences and movements that they taught. If you didn't quite get something, they saw it, provided constructive hands-on feedback, & helped you get there.

One really cool thing we did was experience some combatives in a vehicle.  It was really interesting to see how things varied from sedan to SUV,even the differences in each model as to how your options and movement changed, and how the size and agility of the participants factored into each drill.

So, what about the rest of the seminar, what was covered?  No spoiler alerts here.  If you want to know, go train with him yourself!  All I can say is that it was well worth it for me get to the seminar, and many people who traveled the country to get there would likely say the same.

One more thing-Kelly is different.  It’s clear that he cares about every person in the room, is invested in everyone’s improvement, and treats everyone as a friend.  That’s something that stands out.  I’m looking forward to training with them again.

Evan D.
Owner/Lead Coach
NOVA Self Defense

My girlfriend no longer feels safe taking the metro.  She's always expressed that it has been sketchy for women, as far as being harassed by sleazy guys, but now with constant delays, broken down trains, and overcrowding on a regular basis and no assurance of this improving for at least several months, many people riding the metro are pissed and more aggressive than usual.  

It’s important to think about your options when you are in a potentially confined space.  I talked to Liz about some things she could do pre-emptively if things kick-off in a bad way and she becomes targeted for violence or gets caught up in someone else’s aggression-think mob/riot attack.   Everything that we have done for training still stands with the main goal being escape, but when something is building up this could be an opportunity to ready a force multiplier that provides your some range, such pepper spray, to aid in getting away-contrast this to an immediate attack, where you would not likely have time to access a self-defense tool.

Rather than clipping it her keychain and wishing her the best of luck I walked her through how she could nonchalantly access and get it at the ready, and we practiced accessing it, unlocking it, and firing it at a target, to get her familiar with how it works and its range.

The first spray attempt didn't hit our target, too far away.  It shot out with more pressure than I expected though, the target was about 12 feet away.  Then I had her try again to a closer target and told her to paint a horizontal line at the target, telling her that would ideally be your target’s eye-line.  As it sprayed it misted from the canister and the mist came back towards our faces… so there’s that. Fortunately it didn’t get into our eyes. It’s important to note that using it outdoors with a stronger wind could have rendered that effect

The intent of this post is not to promote or denounce the use of pepper spray-it of course can fail, be used against you, have no effect, enrage, or incapacitate a person. You can never know the effect it will have-but it should never be a crutch.

Just a post on how to think outside the box and understand what tools could be used in certain situations, and emphasize that you should learn how to effectively use something if you are going to carry it, to increase your useful options.

Train smart, stay safe, & keep your cool while waiting for that blue line,

Evan D.
Owner/Lead Coach
NOVA Self Defense

I was recently interviewed by the local news and was asked if there was increased attendance at my self-defense classes as a result of the 9 recent attacks on women in the Arlington area.  A few female participants in recent classes suggested that this string of violence was the motivation behind their signing up; however, I still see an alarming problem with denial in the local community.  A lot of people think, it will never happen to me, and I hope for their sake, that they are right.

I read the forums on news stories and forums to see what some of the average, untrained citizens think about these attacks.  When something like this happens people tend to write it off as an anomaly.  Then, as more and more similar attacks happen, people want to rationalize it and believe that it is a single attacker- 1 guy victimizing multiple women in arlington, with the mindset of:

I hope the police catch the guy doing this, then Arlington will be safe again! Or 
Arlington needs to put a police officer on every street corner! 

People want to deny the possibility that these attacks are happening at an alarming rate and in their own neighborhood.  At all points in this denial process the responsibility of doing something is pushed off to someone else.

People who do not train and have zero understanding of personal safety need to understand that the police cannot be at all places at all time. 

I personally believe that these type of attacks are becoming more prevalent because people are becoming increasingly less-aware of their surroundings and unaware of how the decisions they make provide opportunity for these attacks to happen.

Your personal safety is your own responsibility and the decisions you make and fail to make have consequences. 

• Texting, checking emails, playing around on Facebook when you are in transitional spaces/commuting
  
• Wearing headphones when you are walking down the street
  
• Dressing in provocative clothing and/or clothing that makes you less-mobile 
  
• Walking by yourself late at night after a night out drinking.
  
• Deciding to jog in the evening hours because it's cooler (in the summer months)
  

You have every right to partake in every activity on this list; however, it attracts unwanted attention.
  
You cannot ever know if you will be attacked, but by learning about the process of victim selection, how to improve your awareness and mindset prior to the attack, and learning some solid self-defense skills you can improve your chances of avoiding an assault and improve your ability to fight back if you are ever presented with unavoidable violence.

Train smart, stay safe, and put the damn phone away when you're getting around!

Evan D.
Owner/Lead Coach
NOVA Self Defense