The First 30 Seconds

More from Prof. Bradley J. Steiner...


The First 30 Seconds

MANY years ago we wrote an article for one of the mainstream martial arts magazines titled "The First 30 Seconds". It was our intention there to emphasize the crucial importance of ending a confrontation quickly — ie preferably within the first 30 seconds.

The article was well received, particularly by military and law enforcement people, and it occurred to us that, since we believe with as much or more conviction in that thesis today, as we believed in it when we first authored that piece, we might introduce the concept here in SWORD & PEN, for the benefit of our site's visitors, today.

A violent, felonious attack is not really analogous to a "match" or to a competitive "fight". It actually has much more in common with a raid, or an ambush, or an assassination. That is, the intended victim is targeted by one or more enemies whose plan and intention it is to attack him. The intended victim may or may not even see the onslaught coming — but in any case it HITS — explosively, and all of a sudden, and there is little time to prepare, consciously think the matter through, or otherwise adjust in a reasoned manner to the event.

Sporting engagements consist of regulated "bouts" or "matches". They commence with contestants each aware of the other's presence and of the other's general level of ability. There are no hidden surprises (like someone else attacking from behind, or someone pulling a weapon, throwing dirt, or using some forbidden, "foul" tactic at some unexpected moment, etc. etc.).

We have written in so much depth and detail about the differences between sport and combat (and we will be writing more on the subject!) that we only wish to allude briefly to the fact that such differences exist, in the present context. Right now, suffice it to say that there is no correlation between any combative sport, and combat, itself.

DESPERATION is one of the defining characteristics of an emergency — whether violent or otherwise. One does not have much time in which to decide upon a course of action, or in which to implement that course of action, once it has been chosen. When a punk, troublemaker, bully, "tough guy", gang member, mugger, home invader, kidnaper, rapist, or other variant of scum decides that he is going to move on his victim, the victim sometimes IS NOT EVEN AWARE OF WHAT IS ABOUT TO OCCUR.

INVOLUNTARY PARTICIPATION is the most sanitized way to describe the victim's role in any attack. Unlike a practice sparring bout, or a competitive event, the victim of a physical onslaught is not a willing participant in the event. He is being taken completely be surprise in at least one sense: He did not anticipate this event, and he has no way of determining the motive behind its initiation and procedure. DISPARITY OF FORCE must be assumed, for safety and survival reasons, in any self-defense emergency. The attacker must be assumed to

be stronger than his intended victim, tougher, murderously motivated, assisted by others, and armed. Since the very nature of a violent attack precludes the acquisition of even partially reliable knowledge concerning the enemy's capabilities, intentions, numbers, and equipment, realistic and authentic self-defense preparation mandates that THE WORST POSSIBLE CASE BE ASSUMED.

All of this means that there is no time to waste when violence intervenes. One must go into aggressive counterforce action and drive 100% into the enemy until he is destroyed. That is the only way to handle dangerous, unprovoked physical violence. The sooner the event is over and done, the better.

We urge every reader who is concerned about being ready to defend himself to take our words to heart. A real world encounter should be over — the enemy dispatched — in less time than it takes for two sporting contestants to enter the competition arena, bow, and assume their respective stances before closing. Do not tally when you discover yourself facing a dangerous threat! Get that attacker, get him fast, and make sure that he is KAPUT before you pull back and cease your own vicious counteroffensive.

AND DO RIGHT AWAY! Now! Before the enemy realizes what is happening! Drive into him relentlessly and HAMMER, HAMMER, HAMMER, and HAMMER HIM some more . . . launching a blitzkrieg attack that blows him off his balance, ruins his ability to recover, and injures him so severely and quickly that he loses the CAPACITY and the WILL to continue endangering you further.

This is real world self-defense.
Thirty seconds. Or, better, still, less than 30 seconds.

© COPYRIGHT 2009 BY BRADLEY J. STEINER - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Sword and Pen – June 2009 Issue

[Reprinted with Permission]