Large whoop... My contract finally got renewed so I'll be there until mid-January. Then i get to takemy 100-dy break in service. So basically eight weeks left... and three of those are going to be off site because the campus is closed over the holidays. We already went through the Thanksgiving break... and I'll be hurting from that due to no pay. The weeks of Christmas and New Years are going to be the same way. So I lose three weeks of my final eight in this contract.
When the break comes I'm not certiain what I'm going to do. I don't expect that there will be a lot of manual testing positions. I haven't seen many openings for security positions. I may be trying to live off of unemployment again. I'm also considering looking hard at some home based businesses.
I would honestly prefer not to have to go back into testing at all, but I'm going ot beed to have a steady income of some kind. How I hate this industry. I really do want out of it.
I've nearly built the savings back up and I'm hopeful that I can be ready to apply for training by the end of January. After that I'll still need ot save another $3,000or more.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Genetics And Individual Development
© COPYRIGHT 2009 BY BRADLEY J. STEINER - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Sword and Pen – November 2009 Issue
[Reprinted With Permission]
American Combato
Seattle Combatives
Unfortunately, an acceptance of reality is not one of the more conspicuous characteristics of the thinking style of most of those who participate in the martial arts. "Mystique" is what one of our teachers, Charlie Nelson, used to call it. We think that he was being polite, however. Irrational, unrealistic, absurd, and self-defeating foolishness appears to us to be more appropriate. Something as innocent as a "mystique" can actually prove merely to be a charming "added attraction". Thus, if you find that the pursuit of whichever martial path you enjoy to be enhanced by some mystique, that’s okay. But if you allow yourself to abandon truth, facts, and reality because that which you participate in is essentially teaching you nonsense, and the "teacher" of that system simply does not know the reality of that which he purports to be disseminating as doctrine, you’re potentially doing great harm to yourself.
We have been intimately and professionally involved in the physical training and martial arts fields since the early 1960’s, and the mid-1950’s, respectively. In both fields we have noticed that participants and so-called "teachers" alike have tended to ignore an extremely important factor when pursuing their activities: GENETICS. That is, those hereditary factors that predispose the individual to agility, hand/eye coordination, strength, athleticism, favorable or unfavorable bone and muscular structural development, etc. Insofar as the physical training aspect is concerned, suffice it now to say that, while everyone can build strength and muscle and become much more efficient and effective physically if he follows a progressive, systematic plan of weight training exercise, only those with the right genetics can become "world class" physical specimens, or outstanding strength athletes. That's the way it is.
But let’s talk about the primary subject of this Newsletter: The armed and unarmed combat arts, close-in hand-to-hand fighting, and self-defense. And let’s make totally clear that which many simply do not understand, or have been misled about: i.e the critical role of genetics in determining that which can and cannot likely be achieved by the student through training, and the inevitable effect that one’s genetic predispositions have in determining one’s ultimate development as a physical combatant.
First, some encouraging facts:
1. Anyone, except perhaps the severely handicapped and/or those who are unfortunately physically crippled or sick, can develop a serious, formidable capability in close combat and self-defense. The only requirement is strong desire, hard work, patience, and determination, coupled with sound instruction and reliable, professional guidance.
2. One does not need great natural strength, unusual agility, particularly superior hand/eye coordination, or much athletic talent to master practical, realistic, modern personal combat and defensive skills. These skills are well within the capabilities of statistically quite average people to master, and even excel in.
3. A "genetically inferior" individual who has developed his capabilities and skills in close combat can defeat a "genetically superior" individual who has not similarly developed his capabilities.
4. There are numerous tactics and strategies that are integral to the study of modern and practical close combat and self-defense that can make "genetic advantages" in adversaries virtually irrelevant, providing these tactics and strategies are applied quickly enough, and with cunning and skill.
5. Weapons — which are a natural part of close combat and self-defense training, when this subject is properly taught — trump "genetic superiority" when and if the genetically superior party is unarmed. At the very least weapons EQUALIZE, and place anyone on an even keel with anyone else who is similarly armed, when weapons are involved. I.e. If a frail 80 year old man who knows how to use it is in possession of a .45 automatic, and if he is confronting a 20 year old home invader who is also armed with a .45 pistol, the age, strength, and size differences between the two matter not a bit. Each is equally capable of dropping the other; and all that matters is "who gets who first". (And, when an intended victim is, happily, armed with a powerful handgun, and his would-be killer or tormentor is not, the odds are overwhelmingly with the intended victim. — no matter how great the victimizer’s size, strength, age, etc. advantage may be!)
6. Genetics is important; but when considering all factors involved and concerned, genetics is NOT the decisive factor in close combat or in emergency defense situations.
Now, let’s point out how and why, despite the above, this matter of genetics is so critical a matter to understand for those who pursue martial arts for self-defense.
First, remember that, unless you possess the requisite natural flexibility and physiology you can be seriously and permanently injured if you elect to train in any martial art that demands constant and extreme training for maximum flexibility. There is real danger here, in other words, for the individual who undertakes the study of certain martial arts in which maximum stretching is demanded of students, and high kicks are invariably part of the program. Those individuals with the inherent flexibility can easily train to do all sorts of high and acrobatic kicks, and stretch to their heart’s (and to their instructor’s) content. But NO ONE who does not possess this inherent capacity should do any extreme stretching. The ligaments and tendons can be permanently damaged by this; the hips can be permanently injured, and severe muscle strains and even tears can occur. When a student is very young (early to late teens, and even through to his mid-20’s) he can often "get away" with doing a great deal of extreme stretching, and not suffer badly for it. But this becomes a dangerous practice once one he approaches the age of 30, if he isn’t genetically predisposed to great natural flexibility.
Second, unless you have naturally large, strong hands,and — preferably — fairly thick and heavy fingers, you are virtually wasting your time training in the popular "wrist turning" and wrist-twisting and control actions. Adversaries who are heavy-boned and naturally strong can easily resist and pull away from any "expert" whose hands and fingers are relatively diminutive (i.e. small boned) and who attempts to apply the popular ju-jutsu type kote-gaeshi grips. (Note: We do not recommend these techniques at all for anyone; however, they are simply useless for the person with small, fragile hands. The only effective application that such an individual could enjoy with such holds is when working with a cooperative partner or a non resisting opponent — quite unlikely in a real situation!)
Third, "hard" linear (ie Shotokan karate style) blocks require great power and strong arms and hands or they are entirely worthless against stronger, determined assailants who come in with powerful, fully committed attacks — with or without a weapon of some kind in their hand. A physically diminutive person who attempts a hard block against a vicious, powerful attacker who comes at him, will FAIL to stop the attack with his block.
Fourth, if your "self-defense" program advocates clenched fist punching, then WATCH OUT! For, unless you possess the strength and hand structure that at least allows for strong punches to be delivered, your "punches" stand NO CHANCE of even bothering, let alone stopping, a large, strong attacker.
Fifth, Raw strength — much more than "finesse" and skill — is required to pull off many of the popularly taught throwing actions of judo or (what is often mislabeled as, but nonetheless taught as) ju-jutsu.
Sixth, FORGET COMPLETELY about being able to secure an immobilizing hold on any dangerous and determined enemy in a serious hand-to-hand encounter (except perhaps a strangle or choke hold) unless you are very agile and very strong.
Seventh, the truth is that numerous martial arts systems depend, due to the manner in which they are constructed and taught, on the participant’s possessing very specific physiological characteristics in order to reach a high level of PRACTICAL proficiency. In this regard note how the very advanced individuals in some arts tend to possess very similarly structured physiques and inherent characteristics.
What all of this means is simply that you must be realistic and pragmatic when approaching the study of close combat and self-defense. Unless you possess the right genetics, many classical/traditional skills are totally worthless. And, if you are smart and go to a combat/self-defense system of merit (watch out, many are simply classical/traditional or sporting/competitive methods that have been "renamed" for commercial purposes!) then you need to appreciate the role of genetics in your training. DO NOT BE LED TO BELIEVE THAT YOU CAN, WITHOUT THE HEREDITARY POTENTIAL, EQUAL THE STRENGTH AND SPEED OF MOVEMENT, OR THE AGILITY, DEMONSTRATED IN PRACTICE, THAT A NATURALLY BLESSED PERSON WITH THE GENETIC ADVANTAGES IS CAPABLE OF EVIDENCING.
JUST ABOUT ANYONE CAN BECOME EXPERT IN PRACTICAL, REALISTIC SELF-DEFENSE AND CLOSE COMBAT METHODS; BUT, AS WITH ALL THINGS PHYSICAL, NOT EVERYONE CAN BECOME AN EXCEPTIONAL, AND OUTSTANDING TECHNICAL PERFORMER.
Do not let any of this bother you. Just be self-accepting and realistic, and approach this matter of acquiring physical combative capabilities with the same common sense and realism that you (hopefully) employ when approaching the study of any other subject.
Excise the "mystery", the "fantastic", the "secret", and the impossible forever from your thinking. No matter what you read, hear, or are told by anyone regarding martial arts and self-defense.
Bradley J. Steiner
Sword and Pen – November 2009 Issue
[Reprinted With Permission]
American Combato
Seattle Combatives
Unfortunately, an acceptance of reality is not one of the more conspicuous characteristics of the thinking style of most of those who participate in the martial arts. "Mystique" is what one of our teachers, Charlie Nelson, used to call it. We think that he was being polite, however. Irrational, unrealistic, absurd, and self-defeating foolishness appears to us to be more appropriate. Something as innocent as a "mystique" can actually prove merely to be a charming "added attraction". Thus, if you find that the pursuit of whichever martial path you enjoy to be enhanced by some mystique, that’s okay. But if you allow yourself to abandon truth, facts, and reality because that which you participate in is essentially teaching you nonsense, and the "teacher" of that system simply does not know the reality of that which he purports to be disseminating as doctrine, you’re potentially doing great harm to yourself.
We have been intimately and professionally involved in the physical training and martial arts fields since the early 1960’s, and the mid-1950’s, respectively. In both fields we have noticed that participants and so-called "teachers" alike have tended to ignore an extremely important factor when pursuing their activities: GENETICS. That is, those hereditary factors that predispose the individual to agility, hand/eye coordination, strength, athleticism, favorable or unfavorable bone and muscular structural development, etc. Insofar as the physical training aspect is concerned, suffice it now to say that, while everyone can build strength and muscle and become much more efficient and effective physically if he follows a progressive, systematic plan of weight training exercise, only those with the right genetics can become "world class" physical specimens, or outstanding strength athletes. That's the way it is.
But let’s talk about the primary subject of this Newsletter: The armed and unarmed combat arts, close-in hand-to-hand fighting, and self-defense. And let’s make totally clear that which many simply do not understand, or have been misled about: i.e the critical role of genetics in determining that which can and cannot likely be achieved by the student through training, and the inevitable effect that one’s genetic predispositions have in determining one’s ultimate development as a physical combatant.
First, some encouraging facts:
1. Anyone, except perhaps the severely handicapped and/or those who are unfortunately physically crippled or sick, can develop a serious, formidable capability in close combat and self-defense. The only requirement is strong desire, hard work, patience, and determination, coupled with sound instruction and reliable, professional guidance.
2. One does not need great natural strength, unusual agility, particularly superior hand/eye coordination, or much athletic talent to master practical, realistic, modern personal combat and defensive skills. These skills are well within the capabilities of statistically quite average people to master, and even excel in.
3. A "genetically inferior" individual who has developed his capabilities and skills in close combat can defeat a "genetically superior" individual who has not similarly developed his capabilities.
4. There are numerous tactics and strategies that are integral to the study of modern and practical close combat and self-defense that can make "genetic advantages" in adversaries virtually irrelevant, providing these tactics and strategies are applied quickly enough, and with cunning and skill.
5. Weapons — which are a natural part of close combat and self-defense training, when this subject is properly taught — trump "genetic superiority" when and if the genetically superior party is unarmed. At the very least weapons EQUALIZE, and place anyone on an even keel with anyone else who is similarly armed, when weapons are involved. I.e. If a frail 80 year old man who knows how to use it is in possession of a .45 automatic, and if he is confronting a 20 year old home invader who is also armed with a .45 pistol, the age, strength, and size differences between the two matter not a bit. Each is equally capable of dropping the other; and all that matters is "who gets who first". (And, when an intended victim is, happily, armed with a powerful handgun, and his would-be killer or tormentor is not, the odds are overwhelmingly with the intended victim. — no matter how great the victimizer’s size, strength, age, etc. advantage may be!)
6. Genetics is important; but when considering all factors involved and concerned, genetics is NOT the decisive factor in close combat or in emergency defense situations.
Now, let’s point out how and why, despite the above, this matter of genetics is so critical a matter to understand for those who pursue martial arts for self-defense.
First, remember that, unless you possess the requisite natural flexibility and physiology you can be seriously and permanently injured if you elect to train in any martial art that demands constant and extreme training for maximum flexibility. There is real danger here, in other words, for the individual who undertakes the study of certain martial arts in which maximum stretching is demanded of students, and high kicks are invariably part of the program. Those individuals with the inherent flexibility can easily train to do all sorts of high and acrobatic kicks, and stretch to their heart’s (and to their instructor’s) content. But NO ONE who does not possess this inherent capacity should do any extreme stretching. The ligaments and tendons can be permanently damaged by this; the hips can be permanently injured, and severe muscle strains and even tears can occur. When a student is very young (early to late teens, and even through to his mid-20’s) he can often "get away" with doing a great deal of extreme stretching, and not suffer badly for it. But this becomes a dangerous practice once one he approaches the age of 30, if he isn’t genetically predisposed to great natural flexibility.
Second, unless you have naturally large, strong hands,and — preferably — fairly thick and heavy fingers, you are virtually wasting your time training in the popular "wrist turning" and wrist-twisting and control actions. Adversaries who are heavy-boned and naturally strong can easily resist and pull away from any "expert" whose hands and fingers are relatively diminutive (i.e. small boned) and who attempts to apply the popular ju-jutsu type kote-gaeshi grips. (Note: We do not recommend these techniques at all for anyone; however, they are simply useless for the person with small, fragile hands. The only effective application that such an individual could enjoy with such holds is when working with a cooperative partner or a non resisting opponent — quite unlikely in a real situation!)
Third, "hard" linear (ie Shotokan karate style) blocks require great power and strong arms and hands or they are entirely worthless against stronger, determined assailants who come in with powerful, fully committed attacks — with or without a weapon of some kind in their hand. A physically diminutive person who attempts a hard block against a vicious, powerful attacker who comes at him, will FAIL to stop the attack with his block.
Fourth, if your "self-defense" program advocates clenched fist punching, then WATCH OUT! For, unless you possess the strength and hand structure that at least allows for strong punches to be delivered, your "punches" stand NO CHANCE of even bothering, let alone stopping, a large, strong attacker.
Fifth, Raw strength — much more than "finesse" and skill — is required to pull off many of the popularly taught throwing actions of judo or (what is often mislabeled as, but nonetheless taught as) ju-jutsu.
Sixth, FORGET COMPLETELY about being able to secure an immobilizing hold on any dangerous and determined enemy in a serious hand-to-hand encounter (except perhaps a strangle or choke hold) unless you are very agile and very strong.
Seventh, the truth is that numerous martial arts systems depend, due to the manner in which they are constructed and taught, on the participant’s possessing very specific physiological characteristics in order to reach a high level of PRACTICAL proficiency. In this regard note how the very advanced individuals in some arts tend to possess very similarly structured physiques and inherent characteristics.
What all of this means is simply that you must be realistic and pragmatic when approaching the study of close combat and self-defense. Unless you possess the right genetics, many classical/traditional skills are totally worthless. And, if you are smart and go to a combat/self-defense system of merit (watch out, many are simply classical/traditional or sporting/competitive methods that have been "renamed" for commercial purposes!) then you need to appreciate the role of genetics in your training. DO NOT BE LED TO BELIEVE THAT YOU CAN, WITHOUT THE HEREDITARY POTENTIAL, EQUAL THE STRENGTH AND SPEED OF MOVEMENT, OR THE AGILITY, DEMONSTRATED IN PRACTICE, THAT A NATURALLY BLESSED PERSON WITH THE GENETIC ADVANTAGES IS CAPABLE OF EVIDENCING.
JUST ABOUT ANYONE CAN BECOME EXPERT IN PRACTICAL, REALISTIC SELF-DEFENSE AND CLOSE COMBAT METHODS; BUT, AS WITH ALL THINGS PHYSICAL, NOT EVERYONE CAN BECOME AN EXCEPTIONAL, AND OUTSTANDING TECHNICAL PERFORMER.
Do not let any of this bother you. Just be self-accepting and realistic, and approach this matter of acquiring physical combative capabilities with the same common sense and realism that you (hopefully) employ when approaching the study of any other subject.
Excise the "mystery", the "fantastic", the "secret", and the impossible forever from your thinking. No matter what you read, hear, or are told by anyone regarding martial arts and self-defense.
Bradley J. Steiner
Monday, November 9, 2009
My Strategy For "Surviving" The Holidays
By Charles Staley, B.Sc, MSS
Director, Staley Training Systems
http://www.staleytraining.com
Getting through the winter holiday season without gaining 10-15 pounds never seemed like much of an issue to me personally, but based on all the questions I've been fielding about it lately, I thought I'd share my own thoughts on effectively handling the period of time stretching roughly from December 24th to January 1st.
First, Keep Things In Perspective
We're only talking about 9 days here, max. So even thought I hate doing thermodynamic "worst case" hypotheticals, remember that if you ate 3500 calories in excess of your metabolic requirements each of those 9 days, you'd only gain 9 pounds.
Now, I gotcha- no one wants to gain 9 pounds over the holidays, but look how much work it'd take to do that: if your daily caloric requirement is 2500 calories, you'd have to eat 6000 calories a day, every day for the entire 9 days to gain 9 pounds of fat! Using a less extreme and slightly more likely scenario, gaining 5 pounds over the holidays would require eating about 4500 calories a day for 9 days. That's a lot, don't you agree?
Having Your Cake And Eating It Too
Most people have time off from work over the holidays, which theoretically should open up some time and energy to get in some extra-productive training- that's for starters. Yeah, you'll have family in town, you'll have parties to attend, but the point remains. So there shouldn't really be any reason to become totally sedentary for 9 days.
Given that, why not plan a handful of strategic eating opportunities, enjoy the experience, and leave the guilt-trip for your in-laws? For example, why not completely gorge yourself on Christmas Eve and Christmas day, and likewise on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day? That's 4 days total.
If you ate an additional 3500 calories on each of those 4 days, you might potentially gain 4 pounds. But- and this is a significant point- that's a lot of extra eating. Even if you ate yourself silly on those 4 days, you're unlikely to reach the 14,000-calorie surplus necessary to gain 4 pounds.
Draw A Line In The Sand- Somewhere.
Now in case you're thinking I live in a cave somewhere and don't really understand that the average American starts the "holidays" a few days before Thanksgiving and ends them in mid-January, believe me, I get it. So if you're one of those people, let me suggest a neat little self-help tactic that I really like. It's called "setting boundaries." When it comes to your food, training, and general lifestyle habits, you should have a certain line you won't cross. Ever.
The list can be as big or as small as you need to suit your own needs, but thing of these boundaries as the cornerstones of your personal philosophy of living. Make these boundaries personal- they don't have to make sense to anyone else but you.
For example, one of the "lines I won't cross" is eating in bed. It's just something I don't do. Eating and sleeping are separate activities in my mind, and I just personally find it slovenly to eat in bed. Now that might not have any meaning for you, so come up with your own boundaries- basically, your own personal "rules" of behavior.
Then, Have Fun!
One nice aspect of having your boundaries is that you know when you're inside of them, and also when you're outside of them. For me, I eat whatever I want on Christmas day and also on New Year's day. On those 2 days, I can totally enjoy myself food-wise because on all the other days, I followed the rules. If you don't have this type of structure, you're always living in a guilt-laden "no man's land."
Letting loose is just as important as discipline by the way- without one side of the coin, you can't have the other. Having a day where you eat whatever you want helps you to relax and recharge. So go eat a doughnut- right now. I'll take it as a sign that you understood the message I'm trying to get across in this article.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
About The Author
Charles Staley...world-class strength/performance coach...his colleagues call him an iconoclast, a visionary, a rule-breaker. His clients call him “The Secret Weapon” for his ability to see what other coaches miss. Charles calls himself a “geek” who struggled in Phys Ed throughout school. Whatever you call him, Charles’ methods are ahead of their time and quickly produce serious results.
Click here to visit Charles' site and grab your 5 FREE videos that will show you how to literally FORCE your body to build muscle, lose fat and gain strength with "Escalating Density Training," Charles' revolutionary, time-saving approach to lifting that focuses on performance NOT pain.
http://www.staleytrainingprograms.com
Director, Staley Training Systems
http://www.staleytraining.com
Getting through the winter holiday season without gaining 10-15 pounds never seemed like much of an issue to me personally, but based on all the questions I've been fielding about it lately, I thought I'd share my own thoughts on effectively handling the period of time stretching roughly from December 24th to January 1st.
First, Keep Things In Perspective
We're only talking about 9 days here, max. So even thought I hate doing thermodynamic "worst case" hypotheticals, remember that if you ate 3500 calories in excess of your metabolic requirements each of those 9 days, you'd only gain 9 pounds.
Now, I gotcha- no one wants to gain 9 pounds over the holidays, but look how much work it'd take to do that: if your daily caloric requirement is 2500 calories, you'd have to eat 6000 calories a day, every day for the entire 9 days to gain 9 pounds of fat! Using a less extreme and slightly more likely scenario, gaining 5 pounds over the holidays would require eating about 4500 calories a day for 9 days. That's a lot, don't you agree?
Having Your Cake And Eating It Too
Most people have time off from work over the holidays, which theoretically should open up some time and energy to get in some extra-productive training- that's for starters. Yeah, you'll have family in town, you'll have parties to attend, but the point remains. So there shouldn't really be any reason to become totally sedentary for 9 days.
Given that, why not plan a handful of strategic eating opportunities, enjoy the experience, and leave the guilt-trip for your in-laws? For example, why not completely gorge yourself on Christmas Eve and Christmas day, and likewise on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day? That's 4 days total.
If you ate an additional 3500 calories on each of those 4 days, you might potentially gain 4 pounds. But- and this is a significant point- that's a lot of extra eating. Even if you ate yourself silly on those 4 days, you're unlikely to reach the 14,000-calorie surplus necessary to gain 4 pounds.
Draw A Line In The Sand- Somewhere.
Now in case you're thinking I live in a cave somewhere and don't really understand that the average American starts the "holidays" a few days before Thanksgiving and ends them in mid-January, believe me, I get it. So if you're one of those people, let me suggest a neat little self-help tactic that I really like. It's called "setting boundaries." When it comes to your food, training, and general lifestyle habits, you should have a certain line you won't cross. Ever.
The list can be as big or as small as you need to suit your own needs, but thing of these boundaries as the cornerstones of your personal philosophy of living. Make these boundaries personal- they don't have to make sense to anyone else but you.
For example, one of the "lines I won't cross" is eating in bed. It's just something I don't do. Eating and sleeping are separate activities in my mind, and I just personally find it slovenly to eat in bed. Now that might not have any meaning for you, so come up with your own boundaries- basically, your own personal "rules" of behavior.
Then, Have Fun!
One nice aspect of having your boundaries is that you know when you're inside of them, and also when you're outside of them. For me, I eat whatever I want on Christmas day and also on New Year's day. On those 2 days, I can totally enjoy myself food-wise because on all the other days, I followed the rules. If you don't have this type of structure, you're always living in a guilt-laden "no man's land."
Letting loose is just as important as discipline by the way- without one side of the coin, you can't have the other. Having a day where you eat whatever you want helps you to relax and recharge. So go eat a doughnut- right now. I'll take it as a sign that you understood the message I'm trying to get across in this article.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
About The Author
Charles Staley...world-class strength/performance coach...his colleagues call him an iconoclast, a visionary, a rule-breaker. His clients call him “The Secret Weapon” for his ability to see what other coaches miss. Charles calls himself a “geek” who struggled in Phys Ed throughout school. Whatever you call him, Charles’ methods are ahead of their time and quickly produce serious results.
Click here to visit Charles' site and grab your 5 FREE videos that will show you how to literally FORCE your body to build muscle, lose fat and gain strength with "Escalating Density Training," Charles' revolutionary, time-saving approach to lifting that focuses on performance NOT pain.
http://www.staleytrainingprograms.com
Saturday, November 7, 2009
The All-Out 100% “Drive To The Wall”
Why The All-Out 100% “Drive To The Wall”
Is Necessary
© COPYRIGHT 2009 BY BRADLEY J. STEINER - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Sword and Pen – November 2009 Issue
[Reprinted With Permission]
American Combato
Seattle Combatives
We have sometimes been questioned regarding our philosophy of always attacking 100% and going "all out" in the face of a sudden, violent attack. "Why," some people have wanted to know, "do we not at first attempt to stop an attacker with a low level of force, and escalate to something more severe only if and when absolutely necessary, and only because the attack proves to be potentially deadly?"
Our answer is, “For the same reason that it is recognized as sheer idiocy to fire 'warning shots' with a firearm, when one is attacked in a manner that justifies the use of a sidearm — and/or — for the same reason that one does not try to 'shoot a gunman's weapon out of his hand', instead of shooting into that gunman‟s kill-zone, when under lethal attack”: UNDERTAKING SUCH ACTION WHEN ONE IS UNDER ATTACK IS SIMPLY TOO DANGEROUS TO RISK TRYING, AND, JUST AS PERTAINS TO THE NOTION OF “SHOOTING A GUN OUT OF AN ARMED MAN’S HAND”, IT IS ALL BUT IMPOSSIBLE TO ATTEMPT ACROBATIC NONSENSE SUCH AS THE APPLICATION OF “ARRESTING CONTROL” IN THE FACE OF A REAL ATTACK.
People who have not studied, researched, or been involved in real violence often have ideas regarding how violence may be handled put into their heads via motion picture and television shows. They then wonder why — in the real world — such methods as they see successfully rendered on the silver screen are not undertaken in actual confrontations. But in the real world violence is not a choreographed performance as it is on TV and in the movies. In the real world the good guy does not always win. Therefore, when good guys seek training in personal combat methods for self-protection they have a LOT to learn — not merely "technically", but tactically, mentally, and even emotionally, too.
When one is projected into a violent situation one has no possible way of knowing the intentions or the capabilities of one’s attacker(s). One must assume that one’s life is in peril, and one must do everything one possibly can RIGHT AWAY, WITHOUT ALLOWING THE SITUATION TO BECOME ANY MORE GRAVE THAN IT ALREADY HAS BECOME. The alternative to this is to attempt "lesser means", so as not to injure one’s attacker "too much".
But consider this: An attacker has chosen his course of action willfully. He knows what he wants to do, and he is demonstrating without question or doubt that he is willing to injure his intended victim. Only HE knows his ultimate objective. For all his intended victim can guess, it is the attacker’s purpose to murder him — and perhaps to murder the immediate victim;s loved ones, as well. How could anyone logically impose a responsibility to concern himself with ANYTHING save the immediate neutralization of the perceived threat?
And that is why we urge and advocate that which we do urge and advocate. We know that the victim of an attack has but one responsibility: To defend himself and his loved ones. He, the victim, did not ask for this predicament; the attacker has brought it on.The attacker is wholly responsible for whatever his victim does to him. There is not the slightest reason why the victim of any attack should care at all or concern himself in the least with the welfare of anyone who endangers his life ny violently attacking him.
This is "where we’re coming from".
No one in the world despises violence more than we do. We abhor physical aggression and regard as mindless savages those who choose violence in any instance, save that of DEFENSE. However, when defense is necessary — when it is MADE NECESSARY by some extralegal misfit — then we advocate the victim's instant and decisive counterattacking action; with NO regard for the opponent. It is simply too dangerous for anyone to bother with anything but the immediate application of decisive force when he is subjected to a violent attack. And in training and preparation for this contingency, we instruct anyone whose life is in imminent danger to attack ferociously and immediately, and to do so with utter disregard for the violent offender who has made this action necessary.
A victim who follows our teachings may still be injured or killed. That merely underscores the dire risk and danger of a physical attack. However, IF successfully defending himself is feasible, then a 100% drive to the wall — relentlessly attacking with ferocity and determination until the threat is neutralized — will certainly turn the trick for the intended victim.
Over the decades we have trained physicians, university professors, law enforcement officers, school teachers, businessmen, housewives, engineers, soldiers, private investigators, accountants, and virtually every type and variety of decent, respectable, peaceful human being in every vocation, occupation, and calling. Such fundamentally good people need to understand — to be taught to apply — attitudes, skills, and tactics that, were these people able to choose, would never have become necessary. And that’s the point. One IS NEVER “ABLE TO CHOOSE” TO AVOID A DETERMINED PHYSICAL ASSAILANT. ONE MUST DEAL WITH HIM. And the manner in which dealing with such a creature is best accomplished — proven in actual situations in both peacetime and during war — is by GOING AFTER HIM! The 100% committed "drive to the wall", all-out, the very second one realizes that one is in imminent danger, is the way to go. It WORKS.
If you’re ever in trouble, use it.
Is Necessary
© COPYRIGHT 2009 BY BRADLEY J. STEINER - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Sword and Pen – November 2009 Issue
[Reprinted With Permission]
American Combato
Seattle Combatives
We have sometimes been questioned regarding our philosophy of always attacking 100% and going "all out" in the face of a sudden, violent attack. "Why," some people have wanted to know, "do we not at first attempt to stop an attacker with a low level of force, and escalate to something more severe only if and when absolutely necessary, and only because the attack proves to be potentially deadly?"
Our answer is, “For the same reason that it is recognized as sheer idiocy to fire 'warning shots' with a firearm, when one is attacked in a manner that justifies the use of a sidearm — and/or — for the same reason that one does not try to 'shoot a gunman's weapon out of his hand', instead of shooting into that gunman‟s kill-zone, when under lethal attack”: UNDERTAKING SUCH ACTION WHEN ONE IS UNDER ATTACK IS SIMPLY TOO DANGEROUS TO RISK TRYING, AND, JUST AS PERTAINS TO THE NOTION OF “SHOOTING A GUN OUT OF AN ARMED MAN’S HAND”, IT IS ALL BUT IMPOSSIBLE TO ATTEMPT ACROBATIC NONSENSE SUCH AS THE APPLICATION OF “ARRESTING CONTROL” IN THE FACE OF A REAL ATTACK.
People who have not studied, researched, or been involved in real violence often have ideas regarding how violence may be handled put into their heads via motion picture and television shows. They then wonder why — in the real world — such methods as they see successfully rendered on the silver screen are not undertaken in actual confrontations. But in the real world violence is not a choreographed performance as it is on TV and in the movies. In the real world the good guy does not always win. Therefore, when good guys seek training in personal combat methods for self-protection they have a LOT to learn — not merely "technically", but tactically, mentally, and even emotionally, too.
When one is projected into a violent situation one has no possible way of knowing the intentions or the capabilities of one’s attacker(s). One must assume that one’s life is in peril, and one must do everything one possibly can RIGHT AWAY, WITHOUT ALLOWING THE SITUATION TO BECOME ANY MORE GRAVE THAN IT ALREADY HAS BECOME. The alternative to this is to attempt "lesser means", so as not to injure one’s attacker "too much".
But consider this: An attacker has chosen his course of action willfully. He knows what he wants to do, and he is demonstrating without question or doubt that he is willing to injure his intended victim. Only HE knows his ultimate objective. For all his intended victim can guess, it is the attacker’s purpose to murder him — and perhaps to murder the immediate victim;s loved ones, as well. How could anyone logically impose a responsibility to concern himself with ANYTHING save the immediate neutralization of the perceived threat?
And that is why we urge and advocate that which we do urge and advocate. We know that the victim of an attack has but one responsibility: To defend himself and his loved ones. He, the victim, did not ask for this predicament; the attacker has brought it on.The attacker is wholly responsible for whatever his victim does to him. There is not the slightest reason why the victim of any attack should care at all or concern himself in the least with the welfare of anyone who endangers his life ny violently attacking him.
This is "where we’re coming from".
No one in the world despises violence more than we do. We abhor physical aggression and regard as mindless savages those who choose violence in any instance, save that of DEFENSE. However, when defense is necessary — when it is MADE NECESSARY by some extralegal misfit — then we advocate the victim's instant and decisive counterattacking action; with NO regard for the opponent. It is simply too dangerous for anyone to bother with anything but the immediate application of decisive force when he is subjected to a violent attack. And in training and preparation for this contingency, we instruct anyone whose life is in imminent danger to attack ferociously and immediately, and to do so with utter disregard for the violent offender who has made this action necessary.
A victim who follows our teachings may still be injured or killed. That merely underscores the dire risk and danger of a physical attack. However, IF successfully defending himself is feasible, then a 100% drive to the wall — relentlessly attacking with ferocity and determination until the threat is neutralized — will certainly turn the trick for the intended victim.
Over the decades we have trained physicians, university professors, law enforcement officers, school teachers, businessmen, housewives, engineers, soldiers, private investigators, accountants, and virtually every type and variety of decent, respectable, peaceful human being in every vocation, occupation, and calling. Such fundamentally good people need to understand — to be taught to apply — attitudes, skills, and tactics that, were these people able to choose, would never have become necessary. And that’s the point. One IS NEVER “ABLE TO CHOOSE” TO AVOID A DETERMINED PHYSICAL ASSAILANT. ONE MUST DEAL WITH HIM. And the manner in which dealing with such a creature is best accomplished — proven in actual situations in both peacetime and during war — is by GOING AFTER HIM! The 100% committed "drive to the wall", all-out, the very second one realizes that one is in imminent danger, is the way to go. It WORKS.
If you’re ever in trouble, use it.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Defense Against Abduction
© COPYRIGHT 2009 BY BRADLEY J. STEINER - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Sword and Pen – November 2009 Issue
[Reprinted With Permission]
American Combato
Seattle Combatives
"Get in the car or I’ll blow your head off!"
"Come with me and I won’t hurt you; but I’ll use this knife if you resist!"
"Just come with us, and we won’t hurt you. But if you so as much as move the wrong way, we’ll kill you!"
"You can’t get away, so just come with me and don’t make a sound!"
It is difficult to imagine hearing more terrifying words than those above, spoken by one or more violent offenders whose clear intention is to effect your kidnapping. Only a genuine idiot would regard such a situation as being either non-frightening, or "easy to handle if you’re trained in the martial arts".
In fact, it is to prepare decent people to deal PRECISELY WITH THIS KIND OF HORRIFIC THREAT, and not to "win contests", or to "be a champion", that genuine combat training and quality self-defense instruction ought to be — and in the case of American Combato and similar systems — IS intended and directed.
But many would ask: “What could one possibly do in such an awful situation? Would it not prove futile — even suicidal — to attempt any resistance when confronted by this kind of threat?”
Without in the least denying the lethal nature of such an admittedly awful predicament, we must emphasize that by no means is resistance either "futile" or "impossible". In fact, we will not be surprised if we learn that many black belts would disagree with us, and that SUBMISSION and COMPLIANCE would be their (well-intended, but completely incorrect) advice, in the face of this kind of situation.
The truth is that the best (i.e. most likely to save the intended victim) reaction to an abduction attempt is the SURPRISE EMPLOYMENT OF WELL-EXECUTED DEADLY FORCE SKILLS BY THE INTENDED VICTIM. And, there’s a "right way" to do it — the rudiments of which we shall now explain.
Here, in a nutshell, is what you need to know about defending against abduction:
1. THE SITUATION IS NOT “HOPELESS.
2. YOU NEED TO KEEP YOUR COOL
3. YOU NEED TO CONVEY A MISLEADING ATTITUDE
4. YOU NEED TO ABSOLUTELY KNOW AND FEEL THAT YOUR LIFE IS AT STAKE
5. YOU NEED LETHAL SKILLS AND — ABOVE ALL — THE UNHESITANT WILLINGNESS TO USE THEM WITHOUT RESTRAINT OR MERCY
6. YOU MUST NEVER PERMIT YOURSELF TO BE REMOVED FROM THE INITIAL SCENE OF CONFRONTATION WITH THE ABDUCTOR(S), AND YOU MUST NEVER ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE PLACED IN A PHYSICALLY HELPLESS POSITION
7. YOU MUST ACT AS SOON AS REALISTICALLY FEASIBLE ACCORDING TO YOUR ASSESSMENT OF THE SITUATION, AND IN LIGHT OF THE ABOVE
8. THE VERY SECOND YOU HAVE CREATED THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO, YOU MUST ESCAPE THE SCENE AND GET AS FAR AWAY AS YOU CAN, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
Killing a would-be criminal kidnapper is not merely "legal" — it is the proper thing to attempt to do, if you are able to do it, because it provides you with certain safety if successful, and, whether completely successful or not, it provides you with the surest means of getting away. Too many softies resist this "politically incorrect" idea today. The idea that, somehow, there is a "nice" or a "sanitized" way to defend against a lethal threat is a popular (and very stupid) misconception.
Face it: If you are confronting the threat of kidnap, then your LIFE is at stake.
Since kidnappers will not likely attempt their act when there is plenty of help around, and/or when you have a pretty decent avenue of escape open to you by running, you will be on your own. Remember, in this awful situation, that abductors do NOT wish to kill you at the moment of the abduction. For whatever reason they want to take you elsewhere, and to do so speedily, quietly, and without risk to themselves. Your opportunity for escape and survival is never going to be greater than it is AT THE SCENE OF THE ABDUCTION ATTEMPT — AND AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
Later on, after your kidnapper(s) has taken you away, your chances of surviving and escaping drop drastically, as you will be in a more secured environment (from the kidnapper’s perspective), you will be further away from any help, you will almost certainly be more mentally terrified and confused, and you’ll probably have undergone some physical ―softening up‖ (ie being BEATEN) by your abductor(s). You may, as captivity is prolonged, be deprived of adequate clothing, footwear, and nourishment. You may even be drugged. The message is: YOU MUST GET AWAY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
You cannot allow yourself to be tied up, handcuffed, shoved into a vehicle’s trunk, taken on board a vessel or aircraft, or otherwise placed in a position of total helplessness.
Should your kidnapper intend any of the above, PRETEND momentarily to be terrified and compliant, then ATTACK HIM WITH LETHAL INTENT AND DO NOT STOP ATTACKING UNTIL YOU HAVE ELIMINATED THE THREAT AND ARE ABLE TO ESCAPE.
If held at knife or gunpoint you must initially surrender. Convey fear and compliance. BUT THE VERY MOMENT YOU PERCEIVE THAT YOUR ABDUCTOR BELIEVES YOU ARE UNDER HIS CONTROL, KNOCK THE WEAPON ASIDE AND — IF YOU CAN — KILL HIM IMMEDIATELY.
Even if confronted by apparently unarmed abductors, whenever there is more than one, feign initial fear and compliance. This will normally prevent them from initiating what might be a knockout blow or overwhelming physical attack that you will be unable to repel immediately. WAIT. Let them believe that they’ve got you. Then ATTACK! Then get away.
In the unlikely event that you are confronted by a solitary and apparently unarmed abductor, make no initial telegraphing move, but without warning kick him in the testicles, chop him across the neck or throat, ram your fingers into his eyes and then break his leg with a side kick, etc. Then GET AWAY.
Remember that anyone — kidnapper or other lethal felon — who points a weapon at you and whose intention it is to cause you to comply with him, thereby, HAS PLACED HIMSELF ON THE DEFENSIVE. That means that the intended victim has the opportunity to select the moment when he will act, and the intended victim GETS TO MAKE THE FIRST MOVE!
Remember that it is not merely your life that an abductor is directly menacing, it is the life of every individual whom you love and who loves you. Remember that anyone dependent upon you will lose you if the abductor is successful. Remember, above all, that you must forthrightly, fully, and without the slightest tremor of hesitancy, PLAN ON KILLING AND INTEND TO KILL as effective preparatory training any individual or individuals who would forcibly kidnap you, or your reaction will be pathetically weak and ineffective, in a predicament that is already lethally serious and grave. This does not mean that in order to survive and escape you will inevitably have to kill your abductor. It means that initiating anything less than lethal force in your escape effort is foolish. Whether or not a kidnapper dies is irrelevant. By his action he has forfeited any right that he may have had to even the slightest mercy or consideration. SO DO NOT GIVE HIM ANY!
Thus far it has been our assumption that you will not be armed at the time of the kidnap attempt. Obviously, if you are armed, your weapon must be used as expertly and as unhesitantly as you are capable of using it. Remember that you may not be able to access a pistol or a knife quickly enough in an emergency, and you may well need to respond with unarmed force in order to gain the time and the distance needed to secure your weapon. DO NOT TRY TO “ARREST” YOUR ABDUCTOR(S). This will place you on the defensive, and you do not want to be thusly positioned. Just use that weapon to full effect, and do not hesitate or restrain yourself in the least. YOUR LIFE IS HANGING IN THE BALANCE!
There may be an object at hand with which you are able to assist yourself. If so, USE IT! Use it quickly, brutally, repeatedly, and without mercy, until you can safely escape.
The prospect for survival when or if kidnapped is frighteningly poor. On the other hand, the odds of successfully escaping BEFORE THE ABDUCTION HAS BEEN SUCCESSFULLY ACCOMPLISHED are considerable. In any case, it is always worth taking the chance, and taking action.
SPECIAL NOTE: We have, during the last several years, had the privilege of training a number of our Nation’s fighting men prior to their departure for the cesspool of the Middle East. We have invariably counseled these young men to NEVER FAIL to be armed with a readily accessible, razor-sharp fighting knife AND with a loaded, powerful handgun. Unfortunately we have had to say “To hell with the regulations!” when one or another of these men has advised us that such would not be permitted. the fact is, resisting an abduction attempt and dying while killing one’s abductors (a worse case scenario) beats ending up on the internet and being publicly beheaded by savages.
Our advice to those wonderful men who serve in the defense of our Country is the same. Whenever it is a matter of “survival versus compliance with rules” choose SURVIVAL!
Sword and Pen – November 2009 Issue
[Reprinted With Permission]
American Combato
Seattle Combatives
"Get in the car or I’ll blow your head off!"
"Come with me and I won’t hurt you; but I’ll use this knife if you resist!"
"Just come with us, and we won’t hurt you. But if you so as much as move the wrong way, we’ll kill you!"
"You can’t get away, so just come with me and don’t make a sound!"
It is difficult to imagine hearing more terrifying words than those above, spoken by one or more violent offenders whose clear intention is to effect your kidnapping. Only a genuine idiot would regard such a situation as being either non-frightening, or "easy to handle if you’re trained in the martial arts".
In fact, it is to prepare decent people to deal PRECISELY WITH THIS KIND OF HORRIFIC THREAT, and not to "win contests", or to "be a champion", that genuine combat training and quality self-defense instruction ought to be — and in the case of American Combato and similar systems — IS intended and directed.
But many would ask: “What could one possibly do in such an awful situation? Would it not prove futile — even suicidal — to attempt any resistance when confronted by this kind of threat?”
Without in the least denying the lethal nature of such an admittedly awful predicament, we must emphasize that by no means is resistance either "futile" or "impossible". In fact, we will not be surprised if we learn that many black belts would disagree with us, and that SUBMISSION and COMPLIANCE would be their (well-intended, but completely incorrect) advice, in the face of this kind of situation.
The truth is that the best (i.e. most likely to save the intended victim) reaction to an abduction attempt is the SURPRISE EMPLOYMENT OF WELL-EXECUTED DEADLY FORCE SKILLS BY THE INTENDED VICTIM. And, there’s a "right way" to do it — the rudiments of which we shall now explain.
Here, in a nutshell, is what you need to know about defending against abduction:
1. THE SITUATION IS NOT “HOPELESS.
2. YOU NEED TO KEEP YOUR COOL
3. YOU NEED TO CONVEY A MISLEADING ATTITUDE
4. YOU NEED TO ABSOLUTELY KNOW AND FEEL THAT YOUR LIFE IS AT STAKE
5. YOU NEED LETHAL SKILLS AND — ABOVE ALL — THE UNHESITANT WILLINGNESS TO USE THEM WITHOUT RESTRAINT OR MERCY
6. YOU MUST NEVER PERMIT YOURSELF TO BE REMOVED FROM THE INITIAL SCENE OF CONFRONTATION WITH THE ABDUCTOR(S), AND YOU MUST NEVER ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE PLACED IN A PHYSICALLY HELPLESS POSITION
7. YOU MUST ACT AS SOON AS REALISTICALLY FEASIBLE ACCORDING TO YOUR ASSESSMENT OF THE SITUATION, AND IN LIGHT OF THE ABOVE
8. THE VERY SECOND YOU HAVE CREATED THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO, YOU MUST ESCAPE THE SCENE AND GET AS FAR AWAY AS YOU CAN, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
Killing a would-be criminal kidnapper is not merely "legal" — it is the proper thing to attempt to do, if you are able to do it, because it provides you with certain safety if successful, and, whether completely successful or not, it provides you with the surest means of getting away. Too many softies resist this "politically incorrect" idea today. The idea that, somehow, there is a "nice" or a "sanitized" way to defend against a lethal threat is a popular (and very stupid) misconception.
Face it: If you are confronting the threat of kidnap, then your LIFE is at stake.
Since kidnappers will not likely attempt their act when there is plenty of help around, and/or when you have a pretty decent avenue of escape open to you by running, you will be on your own. Remember, in this awful situation, that abductors do NOT wish to kill you at the moment of the abduction. For whatever reason they want to take you elsewhere, and to do so speedily, quietly, and without risk to themselves. Your opportunity for escape and survival is never going to be greater than it is AT THE SCENE OF THE ABDUCTION ATTEMPT — AND AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
Later on, after your kidnapper(s) has taken you away, your chances of surviving and escaping drop drastically, as you will be in a more secured environment (from the kidnapper’s perspective), you will be further away from any help, you will almost certainly be more mentally terrified and confused, and you’ll probably have undergone some physical ―softening up‖ (ie being BEATEN) by your abductor(s). You may, as captivity is prolonged, be deprived of adequate clothing, footwear, and nourishment. You may even be drugged. The message is: YOU MUST GET AWAY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
You cannot allow yourself to be tied up, handcuffed, shoved into a vehicle’s trunk, taken on board a vessel or aircraft, or otherwise placed in a position of total helplessness.
Should your kidnapper intend any of the above, PRETEND momentarily to be terrified and compliant, then ATTACK HIM WITH LETHAL INTENT AND DO NOT STOP ATTACKING UNTIL YOU HAVE ELIMINATED THE THREAT AND ARE ABLE TO ESCAPE.
If held at knife or gunpoint you must initially surrender. Convey fear and compliance. BUT THE VERY MOMENT YOU PERCEIVE THAT YOUR ABDUCTOR BELIEVES YOU ARE UNDER HIS CONTROL, KNOCK THE WEAPON ASIDE AND — IF YOU CAN — KILL HIM IMMEDIATELY.
Even if confronted by apparently unarmed abductors, whenever there is more than one, feign initial fear and compliance. This will normally prevent them from initiating what might be a knockout blow or overwhelming physical attack that you will be unable to repel immediately. WAIT. Let them believe that they’ve got you. Then ATTACK! Then get away.
In the unlikely event that you are confronted by a solitary and apparently unarmed abductor, make no initial telegraphing move, but without warning kick him in the testicles, chop him across the neck or throat, ram your fingers into his eyes and then break his leg with a side kick, etc. Then GET AWAY.
Remember that anyone — kidnapper or other lethal felon — who points a weapon at you and whose intention it is to cause you to comply with him, thereby, HAS PLACED HIMSELF ON THE DEFENSIVE. That means that the intended victim has the opportunity to select the moment when he will act, and the intended victim GETS TO MAKE THE FIRST MOVE!
Remember that it is not merely your life that an abductor is directly menacing, it is the life of every individual whom you love and who loves you. Remember that anyone dependent upon you will lose you if the abductor is successful. Remember, above all, that you must forthrightly, fully, and without the slightest tremor of hesitancy, PLAN ON KILLING AND INTEND TO KILL as effective preparatory training any individual or individuals who would forcibly kidnap you, or your reaction will be pathetically weak and ineffective, in a predicament that is already lethally serious and grave. This does not mean that in order to survive and escape you will inevitably have to kill your abductor. It means that initiating anything less than lethal force in your escape effort is foolish. Whether or not a kidnapper dies is irrelevant. By his action he has forfeited any right that he may have had to even the slightest mercy or consideration. SO DO NOT GIVE HIM ANY!
Thus far it has been our assumption that you will not be armed at the time of the kidnap attempt. Obviously, if you are armed, your weapon must be used as expertly and as unhesitantly as you are capable of using it. Remember that you may not be able to access a pistol or a knife quickly enough in an emergency, and you may well need to respond with unarmed force in order to gain the time and the distance needed to secure your weapon. DO NOT TRY TO “ARREST” YOUR ABDUCTOR(S). This will place you on the defensive, and you do not want to be thusly positioned. Just use that weapon to full effect, and do not hesitate or restrain yourself in the least. YOUR LIFE IS HANGING IN THE BALANCE!
There may be an object at hand with which you are able to assist yourself. If so, USE IT! Use it quickly, brutally, repeatedly, and without mercy, until you can safely escape.
The prospect for survival when or if kidnapped is frighteningly poor. On the other hand, the odds of successfully escaping BEFORE THE ABDUCTION HAS BEEN SUCCESSFULLY ACCOMPLISHED are considerable. In any case, it is always worth taking the chance, and taking action.
SPECIAL NOTE: We have, during the last several years, had the privilege of training a number of our Nation’s fighting men prior to their departure for the cesspool of the Middle East. We have invariably counseled these young men to NEVER FAIL to be armed with a readily accessible, razor-sharp fighting knife AND with a loaded, powerful handgun. Unfortunately we have had to say “To hell with the regulations!” when one or another of these men has advised us that such would not be permitted. the fact is, resisting an abduction attempt and dying while killing one’s abductors (a worse case scenario) beats ending up on the internet and being publicly beheaded by savages.
Our advice to those wonderful men who serve in the defense of our Country is the same. Whenever it is a matter of “survival versus compliance with rules” choose SURVIVAL!
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