What are you envisioning for a self defense scenairo?

[loki09789]

This may be different than some:

1. It will be serious and potentially lethal/deadly - even if it only 'feels' wrong at first - with the potential for some really fast changes.

2. My body will betray me to a degree because of the natural fight or flight condition (sweaty palms, loss of fine motor skill, tunnel vision, possible loss of hearing, ...) and I will have to consider my state of fitness/health/sobriety... so that I don't become my own worst enemy by writing paychecks I can't cash, or mistiming/misjudging something.

3. There will be no time to come up with something 'on the fly', my mental/physical preparation and experience prior to the moment will dictate what I do in the moment.

4. Even the worst plan is better than no plan, but the more you practice planning the better your plans will be.

Anything else is too specific and limiting. That's why I try to work on read and react/OODA loop/tactical approaches so that I am adaptable.

Paul M

 

[Cruentus]

If this theoretical woman came to you as an instructor and said she wanted to be effective in 3 months, would you take her on as a student or recommend her to someone else? If you took her on, what would you do with her?

Right now, I'd probably refer her elsewhere. But it depends on how many students I have and if I can give her the special attention she needs. I have done it before. I prefer to have a larger group to train a self defense crash course.

Lets pretend its an 8 week course....

Week 1. 4 main striking areas (eyes, throat, knees, groin), some secondary targets, and "safe" striking techniques (strikes that won't result in her damaging herself). Lots of live training and scenario training.

Week 2. Standing grappling. The anatomy of a grab. and releases from all kinds of standing grabs. I'd go over some joint manipluation (like grabbing a finger to help with your release), but nothing too complicated. Lots of live and scenario training.

Week 3. ground grappling and close quarters grappling. Lots of live and scenario training once again.

Week 4. Introduction to using blunt and edged weapons. Scenario and live training.

Week 5: Applying what you know about weapons to using weapons of opportunity in your environment. Scenario and live training.

Week 6: dealing with an armed attacker. Scenario and live training

Week 7: Review different types of weapons (OC spray, knife, tazer) that she could carry, and go over the pro's and cons. Address protection of other people (if you have a child with you for instance). Discuss and train different awareness type situations, applying all that has been learned.

Week 8: Review. cover questions and train her weak areas. Work on overall awareness, scenario, and live training applying everything that she learned.

In a nutshell, that is something like what I'd do.

PAUL

 

[loki09789]

Paul J.

Sounds pretty comprehensive.

What drills or activities would you use to develop environmental sensitivity/awareness?

You didn't mention it here, but I have read other posts where you mention use of force issues - would you include that in explanation or just imbed it in the techniques/training?
What about police reporting and the like?


Paul M.

 

[loki09789]

Hey! I just realized that your outline stopped at Week 8:

"I paid good money for 12 weeks of instruction and you only planned and taught me for 8 weeks. Never mind that you were ahead of my timeline.... I want my 4 more weeks or my money back."

Training would be so much easier without all these damn students

Paul M.

 

[Cruentus]

Originally posted by loki09789
Paul J.

Sounds pretty comprehensive.

What drills or activities would you use to develop environmental sensitivity/awareness?

You didn't mention it here, but I have read other posts where you mention use of force issues - would you include that in explanation or just imbed it in the techniques/training?
What about police reporting and the like?


Paul M.

Most drills would be live drills that would inspire a spontanious reaction from them, while allowing them to work on some attributes. For striking work, this would include everything from focus pad training, to 'sparring' type situations. Understand, though, that this wouldn't be your normal focus pad or sparring type training. I might do a focus pad drill where I try to corner them against a wall with the focus pads, and they have to strike the pads and evade. Or I might pad up and play the attacker who trys to grapple them to the ground, and their job is to strike and evade. When I say "live" training, I mean training that works on attributes (striking, evasion, etc.) but while in "live" circumstance where their partner is both resisting and unpredictable.

Scenario training would work on certian concepts applied to actual...well...scenarios. They could range. For example, a big part of self defense for a woman after an attack in initiated is her ability to exit the scene so she isn't forced to "fight" her attacker. So, I could do a 3 person drill. One person holds a sign that says "exit". the other person is the "attacker", and she is the defender. She closes her eyes and spins around a couple of times. The person with the exit sign moves somewhere in the room. THe "attacker" then initiates a grab, which is her cue to open her eyes, attempt to release the grab and evade the attacker while looking for the "exit," then she has to run to the exit sign and touch it. Depending on where the sign is, she may have to run around or even "through" her assalient to get to it. This works on the tactical ability to release the grab and defend from the attacker while looking for a means of escape. I like to do this particular drill after showing them how to release from grabs.

There are a ton of scenario training and drills that get get covered, which go beyond the scope of an internet forum to explain in depth (my posts are long enough! ) but I think you get the idea. Basically the drills should be "live" and the scenario training should work on skills that they will need if in a self defense circumstance.

There is a lot of discussion that goes along with a course like this, as well as a lot of handouts and referals to sources. Reporting to police is included in these discussions and handouts.

The main thing about force that I discuss is the difference between lethal and non-lethal force, and the 3 elements that would justify lethal force. I would discuss this more on the weapons section.

I hope that covers some of what you were asking. Also, I am always open to suggestions for scenario training and drills, if you have anything to add!

 

[Cruentus]

Originally posted by loki09789
Hey! I just realized that your outline stopped at Week 8:

"I paid good money for 12 weeks of instruction and you only planned and taught me for 8 weeks. Never mind that you were ahead of my timeline.... I want my 4 more weeks or my money back."

Training would be so much easier without all these damn students

Paul M.

lol If I had more time then 8 weeks, then that would only allow me to spend more time on each section!

 

[loki09789]

"Scenario training would work on certian concepts applied to actual...well...scenarios"

What concepts would you emphasis, and what kind of sources would you use to get them from?

For me, these concepts would come directly from my FMA/Military/LEO background and experience.

This format sounds like a great beginner program for ANY self defensive martial art program, so how would this differ from your regular class structure for a student's first 3 months of training?

Paul M