Assessing your threat...

[kiddbjj]

Hey guys, assess your threat of needing to defend yourself phsyically.
Most people are creatures of habit and therefore spend most of their lives at specific places and doing certain things on a regular basis.
For example, most of us will either spend a large chunk of our day either at home, work or school. Then there's your travel mode: bus, car, train, walking.
What about where you hang out. Movies? Nightclubs? Bars? Library?

Obviously there is always the unexpected but i think that most people could account for a good 75% of their time when trying to work out where an attack would occur.
Home invasion.
Car jacking.
Mugging on the street.
Bar brawl.
etc...

From this you can then roughly and honestly decide whether your training is adequately meeting your needs.
Should you account more for multiple attackers. If at home alot will you know how to handle the multitude of weapons in the average house that you could grab. Do you know where to get help along your bus or walking route home.
Do you go to places where violence and fights are common ie. bars or anywhere with alcohol.

So what do you say guys? assess your threats and share with the group. How can you tailor your training accordingly? I know my Bjj will help if a SINGLE robber enters my home at night, but if it's more than one then I'm gunna need to get to my folding knife before they get to me.

Let's hear your thoughts!

[Sanitarium]

Good post man. I think it's very helpful indeed to spend some time thinking and visualizing about how and where you would typically be attacked. Let's face it you're not going to be mugged in your dojo right? Thinking about this will probably give you a better idea of what techniques are going to be adequate or necessary in these situations.

A downside could be spending too much time thinking about this, and visualising too much, thus giving yourself a subconcious expectation of possible situations, and limiting yourself, or even being took by total suprise and not being able to use any technique.

But if you just take some time to maybe practise or visualise some specific moves ie. from your car, or on a bus, on on a street, it should leave you better prepared to execute them, or variations of them, in real life situations.

Also, as we know it's best to avoid confrontation completely, so even things like staying out of people's way, certain bus routes, help your overall ability to stay safe.

[JaredExtreme]

Yes this is correct. I have never been in a real situation where I've had to defend myself (aside from a few scuffles in high school). This is because I don't go to nightclubs, bars, or hang around in areas that trouble usually occurs. Me and my friends go to movies, the gym, and sporting events (baseball/basketball), places that are pretty safe with an extremely low probability of being attacked.

The place where I train BJJ is only a few miles from my house, but I drive there. This is because in order to get to the academy I have to travel through a seedy part of town where drug dealing and prostitution occur. Walking through this area late at night by myself is simply asking for trouble.

Also, I try avoiding riding the bus after dark if possible. I've heard a few bad stories involving Metro at night and simply choose to avoid it.

Certain places are just more dangerous than others, and those should be avoided if at all possible.

[darrianation]

Situational awareness

My two and a half cents,

Threat assessment as it pertains to individual protection begins and ends with situational awareness.

The Factors:
1) Know the types of crime that are most likely to happen in the area where you live?
2) Type of crimes in you neighborhood?
3) Type of crimes where you work?
4) Type of crimes where you walk/exercise (out doors)?
5) Type of crimes where you play (bars, gym, etc)?

You can do searches of your local newspaper for these statistics or contact you local police. Be aware of changing trends.

Other valuable procedures (developing your own procedures)
1) Set up and keep current procedures
2) Do not deviate from these procedures
3) Be prepared for specific places you may go in advance
4) Continually scan the environment and asses as you go

Failures come from:
1) Complacency
2) Bad judgment
3) Lack of knowledge
4) Lack of preparation

Things to know (developing procedures):
1) Know the environment you expect to be in (day or night, neighborhood, place like a bar or a party)
2) Know the risks
3) Be aware of your surrounding, be aware of escape routes, and be aware of the people near you and in the direction you are going. Be aware of agitated people or people in a heightened emotional state
4) If you think you are being watched vary your routines (walk/drive different routes, change direction, etc)
5) Know where safe areas are (police station, fire station, places that are public and well lit with plenty of other people around, friends Holmes, etc

*Remember you don’t run from danger you run for help!

Know the stages (clues of attack)
1) Triggering event- Hey what the f*** are you looking at, the middle finger, honking of the horn, etc.
2) Escalation- Person squares off, threatens violence, sentences become shorter or cease altogether, he may increase his breathing, he may make fists and tense up (these are common clues but are not exclusive)

Some basic safety tips:
1) Be aware!
2) Take a friend (do not go out alone, specially when drinking is involved or bad areas of town, or at night)
3) Walk and act confident- Hold head high, back straight, and walk briskly (body language)
4) Do not wear expensive jewelry, or show you cash of in public, etc
5) Rounding corners swing wide, keep a safe distance from foliage, doorways, and dark places, etc.
6) Parking lot security- Park in a well lit area, park as close to the place you are going as possibly, be aware of people lurking around your vehicle when returning, etc.
7) Car security- Have key ready, have a small light for fast access to the lock at night, lock doors and windows immediately after getting into your car do not sit and wait in car listening to music or talking on cell phone, drive away, etc.
8) Home security- Lock all doors and windows even when you are home, do not open the door for people you don’t know talk through the door, know where and how to obtain weapons quickly (guns, knifes, clubs, hasty weapons, phone and phone numbers)
9) Watch for people who are dressed incorrectly for the environment or weather like a raincoat on a sunny day or a coat in warm whether, etc
10) Be aware!

I could go on all day with these tips but you get the picture.