Violence and Self-Defense

Violence and Self-Defense

By Thom Bolsch and Ron Mullins

There has always been, and there always will be violence in the world; and we’re not referring to “The Animal Kingdom”.

In nature, violence is a means to order, food and territorial protection. For humans, violence tends to be a means toward domination and destruction.

We hear about violent encounters in the news, but rarely is violence perpetrated on us; or even someone we know. However, we are all; every one of us, at risk of a violent attack.

So we ask the question: Do you know what you’d do if attacked?

Let’s be honest here. In the middle of an attack, where fear and shock are at their peak; you are not going to automatically become a Ninja Warrior and beat down your assailant. You are going to default to whatever training that you’ve practiced. If you do not train, and do not practice; your odds are slim.

In a violent confrontation, there is no such concept as a “fair fight”; there is only “survive”. You are NOT going to get any advance notice; it will be a sucker punch or an unexpected attack from behind.

Your response after the initial shock, trained or not, will be determined by the outcome of the encounter. If you’ve studied complex moves that require thought and strategy; you are not going to get the results you expect. If you have two or three simple, but effective strikes that can stun the attacker long enough for you to escape; you will likely survive with only physical scrapes and bruises. The emotional trauma may linger, but you’ll be alive to deal with that later.

Remember, you only want to break off the attack and get away. This is not where you are going to “show them” they picked on the wrong person. Get away, call Law Enforcement and live another day.

There are a few good programs that can help you prepare for the possibility of a violent encounter. We have had self-defense classes at Saddle River Range; and we will have more – watch for them on the calendar. You can also find other courses in various parts of the country and even order a set of DVDs that walk you through simple, effective strikes that can turn the tide on your attacker.

We are big proponents of training. Practical, realistic training; with a syllabus that will put you in a position in which you may actually find yourself. However, it’s the practice along with the training that will allow us to survive.

We train using our carry firearm; but what if that defensive tool is not accessible? Planning and preparing for the various developments of something you hope never occurs is the mark of a responsible person. We run fire drills to prepare for the possibility of a fire; and what to do if there is a fire. The aviation community conducts training on how to respond to the possibility of emergencies in flight. Schools are now conducting “Active Shooting” drills – and we’re all for it. Understanding the potential risk, planning for that risk and preparation will go a long way in minimizing loss and injury.

The same is true in self-defense and violent encounters. Understand that it can occur, plan for that occurrence and prepare. Seek out proper training and dedicate time to practice that training. Live your life, enjoy your life and know what to do if you encounter a bump along the road.

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Learn more about training programs and firearm instruction here at Saddle River Range. Club memberships can be found here.

Be Aware, Be Safe.

Violence and Self-Defense

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