I'm with you guys on having all the right gear, knowing how to use it & being healthy (mentally & physically)enough to put the gear & the know-how to use. But does anyone ever think about being able to defend yourself & loved ones physically? I mean in an unarmed fight, IMO every man should be able to "handle" himself. This post is not about civil unrest or the shtf. It's more about always being ready (prepared) for what ever life may bring. Hopefully like my various kits & gear, I will never have to use the things I've picked up. And just like my kits & gear, I sleep better knowing that I can protect myself & loved ones if the need ever arises. I think being able to fight is part of survival & preparedness. Am I barking up the wrong tree? Is this the wrong site to post this sort of thing?

When you get my age it's:
308=long range.
12 Gauge mid range.
45 acp short range..

end of test?

In my opinion, a huge part of "self defense" is being aware of your surroundings at all times, and avoiding those situations that will force you into actually defending yourself or your family. Sure, somethings bad things just happen, but many people seem to walk blindly into trouble...

I would have to go with OBG on this. Situational awareness in most routines is going to be the best method of self defense. Channing (MacGyvering for weapons instead of tools, after Jackie Chan's use of non-standard implements in movie melee) is a good example of applying a little street skills type fighting and situational awareness, but really, we've been fighting each other with sticks and stones for a long time. It takes extraordinary skills and training for most unarmed fighters to take on anyone already armed with a modicum of how to use the weapon at hand. A good knife in an average fighter's hand is something to be respected, even by another knife wielder. There's a number of times I can imagine where a good fighting blade would be preferable over a sidearm.

However, the best way of surviving a confrontation is to avoid it in the first place.

I agree. And I think this is the correct site to post it.

Situational awareness probably works well 95-98% of the time.

But walking into a dark building from blinding sunlight, or into a mini-mart that has reflective film on the windows can still put you into a poor or bad situation.

Knowing some self-defense moves always seems better to me than not knowing ANY self-defense moves.

Your legs are longer and stronger than his knife arm. Fold his knee the wrong way and his focus will change dramatically.

Sue

Self-defense is a very big part of being equipped to survive. Although my campus, like many, doesn't allow the possession of firearms on campus, I'm working on getting my concealed carry permit. So I will be able to carry in places where I feel the threat is great enough to justify carrying.

After that I think mace or another less lethal weapon is a good choice. Even (maybe especially) if you are carrying a sidearm, less lethal options should be considered. There are situations which don't call for deadly force, but can't be resolved peacefully.

Finally, if you aren't taking a martial arts, I think one of the best sources for unarmed combat skills is Colonel Rex Applegate's book Kill or Get Killed. Kill or Get Killed is availible online in PDF for free here . It's fairly old (1943), but it was written from his experiance training commandos in World War II. He doesn't teach very many complicated moves (a few of the throws are), just brutally effective, simple techniques for destroying an attacker. Its not a substitute for taking a martial art, but it does show you concepts that can be effective with very little training.

And like a couple people have already said, the base layer of any defense is awareness. I think its also one of the hardest skills to develop. I try very hard to stay aware of my surroundings, but I still find myself losing focus or drifting off into my own thoughts. Its something that has to be constantly practiced.

Avoidance is the best policy. Being aware of where you are and who's around you is good too. Fighting should be last on the list, but when push comes to shove & all else has failed a person should know how to fight. Just like having car or life insurance, knowing how to fight gives you peace of mind. We rarely have to use our insurance but when we do, boy it sure comes in handy. That's how I look at it.

I'd swapp 3 & 4. But other than that, I agree with your list.

Awareness is the biggest part of self-defense. Everyone know's that and repeatedly says it. Its sensible, you can't avoid or respond to an attack you don't know is coming. But how do you acheive awareness? I don't think its enough to say, "Ok, I'm going to start being more aware." Does anyone have any techniques or exercises for becoming more aware? Maybe games you can play by yourself or with friends to notice more and do it with less concious effort?