Everything you know about self-defense is wrong (part 1) | Mickey Z.

Photo credit: Erika Wittlieb. Pixabay.

Mickey Z. -- World News Trust

August 24, 2016

To begin, let me clarify what “self defense” means to me by paraphrasing this from the Center for Anti-Violence Education (from whom I’ve learned plenty, some of which I’ve adapted in this three-part series): 

Self-defense is everything and anything we do to protect and take care of ourselves. This may include, for example, trusting our instincts, avoiding danger by getting away, fighting back using verbal and physical skills, understanding prevention and safety strategies, finding support and healing after an attack. 

At its core, I believe self defense = survival. There are no secrets or magic formulas; “self defense” makes no promises. More often than not, pre-planned “moves” don’t work. If anyone tells you otherwise, practice real self defense and get away from them as quickly as possible!

If I were to be hired to offer a self-defense seminar (hint, hint), here are some of the basic guidelines I’d aim for during the session:

• Respect. Trying not to judge other participants or yourself.
• Courage. It’s more than okay to make mistakes. Participants would be invited to safely step up to try new things while taking care of themselves. Of course, you can opt to stay on the fringes and watch but if we’re all trying something together, it can be fun to risk imperfection together.
• Honesty. From me. In how I explain what we’re up against and how 99 percent of self defense teachers teach fantasy.

This seminar would consist of three loosely delineated sections:

• Awareness
• Some stretches, movement, and practical work
• Lengthy Q&A

Q. Who can practice self-defense? 

A. Everyone and anyone.

Contrary to YouTube, you don’t have to be strong, fast, experienced, “sexy,” or super fit. But you do have to be committed. Arguably, the three most important words in self-defense are “choose to commit.”

Which brings me to a major component of the seminar I’m planning, the pledge: “I will resist and I will survive, by any means necessary.”

I’ll ask all participants to state this pledge, several times during the session. The idea is to recognize that, with self defense, nothing is more important than this commitment: 

• Decide in advance to survive. (As Derrick Jensen reminds us: “The Jews who participated in the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising had a much higher rate of survival than those who went along.”)
• Condition your mind to defend yourself and who/what you love.
• Condition your body to endure.
• Live in a state of awareness. (more on this in part 2)
• Take time to learn some useful tools like kicks, punches, blocks, etc. But never forget: anything goes. There’s no such thing as fighting “dirty.” (more on this in part 3)

I’ll say it again: There are no secrets, no magic formulas, no promises. More often than not, pre-planned “moves” don’t work. If I regularly practiced fire drills, would you believe I was “ready” to deal with any type of fire, anywhere, at any time? Of course not. Practically anything else I could be teaching would offer a template of outcomes and situations. With self defense, there is no script. It’s all improv. If (when?) your turn to be attacked arrives, first and foremost: be committed to fight back. 

It begins with a pledge: “I will resist and I will survive, by any means necessary.”

Part 2, coming soon: Awareness.

Mickey Z. is currently writing two books, a memoir called How to Lose Friends & Influence Nobody: My Life as an “Activist,” and a novel entitled a little idea. In the meantime, he can be found here.