I have read a lot of articles on preparedness and agree full heartedly that any thinking man or woman should be fully prepared for the worst. However in most of the blogs I read I have not seen to much about reality self defense. I feel that all preppers should enlist a hand to hand self defense program into their lives. I am not promoting any certain form. Nor am I saying that people should blow a bunch of money on things that do not work.
In my honest opinion, WWII combative styles and other quick to learn and employ techniques trained on home built practice dummies are the way to go. I do not suggest that anyone should truly practice on another person due to the inherent way that you teach yourself to pull the strikes, which would not be useful in a real life or death situation.
As far as how to gather the equipment a quick internet search would show you links to videos and plans to build a dummy to fit you’re needs as you see fit. Also a quick search will give you ample books and videos to buy, or free videos out there to teach you the basics of most styles. The basics are really what one needs to build off of, you would be surprised how many arts are formed of the base that another built.
Basics are the foundation that you will always come back to. Much like a house in sand without it you sink. Boxing fundamentals are great to know. You learn a good stance for defense and you learn a great deal about delivering a blow without projecting to you’re opponent you’re intentions. The same applies to Thai Boxing.
Some suggested forms to look into from my humble opinion would be Thai Boxing, American Boxing, and WWII Combatives. Thai Boxing is a martial art that is much like American Boxing however you incorporate your feet, kicking, fists, punching, knees, and elbows. What I think is best about both Thai and American Boxing is the great footwork and blocks you learn as well as the simple strikes. The reason I feel this is important is because the fancy locks and throws and ground fighting techniques that are hard to learn and even harder to remember in an adrenaline fed moment are non existent. Both of these styles become instinctive responses.
Now for WWII Combatives, this is a gray area to say the least. Many people feel that this form of fighting is very brutal and should be left to military forces and police units. However in my opinion this is the form of fighting that any survivalist is best to learn. Prepping and learning survival techniques are all wonderful to learn but not useful if some thug or bandit has beaten you to death or disarmed you and has taken all of you’re gear.
Amongst the obvious reasons I see for wanting to train in this form of survival I also feel that people learn a need for being fit. I am not talking about washboard abs or that nonsense, but a good cardiovascular health and functional strength you gain from this kind of training is extremely useful when you are all you got to do the work that needs doing. Also you learn the value of self, bullets can only be fired while they are there and arrows and other projectiles must be either built or stored. Eventually you will only have you’re hands and what you have time to come up with to defend yourself.
For me, I practice at home and buy or search the information that seems most useful and learn it on my own time. I am currently working on my own homemade dummies for training, and stock up on what ever knowledge I can to become more self reliant and self sufficient. WWII Combatives are a huge portion of what I try to learn, as well as boxing principles and Thai striking. I also try to learn what I can from Krav Maga because of the way the style chains strikes and blocks to efficiently subdue an opponent.
My warning on learning WWII Combatives is simply that it is not for the meek. The strikes and targets are highly lethal, this was after all where the most recorded kills in WWII came from. So as I have said this is a warning as well as a heads up that this is a very efficient way to defend yourself. If you find a few styles that are giving you the things you need I suggest reading up on the physics of fighting and the scientific side so you can better learn what works and learn to put it together so it is your own way of life.
There are so many forms out there and if you have time or the will to learn do as much as you can in as many as you can. For my needs though I will keep it simple efficient and dirty. I do not presume to call myself a saint nor would I ever want to be considered one so my choices have no bearing on my conscious because consciously I know I want to survive for myself and my family. That said some of my suggestions maybe be a little more inhumane for some of the populace but you are ultimately left to chose your own path and what you feel comfortable with doing in the event that a blade, gun, or any other object is coming at you.
To me the reasons of why are vast, but for you it might be a news report or a policy on the job that prevents you from having a weapon for self defense. No matter what I feel all people should take a look back at their roots and learn that much like animals we need our claws and fangs ready to strike at a moments notice. Other people are prepared and they are not always on you’re side. Muggings and home invasions are a part of day to day life not just TEOTWAWKI. I refuse to be a victim and you and you’re families should too.
Each day all over the world people are pushed into a life they do not want for whatever reasons. With proper training and maybe a bit of luck this might not happen. I wont get into the politics but, in the event of martial law or any other sort of take over those of us that can use our hands and improvised weapons still have a fighting chance at survival and life as we want it. So take on a “Don’t Tread on Me” attitude and learn what you can to be a true survivalist.
A bit of a side note on improvised weapons, if you can do it with a knife or so forth you can do it with you’re hands and feet. This I learned while practicing Indonesian Styles as well as Filipino Martial Arts. The amount of objects at a persons disposal to pick up on a street to hurt someone is incredible and makes me wonder why gun laws are even a political concern.
I will not list titles or sites that I use but someone with the need will find what he wants. When you decide to take this kind of lifestyle up please remember that safety is the cornerstone that you build all your survival skills from, so do this and all endeavors with safety in mind. Push where you feel you can and block where you need to block. Most important though strike hard and fast when the opportunity presents an opening.
A reckoning is coming and I do not care what color of horse a man is coming on but I hope you will be as ready as I to fight until the fight is done and hold fast to you’re loved ones and have them also ready to carry the torch in to the darkest corners of life to prevail where many fall. Self defense and preparedness are a hand in hand subject and we all should be aware that any one is capable of atrocities and be prepared to do what must be done to preserve our own rights.