Self-Defense for average people

[BJXDS]

I'm confused by your statements on the use of lethal force (in your state, as you understand it). BBI gave a few good examples specific to your request, and I think what he is saying is that without a very defined disparity of force, one will need to solve less lethal confrontations with similar or equal levels of force. Is this not the case in TX?

I know in FL, where we have similar laws (Stand Your Ground & Castle Doctrine), one cannot simply go straight to guns as a response to "being attacked" in what the law would consider a non lethal manner. Getting your ass kicked is different than fearing for your life or grave bodily harm, and one must fully articulate that in a way that a reasonable person, or 12 of them, would agree. If it were not that way, the Zimmerman case would have never went to trial, for example.

Agreed The one phrase I hear people think they will use is, I was in fear of my life, and unfourtunatly thats about all the thought they put into it.

[Drang]

Good find. I listened to Mr. Ayoob's lecture at Tac Con '16. Excellent. I also have a copy of his Combat Shooting book.

Depending on how long you want to stay in the PacNW, he's doing MAG40 at Firearms Academy of Seattle towards the end of July. Room to park the RV under the trees there, although no hook-ups.

/thread derail

[Ed L]

Left of Bang is a solid book, haven't read the first one. Massad Ayoob's new one looks pretty interesting as well. I got an advance copy and what I've read so far is enough for me to recommend it. https://www.amazon.com/Straight-Talk.../dp/1440247544

I started reading Left of Bang but could not get through it. I can see the relevancy, but it got too anthropological for me.

I would suggest Kelly McCann's Combatives For Street Survival https://www.amazon.com/Combatives-St...=UTF8&qid=&sr=. Even if you don't like his brand of unarmed combat, the chapter on recognizing street setups and warning signs along with pictures is worth more than the price of the book.

Since this excellent handout was put together by Southnarc on managing unknown contacts and is on the internet, I assume that it was released with his permission,
as I have seen it several other places: https://homeguntraining.files.wordpr...sncontacts.pdf

For a video version of Southnarc's work on Managing unknown contacts and practical unarmed combat, go here and buy his practical unarmed combat video right now!: http://www.ccdefense.com/shivworks-dvd/

[StraitR]

Agreed The one phrase I hear people think they will use is, I was in fear of my life, and unfourtunatly thats about all the thought they put into it.

For the purpose of clarity, this does not apply to Castle Doctrine as it's written in Florida. I was merely implying that TX and FL seem to have similar self-defense laws, not that one must justify lethal force if forcible entry is made into your home or conveyance, because that is not required here. Forcible entry is the justification, in that it is presumed they are there to inflict death or great bodily harm. This also applies to being in the process of forcibly entering.

[Totem Polar]

I would suggest Kelly McCann's Combatives For Street Survival https://www.amazon.com/Combatives-St...=UTF8&qid=&sr=. Even if you don't like his brand of unarmed combat, the chapter on recognizing street setups and warning signs along with pictures is worth more than the price of the book.

I've read most of the books recommended in this thread so far—with the exception of the new Ayoob book—and I have to agree that McCann's combatives book is good.

[LJD]

And, I am still looking for someone who trains situational awareness and role-playing to get the experience and practice.
Cody

Cody, if you haven't taken one of John Murphy's classes (FPF Training), you should. The above are integrated into his classes. He's managed to use WorldStar Hiphop vids to demonstrate pre-fight indicators that most people wouldn't recognize. 8 -16 hours with him covers the basic needs for self defense better than other classes. No operator or pistol ninja stuff.

[41magfan]

This is just one man's opinion, but I think most folks get their priorities all out of whack.

In my view, the most important thing should be Mindset. Once that's squared away, then the decisions you make concerning Strategies, Tactics, Techniques and Tools can properly support your inclinations.

A disproportionate number of people tend to reverse the order of the five elements I mentioned in the previous sentence.


Tony Blauer makes some good points on the subject in this interview:
http://firearmsnation.com/tony-blaue...ampaign=buffer

[HCM]

I highly doubt that actually. Odds of a fire incident at your home are far higher, but you don't see people taking monthly monthly firedrills at the house.

The incidence of fires in the U.S. Has been steadily declining for decades.

https://www.usfa.fema.gov/data/statistics/

[peterb]

How does one go about training / learning to "keep cool"?

One good step is an assortment of basic skills, and knowing the appropriate response for the immediate problem. A lot of panic comes from not knowing what to do. Simple default sequences (1: stop major bleeding. 2: check for breathing....) help break the freeze. As a new EMT almost every call was an "oh sh**" when I walked in, but knowing where to start let me overcome that.

Even mental rehearsal -- studying and thinking about situations -- can help. Anything to avoid "I don't know what to do!" and "I can't believe this is happening!" helps.

On a more fun side, sports and activities with some degree of risk can help build grace under pressure.

"If I have learned one thing in my 54 years, it is that it is very good for the character to engage in sports which put your life in danger from time to time. It breeds a saneness in dealing with day to day trivialities which probably cannot be got in any other way, and a habit of quick decisions."

-Nevil Shute

[peterb]

The average Joe does not need EMT training. They need a CPR/AED, first aid, and B-Con class which can all be taught in a day. Even for the above average prepared citizen, like most members here, I would never suggest an EMT class as a significant portion of the of the curriculum has zero applicability to someone who's not working on an ambulance. You don't need to learn how to use a suction unit, Reeves, stairchair, backboard, EMS charting, etc. At most I'd say take a certified first responder/EMR class, and some type of 1-3 day TCCC/TECC curriculum such as Trauma First Responder, and re-learn something annually.

Completely agree. But if you spend a lot of time outdoors away from pavement, Wilderness EMT or Wilderness First Responder might make sense.