Safety Begins with YOU – Protect Yourself!
Personal Security
If you are serious about being able to defend yourself against a violent personal attack, learn self-defense with a “Model Mugging Course” as taught by Matt Thomas. This approach to self-defense is unique because, unlike martial arts classes that teach people how to “practice” attacking assailants (meaning the punches never land on your opponent), you actually connect with and hit your sparring partner.
The sparring partners are heavily padded over their entire body, including daunting headgear and hand mitts. The truth is, these “muggers” are the frightening things from your nightmares, and once you’ve learned to practice “knocking them out”,
you know you can do it if it were a real attack.
Matt’s theory is based on the concept that your mind remembers the last thing that happened in the same set of circumstances. Therefore, if you have been “practicing hitting” people, when you really are attacked, you will not be able to
hit or attack the mugger. You will remember pulling back, and they will get the best of you before you have time to think of
what to do next.
However, if you have mental and muscle memories of attacking bigger, meaner opponents, and of knocking them to the ground, you will be able to repeat it, if it should become necessary.
Matt’s course is taught in an almost Zen like manner, with much reverence given to each attendee (most people are there because they have suffered violence at another’s hands), and to the reasons why each person needed to learn to protect themselves.
And, it is work. The exercises you are put through, starting with an entire day of practice in attacking bigger, meaner opponents, then “graduating” at the end of the second grueling day.
Graduation consists of getting randomly attacked by one or more men. The men are 6’7′, weigh in at around 250 pounds, heavily muscled and extremely menacing in all that black padding.
They taunt you and call out vulgar names, they intimidate and attack without warning. Your reaction is a matter of survival.
Most victims of crime, look vulnerable and easy to take advantage of, most bullies know an easy mark. So, Matt also teaches you the type of mental attitude you need, in order to do what is necessary to protect yourself.
He doesn’t advocate inciting conflicts or confrontations, but rather teaches people to stand with their weight evenly distributed, knees slightly flexed and to be keenly aware of ones surroundings.
Prevention, readiness to defend oneself within the parameters of the law, and the knowledge of one’s capabilities are key in being able to effectively defend oneself.
Another point he made, do not carry a gun. In fact, do not carry weapons at all, but rather keep everyday tools handy, like a hammer, a heavy baton-like flashlight, or a bat, that can be used as a weapon.
With the law, it is all about Intent.
Car Security
If you have a heavy baton-like flashlight, a wrench, or “The Club” in your car, it appears that your intent is either to have tools on hand to repair the car or other emergency tools such as flashlights. If you are attacked, you can use these objects as weapons, without being accused of intending to harm anyone with them.
For the best car security, you should always have your windows rolled up and your doors locked, whether you are in the vehicle or away from it. Place objects of high value in the trunk when you are away from the vehicle.
A little about car alarms, unless they are the “Lo-Jack” type that alert the police in your city that your car has been stolen, they are useless. How many times have you ignored your neighbors noisy car alarm because it’s usually the owner who’s set it off?
No one pays attention to a whining car alarm and thieves will disable it before they get two blocks from your house. Using the Lo-Jack system allows the police to track your car if it is stolen and driven within the city limits. However, if the thief drives the car into a city where the police do not have the Lo-Jack system, the car is, again, untraceable.
Therefore the best defense is a good offense, meaning, use The Club or another brand of locking device that locks the steering wheel. In combination with the windows being rolled up and the doors being locked, it will be enough of a detriment to fend off most car thieves.
A Last Word on Personal Security
Guard dogs are fine as alarm signals, letting you know strangers are near, but don’t think of your pooch as a protector. Once inside your house, a ruthless thief will either poison or injure your pet, so don’t count on a house pet to suddenly become an attack dog.
Attack dogs are specially trained to respond to their masters command to attack, but most dogs do not attack on verbal command unless trained to do so.
