Comments on "Combat Slap, 3"

I didn't receive any readers' comments on "Combat Slap, 3". I hope that doesn't reveal a lack of interest. Perhaps it's just shyness.

At any rate, I'll start with what I didn't like about Paul Vunak's version of the combat slap. My daughter picked up on the same characteristic that I did. The way Vunak teaches you to practice will almost guarantee that you will telegraph your moves.

He makes the strike, swings back, and then immediately strikes again. This gets you used to drawing back before you strike. In practice, you need to strike and withdraw, and then pause before you strike again, so that you do not associate the draw-back as part of the strike.

Here's what I liked about the video: he demonstrates fluidity of movement. You can see that the strike resembles a whip more than it does a club. If you can learn to effect that wave-like motion, your strikes can be wickedly fast and brutally powerful at the same time.

I'm still working on it. Perhaps in another post, I'll tell you how.

Combat Slap, 3

Continued from "Combat Slap, 2"

The combat slap is an effective close-quarters tool that should be in your arsenal. If you train without an instructor (or, perhaps even without a partner), sometimes a different instructional aid will give you a new insight. It may help you find a weakness and correct it, or it may give you a new insight for improved power or speed.

For that reason, I'd like to present you with Paul Vunak's video presentation on the combat slap or, as he calls it, "the ear slap". Some of you have been reading my comments for a time and may be able to anticipate what I might say about this clip. So, I'm going to reserve my discussion of it and let you comment based on your analysis.

Is there something here to gain? Something to avoid?




What do you think that I might think about this? More important, what do YOU think?

Warrior Mindset

A thousand techniques, practiced to perfection will not help you if you don't have the warrior mindset. Deolexrex sent me the link to this Fox news story dated September 5. The housewife's only technique seems to have been to hold on the shotgun and keep the muzzle pointed away from her loved ones. Oh yeah, she also smacked one of the intruders in the head with a jar candle.

Click here to read the article before you read my comments below.

What a great example of the protective instincts of motherhood as mentioned in "Sheepdog Strategies, 8".

If you're familiar with Col. Grossman's analysis of how to facilitate the act of killing among soldiers, you may have seen something else in the story. Even under the threat of further attack, the husband evidently choked at pulling the trigger.

The wife yelled, "Shoot him, shoot him," which provided authority and peer support to the act of killing the enemy. In the military, this support comes from the soldier's squad and especially his NCO squad leader.

By the way, did you catch that last part? The couple "PROBABLY won't be charged." As though, when two orcs break into your house with a shotgun and a handgun, there is any question about the legality of shooting them. In Texas, yet. O how the mighty have fallen.

The final lesson is this: even when the odds seem all against you, don't give up. Providence may grant what seems an unlikely victory.

Sheepdog Strategies, 9

In "Sheepdog Strategies, 8" I mentioned Customer Centered Selling by Robert Jolles. In it, he teaches sales people to lead the customer through the decision cycle.

The sales process begins with dissatisfaction. The salesman asks probing questions about the product, service or process the prospect currently uses to uncover areas of dissatisfaction. Then he continues with questions that reveal the features/benefits the prospect needs to satisfy him.

The salesman proceeds to the sale with a question: "If I could provide you with [product, service, process] that meets your requirements within your price range, would you buy it?" Now the salesman has a commitment to buy before he even begins his sales presentation.

This approach frightens a lot of sales people, because it puts the customer in the driver's seat. There is a lot more uncertainty than with a canned sales spiel.

What if the salesman can uncover no dissatisfaction, or his product line does not meet the needs of his prospective customer? Then the ethical salesman will recommend the prospect to one of his competitors who CAN meet the prospect's needs.

Now, this series is about how to get our womenfolk to see the need for self defense training. You want to sell her safety and security. Can you see how this approach may apply to your situation?

Do you know what your womenfolk rely on for safety? I mean, do you really know? Have you ever taken the time find out? Have you ever taken the time to figure out the right questions to ask?

Whatever she depends on for safety is the "product" she is presently using. Probing questions will reveal her doubts and fears (dissatisfaction) about that product.

Customer Centered Selling contains a lot of insight into the process that I don't have space for here. If you really want to sell the idea of self defense to someone, I recommend you find a copy of the book at your local library and study it.

Terrorist Attack on Church

On one side, you have several terrorists armed with AK-47 rifles. On the other side, one man armed with a revolver that has a 2" barrel. Never underestimate the power of one determined man.

Here is a description of the man and the event as presented by raccoonbrat on youtube:

Charl Van Wyk was just an ordinary Christian man until July 25, 1993, the day that would become known as the St. James Massacre. It was on this date that Van Wyk shot back at the terrorists who were attacking an innocent congregation gathered in prayer, and saved many lives in the process.

More than just a remarkable story of courage under fire, Shooting Back deals forthrightly with the consequences of his actions that day, while addressing the concerns that plague so many God-fearing people in these lawless times:

1. Should we carry arms as Christians?
2. When is it appropriate to defend ourselves and our families?
3. What can we do when our God-given right to self-defense is legislated away from us?

In Shooting Back, Van Wyk tackles these difficult questions, using the light of Scripture and insights from his own experience to make the case for self-defense.

As you view the video, note how this lone sheepdog thought and acted tactically under fire. Also, note that 2 other [unarmed] sheepdogs perished protecting the flock.



Caveat: Sorry, but I have no control over the videos promoted at the bottom of the screen after featured video is over.

Avoid, Evade, Escape, 3

Stephen asks a good question regarding my p0st in "Avoid, Evade, Escape, 2":

You mentioned a family-type scenario earlier in the post, how does a family work together to eliminate a threat?

I'm thinking mainly along the lines of father/son cooperation but possibly also brother/sister or husband/wife teams.

There's a pretty sharp young guy who has a rather exclusive invitation-only blogsite. If all my readers could go there, I'd recommend that they look over his series on tactics. It provides an excellent overview that can be adapted to family defense.

Tactical elements include communication, movement and fighting. I won't say much about fighting, because if more than one train in a family, they can work out for themselves how to cover each other's back and how to stay out of each other's way.

Communication should be simple and easy to remember. "Orc alert at ten o'clock," for example, when one spots a suspicious character loitering ahead.

Ten o'clock refers not to time, but to position. Imagine standing on the center of a large clock face with the twelve straight ahead. Three o'clock would be on your left, nine on your right, and six to your rear. Ten o'clock would be to the left, a little forward of the nine o'clock position.

If you've ever watched NCIS, sometimes Gibbs will say to one of his agents, "On my six." He means, "Follow me (walk where six o'clock would be if I were standing on a clockface)."

This is just one example of direct, but terse, communication. A family should have this kind of communication capability. One of my daughters and her husband have taught signing (the hand signs used by the deaf and mute) to their children.

Thus, family members are able to communicate with each other silently so as not to disrupt a conversation or a church service. They can also "talk" to each other in noisy environments without trying to shout over the din.

Since coordinated movement often depends on it, I would make good communication a priority.

Avoid, Evade, Escape, 2

Continued from "Avoid, Evade, Escape"

As an individual, evading and escaping potential violence is easier than when you are protecting someone. Let's say you're by yourself and you see four or five orc-types converging on you. You simply leave -- run, if you have to.

Not so easy if you're with a wife, mother or sister. Sometimes she/they will want a detailed explanation of why you're saying, "Let's go. Now!" Or maybe, as in the case of young children, they just can't run very fast.

And don't think, "I'll just tell her to get away while I hold them off." Almost universally, womenfolk choose to stay with their men rather than escape to safety without them.

Efficient and effective personal security measures have to be discussed and even drilled. Your family should have an idea of what you are doing and why you are asking them to do it. Don't bank on the idea that you're the protector, and so they should have implicit trust in all you do & say -- maybe they should, but life doesn't work that way.

Larger groups, like your church congregation present a larger problem. If the violent predator targets them, you will not likely be able to lead the whole group into an evasion or escape. The ideal -- though unlikely -- tactic would be to see the orcs coming and to intercept them.

This means you will have to "escape" the situation by neutralizing the threat -- with extreme prejudice, as they say. In an emergency, people will often respond to the first person to step up and take charge. On the other hand, there are those who will challenge your authority and try to take over, themselves.

But when the bullets are flying, and you yell, "Everyone on the floor," so you can get a clear shot at the intruder(s), there will probably be few who will want to debate the issue. This kind of situation, however, puts you right at the center of the bullseye.

It's extremely dangerous, and if you have not or cannot work it out beforehand with your church authorities, you at least need a clear sense of what you will do. You should, as a matter of habit, be running scenarios in your head.

The bottom line is this: when you are protecting others, you cannot always depend on their cooperation. This means you need to prepare to stand between them and danger. And be prepared to stand alone.

For further discussion on the topic, CLICK HERE