“In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.” -Dwight D. Eisenhower
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Got a great question the other day from one of our UK subscribers:
Hi,
I wonder if you can help please, I am after a little bit of advice…
I have damaged my ankle joints and have had surgery on it but need more and it is going to take some years but in the meantime I am on crutches… Whilst I was out the other night, one of my friends got beaten up – in front of me and some other mates… I realized that I didn’t have a clue what to do and what made it worse I was on crutches… I am after some training advice on what I can do because on top of feeling useless I feel defenseless… because that could have easily been me!
Any help would be gratefully appreciated!
Many thanks and best wishes.
Brett C
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My Answer:
Brett, this a variation of the same question I get asked a lot. To paraphrase:
“Violence seems to happen when I’m least prepared to deal with it. What magic pill can I take to protect me?”
Not to belittle your question at all but understand instead of crutches it could easily have been the flu, or you’re exhausted after a long work day, or maybe you had a bit too much to drink. The possibilities are endless.
The real point is this: VIOLENCE IS RANDOM and we have no way of predicting exactly how or when it will occur. One minute you’re out having a great time… the next your buddy is fighting for his life and you freeze, suddenly realizing your vulnerability. And it’s not just the fact you were on crutches.
Hell, we’ve instructed clients with all sorts of disabilities both temporary, like yours, and more permanent, like our wheelchair bound clients and, most recently, a blind client.
The crutches aren’t the problem.
The real problem is you don’t understand violence and how to navigate the random nature of this seemingly chaotic environment.
Consider yourself very lucky.
You learned a very important lesson at your friend’s expense. You saw how quickly violence changes your life and why you definitely
don’t want to be caught with nothing in your toolbox when facing a violent encounter.
The big thing you need is EDUCATION… not just physical training.
Most people think techniques will somehow magically take care of them in such random situations. That’s the biggest lie in the self-defense industry.
You need first and foremost principles and methods that work regardless of the particulars of the violence presented.
Most people in my industry would try right off to give you a technique to deal with your crutches, etc. This is a feel-good, Band-Aid approach with likely disastrous results for you because you’re missing the critical education needed to navigate the nebulous world of random violence.
What’s nice for my clients and for you is this education can take place right now regardless of your physical limitations. That’s what I try to do with these newsletters.
Now I feel the absolute “gold standard” for this critical process is my new Seminar DVD Series just released called “Surviving The Most Critical 5 Seconds Of Your Life.”
The title pretty much speaks for itself. This is the critical information product you should start with in your self-protection odyssey. It covers every key element in dealing with violence and clearly defines what you can and can’t do.
The main thing is: you can begin your education now even with the physical challenges you face.
As you learned… violence doesn’t care whether you’re on crutches or not!
If you’ve had had a brush with violence but not had to actually fight for your life, take it as a warning and get EDUCATED now.
The next time just may be “The Most Critical 5 Seconds Of Your Life.”
Until next time,
Tim Larkin
Master Close-Combat Instructor,
Creator of Target Focus™ Training
http://targetfocustraining.com
PS. Those on our advance notification list had first access to this Series. One of those folks, Brad Heyerdahl of Oshawa, Ontario, Canada, had this to say:
“I have not even finished viewing the second disc of your new, live training magnum opus, “Surviving the Most Critical 5 Seconds of Your Life” and yet feel compelled to write. This is – far and away – the single best investment I have made toward authentic self-protection (I train under Vladimir Vasiliev, so that is no small compliment). Your lucid, candid handling of social aggression vs. asocial violence alone separates you from all others (and ought to be required viewing for all males, great and small!) so incisive is it. This has brought my understanding out of blurred into crisp focus…
“…This is a quiet confidence, a platform from which to live an unburdened life. (I am, of course, thrilled speechless there are yet fifteen and a half more discs to go!) I received the set promptly and was (as with the Joint Breaking DVD’s) pleasantly surprised by the thoughtful packaging, careful editing, depth of
material as well as scope; the clean presentation, well-chosen articulation and the ease with which you handled the information from multiple angles as well as your mien in doing so. This is not the common bill of fare in the marketplace of ideas toward self-protection; it stands apart – indeed, alone.”
Head on over here to see why Brad’s so excited.
