9 Killer Self Defense Myths ExposedAndre Vatke

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Copyright © MMXIII Andre Vatke, All Rights ReservedPublished by New Albany Defense, LLC

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Every year in America, 5 million people are victims of a violent crime and a sexual assault occurs every 2 minutes.

Most people have a healthy fear of being a victim of violence, and you probably learned from a young age to be on guard when it comes to your safety in public. But there are a lot of conflicting opinions when it comes to what you should do if you do get attacked. Whether in an empty parking lot or a crowded mall, everyone seems to have some idea of what you should do to defend yourself if you find yourself confronted with danger.

How do many of these so-called rules of self defense hold up?

The truth about defending yourself against an attacker is that you have to let go of many of the common things most people wrongly believe.

Attackers Choose Victims Based On Appearance

A Chicago High School senior went out to celebrate New Year's Eve at a concert. She probably added something sparkly and a little extra mascara to her going out ensemble. She probably made a few New Year's resolutions earlier that day and texted friends about her

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plans for the night. She probably switched purses in a last-minute decision, because she didn't have her ID when she left that night. A seemingly small mistake that ended up having a much larger impact following the horrible events only hours later.

When the 18-year-old woman arrived at the theater for the concert, she was turned away because she didn't have her ID. Security cameras show that she went inside a nearby restaurant, where she met up with six young men. An employee of the restaurant saw them leave together. They weren't gone long before some of the boys returned to the restaurant to report that a girl was lying naked on the sidewalk. The restaurant employee noticed blood stains on their jeans.1

It’s not uncommon for people and even the media to fixate on what this woman might have been wearing. But it’s important to understand that this woman was not attacked because of something she wore or because she went out at night. Countless women wore and did exactly what they wanted on New Year's Eve in the same neighborhood and were not harassed or attacked.

The data from experts on who gets attacked the most proves that attackers choose victims based on behavior, not appearance. Criminals often report to psychologists that they do not choose their victims - their victims choose themselves.

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1 Chicago Sun-Times - January 1, 2012

In a study reported in January 2013, attackers were judging victim vulnerability primarily from viewing targets walking. Key information on your psychological makeup, attention, even whether or not you will fight back are transmitted in your characteristic body language.2

Criminals are looking for the easy targets. If you are distracted, talking on the phone, rummaging through your bag or otherwise acting off guard or unaware of your surroundings, you run a higher risk of attack. It’s also a myth to never make eye contact with an attacker. Letting them know that you are aware they are there and that you can identify them can be a key deterrent.

In the case of the Chicago High School student, the biggest problem was in leaving with a group of strangers. Knowing what situations require caution and effective defensive behaviors will keep you a lot safer than dressing a certain way.

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2 Psychopathy and Victim Selection: The Use of Gait as a Cue to Vulnerability; J Interpers Violence February 19, 2013

A Gun, Pepper Spray Or Taser Is All The Defense You Need.

A firearm may seem like the perfect self defense tool. To be sure, it’s hard to argue with a bullet. The problem isn’t so much the firearm... it’s being able to use it under stress or when surprised.

Military and Police studies show that even trained operators can lose as much as 50% of their normal performance capacity when in an actual confrontation. It’s the primary cause for Police overshooting or friendly fire incidents. The way these organizations fight the performance loss from stress is to train under stress. Going to the shooting range to shoot paper targets isn’t the same thing.

A handgun has other potential obstacles when looked at practically. What happens in those seconds where you scramble for your gun, chamber a round, release the safety, aim and fire? Studies show that when civilians who do not have tactical training are surprised by an active shooter over 75% struggle just to draw their gun much less aim and hit their target before being hit themselves.

Another factor to consider is that shooting someone does not mean they instantly stop being a threat. A study of police shootings revealed that it takes an average of 15

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seconds before the average male is incapacitated after being shot by a 9mm bullet. 15 seconds might not sound like a lot but it's enough time to empty an entire magazine into you, stab you or club you into unconsciousness.

And what can you do if the "tool" you are relying on is used against you?

Consider the 42 year old Cascade Idaho man that went to investigate a strange man on his neighbors property.3 On confronting the hooded man the stranger drew a knife and stabbed him. On this the man drew his gun on the criminal. A struggle for the gun ensued and the 42 year old was shot in the leg with his own gun and the criminal escaped.

Another concern with relying on a gun for self defense is the fact that there are times when you will not have it with you. What do you do when you can’t carry a firearm... when you have nothing?

Similar concerns exist with pepper or chemical sprays. A report by the National Institute of Justice showed that 17% of suspects sprayed with Police grade OC (Oleoresin Capsicum) continued to struggle with officers4. A report by The Police Policy Studies Council indicates that cross-contamination - getting a dose of your own spray, is common. Another study indicates that cross contamination

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3 Cascade man stabbed, shot with own gun confronting attacker; Associated Press February 13, 2013

4 National Crime Victimization Survey 2009; Bureau of Justice Statistics, U.S. Department of Justice

is so prevalent that officers in the field should know in advance how they can function after exposure.5

How many people carrying OC pepper spray have training in deploying it much less in knowing what to do when the wind or circumstance blows a bit back at them?

Tasers are another popular option as a self defense tool. Who hasn’t seen a TV program where someone is hit with a taser and goes down like a sack of potatoes. Tasers have the same issues that other tools do in that one needs to be intimately familiar with the device and train to use it under stress. But there are other potential problems with tasers that are not often talked about.

A Sheriff friend of mine from Texas once told me that he hated to use a taser. When I asked why, he told me that not everyone responds the same way. Some people can even build up a tolerance. In fact, the influence of certain drugs can greatly reduce the effects of both OC spray and tasers.6

I should also point out that the term “Taser” encompases a number of devices. There are two main types, the fired taser and the hand held. The fired taser shoots two barbs that penetrate the skin and short circuit the body nervous system. While it’s pretty much impossible to resist the effects of this device no matter what you’re taking, you still have to hit your target. The range is just a few meters so if

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5 Chemical Hazards In Law Enforcement; Clinics In Occupational and Environmental Medicine Volume 3, Issue 3, Pages 443-456

6 New York Times; July 16, 2011

you miss or the charge wears off before you have made your escape the mistake could be fatal.

The handheld taser is much harder to deploy because of the fact that you have to get within striking range - the range where you can touch them with your arm. At this range the attacker could decide to get very personal with you and that could be a huge shock to someone who is unprepared for it.

There is nothing wrong with having a weapon such as a firearm or deterrent like OC spray, as long as you are aware of some of the limitations. The mistake isn’t the tool, it’s an overreliance on the tool to the point that you are helpless when it’s not available to you.

The Stronger/Bigger Person Will Win.

There’s a reason the idea that the bigger guy will win is a cliché... it’s almost always true in a fight - especially when it comes to wrestling or grappling. In fact, the bigger the size difference the more true that rule tends to be.

The problem is that self defense isn’t a wrestling match. It’s never going to be a fair fight. When a knife comes out or there are 3 friends how much you can benchpress quickly becomes irrelevant. If you’re the big guy you could find

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yourself at a true disadvantage if you let your ego get in the way. And if you’re the smaller person you don’t have to be afraid of a bigger attacker - just aware of the realities and what your best options are.

In our Dynamic Self Defense classes I often remind the class that you don’t have to be the hardest hitter in the class to be effective... you only need to hit hard enough to cause an injury. And that is as much a factor of targeting (knowing where to strike and how the body reacts when you do) and technique (using the best tools on your body) as it is strength. I’ve worked with 115lb women that can in full confidence take out a 300lb guy and do it like it’s second nature - without freaking out or shutting down.

If I Know How To Fight I’ll Be OK.

Most people today are familiar with MMA matches. They’ve watched fights on TV maybe even taken some Jujitsu or other martial arts classes. And maybe they are really good on the mat. But when it comes to self defense it’s not going to mean very much.

The first problem is that self defense isn’t a sport... an attacker on the street will NOT attack you like your cooperating training partner. His form of attack will not be

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ring fighting, it will be attacking. There will be no referee, no tapouts.

The second problem is that when facing a predator, he he will hide his intent. He will not pick a fight with you. He may want to mug you, take something from you or worse. Unlike social violence that starts with verbalization and escalates, you won’t see this coming. He may ask for the time and as you look at your watch pulls a knife on you. At this point simply being a good fighter is irrelevant. He has the advantage.

The third problem is that you are likely to face not one attacker but three or more. This is where even the best martial artists break down. In our own school we often work with black belts in other systems. They are usually very good fighters in one-on-one sparring. They have great technique, are able to gauge distance, anticipate strikes, etc. Yet when faced with multiple attackers they quickly get overwhelmed. They tend to focus on one person at a time - with a sort of tunnel vision - while the other attackers hit them from behind. Good self defense tactics requires a 360 degree defense. There’s no time to monkey around with just one person.

The son of a close friend is an expert grappler. He has trained in Judo since a small child and is even the grappling coach for a champion MMA fighter. He was known for ending bar fights... often with a rear choke. The drunken attacker would usually throw a haymaker and my friends son would block it and in a fluid move, maneuver

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the attacker into a rear naked naked choke. From there it was just a few seconds before the attacker would pass out.

As you can imagine, his ego got quite big as a result of this. At one halloween party there was a verbal altercation but nothing more. As he left the party he was hit on the head from behind with a board and was knocked unconscious. As he lay there his attackers nearly beat him to death breaking bones and severing his ear in the process. All his skill didn’t mean a thing.

Knowing how to fight isn’t a bad thing, but it’s not as important as being aware of your surroundings. It’s much easier to defend against something you can see coming than something that catches you by surprise.

The training rule at our school is to always assume the other guy is bigger than you, stronger than you, has a weapon and there’s three of him. It’s what keeps you aware of your situation and making smart decisions.

I’m Safe In My Neighborhood

I’m not one to say you have to be on high alert just for a trip to the grocery store. But familiar surroundings and feeling like ‘nothing will ever happen here’ also lead to complacency. Having a reduced level of awareness not only increases your odds of being targeted but it also makes it easier to be surprised by an attacker.

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The reality is that no city or neighborhood is completely free of violence.7 Burglaries, home invasions and parking lot muggings happen in even the best communities. That doesn’t mean we need to panic or fret with anxiety, just to not get complacent.

One of the best defenses in a public area is to be in a place that has potential witnesses and even helpers in a worst case. This alone is usually enough deterrent to prevent an attack. And in cases where that’s not enough, use your voice to ask people to help... shout “Help me, call 911” at the top of your lungs. Onlookers are sometimes paralyzed by what they see (the old saying of “I can’t believe my eye’s”) and need a cue on what to do next. When in doubt get to people and lights and then let them know you need help.

The first step required for a bystander to intervene is that they notice the situation at all. Once a situation has been noticed, in order for a bystander to intervene they must interpret the incident as an emergency. Bystanders monitor the reactions of other people in an emergency situation to see if others think that it is necessary to intervene. Context also plays a big role. In an experiment to people's reactions to a man and woman fighting in the street, bystanders helped 65% of the time when the woman yelled, "Get away from me; I don't know you." Bystanders only helped 19% percent of the time when the woman

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7 Prevention Institute / Centers for Disease Control & Prevention

yelled "Get away from me; I don't know why I ever married you."8

When it comes to violent crimes, in over 45% of cases for men and 65% of cases for women, the attacker is someone they know.9 And it’s no surprise that they don’t wait for you to enter a strange neighborhood to attack you!

Our Dynamic Self Defense School in New Albany, Ohio is in one of the most affluent neighborhoods in Ohio. Yet in recent years we’ve seen several shootings, home invasions, stabbings, burglaries and more. In most cases these crimes were not committed by a complete stranger.

Learning to recognize a potentially violent situation, defuse it nonviolently when possible and in the worst case, defense against physical attack is beneficial regardless of where you live. It’s far better to have the knowledge and training and not need it than need it and not have it.

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8 Meyers, David G. (2010). Social Psychology (10th Ed). New York: McGraw- Hill

9 Criminal Victimization, 2009; Bureau of Justice Statistics, U.S. Justice Department

You Should Use Objects As Weapons

One of the oldest self defense tips I can remember was someone telling a group of women to use their keys as a weapon. They were told to stab at the attackers face potentially hitting the eye’s. But the chances of you getting a good shot at their eye with a key is very slim. Most likely, you will scratch them or punch them, which will hurt your hand. And for a more committed attacker, keys do not have much stopping or destructive power. Plus you have to be at very close range.

Digging through your purse for other items isn’t realistic either. You just won’t have the time. Knowing a few good physical moves is much more valuable than carrying around any particular objects. A palm strike to the nose or chin has a much better chance at stopping an attacker than a fist full of keys.

While attackers reactions to victim resistance are not well understood,10 fighting back at all may be enough to cause an attacker to cease his assault. In this case it doesn’t really matter too much what you use, as long as you fight back hard and you fight back effectively.

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10 The Effect of Context and Crime Characteristics on Sex Offenders’ Reaction to Victim Resistance; Crime & Delinquency July 2012 vol. 58 no. 4 588-611

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One rape survivor put it like this...

“For me, I couldn't believe it was happening. It was like my brain turned off and all I wanted to do was survive. I thought about kicking him or even honking my horn, but he had me subdued in my car so I couldn't move. He had his weight on me, and clamped his hand over my mouth. I was in total state of shock and couldn't move. He said he'd kill me if I looked at him...

You can say you'd fight back all you want, but you don't know until it happens to you. Now, I would fight back hard. But then I was so scared he was going to kill me that I went into shock and didn't know what to do. There was no adrenaline - just fear.”

The key to fighting back is learning how to do it effectively before you may need it. Knowing even a few moves and how to execute them under the stress of an attack can save a lot of physical and psychological trauma. Just knowing how to defend youself can change your odds. One never knows how many times lives were spared from a confrontation simply because the would-be attacker chose someone else who looked like an easier mark, or because the would-be victim chose a safer route.

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Always Run Away From A Mugger

Running away from a mugger might seem like a good idea as running away gives you distance from them and any weapons they might have. But it depends. There are times when running away can be lethal.

Take the case of of a 23 year old New York man who was confronted by two men demanding his iPhone. He refused. One of the assailants whipped out his gun and pulled the trigger one time, sending a bullet into the young man’s back as he tried to run away.11

Compliance is a key factor in a mugging or anytime an attacker wants something you own. It’s not worth losing your life for an amount of cash or a gadget. Statistics show that simply complying with the robbers demand by giving up your property, while not foolproof, should be your first option.

You should know, however, that simply giving them what they want does not mean they won’t hurt you.12 You have to assume the attacker is armed and respond with that in mind. Deciding to fight or run will depend on the situation

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11 New York Daily News; January 26, 2012

12 Harrisburg police: Woman shot in foot after robbery; The Patriot News, April 17, 2013

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and most importantly on whether or not a mugger goes from just taking your stuff to violating your moral code.

On a personal level, I would not turn my back to an attacker as that prevents me from seeing what he might do and responding. It’s better to back up at least out of striking range with the attacker in view before turning and running.

If you do decide to run be sure to throw whatever you have on the ground prior to booking it. They will likely be happy they have what they are after and will not try to shoot you as the risk will not be worth the gain to them. Keep in mind too that the odds of a shooter that’s not trained in Reactive Shooting (the skill of shooting a moving target) actually hitting a moving target, are at less than 10%.

Another thing to consider is what happens if you are with other people? Do you run and leave them behind? Again, another simplistic myth that ignores many aspects of smart self defence.

You Should Never Fight An Armed Attacker

When a criminal pulls a gun or knife on you, the conventional wisdom says that you are putting yourself in more danger if you struggle with him. It is true that struggling with an attacker for control of a weapon can be

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extremely dangerous. However, if they are determined to use that weapon, preventing its use on you is critical.

In conversations with law enforcement officers they tell me that the majority of stabbing victims never saw the knife. They felt a punch and only later realised they had been stabbed. Not seeing the knife makes traditional disarming techniques almost useless in the real world. It also makes being aware of what the attacker is doing with their hands, how close they are to you and who else may be around critical. The more time you have to react to an attack the higher the odds things will go in your favor.

When it comes to dealing with an attackers weapon, you should know the right physical moves to keep them from being able to use it against you. More importantly, you should know the principles of dealing with an armed attacker. Even people trained in martial arts will tend to tunnel vision in on the weapon. But the weapon isn’t really the main problem. I usually illustrate this to a class by placing the weapon on the floor and asking if it’s a problem there.

The weapon is only a problem because the person holding it has ability to think. They can do something with it as a tool or more bluntly, a labor saving device. Take out the persons ability to use that weapon and it’s no longer a problem. It’s a small distinction but a critical one because traditional ‘disarming techniques’ focus on the weapon as the object of power. The better strategy is to look for the

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most direct means to shutting down the attackers ability to think or physically use that weapon.

A broken arm even a broken finger will produce a handicap that will last for at least the duration of your encounter. Likewise anything that inhibits his ability to think - including being knocked out - has a lasting effect. We teach our students how to maximize these injuries and chain them together until the attacker is no longer a threat.

You Will Perform Better Under Stress Due To An Increase In Adrenaline

Adrenaline, or more accurately epinephrine, is a cocktail of chemicals that acts as both a hormone and neurotransmitter. It’s release is a crucial component of the fight-or-flight response of the sympathetic nervous system.

It’s a motivational drug of sorts that gives you the extra resources of motivation and energy to deal with some crisis NOW. Something unexpectedly happens and your body obliges by dumping into your bloodstream a couple of double espressos. For the next few minutes you're going to be turbocharged to get the job done.

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The problem is you are preset in your reaction. When something happens, it is previous experience, interpretation and memory that are telling you what's happening isn’t right. If for example you heard a loud bang and you associate loud bangs with something bad, your body will react accordingly. Your reaction will be different than someone who hasn't had a bad experience. The sound of a car backfiring will cause most people to look around and wonder what that was. Whereas someone who has been shot at will be hitting the deck faster than conscious thought.

The most common effects of an adrenaline rush are tunnel vision (loss of peripheral vision), time distortion (the proverbial 'slow motion' effect), auditory exclusion (hearing can just go away), and increased pain tolerance. Your speed and strength can increase while your fine motor skills decrease. These are all the effect of your brain freeing up resources to activate the fight-or-flight reflex.

An adrenaline dump drops your brain into a pattern/behavioral strategy that you have almost no conscious control over. You will react in a way your subconscious believes will be most advantageous. Even when that behavior isn’t advantageous at all such as completely shutting down.

Anyone that thinks that under the stress of the real thing, they will perform better and be stronger and quicker

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because of an adrenaline dump is kidding themselves. Training for the stress response can make a big difference but in a real encounter, the truth is you will not think as clearly, you will tire quicker, you will not move as well, and this will be a big problem if you are not ready for it.

At Dynamic Self Defense we train with the idea that in a real situation we will be half as good as our average training day. Moreover we train our students to get used to stress and the adrenaline dump. We train to make the automatic strategy one of trained defense rather than shutting down.

Practicing Self Defense

You can never predict when an attack might strike, but practicing good personal safety habits should be a part of everyone’s life. If you are in public, especially in a high-risk area like a parking garage or dark street, you should be aware of your surroundings and prepared to yell, fight, and run if you are attacked by a criminal. Not only do the actions you take before you are victimized make a difference, but learning strong self-defense techniques is truly the best way to prevent a tragedy.

Training at a reality based martial art like Dynamic Self-Defense is an investment into peace of mind and daily confidence.

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How to Choose A Self Defense Class

Finding A Class...

• If you know someone taking a class or have a friend that teaches talk to them. They might be able to point you in the right direction.

• Go to your local police station or check with community groups. They should be able to point you to some good instructors.

• Search on line for “Self Defense” and see what comes up. Note that martial arts schools may not always be a good choice for learning self defense. Most traditional martial arts spend the majority of their time doing other stuff rather than training self defense.

Choosing Between Classes...

• Schedule a time to view a live class. Don’t just watch the instructor, pay attention to the people in the class. These are the people you may be training with, so you should be comfortable around them.

• Take time to talk with the instructor and if possible the people in the class. This will give you a better picture of what the training will involve.

• Make sure you will enjoy the class. If you hate the classes or they are too hard it will only increase your odds of giving up on them.

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• Ask yourself if the techniques would work in a real situation. Would they work against a non-compliant person once you mastered them?

• Does the instructor modify the class for different people? Not all techniques will work the same for all people. If you are smaller, older or not as physically capable does the curriculum allow you to adapt? There is no such thing as one size fits all in self defense.

• Does the class introduce some element of psychological stress? A big part of self defense is being able to avoid panic or shut down due to the adrenaline dump. A class should be suportive but it should also try to inoculate you in some way to the stresses of a real attack.

About Dynamic Self Defense

Dynamic Self Defense is a dynamic, progressive and complete martial art system that combines the best aspects of traditional martial arts modified for self-defense with the latest scientific training methods. For those familiar with traditional martial arts, it can be best visualized as mixed martial art cross between Muay Thai Kickboxing and Jujitsu. Much of what we teach is from proven Military Combatives adapted for practical civilian self-defense.

Student’s of all ages and skill levels are taught in the 3 foundational elements of Self-Defense

1 Principles of Defense: An understanding of the types of violent encounters and how to avoid them nonviolently. What is going through the attackers mind and what should be going through yours.

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2 Tools of Defense: The parts of your body that can do damage to an attacker without incurring equal damage in return.

3 Targets of Defense: The vulnerable points on the human body, how to damage them and what happens when you do.

Our Founders & Instructors

Grandmaster Robert Lowery: Grandmaster Lowery exemplifies the true martial arts master. With over 40 years of martial arts experience Master Lowery has attained multiple black belts and trained in and studied Judo, Jujistu, Aikido, Tae Kwon-Do, Shotokan Karate, Tang Soo-Do, Yoshukai Karate, Kwang Duk Kwang and Choi Kwang-Do. He has attained Master level in Choi Kwang-Do and used his vast knowledge of martial arts, to create training programs for law enforcement agencies, the FBI and the U.S. Army Rangers at Fort Benning.

Grandmaster Eric Hennings: Grandmaster Hennings brings military combat experience to Dynamic Self-Defense as first as a Marine and later as an Army Ranger. He first studied martial arts in the U.S. Marine Corps where he expanded on his hand to hand combat training by studying Jujitsu.

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After a transfer Master Hennings went on to study Tae Kwon-Do for a number years finally training in Choi Kwang-Do under Grand Master Choi where he achieved Master level. He became the chief Instructor to the military for Choi Kwang-Do and taught martial arts to U.S. Army Ranger Instructors at Camp Merrill and to Rangers and soldiers at Ft. Benning.

Master Scott Mulhollen: Master Mulhollen has studied and trained in martial arts since the age of 15. Prior to training with Grandmaster Lowery he achieved the rank of 1st Degree Black Belt in Choi Kwang-Do and was a certified Chief Instructor. Dynamic Self-Defense appealed to him because of the realistic training it provided – specifically including ground fighting and defense from modern day weapons like knives, guns and blunt objects. He is the owner and Chief Instructor of the New Albany school and currently holds a 4th Degree Black Belt in Dynamic Self-Defense and is a certified Master Instructor. He has taught many students to Black Belt level and beyond. He continues to actively study and train martial arts with his students and Master mentors.

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Our Programs

Womens Self Defense Courses: We offer a variety of custom tailored programs that teach basic survival techniques to women of all ages. An ideal event for women’s groups, clubs, employee functions and more.

Adult Self Defense/Martial Arts: We teach you how to survive any violent encounter through practical, reality based martial arts training. Learn nonviolent tactics plus how to effectively defend yourself and your family against real world attacks such as multiple attackers and weapons.

Kids Self Defense/Martial Arts: Just about any martial arts for kids program will help your child improve their coordination, balance and focus. Yet only Dynamic Self-Defense offers the best self defense based martial arts curriculum for kids. We focus solely on practical, age appropriate solutions for the types of situations kids age 6 and up face in the modern world.

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Locations

New Albany, Ohio - Our New Albany Studio offers easy access to anyone in NE Columbus or surrounding suburbs,

Atlanta, Georgia - We have two location in the greater Atlanta metro area as well as an ongoing program at Kennesaw State University.

United Kingdom - We have multiple locations in the greater London metro area.

Become A Dynamic Self Defense Affiliate - If you are a martial arts school owner and would like to inquire about becoming a DSD affiliate please contact Master Mulhollen at newalbanydefens@gmail.com or call 614.304.1406.

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About The Author

Andre Vatke is a Certified Assistant Instructor at the New Albany school and 1st Degree Black Belt. Mr. Vatke came to Dynamic Self-Defense having studied and trained in other martial arts including Go Ju Ru Karate and Shaolin Kung-Fu. He was frustrated with traditional martial arts because they spent little or no time dealing with realistic self-defense scenarios which was why he got involved to begin with. After many years out of training, Mr. Mulhollen convinced him to start training again and he’s never looked back. He enjoys bringing conceptual insight into teaching and training situations.

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