IMPROVISED WEAPONS FOR SELF-DEFENCE

In an interview recently, I was asked what my opinion on what improvised weapons should be used in a self-defence situation. As a broad guideline, an improvised weapon is an every-day item that can create a greater impact by being swung, thrust or thrown/projected at an aggressor.

As with any self-defence training, there are 3 aspects in using any improvised weapons:

1. Know what tool to use

2. Know what target to strike at

3. Know how to use the tools to strike at the target.

In this post, I will only focus on point 1, "know what tools to use".

When selecting a tool, anything that is around you that fits one or more of the following criteria is a valid improvised weapon:

• Items that are hard and will allow you to use at a distance (an arms-length or greater) against an aggressor. This implies you also need to be able to either lift it up or be able to move it around.

• Items that are small, but hard enough to allow you to apply pressure on it against an aggressor without breaking on impact in close-range (within an arms-length).

• Items that are easily accessible under a high-pressured situation.

Here are also some general guild lines on things to avoid using as an improvised weapon:

• Items that you will need immediately after the incident has occurred.

• Items that you do not want damaged, stolen or lost.

• Items that are hard to reach when the incident occurs.

Car key, for instance, is not an ideal choice for an improvised weapon. If you are in a remote area and get attacked whist in or walking to your car, you do not want to risk losing or damaging your car keys during the struggle with an aggressor.

Cell phones are other items to avoid. If you get injured or have to call the police or a loved one to tell them of the incident, your injuries and/or your whereabouts, you want to ensure that you have a working cell phone handy.

Of course, in the heat of the moment, you may reach for the closest items that are available to you, which may be the car keys or cell phone. If this is the case, you just need to do what is necessary to deal with the immediate threat with whatever means possible. This will mean that you may be without your car keys or phone after the situation, which may on its own be another problem. One way to mitigate this risk is to carry suitable "weapons" that can be used in a self-defence situation. It should be items that you have consciously decided that you will use on an aggressor, should the need arise. Furthermore, it should be items that you have practiced accessing and using under a pressurised situation.

One of the favourite "improvised weapons" that I have often heard and read about for women, are her high-heel shoes. Unless you are comfortable wearing and using high-heel shoes in a situation that will require you to move and kick in these shoes, I personally would not recommend removing them as an improvised weapon to strike an aggressor. Why? Well for starters, most high-heel shoes that I have seen on women have a strap on them to secure the shoes to the feet. This could take some time to remove and hence, goes against the principle of, "must be easily accessible". Furthermore, it compromises her balance as she would have to have to balance on one leg whilst trying to fend off an aggressor or even just to try and get away from the threat! Besides being prone to ankle injuries or losing her own balance and failing (which is definitely not ideal when being attacked), being off-balanced would seriously reduce her chances of being able to handle a self-defence incident.

Let’s look now at a few suggested improvised weapons that one could use in various environments. This list is by no means exhaustive, but, they do follow the guidelines above for selecting a suitable weapon:

At home:  Broom stick, umbrella, dog leash + chain, books, hard files, electric tooth brush, furniture, pot plants, dustbin, ash tray, ornaments, kettle cords, boiling water, rolled up magazine/newspaper, pepper/curry powder, pots & pans, knives, flasks, torch, garden tool, scissors, screw drivers, insecticide, etc..

While traveling in own vehicle: CD's, CD covers, fire extinguisher, cigarette lighter, traffic triangle, car jack, spanner, car tool set, steering lock, first aid kit, water bottles, etc...

Walking about in a shopping mall, to your vehicle, or using public transport: water bottle, walking stick, umbrella, jacket, belt, comb, cigarette lighter, deodorant, groceries, baby pram (minus the baby), etc.. 

An underlying theme in all of this is to have a self-defence ATTITUDE, which is basically, having the mental and emotional capabilities of using the correct tools to strike effectively at the correct targets, when the need arise.

Feel free to look around your environment and scrutinize what you carry and use every day and determine whether or not it would be a suitable tool for self-defence or not.  Furthermore, be sure also to practice accessing and using those items you find suitable - you never know when and where you might need an improvised weapon! If you are serious about your safety, I would suggest seeking out a suitable self-defence instructor that can explain the principles of self-defence to you, as well as empower you with the knowledge and skills relevant for your circumstances.

Till next time, be safe!

Get EDUCATED. Feel EMPOWERED. Live a FULLY-ENGAGED life!

In self defence, the only question you should ask is…

“What am I willing to fight, die and kill for, and why?"

This is the one question I ask all every participant who has ever been on my “Introduction to Self Defence Workshop”. I further ask them to write the question down, and answer it when they have a few moments to spare at home. It's the one thing, above everything else I teach in my workshops that I emphasis they are to do, and consider very carefully what they decide is the answer. The reason for this importance is because all subsequent self defence tactics and techniques thereafter, will depend on what they are willing to fight, die and kill for.

Let’s explore this question a bit deeper:

What are you willing to fight for? Humans only fight for two reasons: Firstly, for the survival/protection of ourselves or our loved one(s). This survival mechanism stems back to prehistoric times, where we had to fight to survive the elements and the wilderness to which we inhabited. From a scientific perspective, this refers to the brain stem (old brain) that controls the survival mechanisms of flight or fight. For some, the reaction is to flee a potential hazard (flight), for other, the response is to fight (reason number 1). It is instinctual, and is connected to the way we react to danger. However, this instinct also gets triggered in another way - we have a perceived danger/threat confront us. Sometimes, the threat may be the passing of a sarcastic comment;  or a sudden lane-change into our lane by another car, or even by a snobbish glance or smirk in our direction by a ruffian at a bar. Whatever the perceived threat is, it is more the fight-reaction we get, not because it threatens our survival, but rather because it threatens our personal ego – this is reason number 2. In my opinion, the decision to fight in either of these circumstances is your choice to make, but you need to ask if it is a fight that you would really want to get involved in.

What are you willing to die for? This refers to self-sacrifice and the people and things that you would be willing to put your life at risk for. For some, when I said "things” in my previous sentence, it might have made you feel a bit unconformable, and you may even have shook your head in disagreement. Is there possibly any "thing" (in terms of material possession) that you would be willing to put your life on the line for? As horrific as this might sound, there are indeed some things that you may decide is worth sacrificing your life for. An example? How about an extreme one?  You are at home and there is a life support machine that sustains the life of your sick spouse. Would you be willing to lay your life down for that machine if something were to threaten it? Makes you think doesn’t it?  The point here is that there is no right or wrong answer. We all have the greatest gift that is often overlooked- the right to choose. With that said though, hospitals and cemeteries are filled with people that made bad choices, but the fact remains, it is/was within their right to choose what was right or wrong for them.

What are you willing to kill for?  This is the most consequential and controversial question to answer. Back in prehistoric times again, the cave man would kill their fellow kind for food, shelter and mates. Oh wait, that happens now too! However, with the advancement of human civilization, we have also begun to dictate that some pervious prehistoric methods are no longer favourable or even legal (although that does not stop the many criminal out there). What we are willing to kill for is again something that we have to decide upon, which has no right or wrong answer to the individual, but has more sever consequence to it. For instance, should you find yourself in a situation where you have to take another human being's life, there is what I call "surviving the SLY", as a reference to surviving the Situation, surviving the Law and surviving Yourself. Surviving the situation implies you need to survive the immediate treat that has come your way in the most effective and efficient manner you can, even if this means taking another’s life. Surviving the law pertains to the legal repercussions you will have to face after taking someone life. You will need to answer to the laws of your land for your actions and let them be the decider as to whether you had acted lawfully or not. Lastly, surviving yourself - you will have to live with the knowledge that you had killed someone. For good-fearing Christian, this might be seen as devastating since they would have to had had broken one the Ten Commandments as dictated by the Bible. For others, being labelled a killer may not be the most appealing, but it is something that will stick to you like a fly on a sticky-trap-rolls.

Then there is the WHY? For a long time this question eluded me. Then it dawned upon me through a flash-back session with one of my past coaches. "The quality of your answers lies in the quality of the questions you ask", he reminded me. The “why”, therefore,  is probably the biggest and most elusive one that many self defence courses have failed to ask. Why would you be willing to fight, die and kill for X (x being what you have just answered in the 3 questions above)? Why is it so important to you? Why would NOT fighingt for, or dying for or killing for X be so tragic for you?  It is a question that, if answered truthfully, will surprise or even shock you. The key here is to be absolutely truthful when answering this question. What you might conclude (as I had) is that the real reason why you are willing to do all these things for X, is because of how the loss of X will make YOU feel, and how it would affect YOUR life!

I stress again that there is no right or wrong to these questions.  It is more important that you make these the decision while you are in a rational and logical state of mind. Unfortunately, it is often those times that we let our emotional state at the heat-of-the-moment that makes us do irrational and possible life-debilitating choices.

So, take the time now, while you are sitting comfortably at your desk, in a secure and safe environment to answer these 4 questions. Decide what is it EXACTLY is it that you would be willing to fight, die and kill for, and why. Once done, make multiple copies of it and hang it around the areas that you will see it each and every day. Be constantly reminded as to what you had decided, and only get involved if something threatens the people and/or things you have put on this list.

Till next time. I hope this message educates and empowers you, allowing you to live a positive and engaged life!

Warren Ho

Founder of Defence Unlimited

www.defence-unlimited.com