راه كاراته

The power of awareness and avoidance

I usually ask participants this question at the beginning of my self-defence courses: "What do you think is the best self-defence? Is it a punch, kick or throw? Or is it having a Black Belt in a certain martial art?"

The answer may surprise you. The best self-defence is AVOIDANCE! That's it. The best possible self-defence tactic you can ever learn is to avoid a dangerous situation in the first place.

I was told by a young lady during one of our self-defence courses that she was pinched by a man on her backside while out with her girlfriends in a nightclub. She asked me what she should do in a situation like that. I told her the best thing would be to try and avoid that night club again. Self-defence is really about using good common sense.

So how do you avoid danger? By using good awareness. By becoming more aware of your surroundings and environment you will be in a much better position to avoid potential confrontations.

Make sure you always look straight ahead of you when you are walking - and be alert! If you see and suspicious looking people, you should be able to avoid them.

Have you ever seen one of those documentaries about lions or hyenas that are often shown on the Discovery Channel or Animal Planet? Which type of prey do the lions and hyenas look for when they chase buffalo, zebras or gazelles? They look for the weakest ones. They look for prey that will an easy victim like the young, sick or elderly animals.

It's exactly the same in the human world. Muggers, thugs and rapists look for someone who will be an easy victim. If they see you walking down the road oblivious to your surrounding and completely unprepared, then you are much more likely to be attacked.

You must be aware of your surroundings and use your common sense. By doing this you will have improved your chances of avoiding danger.

The way you carry yourself is very important

Always walk with your head held high and your eyes focused straight ahead of you. Walk like a lion. Believe it or not, this will make it far less likely that you will be attacked.

Bad guys in general look for easy victims. If you look like someone who will give them a hard time, then most likely they will leave you alone and look for another victim. Remember they are human too; they are probably nervous and excited and they want to get the crime over with as soon as possible. The last thing they need is someone who will fight back and resist.

They want the type of victim who will panic, and offer no resistance at all. Avoid looking like a victim! Don't look down at the ground when walking. Keep your hands out of your pockets. Don't walk too fast, but have an air of confidence about you.

If you are generally a less confident person then practice! I mean it; practice in front of the mirror every day until you get it right. Even if you're not feeling that confident, the fact that you appear more confident will help you avoid danger.

I remember many years ago my instructor telling me the story of a video shown to a group of convicted criminals. They were shown a scene from everyday life. I think it was people shopping in a supermarket. The convicts were later interviewed separately and asked whom they would have chosen as a victim. They all chose the same person, the one who looked like the easiest victim!

So my friend be smart, be aware, and walk, talk and act confidently.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Simon_Dawson