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Are You Empowered, Confident and Fit?

11/30/2014

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I really want you to be empowered, confident and fit.

But let's get one thing straight right at the start, that is not what you come to me and other instructors like me for. You come because you want to learn how to protect yourself and your family. You come because you want training that will keep you alive and win in whatever combat situation you may find yourself in.

Yes you may feel some empowerment, become more confident and become fitter but this is as a result of the training, a collection of bi-products if you will.

We all need marketing to promote our services and within the marketing framework the use of correct language is required to illicit the correct response from potential students. Getting them to commence training.
Buzz words and phrases come and go out of fashion, the three main words in the title are used by many in the self-defence and self-protection world when advertising.

Why? Because people want to be empowered, confident and fit, they want to enact change in their lives.

But once through the door it's all up to you, left to your own devices to foster all three attributes. You won't be coached in self-empowerment techniques, you won't be coached in confidence building exercises, you will get fitter but you won't get fit, not just doing your 15-20 minute warm up and definitely not combat effective fit.

Here's  the thing, you can get all of these attributes without ever learning how to protect yourself if that is what you are after.

If you want self-empowerment go to something like The Self-empowerment Academy
If you want self-confidence go to something like The Self-Confidence Workshops
If you want to get fit, seriously fit, combat effective fit then find a fitness instructor who will beast you through hell and get you into combat shape.
If you want self-protection training then you go to someone like me.
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I am all for anything that will help you in a combat situation and there are many personal security gadgets and personal protection gadgets on the market and here again the same buzz words are used to sell these bits of kit that in all honesty are probably just going to sit hidden in the bottom of your bag.

You may feel empowered and confident now you have bought your new pepper spray or your personal attack alarm, but have you been trained on using your empowered gadget with confidence and more importantly; correctly?

So did you start your self-protection training for the right reasons?
Did you fall for the empowerment, confidence, fitness trap?
Do you use these buzz words to attract new students?

If you and your training are not combat effective then all of the empowerment, confidence and fitness in the world may not be enough to save you.

Stay Dangerous

Rock
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Eyes Wide Shut

11/3/2014

1 Comment

 
Whether you are part of a close protection team or a parent or parents out with your children, one of the most dangerous and vulnerable times is moving to and from your car and getting in and out of your car.

This is why when working in close protection either as an individual bodyguard (IBG) or as part of a team, there are procedures and drills that are employed to make these movements as secure as possible.

As we have seen recently David Cameron the British Prime Minister was attacked as he left a building and was walking towards his car in Leeds, what we call an Em-bus procedure. In this instance he was escorted by two BGs; one on his right shoulder and one on point leading the way. Out of camera shot were the rest of the team forming a cordon, you could see these men as they came rushing in to help the BG on the PMs shoulder.

All of these people and not one of them spotted the attacker who ran right at the PM. If you watch the video footage he runs right past the point man. Why? Because he was too focused on getting the car door for the PM, he was too far ahead in an unsecure environment.

Look at it from a parents point of view, how far do you get ahead of your partner and child or children? Are you too focused on the car doors, child seats, seat belts, prams and all of the other paraphernalia that goes with having kids? Your everyday life probably doesn't offer too many opportunities to be able to get in and out of your car in a secure environment.

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Approaching, in or at any vulnerable point; your awareness is your early warning system. The system itself is not important, I use Coopers Colour codes, some people use the OODA Loop (not a favourite of mine) but that system needs to be switched on, in constant use and you have to see what you are looking at.

Remember, we scan the far and middle ground and we observe the close ground. all the while adjusting our threat matrix as we move along.

Look at the photo below. This is just before President Reagan is shot by John Hinckley, Jr.

The shot comes from where you can see the umbrella, the police officer looking in to get a glimpse of the President may have seen the shooter if he was observing his arcs and observing the crowd.
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With the Em-bus and De-bus (getting out of the vehicle) procedures we need to have a solid set of drills that have been rehearsed and that all personnel understand. These should cover most eventualities, you cannot cover everything but a solid core base is easily adapted on the spot if all understand the basics.

Another important factor is communication. Close protection personnel will normally be covertly rigged up (radio, loom and mic) for communications between each other. In close proximity as the two photos show above, those close by will resort to normal speech mode during an attack and only use the radio to give a "Contact, Wait, Out" message when able to. The radio will be used, again when able to, to either call for support or to talk to other personnel out of earshot.  

Procedures for and communication between parents is just as important. The last thing you want if you are attacked is panic from one or both parents. Not only because of the shock factor if you are switched off and were caught unaware but because you didn't have a plan, you didn't drill your plan and drill it again and again.

Attacks near vehicle happen more often than you think. Plan, train and drill your plan, refine and then drill it some more.

Its your life, your children's lives, all deserve more than "It wont happen to me"

So:
Do you have a plan?

Have you trained and drilled your plan?

Have you refined your plan?

Have you drilled it some more?

Stay Dangerous

Rock
1 Comment

    Hi and welcome to Rock's Blog
    Combat Focused
    Enjoy!

    Paul 'Rock' Higgins

    Certified Master Anti - Terrorism Specialist,
    Executive Protection Operator,
    Self Protection Instructor, speaker and author of Meditations of a Modern Warrior.

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    I am available for guest blogs, magazine and newspaper articles and speaking engagements.
    I've used Anker products for a number of years now. Great close protection tool; keeping your electronic kit fully charged. 

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