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 In this lesson, you will learn:
The Force Continuum gives you an opportunity to
consider different defense responses given a wide range of possible
attacks. In general, the use of force in self-defense should be
commensurate and proportional to the aggressor's persistence and the
level of violence he initiates. You must accept that the police aren't
everywhere and that you must assume responsibility for your own safety
and that of those in your charge.Are you dealing with a drunken neighborhood teenager, an obnoxious sports fan or a serial killer? Can you defuse the situation by walking away, calling a truce or even apologizing? Does the encounter begin with a few words of insult or with a gun stuck in your back? Are you willing to be put down, humiliated or intimidated if it means avoiding a physical altercation? If you do back down, is this a one time occurrence or are you empowering this person to treat you with disrespect every day? Are you psychologically capable of hurting another person given that the intent of that person is to hurt you or someone you love? Are you psychologically prepared to accept injury to avoid death? Are you willing to train with a weapon so that you can use the weapon and not have the weapon turned against you?
You avoid the threat. You bite your lip. You walk away. You go to your Lesson One breathing and staring with hands in the ready position at chest level with palms out. You don't look like an easy mark. You may wish to try to calm the situation with light banter, negotiation, posturing, or humor. These verbal techniques may work against semi-reasonable people at a bar or ballpark or in a parking lot. This presumes that you are dealing with a jerk rather than a criminal. If, however, you are up against someone intent on killing, raping or abducting, then, begging, pleading, crying or praying isn't likely to work. You must proceed way up the continuum.
You are grabbed or have a weapon pointed at you so quickly apply a jujitsu, judo or aikido finger, wrist, arm or head lock. The concept of using joint manipulations and locks sounds like a preferable alternative to beating an aggressor into submission; however,without proper instruction and a great deal of realistic practice most control moves are very difficult to apply. When is the perpetrator going to cooperate? You can answer that. Mall security guards, bar bouncers and LEOs may have to use restraint. You have the right to defend yourself and end the violence. You can't escape. You can't talk to him. You can't put him in an arm bar. You are a hundred and ten pound woman and he is a two hundred and twenty pound man. You need an equalizer. There is only one true equalizer and that is a gun. If there are no atheists in foxholes, there are no gun control advocates in a life or death encounter. You have the right to survive to tell stories to your grandchildren. Again, like it or not, your objective is put the aggressor in sufficient pain that you create an opening for your escape. You need a temporary disabler. You shine a laser flashlight in his eyes. You smack him with the flashlight or a collapsible baton. You unleash your pepper spray. You blast him with a taser or stun gun. You smash your keys into his eyes. You stomp on his toes. You are in the Orange Condition that is about to become Red. Be quick. Be ferocious.
Here is where you use your martial arts skills. As Emeril would say, "You kick it up a notch." You punch, kick, scratch, stomp, rip, tear, gouge, pummel and bite. You use your heavy impact gross body moves, your elbows and knees. Don't bother to aim. Attack. Attack the attacker. This is Condition Red. This aggressor has made a big mistake in challenging you. He is now finding that out. If you've heard the technique called dirty fighting, then that's what you want to use. Go back to your prehistoric animalistic roots. Get barbaric. Survive. You may well have to move to this level if multiple attackers confront you. You have to take one out quickly and move to the next. At this level, if you had a knife, you might consider a slash and run. If you have a knitting needle, get imaginative. Stop the violence. Create the opening. 
Someone is trying to kill or rape you. You shoot or stab to end the violence. This is Condition Red. As a civilian, you are permitted to end the violence but not to kill. If you shoot or stab, you may kill the aggressor but this is not your intent. Your intent is to end the violence and escape. Using lethal force will subject you to police interrogation and possible court action. In court, you will be judged by twelve of your peers who will hopefully see your actions as reasonable and justified. However, in combat, it's "kill or be killed." At the time of a lethal attack, if you are stopping to consider the consequence of your action, you will probably lose.
The samurai had an expression mushin no shin. This was the mind of no mind. At the moment of encounter, the mind is clear to concentrate on nothing except victory. You aren't worried about getting sued or if the aggressor is the member of a youth gang or the Mafia. You aren't worried about going to the hospital or jail. Consequences don't matter. You concentrate on nothing except victory. You have a chance. Remember, the odds are that you will be attacked when the circumstances are most advantageous to the aggressor and least advantageous to you. If you are in a Condition White, you will be overwhelmed. If you are in a Condition Yellow, you will at least be aware and prepared to respond. Fact: In California, the use of self-defense to protect is justifiable: 1) When the person who does the defending has reasonable grounds to believe and does in fact believe that there is imminent danger that the other person will kill him/her, or cause him/her great bodily injury, and 2) A reasonable person under the same circumstances would believe that it was necessary to defend oneself to prevent death or great bodily injury to himself/herself. You should ask a LEO or attorney to outline the allowable usages of force in your state. You may wish to begin your own legal research at LawGuru.com or LawIdea.com. Members of the military are governed by rules of engagement, which serve as their force continuum: warn, disarm, disable, and destroy. 1. You give a verbal warning. 2. You detain using non-lethal force. 3. You issue a warning that you are prepared to fire. 4. You aim and fire.  The elite warrior trains 24/7 with the anticipation that he will be put in harm's way. This isn't the local LEO who prides himself on never firing his weapon in his entire career. The elite warrior expects action. He expects to face people who want to kill him. Through selection and deployment, his bravery and courage are unquestionable. He trusts his team, his weapons, and his training. If it weren't dangerous, they wouldn't need him.
The elite warrior's mindset is focused and alert. He is mission oriented. The completion of the mission is paramount. His training gives him confidence. He turns his fear into aggression. He is prepared and committed to direct and immediate action. In a battle, he expects to get injured. He uses surprise, speed, and aggression to his advantage. He wins or dies.  What does it take to be an elite warrior? How do units like Delta Force and Britain's Special Air Service select their soldiers? How do you choose four recruits from among a hundred applicants? Do you have to hike and run and swim and jump and climb and then hike and run and swim and jump and climb again? Sure, but a lot of guys can do those things. What a lot of guys can't do is to do all of that without complaints. You get an order. You are presented with a problem. Deal with it. Find a way. Concentrate on a solution. Blame no one. No excuses. If you can't stand the rain and cold and not eating for two days in Coronado, California what are you going to do when you are in Afghanistan or Somalia or eighty feet under water or eighteen thousand feet floating in thin air surrounded by people who want to kill you? Can you sit still in an Indonesian jungle for days on end without a hot meal or a VCR? Fact: In the Russian Army, the term "soldier" is generally reserved for members of the Spetsnaz, the Russian Special Forces. Everyone else is a cook, clerk or truck driver in the Army. Thankfully, most of us don't have to become elite warriors to live on our streets. But we can learn important lessons in discipline and preparation from these modern day samurais.
In 1968, the Army wasn't an "Army of One," it was more like an "Army of Everyone." Let's be kind and say that the all comers were welcome especially to the infantry. There was also a draft in full force. If you graduated from high school, you were an intellectual. How do you teach self-defense to young men who may be put in harm's way and for whom education may not have been a priority? The answer was to drill and drill and drill on the simplest most effective single technique - the heel stomp. Hit the enemy in the gut and when he bends forward pull him further forward to the ground. Heel stomp. Hit the enemy under the chin and when he goes back on his heels, keep pushing his head back until he hits the ground. Heel stomp. Kick the back of the enemy soldier's knee and when he buckles, push him to the ground. Heel stomp. Simply do whatever you have to do with the butt of your rifle or your hands or feet but get the enemy to the ground and heel stomp or bayonet him. Stomp on his ankle. Stomp on his knee. Stomp on his hand. Stomp on his elbow. Stomp on his head. Forget about ground fighting and grappling and submission holds. Stomp.
The Force Continuum will give you a range of ideas to consider as you confront violent behavior. The elite warrior mindset will prepare you to deliver direct action when necessary. Go to Lesson 41 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10
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Master's Tip:
Again, there are no easy or clear-cut guidelines to dealing with violence. It is during your quiet time that you want to work through various imaginary scenarios and your appropriate response. What is the right answer for you? Later you must be able to rationalize your actions to yourself or you may suffer posttraumatic symptoms. You've got to be able to live with yourself and feel that given the circumstances you did your best.
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