Geoscience Reference
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genetic heritage to shine through. Your “bad feeling” about that seemingly harmless nice-looking
man in the elevator, or about parking next to that windowless van (always a warning signal) in
the parking garage, might be a warning about something you need to pay attention to.
9. Stay aware of your surroundings. Pay attention to easy hiding spots, such as thick hedges, win-
dowless vans, alleys, bridges, etc.
10. When threatened, you may be at a stalemate until your aggressor is close enough to touch. Odds
are that your attacker is untrained, so any training on your part will be to your advantage. Once
your opponent reaches for you, he has opened the door for you to go on the attack. Remember,
if he is grabbing you with his hands, that usually leaves at least both your feet free, and possibly
your hands too, so use these available appendages to go on the immediate offensive.
11. Take a class and practice. There are many fine self-defense programs, and many excellent teach-
ers. Talk to people and find a class/teacher with a good reputation. For example, the “Krav Maga”
system of self-defense and practical fighting skills was developed by the Israelis as a hand-to-
hand combat training program for soldiers, law enforcement personnel, and civilians, both male
and female It is simple enough for users to reach a reasonable level of proficiency in a short peri-
od of time, and is quite effective, enabling a smaller person with some training to quickly and
easily knock down and disable an opponent who is much larger and more intimidating in stature.
If you have not done so already, I highly recommend you invest some time and energy into your
“real-life insurance policy” by taking a class in one of the many professionally taught self-de-
fense systems that does not require years of practice to become reasonably proficient. A more in-
depth martial-art system that offers balance to the equation is the DanZan RyuJujitsu ofProfessor
Henry S. Okazaki, its founder. This comprehensive martial art offers something for everyone, in-
cluding hand-to-hand combat, multiple weapons usage, bodywork, and folk medicine. It is never
too late and you are never too old to start learning a system such as this one.
12. Attack vulnerable areas. When your life is at stake and failure is not an option, your primary
hope for a positive outcome is to explosively and decisively attack your opponent's most vulner-
able areas without hesitation. The “eyes, throat, and groin” (a self-defense mantra in itself) of a
300-pound human gorilla are just as vulnerable to attack as those body parts are on the rest of us.
The head offers several vulnerable areas as well as the top of the foot, shins, knees, and avail-
able joints such as fingers, wrists, and elbows. Hitting the areas where major bodily organs are
located will severely disrupt the assailant's system. These include the liver, kidneys, heart, and
solar plexus, to name a few. The body is full of pressure points and soft tissue that will avail you
the time or the inches you need to make your escape, or follow through with a more deadly at-
tack. These include the pocket behind the ear lobes (specific techniques to follow), the trachea,
and other areas that surround the neck. The goal is to make your attacker unable or unwilling to
continue the attack.
Self-defense, like emergency preparations in general, is much like car insurance. You pray
to God you will never need to use it, but if that day should ever come when you do need it, you
thank God you took the time to learn a few powerful and effective techniques of self-defense.
The Value of Speed and Surprise
