Nuts & Bolts of Self Defense

Fundamental "Nuts & Bolts" training for close combat should be directed at dealing with the extremes. That is a life and death struggle for survival, i.e. worst case scenario. Restraint, control, and use of force scenarios and methods are peripheral to this core training. In other words train to deal with these beliefs at the forefront: The enemy is quite willing and capable of killing you - there are multiple threats - they are armed - the assailant(s) are bigger, stronger, faster than you and they CAN FIGHT! Can it get any worse that that? Now add this to the mix: You are physically/mentally exhausted - ill or injured - caught by absolute surprise - may have to protect others as well - no viable avenue of E&E.

So what do we HAVE to do? I think we would all agree that immediate and absolute "threat" elimination by the most extreme (hence most reliable) measures possible is really the only pragmatic answer. So now what?

Let's look to real world models for some possible answers. Three potential goals seem obvious:

1 - Immediate cessation of life. Yes, killing the SOB's outright!

2 - Unconsciousness. Knocking the SOB's out cold!

3 - Acute traumatic shock (least viable). Making it physically impossible for the SOB's to do ANYTHING.

I would heartily suggest following up with 1 or 2. John Minnery had a good line, "If you killed him once and you're sure he's dead, kill him again and be dead sure". If anyone regards this as melodramatic or overly harsh; well consider what you would do if some animal were about to harm your wife, children, etc.

Look at it this way. Most of us have dogs. You wouldn't think of hurting or harming that animal. Now you're walking through the woods and you come across a rabid dog, foaming at the mouth, and it closing in on you and your family. Ask your self, would you think twice about killing that dog where it stands? Of course not! What's the difference between that dog and the one at home? Your dog at home behaves in a way that deserves your love and respect. The rabid dog behaves in a way that doesn't. Enough said.

Considering the worst case, it seems only logical that we attack the most viable targets with ruthless, abject brutality. Priority #1 - the throat/neck region and the face/skull (brain box). Everything else is secondary. Why? These two areas assure the "biggest bang for the buck" so to speak. Reality sucks, so you may very well have only ONE CHANCE, you had better make it the best chance possible! This applies to unarmed as well as armed combat.

Attack the throat with the INTENTION of crushing it! No brainer.

Attack the anterior/lateral carotid triangle. One of TWO primary KO points.

Kyusho/Dim Mak this AIN'T! Just "hammer" the bastard. Fast, hard and often is the key phrase!

Attack the cervical spine/C-1 - dens bone attachment.

Attack the head/brain case. Now here we get interesting. The goal in attacking the head should be, in my opinion, to cause ACUTE TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY. Other possible injuries are secondary. Attack with the intention of causing massive "coup contra coup" brain trauma, either through translational or rotational impact. Cause severe "kinking" of the brain stem, either by hyper flexion or extension. Forget the "death touch" stuff. THIS IS HOW people in the real world get F***ed up.

Just research contact sports injuries, i.e. football, hockey, soccer, boxing and judo. Shocking the medulla and the raephi ganglia are proven "shut downs" in the real world. Second proven KO is located at the jawline lateral to the chin at about the spot where the mental foramen is located(draw a vertical line down from corner of mouth). This is the classic boxing KO and is due in large part to rotational acceleration causing "brain bounce" or concussive referal shock and acute twisting of the cervical vertabrae.

No one is saying that this is "easy", BUT it is what you are going to HAVE to do. Sometimes you CAN attack directly, sometimes you can't. Uncle Murphy rules the roost here. So you DO whatever you have to DO, but get there! Spit in his eyes, slam a kick(with real intent and hopefully solid boots) into his shins, crush his nuts with a knee, grab the bastard and bite his nose off.......whatever! Shock him, rock him, and knock him out! Or just smile simpering and waste the skel with total abject ruthlessness. Then go home and get a good night's sleep.

It ain't pretty, it ain't easy, it ain't fun, this is SERIOUS "guano" and your very life and well-being will be hanging in the balance. Either stand up, accept it and deal with it, or fold your hand, the choice is yours. The morgue is filled with compromise. Survival is its OWN REWARD!

Copyright 2003 www.thetruthaboutselfdefense.com ©

Carl Cestari began his study of the martial arts with judo at the age of 7 under the direction of Yoshisada Yonezuka. During the past forty plus years Carl has dedicated his life to studying the martial arts, hand to hand combat systems, history and religion. What makes Carl unique is his combination of martial arts, law enforcement and military and real world experience. Carl has been exposed to a multitude of people with a wide variety experience. The following is a list of some of Carl's ranks and honors.

Shinan (Founder) Tekkenryu jujutsu
Ryokudan (6th degree) Koshinkai Karate under John Burrelle
Godan (5th degree) Jujutsu under Clarke of the World Jujutsu Fedaration (now defunct)
Sandan (3rd degree) Nippon Kempo under Narabu Sada
Nidan (2nd degree) Judo under Masafumi Suzuki
Shodan (1st degree) Judo under Yoshisada Yonezuka
Shodan (1st degree) Shukokai Karate under Kimura, Kadachi and Yonezuka
Shodan (1st degree) Daitoryu Aikijujutsu
Instructors Certificate- Charles Nelson System of Self Defense under Charlie Nelson

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