Staying Aware: 5 Warning Signs Preceding an Assault
Working as a security or law enforcement professional, you face an increased chance of interacting with people who will try to do you bodily harm. There are a number of signs to look for when dealing with a suspect or patron that may indicate an physical assault is imminent. While these signs are especially helpful for those of us in the security & law enforcement fields, they also pertain to anyone who regularly deals with the public, and especially for men who frequent bars, pubs and concerts, since the majority of assaults on men involve alcohol.
Last week I wrote an article on The Importance of Instincts in Threat Assessment. Today I’m going to further explore some of the signs you can use to spot a potentially assaultive situation before it occurs. So when the hair goes up on the back of your neck, here are a few of the warning signs to look for that someone may get assaultive. Keep in mind that most of these on their own don’t mean someone is going to attack you, but a combination of these factors can be a strong indicator of an imminent attack.
The Importance of Instinct in Threat Assessment
Spotting potentially dangerous situations before they occur is one of the most important jobs security professionals have. Whether they’re bouncers at a bar, or a night watchmen at a construction site, recognizing a hazardous situation before it begins keeps people safe.
Like all skills, some people are very good at predicting & preventing dangerous situations, and some people aren’t. Why is that?
When I’m working a special event where alcohol is being served, I’ll see hundreds of intoxicated people over the course of my shift. Only a very small fraction of those individuals will be any sort of problem, violent or otherwise, and yet I can often pick out the people that are going to cause trouble from those who aren’t.
Using Video to Improve Martial Arts Form & Application
This past Sunday we worked with local boxing champion Louis Sargeant to improve our sparring skills. In the second half of the class, we all took turns doing some boxing-style sparring with Louis coaching us. As part of the experience, we decided to film everyone’s sparring so people can watch themselves and get a better idea of what things they need to work on. (more…)
The Misnomer of Cyber Bullying & the Tragic Story of Amanda Todd
Last week, a story about a high school girl named Amanda Todd, a victim of cyber bullying, erupted in our local Vancouver area, then swept across Canada and even got picked up by some American news sources.
In grade 7, Amanda had been reaching out trying to meet new interesting people online. She met someone who told her how stunning she was, who went on to ask her to take her top off and expose herself on webcam. She chose to go along with his request. It was a decision that had dire consequences. (more…)
Overcoming Muscle Memory to Incorporate New Martial Arts Skills
Whether you have years of experience or are beginning martial arts for the very first time, you’ll find yourself trying to learn techniques that feel unnatural or counter to your usual way of moving. It can be quite a challenge to force your body to do things it has never done before, or that feel awkward.
For those of you unaware, Lori O’Connell Sensei works in the movie industry when she’s not in the dojo, and I work in the security industry. Both of us have been training in the martial arts for a lengthy period of time, and we’ve both recently begun adding new physical skills to our repertoires for our work outside of the dojo. Lori Sensei has been working on her fight reactions for stunt work, while I have been working on my handcuffing skills. We have been practicing together, and it has led to some challenges.
Setting Goals & Creating a Training Plan for Martial Arts Development
Everyone has their own general reasons for training in the martial arts somewhere at the back of their mind, whether it’s to develop self-defense skills, get in better shape, etc. Just coming out to the dojo and getting your butt on the mats will, as long as the training your getting serves those goals, will keep you moving towards them. But for many people it can be worthwhile to create more specific goals for themselves so that they can create a training plan around them. This can be especially true at the higher levels of development when belt tests become less frequent, as it recently became apparent to one of my higher ranking students.
One of my blue belts asked if he and I could have a sit-down together to discuss his development so he can know what things he needs to work on more specifically so that he can create a training plan around them. I am always happy to have students take initiative and approach me in this way because I know that it can lead to great things.
To help outline the process, I decided to write up some goals and a training plan for myself with regards to one of my own over-arching goals as a martial artist. (more…)
Why I Yell at Students During Belt Tests
Yesterday, I ran a green belt test for 4 students. During the test I yelled… a lot. I yelled when students weren’t lining up for a breakfall quickly enough. I yelled when people were stalled on techniques. I yelled when people weren’t doing kiai enough. I yelled when doing counts for striking drills.
Not only do I yell, when I do it during tests, I do it with an angry tone. This is one of the hardest things for me to do, because in reality, I really like my students and just want to help them do their best. But the yelling is one tool that helps me do that. This is a concept in the martial arts that I think deserves elaboration.
Coming Back to the Dojo After a Break
As we near the end of the summer, I start getting emails from students who took a break from their training for whatever reason. Some use the summer to explore other interests, usually some sort of outdoor activities like hiking, paintball, triathlon racing, etc. Some go on extended vacations. Some have seasonal jobs like being a lifeguard or a farmer. Others just find it unappealing to go and train indoors when Vancouver summers have such lovely weather. (more…)
7 Ways to Help Your Child Deal with Bullies
As the start of school draws near, the issue of bullying in schools comes to the forefront of parents minds. Parents of children who are targeted by bullies often feel powerless to help their child. They want to enjoy their time in school and have the best learning environment to help them grow, but bullying can get in the way of this and can have serious consequences for their child over the long term.
I don’t pretend to have all the answers, but I have done extensive research on this issue leading up to the ‘Take a Stand’ Bully-proofing and Self-Defense class for youth that we’re hosting. Here are the top 7 ways I’ve come across to help your child deal with bullying. (more…)
Be the Black Sheep: The Payoff of Being Different
“Don’t mind anyone else, you don’t make mistakes.”
It was during an unexpected water break in the middle of my four hour plus grading for my brown belt six years ago that my first Sensei leaned in and whispered to me. He was one of a half dozen black belts assisting in the grading that day, and while the comment may seem odd, I knew to what he was referring.
About twenty minutes earlier, the grading panel had been yelling out the names of different chokes, and not entirely certain I had heard correctly, I began applying a choke. From the corner of my eye, I noticed everyone one else was doing a different choke. Assuming I must have simply heard wrong, I adjusted to perform the same choke as everyone else. Turns out everyone else was wrong.
This story came to mind the other night after I had begun a warm-up during class. I started off with the warning, “Listen carefully to the instructions,” and I proceeded to rattle off a set of exercises. (more…)
We're proud to announce that Lori O'Connell Sensei's new book, When the Fight Goes to the Ground: Jiu-jitsu Strategies & Tactics for Self-Defense, published through international martial arts publisher Tuttle Publishing, is now available in major book stores and online. More about it & where to buy it.