Operative Awareness: There is a Lot More to it than Most People Think – Erik Kondo

Operative Awareness is awareness that is functionally useful. It has an actual effect on your assessments and actions. “Be aware of your Surroundings” is an extremely common sound bite of self-defense. The general idea is that by being “aware” you are less likely to be victimized by a criminal. Many people who promote awareness for … [Read more…]

Assessment, Alternatives and Articulation – Marc MacYoung

In speaking of “In the Name of Self-Defense: What it Costs. When it’s worth it,” Anthony M. mentioned that his firearms instructors talked about the “Combat Triad consisting of Marksmanship, Gunhandling, and Mindset.” My response: Good model there. Dropping into a similar mode I’ll say there are three important aspects of mindset (not only three, … [Read more…]

What’s Wrong with Your Situational Awareness – Garry Smith & Marc MacYoung

Durban – The family of a combat sport and self-defence enthusiast murdered for his cellphone while walking home in oThongathi (Tongaat) are trying to piece together his last moments. They believe Tyson Morgan, 24, who was trained in ‘self-defence’ and ‘street-fighting’ techniques, might have been caught unawares by his assailants because he was listening to … [Read more…]

Identifying Danger – Rory Miller

Violence serves a purpose.  Multiple purposes, actually.  And the purpose it serves, the goals (and parameters)  will drive how the violence occurs. The threat who wants money for drugs will approach differently than the drunk college kid trying to impress a girl and neither will be quite the same as the person from a violent … [Read more…]