The SAS Self-Defence Manual

CHAPTER 1

WHAT IS SELF-DEFENCE?

Self-defence does not just involve learning techniques - far from it. It begins with a positive mental outlook and a few simple precautions, which will allow you to anticipate and avoid potential trouble. This knowledge will also enable you to deal with trouble when it occurs.

The purpose of this book is to offer the ordinary, law-abiding citizen a series of tested and tried techniques, which will help him or her avoid becoming a victim on the streets of today's urban jungles.

Around 90 per cent of successful self-defence is to do with avoiding violence. The remaining 10 per cent depends on using physical action to combat the attacker. We shall be dealing with some defensive fighting techniques in Section Two. Getting into a fight is easy. Avoiding a fight is the difficult part. Having said that, your own mental attitude is of paramount importance both in avoiding violence and in fighting a determined aggressor.

Essentially, self-defence is keeping out of trouble, but to do that successfully you have to be aware of all the situations and circumstances in which trouble is likely to arise.

The threat We live in a world where violence and lawlessness are on the increase. Our cities are overcrowded. Many people, particularly the young, are out of work or in dead-end jobs, and most can see little light at the end of the tunnel. They are alienated from the traditional stabilising forces of family disciplines, and they are fed a TV and film diet of violence and unattainable sex, where the role models are often muscle-bound supermen, and the major motivations are greed, lust, rage and revenge. Throughout history there has always been violence on the streets, the threat of robbery and sexual assault, as well as drunken brawling.

Violent confrontations and unprovoked attacks are not restricted to the streets. There has been a general increase in attacks on people whose jobs bring them into daily contact with the public in all sorts of environments. The police are an obvious example, although they are more prepared than most of us for violent confrontation, and have been trained how to deal with it. Other people whose jobs put them at risk include social workers, doctors and nurses, shop staff, bus drivers and conductors, taxi drivers and even firemen.

The response Despite the above, the chances of being attacked are still relatively small, and can be reduced even further by a few simple measures. For example, anyone interested in learning self-defence should be prepared to spend time improving their general fitness, ideally by attending self-defence classes, or by joining a club or gym with qualified fitness instructors. If you can join a martial arts club, so much the better, but you do not have to be a black-belt master to learn the instructions in this book. As far as your mental attitude is concerned, increased fitness and physical skills will boost your self-confidence, help you to think clearly and quickly, stay aware of potential dangers, and focus your energies if the time comes for physical action. Good self-defence is about preparedness and knowledge. You have to know the mentality and probable physical limitations of your attacker. The menacing character who has obviously been sleeping rough and is now demanding money from you on the street may be a drunk or a drug addict. Check him out.

The more you study and practise self-defence, the more resources you have to bring to confrontational situations. The trained person brings fitness, strength and skill. The alert person brings knowledge of the physical environment and insights into the mentality and abilities of potential adversaries. Perhaps more important than anything else, anyone who goes into a fight knowing that he is 100 per cent in the right has an excellent chance of winning.

Mugging can be extremely traumatic for the victim. However, by following the procedures in this chapter it can be avoided with ease.

When to use self-defence The certainty of your moral right is a powerful weapon. Everyone has the right to defend him- or herself against physical attack. If you have done everything in your power to avoid conflict, and there is no chance of getting away by subterfuge or flight, then you have to commit yourself fully to the fight. Knowledge, skill and the conviction of your moral right will give you the determination and power to win. Some of the most ferocious fighters in both the animal and the human world are mothers with young. They do not even have to think about the rights and wrongs of their actions, they just do what has to be done.

If, however, you are not absolutely 100 per cent sure you are in the right, then you will not have that mental strength, and you may be beaten. Very many conflict situations arise out of deliberate provocation, and the fatal ingredient is often alcohol, mixed with male machismo: the need to look tough in front of your mates. For example, you are in a bar with your friends, notice that someone is staring at you, and issue the classic drunk's challenge, 'Who are you looking at?', then you have as much a chance of losing any ensuing fight as the idiot who tried to stare you down in the first place. Instead of ignoring the stare, or walking away from conflict, your pride comes into play. You do not want to look a fool or a coward in front of your friends.

To summarise, self-defence is the art of avoiding trouble. You have to know and recognise the dangers, but when, despite your best efforts, conflict is inevitable, you must know what to do. Your mind and body must be prepared to carry out the moves you have practised. Surprise and strong action combined with a strong mental attitude and a sense of your own moral right should see you through.

Self-defence for all Everyone can benefit from learning more about self-defence, and there is always something new to learn. Even professional fighters need to expand their repertoires, and think about new psychological approaches if they want to stay successful. Sometimes the strategy you employ in a fight does not work. If that happens, you have to have an alternative plan, based on your knowledge of your own strengths and your enemy's weaknesses.

The purpose of this book is to instil self-confidence in the reader. Hopefully, one of the ways it can achieve this is by encouraging you to practise a few simple techniques which you can use when the time comes to defend yourself.

Discipline The majority of people who cause trouble are not trained and do not know how to fight. The moment you join a club and begin to learn how to fight, the first thing you are taught is discipline. You have to learn to control your movements and the emotions that can govern them. You learn how to strike blows, but you also learn never to strike them in anger. You have to be disciplined in your actions, and respectful of your teachers and fellow students. The code of honour, which governs the best martial arts clubs, extends beyond the practice mats to everyday life. This is in marked contrast to the behaviour of the undisciplined street aggressors this book is designed to help you overcome. They have no training, no discipline, and are not really any good at what they do. Most of the people throwing their weight around are bullies. They can charge forward swinging when they are under the influence of alcohol or drugs, but their timing is erratic and they only have false courage.

Drunks and Drug Addicts

Drunks and drug addicts can be dangerous, both as perpetrators of random violence and as thieves, to gain money for their habits. Long-term drunks are easy to spot, with their puffy features, bloodshot eyes, unsteady gait and smell of alcohol. When they speak, they either slur their words or enunciate them too carefully in the attempt to sound sober. Drug addicts are harder to pin down. Amphetamine and cocaine users have enlarged pupils and uncontrolled nervous energy, and tend to gabble their words. Heroin addicts have pin-point pupils. However, in general beware of anyone who is acting in an odd manner.

Neither an alcoholic nor a junky is likely to be a match for someone who is reasonably fit and coordinated. He has probably had a bad night and has a hangover, or else is beginning to feel painful drug withdrawal symptoms. His general health is at a low level, and he almost certainly has a terrible diet. This does not mean that he is not capable of dangerous actions, but it does mean that his reactions are slow, he has little stamina, and none of the determination that you will be bringing to the situation. Indeed, your self-confidence alone will probably be enough to defuse the threat of violence.

MUGGING

Mugging is one of the oldest violent crimes known to man. It is very straightforward, being basically a matter of 'Give me your property or I'll hurt you.' The person being mugged has a fairly simple choice. Is it worth while getting into a fight and risking injury or possible death just for the sake of a few personal possessions? The answer has to be no. Muggers often have weapons, such as knives or even guns. They also often like to work in teams. The risks attached to resisting muggers are high. Mugging is a cowardly crime, but it is also a desperate one. Don't get injured for the sake of some small change or a bit of jewellery.

Preventative measures By far the best way of dealing with mugging is to avoid it, and your preparations should start before you leave the house. First of all, do not carry anything you really cannot afford to lose. Just have...