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ОглавлениеBy Loren W. Christensen
The martial arts in general, this book specifically, contain violent techniques that run the gamut from mild pain control holds all the way to moves that can kill. Therefore, I will remind you many times throughout this book to be justified to use certain techniques and, if I did my job well, this will ingrain itself into your brain. Here is a warning in advance: Be justified. Be justified. Be justified.
Know and understand the law where you live. Remember, in the eyes of the law, ignorance is no excuse.
Consider this legal subsection on the use of deadly force. It happens to be Hawaii’s but it’s basically the same everywhere.
“The use of deadly force is justifiable under this section if the actor believes that deadly force is necessary to protect himself against death, serious bodily injury, kidnapping, rape, or forcible sodomy.”
There are, of course, hundreds of variables to any situation, but taken as presented here, you’re legally justified to take a life to keep yours from being seriously injured, kidnapped, raped, forcibly sodomized, or killed. Most will agree that this is reasonable. But will the police simply be okay with you saying that you believed deadly force was necessary? No. The case will be investigated and you can count on it being investigated very, very thoroughly. The facts, witness statements, and the evidence all need to support your belief. So you better be right. You better be justified.
Now, let’s visit Master Tuff Guy’s School of Self-defense. We’re just in time for his beginner class.
A lesson in overkill
“Okay, listen up, people,” 25-year-old Master Guy says. “When the attacker grabs your wrist like this, bring your arm up and over to force him to bend forward at the waist and release his grip. Now, quickly wrap your arm around his neck, and squeeze until you hear him sputter and you feel his strength fade. Now, step through hard and fast and snap his neck.”
Say what? Snap his neck!? Because he grabbed your wrist? Seems kind of extreme, don’t you think? Maybe we heard that wrong. Let’s check out Master Guy’s colored belt class.
“The attacker has a blade,” Master Guy says, handing a rubber knife to a woman wearing a blue belt. He tells her to poke it at him. “Grab her wrist like this and bend it back to force the knife away like this. Okay, now sweep her feet out from under her. Now quickly slice the blade across her neck, once, twice, then across her stomach, once, twice, and finish by plunging it into her heart.”
“Oooo” goes the class in unison. The master sure is flashy. And those deadly payback moves? Wow.
But no one in the class stops to consider this: The attacker no longer had the knife when the master butchered her. Yes, she might have another in her pocket, but that isn’t mentioned in the scenario. Master Guy said, “The attacker has a blade. A blade. Singular. Might she have another? Sure, she might.
But you can’t fillet a person for something she might have.
In the white belt class the new students are wowed by the nasty technique they are learning – Awesome! We’re breaking a guy’s neck! - and they look at Master Guy in awe. No one considers that Master Guy’s response to the provocation is just a tad over the top. So much so that should they do that move on the street they would be doing many years in a little cell with a bunkmate named Brutus.
Are these scenarios exaggerations of what is happening in martial arts classes everyday? Not even a little bit. I’ve been guilty of doing it, too, but not for a long time now.
This book contains techniques for street survival that can cause pain, minor injury, serious injury, debilitating injury, and death. It’s paramount that you – teacher and student – practice these techniques and any variations you devise, with responsibility and constant analysis as to the moves you’re using and the imagined situations in which you’re employing them. You want to consider these elements for your training partner’s safety and for the legal impact they can have on you. Why do all this? Because too often we just practice defense and counters with intent to reap mayhem on our pretend attacker without considering the legal outcome had this situation been real.
Train for real in all aspects
The old axiom of how you practice is how you will respond in a real situation is true (for more on this see Chapter 2). If you practice an eye gouge and a windpipe choke in response to someone grabbing your wrist, then that is likely how you will respond in a real situation. Do you want to try to convince a judge and jury that that was the best way for you, a trained martial artist, to react? Well, you can try, but bring a toothbrush because you’re likely going to jail. And you’re going to get sued.
Karate instructor Lawrence Kane (Chapters 6 and 11) has an expression I like. “Self-defense Rule #3: Don’t go to jail.” A good one to keep in mind.
You might argue that you and your teacher have no intention of ever responding in such an extreme manner in a real situation where the wrist is grabbed. You say that the grab is simply a device, a stimulus, so that you can practice your counter attack – your over-kill counter attack. It’s just practice. Your training partner grabs your wrist and you go postal on him, and you practice it over and over until … it’s ingrained.
It’s ingrained. It’s fixed in your brain. Imbedded. Deep rooted.
There are thousands of schools and millions of students who practice that way.
Continuum of force
The Continuum of Force model has been used by law enforcement agencies for years, though many agencies across the country are now moving to a different one, a new and improved version called “Force Options.” For the purpose of our discussion here, the Continuum of Force still works nicely.
Police
Force Options and Continuum of Force provide the police with a guideline to follow when they are compelled to respond with force in a situation. To give you a visual, think of the continuum as a ladder with several rungs. Read it from the bottom rung up.
Lethal force (firearms)Impact weapons (batons)Defensive body tactics (hands-on tactics)Pepper spray (A dash of cayenne to shut down the vision and disturb the breathing)Passive control (physically moving a person)Verbal commands (voice commands)Officer’s presence (commanding and authoritative presence)
To give you an example of how it works, I’ll simplify it and make the ladder a little one with just three steps.
On the fist rung, the officer uses his presence and voice commands to control an agitated person.When the subject escalates the situation, the officer moves up the continuum of force to use physical control techniques, such as wrist locks and takedowns, pepper spray, and the police baton.Should the subject threaten or attempt to use a weapon against the officer or someone in the officer’s presence, the officer can escalate all the way up the continuum ladder to lethal force, to include extreme empty hand techniques, extreme baton techniques, or the firearm.
Now, some violent situations occur so suddenly that the officer must bypass the first rung or two on the continuum and immediately use pepper spray or the baton. Some explosive situations necessitate that the officer, within a second or two of contact with a dangerous subject, jump all the way up to lethal force.
Civilians
Civilians should also follow a continuum of force, one that is somewhat similar to that used by law enforcement. Before I get into it, allow me to say that civilians have one primary advantage that law enforcement doesn’t enjoy. When there is an opportunity, civilians can move away from danger; they can run from it. However, law enforcement must move toward the danger. That is a huge difference that many people don’t recognize.
Civilian continuum of force model Here is a simple civilian continuum I devised for discussion. Again, read from the bottom of the ladder up.
Lethal forceHands on with force, including injury, to stop the threatHands on with pain to controlHands on with little or no painStrong presence and firm voiceVoice and presenceAvoid high-risk situations
To help see and understand the levels, let’s use three scenarios in which you respond at the lowest continuum with an erect posture, a neutral expression, direct gaze, and verbiage that leaves no confusion as to it meaning. Then the scenarios are going to get increasingly more dangerous and you’re going to escalate your response in kind.
Avoid high-risk situations
Follow your common sense and avoid dangerous bars, street corners, convenience stores and parks. People often get into trouble because they blunder into situations that, after the dust settles and their wounds heal, they see that their decision was not a wise one. Avoid a problem by not putting yourself into its midst.
You know there is a bully in your school or at your job. While it’s not always easy, do all that you can to avoid being around him and giving him an opportunity to intimidate you. Though you might be able to successfully fight him off, who needs the hassle?You see a street beggar a few yards up the sidewalk grabbing at passersby. Why put yourself at risk? Swallow your pride and cross the street. You will soon forget about it and life will be grand. But should you choose to walk by the aggressive beggar, a situation might unfold that could be costly in terms of your well-being, his well-being, court time, lawyers, and so on.One of your uncles is an obnoxious alcoholic and a pervert to boot. Every time there is a family gathering he grabs at you and says awful things. During the last few family events he has gotten progressively worse. Before the situation explodes, you need to talk to other family members and let them know what is going on. Maybe even tell them that you’re not going to participate in family events as long as he is invited.
Voice and presence
Most high-risk situations – bullies, drunks, road ragers - can be controlled with a commanding presence, an authoritative voice tone, and well-chosen words. Accept the blame for the problem, apologize, and sprinkle lots of “sir” or “ma’am” in your talk.
Most of the time these things work. Those times they don’t work is why we train so hard.
Let’s proceed up the ladder using these same three characters: the bully, the aggressive beggar, and the drunken uncle.
Strong presence and firm voice
A bully reaches for your arm.Standing straight and tall, you look at him sternly and say in a clear, strong voice, “Don’t touch me.”A street beggar approaches you from your side and asks for money.You look directly at him and say in a clear, strong voice, “Not today.”Your drunken uncle at the family party says something inappropriate to you.You look straight at him with a stern expression, and say clearly, “ “Please don’t talk to me that way.”
Hands on with little or no pain
The bully grabs hold of your armYou jerk it away.The street beggar steps in close to block your path and then demands money.You nudge him away with your shoulder or hands.Your drunken uncle at the family party touches you in a way that makes you feel uncomfortable.You grab his hand and push it back toward him.
In such situations, you can use a limited amount of force to escape a grab, clear a path, and knock away an uncomfortable touch. Then you proceed on your way while making quick glances back to watch the person.
Hands on with pain to control
The bully grabs your arm and resists your escape.You quickly maneuver his arm to where you can apply a pressure hold against his elbow.The street beggar steps into your path and slaps his hands on your chest.You knock his arms aside, push him into a wall and apply a control hold on his arm.Your drunken uncle grabs you inappropriately and pulls you into the bathroom.You knock his hands off you and push him down onto the floor.You sit on him and call for others to come and help.
Hands on with force, including injury, to stop the threat
The bully grabs your arm and resists your escape. He reaches for your throat with his other handYou punch him in the chest and kick him in the groin.When you push the street beggar against a wall, he spins around before you can apply a control hold and grabs a stick from his backpack.Since he is blocking your escape route, you kick his knee and follow with a backfist to his ear.Your uncle bucks you off and then tries to climb on top of you.You grab a vase off the cabinet and whack him in the forehead with it.
Lethal force
The bully absorbs your chest punch and groin kick without a flinch and pulls a knife from under his jacket. He lunges at you, nicking your arm.You grab his forearm, press it against his chest and then ram your fingers into his eyes.He screams, his eyes bleeding and squeezed shut in pain. But still he struggles to move the knife toward you.You slam a solid punch into his throat, which crumples him.The street beggar is only slightly phased by your knee kick and ear strike. He pulls an uncapped syringe from his tattered jacket pocket and stabs it at you.You grab his arm and are surprised by his incredible strength. He begins to maneuver the needle so that it pokes into your sleeve.You hammer fist his nose, and then sweep his leg, which drops him onto the back of his head.Hitting your perverted uncle in the head with the vase only makes him more determined. He grabs at you.You twist around so that your weight helps to pin his arms.With his head braced by the cabinet, you slam your knee into his temple to make him release you.
To reiterate, you don’t have to go through all the continuum steps in progressive order. If, say, a street beggar approaches you and you respond with a firm, “Not today,” and in anger he jabs a hype needle at you, it’s legally permissible for you to jump to the top rung of the ladder, the lethal force rung. That is, if you can’t run away.
“Avenue of escape”
Understand this legal term because not considering it can get you into trouble even when that street beggar jabs a hepatitis C-infected needle at you.
You’re going to get asked in court, “Yes, the street beggar poked a needle at you, and yes you had a right to use lethal force against him with your martial arts-trained feet and hands. But answer this: Couldn’t you have backed away? Could you have turned and ran? Isn’t it true there was an unobstructed sidewalk behind you?”
Your heart goes kuthunk, and you mumble, “Uh …”
“Yet you chose …,” the attorney says dramatically as he looks at each juror in the eye, “… to crush a homeless, hungry man’s face with your martial arts-trained fist and trip him with some martial arts-trained move that caused the man’s head to smash into the concrete.”
Suddenly, your life is about to change.
Instructors: don’t even joke about it
After I had been teaching the police academy for a number of years, the brass decided, and wisely so, that the instructors needed to use caution when making funny remarks about anything related to using force on someone. They were finding that some comments made in jest were coming back to haunt them.
While instructors always want their profound teachings to stick with a student, sometimes, according to anecdotal evidence, it’s the wisecrack, the funny comment, the exaggerated technique that some students remember most of all.
“Now that you have your opponent’s wrist locked, what do you do? You break it. Ha ha.”
“Okay, you’ve knocked the guy down onto his back. Now, run away. But as you leave, give him a nice kick in the ear. Ha, ha”
“You’ve trapped his knife arm. Twist his arm so that that he stabs himself in the gut. Hey, that was so fun why not make him do it two or three times. Ha ha.”
Might these little jests, underscored by humor and the mental image of the teacher’s exaggerated technique, remain in the minds of some students and reappear in their actions under stress?
Yes, and that is why we were ordered not to joke around in any class that involved functioning under stress: empty-hand fighting, police baton, and firearms. Some students will only remember that you leaned on your subdued attacker’s eye socket and forget that you did it for a laugh.
Important point: A private citizen has a legal duty to retreat. He or she must always explore evasion or escape first before getting physical.
Question, evaluate and research
I could give you dozens of examples and you could come up with dozens of: What if … Yeah, but … But can’t you just … That’s just not fair … So let me leave you with some advice that will not only improve your martial arts study, but just might keep you out of the slammer.
Question what you’re taught. Be polite about it but ask so that you understand how certain techniques and responses fit into the force continuum. If your teacher hasn’t thought about this, your questions just might get him to do so.Evaluate techniques and responses. Is this technique over the top? Not enough? Does it push the legal envelope? For practice, evaluate the techniques in this book as to where they fit into the continuum.Research the laws where you live. Remember, ignorance of the law is no excuse. Maybe you really, really believe that it was okay to hit the guy 42 times with a brick when he pulled a knife on you. Well, just because you thought it was okay doesn’t make it okay in the eyes of the law. Know the laws, know the continuum, and know what you can and can’t do in various situations.
Perhaps you have heard the saying, “I’d rather be judged by 12 than carried by 6.” While there are lots of incarcerated folks who might debate that, by questioning, evaluating and researching you give yourself one other option that is better than being carried or judged:
An informed, intelligent and highly-trained response.
Loren W. Christensen’s biography appears in the “About the Author” page at the back of the book.
