One important aspect related to self-defense training is something that’s not taught very much and is actually looked down on by some teachers. It’s avoidance. Avoidance is what it sounds like. Simply avoiding areas or things that a prudent man or woman would.
Sylvester Stallone
I know a man who is a black-belt in a martial art and who was a boxer in his youth. He was a bodyguard for Sylvester Stallone and other Hollywood folks and also for some high profile businessman. He tells his private students and people who listen to his self-defense seminars that he never goes to bars. He says that booze and late hours can and do lead to physical confrontations. So he chooses to avoid them. And he’s certainly not a wimp. In fact, he’s one of those rare people that when you look at, you immediately know NOT to mess with. Fierce and intense and fit. Yet he chooses to avoid places that have a higher possibility of trouble.
This is not to say that you shouldn’t go to bars. That is up to you. But it is to say that you shouldn’t go to bars that are known to be problem clubs or bars in bad areas. It is also to say that you should not be out and about at 3:00 AM in a club, or probably anywhere at that hour. And it is to say that you should stay away from bad areas.
Young Athlete Gunned Down
Just recently, a young man who was a former Kansas State football player was shot to death at three in the morning in a bad neighborhood parking lot. A fight broke out inside a bar, a crowd went outside to finish the fight and someone fired a shot; snuffing out the young athletes life. It happens all the time. Not always a death. But stabbings, shootings, assault charges and major civil suits.
The Tough Guy Evil Eye
Avoidance also means not giving back evil-eye looks to toughs (men and women) who may be on a personal mission to be “badder” than everyone else. It’s not staring back at these neurotics who eyeball others because they want to make sure they’re the alpha bad-ass. The more fit or “tough” you may look the more looks you may get from these insecure people who want to do the “eye-thing”.
Don’t play the game. Walk on by with what you’re doing. Avoid that nonsense. If the eyeball man gets in your space and leaves you no choice but to get physical, turn him into a turnip with your trained-fierce and intense physical action.
Remember that getting into street altercations can lead to death, permanent disability, civil suits, and criminal charges not to mention weapons such as knives or firearms becoming involved.
It is wise to stay away from bad areas, not be out during the wee hours and not get into school yard pissing contests with wanna be neurotic tough guys or gals. Learn your self-defense/ martial art well, be great at it and only use it when needed. Go on and enjoy a relaxed and good life and only turn on your bad-ass self as a last resort.
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