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Preparedness Tip: Light’s Out Kit

May 1, 2012 by

Power outages happen; from severe weather, too much demand on the system or even fluke things like scheduled maintenance (haha). Having a “lights out” kit stocked with items for such an occurrence can make power outages much easier to deal with. I learned this the hard way. I had all of the items, just not all in one location or in one designated kit.

There are several commercial kits available but I have found that you can often build a better kit for less than the commercial price. The approach I like to use for building kits of any kind is to assure the five basic human needs are met. Here are some of the items that you might want to store in your lights out kit.

 

Water

For most power outages the duration will be short. However, having water bottles on hand for such an event can’t hurt. Just be sure to rotate them with the rest of your water.

There is also plenty of water in your hot water heater if needed.

 

Food
If you don’t have a generator, depending on how long the outage might be, you might want to eat any perishable food from your fridge. You can also refer to how to keeping food cold without electricity.

Many of your canned goods are precooked and can be eaten cold. You can heat them with a grill, camp stove or oven if your natural gas is unaffected.

Don’t forget the manual can opener.

 

Shelter
The shelter you have should be sufficient. However, if the outage is in the middle of winter, you may want to take precautions to make sure your family can stay warm. Blankets of any kind are good, wool blankets are even better. I have some of the small folded space blankets in my kits but honestly I’m not a huge fan of them. They have been found to tear on the fold lines as they age. Another alternative is a version of something a friend showed me. It’s the Space All Weather Blanket. They are more durable, thicker and more expensive. I think I’ll be buying some of these very soon (I should have already).

Keeping cool in the summer without the AC is a must as well. Having a spray bottle to fill with water and a few bandanas can be useful.

If a storm is the reason you are without power, you’ll want to make sure your structure isn’t a danger to your security.
Having some emergency cash on hand could pay for a hotel room if needed.

 

Energy
Having batteries on hand can serve many purposes. I know many people store them in the fridge to extend the life (I have heard that it does work, but don’t know for sure).

A flashlight is a must. I recommend keeping the batteries for it in a Ziploc bag and attaching it with a rubber band to the flashlight, this will prolong the battery life.

A shake flashlight is also another good idea. We have a few of these and while the light isn’t the greatest, it’s enough to move around safely.

Glow sticks are another option.

I’m not sure where to put a weather radio, so I’m just going to put it here. We have two different types and I’m reviewing them both tomorrow. We keep one Reecom R-1630 Weather Alert Radio in the master bedroom and one in the basement. We also have a few MIDLAND HH50 Pocket Weather Radio. These are great and are cheap enough to keep one in the BOB and one in the lights out kit.

A candle and matches can be stored as well and a few of them can heat a small room surprisingly well. Just be careful, it is a fire hazard. If you don’t use candles on a regular basis, use extra caution.

Security

I covered making sure you’re not in danger from storm damage.
If a blackout goes on through the night, there might be a spike in crime. Plan accordingly.
Have things on hand for entertainment. This is more for your sanity than anything else. Crosswords, word finds, decks of cards, board games, books, etc. You get the idea.

 

Recap
Here is a list without my $.02
Bottled water (make sure to rotate)
Manual can opener
Canned goods from pantry (make sure to rotate)
Blankets (all weather or otherwise)
Water spray bottle
Bandana
Emergency cash
Batteries of various types that you use (make sure to rotate)
Flashlight; battery, shake, wind up
Glow sticks
Weather radio
Candles
Matches
Entertainment

If you think of any other items that that would be good to include, please add them to the comment section.

 

Filed Under: Kits, Preparedness Tips

Finding the Best Home Defense Gun to Meet Your Needs

April 30, 2012 by

Everyone has their opinion on what the best choice is for a home defense gun is and they could all be right. This topic, like many others, isn’t one-size-fits-all. There are cost factors, training concerns, legal restrictions and even the area in which you live to consider.

Instead of giving my opinion, I’ll give you some general guidelines and my take on different platforms so that you can find the perfect home defense gun for you. I’m going to speak in generalities in this article. I don’t know your local laws, please look to them for your firearm regulations.

What Makes a Good Home Defense Gun?

 

These are the factors I use for CCW or home defense guns.

  1. It has to work every time I pull the trigger or misfires have to be so seldom that the number might as well be zero.
  2. It has to be a common caliber; the more common the caliber, the more common the ammo. This is for people building their primary defensive battery; if you have go to handgun, by all means get something nonstandard.
  3. I have to like the gun; how the grip feels and how it feels when shooting it. I was talking to someone who said his dad owned a Glock for many years. His dad was involved in a car accident that caused some nerve damage to his hand. Afterward his dad could no longer shoot the Glock because of the way the polymer grip vibrated. If you don’t like the feel of it, you won’t shoot it, if you won’t shoot it you won’t be proficient at it.

 

What is your budget?

I could say that the hands down best home defense firearm is a $1000 carbine, but if you only have $200-$300 in the budget, nothing else matters. I’ll speak in generalities because it will always be possible to find a firearm that is more or less expensive. That being said, rifles and carbines are usually going to be the most expensive, followed by handguns and shotguns being the least expensive.

 

Will each adult have their own firearm, or will there be one home defense gun?

If this firearm is going to be the only home defense gun in the home, the adult with the smallest stature has to be able to fire it efficiently. Gentlemen, if you only have one firearm and your wife cannot fire it effectively, she might as well be without a firearm. This is not a knock on you ladies. Some women do not have the upper body strength to wield a loaded 12 gauge or the like. Some women just don’t like the recoil. There could be another suitable option available that is easier to handle and has sufficient stopping power.

 

Where do you live?

There is a huge difference between living in an apartment versus your nearest neighbor living a half mile away. If you live in an area that has neighbor’s very nearby, penetration is a concern. This all but rules rifles out. With handguns you can limit this some by choice of ammo. You have more options with a shotgun but you have to be sure you aren’t compromising on stopping power. More on this later.

 

What do you have the most practice with?

Let’s say you have a 12 gauge loaded with buckshot for home defense but you have only shot it a handful of times. Let’s say you have the gun you wear for conceal and carry that you have fired hundreds of rounds downrange with. Which of the two is the better choice?

There is a caveat here. Since this is a gun for defense, it must have stopping power. If you’re in a .22 league and have the most practice with a .22, enjoy the league but practice with something that has more stopping power for home defense.

 

Platforms

Speaking in generalities again, when it comes to stopping power, rifles are better stoppers than shotguns, which are better than handguns. Rifles and shotguns don’t conceal well without the police being called (haha). When out in public the handgun is the best option. For home defense, penetration is often a concern, whether a round goes through interior walls or exterior walls, you have to think about others in your house and your neighbors. Shooting through walls is an article from The Box O’ Truth. In it, he shows that most handgun, rifle and many shotgun loads will penetrate walls.

 

Handguns

I have seen all kinds of arguments for and against using handguns for home defense. Some will say that the handgun is what you use when you can’t carry a shotgun or rifle. There is a similar argument that the handgun is what you use to fight your way to your rifle. Both are very valid points. Handguns do not have the range or stopping power like the other options. If it is what you are trained with, it could be the best option for you.

My concern with using a handgun for home defense is over penetration. Most rounds will penetrate multiple interior walls and punch through an exterior one as well. With frangible ammunition this can be mitigated to some extent. This type of ammunition is made to expand upon impact and limit penetration. This isn’t to say they are not man stoppers. This type of ammo is more expensive but you should shoot with it to ensure it works well with your gun. While it is expensive, it is not nearly as expensive as a funeral.

One plus that the handgun has over other platforms is that it can be shot with one hand. If you have a child that you have to carry, or have a disability that would make using the larger framed platforms prohibitive, a handgun might make a good choice.

 

Rifles/Carbines

Having the longest range, the most rounds per magazine and the best stopping power, these are the most expensive option. As with handguns, over penetration is a concern. Frangible ammunition does not work well in rifles in most cases and is only available in a few select calibers. If you live in an area that penetration is not a concern, this is a great option.

 

Shotguns

Most often the least expensive option, a brand new shotgun can be purchased for $200-$300 and I have seen them at pawn shops for less than $200. In home defense ranges, a shotgun with the right ammo can be an effective man stopper. Shotguns come in a variety of gauges, The most common are the 12 gauge and the 20 gauge; the smaller the number, the more powerful the shotgun. Many people will say that a home defense shotgun should be a 12 gauge. If this is the only firearm in the home, I’ll go back to the point I made about the person with the smallest stature being able to handle the firearm. If that person still has trouble with the weight of a fully loaded 20 gauge, youth models are available. With the smaller frame, maneuvering through the home might be easier and with the right ammo, the youth model will still be an effective stopper.

Shotguns have a variety of ammunition available; birdshot, buckshot and slugs. Slugs, while a very effective stopper, are not a great choice for home defense due to over penetration. Buckshot and birdshot come in varying shot sizes. Birdshot is not defensive ammunition and should only be used on, well, birds. Here is a link to The Box O’ Truth where he shows just how effective 20 gauge #3 buckshot is. For home defense loads, #3 or #4 buckshot would be sufficient to stop Mr. Dirtbag and will have far less penetration than bullets.

Shotguns have less capacity than the other platforms. You can compensate for this with a stock shell holder. There is a belief carried by some that shotguns don’t have to be aimed. This is simply untrue. Practice and training are still needed in every case.

Another plus too shotguns is that they are multi-lingual. The person breaking into your house might not speak English, but everyone speaks shotgun.

 

Things you should have with your home defense gun.

  • A light. Whether mounted or not, you need to be able to see your target and make sure it’s not one of the kids sneaking in at 2 am. You can kill them (figuratively) in the morning (haha).
  • Training. Save up and spend money on good quality training. I know there multiple places within an hour of me that offer training specifically on home defense.
  •  Night Sites. If your firearm can have night sites I would recommend getting them. It will help you with target acquisition.
  •  If you have older eyes or problems with target acquisition, a laser might be a great option.
  • Did I mention training? TRAIN, TRAIN, TRAIN. PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE.

Your firearm is useless for home defense if you cannot get to it quickly, here are some of my thoughts on Being Armed at Home.

 

Filed Under: Security Tagged With: , , , ,

Trudee’s Tactical Purse

April 27, 2012 by

(Today’s article was written by my wife Trudee.)

I have been discouraged by the gun holster options available to women.  The purse idea works best for me but if Mr. Dirtbag steals my purse, he gets my gun too.  Not to mention the awkward drawing from a purse.  It’s something we have to train for should that be where we decide to carry our firearms, ladies.

All that being said, I decided that a cross-body purse would be my best option for retention.  Yes, the straps can still be cut but I’m likely to feel that fairly quickly, since my situational awareness is engaged and I’m alert.  Much more of the strap comes into contact with the body in a cross-body purse as well, creating a more secure option.

I had been carrying concealed in a regular purse, purchased at JCPenney.  I had been using an inside pocket for concealment.  After repeated drawing drills, I realized that this was just not practical.  There was NO way I was getting my gun out quietly or quickly if I needed it. 

Sears.  That’s where I was.  I stopped there to pick up a new grill cover since ours didn’t do so well over the winter.  While I was there, I decided to browse their cross-body purse options.  I found one.  I had my regular purse with me.  And my gun was in it.  I don’t know about your state but here in Minnesota, there isn’t ANY way I’d have gotten away with taking my gun out of one purse and putting it into one I hadn’t paid for yet.  I had to use my imagination to decide if I thought one of this purses’ outer pockets would conceal my Glock 19 well enough.  I decided it was worth a shot.

I paid for the grill cover and this new “gun holster” and headed home, excited about what I might be able to accomplish with this purse that I hadn’t been able to with any of the others. 

I’m no seamstress.  I can fix a button and have recently learned to darn wool socks.  I cross stitch and crochet, sometimes latch hook.  That’s the extent of my “yarn and thread” experience.  I was nervous about how I’d get my purse holster attached.  It has hook and loop (Velcro) on either side of the holster itself, so I knew that it would involve somehow attaching more hook and loop to the inner lining of the purse.  I was prepared to 1earn how to sew the hook and loop into the purse, regardless of the work it might be for such a novice.  It turns out that 3M makes an adhesive hook and loop “tape” that actually sticks to cloth!! Imagine my amazement and excitement!!

I experimented a little bit, hoping not to waste very much.  It worked!!!  My holster now sits in an open pocket of my new cross-body purse!  One of the two front pockets holds my pepper spray and my tactical flashlight.  The pepper spray is attached to the purse via the paracord keychain I made.  These things are designed to distract while I draw.  Chris tells me he’s impressed with my “tactical purse”.  That’s a big deal to me, since he’s the preparedness guy around here. 

You don’t have to go to Sears to find the purse, I found the Relic Organizer Crossbody Purse available at Amazon in multiple colors, much to Chris’ chagrin.

The flashlight is a 5.11 Atac Plx Pen Light Blk and the pepper spray is Cold Steel Inferno .38 oz pepper spray

Filed Under: Kits, Security Tagged With: , ,

Book Review: The Survivors Club: The Secrets and Science that Could Save Your Life

April 26, 2012 by

I have referenced The Survivors Club a few different times, so I thought it was about time to do a full review of it.  Here is the book description from Amazon:

 

“Do you believe in miracles? This collection of extraordinary tales of survival is guaranteed to astound and inspire you in equal measure. Meet ordinary people who have found extraordinary strengths facing seemingly impossible challenges – like the woman who fell from the sky, or the man who floated 300 miles out to sea after the Asian tsunami. What is it about some people that they seem born survivors, or how does someone find the incredible strength from within not to give up on hope against all odds? Are some people just lucky? These and many other true stories demonstrate the strength we all possess to come through our life’s toughest challenges, and the precious wisdom that results from surviving. It is both a fascinating exploration and an inspiring celebration of the human mind, body and spirit.”

 

My Take:

I’ve always been fascinated by survival stories; people who get lost at sea and are somehow found weeks later, still alive, or people who are attacked, their will to live is stronger than their attacker and they hang on,  not only surviving but thriving, despite the attack.  I’ve wondered how one person could survive an ordeal but others with them did not.  The Survivors Club looks at those questions and more.  There are interviews from survivors of different kinds; from brutal assaults, shipwrecks, bizarre accidents, etc.  What happened to them and how they survived is discussed.
 

The Survivors Club also explores aspects of the science of survival, with information on the body’s reaction to hypothermia and how long someone can survive in frozen water, which is longer than you would think.  The author also explores the best place to sit on a plane, the best place to have a heart attack and other practical survival related topics.  I think he does a good job exploring what it takes to survive such as resiliency, luck, faith and other factors.    
 

There is also a survivor profiler that you can use to find out what kind of survivor you are.  I have tried twice and it hasn’t worked for me, but that could be operator error. 
 

My favorite part of The Survivors Club was the part that influenced my decision to do the “What Would You Do?” subjects once a week.  I’ve always thought about what I would do in different kinds of situation and I hope you all like this portion of the content. 

I learned a lot from The Survivors Club and can’t recommend it highly enough.  I give it five stars.
 

Filed Under: Reviews

What would you do: Stock Market Crash and Bank Holiday

April 25, 2012 by

Disclaimer: I pay attention to the overall economy but I don’t invest in the stock market and don’t follow it closely. I may use the wrong terms here but you should get the over all idea.

On Monday morning the stock market drops 500 points and another 200 hundred Monday afternoon. Tuesday sees a bloodbath of losses, over 1000 points, and markets around the world are all losing ground. On Wednesday things look like they may be turning around with a gain of 200 points. That is, until early afternoon when one of the largest stocks ever plunges 1200 points prompting authorities to announce that the market will be closing early and will be closed until next week to give them time to correct the situation.

This causes a panic and many people storm their local banks, taking out as much cash as they can. Several fights have broken out at ATM’s as they are quickly bled dry. A bank holiday has been called until early next week; the FDIC has assured people that they will have their money available at that time.

So, what would you do?

(Check the comments section to see the answers from everyone as well as to add your own.)

 

 

Filed Under: What Would You Do? Tagged With:

Preparedness Tip: Emergency Cash

April 24, 2012 by

Preparedness Tip Emergency Cash

If there is ever a power outage for any length of time, businesses won’t be able to take credit or debit card payments.  They will, however, be able to take cash.  Therefore, having some emergency cash hidden on your person is a good idea.  Having some at home for emergency use is a good idea as well.

 

Cash On Hand

How much money you keep on hand depends on what your situation is and how much you can afford.  For many people $20-$40 might be just fine, others may like more.

Think about your routine. What do you have to do on a daily basis?  If you live in an area where you have to take mass-transit, having enough cash to cover various fares plus a meal or two would be a good idea.  If you have to drive to work, I would have enough for gas to get home and a meal or two.

Since this is emergency cash, the goal is for it to not be spent unless it’s an emergency.  I had to put it in a separate area of my money clip to make sure I would know not to spend it.  The downside of putting it in another section of your wallet is that if you get mugged, or lose your wallet, you’re now in the very emergency that you could have used the cash for.  One option is under the paper and mints of an Altoids tin.  A money belt cold be worn, or maybe a drop wallet.  A drop wallet is a wallet that looks real but that you carry in case you are mugged.  I knew a guy that carried one and got mugged in Reno.  They took his drop wallet and took off.  He was peeved, but glad he carried it.

Another option is your car.  If you go this route, make sure it’s hidden well enough that someone can’t just break a window and lift the center console to grab it and go. One option is a small empty pill bottle that you can’t see through.  Fold the cash up, put it in the bottle and put the bottle in the glove box.  The bottle will feel empty and might be ignored if your car does happen to get broke into.

 

Cash In the Home

How much cash you store at home, much like cash you keep on your person, depends on your lifestyle, finances etc.  I think a goal should be enough cash on hand to pay for all bills and expenses for one week minimum to start.  This will ensure you can buy fresh groceries and purchase medicines that might be needed, as well as gas for your vehicle.

Since this is a larger sum of cash, putting it somewhere secure is a must.  A safe that can’t just be picked up and carried away isn’t a bad idea. 

There are the old standby’s, in books, in picture frames between the picture and the backing, gun safe, fire safe, under the mattress, etc.  

Here is a clever idea that I heard about.  Cut a rectangular section out of the sheet rock, 8-12” above the floor.  Put your belongings in there and then place a vent cover over the hole.  It will look like a cold air return to anyone who doesn’t know.

 
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Filed Under: Finance, Preparedness Tips

Making a Survival Plan

April 23, 2012 by

Making a Survival Plan

There is no one survival or preparedness plan that fits every situation or for every person.  There are however a few guidelines that can be used by anyone in any situation, to improve your chances.  From seeing an economy in danger to being stuck in the ditch during a snowstorm in a remote area, or even to being stranded on a desert island, I’ll list the tools below that survivors have practiced versions of since walking out of the Garden of Eden.  The tools I am going to go over are more geared toward surviving an event of some type.  While some very well could be used by someone beating cancer, some just won’t apply.

 

Normalcy Bias

My Friend Dene Brock wrote a great article on normalcy bias:, I’ll quote her definition:

“Normalcy bias refers to a mental state people enter when facing a disaster.   It causes people to underestimate both the possibility of a disaster occurring and its possible effects. This often results in situations where people fail to adequately prepare for a disaster.”

I think there are two types of normalcy bias, one is when people don’t believe bad things will happen; this thinking is foolish.  The second group disbelieves it is happening even while it is happening; this thinking is dangerous.

I started with this one for a reason, it is extremely important!  We can ensure we’re not in group one by being informed about possible dangers and since you’re reading an article on a preparedness site, I’m guessing you’re not one of the people from group one who thinks bad things won’t happen. 

I think if you practice situational awareness it is much easier to notice the proverbial paddle-less boat is heading down the crick for what it is.  If you are aware that the boat is slowly leaving the shore and that there is no paddle, it’s a lot harder to go on believing there is nothing wrong.  No there are not always signs that there is something wrong, but I think more often than not there are, we just have to be “awake” and paying attention.

 

 

Get Your Mind Right

The most important survival tool you have is your mindset, (which normalcy bias is a part of).  I’m not talking about what you know in terms of skills, I’m talking about what you allow your perception to be.  I’m not talking about “think good thoughts and it will happen”, that’s part of it, but I’m talking about reaching down to that place inside of you that some of you might think unpleasant, that place that anger and rage dwell the place where determination is the deciding factor.  That place that that gives you the determination to say “NO! This is not happening if I have ANYTHING to do about it.”  I don’t mean get angry for the sake of getting angry.  You see anger and even rage can give you the strength, the determination to grab five stones and walk to face the giant.

 There have been many documented cases where someone survived and the reason they gave was because they refused to give up, they would not quit.  To some extent this might be in our DNA, some people are just made more resilient; they can take more punishment and keep going.  But I think there is a lot of choice in there as well.    Have you ever watched any documentary of SEAL training?  It is brutal, absolutely brutal especially ”Hell week”

 From USMIlitary.About.com

“Trainees are constantly in motion; constantly cold, hungry and wet. Mud is everywhere–it covers uniforms, hands and faces. Sand burns eyes and chafes raw skin. Medical personnel stand by for emergencies and then monitor the exhausted trainees. Sleep is fleeting–a mere three to four hours granted near the conclusion of the week. The trainees consume up to 7,000 calories a day and still lose weight.”

The thing about SEAL training is that you can quit at any time, you just have to take the walk of shame and ring the bell.  I have no proof, but I would venture that the only people that make it through “Hell Week” are the people who reach down to that place where anger and determination dwell. 

That emotion is a gift from God, it’s what we do with it that might be a sin and using it to fight for the life He gave you isn’t a sin.

 

The Rule of Three’s

 The rule of three’s is a proven survival rule that I covered a couple weeks ago.  For review:

The average human can last:

3 seconds without oxygen to the brain
3 minutes without oxygen
3 hours without shelter in poor weather without proper shelter
3 days without water
3 weeks without food

In a survival situation if you are dealing with the first two rules, fix those, then do a first aid check of yourself and those around you.  Once you’re to a point that not having shelter is your biggest danger. then you can work on the five basic human needs.

 

Five Basic Human Needs

I covered five basic human needs last week, for review they are; water, food, shelter, energy and security.  I use the The rule of three’s to determine the importance of the need.  If your oxygen and shelter needs are met, then you can concentrate of water.  Energy and security are always on a kind of sliding scale.  If you need shelter and warmth, then energy in the form of a fire takes a higher priority.  As does security if Mr. Dirtbag is around, but it doesn’t have to be a bad guy, you’re security could be in danger due to a tree that looks like it might fall on your house after a storm.

Using these two rules can guide you in deciding what your priority should be after an event.

 

Survivors Club

I want to get back to mindset for a minute, I’ll be reviewing this book later this week, so I’ll cover it in more detail then.  The text below was something I sent out in the Christmas update in 2011.

In the book The Survivors Club Author Ben Sherwood explores a theory developed by a man named John Leach called “The 10/80/10 rule”. In summary the rule states that the top 10% of people in a crisis excel; they think clearly and take immediate action. The middle group comprises 80% of people; they are “quite simply stunned and bewildered”; “reasoning is significantly impaired and thinking is difficult”. The last 10% of people are the “ones you definitely want to avoid in an emergency”.

A few pages later he explains something called ‘behavioral inaction’; “The current theory of behavioral inaction goes like this: As your frontal lobes process the site of an airplane wing on fire, they seek to match the information with memories of similar situations in the past. If you have no stored experience of a plane crash, your brain can’t find a match and gets stuck in a loop trying and failing to come up with the right response. Hence: immobility.”

I said that “I want my readers to be in the top 10%; to excel in any crisis because they have either been in a situation, or have thought of what they might do and not be stunned, bewildered or immobile.”

This hasn’t changed.  I love it when people post what they would do, but I hope that everyone thinks through the scenarios I post, even if they don’t really apply to them.  I was blessed tremendously by a reader letting me know that she was followed in her car by someone she accidentally cut off.  She said that because of some of the things she had read on this site she knew to be aware and kept trying to lose Mr. Dirtbag, which she eventually did.  Thank you God!

Going through different “what ifs” is a great way to stave off any normalcy bias that an easy blessed life might let start to creep in.  It could also help you act when you’re put in a survival situation, if you have something for your brain to latch on to, you won’t get stuck in ‘behavioral inaction’ and immobility. 

Friends I think we’re headed for times that are scattered with turbulence. By avoiding normalcy bias and being aware, we can face the trials with grit and determination.  We can use the rule of three’s and five basic needs to make sure our physical needs are met and pray to the Lord to see us through to the other side. 
 
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Filed Under: General Preparedness, Mind Set Tagged With:

Self-Defense: Real World Self-Defense

April 20, 2012 by

Today I want to talk to you about real world self-defense; martial arts that teach you how to defend against attacks commonly seen in the real world.  First let me say that I have nothing against traditional martial arts.  I’m just not sure they’re practical for the average person who doesn’t have years to devote to learning but wants to be able to defend themselves.

I think this type of training is a great idea for everyone, whether you’re someone who doesn’t know how to throw a correct punch, or someone who carries a firearm whenever you leave the house.  Knowing how to defend yourself from attacks will not only increase your chances of survival, but will also give you more self-confidence in general.  Some of these attacks are used literally thousands of times a day, from someone who might have had too much to drink to someone who won’t take no for an answer or even worse, someone who means to do great bodily harm.

There are many different types of real world self-defense.  The one I am trained in is an Israeli based system called Haganah (which translates from Hebrew to ‘Defense’). Haganah was created by Mike Lee Kanarek, who served in the Israeli Special Forces. In Israel everyone must serve in the IDF, their army. They developed a system call Krav Maga to quickly train every individual to competently defend themselves in hand to hand combat.

Mr. Kanarek moved to the US and developed Haganah, which is based off of Krav Maga and other aspects of Israeli training.  It is composed of 4 parts; ICS – Israeli Combat Shooting (Defensive Handgun), ITK – Israeli Tactical Knife, F.I.T. 2 FIGHT – Combat Fitness, the only one I am going to discuss today is FIGHT, which stands for Fierce Israeli Guerilla Hand-to-hand Tactics. You might be asking “why not take Krav Maga instead of Haganah ?”  FIGHT is the aspect of Haganah most similar to Krav Maga.  From my understanding FIGHT is continually enhanced and improved from lessons learned in Israel and from studios across the USA whereas Krav Maga is not (or at least not as much).

FIGHT is a defense based system that teaches how to quickly end a threat and escape from an attack. For me, the beauty of FIGHT is that there are not hundreds of moves that need to be learned like in many traditional martial arts classes.  It goes in a four month cycle; every four months you will learn defenses for hand-to-hand attacks. Rotating every other cycle, you will learn gun and knife defenses.  FIGHT is built to take someone from zero martial arts background and make them proficient to defend themselves in months, not years.

Do you need to be young or in shape to take FIGHT? No, absolutely not.  When I started I was not in shape.  Some of the first classes were more activity than I was used to but nothing I couldn’t handle. If you get winded and need a break, you let your instructor know. As far as age goes, I was 37 when I started and there were many classes where I was the baby in the group.  In fact, we had one gentleman was in his 60’s.  Because of my Asperger Syndrome, I’m a bit clumsy and awkward, a regular “bull in a china shop”.  There is no way I could do Tae Kwon Do or many other traditional martial arts, due to the need for fine motor skills.  FIGHT isn’t designed to be pretty.  It’s designed to quickly deliver significant pain to anyone who violates your safety. Instead of kicking with a specific part of the foot to a specific part of someone else’s body, FIGHT teaches a few different kicks that you use to kick as hard as you can aiming for a general area.

FIGHT isn’t MMA (Mixed Martial Arts).  In MMA you focus on one person.  The goal is to knock out your opponent or cause enough pain for your opponent to submit. FIGHT teaches you to stay alert, as your attacker could have friends.  It also teaches to overlap and overwhelm your attacker quickly so that you stop the threat and escape your attacker.

FIGHT teaches partner preservation.  This means you do use force in practice but to a limited extent.  I often would go 30-40% of my capability.  That is, unless my partner and I had agreed to push each other harder.

FIGHT is an excellent idea for everyone but I highly recommend it for women.  You will learn how to defend against the most common street attacks and to defend against a variety of men, as well as a variety of body types. 

You can search YouTube for videos on Haganah or FIGHT.  There are many available to watch.  Haganah is a bit expensive upfront, as you have to buy the training book and videos, but they are nice to have as you can watch them before class to refresh your memory.
 
 
Finding Real World Self-Defense Training

The facility where I learned FIGHT mainly teaches Tae Kwon Do but teaches FIGHT twice a week.  I would recommend searching the websites for local martial arts centers; many have a section for other types of classes that they don’t primarily teach.  You could also call and speak with an instructor; they might know of the type of class you’re looking for, even if they don’t teach it.  Doing a web search for “real world martial arts in [Your City]” might give some leads as well.  I only know the name of two of these types of training, Krav Maga and Haganah, but I know there are many more.

You can almost always go in and watch a class to see if it is right for you.  I was able to take a few classes for free to see if I liked it. 

If neither of those is available and you can’t find real world self-defense classes, I would advise my female readers to take a female self-defense class.  These are often a series of just a few classes and will give you tools that are often easy to learn due to the limited time.

 For full disclosure, I haven’t been able to go to FIGHT for a while and I miss it.  I hope to be able to go again soon.  I had zero martial arts training when I started but if asked, I would have said I think I could have handled myself if attacked.  With what I have learned from Haganah, I can say I had a limited knowledge and am much more able to defend myself now.

I know we have multiple people who practice a variety of martial arts, please comment and give your opinion.  If you know of a form of real world martial arts, please leave the name of it as well.

 
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The Last Water Bottle I’ll Ever Buy: Guyot 38oz stainless bottle

April 19, 2012 by

Goyut

A few years ago I wanted to replace my plastic Nalgene bottle due to it and other plastic bottles containing Bisphenol-A (BPA).  BPA has been linked to various cancers and other maladies.  At the time, there were only a few non-plastic options available.  The one I liked the most was from Guyot Designs.  (At the time of this post their website is down for redesign but their products are still available on Amazon.)  My wife got me two bottles as gifts, one for work and the other for home.

 
Guyot Designs 38oz

Specifications:

  • Price $35.00
  • 38 ounce container
  • Made from 18/10 surgical grade stainless

 

Pros

  • Since it is metal it is BPA Free.
  • When sealed correctly, the lid is spill proof.
  • The wide mouth makes filling easy but also makes the splash guard a must-have.  I know we got a splash guard with each bottle but that was directly from Guyot Designs.  I don’t know what the other vendors who sell through Amazon will do.
  • The wide mouth also makes cleaning easier.
  • Even with the cap slightly on, this bottle keeps liquids surprisingly cool for an extended time.  This is my opinion from having it on my desk at work all day.
  • Because the metal isn’t wimpy it can take a tumble.  I’ve dropped mine on concrete and it has a minor ding.
  • This is a wide container with a diameter just over 3.5” and a circumference of almost 11”.  It doesn’t tip easily.
  • As it is metal, even though it says not to put hot liquids in, in an emergency you could easily boil water with it, as long as you had a hot pad of some sort, as the container would get VERY hot.
  • Since it holds 38oz, drink two a day and you’ve drank the recommended amount of water.
  • It is dishwasher safe, to insure sanitization. 

 

Cons

  • It is expensive for a water bottle.  Since it is the last one I will ever purchase, I see it as being frugal.  I have no problem paying for the quality of something that will last a very long time.
  • As I mentioned, my wife got me two.  There is a “rope” connecting the lid to the body.  The “rope” came loose on both of them.  This was easily remedied with a little super glue, even after repeated dishwasher cycles.
  • The width might be an issue for some, I have fairly big hands and this is a handful to be sure.  There is another Guyot bottle called The Backpacker It has a narrower base and would be easier to hold.  Incidentally, the Backpacker is around $25.00. 

 

My Take

Since many manufactures started using different metals and stopped using polycarbonate polymers to make their bottles, there are many more options available.  I have looked at many others and haven’t found one yet that comes close to the Guyot Designs 38oz.

I give this item four stars.

 

 
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What Would You Do if You Witness an Assault?

April 18, 2012 by

 

You’re out in public and two people are having an increasingly loud argument.  Things are getting uncomfortable when one of the people strikes the other.

This is something that stuns people when it happens, probably because we don’t expect people to behave like that.  Having a decision made now, might not stop you from being stunned, but it will save you from having to make a plan on the spot.

So, what would you do?

(Check the comments section to see the answers from everyone as well as to add your own.)

 

Filed Under: What Would You Do? Tagged With:
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