Personal Defence Academy

Personal Safety Tips - Safety Mindsets - Part 1 of 2

We've talked about a number of self-defence moves and techniques previously, but equally important and often forgotten is the mental aspect self-defence as well. Let's have a look at some vital self-defence mindsets that you should try to adopt before an encounter.

Alertness
The most basic form of self-defence above all else is a keen sense of awareness to the people around you and the environments you're in. Being alert to what's around you can often help you notice and avoid potential encounters way in advance before they even happen. No matter where you are, it's always good to have a quick scan and make an assessment of any potentially unusual happenings. Every familiar neighbourhood has its own pulse and characteristics, and the moment you notice something amiss, it's time to prick up your senses and keep a watchful eye.

Similarly, when entering a new environment, be alert to possible danger zones and traps. Make sure you have a sense of orientation on where you're headed, and can spot exits or areas of activities where there is easy access to help. Learn to develop your 'spider sense' and listen to your gut feeling. It might be trying to tell you something important!

Humility
While this may sound like a Zen principle, it is something that most people forget when dealing with avoidable encounters. Humility means being able to keep your ego in check and backing off from an encounter, doing your best to defuse any potentially dangerous situation. Sometimes encounters may happen simply because someone was too proud to admit a mistake and apologise, or perhaps unable to set aside his ego and took on an unnecessary challenge.

Before you say that you're too smart for that, I'll provide a subtle example. You're at a party, and you know it's getting late. You tell your friends you really need to go, as it can be quite dark at your area and you have a long stretch to walk home. Someone makes a joke about you being 'scared of the dark'. It rubs you the wrong way and you decide to stay a little longer, just to prove them wrong. Guess what? Your ego just kicked in! If you've ever experienced something similar, pay attention to yourself the next time it happens and decide for yourself what's the safer course of action.

Mental Readiness
Despite learning a load of self-defence moves, nothing ever prepares you adequately for an encounter except the encounter itself. The amount of shock, fear and adrenaline running through your veins can overwhelm your senses especially the first time you're caught in an encounter. Unfortunately, by the time the actual encounter happens, it might be too late. This can be mitigated by taking time to visualise yourself in various scenarios and planning out what you might do in advance. Don't try to come up with something complicated, you won't be able to pull it off. Stick to something simple and effective.

Visualisation is important as it helps prepare your mind for the shock, reducing its effects when an actual situation should occur. Similarly, it is critical to practice your moves realistically and with conviction during practice, as it helps you mentally prepare for the potential struggle you will face, and gives you a practical sense of what might or might not work for you.

There's much more that we do not have room to cover, but we'll talk more on some mindsets to have during an actual encounter in the second segment.

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