Focus on Surviving
RECENT ARTICLES AND remarks in Magnum concerning defensive carry have drawn quite a response from readers – thankfully all positive. Writing on personal defence can be a difficult task as there are many and varied strong views on the subject, and to complicate matters the tactical execution of attacks is never the same, making a one-size-fits-all solution impossible. In our environment the attackers almost always have the advantage, lying in wait to ambush or choosing the time of attack when the victim least expects it. Often the targets are the weak and most vulnerable.
Although, in our writing, we focus on the drills and equipment needed to help you survive, there is a lot more involved in protecting yourself and your loved ones. Many of these additional factors do not relate to issues like magazine capacity, ammo choice or your ability to get lead on target – topics that, in my experience, are discussed the most.
Talking about using your firearm to protect life and limb is one thing; training properly on a regular basis to effectively face a threat is a totally different challenge. Much more important is avoiding situations where you have to use force. If you are lucky enough to survive a violent confrontation, the post-traumatic fallout alone, resulting from the incident, which might include loss of life, is more than enough reason to wish you never got involved. Then there are other factors, like the police investigation, or even a civil lawsuit, that might add to your worries.
Many incidents can be avoided by following a few rules. Making yourself a ‘hard target’ comes to mind. This of course can include burglar bars on windows, security doors, an alarm system, armed response, dogs and so on – things most of us already have. However, we often overlook the fact that our posture and attitude can deter attackers. When you walk down the street, if you appear diffident or nervous, and avoid eye contact with people, this can make you a target. Don’t just look straight ahead or at the ground. Instead, use your eyes to scan the area as if alert and aware of your surroundings; briefly look bystanders in the eye and walk with confidence – this will serve as a deterrent. A purposeful stride and confident body-language makes a perpetrator think twice before attacking. Just don’t overdo it – avoid being cocky, for example, or aggressively staring people in the face for too long, as this might lead to a challenge.
Another way to avoid trouble when driving is simply to stay calm. A training instructor once pointed out to me that using your senses to take in your surroundings and to maintain situational awareness is preferable to impulsively reacting to the actions of another individual. An example that he quoted involved driving at night. If the driver of an approaching car fails to dim his car’s bright lights, or starts flashing the bright lights at you, this will leave you momentarily blinded. For most of us, the immediate and almost instinctive reaction is to flash your own bright lights back at the culprit. Apart from endangering the lives of the people in oncoming traffic by blinding them – the other driver can end up on the side of the road or even hit your vehicle. Your action can quickly escalate a situation involving extremely dangerous fast travelling vehicles. The best option is to ignore the ‘irritation’ and drive on. This takes willpower and discipline, but that’s a critical ingredient in the package needed to tilt the odds in your favour.
According to the instructor, situational awareness and using the information to make logical deductions to stay alive is much more important than your shooting skill. During a shooting or firefight, most people, even highly trained individuals, find it extremely difficult to control their bodies and actions. It is much simpler, and more effective to control the situation by avoiding a traumatic, adrenaline-filled physical confrontation.
While serving in the military, I was forcefully taught a similar lesson by an immensely strong staff sergeant whose job was to train us in the finer points of close-quarter combat. Lesson number one: avoiding the fight will always leave you unscathed. Secondly, always attack the weakest spot, preferably by approaching the opponent/s from behind. From here on, the list of options became long and some actions were quite complicated. His methods, involving maximum force, were brutal and often crude but extremely effective, yet he insisted that avoidance is always the best option.
In Magnum, our advice is intended as training options, not as a quick-fix for problem situations. Also, having undergone some training, do not allow this to instil false confidence in your abilities. Always expect an attacker to be intelligent, strong and willing to do whatever it takes to survive. Why risk such odds? Rather make the drill session on the range part of a broader approach where you use your observational powers to make logical decisions, devoid of emotion, which allow you to control the situation and avoid confrontation.
Readers are welcome to share their varied experience and training techniques with us. We look forward to hearing from you.