When you are outside, knowing how to maintain a certain distance from the ones around you. Indeed, a security perimeter allows you to see a possible hand-to-hand attack coming. This may sound obvious, but it is not for some people.
Let’s review.
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Create a safe area by making a single step
A safe area is no more, no less than a virtual perimeter with you at the center, in which you are better able to see an attack coming. As such, you give yourself enough time to react. As soon as someone gets too close to you and enters this perimeter, it can be synonymous with a potential attack, thus with danger!
To illustrate this concept, let’s imagine someone coming up to you from behind while you are walking down the street. The guy pats you on the shoulder.
Most of us would have the reflex to turn around and face him, meaning our face is fully exposed. In such a scenario, if the individual is actually hostile and ready to punch you in the face, there is no doubt that you would not have time to react since he has entered your security perimeter and is within easy reach.
Thus, creating a safe area means developing an automatism by training to react differently, i.e. to take a step forward BEFORE turning around, with your arms slightly raised in front of you to quickly go on guard and protect in case of an attack.
Thus, you can maintain a safe distance between you and the individual.
To sum up, it’s not about preparing yourself to take a blow by turning around in guard, as you will always be within striking distance, but to combine this with a step before turning around.
This step must be sufficiently marked to get out of his reach.
Naturally, you may feel ridiculous for overreacting so much to a simple tap on the shoulder, but a brief moment of awkwardness is better than a punch in the face!
The safe area concept is clear enough now, but of course you will have realised that it can be applied to a wide range of situations.
Keeping as much distance as possible gives you a margin of safety and more time to analyze the situation and measure the danger, and then to fight back if need be.
Keep your environment under control as much as possible
Creating a safe area goes further than what we’ve mentioned above, it requires you to reconsider your global attitude.
Too many people are lost in their thoughts when they walk in the street. Worst of all, most of them are literally mesmerized by their phones!
Although the street is not not yet a battlefield, it is worth bearing in mind that you are not completely safe when you are outside. Therefore you need to stay aware and, without becoming paranoid, to pay attention to the world around you.
You are taught from a very young age to check right and left before you cross the road. Just keep on following this principle: analyze the environment, measure the danger, and act accordingly. It is a basic rule, and since self defense is about learning to preserve yourself and survive, then checking both sides before crossing the road is a self defense concept!
Beyond the techniques, the mindset remains crucial and your attitude will determine whether you are a prey or not. An attacker will always gravitate towards the easiest prey since it is so easy to attack someone who is busy scrolling on Twitter than someone who’s on the lookout, standing up straight and looking around.
