Keep your head out of your phone today. Consider this comment from TK:
Khalid Mashal, the leader and founder of Hamas, gave a speech today asking some specific people all around the world for help from sympathetic political groups. He wants followers around the world to show anger and rage towards “Zionists and America”, calling for Friday to be Al-Agra (flood), and most importantly, calling followers around the world to fight, saying this is a time for Jihad.
What does that mean for you? It means that now more than ever, it is a time to be vigilant. Ask your self are you prepared. Maybe stay away from large gatherings. Do a check of your IFAK and tourniquet. When was the last time I talked to my family about what to do if a major attack happened? What should we do if we get separated? Where will we meet? When was the last time I checked my mags and ammo? If something happens to me, does someone in my family know how to shoot so that they can be the protector in survival? You need contingency and the next man or woman up mindset. Don’t only have one plan; have a back-up and a back-up to that. If something happens to you, can your wife, husband, or child take over? I want everyone to be safe, and sometimes you are your best and last line of defense.
As this thread tends to be no nonsense, I have to call out bs. The article invokes many of the old, ridiculous ninja tropes which are bullshido of the highest order.
All you have to know about Ninjas is that some schools, villages or rather fiefs came up with additional training for their fighters, which were usually samurai. This training consisted of infiltration, espionage and sabotage. That’s it.
By the way, Europe co-evolved the same type of “ninjas”, but no artists immortalised these specialists centuries later, so no glorified pop culture renaissance happened with our guys. About seven centuries ago, in the Hundred Years’ war, a situation like this happened from time to time
-“Prince Andrew, do you have you assembled your men for tonight’s mission? Can we go through the plan again? You’re known to be a reckless daredevil, but this is not just your typical coup de main. Frankly, it seems fooldhardy.”
-“Believe me, sire, we are more than prepared. My man Alan, he’s basically a human squirrel. He used to climb the walls of Cuntsville Castle when the other squires were wrestling. At some point, he did it blindfolded. The two tall lads over there are the Eggerton twins. Once Alan has secured a rope, they go up with me and Sir Guy. We’ll clear that gatehouse in a heartbeat.”
-"But what about that godless harlot?!"
-"Ivette is crucial to our undertaking. We might need another distraction. That’s when she appears to buy us some time."
-“I have to admit I’m still not comfortable with resorting to underhanded tactics such as these. But I guess it’s better than to wait for another two months while twiddling our thumbs and ending up owing another fortune to the moneylenders, eh cousin? Now go and take this castle for me!”
The coolest stories usually end up as just a footnote in the history books.
And once the storm is over, you won’t even remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won’t even be sure, in fact, it’s really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person that walked in.”
Self defense is a lot more than a punch, kick or choke. Be tactically aware and that includes knowing the law. You can be a law abiding citizen out driving you vehicle, cross an invisible line and become an instant felon. If you carry, there is no excuse, know the law.
Hi @idaho, I ran into a situation yesterday that I would love to have your opinion on.
I was out jogging in the neighborhood when I noticed a topless man get out of a car and walk onto the sidewalk.
The fact that he was topless on a fairly chilly afternoon piqued my interest, so I kept my eyes on him. I saw him carrying what I thought was a towel and figured maybe he came back from a swim.
And then I also noticed that he had a handgun in his hand.
I tried my best to avoid eye contacting while simultaneously keeping my eye on him as I jogged towards and then past him. I don’t even know if he paid much attention to me.
This freaked me out inside (kept being scared that he’d turn around and shoot) but I kept my composure and just kept jogging slowly until I turned a corner and was definitely out of view.
I realized afterwards that, while I always try my best to be aware of my surroundings, that doesn’t mean that I know what to do if I do encounter something thoroughly unexpected.
Is what I did correct? I always understood that if you encounter a potentially dangerous individual it’s best to ignore and go about your business until they give you a reason to not ignore them.
I have had no idea what his intention was, but seeing as how I live in CA, I can only assume that his intentions weren’t benign.
A person with a handgun in his hand has given you a reason not to ignore him. It’s hard to say what was going on here, but there is no way that I would move toward someone with a gun in his hand, and I certainly would not run in his direction.
Ya, that’s what trips me up the most about the entire thing. What could I have done to better protect myself from any possible situation?
I noticed when I was just several feet from the guy, so there may have been a couple of things I could have done besides just jogging right towards him, but what would have been a good choice?
What would have happened if I did make a sudden movement when I noticed the gun?
It’s hard to answer that without knowing more about the setting. At the very least I would try to get to the other side of the street and increase distance as fast as possible. Most thugs don’t really like to pursue people; they much prefer to corner people, which is why attacks often happen in confined spaces like elevators, stairways, or the moment when people are entering or exiting their cars or homes. The fact that you were already moving quickly may have helped you.
@magick
Out of interest what’s the law where you are? I’m in the UK so that would always be a run and call the police situation (well, maybe a start filming and sharing on twitter situation…) but understand different states have different laws.
You did not get shot, so that is a win-win. Good situational awareness, most people tend to be ignorant of their area.
Anytime you encounter someone with a gun, your first thoughts should be “cover and concealment” What do I have in my area that can stop a bullet? Vehicles? metal trash containers?, concrete columns? turning into an open door? look for ways to escape and protect yourself.
Going toward him is the last measure I would do, since he may perceive you as a threat to his plans and open fire, avoid, avoid, the best you can, seek cover or vacate the area.
Hard to ignore someone with a gun, especially in this era of active shooters, seek cover and notify the police with a description of the shooter, as best as you can.
There are no set answers for your experience, except establish the best safe zone for yourself. Be safe and like you know now, always, always watch you area and your 6.
The ability to manage emotions isn’t a mere advantage, it’s a necessity to be at the top of your game, particularly in stressful or dangerous situations.
*Mastering emotions is not about suppression but about control and appropriate expression. An operative who has honed this ability is better poised to navigate the chaos of combat to the decisions of everyday life.
That was really good.
It is something like the verbal deescalation class I took over the weekend for my Parish safety team.
I’ve always always had a temper so holding a response inside has historically just not been something I tried.
What I’ve learned to do though is to get my voice softer and make a game out of calming others with my behaviors and words. Fun and can be useful with non violent but aggressive folks
Do you mean gun law? I live in CA so open carry is illegal. I considered calling the non-emergency line, but in all honesty my wife is very much under the weather right now and all thoughts about it left my mind shortly after I came home and saw her condition. In hindsight I don’t know if I made the right move and wonder whether I should have called or not- I didn’t hear anything that evening and later on the news so I can only hope nothing bad came out of it.
I reacted the way I would react towards a possibly suspicious individual rather an individual who is most likely dangerous. I think the only thought in my head the moment I saw the gun was- don’t make any sudden movements! I was already jogging towards him in a slow pace, so I just continued in the same slow pace while trying to keep an eye on him. Honestly it’s accurate to say that I froze.
As always, it’s definitely one thing to think and ponder on how you might react to a situation vs actually being in it.
One of the most common problems I encounter teaching firearm basics.
Grip strength is an attribute that is often underestimated by most individuals, focusing on upper body strengthening. Your ability to effectively handle objects, tools, and even adversaries often starts and or ends with your grip.
Grip strength refers to the force exerted by the muscles of the hand and forearm to hold, grasp, or manipulate objects – or how much power it can generate. It’s the cornerstone for a variety of physical skills, from lifting to pulling and even to striking. It’s not just the purview of martial artists, rock climbers or manual laborers; grip strength is crucial in numerous operations to everyday tasks.
