Very often, the newer student’s abilities to defend become more limited by his/her training instead of more freeing. The techniques seem become limitations instead of expansions.  The new student can easily begin to lose sight of his/her surroundings and more focused on trying to make a particular technique work that really isn’t working out.  This can happen, in particular when  you are newer in the arts and have limited experience in training.

In police work, we realize that sooner or later a suspect is going to resist.  Once that occurs, almost anything goes.  Suspects do the craziest things and they cannot always be planned for.  Specific techniques might let the officer down and then the officer may be forced to improvise.  The improvisation may be what actually saves the officer’s life.

So, I often encourage students to be aware of their surroundings and know what there is that might help them defend themselves if something goes down.  They need to understand that a chair, lamp, cane, dirt, rock, flower pot and/or countless other objects can become assistants to their defense.

Become aware of that.  Be aware that there are so many objects around you at all times that can be used as alternative weapons if you are under serious attack.  The key as I understand it:  if you feel you are in imminent danger of grievous bodily harm and or death, you can defend yourself with “almost” anything so that you can survive.  Yes, the attacker has rights too (of course);  but, those rights can be limited somewhat in the moment of his/her extremely violent attack on you.  The rights of the attacker seem to be more profound once he/she is caught and in jail.  But, during the attack (and if it is serious enough to scare you to think you may be killed), all bets may be off for the attacker in that moment.  Keep in mind though, once the attacker has fallen and/or surrendered, you must absolutely stop hurting him/her.  At that crucial point in your dangerous encounter, if you keep going, you might possibly turn the suspect into the victim.  This is very important to be aware of.

In the end, use your martial art skill.  Use your ingenuity.  Use nearly whatever it takes to remain alive.  Just be sure that, in your mind and heart (and law), you know and absolutely believe you are in very, very serious danger, and that you could be greatly and severely harmed and/or killed if you don’t take extremely strong defense.

It’s not uncommon in the “general orders” for police officers to have a last paragraph in their police defensive tactics manual that says something like, “and use whatever you need to in order to defend your life”… or something along that line.  In the end, you, the victim, are supposed to be able to fight for your life.  (sounds right to me, at least).

Disclaimer:  I am a martial teacher and a police defensive tactics instructor.  I am not an attorney.  You should chat with your attorney or someone from law enforcement to verify what I have written here for your own legal safety.