Hiking Safety Essentials

Posted under self defense by Joe Davidson

Hiking and backcountry travel has increased in popularity over the past several years. All ages can easily participate and it is a great way to escape the challenges of city living. The exercise and fresh are added bonuses. And whether you are going out for one night or several, your enjoyment will be enhanced if your trip is organized and you are prepared for any challenge.

Well seasoned backcountry experts are aware of equipment requirements, but few consider self defense as a necessary component of personal preparedness. Yes, crimes are committed in the backcountry and even if cell phone service might be available, there is no rapid response to a 911 call. These threats require being prepared for unpleasant confrontation with people and animals – even in the wilderness.

Including self defense tools in the equipment list is a necessary task before setting out. defense sprays, stun guns and tasers are good, non-lethal forms of self defense. Many more cautious hikers include animal repellants in their planning as well.

Commonly known as \”OC,\” pepper sprays or self defense sprays are very effective. When applied, they irritate the eyes and impede the vision of the threatening individual. These are non-life-threatening when applied and can be easily carried with a belt carrier or in a pocket. Pepper sprays are usually made up of highly concentrated cayenne pepper compounds and – believe it or not – are essentially organic in nature.

Taser International recently released the latest personal defense device for the general public, the Taser C2. The Taser C2 was specifically designed for the general public to truly feel safe in today\’s troubled times. TASER products are giving people the power they need to take control and protect themselves. The TASER C2 utilizes the same technology used in TASER International\’s law enforcement models to effectively stun an assailant up to fifteen feet away.

Safety should always be the primary consideration for backcountry travelers. There are many hazards to backpacking and hiking, so it is important not to overlook self defense needs – even in wilderness areas. The ability to remain calm under pressure is important. The availability of an effective self defense tool is essential if an unexpected threat develops.

In 1974, a mass grave was discovered in a Washington state forest. These were found to contain the remains of several missing women from Washington and neighboring states. The notorious Ted Bundy was later identified as the assailant. Bundy appeared harmless enough to his victims and none had effective means of defending themselves.

People backpack for different reasons. Some do it for the great exercise, some because of the adventure and love of nature. Others backpack as a way to learn and explore the outdoors. Whatever the reason, there are large and expanding numbers of backpackers. They explore and they love the wilderness, and have the common goal of a safe backpacking experience which can provide memories that last a lifetime.

Officer Joe Davidson is an experienced police officer. He owns StunTech Products to deliver to citizens with the ability and training to provide for their personal security at home and on the job. Specializing in non-lethal self defense systems, StunTech brings peace of mind to home and workplace environments.

Technorati Tags: camping, Environment, family, hiking, home security, nature, outdoor activities, personal defense, recreation, safety, self defense, summer

Three Ways Sanchin Karate Was Destroyed As A Useful Form

Posted under self defense by Al Case

Perhaps you have come across the old saying…\’If you don\’t know Sanchin, you don\’t know Karate.\’ It happens that this statement is fundamentally correct. It is correct because when done in the proper manner Sanchin kata results in a liberation of fighting energy beyond any form known.

The form came to Okinawan from China, where it was part of a system called Pan Gai Noon. While PGN is no longer in existence, that first kata is taught in such arts as Goju Ryu and Uechi ryu. It has also been altered and presented in arts such as Shotokan under the name Hangetsu.

The original martial arts pattern, as simple as it is, was taught over the course of years. Students would spend hours a night just walking, learning how to sink their weight, before they were shown even the most simple of hand technqiues. This fact, of being taught to sink the weight and stabilize the stance, should give even the dullest karate student a serious hint as to the correct way to execute the pattern.

In Uechi Ryu Sanchin, which is the first manifestation of this form beyond Pan Gai Noon, the emphasis is on developing muscular tension. Thus, the intent of the sanchin stance is translated from the creation (and sinking) of intrinsic chi energy to the creation of muscle. Muscle is nothing but a temporary convenience when compared to energy, and thus the form is diluted and made less.

In Goju ryu Sanchin the intent of the form is proper breathing. Thus, the purpose of the form is to create the sensation of karate energy in the body, but without the emphasis on sinking the weight the reality of usable energy is forsaken. At this point one can see that the Sanchin form has been altered sufficient to make it but a shadow of what it should be…the story gets worse, however.

In Shotokan, and like systems of traditional karate, the actual structure of the form has been rendered into common self defense moves. Mind, there is nothing wrong with this type of structure, except that it has nothing to so with the generation of serious internal chi energy of the usable variety. The form in this type of school is called Hangetsu.

To be done correctly. this incredible form must be returned to simple instruction, and simple concepts. One must throw out notions of breathing and muscularity and self defense except as they are drawn along by the sheer fact of energy generation. Thus, the simple instruction, \”sink the weight, and \’swirl\’ the motion so that it creates a wave of energy which circles the body and shoots out the arm,\” is the only instruction one needs.

Done with this easy instruct, for months and years, the generation of internal energy becomes real, and the internal energy becomes usable. Though the author would not propose combat as a solution, it must be remembered that Kanbun Uechi, the founder of Uechi ryu and a man who had studied the actual Sanchin in the manner recommended in this article, killed a man with one strike. No, don\’t kill people, but do realize the true depth and power of the martial arts by practicing sanchin kata by sinking the weight and swirling the body so that energy may be developed and used.

There are articles and courses at Monster Martial Arts which will help you return Sanchin Kata to its original depth and power. Pick up a free ebook while you\’re at Monster Martial Arts. 3

Technorati Tags: fitness, goju ryu, goju ryu sanchin, hangetsu, kanbun uechi, kyokushinkai, pan gai noon, sanchin, sanchin kata, sanchin stance, self defense, shotokan, uechi ryu, uechi ryu Sanchin

Using Karate Techniques To Find The True Art

Posted under self defense by Al Case

To find and develop Karate as a True Art, and this would include Shotokan, Goju, Uechi, or various other types of the art, one should always look to the techniques. The bunkai are the kata made real, they are concepts made to work. They are the heart of the monster that is The True Art.

The first step, in making your art work, is to make your stance work. The forms teach how to get into stances from a variety of directions and previous postures. So one should practice the movements of the kata until this concept of transitioning from stance to stance can be done without thought.

The second step, if you are going to make the karate forms real, is to make sure your limbs are in functional positions. There are many arm positions in the martial arts techniques where your limbs cannot support weight enough to make the technique work. You must examine your form and change arm positions until they become functional in real world situations.

The third step is to have proper body alignment between the feet and the hands. The body is a chain of muscles and bones from ground to strike, and you must make sure that every piece of the body is properly aligned. The old wisdom, a chain is as strong as its weakest link, comes to mind.

The fourth step if you are going to make karate moves become significant, is to work on your breathing. Breathing should be relaxed, but intent upon keeping the abdomen taut, especially upon striking, or getting struck. Breathing simply for the sake of breathing, as is done in the art of Goju Ryu Karate, must be inspected for real function, and possibly altered if you are going to have real martial arts self defense.

The fifth and final step, and ultimately the most important, is that you must have Coordinated Body Motion (CBM) when you move your body. You must synchronize all motion, taking into account the length and mass of every muscle and limb, and the entire body. You must understand how this all relates to timing, and you must make your body motions assume this harmonious timing.

An intriguing tidbit of data is that martial arts fighting has very little to do with finding The True Art. As a matter of fact, fighting tends to disrupt the mental processes that are necessary to put the pieces together that will resurrect your martial art. This piece of information is something that the old masters understood, and not just because they were old.

Any art can be a great art, but it always requires a great sensei, and a great student. The purpose of this bit of writing has been to educate students to be their own great teachers. Ultimately, your progress is up to you, and if you understand that then it will be easy to use Karate techniques to find the True Art.

You can get a lot more information on how to make your art work through the use of application at Monster Martial Arts. Pick up a free ebook while you\’re at Monster Martial Arts 2

Technorati Tags: fitness, form applications, form bunkai, form techniques, goju karate kata, karate applications, karate kata, kata applications, kata bunkai, kata techniques, martial arts self defense, self defense, shotokan karate kata, uechi ryu kata

Oc pepper spray practical

Posted under pepper spray by admin

Oc pepper spray practical application. 24JUN10.

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Technorati Tags: Pepper, spray

Tips To Prevent Violence In The Workplace

Posted under self defense by Joe Davidson

Personal security is of course important – even in the work place. With a struggling economy, high unemployment and many companies shedding jobs due to budget cut back, many workers are reaching peak stress levels. A staff under duress can be unpredictable.

SABRE Compact Pepper Spray with Quick Release Key Ring (Black)

• Compact – Easy to carry and takes up little space
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• Very Effective – 10 foot range with 15 Shots for protection against multiple threats from a distance
• Great Stopping Power – SABRE products are used by the NYPD, US Marshals and thousands of police departments worldwide
• This item is not for sale in Catalina Island

Cool style and hot protection are combined in SABRE’s most popular key chain design. This sleek, compact pepper spray delivers a strong balistic stream to reduce wind blow back. Providing extremely practical protection, SABRE permits distance from your threat with its ten (10) foot range, and its quick release key ring and attachment clip ensure its accessible when needed! Protect yourself and your loved ones with the same brand used by public safety officers worldwide! Size: 1/2 oz. Item not available to ship to DC, Hawaii, Massachusetts, or New York.

Rating: (out of 2 reviews)

List Price: $ 11.99

Price: $ 6.19

Emergency response procedures are a vital element in protecting employees. As a veteran police officer, I have been personally involved in active shooter incidents, fire, assaults, and medical calls all occurring at commercial properties. Assuring your employer has an emergency action plan for commonly encountered incidents will no doubt save lives and prevent the incident from being worse. If your employer does not have a documented plan, develop one among your coworkers to include communication and keywords to discreetly identify trouble. Make frequent changes to passwords as employee rosters change with termination and attrition.

Surveillance systems and cameras – frequently employed to prevent theft – can also be a useful tool in the event of a physical attack. High occupancy areas should be monitored. Interestingly, dummy or fake cameras seem to be at least somewhat effective as well.

Investing in one\’s personal security and safety is always a good idea. Anything that may increase the chances of emerging unharmed from an unexpected act of violence seems like a good effort to make. Some self defense tools, such as in Tasers, Stun Guns and Personal Defense Sprays won\’t break one\’s budget. Another useful tool that can prove effective in a workplace situation is an audible personal alarm that puts out a 100db noise to attract attention of authorities. These and other self defense systems provide a certain degree of confidence that individual workers are equipped to defend themselves if necessary.

Every workplace has specific dangers within their own industry. The fact is, some industries are more susceptible to these events than others, although no industry is completely safe from violence. Having a solid action plan and the tools necessary to deploy it go a long way. Criminals prey on vulnerability and rely on all of us to be heavily involved in our work so we do not notice the signs of violence. A good action plan shows confidence and determination to survive which in turn deters crime.

Quality surveillance equipment is essential in fighting workplace violence. The days of the old affordable black and white VHS tapes are long gone and completely unreliable for investigative purposes. Quality digital video recording equipment is the last line of defense when it comes to identifying criminals. Remember that workplace safety extends beyond physical altercations, sexual harassment and other issues; the methods for addressing these should also be clearly outlined in the employee handbook too.

It is important to keep in mind that violence and intimidation can occur anywhere – including the workplace – and preparedness is the key to prevention. Video surveillance, personal defense tools and an organizational action plan are each important. Organizations without these elements increase their risk for criminal behavior in the workplace. Workers should insist that their employers create such a plan.

Officer Joe Davidson is a veteran peace officer with several years of experience in personal safety issues. Joe operates StunTech Products – a provider of reliable personal defense systems and provides self defense training to his community. Unique version for reprint here: Tips To Prevent Violence In The Workplace.

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