If you sign up to get my free self defense e-book, Think Like a Black Belt: Take Charge of Your Own Safety, it comes with a companion newsletter. Here’s a part of one of the newsletters — so you can see what you are missing!
Keeping It Simple — The “Three As”
If you’ve taken a first aid or CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) class, you’ve probably been taught the ABC method of remembering the protocol:
Airway
Breathing
Circulation
The human body in cardiac trauma is fairly predictable — enough so that these simplified rules can apply to most cases of CPR.
In self defense, however, a lot of unknowns will pop up. So how can you get a better handle on the flow of action in a situation? With all the different ways to handle emergencies and attack, are there any shortcut methods of remembering a plan of action?
Most self defense experts can come up with some kind of system. Here’s a simple one I’ve created that you may want to use, adapt, or just keep in the back of your mind. It certainly isn’t complete. It’s simply a way to plan ahead.
The Three As — ALARM? ASSESS. ACT!
Alarm?
OK. Where? Who? What?
Assess.
Pro or punk?
Cover & concealment?
Expedient weapons & exits?
Terrain & territory?
Act!
Full-tilt or fakery?
Depart, deflect, defend, defer, defy?
Breaking Down the Three As
Alarm?
OK. Where? Who? What?
Accept (by acknowledging with the “OK”) that something unsafe is happening. Focus on defining it enough to respond. Don’t engage in denial. When you look down the hall of a huge mall and people at the far end start collapsing, holding their throats, denial won’t help. Fear, however, can compel your feet quite fast out the nearest exit and upwind.
Assess.
Pro or punk?
Cover & concealment?
Expedient weapons & exits?
Terrain & territory?
You don’t want a level playing field–you want advantage. A professional requires a lot more thought than a punk (insecure/newbie attacker), although both can maim and kill. What in your environment or skill set will help you gain advantage? That curtain might hide you, but it won’t stop a spray of bullets. The scissors might be a good expedient weapon, but a pen is easier to hide. That alley might be tempting to escape an active shooter, but does it dead end?
Act!
Full-tilt or fakery?
Depart, deflect, defend, defer, defy?
React or respond! Freezing is not the best response. Breathe. Stomp foot or yell to clear mind. Keep thinking. You have choices.
Full-tilt means giving 100 percent to a direct action, such as running or fighting back. Fakery means using ploys and acting a certain way to find an opening to escape to safety. Either choice requires total commitment.
The following can be mixed and matched as the situation and your response decisions change:
Depart – just turn and run to safety
Deflect by using humor or some story to gain time
Defend yourself with everything at your disposal
Defer to them as a ploy to play along until you can escape or attack
Defy with refusal to follow their demands, letting your words and attitude show them you are no victim and that they should go elsewhere
The best way to keep these concepts in mind is to take a moment at home, work, or play to visualize something alarming happening — perhaps something you heard about in the news. In your mind, walk yourself through different scenarios and what you might do.
Disclaimer: There is no one way or procedure I can recommend you take in an emergency or self defense situation. I can give options, but you must decide what to do in the heat of the moment and with the insider’s view of the situation.
For Younger Kids
For younger kids, the Three A’s can be simplified into these:
Avoidance - Don’t go there. Side-step trouble and troubling people.
Awareness - Notice surroundings and take action when red flags come up.
Assertiveness - Set boundaries, be firm, value yourself.
—–
You can start receiving more newsletter content like this by signing up for my e-book here.
—–
Additional preparation concepts to keep you safe can be found:
Distractions help movie heroes and self defense
Responding vs. reacting in self defense
——
Thank you for visiting and learning about self defense.
If you think others can benefit, please pass it on!
{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
With my kids, I’ve been focusing on Assertiveness. But you’re right, we should discuss the other A’s too.
Hi Vered,
I’m so glad you are working with your kids on this! So many parents are so busy things like this end up on the back burner.
Hi Lori .. being aware is so important .. years ago in Johannesburg I was walking back to the car park – and a group of youths came down the road, they were intent on cornering me into the building .. but I walked out into the middle of a main road – which deflected their intent and I was able to ‘escape’ .. they’d have snatched my bag and what little jewellery I had on. I’d learnt not to wear things or carry too much as I worked in the middle of town – & I don’t when I visit .. no point in tempting fate.
My other thought now is .. that so many go round with ipods playing, or reading, or talking into their phones … disaster sometimes .. people have been mugged, killed even .. we really need to be aware .. -
So a 4th A …
Good post for people to read and learn from .. Have a good weekend .. Hilary
Very nice breakdown of concepts. These acronyms and memorization tools are very handy for people looking to train their instincts and street smarts.
As you touch upon, the heat of the moment leaves little time for level headed assessment, so practice beforehand can help fine tune instincts when the need arises.
Hi Hilary,
Glad you were aware and avoided being herded into a bad situation!
Because of the newsletter format, I was able to cover the awareness part earlier in the series. It’s actually in the very first newsletter, so yes, it’s very important!
Hi Ikigai,
Thank you for visiting and commenting.
Level-headedness under stress isn’t much taught these days, is it? But what a gift it is.
Hi Lori,
Just the other day I in a parking log and noticed how so many people are oblivious to their surroundings because they’re so busy talking on their cell phones, or texting. Now when I see situations like that, I think of you and these wonderful lessons you’re teaching.
Keep up the great work.
Hi Barbara,
Thank you and glad you are more aware and alert — you will see so much more and be more capable than most.
Next, we need to get you up to the bullet dodging level.
Bullet dodging lessons…I’ve been away for two weeks and missed bullet dodging lessons?!
These are great acronyms. Like Vered, I feel I’m doing OK if I can get my teenagers’ attention to talk about awareness. Teenagers seem to unwire their brains in order to connect to a myriad digital devices. It’s an uphill struggle, but at least i’m trying and you inspire me to keep going. It’s good to be back!
Hi Janice,
I bought a cheap MP3 player to work out with, but when it lost sound quality and I returned it, I realized I didn’t want one. It blocked out so much of my hearing, thus dropping my awareness considerably. Being aware has a satisfaction for me that’s greater than the pleasure of the music. I’m sure anyone attacked while wearing headphones or earplugs doesn’t allow themselves to be so vulnerable again.
It just dawned on me Vered mentioned assertiveness and my brain went to awareness – but at least all the A’s have merged! You’re so right about the MP3’s; it’s one of my bugbears. I don’t let my kids wear theirs when they’re out and about in the street alone and they’re not encouraged to text or phone while walking around either. They can see the sense, but it’s hard at that age to be ‘different’. I once told off my daughter’s friend when she was out and about with us because she was so busy texting, she nearly walked in front of a car.
Hi Lori,
Me again. You mentioned how using a MP3 can distract us from being alert. Since I like to work in the quiet, I’ve also found I hear noises I normally wouldn’t hear if I worked to music.
When people tell me I need to spray some WD-40 on the hinges of the back door (because it squeaks a little when it’s opened), I tell them that’s my “warning” signal that someone (even if it’s the dog who pushed the door open) has entered the house.