Local Fredericksburg/Spotsylvania VA Martial Arts News
9/19/2009
Provided Courtesy of Spotsylvania Martial Arts

Awareness and Avoidance

Did you know that 90 percent of all potential violent encounters could have been prevented without a confrontation? It's true: simply by being aware of your surroundings, controlling your behavior, and avoiding being in the wrong place at the wrong time, you can greatly decrease your chances of being a victim of violence.

Here are some tips to increase your awareness and help you avoid being a victim of violence:

Use passive security measures, such as burglar and car alarms. They won't keep you safe by themselves, but they are an excellent deterrent and can draw attention when you're in trouble.

Take a different path to or from work on occasion. Vary your routine. It makes you harder to predict. This is very important if you are affluent or handle cash in your job (e.g., restaurant manager).

Control your environment. Know the parts of town and business locations where there is a risk of violent crime. Don't go to these places if you can avoid it.

Keep your vehicle in good working order. With reliable transportation, you won't break down in a bad part of town and expose yourself to a greater risk of violence.

Pay close attention to your surroundings if you must go into an area or establishment known to be unsafe. If there is any person or situation that looks strange or out of place, leave. If you're in a line of work where you must regularly make service calls to unfamiliar homes and businesses, call your supervisor and ask to be released from visiting the unsafe location. (Side note: if your boss forces you into an unsafe situation over your objections, quit -- find a job where the boss actually cares about you and your safety!)

Don't count on a gun or a knife to keep you safe. Weapons are tools -- they're only as good as the person using them. If you are going to carry a weapon for self defense purposes, (1) make sure it is legal, (2) get training on how to use it effectively from a reputable source, and (3) practice using it frequently to build and retain your skills. (More on this in a future blog entry.)

Check out the following link to Marc MacYoung's web site for more information about awareness and avoidance and how they fit into the big picture of realistic self defense training.

Spotsylvania Martial Arts offers a free three-class trial program in traditional martial arts and krav maga.  Please call 540-891-9008, or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for more information.