Unfortunately the local media recently released a story promoting traditional martial arts training under the guise of "women's self-defense". I attempted to post a response to the story on their website but the server would not allow me to sign in. So,I decided to send an e-mail directly to the station. You can view the actual video of the story by clicking the link above. Below is the e-mail that I sent-

"This is in response to the story "Dangerous Places for Women: How to Protect Yourself". I tried to post this as a comment to the story but for some reason the server won't allow me to sign in-

Teaching people to keep themselves and their families safe is great. I have spent half my life doing just that. However, promoting traditional martial arts techniques that don't reflect reality can actually do more harm than good. This can actually lead to false confidence which will quickly deteriorate when a real attack does not go like the mock-attack did in the calm training environment. Traditional martial arts are great for fitness, fun, and athleticism but have little value when a life is on the line. My advice would be for WSBT to do some research on real self-defense before promoting such techniques or instructors on the air."

I was presently surprised to receive an e-mail response from the station. However I wasn't surprised by the actual response itself. Unfortunately many people do not understand the difference between martial arts and self-defense. Here is the response I received from the station-

"Steve,

Thanks for watching WSBT!

The class we went to and showed on TV was a Women’s Self-Defense Class. They were not teaching martial arts. They were teaching actual, basic, self-defense moves that women can use in everyday life. Our purpose was to encourage women to take one of these classes or a RAD (Rape Aggression Defense) class to gain confidence and defense skills. Law enforcement officers have acknowledged these classes work and are recommended.

Thanks!"

Of course I responded with hopes that I could help them understand that what they had promoted was in fact traditional martial art and NOT self-defense. Here is my response-

Thanks for the response,

Actually many martial arts schools and instructors will repackage their traditional programs and promote them as self-defense programs. However, that doesn't take way from the fact that they are still traditional martial arts skills that have proven to be ineffective for dealing with potentially violent and life-threatening situations. Also, an endorsement from local law enforcement officers doesn't automatically make it a good program either. I have been involved in this field for over 20 years. I am certified to teach many law enforcement safety programs and I have trained many police officers. Unfortunately many of these officers didn't understand the difference between martial arts and reality-based self-defense unless they had previously been forced to test their skills. Remember, police officers carry firearms, batons, and other tools designed to keep themselves and other officers safe. They have options that most civilians don't and therefore don't have to rely of physical self-defense skills very often. So their knowledge of such skills is limited to what they have been taught in officer school or what they learn at local martial arts facilities.

I mean no offense to WSBT, the martial arts instructor, or the officers consulted but there is a big difference between martial arts and real self-defense. I just wanted to point that out.

Check out this youtube video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFcU22NAlfA It's based on a program called FAST Defense that better reflects reality. While I don't teach FAST Defense, I do offer a similar program and have been teaching it for around 10 years. This is the type of training that actually prepares women and even men to better protect themselves and their families. Practicing traditional gun disarms and fancy wrist locks like those demonstrated in your news story will do nothing but get someone severely injured or worse.


Then a few hours later I decided to e-mail the station again to better elaborate on how to determine if a program is based on self-defense or traditional martial arts. here is that follow-up-

I thought it might help to follow up on my previous e-mail with some explanations to assist in defining real self-defense. When talking about this I often refer to a litmus test, a simple way to determine if a self-defense skill is based on martial arts or on natural and instinctive survival skills.

The easiest and most effective litmus test available is a series of adrenal response drills. These are simple drills that loosely replicate real attacks. During the drills the "defender" will face a padded assailant, an instructor wearing a padded protective suit. These are very simple drills that will actually invoke an adrenal response in the "defender". Physiologically the response is no different than what the person would face if placed in a real situation. This does a number of things. First of all, it let's these people feel the effects of adrenaline on the mind and body BEFORE they are forced to face it during an actual attack. They learn how to harness this natural survival tool and use it to either flee or fight. The participants also learn how adrenaline enhances speed, strength, and aggressiveness which can be used against their assailant. One of the most important things they learn is whether or not the skills they were taught during the class will work under the stress of an attack when adrenaline is flooding their bodies.

Any skill being taught for self-defense should be pressure tested in this way to see if it actually works. The key to the test is finding those skills that are natural, instinctive, and based on large gross motor movements. Those skills that are already hardwired into our nervous system seem to work the best. Skills such as instinctively extending the arms during a fall or during car accidents fit the bill nicely. These are skills that most will perform with no training, it's instinctive. We refer to these skills as flinch responses. Once participants understand this concept they can quickly learn to use it on purpose to protect themselves during an attack, both in a defensive and offensive manner. This allows people to learn real self-defense in a relatively short period of time, often only a few hours.

So, here are the questions we need to ask regarding self-defense skills...can the skills in question be used effectively for protecting a person during the stress of a real attack? Are the skills based on fine motor movements which tend to deteriorate under the adrenal response, or are they based on natural gross-motor movements that actually improve under stress? Can the skills be learned in a relatively short period of time or do they require months or even years of practice? Have the skills only been tested against cooperative training partners?

During the news story you quickly demonstrated a gun disarm technique. If I asked you to defend yourself against a replica gun that shoots safe but painful projectiles by using that same technique, do you think you could pull it off without being shot with the projectiles? Do you think that any of those other ladies could? If you knew that the gun could actually shoot you would you be as comfortable with the techniques taught in that class?

Please keep in mind that I don't work in this field to make money. I do it because I care about the safety of those that need this type of training. I also do it because there is an unfortunate need, regardless of where people live. I just want people to understand that the information they pass on can either help or hurt potential victims. While many of these instructors have good intentions they often don't do any research into the effectiveness of the information that they often pass on. I have seen people receive sever injuries and in some cases people have lost their lives while attempting skills taught in some of these classes. While there is always a risk of injury or death in such situations I prefer to limit the risks as much as possible while giving people skills that have a higher rate of success.


The point is simple....if the media is going to report on the topic of personal safety and crime prevention they should spend some time doing some research. They should find out what is being taught out there and whether or not it can actually enhance the viewers safety or make them more vulnerable. There is so much good advice out there but unfortunately the media tends to only promote the questionable.

As I have said before, don't take my word for it and especially don't listen to the media. Do the research for yourself and base your training decisions on logic and common sense.

Take care and stay safe,
Steve Zorn, ICPS

Fitness is extremely important. Not only is it important for improving quality of life but it's important for survival. During potentially dangerous or violent situations the body goes into "fight or flight" mode. This generally causes a release of adrenaline and other stress hormones. The result is an increased heart rate, elevated blood pressure, tunnel vision, decrease in motor control, diminished mental acuity and muscular quivers known as "the shakes". If a person is not physically or mentally prepared for this response it can be overwhelming. It can actually lead to a "freeze" response rather than a "fight or flight" response. In other words the mind and the body become so overwhelmed that the intended victim becomes frozen in place with fear. Even if the person is able to avoid the "freeze" response he or she may become physically unable to continue the response due to physical and/or mental fatigue. Remember, while violent altercations generally do not last long, most under 1 minute, they can still be physically and mentally draining due to the adrenal response and the violent muscular contractions that are required to fight or flee.

Keeping this in mind, we can see how important physical fitness is to our survival, especially during potentially violent altercations. We should all spend a portion of our lives striving to improve our fitness. This can be as simple as spending 15 minutes 2 or 3 times each work performing some interval drills or be as extreme as working out 2-3 hours a day, 5 days a week. Personally I prefer brief and efficient workouts only 2-3 days per week. I adhere to the philosophy that we should exercise to live not live to exercise. However, I can not stress how important some amount of physical exercise is, especially if you should be unlucky enough to find yourself in a potentially violent or life-threatening situation. Combine efficient exercise with efficient self-defense training and you will be well on your way to successfully dealing with most altercations you may run into. And, if you are lucky enough to never find yourself in such a situation you will have at least improved your overall quality of life by taking steps to improve your health and your safety.

Take care and stay safe!

I am proud to be one of the first instructors in the state to offer the newest martial arts fitness program to hit the country...TACTIX.

The TACTIX method of Fitness is the perfect blend of martial arts fitness, practical self-defense skills, body weight exercises and metabolic conditioning. Classes incorporate basic strikes and kicks with fun partner drills and effective pad work.

Suitable for all fitness levels and no previous martial arts or kickboxing experience is necessary.

Classes offered locally in both small group settings, large group settings and one-on-one.

Contact PSU for details.

The PSU website now has a new face. Feel free to stop by for a visit. The site is still a work in progress so check back frequently for updates.


Take care and stay safe,
Steve Zorn

Anyone that knows me knows that I am pretty blunt when it comes to responding to various tips, techniques, and tactics being promoted for self-defense. I am far from knowing it all and will be the first to admit this. However, based on my 20 years of training, research, and experience I do have a solid grasp of what constitutes sound advice regarding personal safety. Over the years I have heard of almost every kind of tip, technique, and tactic imaginable. Some of these are good, some are bad, and many are just plain ignorant. Take a moment to read the following e-mail (in quotes) and tell me which category you feel it falls in. I will give you a small hint...it sure isn't good. This e-mail is being passed along to many without a basic understanding of self-defense and I felt I needed to interrupt it with some common sense. Please read the e-mail which follows and then continue with my analysis-


The email in question:

"Wasp spray...who knew ???


I know some of you own GUNS, but this is something to think about...


If you don't have a gun, here's a more humane way to wreck someone's evil plans for you.


Did you know this? I didn't. I never really thought of it before.


I guess I can get rid of the baseball bat.


Wasp Spray !!!
A friend who is a receptionist in a church in a high risk area was concerned about someone coming into the office on Monday to rob them when they were counting the collection. She asked the local police department about using pepper spray and they recommended to her that she get a can of wasp spray instead.


The wasp spray, they told her, can shoot up totwenty feet away and is a lot more accurate, while with the pepper spray, they have to get too close to you a nd could overpower you. The wasp spray temporarily blinds an attacker until they get to the hospital for an antidote. She keeps a can on her desk in the office and it doesn't attract attention from people like a can of pepper spray would. She also keeps one nearby at home for home protection. Thought this was interesting and might be of use.


On the heels of a break in and beating that left an elderly woman in Toledo dead, self defense experts have a tip that could save your life.


Val Glinka teaches self-defense to students at Sylvania Southview High School . For decades, he's suggested putting a can of wasp and hornet spray near your door or bed.


Glinka says, "This is better than anything I can teach them."


Glinka considers it inexpensive, easy to find, and more effective than mace or pepper spray. The cans typically shoot
20 to 30 feet; so if someone tries to break into your home, Glinka says "spray the culprit in the eyes". It's a tip he's given to students for decades.


It's also one he wants everyone to hear. If you're looking for protection, Glinka says look to the spray.


"That's going to give you a chance to call the police; maybe get out.."


Maybe even save a life.


Please share this with all the people in your life


Did you also know...wasp spray will kill a snake? And a mouse! It will!

Good to know, huh?"


My analysis:

I will admit that the use of wasp (insect) spray for self-defense sounds good in theory. However, practical application is another story.

First of all the e-mail starts off by mentioning guns. Let's get this straight...there is a huge difference between a gun and pepper spray. A gun is a lethal force tool designed for lethal force situations. On the other hand pepper spray is a non-lethal tool designed for non-lethal application in situations that do not warrant lethal force OR in those circumstances where the intended victim chose not to carry or use a firearm (lethal force tool). Now, with that said we are comparing pepper spray (a non-lethal tool) with wasp / insect spray (potentially dangerous to humans) as per this e-mail.

First of all, pepper spray is non-toxic and completely safe. It's made of high quality food-grade capsicum (edible peppers). It generally burns like hell when it contacts the skin and eyes or when it enters the respiratory system. However, it won't lead to death or damage vital tissues. In some rare cases a person may be allergic to the spray but statistically it's safe. Remember pepper spray has been used and tested in the real world for over 30 years. It's safe, endorsed by law enforcement and military personnel, and is court justifiable.

Now, let's talk about wasp (insect) spray. Have you ever read the label on this stuff? I am not going to bore you but to make it simple...wasp spray is toxic (read NOT safe). This stuff is designed to negatively effect the nervous system of insects. The problem is that humans also have nervous systems that are effected by this stuff. With that said, some of you may be thinking that I actually care about what happens to a criminal predator that intends to do us harm. Nothing could be further from the truth. What I care about is the safety of the intended victim. The concept of self-defense is to walk away from a dangerous situation with the least amount of physical and mental injuries possible. This cannot be accomplished if we choose to use stupid techniques or tools.

Anyone that has trained with or taught the use of pepper spray knows that in many (read MOST) cases the intended victim will also be contaminated in the process. The reality of chaotic violence is nothing like a safe training environment. Keeping that in mind, picture this...you know without a doubt that you are going to end up spraying yourself in the face during a violent encounter. Would you prefer to use a substance that has a proven track record of safety or would you prefer to take your chances with a product known to kill insects and damage vital human tissues? The choice is yours.

If that isn't enough to help you see the ignorance in this idea...what if a family member or friend were in the room with you? What about a child or an infant? Would you be willing to risk their lives or their eyesight to use the wasp killer? Only you can answer that.

I should also add that it's illegal to use insect spray for anything outside the label recommendations and improper use, even in justifiable self-defense can result in civil liability.

The moral of this story...don't trust your safety to any tips, tactics, or tools just because a so-called self-defense "instructor" or a police officer tells you it's THE thing to do. First use common sense before you employ these things, then do some research of your own.

Please pass this along to family and friends so they can get a better understanding of this questionable safety advice.

Take care and stay safe,

Steve Zorn, ICPS
Personal Safety Unlimited

It's been quite a while since I have posted to this blog. I have been busy with many things and just haven't had the time.

However, I am going to try to get back into the groove and post something at least once a month, if not more.

Please check back periodically for updates.

In order to prevent fraud we must first understand what fraud is. Webster’s Dictionary defines fraud as follows - ”A deliberate and willful deception perpetrated for unlawful gain; a trick or swindle, an imposter; a cheat.”

Fraud can include lying or making exaggerated claims in order to trick people out of property, money, or other valuables.

Fraud can include the theft of identity to commit other crimes.

Fraud can include a person attempting to portray someone or something that they are
not.

In short, fraud is a crime that can be perpetrated by almost anyone and it’s a crime
that can take many forms. However, that doesn’t mean we can’t effectively protect
ourselves.

Here are just a few tips for preventing fraud -

Trust your intuition, your gut feelings: If something seems to good to be true it likely is.

Keep an eye out for strange behavior: We can’t always spot criminals by their appearance. However, their behavior may just give them away. Watch for people asking about personal information, asking questions that don’t seem appropriate, or people just acting out of the ordinary. Be particularly careful when talking to people over the phone.

Prevent access to your personal information: Properly protect you social security number, your credit card numbers, your bank account information, and other information that can be used to steal your identity or to commit crimes in your name.

Stay safe!