YOU CAN HEAR A PUNCH COMING A MILE AWAY

 

Teachers, security, and students, Let me ask you a question.  Ever been punched?  Not a great feeling, is it? I’ve been punched, probably too many times, and, no, it did not feel very good.  Thinking back on it, though, what was worse was the debilitating hesitation as my attacker threatened me, poked me with his finger as he bobbed in and out of my personal space.  I should have known better, but I was paralyzed by persistent thoughts that I could wait him out, maybe even catch him off guard then rush him.

 

It’s that internal dialogue that opens up teachers, security and bullied students to punches, kicks, strikes and worse.  I don’t blame you for weighing the consequences of cold-cocking someone who is hreatening you, especially teachers who are constrained by the educational system’s no-violence protocols and procedures.  Students who are being bullied or harassed will also hesitate as they qweigh the consequences of being suspended for being the first to throw a punch in anger (actually, in most cases, just throwing a punch, no matter how justified, can get you booted).

 

Which is swell.  Really it is.  Unless your up against an asocial nimrod who doesn’t live by your rules, or, for that matter, anyone else’s.  He is going to light you up when he is good and ready and there isn’t a  thing you can do about it.  That’s what he’s there for. 

 

Tim Larkin’s Target Focused Training has a great philosophy when it comes to asocial violence.  Violence itself is the only thing that can work against violence when the rules do not apply.  Incidental to that thought process is a concept known as Creating Automatic Decision Points.  These ADP’s are created so that intended victims will be able to know by a few distinct Signatures of Danger when he or she is about to be attacked.  Once you encounter one or more of these signatures, you have reached that ADP and you can respond accordingly (counterattack or disengage).

 

AUTOMATIC DECISION POINTS

 

• Non-Verbal Decision Points. 

 

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  1. Invading Your Personal Space.  Despite your protestations, the thug has invaded your PSZ (Personal Safety Zone).  It is imperative that you make it clear to him that he must get the hell out of your face, like now, just like you must make it clear before he enters the space that he must not come any closer.  It is important to understand that any normal person who lives by the rules would probably apologize and back up.  What you do and how you do it is up to you, but do something.  Me, I’m moving somewhere unless I am trapped.  If that’s the case, then, me, I’m hitting an open target.  Hit the sumbitch between strides.
  2. Going From Maniacal to Silently Calm, to Hiatus, to Target Stare to Bingo.  Your harasser goes from maniacal rage and the movement patterns of a Tasmanian Devil, then suddenly he calms and goes silent.  The attacker has resolved what he is going to do and how he aims to do it.  There is a short hiatus when he turns away from you for a second or two, but, as surely as a frog will bump his ass when he tries to fly, he will return his  attention to you and he will Target Stare at the spot he intends to punch, kick, stab or grab you.  The attack is on.  You?  You do what you want when he goes into the hiatus.  Me, I just ain’t gonna be there for the Target Stare.  If I cannot move for environmental reasons, I got something for him.
  3. Silence.  Long time ago, someone pretty wise told me a truism.  Despite what happens in movies, fighters never throw a punch when they are talking.  When your harasser goes silent, as in the ADP above, he, more likely than not, is having an internal dialogue about what he is going to do to you.  Once again, this is the time to do something.

 

• VERBAL AUTOMATIC DECISION POINTS.

        

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  1. THE THREAT.   The Attacker is trying to ramp up his courage and confidence.  A threat is not always followed by a punch, but you need to take it seriously.  The key is to break up his confidence with verbal de-escalation.  Change his Channel from his mental channel – the Fight Channel – to any other channel.  De-escalation tactics like distraction techniques, humor, redirection.  I will talk about those in future posts and have discussed them in past blogs.

   

• PRE-ATTACK ACTION ADP.

            

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  1. THE FINGER JAB.  This is always dangerous.  The thug is testing the waters.  If you do nothing here, you are telling him, “C’mon in, the water’s fine.”
  2. THE SHOVE.  The shove is an ADP that is always followed with some sort of attack.  He’s setting up the punch, getting you off balance and preparing to stride in an nail you like roofing slate.  Once again, trust me, this jerk either finger jabs or shoves you, this is exactly when you prepare to block and/or duck the incoming bomb and deliver one of your own.
  3. THE PUNCH.  If you are hit, no matter how light, you are likely going to get hit again, this time pretty damned hard.

 

So, they you are.  Do what you can to de-escalate the individual who threatens you, but when you reach one or more of these ADT’s, you are about to be attacked.  It is up to you what you want to do about it, but, if you elect to do nothing, I suggest you have a great hospitilization plan, Dog.

 

Stay Safe.

Hammer

 

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