How Should the Proper Martial Arts and Self Defense Training Look Like? The Biggest Mistakes

Proper training is everything. Especially in martial arts and self defense. You just need to be sure that you can count on the moves and techniques you have learned. Like in any other sports, if you are not doing things correctly, you will most likely fail. In martial arts and self defense, you can not afford to fail, especially when fighting on the street and for more, when fighting for your or someone else's life.

Your training is the key and you have to make it the best you can.

So what are the most overlooked things in training martial arts and self defense systems?

1. You Never Actually Mean To Really Hit Your Sparing Partner

What you actually are taught to do, especially in martial arts, is that you repeat some scenario technique after your sensei. You hit, he dodges and throws you on the ground. That sounds nice but it misses the point of reality.

The most common experience is that you lead your punching hand to the place where it should be dodged. You don't even aim on the guy before you. You are just trying to reach the invisible point where your fist, or whatever it is, connects with your sparing's dodging technique and you leave the rest on him, so he can do the technique right and you won't mess it up... but it is messed up already.

In martial arts and mostly in real self defense you have to learn, that in training you must ACT LIKE IN THE REAL EXACT SITUATION - only in slow motion.

Your first intention must be to HIT! If your sparring mess the dodging technique, he'll get hit. Not very hard, but he will learn from it anyway. This way you both will get some added value from your training. You throw real punches and he encounters almost real feeling of failure if he fails to dodge.

Just understand that you all need to learn how it looks like in a real fight and if you won't be able to throw real punch on your training lesson... how would you like to punch someone for real? YOU WON'T EVEN KNOW HOW THE REAL PUNCH LOOKS LIKE!

Athletes can have another chance to show their skills if they fail to manage their training properly.. but when it comes to martial arts and self defense (especially when fighting on the street)...you may not be so lucky.

2. Lack Of Body Conditioning

Another great problem of Martial arts guys and gals is that they do not train their body and do not make it ready for the action. If you are serious about your self defense skills, and you should be if you are taking courses of real self defense, you must spend time conditioning your body so you won't get hurt and make the body harden - especially the parts you are hitting with.

Condition your knuckles, your elbows, shins... you name it. Just make sure you are ready for the hit, because an action always causes a reaction. Make sure you won't break your arm while punching your assailant in his face.

Hit some hard stuff and slowly increase the power until the pain is unbearable. After that just put your hands to hot water and make them relax.

You should also condition the areas you may get hit to. Like your jaws, ribs, stomach... make your body parts strong and used to the pain. This way it won't hurt that much when it is for real.

3. Shadow "Dancing"

I can understand when someone in martial arts or self defense, who is competing in Kata performance does these shadow moves and hits. He needs to get better and better and make it look nice and fancy. Or when you practice your speed with weights. Then it is all OK.

But what I can not and I will never understand is why the rest of people involved in martial arts or even the real self defense do that? If you want to perform good strike, you have to HIT SOMETHING! You have to have a target to aim at and you have to feel the thing you are hitting.

If you will do shadow training, you may get all the fancy nice looking move, but you will be useless on the battlefield. You can move like a dancer - but you will get beaten like a dog!

That's no self defense. That's learning how to get ripped off in a nice fancy way.

Go get some good old MAKIWARA or a HEAVY BAG, SPEED BAG... anything you can hit and feel.

Hope it helped you a little and gave you the idea of proper Martial arts and Self Defense training.

I hope you understand a little bit by now.

And that is far from what you can actually know about street fight and real self defense. There is much more you can learn.

Self-Defense Versus Fighting

There is a massive distinction between the act of self-defense and the act of fighting. Self-defense can be defined as such: The right to protect one's self against violence by using reasonable force.
 
In criminal law it states that a person has the right to use physical force to defend themselves or another against an aggressor's imminent use of unlawful force.
 
There is often a very fine line between self-defense, fighting and assault. This happens when the person being attacked is able to effectively fend off the attacker and subsequently turn to an offensive position and instead of removing himself from the scenario become themselves the attacker.
 
It can be difficult to walk away when the ego has been wounded, which is why so many altercations change from a self-defense position to fighting confrontation. When you're trying to protect your pride in your ego you will undoubtedly wind up in a fight. When you are attempting to protect your body from harm or another person's body from harm, you are providing legitimate self-defense.
 
The reason a self-defense situation can become a fight is because your body starts to adrenalize, your emotions go up and your intellect goes down. Through proper training. You can learn how not to over adrenalize, which will help you maintain control of your emotions so that you may intellectually discover the most appropriate means to defend yourself.


 
To put it in simple terms, if you are not in fear of being physically harmed, then there is no self to defend. However, if there is a fear of physical threat then you must be prepared to take the necessary measures to ensure your well-being.
 
What this means is you must be able to use the most effective, surest and quickest way to end the altercation in as little time as possible with expending as little energy as possible. Self-defense is not about violence it is about limiting violence, but by its very nature in your self-defense you are delivering a brief act of extreme violence.
 
What many people find out very quickly is that once they understand and are able to efficiently and effectively defend themselves from physical harm, they have absolutely no desire to harm another human being, and they also seem to possess a keen ability to avoid conflict.
 
Of course there are other great side effects that one can benefit from knowing the proper application of self-defense, which are high self-esteem, confidence and being sure of oneself. So you see, self-defense isn't really about fighting and all, in fact. It's about very much the opposite.

How This is Different Than Other Self Defense Training

If you think self-defense is about learning how to fight that you are sadly mistaken. Knowing what self-defense is is the difference between doing it well or winding up in a heap of trouble.

First off let's talk about what self-defense isn't. Self-defense is not about winning or losing, and it's not about fighting. It's about living or dying, and your ability to survive an assault on your life.
 
Common sense good manners and good habits will serve you far better than any physical fighting ability. Why? Because if you don't have common sense good manners and good habits and all you know how to do is fight than that will always be the place you will find yourself in.
 
It's critical when talking about the topic of self-defense, that we not confuse sport fighting with practical defense fighting strategies. Many martial arts these days are anchored in sport, and as such do not teach practical applications in self-defense. I want to be clear here that I am not criticizing or downplaying the importance of martial arts and its place in the world. I believe all training is good training but let's not confuse systems.
 
Many of the martial arts over the years have become sport based, meaning they have rules and regulations they must follow and adhere to achieve their objective, which in most cases is to gain points, or amass points through repeated contact with their opponent.
 
Any self-defense training worth its salt is not about how many times you can hit somebody. But how quickly you can end the confrontation, we are talking 5 seconds or less. The object of self-defense is to get out of harms way as quickly as possible, eliminating any threat of further violence. The most efficient way to do that is with extreme swift and brutal violence.


 
It's very much the old adage, you must fight fire with fire, but to be realistic. A whole bundle of things would have to go wrong for ever to get to that point. You have to be completely oblivious to any kind of violent situation arising, which in most cases you can see a long way off. You would also have to be an extremely bad mannered conversationalist to antagonize someone to the point of aggression and assault. The bottom line is violence is always a last resort.
 
So the question then becomes why learn self-defense? And the answer is, because when you know how to defend yourself in a strategic, calm and intelligent way you have the ability to alter circumstance meaning you're more confident and sure of yourself, which becomes a trait most attackers seem to shy away from.
 
With confidence, comes high self-esteem, and with high self-esteem you can achieve anything. Learning a few key principles in proper self-defense will put you in control of your circumstances and allow you to protect your most valuable asset that being you and the ones you love.

Self Defense For a Woman in a City is Important

Self defense for women is now adding clarity to this subject. Self defense remains a complex topic that is made even more complex due to erroneous information out there. Self defense courses seek to reverse this problem. Far too often, teaching a woman martial arts is considered the cure all for any serious threat she may face. Whether the martial arts take the form of traditional styles or modern ultimate fighting systems, neither really address the serious concerns surrounding women's self-defense. Thankfully, through self defense classes, the ability to acquire a proper foundation in women's self-defense can be realized.

One of the main components of a serious self defense class would be the stressing of awareness on an environment. Awareness refers to the ability to be completely cognitive of your surroundings. This allows you to either completely avoided aggressive behavior, become less of a target, or employ the physical techniques you learned in your private self defense classes in a more appropriate manner. Since awareness is a major component that is stressed in the course material, the student's ability to preserve her safety is greatly enhanced.

Understanding how an aggressor behaves is important to successful dealing with such a threat. Now, the way to properly deal with the threat is to escape. By escaping, your ability to walk away from the situation safe and unharmed is greatly expanded. A solid New Orleans self defense program will present clear and detailed information on this subject. Many streetfighting programs may stress more direct engagement with an assailant but this is very dangerous and often unnecessary. Scenario training that centers on avoidance, awareness, and averting will usually provide much better and safer results.

Common scenarios could include recognizing danger when you step up to an ATM. Can you recognize people who may be willing to do you harm and, if so, can you extract yourself from such a difficult scenario safely? If not, then taking a self defense class would be a wise move.

However, there will come a time when it may be necessary to attack an assailant. While we would prefer that such a situation was completely avoided, such avoidance truly is not always possible. As a result, the need to take a defensive (or offensive) action will be necessary. And, of course, it is critical to do so in a manner that would be deemed effective. New Orleans self defense classes can ensure your response to a serious situation will be an effective one. This is how you will preserve your safety and avoid any serious harm from befalling you. Knowing you can deal with such a situation can definitely instill the confidence needed to act when a problem arises.

Is Self Defense the Punch Line of the Martial Arts?

First of all, it's extremely difficult to talk about the reality of self-defense without sounding like a complete whack-job. So, before we get into it you have to accept two simple facts. First, violent crime happens every day and second, violence happens to a wide variety of people regardless of race, income level or education.

Now, all you have to do is use your common sense and leave your agenda at the door and we can have a worthwhile discussion without sounding like fanatics.

As president of the Self Defense Company, I have the rare opportunity to train, teach and communicate with thousands of people worldwide. Most of you have some martial arts training and have reached a point in your lives where you're still unsure about the martial arts you studied and the self-defense you were told would work.

You have been through the karate classes, the Tai Chi, the Aikido, the kickboxing, the mixed martial arts and the submission fighting. You have purchased the videos and self-defense courses only to find that it's the same thing over and over again. I know, because I was like you until I met my instructor (and now your instructor) Carl Cestari. I am lucky to discover the truth about martial arts and self-defense. This is the driving force behind the ZenShin Dojo and the IACCP.

What happened to self-defense and martial arts? Martial arts can be divided into three primary categories: Hobby, Sport and Self Defense. A hobby benefits you culturally and spiritually. A Sport, trains you for a specific event or competition. And self-defense should prepare you for the realities of a life and death struggle. And it's the self-defense aspect of the martial arts that's the most overlooked and least tested. It has strayed from the battlefield into the realm of fantasy.

Today, most martial art systems are a combination of sport and hobby unwittingly mixed up and confused when applied to self-defense. The most common error is trying to use sport techniques for real combat. Sport techniques require practice with rules, time limits and protective gear that are rightfully there to keep you safe. Unfortunately these cause you to develop habits that will get you killed. You'll pass up opportunity to end the fight and leave yourself vulnerable while you bide your time, jockey for position and try for a sport-submission technique.

The other mistake made is taking old jujutsu techniques completely out of context and trying to apply them to a street fight. Techniques that were designed for people in armor or that are based upon a sword are good for cultural and spiritual development, but have little, direct practical application. That would explain a lot of the somewhat ridiculous throws and joint locks that should only used done when your adversary is wearing 70 pounds of armor.

Instructors make these mistakes because they simply regurgitate information without giving any real thought to what they teach or why they teach it or they have been so consumed with sport, and confuse what happens in the ring or a challenge match, with the street. Combine this with the lack of without direct, battlefield feed back, real self defense has become victim of the children's game of telephone. Over the generations it has been altered bit by bit to now where it barely resembles what it once was.

Chances are, you will never have to protect your self, but when you have to, even the most skilled martial artist will respond in a convulsive, brutal manner. I have known martial artists who have gotten into street fights and never used one technique they teach! Gichin Funakoshi, in his book Karate-do describes the first and only time he was ever in a real fight. He simply grabbed the man by his testicles and squeezed until the man fell down. Not much "karate" there. But I do applaud Funakoshi for having the good sense to do what he had to do to survive.

The reason people place so much emphasis on sporting techniques is because it's easy to test them in competition. While the opportunity to test and record the effectiveness of close combat techniques is difficult to say the least. So from a martial arts instructor's point of view it's easier just to repeat or simply make up what ever you call self-defense, knowing full well that it will never be tested or even tried.

Womens Self Defense Training That Actually Works!

Women can find self defense training in a lot of places, but the most useful things you can learn might take a little research and phone calling to find a reputable self defense instructor to teach you how to properly react to being attacked.

Womens self defense training #1 - You will want to find a self defense instructor that uses a full body padded suit so you can let out and use maximum violence and aggression to respond to a simulated attack. It is important, because what you practice will be what you do in a real life or death assault.

Womens self defense course #2 - If you are just looking to lose weight and get in better shape then take classes like Tae Bo and cardio kickboxing. But don't consider these forms of physical activity as any form of real self defense training. Because its not.

Women self defense training #3 - Martial arts styles I recommend for women include: karate, jeetkunedo, mixed martial arts, boxing, and any type of self defense training you can get.

Womens self defense course #4 - I believe that all women should do cardio and weight training to become stronger. Men are bigger and stronger then women physically, so being better prepared physically will make you less of a victim.

Women self defense training#5 - Use any and all dirty fighting moves you can. Scratching and eye gouging your opponent, chopping him in his adam's apple, smashing his groin, head butting his face, screaming for help. When it comes to a violent encounter don't be a victim always fight back no matter what.

Self-Defense Programs

In these days, many self-defense programs are available on the Internet and in your community. After hearing about so many fatal attacks, you may consider taking a program to learn the basic self-defense skills. With these skills, you can protect yourself and your family from any terrible attacks.

Not all the self-defense programs are created equal. So you should be considerate enough to pick up the program which really works to teach you the proper skills for your protection.

There are many self defense programs on the Internet and in your community. If you are serious about taking your personal protection into your own hands, self defense training is the way to go. But not all self defense programs are created equal. You kneed to know which programs for self defense to use in order to get the proper skills for your protection.

Choosing the right self-defense program is essential, but it is by no means easy. When making a selection of self-defense program, there are some considerations you need to make to choose from the array of programs out there.

You should choose the program which offers the accurate content. That is to say the skills they teach are up-to-date and make sense.

Choosing a program that is positive is good for you for it is easier for you to stick with. In these programs, you feel encouraged and joyful when going to class and learning the skills that will keep you safe.

There are many kinds of self-defense programs. Some are for children, some other for the young adults, still others for the senior citizens. Therefore, you should choose the one according to your own situation.

Self-defense programs should include action based training videos, and talk based lectures and books. These programs are easier to follow and you can make great progress. But this is not all the case. If you are weak in how to physically handle an attacker, you should look for programs which focus on the action.

Are Mace Pepper Batons a Good Self Defense Weapon?

Mace Pepper Batons are a good self defense weapons choice for a few reasons.They are small and compact so they are easy to carry.

They are easy to hide from an attacker giving you an easy advantage.

They are solid self defense weapons that you can use to hit pressure points and break bones.
They have the added benefit of a refillable pepper spray container inside.
I have been around the self defense weapons industry for awhile and even though the mace pepper baton is small and looks like it couldn't do much damage to an attacker don't be fooled. If the user has even the smallest amount of self defense weapons techniques to use in an attack it is a very formidable self defense weapon.

What the mace pepper baton basically is is a kubaton that is made for striking bony surfaces, nerve points, and soft tissue. You don't necessarily have to know a lot of self defense or fighting techniques knowledge to use a mace pepper baton. You just start swinging and poking and it gets the job done. If it doesn't you can use the pepper spray that is in it and that will at least slow your attacker down long enough for you to get away.

There are several different ways you can use the mace pepper baton.

You can attach the mace pepper baton to your key chain and use both your keys and the kubaton as a self defense weapon.
You can swing it at the elbow or kneecap to give a very painful blow that can sometimes break bones.
Jab it just under the jaw line and it gives a cramping sensation in the mouth to the attacker...be careful doing this though. It can be a deadly blow only to be used in a life or death situation.
If you poke the attacker in the center of the chest just below where the ribcage joins together it will make them lose their breath for a short time and it could break some ribs if the blow is hard enough and your aim is slightly high.
Once again I want to talk to the ladies out there. Sorry guys if I seem one sided here but, I have seen too many women beaten and battered simply because they talked to another guy or they didn't get the dishes done or supper cooked or the many other idiotic reasons why women are beaten. And all because they don't have any self defense weapons or they don't know any fighting techniques to defend themselves.
Ladies, there are too many cases out there where women are living everyday of their lives thinking.."it's o.k. that he smacks me around a little. I deserve it. I didn't do this or that." I have just one thing to say to this...

STOP! No one deserves to be treated this way. This is one of the reasons I got into the self defense weapons industry. Not necessarily to make a profit but to use that profit to make a difference and spread domestic violence awareness and I want you ladies out there to realize there is a better life out there, not all men hit, and there is a solution to your situation if you are being abused. Buy yourself a self defense weapon or take a self defense course and teach these guys a lesson.

Self-Defense Sports For a Healthy Mind and Body

The art of self-defense can be considered a contact sport. It involves two or more people practicing defensive and offensive moves that may be used in real life in case of harmful attacks.

There are many self-defense schools. The schools vary in the type of self-defense they teach to students. There are many kinds of self-defense that originates from different countries. But it all has a common denominator of helping keep a healthy body and mind.

The more popular self-defense sports are kung fu, karate, taekwondo, martial arts, and kenjutsu. These contact sports not only keep you fit and healthy always, it instills in your character several admirable traits like having a sense of responsibility, discipline and hard work.

A student learns to be patient and persevering because training involves a long time. He needs to consistently practice if he wishes to excel in the sport and master the techniques.

Self-defense is mainly used to have an upper hand when being attacked in public. We live in a dangerous world surrounded by criminals. But in the process, self-defense also becomes an art. It involves learning several forms that when executed properly will bring effective results.

Kung Fu is known to be the best self defense in China. It has been part of the continuous tradition of martial arts in the country. There are lots of techniques and ideas about martial arts. The components are made out of the basics, applications forms, and weapons. Kung fu courses include a very unique training system that varies in the emphasis of every component.

Karate is a striking art that uses punching, kicking and strikes of knees and elbows. This also includes an open handed technique like ridge hands and knife hands. The practitioner of Karate is called the Karateka. Lesser extent of restraints, joint lock sand takedowns is likewise used. This is one self defense that also promotes good health. It promotes co-ordination, balance, strength, aerobic fitness and flexibility. It allows the brain to have the alertness needed to respond to the actions of the fighter.

Taekwondo originated in South Korea but is being learned now all over the world. Unlike karate, taekwondo focuses on legs and feet movement. Punching is very minimal. People who study taekwondo are called jins. Jins have shapy legs as a result of many years of training. Training involves a lot of sparring and practice kicks.

Self defense is a surviving situation that involves real risk that may causes physical harm. This requires first hand knowledge. This involves a multitude of techniques. A person can only fight for himself and can only take care of himself. Anyone can learn the basic of self defense. It is not limited to those who have the talent. The self defense has so many layers of component that it compasses. It includes awareness, communication, negotiation, body language and many more.

The Kenjutsu was created in 15th century in Japan. This was made for the use of military. This is a swordsman practice. This technique is a collection of combat technique of various weapons. The practitioner is called the kenjutsuka.

The art of self-defense develops the whole body, especially the arms and legs. It also develops one's stamina and endurance. And more than having a great body, self-defense promotes a better state of mind. People learn to concentrate and focus more, to filter unwanted thoughts and keep themselves optimistic always.

The 5 Rules of Street Self Defense Explained!

I want to prepare with you an arsenal of information that will explain a lot of street self defense topics covering combat, to verbal self defense and avoiding fighting situations all together.

Rule #1 - Always be alert and prepared at any time for a combat situation. This includes: being aware of your surroundings, wearing shoes you could fight in, not having your MP3 player blasting in your ears, staying alert and avoiding dangerous places and people.

Rule #2 - Another rule for being prepared for street self defense is active weight lifting and cardio training. You want to be in good enough physical condition that you could fight off a bad guy that is much larger then you. If you are out of shape how do you expect to survive an attack that lasts longer then 30 seconds?

Rule #3 - Carry a weapon at all times. Nearly 80% of attackers in street self defense situations carry a weapon intending to injure their victim. So why not be prepared ahead of time? Carrying pepper spray is a much less lethal weapon then a knife or tazer, so carry a weapon, just be sure it is legal in your area.

Rule #4 - Martial arts and street self defense training are essential for winning and managing to survive an assault or attack. You need to train in self defense and martial arts regularly to become more of an aggressive and smarter fighter. Being properly trained is essential to winning a battle on the streets.

Rule #5 - If you can cover all your bases in self defense like carrying a weapon, being aware and avoiding confrontations and problems you will be better prepared then most people. Continue training in martial arts and get the most from your training and knowledge of self defense.

Self Defense and Criminal Liability

The United States Constitution and New Jersey State laws permit us to protect ourselves. As homeowners, there are legal measures that can be used to keep out intruders. The Second Amendment to the US Constitution provides that we have the right to bear arms. Obviously, civilized society has certain restrictions on gun and weapon use.

The basic question many people have is, if I defend myself and the attacker claims they are hurt, can I be liable? There are two vastly different grounds for liability: criminal liability and civil liability.

Self-Defense and Avoiding Criminal Responsibility

A person may use force against another person if he reasonably believes that such force is immediately necessary for the purpose of protecting himself against the use of unlawful force by such other person. Such justifiable use of force is commonly call "self-defense." The provisions for self-defense to protect citizens from criminal charges are found in the criminal code at NJSA 2C-3-4(a), which states in part:

"... The use of force upon or toward another person is justifiable when the actor reasonably believes that such force is immediately necessary for the purpose of protecting himself against the unlawful force by such other person on the present occasion."

In other words, self-defense is the right of a person to defend against any unlawful force. Self defense is also the right of a person to defend against seriously threatened unlawful force that is actually pending or reasonably anticipated. When a person is in imminent danger of bodily harm, the person has the right to use force, or even deadly force, when that force is necessary to prevent the use of unlawful force against him. The force used by the defender must not be significantly greater than and must be proportionate to the unlawful force threatened or used against the defender.

Unlawful force is defined as force used against a person without the person's consent in such a way that the action would be a civil wrong or a criminal offense.

If the force used by the defender was not immediately necessary for the defender's protection or if the force used by the defender was disproportionate in its intensity, then the use of such force by the defendant was not justified and the self-defense claim in a criminal prosecution falls.

Deadly Force and Criminal Prosecution

The use of deadly force may be justified only to defend against force or the threat of force of nearly equally severity and is not justifiable unless the defendant reasonably believes that such force is necessary to protect (himself/herself) against death or serious bodily harm. By serious bodily harm, we mean an injury that creates substantial risk of death or which causes serious permanent disfigurement or which causes a protracted loss or impairment of the function of any bodily member or organ.

One cannot respond with deadly force to a threat of or even an actual minor attack. For example, a slap or an imminent threat of being pushed in a crowd would not ordinarily justify the use of deadly force to defend against such unlawful conduct.

In addition, one can under limited instances use force in the protection of others (NJSA 2C:35-5). Limited force under certain instances is also afforded in the criminal code for the defense of personal property (NJSA 2C:3-6C).

Defense of Real Property (Your Home) and Criminal Liability

A section of the New Jersey criminal law provides that:

"The use of force upon or toward the person of another is justifiable when the actor is in possession or control of premises or is licensed or privileged to be thereon and he reasonably believes such force necessary to prevent or terminate what he reasonably believes to be the commission or attempted commission of a criminal trespass by such other person in or upon such premises."

A person commits a criminal trespass if, knowing that (he/she) is not licensed or privileged to do so, (he/she) enters or surreptitiously remains in any structure or separately secured or occupied portion thereof.

Our criminal law further provides that, in defense of your home:

"The use of force is justifiable...only if the actor first requests the person against whom such force is used to desist from his interference with the property, unless the actor reasonably believes that (a) such request would be useless; (b) it would be dangerous to himself or another person to make the request or (c) substantial harm will be done to the physical condition of the property which is sought to be protected before the request can effectively be made.

"The use of deadly force is not justifiable in the defense of premises unless the actor reasonably believes that:

            (a)       The person against whom the force is used is attempting to dispossess him of his dwelling otherwise than under a claim of right to its possession; or

            (b)       The person against whom the force is used is attempting to commit or consummate arson, burglary, robbery or other criminal theft or property destruction; except that

            (c)        Deadly force does not become justifiable under subsections (a) and (b) unless

                        (i)         The person against whom it is employed has employed or threatened deadly force against or in the presence of the actor; or

                        (ii)        The use of force other than deadly force to prevent the commission or the consummation of the crime would expose the actor or another in his presence to substantial danger of serious bodily harm."

These are taken from portions of the Model Jury Charges - Criminal, Third Edition, published by the New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education. It should be noted that these are defenses to criminal charges that might be brought against you if you defended yourself. Even if the County Prosecutor or Police decide not to bring criminal charges against you or if you are successful in proving that you were protecting yourself as permitted under certain provisions of the criminal code, the attacker, if injured, still may attempt to bring a civil suit to recover for any medical expenses or injuries incurred.

Defenses to Civil Liability

Ordinarily, if someone is injured as a result of the intentional or negligent act of another, they can recover monetary damages to reimburse him or her for medical bills and injuries suffered. However, this is not always so when the person was injured while attacking someone else or attempting to steal from that person.

The judge in a civil case will instruct jurors in the following easy to read language: "No person has a lawful right to lay hostile and menacing hands on another. However, the law does not require anyone to submit meekly to the unlawful infliction of violence upon him. He may resist the use or threatened use of force upon him. He may meet force with force, but he may use only such force as reasonably appears to him to be necessary under all the circumstances for the purpose of self-protection. One is not ordinarily expected to exercise the same refined degree of judgment at times of great stress or excitement that he would under more placid circumstances.

Deadly Force and Civil Duty to Retreat

A deadly force is not justifiable when an opportunity to retreat with complete safety is known by the defender to be at hand. The use of such force is not justifiable if the defender knew that it could have been avoided with complete safety to him by retreating. Where these conditions are present, the defender has a duty to retreat, and his use of a deadly force under these circumstances cannot be justified as an act of self-defense.

Defense of Others

One may justifiably intervene in defense of any person who is in actual or apparent imminent danger of death or serious bodily harm, and in so doing he may use such force as he has reason to believe, and does believe, necessary under the circumstances. The defender must be reasonable in his belief that the third party is in dire peril of death or serious bodily harm. He must also have a reasonable basis to believe that the force he uses is necessary to protect the apparent victim from the threatened harm.

The defender has the burden of proving to the jurors that he inflicted the injuries complained of while acting in defense of the third party within the foregoing principles.

One is not permitted to set up traps to kill or maim individuals who attempt to trespass on their property. There is a responsibility to warn trespassers of dangerous conditions and an intenant risk of injuries. You cannot have a deep pit to catch trespassers or electric wire with one million volts of electricity to kill a trespasser.

Conclusion

Self-defense has been recognized in both the criminal code and civil liability cases. It is common sense under the circumstances that usually control liability. For more detailed information on self-defense, you should carefully read the New Jersey statutes dealing with criminal responsibility and self-defense. It is also important to note that in intentional acts usually your insurance company will not defend you or pay another person who is injured on your property as a result of intentional acts.  You should personally speak with your homeowners' insurance broker to ask them to show you specifically in your policy where you are covered for injuries to someone.

Kenneth A. Vercammen is a trial attorney in Edison, Middlesex County, New Jersey. He often lectures for the New Jersey State Bar Association, New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education and Middlesex County College on personal injury, criminal / municipal court law, and drunk driving. He has published 125 articles in national and New Jersey publications on municipal court and litigation topics. He has served as a Special Acting Prosecutor in seven different cities and towns in New Jersey and also successfully defended hundreds of individuals facing Municipal Court and Criminal Court charges.

In his private practice, he has devoted a substantial portion of his professional time to the preparation and trial of litigated matters. He has appeared in Courts throughout New Jersey several times each week on many personal injury matters, Municipal Court trials, arbitration hearings, and contested administrative law hearings.

Since 1985, his primary concentration has been on litigation matters. Mr. Vercammen gained other legal experiences as the Confidential Law Clerk to the Court of Appeals of Maryland (Supreme Court), with the Delaware County, PA District Attorney Office handling Probable Cause Hearings, Middlesex County Probation Dept as a Probation Officer, and an Executive Assistant to Scranton District Magistrate, Thomas Hart, in Scranton, PA.

Sharpen Your Psychic Self-Defense Skills - Simple Tips

Every individual needs to sharpen their skills to help them succeed in whatever goal they want to pursue. It take work and practice to improve our skills. And it takes a positive attitude to make the changes necessary to reach your goals.

Every individual has at their core a spiritual energy center that radiates in what some call the aura. The aura is visible evidence of the strength of our psychic self-defense. That is, it reveals the strength of our spiritual core and energy that protects us from the negative energies and influences that surround us.

It is possible to improve our psychic self-defense skills by reducing negative thinking and behavior and focusing on building our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Having well-honed psychic self-defense skills, we are better prepared to make healthy choices and good decisions, and we have inner resources to face the stresses of modern life.

The first step in improving our psychic self-defense skills is introspection. It's looking inside yourself for those negative patterns and ways of thinking that hold you back and make you more vulnerable to negativity from outside. It's identifying and eliminating your own personal barriers to self-respect and self-love. It's identifying and nurturing your positive patterns and ways of thinking.

As these changes begin to become part of you, you will find yourself less anxious, more energetic, and more positive. You'll feel the relief that comes with freeing the intuitive side of your personality that has been repressed for so long. You'll have greater self-confidence, and you'll be capable of achieving more than you ever thought possible.

When you've identified those things that you need to change, you're on the road to having sharper, more effective psychic self-defense skills. Now, write down you goals and begin to make the changes that will help you achieve them.

It's important to know that stress is a major reason people fail with they attempt to sharpen their psychic self-defense skills. Know that stress and anxiety produce failure and disappointment. You must find ways to reduce the stress in your life, and there are many techniques that will help you do just that.

One way to relieve stress and anxiety is to write down those thoughts and feelings, analyze them realistically, and put them in true perspective. The old question, "How important is it, really?" is a useful tool at this phase.

Meditation is the most successful and effective tool to help you improve your psychic self-defense skills. It relieves stress. It helps clear negative energies and thought patterns. It promotes physical and mental healing. And it opens the mind to new and creative thinking. Meditating every day for at least 20 minutes is a powerful way to improve your psychic self-defense skills.

Identifying clear goals will help you succeed because it builds motivation and energy. Working toward those goals can be stressful, but progress brings satisfaction and increased energy. Building psychic self-defense skills is a process, and it requires work and time. The challenges and frustrations along the way are lessons that help us make better progress as our skills continue to improve. Don't give up. Just keep on doing the best you can.

Use modern technology to help you reach your goals. Research on the Internet to learn what others do to succeed and what others have learned by their failures. Use it to locate resources and tools. Use the Internet and project planning software to help you develop a well thought-out plan with reasonable, achievable steps and milestones. Be as systematic is you can in working toward your goals.

Use meditation to help reach your inner, intuitive knowledge. Before you start meditation, plant the seed of a question in your mind. You'll be amazed the creative ideas that will come to you during and after your meditation. It will also help you identify the steps you need to take and eliminate barriers to progress.

It's impossible to eliminate all stress in today's world, but you can reduce it by building your psychic self-defense skills. Some stresses are healthy because they give us clear objectives and challenges. Think of obstacles as opportunities, and reduce the stress and anxiety in your life.

Working on your psychic self-defense skills is a powerful way to self-development and improving the quality of your life. Using meditation and other techniques, you'll be better able to identify meaningful goals and the activities and methods to help you achieve them. It won't be a quick easy fix, but it will provide you with benefits and rewards far beyond the effort you invest.

Self Defense - The Act of Protecting One's Self

Self defense is the act of protecting one's self against physical force or the immediate threat of force. It can justify conduct which would otherwise give rise to criminal or civil liability. It can operate as a defense to virtually any criminal or civil wrong which involves the use or threat of physical force, such as assault, battery, and homicide.

To successfully argue self defense in a trial for homicide, the defendant must show that he or she acted with a genuine belief that they were in danger of death or severe bodily harm, that their conduct was necessary to prevent that harm, and that a reasonable person in the same situation would have had the same belief, and acted in a similar manner.

There are 2 basic types of self defense in a murder trial: perfect and imperfect. Self defense is perfect when the actor truly believed that they were in danger of death or grave bodily harm and that belief was reasonable. This requires the court to look at the defendant's mental state (did they honestly believe that they were in danger?) and the surrounding circumstances (given the facts, was that belief reasonable?).

For example, suppose Al pulls out a gun and begins firing into a crowd. Bob, who happened to be in the line of fire, pulls out his own gun and shoots Al, killing him. Bob has acted in perfect self defense: he truly believed that he was threatened with death or severe bodily harm, and that belief was reasonable under the circumstances (he was being shot at, after all). If Bob were charged with murder, and he successfully proved the above facts, he would be completely exonerated.

Imperfect self defense is when a person acts with an honest belief that they are in immediate danger of death or severe bodily injury, but, given the facts, that belief was not reasonable. This does not completely exonerate the defendant, but if it is shown, it can reduce first-degree murder to voluntary manslaughter, a less severe crime.

Changing the above example slightly, suppose that Al pulls out a water pistol, and begins shooting it into the crowd. Bob honestly believes that the water pistol is filled with poison, and anybody who is sprayed with it will die, but he has no reasonable basis for this belief - he's just paranoid. Acting on this belief, he shoots and kills Al. If Bob is charged with murder, he will be able to argue imperfect self defense, and if he proves the facts as stated above, he will not be convicted of first-degree murder, but of voluntary manslaughter.

To successfully prove self defense, one must also show that the amount of force they used was reasonable. Lethal force is only reasonable when the actor is threatened with death or severe bodily harm. If lesser harm is threatened, less force is justified. So, if Al runs toward Bob screaming that he's going to beat Bob up, but there is no indication that he is going to try to kill Bob, Bob may only repel Al's attack with the minimum amount of force necessary to protect himself, and no more. In such a case, Bob would probably not be justified in shooting Al, but he would be justified in using pepper spray to incapacitate him while he escapes, or using some other non-lethal force to defend himself.

In many states, a person must first attempt to escape the danger before resorting to physical force. This adds another requirement for a successful showing of self defense: escape was impossible. Some states, however, allow a person to stand his or her ground.

In the majority of states that require a person to first attempt to escape, there is an exception for a person who is attacked in his or her own home. Known as the "castle doctrine" (based on the idea that one's home is his castle, and he should not be required to retreat from it, rather than defend it). However, the other rules associated with self defense are basically the same when it occurs in the actor's own home: there must be an honest and reasonable belief about a threat of serious harm.

Child Safety - How to Choose the Best Martial Art Or Self-Defense Program For Your Child

One of the most common questions that I get from parents about the subject of child-safety is centered around how to choose the right martial art or self-defense program for their child. Sometimes it even comes as a direct request as to who I would recommend in the area where they live.

Unfortunately, I do not maintain a list of preferred schools around the country that focus on real-world self-defense for children. There are a handful of schools around the world that I am personally affiliated with, but the job of keeping track of what everybody is doing and then setting up a referral system (of people that I would actually send MY own kids to!) would be too daunting at this point.

However, there are some very important key points I'd like to offer that every parent should consider when shopping around for classes for a young child - boy or girl.

5 Key Points For Finding The Perfect Child-Safety and Self-Defense Program For Your Child

1) Be Clear on What You Want. Ask yourself, "what exactly are you looking for?" Are you looking for "Susie" to get a black belt and win some trophies, or are you looking for her to learn real-world self-defense tactics that (and this is important) she can use against a bigger kid or adult attacker on the streets today - not in 16th century Japan, China, or Korea?

Believe me. The answer to this question will be critically important, because it will determine the answers, or even the necessity, of any other questions or considerations that will follow it.

Why? Because we must be crystal clear on the results we want BEFORE we start out on the journey of finding the answers. This is just as true about martial arts and self-defense as it is about the career we choose, the person we marry, or any other life-shattering decision. And, if the decision about child-safety as it relates to your son or daughter is not seen as life-shatteringly important...

...I don't know what is!

That being said, you should understand that my focus is on real-world self-defense, not sport karate or the latest fad in "parent-pleasing-cute-kid" activities. This is true whether we're talking about martial arts in general, the Japanese martial art of Ninjutsu and how it relates to child-safety, or self-defense-street-fighting. So, if you're still reading, I'll assume that you're looking for a good, solid self-defense and child-safety program for your child.

So...

2) Look for Value - not price. That being said, we all understand that having a cardiologist - a specialist - treat us for a heart problem is going to cost more than to have our family doctor do it, right? We know and accept this because we want a specialist, not a general practitioner. And we know that we're not paying for the diagnosis and treatment, right. We're paying for the extra years of training this person went through...

...to be able to make that diagnosis and save our life!

The same is true in the world of martial arts and self-defense training. You can find anyone with a black belt and trained in whatever XYZ martial art to teach your child to do whatever kicks, punches, or martial arts moves of their particular style. You may not find it so easy to locate someone who has the actual practical knowledge and street experience to back up those lessons.

The price issue is for you, and you alone. Is it true that you can find schools and instructors teaching good stuff for less, and commercial schools teaching "feel-good" karate for a ton of money? Of course, but...

When it comes to your child's self-defense, don't skimp here. Even if money is tight, most parents can easily save an extra $20 dollars or so a month (PER child) by just using the McDonald's money they spend and apply that toward class tuition - not to mention the extra gas, fees, and cost associated with Johnny being in all of those extra activities that won't save his life if he needs to! But more on this later.

3) Look for professionals. It's one thing to have real-world experience and quite another to not act like a thug in a classroom full of children. Your child - any student for that matter - needs a teacher who's focused on the student's progress and skill development, not on his or her own ego-gratification.

I know your child is learning to defend his or her self, but that should never be done at the expense of their own safety. Make it a point to arrange to watch a class or two - and not just the beginners. Take note of how the instructors and senior students relate to, and treat one another - both on the mat and off.

4) Don't put this off. It can be difficult doing the leg work, checking out a bunch of schools or instructors, but... remember this. You're not buying a couch or a car.

You're buying self-defense lessons for your child. You're buying him the gifts of future safety, happiness, security, and the ability to protect others of their choosing.

What I mean is... if this is important to you - really important - if your child is important - then don't look through your calendar book trying to figure out when it will fit into your busy schedule.

I hear and see this all the time.

"Well," the parent says, "I just don't know how we're going to fit this in between your two soccer teams, swimming, Scouts, and underwater basket-weaving classes."

Okay, the last one I made up. But you get the idea.

If you wait until you have time, you are also silently hoping that what you fear MIGHT happen, WON'T happen. In essence, you're gambling with your child's safety.

So, don't wait.

And finally...

5) Don't let your child dictate whether or not she will learn to protect herself. Remember, our kids know little-to-nothing about the world. They don't know what dangers are out there. They barely know about the bullies in school and how far those people are willing to go to get what they want.

I talk about this and 9 other mistakes that parents make every day in my book titled, "10 Really Stupid Mistakes..." I know that, as parents, we never want our children to be upset at us or to force them to do something they don't want to do. And yet we do it all the time.

We make them clean themselves, eat good food, flush the toilet, learn proper manners, brush their teeth, and even go to school for twelve long years... whether they want to or not.

Why?

Not because "they" want to or will like it. Because we know it's good for them and will make them grow up to be positive, powerful, and productive people in the world.