At Chapters..

I was at Chapters the other day, thumbing through the martial arts/sports section. I like to do this once in a while, you do find some interesting gems like "How to be a Ninja." Like, REALLY? The whole ninja fad is over and done with! But, of course, I had to take a look. Great topics such as digging yourself a fox hole to hide in to surprise the attacker was very entertaining. 

Anyway, I took a look through some reality-based self-defense books. Many of these, in my opinion, is re-packaged karate in street clothes with the attacker bearing a knife. Really nothing new. One interesting thing I came across in the book is using everyday tools or objects such as keys or a water bottle as a weapon. 

I agree that these can be handy..to a degree. I mean, even if you have a key, you gotta know how to get the key from point A to point B.  If you really can't do that without a key, what little chance do you have with a weapon? Perhaps the key empowers us, but that's about it..for that split second.  

I think it's a mistake for the defender to think they really have an upper hand if they bear a weapon (pepper spray, stapler, keys, etc) because, utlimately, the mechanics to make them effective are pretty much the same as not having these weapons and if you don't have that down, your weapon is useless.

Of course, this is the extreme. Better to have a weapon than none at all, but don't be too cocky...physically nor psychologically.

Until then.