Yes, I am not an expert on self defense yet I do want to learn more and in doing so came up with a synopsis of a "self-defense model" from reading some more on the No Nonsense Self Defense site by Marc MacYoung. Take it with a grain and see if this works for you if you wish to use it as a basic or introduction to self defense practice.
Self Defense Model
- Common Sense: use common sense to recognize and know the behaviors that will put you into conflict; use common sense and know the moral and ethical issues involved with the use of force.
- Diplomacy: can this event be resolved with other means than the physical. Can you talk, negotiate or trick you way out of it?
- Strategy: if all else fails do you know when and where to hit to end it quickly and effectively? Is it justifiable use of force?
- Tactical: do you instruct as to the physical application of hitting powerfully and effectively.
Does your training program instruct/address the higher level skills necessary to avoid-deescalate-consider-manners-awareness, etc.?
Questions to pose to participants in self defense training:
1. Do you instruct participants as to what is violence?
2. Do you instruct participants as to what are the medical/mental ramifications to violent acts?
3. Do you instruct participants as to what are the legal ramifications to violence?
4. Do you instruct participants so they can recognize environmental and human conditions that indicate violence or possible violence?
5. Do you instruct participants so they can recognize the stages that lead to actual physical violence-altercations-fighting-predatory violence, etc.?
6. Do you instruct participants as to the definition of self defense?
7. Do you instruct participants as to the legal definition and requirements of self defense?
8. Do you instruct participants so they know and can apply "people skills?"
9. Do you instruct participants as to a life style self analysis regarding their possible exposure to violence, violent environments, etc.?
10. Do you instruct your participants that physical applications of self defense should be the absolute last resort?
11. Do you instruct your participants that the physical end of self defense is also the most unreliable of responses?
12. Does instruction focus more on the "options" that would prevent you from ending up in any violent situation that would require physical responses?
13. Do you instruct on those behaviors, the participants behaviors, that lead to violence, i.e. will result in your escalating it vs. deescalating it?
14. Do you instruct on the difference between self defense and fighting?
15. Do you instruct that it is not a matter of winning or losing but two persons who will both be arrested and if you are the winner you will be arrested?
16. Do you instruct the participants that involvement in any violence will have life long effects, both physical but mostly psychological?
17. Do you instruct the participants that in reality "most people" cannot apply effective self defense techniques in a crises?
18. Do you instruct the participants that the adrenaline dump caused in a crises can only be overcome through specific and ongoing training, it is not a matter of take a few classes and then assume it will work when needed?
19. Do you instruct the participants in the ability to communicate correctly regarding self defense with police and defending your actions in a court of law?
20. Do you instruct the participants in their responsibility for their words/actions, i.e. see manners, etc.?
21. Do you instruct the participants or at least introduce participants to the concepts of the behaviors that "lead up to" violence?
22. Do you instruct the participants as to where they can continue their research into the concepts of behaviors leading to violence? laws? psychological ramifications, etc.?
23. Do you instruct the participants that research, education, analysis, and seeking legal/expert advice/instruction, etc. is an ongoing process much like education, i.e. it is continuous for life?
24. Do you instruct the participants that is is their responsibility to seek legal advice as to Self defense before taking a self-defense program or before completing said program? Is this a requirement/prerequisite to the programs attendance/completion?
25. Do you instruct the participants as the difference between "lethal" vs. "non-lethal" force?
26. Do you instruct the participants that when prosecution occurs that "YOU BEAR the BURDON of PROOF!"
27. Do you instruct the participants that all things being correct, etc. that you as a participant in a self defense scenario can still be taken into civil court for further legal actions from your opponent?
28. Do you instruct the participants to research the self-defense laws in your state, i.e. state level, county level, city level, etc.?
29. Do you instruct the participants that they should either have an attorney on retainer or at the very least the number and name of a good attorney you can call, preferably one who specializes in criminal law or even better self-defense law?
30. Do you instruct the participants to research criminal jury instructions for their state in addition to seeking legal advice as to self-defense law?
31. ???
As I see the way experts view self defense training is the curriculum should consist of about 90% higher level skills that will avoid violence, that 9% will deal with possible violence through verbal deescalation and finally the last 1% on the physical as a last resort. This 90-9-1 model would indicate that the program has a good understanding of self-defense and its legal and moral applications.
I see it like this, if they cannot answer your questions and if they don't have a program that fits in the 90-9-1 model for self-defense programs then you can bet with confidence that the program is a profit oriented one because the physical is the easiest part to promote and teach in a limited time, i.e. cost-benefit of teaching/instructing the largest amount of paying customers in the shortest amount of time. Think turn-a-round.
Marc MacYoung's articles on self defense provided all the above and has links that could be critical to understanding self-defense applications. He provides one link I recently read that provided one quote I feel is important to know yet by itself should only cause you to seek out more information and expert/legal advice before you apply for a program or try to use what the program taught you regarding self-defense.
"Whatever the situation, you are expected to use force only as a last resort - that is, only when the circumstances preclude all other options." - Brandon Otto; www.useofforce.us
Read it again and again, read his site again and again for both should turn on a light for this topic. You CANNOT do enough to learn as much as you can about violence, force, fighting, and/or self-defense BEFORE you find yourself facing arrest, prosecution, and the life long effects of actions you take/took.
FINAL CAVEAT/FIRST STEP TO SD TRNG: "If in doubt, the laws themselves through the eyes of your lawyer are the surest source."
Bibilography:
MacYoung, Marc. No Nonsense Self Defense: http://www.nononsenseselfdefense.com/
MacYoung, Marc and Miller, Rory. Conflict Communications: http://www.conflictcommunications.com/index.htm
Otto, Frandon. Use of Force: http://www.useofforce.us/
Note: Any mistakes, omissions, etc. on this post are mine alone, please let me know so I can make corrections.
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