PPS-Safety

Training yourself to become a better fighter doesn’t necessarily mean that every weekend you are encourage to frequent sports pubs and engage in physical altercations. In fact, becoming involved with close combat training can effectively enhance your ability to defend yourself in those unexpected situations.

I think we all understand which situations I’m speaking; the one where you’re simply minding your own business on a street corner when somebody approaches you with demeaning words and unwarranted anger – this is where learning how to defend yourself physically can come in quite handy, because it’s almost certain that this person advanced with the intention to fight.

In short, MMA or mixed martial arts is defined as a full contact combat sport, and it permits a large variety of fighting methods, including those of tradition and non-tradition. This means that grabbling, as well as striking, is allowed. Most fights actually end in a grapple, followed by a submission move (i.e. arm bar). Congruently, this is why learning mixed martial arts for self defense is so beneficial. It’s true that most physical altercations, whether they are during after hours at a town bar or in the parking lot outside of a gym, almost always end up on the ground in a furious jostle for position.

But if you truly want to subdue your attacker, you must learn the various styles and techniques of handling your opponent while you’re both on the ground. A takedown is typically followed by the most common hybrid of “ground and pound,” where you have your foe on his back while sitting on top of him throwing devastating punches. But MMA ground fighting isn’t always defined by clinching mixed with knees, elbows and punches to the face. In fact, it’s what’s known as “submission grappling” that gives note to a well rounded MMA fighter. When I say submission grabbling, I mean putting your adversary in a chokehold and/or any of the following:

• Joint locks
• Armlocks
• Leglocks
• Clinch holds
• Compression locks
• Pain compliance
• Pinning

There are a few intricate others, including the “Grapevine”, but these are the top categories that define submission holds. These are a part of many different disciplines including Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Catch Wrestling, Judo, Sambo, Shootwrestling, Pankration and more.

Let’s not forget one of the most important elements and differentiators to boxing; kickboxing/Muay Thai. Certain MMA fighters specialize in areas like kickboxing provided they’re strongest in that area. The same goes for clinching and ground and pound – fighters will determine their strong areas during practice and routine, effectively mastering their most powerful kick and/or submission move. This is evident while viewing any MMA fight. You’ll notice that some MMA fighters almost always strike at the hips, venturing into a takedown and eventually ending the fight in submission while others enjoy staying on their feet and throwing lots of punches.

Nevertheless, all of these traditional styles and disciplines mixed with a combination of modern or non-tradition styles envelope what we commonly refer to as Mixed Martial Arts today. The sport is growing in popularity. Congruently, more people are taking an interest into learning some of these self defense techniques. Not only does engaging in such activity come with the ability to defend, but it naturally enhances fitness.

By: Brent Jacobs of MMA Industries, distributor of extreme MMA Gear and MMA T-shirts.

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Great Organization that all women should look at.

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Your free guide to Pepper Spray and How to Use It.

A must read for anyone who is thinking about buying or who carries Pepper Spray with them.

And You’ll find a Discount Code in the back for great saving on your next purchase of Pepper Spray.

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The police in Mumbai would not shoot, and the photographer wishes he had a gun. For those who do not know, firearms licenses are very difficult to obtain in India.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/world-news/article14086308.ece

Mumbai photographer: I wish I’d had a gun, not a camera. Armed police would not fire back
Jerome Taylor talks to the photographer whose picture went around the world
Saturday, 29 November 2008

It is the photograph that has dominated the world’s front pages, casting an astonishing light on the fresh-faced killers who brought terror to the heart of India’s most vibrant city. Now it can be revealed how the astonishing picture came to be taken by a newspaper photographer who hid inside a train carriage as gunfire erupted all around him.

Sebastian D’Souza, a picture editor at the Mumbai Mirror, whose offices are just opposite the city’s Chhatrapati Shivaji station, heard the gunfire erupt and ran towards the terminus. “I ran into the first carriage of one of the trains on the platform to try and get a shot but couldn’t get a good angle, so I moved to the second carriage and waited for the gunmen to walk by,” he said. “They were shooting from waist height and fired at anything that moved. I briefly had time to take a couple of frames using a telephoto lens. I think they saw me taking photographs but theydidn’t seem to care.”

The gunmen were terrifyingly professional, making sure at least one of them was able to fire their rifle while the other reloaded. By the time he managed to capture the killer on camera, Mr D’Souza had already seen two gunmen calmly stroll across the station concourse shooting both civilians and policemen, many of whom, he said, were armed but did not fire back. “I first saw the gunmen outside the station,” Mr D’Souza said.

“With their rucksacks and Western clothes they looked like backpackers, not terrorists, but they were very heavily armed and clearly knew how to use their rifles.

“Towards the station entrance, there are a number of bookshops and one of the bookstore owners was trying to close his shop,” he recalled. “The gunmen opened fire and the shopkeeper fell down.”

But what angered Mr D’Souza almost as much were the masses of armed police hiding in the area who simply refused to shoot back. “There were armed policemen hiding all around the station but none of them did anything,” he said. “At one point, I ran up to them and told them to use their weapons. I said, ‘Shoot them, they’re sitting ducks!’ but they just didn’t shoot back.”

As the gunmen fired at policemen taking cover across the street, Mr D’Souza realised a train was pulling into the station unaware of the horror within. “I couldn’t believe it. We rushed to the platform and told everyone to head towards the back of the station. Those who were older and couldn’t run, we told them to stay put.”

The militants returned inside the station and headed towards a rear exit towards Chowpatty Beach. Mr D’Souza added: “I told some policemen the gunmen had moved towards the rear of the station but they refused to follow them. What is the point if having policemen with guns if they refuse to use them? I only wish I had a gun rather than a camera.”

There is no reason to deny people the human right of self defense - ever.

A gunman walks at the Chatrapathi Sivaji Terminal railway station in Mumbai, India, Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2008. Teams of gunmen stormed luxury hotels, a popular restaurant, hospitals and a crowded train station in coordinated attacks across India’s financial capital, killing people, taking Westerners hostage and leaving parts of the city under siege Thursday, police said. A group of suspected Muslim militants claimed responsibility.

AP / Photo By SEBASTIAN D’SOUZA

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A woman who was attacked as she got out of a cab early Monday morning said her pepper spray saved her from further harm.

Chicago police said they were looking for a man in connection with the attempted sexual assault of a woman in the Lakeview area early Monday morning. The attacker was described as a male white Hispanic, between 25 and 30 years old with short hair combed back and a medium complexion.

NBC5’s Anna Davlantes reported that the victim, identified as “Elizabeth,” spoke out about the incident, she said in the hopes it would help others. The victim said she used pepper spray to fend off the attacker.

“I’m like, ‘Oh my God!,’” she said. “I start spraying my Mace everywhere and he just takes off. So, luckily, thank God, I had that in my hand.”

According to an alert from Belmont Area detectives, the woman was walking to her home in the 500 block of West Briar Place about 2 a.m. when a man threw her to the ground and tried to sexually assault her.

Elizabeth showed the scrapes and cuts she received after being thrown to the ground by the attacker, but said she knew it could have been much worse.

The victim said she left her job at a bar at 2 a.m., got in a cab, and when it pulled away, the man attacked her.

“He came out of nowhere,” Elizabeth said. “All of the sudden, I’m attacked from behind and pushed down.”

Police said it has been a long time since they have heard of a victim fending off an attack using pepper spray.

“She was very courageous, and I give her a lot of credit for doing that,” said Chicago police Sgt. Debra DeYoung.

Elizabeth urged everyone to buy a can of pepper spray and have it at the ready.

“Go and buy Mace,” she said. “When you have it, and you get out and you know you’re going to be outside alone, physically have it in your hand ready. Because if I hadn’t had it ready, it would have been in my bag –what’s the use of having it?”

Davlantes reported that police said they hoped someone would have information on the case. There have been attacks in the area with a similar description, but currently, there wasn’t enough information to link them.

Story and information provided by Chicago Sun-Times Inc.

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You can’t put a pricetag on peace of mind, believe me. For the longest time I would walk to my car at night wondering who might be lurking in the shadows. Ever since I found your store, though, I haven’t had those worries. Some of your personal safety products have given me the confidence to go anywhere I want whenever I want. I shouldn’t have to stay cooped up just because it’s dark outside!And the best part is that it wasn’t even that expensive. I’ve seen products similar to yours being sold locally for two or three times as much. I’m not made of money and I need to watch my budget just like everyone else. I don’t think it’s fair for people to put giant markups on their products just because they’re so necessary for so many people.

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