Some Thoughts on Self-defense with a Disability (Rambling)
One of my subscribers asked about this, and I found it interesting to discuss. My experience is limited, as I practiced unarmed martial arts (Keysi Fighting Method, a street self-defense system) for only a relatively short time and have otherwise focused on historical sword fighting. And while I’m dealing with some chronic injuries I’m not disabled, so I can only try to imagine how one might deal with certain challenges.
There are some fundamentals in mindset and strategies that apply across different disciplines though, so I figured it may be worthwhile to start a conversation about the topic.
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To all the people ridiculing the idea of a firearm, I have to ask you what a better practical, honest alternative would be. To preface, I'm not an advocate of increasing gun ownership and I think gun laws in the US should be much stricter. But having a degenerative visual disability means that I can't take the chance of entering a physical conflict on equal terms, despite being 6' and 215lbs. I'm seriously worried about hurting somebody because I know I'll protect my remaining sight by fighting extremely dirty and I don't wanna do that.
So what should I do? Running away is good as a first resort but doesn't reliably protect you from or subdue an attacker. Calling for help is an obvious thing to do but the bystander effect is very prevalent and even a few seconds spent waiting is potentially devastating. Basic self defense classes (kempo, karate, krav maga, taekwondo, etc.), which I've taken, truly are taught only in theory if you can't spar, like myself.
All that being said I don't have a gun. Part of me really wants one for peace of mind but I'm guessing another part of me would be constantly nervous having a firearm in public while knowing I'd probably use it if push came to shove. And I don't want to. So to everyone belittling the idea of concealed/open carry, let's hear some good ideas. Because I'm all ears.
It really comes down to the type of disability a person is dealing with, at least in my opinion; its going to effect and even possibly even dictate response. For myself, dealing with chronic pain and severe, advanced osteoarthritis, I was forced to move away from a lot of traditional response/attacks i.e. a lot of lower body techniques like kicking; I'm very limited in employing my legs and feet aside from certain techniques like instep to the lower thigh/knee, attacking the opponents feet, etc. Instead its now a focus on things like grappling, joint locks, pressure points and things like striking with hands and elbows; while this works, it also puts me in convenient striking range for weapons which can obviously be extremely dangerous. Based on something like, and assuming you're not carrying a weapon, you need to adjust your mind – and skill set to focus on targets that are immediately available within the limitations of whatever disability you have. At least, as I said initially, this is my opinion and its up to others to decide whether or not it works for them as well.
Can I use the word "context" here? There are so many different kinds of disabilities and Skall has fans all over the world so laws come into play as well. If you can bite. The mouth can do a lot of painful damage very fast. I discovered, quite by accident, that an electric wheelchair can knockdown even a NCAAF lineman.
I am considered disabled for me it's my heart doesn't send blood to my head quickly so if I go from sitting down or laying down to standing up to quickly I will either loose most sense of balance and in most cases loose some light for a few minutes or I will just plane black out so when I was faced with a attacker I took him to the ground so the blood didn't fail to rush to my head and it worked fairly well and was able subdue him but he was a phisicy weaker person and I have a descent muscle mass
My advice as a disabled marine with deterioration in nearly every joint in my body would be to look into martial arts which are less about strength, and more about using an opponent's strength against them.
My martial art of choice in that regard is Aikido, as the entire martial art is built around using an opponent's weight against them. Easy on the joints, and very effective. Regardless, my favored method of self defense is my concealed carry license.
I have an argument with my friend, if humans shrink to 10 centimetres high, would using bow and arrow be effective for hunting mice, rats and smaller birds?What weapons would be effective?
The honorable and chivalrous thing to do would be to brandish the knife and allow the aggressor to run away, however the actual assault has often been brought to disreputable terms by the attacker and the first perception you allow of your knife should be as it's deeply covered in blood or bowel. Puncturing a lung or severing a carotid artery is difficult at best (as the ribs protect fifty percent of the lung tissue) and neck wounds aren't as lethal as portrayed in the movies. If the attacker is thus mortally wounded, it may take him more than a few minutes to bleed out, and he can do a lot of damage in those few minutes. Self defense shouldn't be a reciprocal matter, as any overwhelming defense may require an offensive means and a good lawyer afterwards. Thus I'm a firm believer in concealed carry, as I never carry a knife to a gunfight unless it's as a backup weapon. In most assault victims I've bandaged up, they often report the swiftness of the attack as they're too stunned for any response.
my thoughs on the matter – being asthmatic and practicing aikido and a hema-karate hybrid for 4 years now – is that all depends on the kind of your disability or injury. as a personal example, my small chronical thing limits and diminishes my stamina faster basically, so in swordfighting and unarmed defence drawing out a fight or fleeing is not a real option for me. would agree on weapons as an equalizer, but the legal system may limit you in some places – so yeah, working with what you have (like the crutches-video), being resourceful and aware of your surroundings might come in handy, also the human classic: walking around in groups and having a big fucking dog with you – the dog may be a complete timid goofball but people don't know that beforehand. just some thoughts i wanted to share, cheers
As a disabled person myself, I really appreciated this video. I started doing martial arts as a kid, long before my current handicap appeared and still practice today (even though in a much more limited fashion), I still have an interest in fighting. I think this probably was the most respectful video I have watched on the subject, and the one done with the most realistic perspective.
That said,I personally think pain is an aspect of fighting with an handicap that does not get discussed enough.While it does not apply to every single type of handicaps, a majority of disabilities and injuries are associated with increased pain, to various degrees. You might have a condition that increases risks of fractures, you might have tremendous pain flare up from any sudden movements, you might hurt 10 times as much as a normal person from being punched some place, perhaps even just moving around in itself is an already agonizing experience.
I personally practiced boxing before becoming disabled, and while a boxing stance is theoretically my favorite, it's also a stance that works with the idea that you will hit and get hit, trying to maximize the damage you do and minimize the damage you take. But it still implies you will be hit, which with my personal handicap is something I cannot afford. 1 or 2 strong punches to the head and I'm 100% certain to die, and my definition of a strong punch isn't the same as a normal person's definition of a strong punch. I can't risk to roll with the punches like I used to. If I'm lucky I'll instantly be knocked out, if not I will either be dead or severely injured. Hits to the bodies are most certain to end up in massive fractures as well.
What I train now is keeping the fight as close as I can. I still retain most of my muscle strength, although I do have leg mobility issues. I bet on the clinch, and in a real fight, I would hope to be able to suck up those slightly weaker blows, use my elbows and knees and ideally get the other person to the ground and in a lock. I would use the cane to keep the fight far away from me if possible, but that's wishful thinking. I still train mostly for clinching and ground fighting.
If you live in the U.S. Get a gun. If you live in Canada like me, brazilian jiujitsu and pray. But most importantly, like the guy said in the video, find what works for you. A clinch might be what saves me with my own limitations, but it could be what kills you with your's. There's no one good "disabled fighting" guide. We all gotta manage on our own.
Often times have knee issues and half to walk with a cane to minimize the pain. Have had a few incidences where physical violence insued. While having nothing against firearms I do not personally care to have one on my person. My cane is actually a walking stick from Cabellas. It has a more comfortable handle now so that I can put weight on it. it is also lightweight and extremely tough in its shrunken state vs fully extended such as it was ment to be used. The best part is that is has a carbide tip for extra grip. that small point does a massive amount of damage. I have always walked away just fine and the assailants not so much. I wield it much as one would while fencing, using thrusts and parries I learned years ago in a class I used to belong to.
Simply put guns are the best tool we have available to better the chances of winning a fight. Carrying does not mean you will be successful, but training with your gun means you have a greater chance at success. Training should not be confused with practice. Everyone regardless of there abilities should seek professional training. James Yeager, Billy Birdzel, Chris Costa, Reid Hendrichs, Clint Smith, etc. are all good guys. I personally have went through fighting pistol with Tac Response and it has changed how I conduct myself as a person in society. The mindset that is taught by Yeager and his crew is invaluable and has saved my life. I have limited mobility but I know because I practice what I was trained to do I can hit my shots if I need to. I won't become a victim if I can help it. I work my ass off everyday to be better, to be a better man and a better warrior. I may not be as proficient as a normal person but I can get the job done. If, I choose and make the decision to take responsibility for my own life, why won't you? what is stopping you?
Yeah, I can't see much, a bit less than 30% of what normal people can. So I know for a fact that if anyone attacked me, be it a grown ass man, or even a woman or 13 – 14 year old boy or girl, I'd get my ass handed to me. There's just no getting around it. I've decided there's no point to learning since I can't apply what I learn. If someone wants to bash my head in, there's little point in resisting as they'll succeed whether I do or don't. Some shortcomings just have to be accepted
As far as I can say about Self Defense and Martial Arts and Autism (I have Asperger's, so I am referring to High functioning):
I feel that, if done successfully, they can be very useful to improve self discipline, focus, and physical fitness. And while this applies to most people, it especially applies to those with higher functioning Autism, who may have problems with gross and fine motor controls, which a Martial Art could also improve.
All you presumably Americans saying a gun is the best form of self defence. Yes you are probably less likely to have your wallet taken but having guns available to citizens just means people die thousands of times more on a daily basis. I'd rather have my wallet taken by some english prick with a knife and go get it replaced then be shot by gang members or bank robbers or something.
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To all the people ridiculing the idea of a firearm, I have to ask you what a better practical, honest alternative would be. To preface, I'm not an advocate of increasing gun ownership and I think gun laws in the US should be much stricter. But having a degenerative visual disability means that I can't take the chance of entering a physical conflict on equal terms, despite being 6' and 215lbs. I'm seriously worried about hurting somebody because I know I'll protect my remaining sight by fighting extremely dirty and I don't wanna do that.
So what should I do? Running away is good as a first resort but doesn't reliably protect you from or subdue an attacker. Calling for help is an obvious thing to do but the bystander effect is very prevalent and even a few seconds spent waiting is potentially devastating. Basic self defense classes (kempo, karate, krav maga, taekwondo, etc.), which I've taken, truly are taught only in theory if you can't spar, like myself.
All that being said I don't have a gun. Part of me really wants one for peace of mind but I'm guessing another part of me would be constantly nervous having a firearm in public while knowing I'd probably use it if push came to shove. And I don't want to. So to everyone belittling the idea of concealed/open carry, let's hear some good ideas. Because I'm all ears.
It really comes down to the type of disability a person is dealing with, at least in my opinion; its going to effect and even possibly even dictate response. For myself, dealing with chronic pain and severe, advanced osteoarthritis, I was forced to move away from a lot of traditional response/attacks i.e. a lot of lower body techniques like kicking; I'm very limited in employing my legs and feet aside from certain techniques like instep to the lower thigh/knee, attacking the opponents feet, etc. Instead its now a focus on things like grappling, joint locks, pressure points and things like striking with hands and elbows; while this works, it also puts me in convenient striking range for weapons which can obviously be extremely dangerous. Based on something like, and assuming you're not carrying a weapon, you need to adjust your mind – and skill set to focus on targets that are immediately available within the limitations of whatever disability you have. At least, as I said initially, this is my opinion and its up to others to decide whether or not it works for them as well.
Can I use the word "context" here? There are so many different kinds of disabilities and Skall has fans all over the world so laws come into play as well. If you can bite. The mouth can do a lot of painful damage very fast. I discovered, quite by accident, that an electric wheelchair can knockdown even a NCAAF lineman.
One more thing Skala, you don't seem like the fighting type. You're makin it work though.
Depends on the disability. I was disabled by a cop's handcuffs one time. He had a good time with me.
I am considered disabled for me it's my heart doesn't send blood to my head quickly so if I go from sitting down or laying down to standing up to quickly I will either loose most sense of balance and in most cases loose some light for a few minutes or I will just plane black out so when I was faced with a attacker I took him to the ground so the blood didn't fail to rush to my head and it worked fairly well and was able subdue him but he was a phisicy weaker person and I have a descent muscle mass
JEST GET YERSELF A FIREARM GIT GIT GIBBLY GOO
-An american
what about a cane sword?
My advice as a disabled marine with deterioration in nearly every joint in my body would be to look into martial arts which are less about strength, and more about using an opponent's strength against them.
My martial art of choice in that regard is Aikido, as the entire martial art is built around using an opponent's weight against them. Easy on the joints, and very effective. Regardless, my favored method of self defense is my concealed carry license.
I have an argument with my friend, if humans shrink to 10 centimetres high, would using bow and arrow be effective for hunting mice, rats and smaller birds?What weapons would be effective?
I know your youtube revenue doesn't rely on what I think, but damn I love these rambly videos. Really damn cool.
"I don't think I have enough experience with unarmed martial arts"
"UNARMED"
DUDE. WORD CHOICE.
"there comes a point" well played skall well played.
The honorable and chivalrous thing to do would be to brandish the knife and allow the aggressor to run away, however the actual assault has often been brought to disreputable terms by the attacker and the first perception you allow of your knife should be as it's deeply covered in blood or bowel. Puncturing a lung or severing a carotid artery is difficult at best (as the ribs protect fifty percent of the lung tissue) and neck wounds aren't as lethal as portrayed in the movies. If the attacker is thus mortally wounded, it may take him more than a few minutes to bleed out, and he can do a lot of damage in those few minutes. Self defense shouldn't be a reciprocal matter, as any overwhelming defense may require an offensive means and a good lawyer afterwards. Thus I'm a firm believer in concealed carry, as I never carry a knife to a gunfight unless it's as a backup weapon. In most assault victims I've bandaged up, they often report the swiftness of the attack as they're too stunned for any response.
What's all the fuss about? Just carry a bag full of pommels, geniuses…
Ending him rightly helps a lot if you can pull it off
my thoughs on the matter – being asthmatic and practicing aikido and a hema-karate hybrid for 4 years now – is that all depends on the kind of your disability or injury. as a personal example, my small chronical thing limits and diminishes my stamina faster basically, so in swordfighting and unarmed defence drawing out a fight or fleeing is not a real option for me. would agree on weapons as an equalizer, but the legal system may limit you in some places – so yeah, working with what you have (like the crutches-video), being resourceful and aware of your surroundings might come in handy, also the human classic: walking around in groups and having a big fucking dog with you – the dog may be a complete timid goofball but people don't know that beforehand. just some thoughts i wanted to share, cheers
As a disabled person myself, I really appreciated this video. I started doing martial arts as a kid, long before my current handicap appeared and still practice today (even though in a much more limited fashion), I still have an interest in fighting. I think this probably was the most respectful video I have watched on the subject, and the one done with the most realistic perspective.
That said,I personally think pain is an aspect of fighting with an handicap that does not get discussed enough.While it does not apply to every single type of handicaps, a majority of disabilities and injuries are associated with increased pain, to various degrees. You might have a condition that increases risks of fractures, you might have tremendous pain flare up from any sudden movements, you might hurt 10 times as much as a normal person from being punched some place, perhaps even just moving around in itself is an already agonizing experience.
I personally practiced boxing before becoming disabled, and while a boxing stance is theoretically my favorite, it's also a stance that works with the idea that you will hit and get hit, trying to maximize the damage you do and minimize the damage you take. But it still implies you will be hit, which with my personal handicap is something I cannot afford. 1 or 2 strong punches to the head and I'm 100% certain to die, and my definition of a strong punch isn't the same as a normal person's definition of a strong punch. I can't risk to roll with the punches like I used to. If I'm lucky I'll instantly be knocked out, if not I will either be dead or severely injured. Hits to the bodies are most certain to end up in massive fractures as well.
What I train now is keeping the fight as close as I can. I still retain most of my muscle strength, although I do have leg mobility issues. I bet on the clinch, and in a real fight, I would hope to be able to suck up those slightly weaker blows, use my elbows and knees and ideally get the other person to the ground and in a lock. I would use the cane to keep the fight far away from me if possible, but that's wishful thinking. I still train mostly for clinching and ground fighting.
If you live in the U.S. Get a gun. If you live in Canada like me, brazilian jiujitsu and pray. But most importantly, like the guy said in the video, find what works for you. A clinch might be what saves me with my own limitations, but it could be what kills you with your's. There's no one good "disabled fighting" guide. We all gotta manage on our own.
Often times have knee issues and half to walk with a cane to minimize the pain. Have had a few incidences where physical violence insued. While having nothing against firearms I do not personally care to have one on my person. My cane is actually a walking stick from Cabellas. It has a more comfortable handle now so that I can put weight on it. it is also lightweight and extremely tough in its shrunken state vs fully extended such as it was ment to be used. The best part is that is has a carbide tip for extra grip. that small point does a massive amount of damage. I have always walked away just fine and the assailants not so much. I wield it much as one would while fencing, using thrusts and parries I learned years ago in a class I used to belong to.
The ramblings of a cripple who carries a gun.
Simply put guns are the best tool we have available to better the chances of winning a fight. Carrying does not mean you will be successful, but training with your gun means you have a greater chance at success. Training should not be confused with practice. Everyone regardless of there abilities should seek professional training. James Yeager, Billy Birdzel, Chris Costa, Reid Hendrichs, Clint Smith, etc. are all good guys. I personally have went through fighting pistol with Tac Response and it has changed how I conduct myself as a person in society. The mindset that is taught by Yeager and his crew is invaluable and has saved my life. I have limited mobility but I know because I practice what I was trained to do I can hit my shots if I need to. I won't become a victim if I can help it. I work my ass off everyday to be better, to be a better man and a better warrior. I may not be as proficient as a normal person but I can get the job done. If, I choose and make the decision to take responsibility for my own life, why won't you? what is stopping you?
Any opinions on the Shashka sabre?
how about gun loaded with pommel strapped on wheelchair
Yeah, I can't see much, a bit less than 30% of what normal people can. So I know for a fact that if anyone attacked me, be it a grown ass man, or even a woman or 13 – 14 year old boy or girl, I'd get my ass handed to me. There's just no getting around it. I've decided there's no point to learning since I can't apply what I learn. If someone wants to bash my head in, there's little point in resisting as they'll succeed whether I do or don't. Some shortcomings just have to be accepted
As far as I can say about Self Defense and Martial Arts and Autism (I have Asperger's, so I am referring to High functioning):
I feel that, if done successfully, they can be very useful to improve self discipline, focus, and physical fitness. And while this applies to most people, it especially applies to those with higher functioning Autism, who may have problems with gross and fine motor controls, which a Martial Art could also improve.
All you presumably Americans saying a gun is the best form of self defence. Yes you are probably less likely to have your wallet taken but having guns available to citizens just means people die thousands of times more on a daily basis. I'd rather have my wallet taken by some english prick with a knife and go get it replaced then be shot by gang members or bank robbers or something.
I actually really like your "croaky" voice, Skall, if it's anything like how you sounded in your last video – Using a Bow for Striking.
better to be judged by 12 than carried by 6. Barry Logan….