The Game Plan

family2There are no perfect answers. By remaining aware of your surroundings and actively avoiding trouble, and by being willing to place safety ahead of convenience and ego, you can greatly reduce the chances that anything bad will happen to you.

If things do go south anyhow, then you need a gameplan to get you out of trouble (and you need to work at making the plan play out). ‘Winning a fight’ isn’t the goal - the goal is to preserve your safety. That means choosing the option that gives you the best chance of avoiding harm, or at least minimises the harm you suffer.

Preserving your safety can mean backing down, running away, handing over possessions or other acts that your ego and self-respect don’t like. So be it; sometimes things are bad enough that a bad outcome is the best you can hope for. Preserving your safety can also mean pre-emptively striking someone and other solutions that seem unpalatable to the sort of people that say violence solves nothing. Maybe it doesn’t, but there is nothing particularly honourable about being beaten, raped or killed because you were ‘better’ than your assailant and therefore unwilling to hurt them to protect yourself.

This is your life and you won’t let anyone take from you.  You must believe in your ability to survive.  It is your duty to protect yourself and your loved ones from violence.  You must be your first line of defense against the bad guys and by adopting an offensive mindset you can enhance your ability to survive.

If you should have to fight…fight with everything you got!   Continue attacking until you are free from danger.  Most importantly, Never Give Up!

Be Well & Be Safe,

Matthew Dyck

The Game Plan

The Game Plan

The Game Plan - 5. ET

Posted on 04.15.09

The Game Plan

The Game Plan - 2. Space

Posted on 04.15.09

The Game Plan

The Game Plan Intro

Posted on 04.13.09

The Game Plan

The Game Plan - 1. Awareness

Posted on 04.12.09

family2There are no perfect answers. By remaining aware of your surroundings and actively avoiding trouble, and by being willing to place safety ahead of convenience and ego, you can greatly reduce the chances that anything bad will happen to you.

If things do go south anyhow, then you need a gameplan to get you out of trouble (and you need to work at making the plan play out). ‘Winning a fight’ isn’t the goal - the goal is to preserve your safety. That means choosing the option that gives you the best chance of avoiding harm, or at least minimises the harm you suffer.

Preserving your safety can mean backing down, running away, handing over possessions or other acts that your ego and self-respect don’t like. So be it; sometimes things are bad enough that a bad outcome is the best you can hope for. Preserving your safety can also mean pre-emptively striking someone and other solutions that seem unpalatable to the sort of people that say violence solves nothing. Maybe it doesn’t, but there is nothing particularly honourable about being beaten, raped or killed because you were ‘better’ than your assailant and therefore unwilling to hurt them to protect yourself.

This is your life and you won’t let anyone take from you.  You must believe in your ability to survive.  It is your duty to protect yourself and your loved ones from violence.  You must be your first line of defense against the bad guys and by adopting an offensive mindset you can enhance your ability to survive.

If you should have to fight…fight with everything you got!   Continue attacking until you are free from danger.  Most importantly, Never Give Up!

Be Well & Be Safe,

Matthew Dyck

The Game Plan - 6. Improvised Weapons

Posted on 04.16.09

IMPROVISED WEAPONS (PEN, KEYS, CELLPHONE, MAGAZINE) “Most people carry around more gear than Batman has in his utility belt. Almost anything can be used as a weapon, all you need is INTENT.” [watch video]

The Game Plan - 5. ET

Posted on 04.15.09

ET (EYES & THROAT) “Use your closest weapons against his weakest targets. His weakest targets are those that are most valuable, yet ironically, cannot be entirely strengthened. His eyes and throat are your primary targets.” [watch video]

The Game Plan - 3. Be Seen / 4. Draw Attention

Posted on 04.15.09

STAY WITH PEOPLE, GO TO PEOPLE (BE SEEN) “Do not ever let yourself be taken somewhere. Cops call it the "secondary crime scene" and most of the time it will be where your worst nightmare resides. If you are approached in a public place do not get in a vehicle with him. Do not walk around the building to the alley -- STAY where others can see you. His worst fear is the fear of getting caught, so you should drop to the ground if you need to in order to prevent him from carrying you away. On the other hand, if you are in your house or another location that is private, you need to GO to people. His worst fear is the fear of getting caught -- run out the door to a neighbor’s. Crawl out a window onto the roof. Drive your car up to a diner or convenience store. Go where there are lights and others.” YELL FIRE (DRAW ATTENTION) “The first thing he will say to you is "don't scream or I'll kill you". He's telling you exactly what will ruin his plan. Go ahead, ruin his plan -- create a disturbance, scream, throw things, blow the horn. If you think you should yell "fire" go right ahead. You can't count on others coming to your aid, but you want to appeal to his fear of getting caught and make him think that someone could hear you and be coming.” [watch video]

The Game Plan - 2. Space

Posted on 04.15.09

TALK TO THE HAND (MAKE SPACE) “Keep a FENCE between you and the bad guy. Use a barrier to block him or use distance to gain time. Keep your doors locked. Stay in your car. Force him to get through a barrier before he can get to you. The more difficult you make it, the more time it takes him and that means he might be discovered.” [watch video]

The Game Plan Intro

Posted on 04.13.09

An intro to a series of short videos that I will be doing on my website which briefly summarize a 2 hour Personal Protection & Safety course I teach called "The Game Plan". [watch video]

The Game Plan - 1. Awareness

Posted on 04.12.09

BE SWITCHED ON (AWARE) “Not surprisingly, criminals exhibit predatory behavior in preparing to attack. They will try to pick a casual location to look for their prey. They will look at their intended victim far more and for longer periods of time than social norms. They will move when the prey moves. They will stop and look around for witnesses. They will often make several passes by the prey in a sort of 'dry run', seeing if the victim will react or to get a sense of how the attack might work. Pay attention! Who is looking at you? Has the same person or car passed by you twice? Does someone appear to be moving with you?” [watch video]