Show the Predator What He Doesn’t Want

*** "I want to devalue myself as a target without escalating the violence" ***    -Tony Blauer, 20-year self-defense instructor to civilians, military, government, and LEO, founder and CEO of Blauer Tactical Systems, Inc.

Welcome back to the Self-Pro Newsletter, in which we discuss ways to protect yourself, your loved ones, your pocketbook, and your property. 

In the past we talked about closing options to predators, not looking like a good target, and how to stand, sit down, and get up correctly.  Standing.  Sitting.  I know-  boring.  I promise we'll go kinetic here shortly.  It's coming.  For now, keep practicing your awareness, your confident body language, and your standing/sitting technique.  We'll get to hitting things soon but... it's much better to win a fight by not being in a fight at all.  In the spirit of this wisdom here's one more trick we must cover before we talk about worst case scenarios. 

This one is a principle and actionable tip all in one.

            Devalue Yourself in the Eyes of the Predator:

  We know a predator wants your property, your body, or your life.  Let's talk about devaluing the most common target- your property or money.  Example situation:  We're somewhere we'd rather not be, with a phone that's too nice to be flashing around in this place at this hour.  We notice a group of local kids turn their attention on us and begin ambling over.  Seeing them, we get a bad feeling, and we listen to that feeling.  Realizing there is nowhere to go for safety, and not sure what these tough-looking kids want with us, you wisely begin going crazy.  Cursing in 'surprise', you nearly throw your phone in the dirt in frustration.  “What the *&^%!?  I just took this thing in.  How many times do I have to… aaaaah!”  Wheeling about in anger at your phone and kicking a nearby picnic table, you have yourself a very unattractive fit.  Let it all out.  Craziness.  

                Seeing this, the kids decide you’re crazy, unstable, or at the least too much trouble to mess with right now.  The crazy person they’re looking at also has a 'broken' phone, or will soon once you finish apparently slamming it about.  There’s nothing for them here.  They go away.

                Maybe they just wanted to ask the time.  Maybe they wanted your phone.  It doesn’t matter what they wanted; it does matter that you’re ok.  You listened to your spider sense and devalued yourself as a target.  No easy, scared, submissive, (or rational) prey here, and no loot anyway.  That might be what kept you safe.  Either way, you’re safe.

                One more situation:  In a weird turn of events you're isolated and get a funny feeling someone wants your car.  Slam the steering wheel.  Get out and kick the tires.  Jump up and down.  “Stupid thing never works!”  Toss the keys (or maybe a spare set of faux-keys) across the ditch and into the woods.  “…have to call them again, aaaaah!....not a good day!...”  Congratulations, you are now too much trouble to deal with, and your car isn’t worth stealing.  Feel free to cry about it until the onlookers go away.  Then drive home.

Tony Blauer, a luminary in the self-defense world, does a great job of illustrating this in his informal 2007 'ATM Strategy' video. A November 2014 edition of the CrossFit Journal, entitled 'ATM Fraud', chronicles a few folks applying this principle to different real-world scenarios. The YouTube link is below, and the article is attached to this message in pdf format. Both do a great job of explaining this principle, and Blauer's 'ATM Strategy' video should be required watching for anyone with a bank card. Your kids get bank cards- they watch this video.

Pardon the language. It’s all in the name of personal safety. : )

Study this. If you're chosen by a predator it's your last chance to label yourself a poor prey candidate before things get ugly.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpEQICb-9Sg (or simply Google: "Tony Blauer ATM Strategy" and click the YouTube link)