Lets begin with the purpose of carrying a self-defense product. Statistics reveal that property crimes have fallen while violent crimes continue to rise. Violent crimes include murder, forcible rape, robbery and aggravated assault. This is personal! It is most unfortunate that in this day and age we have to continually look over our shoulder. However, we do. The key to self-protection is Prevention. One way Prevention can be obtained is through the carry and use of a non-lethal self-defense product. By this, I mean carrying Mace, pepper spray, a personal alarm or a stun device, which can not only save your life but can play a huge role in the Prevention of a crime. Before the crime is committed… Prevent it! If an assailant sees that you carry some type of self-defense product, they might think twice before proceeding to commit the crime.

There are many types of self-defense products on the market today. There are a variety of pepper sprays that come in various strengths and sizes. There are also a good variety of personal alarms and stun devices, such as stun guns.

Mace and/or pepper spray comes in strengths from a 2% to 18% OC solution. OC is the main ingredient in defensive sprays. It is a derivative of the cayenne pepper, the hottest pepper in the world. However, the strength of the defensive spray does not necessarily mean that the higher percentage of OC in a spray…. the hotter. On the contrary, the OC percentage is a measurement relative to the other ingredients in the canister, such as tear gas or UV dye. The OC concentration does not measure the concentration of the other active ingredients in the spray. The effectiveness of a defensive spray is the quantity or concentration of Capsaicin. The higher the concentration of Capsaicin the hotter the OC spray. Defensive sprays also come in different sizes and types. The most popular type is the quick key release keychain pepper spray. One of the newest is the lipstick pepper spray. It looks like a lipstick container, however it is not. There are defensive sprays you can carry in your purse, on your keychain or on your belt. There are sprays with a leatherette holster, or sprays with a hard case or injection-molded holster. There is even a container that resembles a small baton. The sizes can be various as well. You can get ½ oz., 2 oz., 4 oz., and even larger canisters of spray (spray, foam, stream or gel). Check with your locality or jurisdiction for restrictions and legality of defensive sprays.

There are a variety of personal alarms as well. There is the Mace Brand Screecher Alarm, which is an aerosol alarm that emits an ear-piercing blast that is recognized as an emergency call for help and can be heard up to ½ mile away. The best deterrent is the combination of a 125db alarm and a flashing light, known as the Keychain Alarm. There is the 2N1 Alarm, which is a dual-purpose alarm that acts as a personal alarm and a burglar alarm. You’ve got the Personal Alarm With Flashlight that emits 130db of sound and the Electronic Pocket Whistle, which emits a loud 120db whistle.

Stunning devices are also very popular. However, some states have restrictions regarding the possession and/or purchase of these products. Before purchasing a stun gun you need to check with your locality or jurisdiction to see what or if any restrictions apply. Stunning devices can mean stun guns or tasers. Stun guns come in a variety of sizes and voltages. They come as small as the palm of your hand or as large as 8.75 inches tall. Voltages range from 100,000 volts to 1,000,000 volts. Almost all stun guns have safety switches and wrist straps. Tasers are a little more difficult to explain as far as the operation and legality of the unit. Most tasers have restrictions similar to stun guns. That is because it is considered a stunning device just like a stun gun. Again, check your locality for restrictions and legality.

There you have it. Now what type of pepper spray, personal alarm or stun gun would you choose? It can be difficult with all of the different types, strengths, sizes, sounds and voltages. Choose the self-defense product you think you will be most comfortable using, carrying and/or wearing. Again, do not forget to check with your locality or jurisdiction regarding the restriction and/or legality of defensive sprays and stunning devices.

A modern definition of self-defense is in order. Personal self-defense is not warfare; it is not vengeance; it is not an art; it is not a sporting event; it is not a movie or television fight scene.

Self-defense is preparation to minimize the possibility of assault. It is training to learn and use appropriate and effective physical actions if there is no practical available alternative.

Self-defense instruction is the beginning of a process of learning how to avoid becoming a victim. Many victims of assault are victims not because they lack the capacity to win fights but because they have been given absolutely no preparation to cope with this special kind of emergency.

The old-fashioned view that self-defense instruction is training to reach a high level of fighting skill has the effect of eliminating those individuals who have the greatest need. It is precisely those people who are unable or unwilling to become fierce fighting machines who benefit from practical self-defense instruction to the greatest degree.

People learning to defend themselves against assault ought not to be trained as though they were preparing for warfare. The concepts, techniques and methods appropriate for training Samurai warriors are not those appropriate for teaching self-defense as a practical skill for today.

The legal and moral definition of self-defense expressly limits the degree of force to the least which can be used to avert, stop, or escape from an intended assault. In old-style self-defense, every assault is viewed as a very vicious assault. Real life is different. There are degrees of danger. Assault intentions range from mildly threatening to the intent to do great bodily harm. More important, there are mildly threatening situations which, if handled properly with assertive self-control, can be prevented from escalating into physical violence.

If you do a search on the internet, there seems to be no end to what has been written about this simple, yet powerful weapon. There seems to be no small supply of writers who have used dramatic titles to add to the impact of an otherwise so-so article on the subject.

“Fistful of Dynamite,” “Rod of Pain,” and many others lead the way as writers share their own knowledge and insight into this inconspicuous, and yet surprisingly powerful little weapon. Unfortunately, far too many of these articles serve little to no real purpose in helping you to actually create results. And, these articles range in scope from the generalized “what it is” variety, to the overly bloated tome that includes what seems to be every single detail and supposition that the author wishes to impress you with.

Believe me, I have read a lot of what’s available, and while there are certainly a number of valuable resources from real experts, they are buried in a cyber-world of practically worthless “chatter.” While you can feel free to recreate my extensive research on the subject, I’ve brought it all together so you don’t have to.

So, what, exactly, is a Kubotan (pronounced “koo-bow-tahn”) anyway?

Good question. And to answer that, this article will give you the short, “what’s it look like and what else might it be called,” version. In addition, we’ll have to take a quick overview of the strengths and weakness of this popular self-defense weapon. But, for now…

The Kubotan, also known as a…

1. Pocket-stick…

2. Self-Defense Keychain…

3. Mini-Stick, and…

4. many others…

…is arguably, the most common self-defense weapon, next to the handgun, in the United States.

While many new tactical weapons continue to find growing acceptance within the law enforcement and security communities, there seems to be little change within the realm of private citizens. It appears that, once people find a good thing, they tend to “stick” with it. (Yes, pun intended!) According to many experts in the field of defense and personal protection…

“…the most popular, and quite possibly the most versatile, personal defense weapon is the Kubotan.

For simplicity’s sake, I will refer to the weapon throughout this book as the Kubotan or, more simply, the self-defense keychain. However, regardless of the name given to it, this powerful little compliance tool, carried by thousands of men and women – martial artists and non-practitioners alike – is an awesome means of deterring and controlling an attack situation.

Besides being, quite probably the cheapest weapon you can buy, in the hands of even a person skilled in only a few basic moves, the Kubotan is a formidable weapon for stopping an assailant in his tracks. And, for those with more training and developed skills, the self-defense keychain is one of the most effective self-defense tools that you can use today.

The weapon is simple in appearance, inexpensive to acquire or make, and fairly easy to conceal. While not as versatile and convenient as a clipknife like the Delica from Spyderco – my preferred weapon/tool of choice, by the way – it is easy to learn and even easier to use.

Depending on the manufacturer, the Kubotan is just a basic rod made of metal, plastic, or wood. It’s about 6 inches long and, as the name suggests, usually has a key ring attached at one end. The “official,” patented, Kubotan weapon “invented” by a man named Tak Kubota, has grooves machined into the weapon to identify it as a unique creation.

There are other variants of the basic model, including what is billed as the “Ninja” version of the weapon. This little piece of imaginative effort, created during the ’80’s when every weapon had it’s own “Ninja” version, has two thinner spikes protruding out from the side of the weapon that fit between your fingers when you grasped the main bar of the tool.

Let me assure you that, regardless of what you ever read or hear, the Kubotan or self-defense keychain is NOT a Ninja weapon – officially or unofficially. It’s ancestors that gave rise to the modern version, at least in Japan, were used by all trained warriors – not just the Ninja.

The more commonly recognized variants of the weapon are generally manufactured from heavy-duty plastic or aluminum. The official Kubotan, and third-party copies, are simply straight rods with blunt ends. However, many self-defense key chains have at least one tapered end with the key ring attacked to the squared, blunt end. Needless to say, some of these “centerpunch-like versions, like those shown in this photo, are extremely dangerous – as they have the capability of actually penetrating the target and doing more severe damage.

And, for those of you who are fashion-conscious and need to make sure that your self-defense weapon doesn’t clash with your Armani, these little gems even come in a variety of colors and high-tech shapes to match just about any ensemble.

But, to anwer the question, “what IS a Kubotan?”

It is a simple, easy to learn and use, self-defense weapon that can be used by the smallest defender, to bring the largest assailant to his knees in seconds. Quite simply, it is the best weapon for the person with little to no formal training and who wants to be able to learn to defend him or herself with the least amount of time, effort, and money.

We live in very dangerous times and it’s not just here in Australia, there is a worldwide epidemic of unprovoked violence by bullies and cowards. You only have to watch the news or read the papers to be told about assaults and murders throughout the world and usually for no reason. The victim or victims are usually at the wrong place at the wrong time and do not how to defend and protect themselves against an assailant or assailants. It can happen anywhere; whether we are at home, at the mall, or even on the way to taking our children to school. Most of us, used to think that it “will never happen to me”, however, 9/11 changed the thinking of many people around the world. Now, more and more people are paying much more attention about finding out a way to protect ourselves, our families and friends against vermin intruders or attackers that lurk on the streets waiting to damage people’s lives forever.

As some of you may be aware, there are all kinds of defense training organizations out there such as martial arts systems like karate, judo, aikido, kung fu, mixed martial arts, boxing and the list goes on. If you sincerely believe that these types of training will be enough to help you in defending yourself against one or more than one attackers or assailants then you would be wrong. I have trained in many martial arts systems and nearly without exception they don’t know or don’t care about teaching real street situation self defense. Ok, they do a bit of sparring and they practice a regime of kicks punches and holds with compliant partners and with safety rules. This is wrong and it doesn’t work on the street, there are no rules and there is no compliance, you see you have to a big step ahead of them and be aware and have confidence and not act like a victim and, be able to end a physical confrontation quickly. The true answer to fight crime is to learn how to defend yourself with the best possibly training available by someone who has taught it to people all over the world. Unarmed Combat military training is the solution. But, how many of us, want to join the military to learn these self-defense methods so we can teach them to our children and colleagues so that they can protect themselves? There is a catch phrase that I use and that is “self defense testicles” this sums it up for me and I will leave that to you to imagine what situation this phrase relates to.

I have the answer and the solution for you. If you want to save your life and save yourself from serious injury, protect yourself and your loved ones then you need Martin Day’s Top-Secret Military Self-Defense Training videos, books and DVD’s.

You may be wondering who the heck Martin Day is and what gives him the right to talk about self defense, martial arts, fitness, health, strength and flexibility. Well he served for 20 years in the British Army Special Forces and he has also spent the same amount of time and still does to self defense and martial arts having set up his own system of training in England and Australia in 1996. His no B.S. art of fitness, self defense, martial arts and bodyweight core conditioning is now practiced by thousands of people, adults and children across the world. He is a military unarmed combat self defense instructor, health, fitness and martial arts Shihan (master) with a long list of credentials such as “Army physical training instructor (PTI), a member of the Army boxing team, Army cross country team, 1500 and 5000 metre runner, a triathlete, Personal trainer, ASA Swimming teacher, Pressure points instructor, and Arrest and Restraint techniques instructor.”

He is also the holder of an International World All Styles Open Martial Arts Championship.

All of his knowledge, experience and expertise has been utilized to create these 106 effective training techniques and methods that can be the beginning of the new you and for you to be able to protect your family, but it will also provide you with a fitness program that will make you feel alive and fit.

Martin’s training video’s shows you how to defend against weapons and multiple attackers using strikes, kicks and punches, take downs, pressure points, holds and chokes to stop your attacker or attackers immediately.

The added bonus is this top-secret military self-defense training will train you to be very fit, strong and flexible unlike anything you have done before and totally unique in the marketplace. Straight away you will see a noticeable change in your body tone and the way in which you feel. You will have a positive state of mind, more confidence, rid yourself of that extra weight around your waist, have better circulation, and a stronger healthier body, which will enable you to live life to its fullest. You will also have the means to annihilate your assailants and end the threat.

As we age, we all have a few aches and pains, which can be practically eliminated or at least reduced with the techniques found in this self-defense method. Once you have started on this training program, you will be ready to conquer the world with the energy and confidence to do so. Not to mention, a new found confidence and ability to ward off attackers that might harm you or your family. Become a lean, fit fighting protection machine just like Martin’s soldiers and martial arts students and be able to defend your family, your home and everything or everyone that you hold dear to you. Desire through what Martin Day shows you to live a long, safe and healthy life.

His programs are also guaranteed with a 90 day no questions asked refund if for whatever reason you need to return them. You can’t lose…phone 1300 851 401 for more information or visit the links listed below.

Greetings to all.  This is your Minister Of Defense, Xavier Smith with information you can use to stay safe.  Most of you that know me understand that I teach and instruct self defense, but did you know I started this company with the idea of providing instruction to real estate agents?  Yes, it is true, because there is a need for real estate agents to know how to protect themselves when doing their job.  The problem is, Realtors don’t have much time to go to a class, not to mention learning things they will not use.  Hence one of the reasons I made my services mobile.  For the ultimate in convenience!

Today I wanted to talk about one of my favorite self-defense weapons for Realtors.  Its called the Kubotan.  It is a light weight device that attaches to your key chain.  Some are made with a point on the end, and the more aggressive models are made with protrusions that come through the fingers to allow you to strike your attacker with maximum impact.

Now let me give you five reasons why this is one of my favorite weapons.

1. When use on the vulnerable parts of the body (top of the hand, forearm, ears, eyes, nose, or throat) you do not have to exert much energy to achieve maximum results.
2. When you deploy this weapon, you do not have to worry about the wind blowing blowing back in your face like you do when using pepper spray.
3. The sight of this weapon makes people think twice about causing you harm, especially when you present yourself as a confident person, and not a victim.
4. They are very inexpensive.  With everyone feeling the pinch of the economy, this is one of the least expensive ways to keep yourself protected.
5. You do not need any permits to carry this weapon.  Unlike carrying a concealed weapon, you can have this in plain sight and if it’s on your key chain, you will be able to get to quickly since you will likely have your keys in hand.

Of course, there is only so much I can cover in a article, but here is the bottom line.  We want you to be able to stay alive to continue doing your job of real estate.  Before I sign off, let me remind you to never put your commission check in front of your safety.  Both my wife and I are in real estate so I know what I am talking about.

Combat Jujitsu is one of the hottest trends in martial arts today. In fact, a lot of martial arts masters are creating a new and unique form of all martial arts known as combat martial arts. Learning combat Jujitsu can have a lot of benefits.

Jujitsu is a very skilled martial arts that uses a lot of different moves such as holds, mounting, grappling, takedowns, and a whole lot more. If you are persistent, determined and disciplined you can learn Combat Jujitsu and experience an entirely new level of personal development through it.

Jujitsu is an ancient martial art originating from the country of Japan, and was created in the 1500s. The ancient martial art of Jujitsu combines all of the grappling, holds, mounting, and takedown moves with relaxing and beneficial meditations.

Judo was actually developed from the ancient martial art of Jujitsu in the 1800s by a man named Jigoro Kano. Jigoro Kano took a variety of different techniques from other masters of Jujitsu and meshed them together into Judo. Kano called this form of Jujitsu and Judo “Kadokan Judo”. Kano soon found out that his dog’s breakfast version of Jujitsu wasn’t as great as he thought it was. His students could not defeat the Jujitsu students in any of the competitions they engaged in. Kano knew it was time for a change, and he chose to add some more skills to his form of Judo – joint locking techniques, choking techniques and holds. One of Kano’s students eventually moved to the beautiful country of Brazil and brought his unique form of Jujitsu and Judo to the country with him. From there, the martial arts of Jujitsu and Judo spread throughout the world.

Combat Jujitsu takes the original Jujitsu and creates a martial arts that has a lot more combat involved, especially self-defense moves. Learning self-defense in any form of martial art is a great benefit. It can even save your life. It will give you the confidence you need to know that you can protect yourself and those around you. You do not need to be scared anymore. You will learn how to watch out for situations you need to get away from, how to escape an attacker trying to hurt you, feel more confident and self-reliant when you go out. Also, you can have a lot of fun learning combat Jujitsu while you are becoming a healthier person overall.

Practicing combat Jujitsu on a regular basis will help you in self-defense and meditation. You will also reduce your risks for many debilitating diseases. In an age of fast food, fast cars, no sleep, 500 channels and road rage, learning this martial art will have countless benefits!

Martial arts refers to any specific way of defending oneself. It is very hard to classify martial arts, since they have existed as long as humanity has been around. The average person thinks of Asian martial arts, such as taekwondo or karate. That is because the arts styles have been most thoroughly evolved and documented in Asia, with more specific moves and disciplines associated with each region.

If you want to get started with martial arts, it’s a good idea to become familiar with all of the possibilities. You may find that you want to go for a specific martial art because it fits your abilities better.

The first type of martial arts deals mainly with striking with the legs or arms. Wing Chun is a classic Chinese form of martial arts, and deals mainly with fist strikes., as well as some weaponry. Muay Thai is perhaps the most brutal type of martial arts, as you will see if you watch any of the modern professional competitions on TV. Its strikes are characterized by being fast, brutal, and made by the 2 hardest parts of the body – the elbows and the knees. Another one is Taekwondo, the Korean martial art that is one of the most popular in the world. It is characterized by numerous kicks as the main form of striking.

Another type of martial sports focuses on throwing the opponent, or grappling them in order to incapacitate them as quickly as possible. If you are American, the first thing that should come to mind is wrestling. On the other hand, with the Asian arts you have many different disciplines.

Judo is extremely competitive, with the focus being to subdue the opponent right away, by using throws, holds, and chokes. It is of Japanese origin, and is another martial art with a huge following in the western world. Jujutsu is probably the most technical martial art, with great attention given to the distribution of force when blows are made.

Finally, there are many more types of martial arts that aren’t about close combat. There are forms that focus on weaponry, such as kendo and fencing. There are still others that are not even violent, but more introspective. They focus on the health and spirit of the person. These styles have had influences on western cultures as well, from Chinese medicine to acupuncture. Martial arts can be used for many things, from self defense to health. So look into it, and see if you could stand to benefit from learning an art.

If you are new to martial arts and have just enrolled in a martial arts school, you would need to get the right gear for training and workouts. Since each of us is unique in shape and height, you must carefully choose the uniform which would give you the right kind of flexibility of movement as you undergo training.

What To Buy

The first task while buying martial arts gear including uniform and supplies is to find out what your martial arts school, also called ‘dojo’ requires you to wear. Karate uniforms, as an example, have traditional colors. The uniform is white and comes with belts that vary from white to black. There are many schools that have their special emblem or color to distinguish the students from other schools.

You must be familiar with several terms used to describe a particular style. For instance, gear worn for karate is called “karategi” or “karate gi” and judo uniforms are called ‘judogi’. Uniforms for taekwondo or jujutsu also have special names. The uniform worn by anyone practicing martial arts is called ‘dobok’. So you need to know what to buy before you make the actual purchase.

Where To Buy

There are various types of brands available, some of which are more popular than the other. You could also buy martial arts gear through online merchants, if you know the particular name of your uniform. While the size of the uniform would vary as per your height, there may be some differences from one brand to another.

Purchase Considerations- Size

While it is good to know your height, it can also help you if you know the precise measurements of your hips, arms, waist, and legs, before you actually buy the gear. Many online shops offer buying guides and provide you with size charts to make the job easier for a buyer.

Purchase Considerations- Material

If you decide to buy pure cotton material, ensure that they are pre-shrunk, or you could even buy one size larger to take care of the post-wash shrink, if any. Regarding the quality and weight of your uniform, there are plenty of choices.

Gears are made with a variety of materials and styles. Cotton is the most popular fabric because of its capacity to absorb sweat, which polyester and cotton blends can not do. These however are less expensive.

The gear could be made in several types of fabrics including lightweight, medium and heavyweight. You can learn about the weight of the gear as mentioned on tags or labels. It is to be noted that heavyweight fabrics cost more, though prices may differ depending on the manufacturer and the brand.

On the other hand, lightweight materials which are the cheapest of the lot are good for beginners. Medium weight uniforms, weighing about 10 ounces offer great flexibility and offer good sweat absorption.

Purchase Considerations- Waistband

The other component of martial arts gear is the waistband. Drawstring waistbands are the preferred choice over elastic as they are more secure during kicks and other postures of martial arts.

Purchase Considerations- Cuts

There are tournament cut and traditional cut available. While the traditional cut has long pants with long sleeves, the tournament cut is just the opposite where both these parts are shorter. If you are a beginner it makes sense to buy each item one at a time and not altogether, since you may not be too sure whether you would continue to practice martial arts for too long or not.

Purchase Considerations- Accessories and Equipment

For instance, it makes sense to ask your instructor whether you need to buy extra equipment for practicing martial arts at home like, focus targets, exercise equipment, punch bags, strike pads, or weights. There are several reputed brands for martial arts gears like, Arawaza, Tokaido, BudoNord, and so on. The price range varies according to the brand reputation, etc. Visit online stores and you could get a fair idea of the price, material, size, etc. and buy supplies which suit your need best.

Like any other arts, martial arts training is an important contributor to your proficiency in the field. Whether you are aiming to participate in competitions or learn for the sake of self-defense, people often to choose MMA or Mixed Martial Arts Training, to develop an overall expertise in the area. Here are some tips to set you on the right path for martial arts training.

These tips are aimed to make you comfortable as well as efficient in each area of martial arts:

1. Wrestling: This is your ground game training where the basic idea is to teach you the art of grappling along with some submission training. Ju-jitsu is the right type of martial arts where you could get a good idea and practice of grappling with submissions.

2. Striking: This is part of your stand up game where you would be trained to master the art of striking like, boxing or kick boxing. Muay Hai is the recommended training to learn the critical art of striking and kicking. This training teaches you the skill of clinching and knee strikes.

3. Cardio training: This is perhaps one of the most critical areas of martial arts training. While you may have mastered the art of grappling or striking, if your cardio training is not up to the mark, you could get beaten by any ordinary person, who may not be as strong as you are in these two areas.

The quality of martial arts training really depends on the type of school you have chosen. There is nothing called the ‘right’ martial arts school as you would have to choose it according to your specific needs, which could any of the following: develop self defense skills; for physical fitness; to participate in competitions; develop self-confidence; or as a purely social activity.

While all these aspects are important, you have to decide which of these is most important to you. For instance, some schools impart martial arts training to make you participate in competitions. Others may just teach you the basics but rarely put you through the entire course of martial arts training.

One very way to get the most out of your martial arts training class is to observe the instructor’s style and listen to his instructions carefully. You should also get to learn the various safety methods practiced during martial arts training. Learn to use safety gear like pads, headgear and mouthpieces.

This is all part of the training program. When you are trying to enroll in a school for martial arts training, watch out for schools which offer 5 to 6 free training sessions. This is sampling the art to you and if you like what you are doing, then you can join them. This is good for beginners as there is no cost involved for these training classes and some schools even allow you to rent uniforms for the free training purposes.

If you are wondering what could be the possible cost for taking martial arts training, you ought to remember that the cheapest school is not necessarily the best. Also the expensive classes like the ones in YMCA or any community center, may also not suit your individual purposes.

When starting out, you could expect to pay anywhere between $30 and $250 per month in a reputed school for martial arts training. Of course the cost of uniforms, tournament entry fees and other equipment like weapons or sparring gear would be extra.