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Showing posts from February, 2009

HOW CRIMINALS POSITION FOR ATTACK - Article 3 on Criminal Behaviour

KRAV MAGA - We believe the most powerful self defence weapon you possess is your thinking. So continuing our analysis of criminal behaviour of last 2 weeks, let’s know POSITIONING . Before your imagination runs riot, let me elaborate POSITIONING. This is how criminals place themselves, to surprise and overwhelm you. What apparently is a casual, innocent movement by a person may in reality be a well planned manoeuvre to get into an advantageous position, to launch his attack. HOW TO PREDICT CRIMINAL INTENTIONS AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE CLOSING - the most common positioning tactic. The criminal tries to come near you, under some pretext. If a stranger tries to come closer than 6 feet, give a clear disapproval by voice or action. In spite of your obvious discomfort he keeps closing, the criminal has made his intentions clear. CORNERING / TRAPPING – The criminal places himself between you and a possible exit route. This tactic becomes more critical, when he restricts your retreat, by forcing

ABOUT 'FRINGE AREAS' AND '10 SECONDS WINDOW' - Article 2 on “Criminal Behaviour”

KRAV MAGA - If we can predict a criminal intention, we can avoid being attacked. So in the last blog, we tried to predict an attack using the AOI triangle – ABILITY, OPPORTUNITY & INTENT. FRINGE AREAS Before we move on, we have to know about FRINGE AREAS, which is where most of the attacks take place. A FRINGE AREA is the quiet area near to a crowded place like a parking lot, stairway, ATM, side streets especially blind alleys and public toilets. The criminal has better chances of not being disturbed. Another reason is, one is not surprised to see strangers in these locations. By the time the victim realises the stranger is not innocent, the criminal hopes to overwhelm you with shock and fear. 10 SECONDS WINDOW Normally a criminal requires just 10 seconds to do whatever he aimed to do like robbing and get away. He hopes to shock you and overwhelm you before you can react, in this window of 10 seconds. So WHENEVER YOU ENTER A FRINGE AREA, SCAN THE SURROUNDINGS, and become aware. Th

How to predict you are going to be attacked? Article 1 on “Criminal Behaviour”

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You know some kicks and punches. You also know the basic defences. You are reasonably intelligent to judge people. So you assume this combination should carry you safely through life. You assume wrong! You can become a victim if you are NOT prepared. You would have heard this so many times before “Things happened so fast that I was taken by surprise.” One of the critical keys to safety is to predict violence. The experts in violence like police, criminals have outlined certain Elements to combine for a violent attack to happen. Do you remember the Triangle of Elements for a Fire to happen – Heat, Fuel & Air. Even if one of these elements is taken out, the Fire stops. Similarly there is a Triangle of Elements of Violent attack.The three elements are – ABILITY , OPPORTUNITY & INTENT .To remember this easily lets call it AOI ABILITY – The attacker should feel he has a superior ability than you. It may be strength, more people on his side or he is in his locality where y