Legal Self Defense Weapons

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Before you make the decision to carry, or potentially use, a weapon for the purposes of self defense, it is most important to arm yourself with a firm understanding of the law. Self defense is not a finite term, and each jurisdiction- all the way down to the local level- will have varying laws pertaining to what and how weapons may be used in accordance with what would be deemed in court as self defense.

Even if technically licensed to carry a certain implement, whether that be a concealed firearm, pepper spray, stun gun, or other, this certainly does not provide carte blanche to act as you wish. The use of these devices at all must be used strictly within the ramifications of your local laws to be considered acts of self defense.

Firearms- Coined in medieval England, the term firearm was used to refer to the arm which held the match to the touch hole of a hand cannon. The name was a play on contemporary terms used in describing the bow arm in archery.

In the centuries that followed, these weapons became more and more sophisticated, and became the primary weapons used in times of warfare and civic defense.

In today’s society, the term firearm has become the loose description for small arms like the pistol, rifle and shotgun. These small arms are the number one way that civilians choose to arm themselves for safety related issues.

With that being said, the number one and primary purpose of all firearms past and present is to inflict death. Therefore, a firearm should only ever be aimed at someone if there life is truly on the line. Never should a gun be waved around cavalierly or to scare someone into submission. In order to carry a gun, or employ it for the purposes of home defense, you have to be willing to use it, and then live with the results of your actions.  

Obviously, an extremely wide array of firearms exists to meet your needs. If you are seriously thinking about employing a firearm for the purposes of self defense, a-human-right.com is a great place to start.

Because of the shear lethality of firearms, tremendous legislation exists in regulating ownership and legal use.

Armed Citizens Network.ORG has done a great service by providing a free 28 page booklet entitled: “What Every Gun Owner Needs to Know About Self-Defense Law.”

 The book covers the following topics and is available for instant download on pdf.

  • Defending self defense and arguing an affirmative defense in court
  • The initial aggressor rule
  • Using your gun to defend others
  • Shifts in self defense law

Bladed Weapons- Far more ancient then their firearm counterparts, These sharpened weapons go back into the annals of time as rudimentary implements and highly sophisticated tools, both imparting one crucial commonality, an edge of deadliness.

As with firearms, the bigger weapons, like the sword and the axe are left to the battlefield and the dueling streets of yesteryear, and what we’re really left with, in terms of modern self-defense, is the dagger, the karambit, the balisong, stiletto, switch, the cutter, the blade- you know, the knife.  

Like firearms, knives are extremely dangerous and should only be handled by those individuals who know what they’re doing.

Knives, like firearms are considered weapons of lethality. Using a knife legally for the purposes of self defense exists within very narrow parameters.

If the knife is your choice in self defense, it would be a good idea to familiarize yourself with the different laws. Go to Knife-Expert.com for more on specific knife laws pertaining to your state.

Nonlethal Implementation- In recent years, a new trend in defense has leaned toward a more humane- if that’s the proper term- approach in dealing with aggressors. These products origins lie within military and police arsenals, but have leaked over into the secondary civilian market.

  • Stun Guns- Using electricity as a weapon goes back to the latter half of the 19th Century. Used as a nonlethal self defense tool in the last three decades, a stun gun is another option from the close distance range of a knife. Even though considered “Nonlethal” its use is still banned in many jurisdictions. In Hawaii, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts stun guns are restricted. Along with these seven states, many local municipalities have restricted stun gun use, such as Miami, New Orleans, Philadelphia and Washington, DC.
  • Pepper Sprays- Originally these sprays were of a chemical makeup, and not as effective as the ones made of the more natural OC (oleoresin capsicum) sprays you find today. These sprays come in multiple sizes and formats, anywhere from say a three ounce lipstick pepper spray, to an industrial model the size of a fire extinguisher. To learn more about pepper sprays and the laws that concern them, go to The-Pepper-Spray-Store.com

Other Options- Many other options exist within the confines of the law. Many implements you are allowed to legally carry can be turned into effective self defense tools.

  • Kubotan/Tactical Flashlight- Small, blunt instruments that can easily be carried as a key chain, or just in your pocket, like a kubotan or small flashlight, can be ideal legal instruments to use in cases of self defense. Like any other weapon, study is required to use these instruments effectively, and training should be undergone to prepare for a possible attack.
  • Cane- Another perfectly legal instrument that can be employed for the use of self defense is the walking cane. Whole systems of combat have been developed to wield this crafty device. What’s nice about the cane is it can be taken literally anywhere.
  • Belt- What’s more unassuming then the thing that holds your pants up? Your belt can become a viable legal option when dealing with an aggressor and one you will never forget. Check this cool Tae Kwon Do belt demonstration if you don’t believe me.

Ultimately, whether the weapon is completely legal to carry or not, it is up to you to have a firm understanding of the law and how it pertains to you and your weapon of choice. Arm yourself with the best self defense weapon of all- knowledge.

 

The Five Classes of Women’s Self Defense

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The following five classes are designed to illustrate the level of danger during a potential threat. Like a violent storm, as the classes rise, so does the intensity of the attack.

Class 1-  Presence  Range of threat- Within sight  Your first line of defense in any situation is how you carry yourself. Be confidently aware of your surroundings and situation at all times, keep a steady head, and stride to wherever you’re going like you own the joint. Think about good posture. Never act as though you are lost or an obvious tourist because you will be a lot more vulnerable to not just violent crime, but petty theft, like having your pocket picked or your purse snatched. Listen to your instincts- women’s intuition can help you from being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Use common sense like avoiding dark alleys and walking around unfamiliar neighborhoods alone or at night. A five minute detour is always worth the possible wrong decision you regret for the rest of your life.

Class 2- Verbalization Range of threat- Closing distance  The second line of defense is using the power of your voice to keep would be assailants at bay. You must establish a “comfort zone” which is an invisible barrier- that if penetrated will be a good clue you are being truely threatened. Use the word “NO!” forcefully and with aggression and continue to yell “Get away!” so anyone within the vicinity may hear and come help. The power of the voice has been well known to martial artists for thousands of years and is evident when you here the loud “kiai!” during the execution of martial technique. Much energy can be summoned and these forcefull yells can be quite a deterrent to attackers. Remember, most attackers are looking for meek and easy victims. When you show them who’s boss before they even get within ten feet, they will most likely lose nerve and back off.

Class 3- Human Innovation  Range of threat- Within Reach  Even the greatest martial artists and the biggest, meanest men can find someone or something (like a bear or tiger perhaps) that are stronger and meaner than them. What makes human beings special and different from all other animals is that we can use our minds to create tools that even the playing field and even tilt it in our favor. In the realm of self defense this means pepper sprays, stun guns, tasers, firearms, etc. Each of these products has good and bad attributes which I won’t discuss here. Get to know these products and find one that suits you.

Class 4- Martial Technique  Range of threat- Handled/Clinched  Hopefully if you execute the first three classes of defense properly you will never come to this stage. Sometimes, your assailant could literally appear from nowhere and give no warning before he pounces. The first way I recommend to learn some technique is join a martial arts school. Not only will you be shown valuable ways to physically defend yourself but it will instill confidence you can carry over into your daily life and help you carry out steps 1 and 2 more effectively. If joining a martial arts school is simply out of the question, consider a week-long women’s self defense course or even one that happens over a weekend. These courses are great because they will show you just one or two offensive moves that are highly effective and work during high levels of stress. Another option is to purchase a self defense video which can also be an amazing tool for arming yourself with confidence and one or two devastating martial moves to help you survive an assault. Complexity is the enemy here, techniques that can be learned fast and easy are best. Practice them over and over until they are ingrained in your muscle memory and then your body will react properly before your mind has even had time to properly diagnose the situation.

Class 5-  Animal Instinct  Range of threat- Dire/ Being dominated  When all else fails, don’t be afraid to get primal and do whatever it takes to survive. Take a look at any mixed martial arts organization. The techniques that are banned from these contests are the ones you should look to apply when all else fails. Bite, get a hold of a finger and break, kick to the groin, do whatever it takes to get out of there. If you are presented with any day light at all, run! Do whatever it takes to survive and avoid being violated. Remember, you are the victim.

 If you carry out the techniques prescribed in a Class 1 and 2 type threat, I like to think that usually the situation will not escalate to a Class 3. If you would like to learn more about being more confident, learning some martial technique, or any of the other issues discussed in this post, I recommend the following sites:

AWSDA.Org- Association for Women’s Self Defense Advancement. To Create a Safer Society in Which all Women Learn Practical, Effective Self Defense Skills.

R.A.D Systems- The Rape Aggression Defense System is a program of realistic self-defense tactics and techniques for women. The R.A.D. System is a comprehensive, women-only course that begins with awareness, prevention, risk reduction and risk avoidance, while progressing on to the basics of hands-on defense training.

 

Why Take Martial Arts Tests?

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I originally wrote this paper to accompany my Nidan test and it was entitled “The Push to Nidan.”

I have been working on an article about how to prepare for a martial arts test and thought this little paper was related. It must have been four or so years ago when I wrote it, but it conveys a message I still agree with.

This paper is in the context of Aikido, but I feel like it can pertain to any art that uses tests as part of its curriculum.—

Along the journey of Aikido, which in my case I hope to be life-long, we are challenged with tests at various intervals along the way. As the natural progression ensues and a deeper understanding develops, the gap in time between these tests becomes greater.

 These tests are in place to give you a clear idea of where you should progress to and what level of knowledge should be attained by a given rank.

Tests are in place to show which points of any given technique should be tightened and to show you have learned the new information presented and can demonstrate it at will.

 As we learn more, our training goes through distinct cycles. One week it may feel as though great progress is made, and another week it may feel as though you make no advancement at all. A few months ago Iriminage was your best technique, one in which you feel you have “whipped”. Now it’s the technique you struggle with the most, you feel like you haven’t a clue how to execute it properly.

 Aikido is always a work in progress- we can always strive to be better at any given area of the vast art. With this in mind, as I have prepared for the nidan test, I have come to realize the true nature of tests is to expose your weaknesses, so you can work to remedy the flaws for the next test and in the years to come.

 In the beginning, as you progress through the kyu ranks, it sometimes is only a few months in between tests. Concerned with the mechanics of the technique, like where your foot goes, what your hand does, etc., you have little time to worry about much else, as there is constantly a new technique to absorb. When you get into the more advanced levels of the kyu ranks and more time exists between tests, it is no longer merely about the mechanics of the technique but the more subtle essences, which open to you more and more as you progress.   

 With the new level of understanding of any given technique, or an important aiki principle, the more your weaknesses are revealed to you. The more you learn, the more you realize how much left there still is to learn.

 After you achieve shodan, the time between tests expands further as you settle into the new role of black belt and the symbol it truly represents of becoming a true beginner.

This can be easily forgotten however, as the years pass, we settle into what is comfortable and work to perfect the strengths we already possess.

 Some techniques that you may not execute to your liking may be written off in your own mind as stupid or irrelevant for ego’s sake and lead you to forgo the training required to execute these techniques with true expertise. It is most fun to train what we are most good at, and practicing a technique that you may not carry out to your liking can be extremely frustrating.

 When the nidan test presents itself, complete with a vast array of techniques, all of which need to be executed with diligence and authority, it is your weaknesses that become exposed. Therefore, the techniques that most easily expose these weaknesses are the ones that should be practiced most. When you work to perfect a weakness, this is the learning that is most gratifying.

 A test will force you to work on your shortcomings. As the test date draws closer, the more the training intensifies and it is in this period you make the greatest refinements.

 As everything in our universe has an opposite, the greater the refinement, the greater your exposure to a weakness in that technique. So you practice to get to as high a level as possible in your given time frame and accept Aikido as a life-long process with no end.

 So the push to nidan for me has been about opening up further understanding, which has exposed how much I still don’t know, so I can strive to remedy these weaknesses in the years to come.