Thinking Man's Corner

Article By: Leo H.

I am not sure this really counts as an article. It consists primarily of the contents of a PowerPoint presentation I put together for a church group interested in personal protection. I find these thoughts still relevant.

The Foundation: Awareness Over Everything

Why awareness matters most: It prevents violence instead of reacting to it.

What to watch:

• Hands
• Distance between you and others
• Body language and posture
• Exit locations

Timeline to competence:

• Weeks: You start “seeing” more
• 3 months: Awareness becomes automatic
• Result: Many problems end before they begin

Getting there Quicker: Formal instruction in threat recognition and decision-making under stress

Physical Skills: Control Beats Strength

Core system: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Why it works: Addresses the reality of violence—grabbing, clinching, falling, tight spaces

What it teaches: Survival and escape

• Supporting systems:
• Aikido/Wrestling/Judo: Balance and dominance in the clinch
• Limited striking: Creates space and breaks contact only (not for trading blows)

Timeline to competence:

• 6 months: Capable of surviving common assaults
• 1 year: You become difficult to overwhelm
• 2 years: You’ll remain calm when things go wrong

Firearms: Distance Decides Outcomes

The tool:

A reliable handgun, carried consistently where legal, staged responsibly at home

What to train (beyond marksmanship):

• Movement
• Use of cover
• Low-light shooting
• Communication
• Restraint and judgment (when NOT to shoot)

Timeline to competence:

• 3-6 months: Safe competence
• 1 year: Confident defensive use
• Ongoing: Requires continued practice

Knives: Last-Ditch Tools Only

Reality check: Usually not primary weapons. Everyone gets cut in a knife fight.

If you carry one:

• Small fixed-blade designed for defense
• Train in retention, targeting, and legal realities

Timeline to competence:

• Months: Basic competence
• Years: True skill
• Warning: Reliance is a mistake

Impact Tools: Simplicity Under Stress

What they are: Batons and improvised striking tools
Why they work: Simplicity survives pressure

Training focus:

• Movement
• Targeting
• Retention

Timeline to competence:

• Weeks: Basic use
• Few months: Integration into movement

Less-Lethal: Pepper Spray

Why it belongs in every plan:

• Affective
• Affordable
• Legally flexible
• Creates distance without permanent consequences

Timeline to competence:

•  Quick to learn
•  Months: Reliable use under pressure

Requirement: High-quality spray, carried consistently, practiced under stress

Medical Skills: When Everything Fails

Critical reality: Bleeding kills quietly.

Essential skills to learn:

•  Tourniquet use
•  Wound packing
•  Self-aid

Timeline to competence:

• 1 day: Learn the basics
• Lifetime: Retain through practice

Requirement: Carry the tools necessary to render aid

The Path to Proficiency

Personal defense is not a finish line—it’s a journey.

Timeline to capability:

• 3 months: Become more aware
• 1 year: Are more capable
• 2 years: Composed, aware, effective

Remember: Personal defense is not about toughness or ego.

It’s about:
∙ Preparation
∙ Judgment
∙ Getting home alive with the people who matter

Move decisively. Use force only when there’s no other choice. Bring your people home.

“There’s only one basic principle of self-defense. You must apply the most effective weapon, as soon as possible, to the most vulnerable target.” – Bruce Lee

Semper Optimum