Environmental awareness

This is another very important aspect of self-defense. You must always be aware of where you are and the conditions of the location. For example, in a parking garage, are there spots where someone could be hidden and could surprise you? Walking down the street, what time of day or night is it? Is walking down a city street at midnight more dangerous than walking down the same street during lunch hour? Of course it is!

Regardless of where you are you should always be cautious of potential danger zones. Be wary of areas where a potential attacker could be lying in wait. As well, do not frequent known danger zones. The old saying, “If you lie down with dogs, you’ll get up with fleas”, makes perfect sense here. If you frequent locations known for crime or trouble you’re bound to become a victim eventually. Don’t go to seedy bar rooms and stay out of dangerous parts of town where drug dealers hang out doing their business. If for some reason you must be in a location as mentioned, be fully aware of everything that is around you. Pay attention to all movement and keep your belongings in a safe location.

If an altercation does occur you must be aware of your surroundings especially at this point. Are you being backed into a corner or can you spot potential escape routes? Are there multiple attackers? Can you call to someone nearby for help? Are there any objects you could pick up to use as a weapon or to fend off an attack? These are all vital questions you need to ask yourself when it counts. Be proactive and keep an awareness mindset at all times!

For further reading on this topic read up on “Combat Mindset: Cooper’s Color Codes” by Jeff Cooper.