In previous articles you have read about the importance of consistent practice and the development of automatic responses. The core of your self defense practice and response development should be the T3 Rule.
T3 Rule: Identify a Target – Select a Tactic – Execute SafeTechniques
When you find yourself under attack, or even threatened with violence, it is important that you take control of the situation as quickly as possible. The easiest way to take control is to identify a target and take the offensive. This can be as simple as orienting to a growing danger or threat, locating an escape path, and effecting a quick escape of the growing danger. If you are under active attack seek a target that will allow you to disrupt the attack and open an opportunity to escape.
Once you have identified your target then next step is tactic selection. This decision must be made quickly, any delay is dangerous. Can you access the target directly? Are you required to step to the side? Is this target better suited to a kick or a hand technique? Are you planning on striking and escaping or attempting to restrain the attacker? Your practice in the dojo should help you develop the skills you need to make tactic selection quickly and naturally. Keep the tactic simple, one or two movements at most.
Now that you have target and a tactic, it is time to select a technique. The selected technique should be a natural result of the combination target and tactic. Your selection of technique should happen automatically based on the drills you have practiced, a natural response based on training. The techniques you practice should be focused on safety. Low kicks, focused on the knees and stomping the feet, are the best in self defense as they allow you to maintain balance and mobility. Hand techniques should preserve them, avoiding as much damage to them as possible so that they remain usable as the encounter continues.
Train to survive. Train to respond with the safest, most effective techniques by following the T3 Rule. Practice different ideas, different responses, tear them down, analyze them, build back up and try them again. The time to think about self defense is in practice. When your life is on the line you need to be able to rely on your trained responses.
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