Teaching nice people to be dangerous on command

Everyday objects that can be used as defensive weapons

Remember to Breathe, establish and maintain Space, and, if need be, go for the Throat. BST. These are the keys to staying safe in a dangerous world, according to Debbie Gardner. Debbie and her husband Mike ran their "Survive Institute" as one of the sessions at the recently concluded International Women & Motorcycling Conference.

The Gardners have developed their approach to "family defense" based on their experience as police officers and their own thinking about what really works.

"When seconds count, the police are only minutes away," says Debbie, a 5-foot bundle of incredible energy, savoring the irony. The Gardners' approach to defense is grounded in the conviction that everyone in this country should is free to go wherever they want whenever they want. The idea that you should not walk alone at night or in certain areas is anathema to them.

   Debbie Gardner does not believe in a sedate presentation

The weakness of much self-defense training, Debbie explains, is that they will teach you ten ways to protect yourself rather than one way that works. She offers one way that works.

The approach is based on BST, pronounced "best," just lacking the "e."

"When you're terrified I've got news for you, your legs don't work," says Debbie. It all comes down to breathing. If you forget to breathe when scared the rest of your body doesn't work either. Therefore the first part of this approach is to breathe. Breathe deeply, from the belly, and to facilitate this, grip something tightly. Gripping and breathing deeply will keep your mind in the game, which is crucial.

The second part of the approach is maintaining space between you and the potential assailant. Unless an assailant has a gun, they can't hurt you if you don't let them get close enough. If someone grabs you from behind it's too late, so do everything possible not to be taken unaware. If approached, move away, look the assailant in the eyes, and be prepared to yell loudly that the person must stay back. Usually assailants look for easy, comfortable victims and the less you fit that description the more likely they will look elsewhere.

Third, and only in case of true, serious danger, go for the throat. The idea when you strike at an assailant, Debbie explains, is not to cause them pain, it is to hurt them seriously. And don't react, strike first. That's why it is necessary to only resort to force in a truly serious situation.

The throat is particularly vulnerable, Debbie explains. If you are already gripping some object, that object can very probably serve as a dangerous weapon. If a weapon is pointed at you and is within reach, grab it and force it away from your kill zone, essentially your torso and head. Don't worry about injury to your hand from grabbing a knife blade or having a bullet rip through your hand, that's better than dying. Once you have deflected the weapon from your kill zone, use the object you are gripping to crush the assailant's trachea.

For many people, of course, the thought of doing serious harm to another person, even in self-defense, is hard to come to grips with. Therefore, the Gardners tell you to think what you would do if the person threatened were your child. Then carry that further to the idea that allowing them to hurt you hurts your family by extension. That's why the Gardners' approach is called "family defense."

Ultimately, "the winner is the one who's breathing when it's over," says Debbie.

Note: This is necessarily an extremely condensed description of the Survive Institute. Debbie offered numberous tips and tactics, as well as explanation and elaboration, that are beyond my ability to include here. Take my word for it, this was an amazing, empowering presentation.

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