# The devil is in the details...



## loki09789 (Feb 4, 2005)

I was just wondering about what little time saving and 'automatic' habits people have trained into their daily routine that could make the difference under pressure.

I started thinking of this when I realized that I don't have to tell myself to memorize the buttons on my remote starter. I just did it out of habit. It is more convenient when your hands are full to be able to find the right button strictly by touch but that could really be a time saver in a real life crisis as well.

The same thing with getting keys into locks. I tend to put my left thumb just above the keyhole. Before or while that is going on, with out looking (as long as it is a key that I use all the time), I find the key on the ring and flip the key to the right orientation (teeth up or down depending on the lock) and check by feeling the teeth with my Right thumb. 

In the case of a car ignition, I will use the same touch-find method, but I use the index finger of the hand holding the key (usually the right) to find the ignition and then the touch the tip of the key to that same finger than then slide it into the ignition from there.  Helps alot when it is dark in the car or I am really tired in the morning.

Then it is just a matter of putting my hands together and slipping the key into the lock.

These 'details' allow me to keep my focus outward instead of inward (on the key instead of the parking lot or what ever) and also keep me moving smoothly and quickly so that I am not a sitting duck.

Please don't think that this is paranoia as much as 'everyday martial arts logic' when I bring this up. If we make punching/kicking techniques smooth and effortless with practice, it makes sense to try and make every motion smooth and effortless. I don't walk around expecting every moment to be my last, but I do go around thinking that the little details that I do could help or hinder my ability to survive a possible attack.


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## Melissa426 (Feb 4, 2005)

Keys can make an effective weapon, so consequently I always have them in hand in parking lots, etc. I'll stick them in my purse/pocket once I get inside where-ever I am going.

Speaking of purses, I have a rule that all my purses must have handles long enough to slip across my entire body.  Those that women hold in their hands or just slip over the shoulder can be easily snatched. The other advantage of these types of purses is that both my hands are always free and I am not worried about dropping  or losing my purse.


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## loki09789 (Feb 4, 2005)

Melissa426 said:
			
		

> Keys can make an effective weapon, so consequently I always have them in hand in parking lots, etc. I'll stick them in my purse/pocket once I get inside where-ever I am going.
> 
> Speaking of purses, I have a rule that all my purses must have handles long enough to slip across my entire body. Those that women hold in their hands or just slip over the shoulder can be easily snatched. The other advantage of these types of purses is that both my hands are always free and I am not worried about dropping or losing my purse.


That is the kind of stuff I mean.  Clothing/accessory choices, room arrangements, habits and routines....do people consciously (either before or after) think about what they will have to do 'under pressure' in relation to these things?  If so, what did you come up with?


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## Touch Of Death (Feb 4, 2005)

I like the old driving rule. Identify, predict, and decide. Once you have identified a possible confrontation and sized him up as it were you should decide what neutral you are planning to use. Most of us naturaly fight out of our favorite neutral, and if that describes you, then the opposite foot should never be forward when confronted.
Sean


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## Shizen Shigoku (Feb 4, 2005)

Great topic! I'm always thinking about stuff like this.


I also do the same feel-the-lock-with-finger method. I try conciously to train myself not to look at my hands if my hands know what to do on their own.

I also like to be very observant - of course, not out of paranoia but just to marvel at the wonderful (or sometimes not so wonderful) world around me.

Ok, I'm really just on the lookout for hot women, but you'll never have the pleasure of seeing them if you're so cought up with what your hands are doing, right?. You'll also have the displeasure of being taken by surprise by an attack if it happens.

Recent example was yesterday as I was pumping gas: After a quick glance to make sure I got the nozzle in the fill-hole, I casually held it in place and had a look around. Again, only quick glances at the pump to track how much has gone in, then back to scouting for babes. 

I did notice one hottie, as well as a police car, the locations and actions of several suspicious-looking individuals, and the location of the emergency shutoff switch to the gas pumps.

Another thing I do, is not bend over to put on or remove my shoes, but rather lift my leg to bring my foot to my hands. Keeping my back straight and head up to casually look around, I let my hands do what they know how to do without supervision. Not only does this prevent being off-guard in a weak posture (bent over looking at the ground), but it is also great exercise for balance as I do not rest my foot on anything while I do it. Sometimes, if I specifically want the exercise, I'll do the same, but with my eyes closed (alone in my bedroom, not out in public). Taking away sight-clues forces the balance to be maintained by leg muscle stability and inner-ear equilibrium.

Last night, I noticed my roommate pick up a scrap of paper off the floor using his toes, so he didn't have to bend over. I noticed he wobbled a bit as he did it, and knew right away it was because he was looking at his foot.

So I offered a little bit of advice - same as one would give to a person on a balance beam, tightrope, or high narrow ledge: "Don't look down." Many people believe that advice is only to avoid the fear caused by seeing the ground so far away. That's partly why, but a bigger reason is because looking down causes the spine to bend forward, taking balance away from the center of mass.

My roommate tried the trick with his toes again, without looking down, and had better balance than Ralph Machio doing "Crane Technique."

Good stuff! 

Awareness is the primary defensive tool we possess. Let's practice it often!


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## still learning (Feb 4, 2005)

Hello, Interesting topic! Thanks for making us think about those things. I had a bad habit of leaving my hands in the pants pocket while stand around or talking to people, never realizing how hard it will be to take your hands out to break a fall if someone bump you? or try to block something that is coming towards you? Today I am well aware of this and do not leave my hands in the pockets. There was this street fighting tape where one guy had his hand in the pockets to show he didn't want to fight and the guy hit him a few times before he took out his hands from the pants pockets. 

 I no longer sit with my back to door ways in restauants and like to look whose coming and going. Banks too! Just learning to be more aware of the surroundings. Not being paranoia about either. Just a little more aware, that's all. Many times we become tunnel vision in our lives....learning new ways is not easy but can be learned........Aloha


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## KenpoTex (Feb 5, 2005)

Good topic.  I think these types of things are what really make up "awareness" in the sense that you're not so focused on "stuff" that you don't see what's going on around you.

Keys: like a couple of you I can use them without looking.  I've also memorized their positions i.e. "the key to the house is in between the key-fob and the office key..." so I can select the correct key without looking.

Parking:  For obvious reasons, it's not a good idea to park out on the edge of a dark parking lot, however I don't like to park too close either, I like to be in a position where I can scan the entire lot as I walk into the store/gas-station/whatever.  

I've also got a thing about not having both hands occupied.  for example if I have to carry shopping bags I'll carry them all in my left hand (or use a cart) so that my right hand is free that way I can use my keys without fumbling around.  I can also access a weapon if the need arises


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## CountPike (Feb 5, 2005)

I know people have the common thought 'If you got keys in your pocket, slap em in your hand and make them count' be personally I find with the sort of fighting I am used to I am as effective a weapon in myself instead of using keys.  

As for in general Im always alret to what is round me.  Don't know why but I am always on my toes, probably the effect of people trying to hunt me down at school lol


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## Corporal Hicks (Feb 5, 2005)

Lol! I remember reading this book called the Night Beast, and this guy was getting chased by a big cat that was clawing at his legs hot on his heels as he ran for his tractor in the middle of a field, but as he was running he was adjusting the keys in his hand so he could have the right one ready and so he knew exactly how he would leap up the tractor and get in as fast as possible. It gives a nice distription of how he manages to get in so quickly because he already knew the movements by msucle memory on getting in and so it saves him because he only gets his leg clawed up instead of everything,

The silly thing was when I was younger I used to come back from my girlfriend's house, 11/12 at night down her road which was a ten minute walk with tall trees either side and dark old houses and not to mention a full moon. That used to spook me out on its own but not only that, I had to walk past the entrance to a wood, and in that wood there had a number of Puma and big cat sightings, so as you can guess I ended up sprinting down that road with my mind playing tricks on me, the point of course being when I used to get home I used to be sprinting for my front door keys in hand knowing exactly where the lock was, slotting it in perfectly and collapsing in the hallway still terrified of the beast chasing after me (in my head)!
Sad little child is what your thinking lol!
I just thought I would share that with you!


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## Adept (Feb 5, 2005)

Corporal Hicks said:
			
		

> Sad little child is what your thinking lol!
> I just thought I would share that with you!


 

 I think we've all let our over-active imaginations get the better of us at some point or another.

 This is a great topic. I do stuff like this all the time, like making sure I know where my car keys are, in case I need to get them in a hurry. Making sure I check the status of all my windows and doors, so I know which ones are opened, which ones are closed, and which ones are locked.

 Little things like making sure your hands are relatively free to move at all times, sitting in places where you can watch the entrances are close to the exits, they can make a difference.


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## Simon Curran (Feb 6, 2005)

I am another one with the key thing, and another thing I do is to always put things in the same pockets, so that a) I know where I can find them, and b) I will most certainly notice the difference in shape if they suddenly weren't where they should be.

I never put anything other than maybe a pair of gloves in a jacket pocket though.


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## CountPike (Feb 6, 2005)

I always have this wierd thought when im somewhere:
"If a madman came in here to attack me how could I kill him"

Dunno why but it strangley keeps me on my toes


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## Shizen Shigoku (Feb 7, 2005)

CountPike: "I always have this wierd thought when im somewhere:
"If a madman came in here to attack me how could I kill him"

Dunno why but it strangley keeps me on my toes"

- Ok, now that is paranoia.


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## Adept (Feb 7, 2005)

Shizen Shigoku said:
			
		

> - Ok, now that is paranoia.


 That doesn't mean they aren't out to get you.


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## Corporal Hicks (Feb 7, 2005)

Adept said:
			
		

> That doesn't mean they aren't out to get you.


Muhaha! Thats what they want you to think!


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## KenpoTex (Feb 7, 2005)

That's not paranoia...well okay maybe it is (I'm haven't quite gotten to the first step yet ). 

Seriously, I think that this type of mental exercise is a great training tool for developing your awareness.  I actually take it one step farther and play the "If I was a _____ (insert criminal type here) I'd attack this person because: she's got her head stuck to the cell-phone/he's got his hands stuffed into his pockets and he's staring at the ground not paying attention...
Kinda like the old saying "it takes a crook to catch a crook."  In this case, by thinking like a predator-identifying traits/behaviors that make someone a more desirable target you have a better understanding of the mind of a predator.  This also serves to help you identify and eliminate these behaviors from the way you operate.


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## sdizier (Feb 24, 2005)

_Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have those because we have acted rightly. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit. _Aristotle sdizier


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