I was doing a routine security check of a bathroom at a popular night club in the Boston area. As I opened the door, three men burst out. There was no reason to pay them any closer attention, but something in their body language told me they were looking for trouble. Most people, if they are pre-determined to engage in a confrontation, first have to “gear themselves up” for the fight. This is especially true in groups. If you know the signs to look for, their faces and body language betray this preparation phase like clockwork – well before the event. The harder part of the equation is actually being there in time to detect this gearing-up phase and have a chance to intervene before violence erupts.

Too often, security at all levels is putting out fires after the fact, instead of preventing it. Lack of experience and advanced planning as well as under-staffing are some of the known reasons for playing catch-up. This night, however, I was lucky enough.

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DECIDE DETER DISRUPT DISENGAGE DEBRIEF

Here, we offer a framework that can be used by everyone from the uninitiated to the expert to understand the components that need to be present in every self-defense situation. The 5 D’s divides the entire spectrum of self-defense into five distinct stages. These stages are defined by the five steps of the strategy of DECIDE DETER DISRUPT DISENGAGE DEBRIEF.

DECIDE is the preparation step. It is the foundation of self-defense. It is made up of planning, education, acceptance, training, conditioning, avoidance, and strategy.

Decide not to be a victim. Use preparation and planning prior to an act of aggression. Learn about crime and criminal behavior. Train to respond to all forms of aggression. Practice avoidance and risk reduction. Acknowledge the existence of risk. Condition your body and mind for the realities of violence.

Every seasoned instructor of self-defense, close combat, defensive tactics et al has heard the ageless question and its many incarnations countless times: Is a certain technique effective on the street? First, it bears repeating that no single technique or “move” is effective on everyone and at all times, no matter how flawlessly executed. There are no guarantees in life, much less in a case of human interaction gone horribly awry such as physical conflict. As Clint Eastwood once said in the Rookie, “If you want a guarantee, buy a toaster”.

Next time you hear or ask the question about street effectiveness, however, before you get lost in misleading details, know that there is a reliable benchmark you can apply to self-test all your techniques for street-effectiveness – the concept of natural counter. Ask yourself this simple question: what is the natural counter to my technique and does it prevent me from executing the technique successfully?

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The concept of acting on identifiable risk vs. reacting to it is a core issue in personal safety. And it affects all of us – whether you are the lowest-risk profile civilian or a professional who has to face violence every day as a matter of job description. We in law enforcement can do a better job of protecting ourselves, fellow officers, and citizens on the street if we understand this concept better.

Many trainers will tell you that you simply need more time in the gym or at the range. While proper training remains everyone’s best bet by far for self-defense as well as the protection of others, what’s left out of most training can get you killed every time – no matter how long or frequently you train. Many will try to convince you that if you go to their training program and learn some new “moves”, you will be better equipped to deal with real-life situations. But few will mention that there is always someone a little faster than you, a little stronger or more confident than you, and you will never be prepared on those terms, even if you quit your day job and do nothing but train. In contrast, planning for and acting on identifiable risk – a simple extension of the principles of situational awareness – will do wonders to keep you safe.