Most CO’s who have been training a while understand there are basically two different types of skill-sets one can drill on. The most obvious of course are the “Physical” skill-set’s (empty hand fighting, knife, stick, firearms) and the other are the more ambiguous and consequently less understood “Non-Physical” or “Mental” skill-sets. Being familiar with maintaining a proper “Combative” or “Martial” Mentality when it comes to Self-Defense issues is a no-brainer for most. It is this “mental toughness” that the CO must seek to have (and continue to hone) if he expects to survive in a world where physical violence is the currency that evil men trade in on a daily basis.
But this is not the only “Non-Physical” Skill Set the CO should seek to hone and improve upon. The other is one that is often neglected or not even considered to be a relevant skill for the Civilian Operator and that skill is called “ARTICULATION” or, to put it another way, SALESMAN 101: “Knowing how to TALK with persuasion and confidence about a subject so as to convince another party of your agenda.” Now I know what most of you are thinking; How the hell does teaching me how to be a Salesman help me Stay Alive and defend myself? Glad you asked. I want you to think about the most recent self-defense class you attended; it could be empty-hand, firearms, knife, etc. Can you recall any one-time that your instructor taught or brung up an example of using a “non-physical” solution or skill to either try to solve the problem before it get’s physical (De-Escalation) OR teach you how to articulate to Law Enforcement YOUR DEFENSE and the broad strokes of what exactly happened Post-Incident?
Now it is true that most trainers who teach firearms skills for example, take for granted that most students who come to their classes are not paying them to teach them how to “talk a criminal out of hurting them” or “talk their way out of a fight” or even “teach me how to talk to cops after I have shot somebody”, but to teach them how to effectively best defend themselves with a firearm. But, as the old tried and true wisdom states: “The Best Fight is one that never happens” right? so by default, regardless of the type of Self-Defense training we are entering into, the First and Primary thing we need to understand is that NON-PHYSICAL, VERBAL Skills should be emphasized and discussed, FIRST. Now of course, this is all situation dependent and I think most people realize that. For example, De-escalation is something you attempt PRIOR to violence beginning. Now it is true that once the thug has stepped past a certain point, talking is useless, but if that is the ONLY situation a trainer discusses, don’t you think their students might get into a lot of UN-NECESSARY fights and altercations that very well could have been avoided otherwise? Food for thought.
The last caveat to this non-physical skill-set would be those terrible “E” words that most trainers, specifically firearm trainers, HATE to use: ESCAPE and EVASION. But if we are going to truly live by the creed that the best fight is the one that never happens, then this has to be kept on the table as an option. Of course, no man likes to ever think “running” from a fight is heroic, but therein lies the issue: This is not about being “heroic”, but simply coming home alive. We have to shelve the testosterone driven mania and separate truth from “Hollywood Gunfight Fantasy” if our training is to ever have any real effect.
The second tier in this so called “Verbal Kung-Fu” is being able to articulate clearly when speaking to Law Enforcement Post Incident of a Self-Defense shooting or altercation you have been involved in. Now I know there are tons of Self-Defense training out there on this particular subject, where they have the CO memorize a script of some kind that typically ends with them contacting their lawyer ASAP. And although I am not saying that this is not a wise thing to do, I am saying I think the CO could benefit more by actually practicing articulating their defense rather than relying on a “canned” defense script. The reason for this is quite simple: we live in a very litigious society, and when the CO decides to carry a firearm or knife on their person and at some point has to use that instrument with LETHAL FORCE to defend themselves legally, they will find that although one fight for their life has ended, another battle, this one taking place in a courtroom, is about to begin. And if not played correctly, can ruin the rest of their life, either by a life in prison or a maligned reputation in the community.There is no doubt then, that how the CO presents himself VERBALLY, both to Law Enforcement OR to a jury of their peers, can make a huge difference in the outcome.
So, now that you know exactly WHAT these Non-Physical Skill-Sets are, the question remains: HOW does the CO drill on these things? Let’s face it: Some people are “talkers” and have that natural “gift of gab”, while some people are more reserved and shy. The good news is you don’t necessarily have to be a “bullshit artist” or have what my dad calls a “used car salesman persona” to be articulate and convincing. The easiest way to practice this skill is to find something you are passionate about or interested in and talk and write about it often with friends and family. Any hobby will suffice, as long as it is something that you are passionate about. If you really wanted to cover all your bases as a Civilian Operator, get interested in self-defense laws in your state like I did. Study it, write about it, hell, even blog about it…yes, blogging is a GREAT way to improve your rhetoric and articulation skills, and best of all, most of the time it is completely FREE!
So there it is, some NON-PHYSICAL Skills to add to your toolbox. In closing, always remember, the words of John Farnam:
“A superior gunman is best defined as one who uses his superior judgment in order to keep himself out of situations that would require the use of his superior skills.“
Stay Alert, Stay Armed, Stay Articulate and Stay Dangerous!