The Top Ten Big Ideas to Be Smart & Be Safe

☐ 1. Practice the Three-Exit Sweep — When you enter any space, identify 3 exits within 10 seconds.
Action: Do a quick 3-exit sweep now where you are.

☐ 2. Trust Your Gut (Internal Awareness) — Notice that uneasy feeling in your body and act on it.
Action: If something feels off, move, tell someone, or leave.

☐ 3. Limit Distractions — Pocket the phone and remove one earbud when moving between places.
Action: Put phone away when walking to car / transit.

☐ 4. Carry Presence: Posture & Purpose — Stand tall, shoulders back, chin up; walk with purpose.
Action: Do a 60-second posture check in the mirror every morning.

☐ 5. Use Your Voice (Verbal Boundary) — Short, firm commands deter most threats: “Back off,” “No,” “Stop,” “Don’t touch me.”
Action: Practice saying one command with a low, firm voice.

☐ 6. Set Emotional Boundaries — Say “no” without apologizing; don’t be anchored by guilt or politeness.
Action: Rehearse a firm, friendly refus...

The ABC's of Self Defense Training Report

Safety is not a product of luck. It’s a set of habits, a mindset, and a few simple skills practiced until they become automatic.

In over five decades of teaching martial arts and leading people through transformation, I’ve seen the same truth again and again: the people who avoid trouble most often do three things well — they are aware, they set clear boundaries, and they know a few combative moves to create an escape if needed.

That’s the ABC’s of self-defense:

A — Awareness, B — Boundaries, C — Combatives — and in the combatives section I use the mnemonic S.P.O.R. (Stabilize, Palm Heel, Ouch — Knee to Groin, Run). This is a practical, non-fearful approach to staying safer in the real world.

Below is a complete, usable guide you can read, share, or adapt for a talk, training session, or personal practice.

Why a practical system matters

Too many people assume “it won’t happen to me.” However, the statistics — and experience — tell a diff...