1. When and why did you become interested in teaching self-defense? I had been training in martial arts for about 6 years while working security jobs in college and to be honest, I never saw any of the self-defense situations or used any counter techniques I was taught in martial arts. I first discovered this method of self-defense in the basement of a church in Paramus, NJ of all places. A friend of mine from martial arts who was on the Bergen County S.W.A.T. team got me an invitation. It was there that I finally saw something that resembled what happened in the real world. It was a revelation and every day I get to share my knowledge and see people from all walks of life get that same revelation. Look, if you knew the truth about something, would you keep it to yourself, or tell everyone you knew? This information is too valuable to keep to myself.

2. What are some basic facts about self-defense that you would like beginners to know about?

Everyone can increase their chances of survival. It doesn’t matter, age, size, gender – if you can leave your house, you can defend and protect. Second, this isn’t the UFC. This isn’t a competition, it’s a predator-prey paradigm. You don’t need to defeat your attacker; you just need to survive and that starts with awareness and avoidance. Even if you just appear to be a ‘hard target’, that is usually enough for most criminals and bullies to move on and pick someone else.

3. What are your top tips for commuters who take ferries, trains, and buses to and from work each day?

Please pay attention. Don’t get buried in your phone or fall asleep. Scan the crowd occasionally and be at the ready with a plan. If possible, locate two exits and put yourself in a position where your back is away from the crowd. When walking, keep moving. Mind your personal space and don’t interact with potential threats that approach you.

4. I don’t consider myself to be a strong/intimidating individual. Will self-defense moves still work for me?

Don’t think of this as a competition, it’s a disruption of the predator-prey paradigm. Your attacker is choosing you because they think they can impose their will over you with the least amount of effort as possible. Even the most minimal resistance will disrupt their assault because it forces them to recalculate the risk versus reward. You don’t necessarily need to defeat your attacker. Studies show that any resistance (verbal or physical) increases your chances of stopping the assault by almost 90%. Self-defense starts with awareness and avoidance, and you don’t need to be strong or intimidating to do that.

5. How can I avoid being a target when I’m travelling?

Gather intel. Look at the local news and see for yourself what’s going on in the area. If you travel by plane, you can take body armor, personal alarms, flashlights and tactical pens on your carry on. All pepper spray and edged weapons need to be checked. Once you get to your final destination, ask a locals about the area. Typically, the more “touristy” spots are the safer areas since they usually have a strong police presence. Don’t forget, neighborhoods change over the course of the day. A once bustling market place in the morning, could look like a ghost town at night, so if that meeting runs long, don’t assume that one block walk to your hotel is going to be the same as it was eight hours ago.