Additionally, when you have read the final page of this book, come right back to this section and see if what you have learned has satisfied what you wrote down. Do you feel more mentally empowered? Are you confident you can physically defend yourself ? Are you more aware of your surroundings?

On the other hand, I'm sure you have a plethora of thoughts as to some challenges that you either anticipate or are currently facing when it comes to self-defense. Maybe you think you're too old. Or too young. Or too weak, small, tall, fat, skinny, or tired. Perhaps you are wondering whether or not you could actually defend yourself if the need ever arose. I'm sure you want to learn how to execute self-defense, but you might feel a slight skepticism in your overall ability.

Not a problem! In working with both male and female students for twenty-plus years, I'm pretty confident I've heard it all. Most people walk into self-defense workshops with questions, concerns, and even fears! Learning anything for the first time can be challenging, and we usually carry some predetermined opinions and thoughts with us at the very beginning of the process. When I train my students for the first time, they address their concerns with me about learning self-defense. These include:

• Just look at me, Dominick, I'm five feet tall and weigh a hundred pounds! How can I defend myself against someone twice my size?

• I'm the most uncoordinated person alive. There is no way I can perform these techniques.

• I'm too scared; I can't even hurt a fly!

• Does self-defense really work?

Let's get back to you again. Take a few moments and think of the top three challenges you are facing right now as you begin the journey to learn self-defense. Another effective way to get the most out of learning something is by admitting initial concerns and apprehensions. Be honest with yourself by speaking about what seems to bother you and then take the appropriate steps to overcome those things. What's going on in your head at this very moment? Are you worried you are too weak to defend against a bigger person? Are you afraid you might freeze up at the moment you should be doing the opposite? List your challenges below.

Get Ready to Learn!

This book was written for you as an empowering resource to make you feel self-assured in defending yourself. Through reading the subsequent chapters, you will specifically learn:

• Tips to create the safest environment possible wherever you are.
• How to be aware and present at all times.
• The importance of self-confidence and self-worth.
• Why you need both the mental and physical aspects of self-defense.
• The motivations and behaviors of criminals and what they look for in their victims.
• How to fight an attacker's weaknesses, not his strengths.

Unfortunately, it seems that everyone always wants to get to the good stuff first. They want to learn how to throw a punch or take a man or woman down, and they want to learn it now. Most of us who have taken music lessons as a child have experienced the boredom and annoyance of learning theory prior to playing the real songs. Still, we understand that training in theoretical exercises and scales will provide the right foundation for playing fun songs. Learning the basics is what is necessary in order to ultimately sound good.

It's the same with self-defense. Before we can start to play pretend victim and throw our peers on a mat in a smelly gym, we need to recognize the significant role of the mind. A certain mental attitude needs to be established well before physical techniques can be learned. The first part of this book focuses on the things we all need to understand before we learn how we can physically defend ourselves.

The second part of this book delves primarily into the physical aspect of it all. My approach is scenario-driven. The scenarios I use are taken from the various workshops I have taught and the many conversations I've had with students about their most feared situations. You must keep in mind that every scenario is unique in and of itself and variables always change.

You Can Do It!

Let's begin this journey by exposing the common myths about selfdefense that may be on some of your minds. I'll uncover the truth through statistics, facts, and common sense. You are now on your way to living a safer life!

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Copyright © 2005 by Summer Haven, Inc.

Tags: Exercise and Fitness

About the Author

Dominick DiVito has been teaching self-defense for more than twenty-five years. A fifth-degree black belt in Chinese Kenpo, he has appeared on Oprah and trains with celebrities such as Wynonna Judd. He also gives workshops to members of the FBI, police departments, and SWAT teams. More