BOOK REVIEW: REALITY-BASED PERSONAL PROTECTION by Jim Wagner

Title: Reality-Based Personal Protection
Author: Jim Wagner
Description: Comprehensive book on reality-based self-defense tactics in a variety of settings. Companion book to the DVD series.
Comments: Black Belt Magazine columnist popularized reality-based training. Mindset and techniques for just about any situation.
Overall Rating:

Review

Jim Wagner is highly trained in self-defense. His impressive resume includes work as a martial arts instructor, U.S. Army, Federal Air Marshall, and Police Sergeant. He continues to train police departments and military units all over the world.

Wagner has penned the "High Risk" column in Black Belt Magazine since February 1999.

A review of the chapter headings indicates techniques to address the mental side and fear of self-defense, unarmed defense, ground defense, dealing with terrorism, guns, and knives, and common attacks and women's issues:

• Knowledge Domain: The Foundation of the System
• Defensive Tactics: Unarmed Conflict
• Ground Survival: Using the Ground Tactically
• Knife Survival: Usage and Defense
• Crime Survival: Common Criminal Attacks
• Terrorism Survival: Armed Attacks to Weapons of Mass Destruction
• Handgun Survival: Weapon Handling and Tactics
• Women's Survival: Violence and Counterattacks

Wagner advocates A to Z training. From pre-conflict to post-conflict, using a realistic environment, clothing, stage makeup, and scripts. Make it realistic, and do it from before a conflict starts all the way to reporting the incident to the police and getting medical attention.

From awareness and avoidance to oral de-escalation, dealing with fear, conflict, post-conflict, giving report to police, dealing with post- crime stress and medical attention.

His Conflict Cycle model describes the pattern of all conflicts from pre-conflict to conflict to post-conflict. Because you learn what to expect in the 7 stages, you are better able to recognize and respond to actual threats when presented.

Wagner's Use-of-Force ladder correlates suspect's actions to potential injury level and your reaction. The diagram easily conveys the appropriate level of force and reaction to the type of threat. For example, suspect's visual indicators maps to your confident demeanor. Deadly force would not be the appropriate action when only visual indicators of conflict are present.

People undergo a number of physical changes under the stress of a confrontation. Wagner describes conflict perceptual distortions, such as tunnel hearing, tunnel vision, time distortion, dissociation, and memory loss.

A highlight of the book is the practical terrorism situations and responses. Scenarios include bombings (planted explosive), grenade attacks (including improvised explosive devices such as pipe bombs), and small-arms fire (handguns and assault rifles). Other tips include how to identify potential terrorists and responding to chemical attacks.

Clear black and white photos throughout the book illustrate techniques and scenarios.

The only complaint I have is that for such a long book, 377 pages, no index is provided. The book is divided into clear topics with lots of subheadings, so it won't take long to find what you're looking for.

Summary

Those looking for one book on reality-based personal protection should start here. Wagner has a great deal of experience in real-world conflict and addresses a broad range of threats you'd likely encounter and recommended self-defense responses. Complete, it's destined to be a classic.

Highly recommended. Buy now!

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• Books Reality-based self-defense books. Includes recommended books.
• Videos Reality-based self-defense DVDs and videos serve as excellent supplemental learning tools. Learn at your own pace in the comfort of your home.
• Training Live reality-based self-defense training from qualified instructors allows more personalized training, technique correction, and practice with partners.
• Information Additional websites that provide reality-based self-defense information.
• More Articles Read more reality-based self-defense articles from our library.