All About Pepper Spray

All About Pepper Spray
With crime being more present than ever these days, it always pays off to protect yourself. Although there are police officers and others out there who uphold the law, you never know when something may happen and they aren’t around. To protect yourself, there are several products and forms of protection that you can get. Among the may products available to you, is something known as pepper spray - which is one of the most common forms of self protection.

Personal protection products such as pepper spray, will work a lot better and yield the most power when you have full belief in yourself. When you have belief in yourself, you will trust your senses, pay attention to what is going on around you, believe in your naturally ability to defend yourself, and show people that you can defend yourself. Although personal protection products are great to have, you need to believe in yourself in order to use them properly.

Protecting yourself is something you simply must do these days. Over the years, personal protection products have become a way of life, with pepper spray being among the most popular and best forms of protection. When used properly, pepper spray can stop humans from attacking quickly and safely. It’s also useful with dogs as well. It comes in an aerosol form, is easy to use, and can stop most attackers in a matter of seconds.

The active ingredient found in pepper spray is OC (Oleoresin Capsicum). The spray comes in 10% or 15%, with a heat rating of 2 million. OC is non toxic, non flammable, and comes from the well known cayenne peppers. When used as a spray, OC acts as an inflammatory agent, causing immediate dilation of the nose, throat, lungs, and eyes - resulting in constricted breathing and temporary blindness. Although it doesn’t lead to death, the effects will last up to 45 minutes, and make attackers feel as if they are dying. The effects will take place immediately, giving victims plenty of time to escape and seek help.

The use of pepper spray is completely legal, although there are certain rules and restrictions that you must follow. As you may already know, you can’t carry pepper spray or any other form of self defense on airplanes. There are also some states that will prevent the use of pepper spray, while others require that you have a FID (Firearms Identification Card) to own or use the spray. To be on the safe side, you should always check with local state regulations before you purchase any form of self defense product, such as pepper spray.

When you are out and about, pepper spray is easy to hide. Women normally keep it in their purse, where it is easy to access. If you plan to carry it in your purse, always make sure that it is easy to access, with nothing in the way. You can also carry it in your pocket or in your coat as well, where you can easily reach it in a moment’s notice. An attack can occur in a matter of seconds - which is why you want to be able to reach it fast.

All in all, pepper spray is a great self defense tool. It can also be a deadly weapon if it isn’t used properly. Whenever you carry pepper spray, you should always follow the safety precautions and rules of the spray. If you use it for self defense purposes and know how to properly use it - you can enjoy the confidence and security that it provides.

Check out the new Kettlebell information site

Just got done (for the day) with the new Kettlebell site that I have started to put together. I have been working out with kettlebells for a couple of years now and continue to look forward to my workouts. They don't get boring, only require a kettlebell and a very short amount of time!

The big thing on the new site is the report, The Kettlebell Advantage. A low priced report, it blows away anything similar that I have seen. I especially like the workouts that are listed, they rock! I have start the Fat Burning workout using a 35# and a 45# for the front squats and doing swings with a 70# homemade kettlebell that I put together.

If you haven't had a chance to work with the Kettlebell, you will be amazed at how quickly it will begin to increase your strength, endurance and decrease your body fat %. 

Why am I talking about a Kettlebell site on my Self Defense blog? Simple, if you are not in good enough shape to keep your hands up to protect yourself, you are in for a world of hurt! 

We and our loved ones must be good enough shape to escape safely and to be able to defend themselves until they do get the chance to get away! 

So to fully advocate for personal safety/self defense I have got to be an advocate for people obtaining at least a minimal amout of physical fitness. At least a level that lets them get away safely!

If you don't want to spend the money on an expensive and time consuming gym membership, check out The Kettlebell Advantage. There are a couple of other resources that you may be interested in as well in your quest for fitness and safety!

Click here to find out more!

The Truest Safety We Have is the Safety We Create Within Ourselves

You might be thinking that it can be dangerous to even think about self defense when faced with violent crime. An attempt at self defense can turn a robbery into a murder--your own. So it's better to be equipped with safety products like a pepper spray, which help us to defend on sudden attacks in parking lots, ATM centers and other secluded places. A majority of law enforcement personnel carry a pepper spray for protection against assaults from criminals.

The truth is that in this uncertain world the truest safety we have is the safety we create within ourselves. Being terrified in the face of crime only makes us miserable and accomplishes the goal of crime, which is to create widespread fear and instability.


Let us educate ourselves with the crime facts:


Crime Statistics:

• 82% of society will be a victim of a violent crime during their lifetimes.3 out of 4 women will be victims of at least one Sexual Abuse.
• Every hour, 16 women confront rapists.Every two minutes, somewhere in America, someone is sexually assaulted.
• In 2002, there were a total of 4,854 cases of aggravated assault in Washington DC. On a daily basis, this computes to 13.2 aggravated assaults a day.
• In Maryland, there were 3,228 cases of larceny and thefts per 100,000 people in 2002. This is one-third higher than the national average rate of 2,445.8 cases per 100,000.
• In Detroit, there were 41.79 murders per 100,000 people in 2002. This is alarmingly way above the national average rate of 5.6 for the same year.In 2002, with the exception of burglaries.
• Philadelphia led all crime levels which were above the national average rates for murder, forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assaults, larceny/theft and motor vehicle theft.


Violent Crime (Murder, Rape, Robbery, Assault)

Year Total Cases
2000 1,425,486
2001 1,439,480
2002 1,423,677
2003 1,381,259
2004 Not Available
2005 Not Available


Property Crime (Burglary, Larceny, Vehicle Theft)

Year Total Cases
2000 10,182,584
2001 10,437,189
2002 10,455,277
2003 10,435,523
2004 Not Available
2005 Not Available

Source: Sourcebook of Bureau of Justice Statistics - 31st Edition


We can not assume that we are always safe. Crime can happen to anyone at anytime.

Is there a way you can safeguard yourself and protect your freedom?

Yes! You Can Stop It!

Personal safety products like pepper sprays are most powerful when you believe in yourself. When you believe in yourself, you are far more likely to:
• Trust your sense of what's going on.
• Pay attention to the warnings your awareness and intuition can give you.
• Believe in your ability to verbally or physically defend yourself.
• Give yourself the caring, safety and security you deserve.
• When you believe in yourself, most people looking to cause a problem will leave you alone

Personal safety grows from the power, energy, and passion you want in every part of life. Personal safety has became a national priority and Personal safety products like Pepper Sprays are the best protection available. Pepper Sprays stop human attacks quickly, safely, and effectively. Pepper spray, used in self defense against dogs, human attackers, comes in an aerosol form and its active ingredient is OC (oleoresin capsicum) - a term used in reference to Chile peppers.
What does a pepper spray contain and how does it work?

Pepper spray products contain the ingredient called Oleoresin Capsicum (OC). They come in either 10% or 15% (the highest percentage allowed by law), and have a 2 million Scoville heat rating. OC is a directive of hot Cayenne Peppers. It is pure, non-toxic and nonflammable. OC is not an irritant like tear gas but an inflammatory agent. Contact with mucous membranes (eyes, nose, throat and lungs) causes an immediate dilation of the capillaries of the eyes, resulting in temporary blindness and constricted breathing. It does not interfere with necessary breathing to sustain life. Effects last 30 to 45 minutes. So victim can have enough time to escape and call for help.


Is the usage of a Pepper Spray legal?

Yes, but you may not carry it on an airplane and some US states have pepper spray restrictions and formulation rules as mentioned below: Massachusetts - you must have a Firearms Identification Card (FID) to possess and/or use pepper spray. Michigan - specific pepper or tear gas formulations are required. New York - pepper spray must be purchased from a New York state licensed firearm dealer or pharmacist. Wisconsin - state formulations do not allow UV dye in pepper spray.

NOTE: It is best to contact your state or local law enforcement department to know whether the usage of pepper spray is legal or not.
Pepper Spray is a valuable self defense tool, but could be a weapon if not used properly. Follow the basic safety precautions and rules. Enjoy the feeling of security, confidence it offers.
For more information on personal safety products please visit the Pro-Shop!

What is Krav Maga Self-Defense?

What is Krav Maga Self-Defense?

If you’re interested in a practical form of self-defense, Krav Maga is a great choice for you. This is a self-defense system developed by Israeli military and police for individual self-defense. The methods are quick and practical.

Krav Maga is often used by US military forces as well as law enforcement personnel because of its effectiveness. It combines various martial arts with practical methods to form a no-nonsense approach to fighting off an attacker.

This isn’t a competitive martial art, rather it’s a system of defending yourself so that you can get away from an attacker and be safe. One of its hallmarks is its practicality. If you study Krav Maga you’ll be taught how to handle real life situations.

It’s not uncommon for a self-defense class to be taught in a real world environment such as a parking lot or a shopping mall. This helps you to take what you’re learning in a classroom environment and apply it to a real world situation.

Being able to defend yourself will help you to have more confidence in all areas of your life. You’ll be able to avoid dangerous situations in many cases and confront those that you can’t avoid.

You’ll also be taught to use your body’s natural movements to defend yourself rather than fighting your true nature with specific strategies that are unnatural. With Krav Maga, the objective is to not get hurt if possible.

You’ll learn many strategies for de-escalating a situation before it becomes violent. But if the situation does escalate, you’ll learn how to respond. With this technique you’ll learn the most vulnerable targets that will get fast results and allow you to escape.

Krav Maga has been developed so that in a relatively short period of time you can become competent in its methods.

That’s one of the reasons it’s such a favorite with law enforcement personnel. It won’t take long for you to feel that you can use these techniques in your own life if needed.

The purpose of Krav Maga isn’t to have a long, drawn out battle with someone else. It’s designed to quickly disarm your opponent and allow you the chance to get away. You’re considered successful if you were able to get to safety regardless of the condition of your attacker.

Training in Krav Maga is essential to understand proper technique and strategies. Choosing a certified instructor is necessary for you to get the best possible training. Look for one in your area so that you can begin your road to self-defense.

When we want to teach our loved ones to be safe, we must decide how aggressive we want our young people to be. Do we want them to do WHATEVER it takes to get away, or are there limits on how far we want them to go. Do they have your permission to take out an eye it that is what it take to safely escape from someone attempting to harm them.

This is an area that many parents need to think about and discuss with their loved ones.

Another way to begin the discussion is the Functional Safety Awareness program offered by Safe Kidz Now! This program provides parents and other concerned adults with the information they need to effectively and in a very non threatening manner, discuss and teach their loved ones how to be safe in an increasingly unsafe world.

Knowing How Pepper Spray Works Could Save Your Life

How Pepper Spray Works

Also referred to as an OC or capsicum spray, pepper spray is a very effective inflammatory agent that can easily irritate the eyes and result in pain, temporary blindness, and tears. Pepper spray is an organic based agent that comes from cayenne peppers. The spray will normally come in canister form, which his often times small enough to be carried in your pocket or in a woman’s purse.

Once the spray is used it will immediately result in dilating of the capillaries in the eyes, resulting in temporary blindness, chocking, coughing, and tearing of the eyes. The spray will also cause an extremely intense burning on the skin and result in nausea. The mucous membranes will also begin to swell, making breathing very difficult. The spray is very painful, often resulting in the individual who was sprayed to double over and fall to the ground. It causes temporary incapacitation, due to the fact that the individual won’t be able to breathe or see properly.

Although the spray is very effective with most, it may not have as much of an effect on individuals who are on drugs, drunk, or already hysterical. With these types of people, you may need to give them a couple of quick sprays to the face to get the right effect. The overall effect on the length of the spray will all depend on the strength of the pepper spray. Most pepper spray effects will last anywhere from thirty minutes to an hour.

Often times the spray is used with controlling riots or in self defense situations. Pepper spray is very handy to have in violent assault situations, as a violent assault occurs every few seconds in the United States alone. Pepper spray is safer to use than guns or knives. It is also non lethal, although there have been rare cases where pepper spray has lead to death. In these cases however, there were medical conditions present that the spray aggravated – leading to death.

Pepper spray is great to have around your home, or to carry with you at all times. If a burglar breaks into your home while you are there, you obviously want something to protect yourself with. A can of pepper spray is very effective, and can easily stop someone from attacking you. All it takes is a direct spray to the eyes.

Although it is very effective to have with you, pepper spray is illegal to have in some countries, such as the United Kingdom.

Strategies for Staying Safe in Any Environment

Strategies for Staying Safe in Any Environment

In any environment, remaining alert will help you to stay safe. There are many specific strategies you can follow that will help you to be alert and avoid danger. While no method is 100% perfect, these strategies can greatly reduce your risk of being attacked or harmed.

At home we tend to be the most relaxed, but it’s important to maintain awareness to noises, shadows and other tips that something or someone may be in the area. It could be your cat underfoot or someone creeping around the perimeter of your house. Just be aware. Make sure that when you’re home you keep your doors and windows locked. Occasionally it’s a good idea to re-key your locks.

Keep your blinds and curtains closed at night so that people can’t peer into the windows. If possible, install a security system and make sure there’s a panic button in every room of your house. Outside your home, you should always have lighting around the perimeter.

Motion detecting lights can help alert you to where an intruder might be. These are far better than the street lamp type of lights which are on all the time. This type of lighting actually helps the intruder see their way around. Motion detecting lights turn on when the intruder passes into the alert zone.

When you’re running errands and living your daily life, you can also be exposed to dangers. Make sure you avoid areas that are dimly lit or seem deserted. When you go somewhere, plan your route ahead of time and avoid taking a route you’re unfamiliar with.

Walk confidently and with purpose as you move from place to place. Predators are looking for someone that seems weak and easy to take advantage of. When you show confidence, you can keep predators from being attracted to you.

Always keep some cash on you so that you can make emergency calls or pay an emergency cab fare if necessary. You should also establish a code word with friends and family that lets them know you’re in trouble without an attacker knowing you’ve given a signal.

Even in crowded social situations you need to employ strategies for safety. Never leave a drink unattended at a party, restaurant, or bar and never accept drinks from someone you don’t know. It’s easy to drop a pill or potion into an unattended glass of wine.

Always attend parties or other social gatherings with a buddy or a group of friends. There is safety in numbers. And always trust your gut. If you feel that something isn’t safe, it’s probably not. It’s always better to be safe than sorry and remove yourself from a situation that gives you a bad feeling.

The best strategy for self-defense is to avoid situations where you can be assaulted. Be sure and review the Functional Safety Awareness program at Safe Kidz Now! The tips will help you to stay out of harm’s way.

3 New Krav Maga Self Defense Techniques

Krav Maga is a self-defense system that emphasizes the neutralization of threats by deploying defensive and offensive maneuvers spontaneously. The self-defense techniques pretty much rely on instinctive moments.
  
Here are some of the most common Krav Maga techniques that you can use to defend yourself against an attacker.

1.) Straight Punch- The basic move is to extend your hand forward in a straight line from your shoulder to your opponent. Throwing a straight punch is the fastest and least detectable way to deploy the move.

Punch your target to whatever vulnerable target is open. Krav Maga is all about creating openings. For example, if the target's hands are up and covering the face, throw your punches to the weak areas that are low. This will cause your target to drop his hands, allowing you to strike the face, chin or throat.
  
2.) Kick from a Lying Position- it's possible that during a violent encounter, you may end up on the ground. Deploying kicks are best used when your opponent is outside the reach of upper-body combative moves (straight punch or hammer fist).
  
As you are lying on your back, lift your head and shoulders off the ground and keep your hands up to cover your face. One foot should be positioned on the ground near your buttocks. The other knee will then be drawn up, close to your chest with your foot flexed back. Make sure that only a small portion of your back and one foot are touching the ground. Stomp your kicking foot outward and engage your hips to draw force. Recoil immediately and bring your knee back to your chest for another kick.
  
3.) Heel Punch- To do the heel punch, drive with your legs and your core and send your right hand forward. Deploy the strike forward and push the ball of your back foot against the floor. Push off the floor to add more power to the punch.

As your hips and shoulders turn, extend your arm while keeping your elbow down facing the floor. Just before punching your attacker, bend your wrist backward, open your hand and make contact with the heel of your palm. Avoid striking with your whole palm because the force of the punch will be weak as the force will disperse along a wider area.

Krav Maga is a great system to learn and it is now being offered on-line. This is really an incredible opportunity because now not only can you train in the privacy and safety of your own home, but now you can show your loved ones the materail and gain the peace of mind that they are safe as well as yourself!

 All very reasonably priced, and if you act now, there are several bonus' being provided that may be removed at any time, so don't wait!

Be sure and check out the Functional Safety Awareness program by Safe Kidz Now! This is a program dedicated to avoiding the potentially dangerous situations that our loved ones typically encounter!

We have been talking about it in these post, but exactly What is Krav Maga Self-Defense? That is the title of the next post is this series.

Is It Legal to Defend Yourself?

Is It Legal to Defend Yourself?

When you’re faced with danger it seems obvious that you should be able to defend yourself. However, it’s important to know your state laws regarding self-defense so that you can stay out of hot water in a defensive situation.

There are a few things you need to remember when it comes to self-defense. These rules of thumb will help you to stay out of trouble with the law and still be able to protect yourself.

First, you should never use more force than needed to defend yourself against a threat. This rule requires interpretation. Basically if you feel that someone is going to harm you physically, you have the right to use force to defend yourself.

If you’re trained in martial arts or another self-defense program and your assailant doesn’t seem to be, you can’t use more force than necessary. It requires training to determine your assailant’s skills, but usually the law can be interpreted in favor of the victim. Don’t think twice, use your self-defense skills to disarm or incapacitate the assailant.

If at all possible you should avoid deadly force. However, if you feel that your life is in danger or that a crime is going to be committed such as rape, you can typically use deadly force as required.

Once you feel that the threat is over, you need to stop using force. For example, you can’t seek revenge on an assailant hours or days later, but you don’t have to retreat if you’re in your own home or if you still feel threatened.

You should also remember that self-defense means that you are not the original aggressor. When you initiate an altercation you’ll be responsible for any harm that you visit on someone else. Self-defense only protects the person being attacked, not the attacker.

If you have to use force on someone, it’s important for you to be able to provide an account of what happened to law enforcement. You’ll need to be able to describe the situation, location, time, and any signs that you felt you were being threatened.

You’ll need to provide details about the movements of the attacker and your movements for self-defense. You’ll also want to evaluate whether or not you think the assailant is using some type of mind altering substance.

Do not take this as any type of negative statment regarding law enforcement officials; if you have to use any type of force in a self defense situation, remember, the police officers are doing their job. They are not there to establish guilt or innocence they are gathering information. Be very mindful of how you explain the situation and the reasons you took the steps you did. Make sure that you contact a good attorney, to protect your rights.

In general, self-defense is your legal right. But if you take force too far you could be the one in trouble with the law.

Understand your state’s laws and abide by them as much as possible. However, when you’re in a life or death situation do whatever possible to protect yourself.

Perhaps you would be interested in teaching your loved ones how to avoid the potentially threatening situations without having to use any self defense techniques. Click here to learn more.

In the next post in this series, we look at learning 3 New Krav Maga Self Defense Techniques that you will want to practice!

3 Krav Maga Techniques and Concepts

Many students and friends ask about the different programs that they hear about, both on line and from the television. While I don't profess to be an expert, I have been kicking (get it!) around the martial arts for awhile and I have gotten some good information that might help you organize some of the information that gets tossed about.

The techniques used in Krav Maga put emphasis on real-world situations (street fighting). These moves are extremely efficient and considered as brutal. The discipline is based upon different techniques such as like boxing, Wing Chun, jiu-jitsu, Muay Thai, grappling and wrestling.
One of the basic principles of Krav Maga is to finish the fight as quickly as possible. With that said, you are supposed to aim at the most vulnerable parts of your opponent's body. In other words, no fancy moves!

 Check out these 3 Krav Maga techniques which you need to master:

1.) Fair fight is certainly not one of the codes of Krav Maga. This means that you have to do everything and anything to gain control of the fight and end it quickly. Neutralize your opponent by striking their pressure points. Yes, strike them where it hurts!
During your training, you are going to learn the vulnerable points on the human body. You will also be trained how to strike with power. Hitting your opponent on their pressure points will incapacitate them quickly.
2.) Just like any other tactical martial system, Krav Maga has its own fighting stance. This is one of the first few things you learn in training. The fighting stance is crucial when deploying strikes and kicks. The neutral/passive stance is a casual setting with your feet set slightly wide apart and your hands are relaxed at your sides. The reason for this stance is that it is more realistic. After all, in real life we don't walk around the streets with our hands up ready to attack.
To switch into fighting stance, move your dominant leg back and rest the back leg on your toes so there is a slight bend on the knee. Put your hands up and bring your elbows in nice and tight against your ribs. Your shoulders should be relaxed and your chin should be down. Your hands should be 6 to 8 inches in front of your face to protect it.
3.) Another principle in Krav Maga to master is to deal with threats by order of priority. For example, if your attacker gets his hand on your throat, your immediate action is to get the hand off. Also, you must follow it with a very aggressive and relentless attack to disable your opponent. Should your opponent give you an opening, use it until they are neutralized.

Krav Maga is a very hands on approach to addressing the aggressive attack. It is effective and many communities offer this or similar training. If however your community does not, or if you are more interested in teaching your loved ones how to avoid the potentially dangerous situations all together, be sure and check out our Functional Safety Awareness program.
Designed to help you teach your loved ones how to be safe in a variety of situations this program will give you all of the tools you need to get started today!
The next post in this series is based on a very common question: Is It Legal to Defend Yourself?