Simple Techniques on How to Prevent a Forced Entry

By Norm Bettencourt

In today’s society it is becoming all too common to hear of another home invasion, or a forced entry in our local newspapers, and media. Many times the victims were unaware of how they could have prevented this situation from escalating. I can tell you first hand that statistics have shown that criminals have become so brazen that they no longer care if there is anyone in the home when they enter to rob, rape, and destroy anything in their paths. There are of course many ways to protect yourselves in your homes, but I would like to just start by giving you a simple technique that anyone can use to protect themselves from being a victim of Forced Entry.

You hear a knock on your door, you open the door to see who is there, and before you can even understand what is happening, an intruder forces his way in by pushing past you. You and your family are now at the mercy of this intruder. Many people assume that there was nothing that they could have done to prevent this from happening, but this is far from the truth. I will now explain a simple technique that can interrupt this criminals plan.

First always look to see who is at your door either through the peep hole, or by asking who it is. If your gut instinct is telling you something is wrong then listen to that feeling and do not open the door. Just because someone is knocking at your door doesn’t mean you have to open it or even answer. If it is a person stating that they have a delivery then tell them to leave the package outside the door and tell them you are busy and will get it later.

You can also ask them which company they work for, and call that company to confirm that a parcel is being sent to your home. It wouldn’t be the first time that an intruder has dress up in a uniform to gain easy access into a home. Now if it is a person that you do not know and they are wearing regular clothing, do not open the door period. Always ask what they want, and if they state that they need to use your phone because of an accident, tell them you will make the call, and get the information from them without opening your door.

Now if you do decide to open your door to a stranger which I do not recommend, make sure you are wearing shoes. The technique will only work while wearing shoes because you need traction against the floor. Bare feet or socks will not provide this for you.

Open the door slightly while the ball of your foot is pressed up against the door, and the heel of your foot is on the floor. Your foot should be braced snug against the door so that even if the person at the door tries pushing the door inwards, your foot will act as a door jam preventing him from forcing the door open.

Regardless of the persons size he will not be able to enter due to the leverage caused by your foot. You now can force the door closed with your hands while keeping your foot in place. Lock the door and call 911. Another good idea is to have a self defense product such as pepper spray an arms reach away from the entrance so when you do jam the door with your foot you can easily grab the pepper spray container and spray your attacker’s eyes making it easier to close the door on the intruder, and call for help.

About the Author: Norm Bettencourt is the creator of the TACT Self Defense System and the F.I.S.T Training Method that specializes in self defense tactics for the smaller person. For more information visit www.tactselfdefense.com

Published in Crime Watch Magazine February 2008

Finding a Self Defense Program That Works for You

By Norm Bettencourt

Through my years as a self defense instructor and consultant I have come across many people who have taken self defense programs and found out the hard way that what they learned was useless or to hard to remember when adrenaline was pumping full speed through there bodies in a real life violent situation. So I have decided to write an article to help educate readers on what characteristics to look for and avoid when looking at joining a self defense program. First let’s take a quick look at how adrenaline effect’s the human body.

Self defense has to be simple, 911 operators hear it every day when a fear ridden person can’t remember there own address when asked so police can be dispatched to there home because the person on the line is hearing someone breaking into there house. Bottom line they can’t remember a thing because fear and adrenaline takes over. Take another example of an actual fire alarm situation and someone is trying to open a locked door what happens? Your hand shakes and your fine motor skills go out the window. You try countless times to fit the key into the key hole. A task that you have performed a million times in your life time is now next to impossible to perform due to the effects of adrenaline.

Now try performing a complicated self defense technique when you are being attacked by a crazed madman. Think you will be able to remember step 1 then step 2 and so on of a complicated self defense tactic? I don’t think so. Most self defense techniques are too complicated to remember, are sport or style based meaning it is taken from some type of martial art and focused around the styles techniques. Also most self defense systems do not consider the effects adrenaline plays on the body such as effecting, your hearing, vision, having the sensation of heavy stiff limbs, effecting fine motor skill performance plus numerous other effects to the body. Realistic self defense systems consider these and other variables so they are effective.

So what do you look for when it comes to knowing if a self defense program or school is realistic and right for you?

The self defense system is simple and is not style based but focuses on anatomic weak points of the body to strike

The self defense system is personalized to your body type self defense should not follow a one size fits all motto

The system should focus on how to improvise in crisis situations not focus on how to perform a certain tactic step by step

Training should be realistic meaning that the training centre is set up as an apartment or street setting. Learning how to fight in a matted wide open space is not realistic because in real life situations you will feel confined when fighting in a furnished room or the back of a car and will you will not know how to use your environment to help you take out your attacker.

Make sure that the self defense techniques are natural and instinctive movements and are devastating upon impact to your attacker

Make sure that these techniques are practiced with real clothing on such as shoes, jeans, jackets etc., practicing while wearing loose fitting sweat pants on changes your range of motion and speed of your techniques drastically

Make sure you can perform techniques while injured, tied up and from any position

You are trained in mental tactics as well, for self defense is 90% mental and only 10% physical you need to be able to control and manage fear

By following these simple guidelines in finding a realistic self defense system it will be better tailored to you and your body type. It will make you better prepared to handle a real life crisis situation allowing you to be ready to think react and respond to the situation at hand while being able to improvise if the situation changes at a seconds notice if need be.

About the Author:

Norm Bettencourt is the creator of the TACT Self Defense System and the F.I.S.T Training Method that specializes in self defense tactics for the smaller person. For more information visit www.tactselfdefense.com

Published in Crime Watch Magazine January 2008

Color Code Chart To Self Defense

Wherever I walk I notice that most people in society are not aware of there surroundings. They leave themselves open to being victims of crime. People walking around with there purses open, standing or walking close to strangers on the sidewalk and not taking corner’s wide. Being unaware of there surroundings because they are to busy sending a text message, talking on the phone, reading a book as they are walking or have there mind else where thinking of what’s the next thing they have to do. This is what I call people living in “code white” mode, being an easy target for criminals because they are not aware of what is going on around them.

The level you want to leave the house with and is the next color on the self defense chart is “code red”. People being in the here and now, alert to there immediate surroundings so they have time to react and respond to threatening situations or avoid them altogether. An example of this would be that you are walking down the street and see a few rough looking guys up the block to where you are going. You see a potential threat and analyze it from a distance away you decide to walk across the street to avoid contact with them remaining safe from any potential threat. For if you were in “code white” you would not notice the individuals up ahead and would walk into a potentially dangerous situation.

Now the last color on the color code chart to self defense is “code black” a state of mind that is in fight mode or in an offensive state. This is when you have tried avoiding a threatening situation but cannot and have no where to run and hide you’re only option is to fight to survive your circumstances. This mindset is the toughest to teach women how to get into when it comes to teaching self defense because most women are taught to have nurturing behaviors instead of having aggression.

For anything less than having an aggressive or offensive state of mind in a threatening situation you will freeze due to fear because of the flight/fight syndrome, flight will take over causing you to go into panic mode. This also goes with people just wanting to “control an attacker instead of hurting him it’s the wrong mindset to have when it comes to self defense. It is like going to a gun fight with a knife you are going to get killed because you are not bringing the right weapons or tools to the situation. So by following this self defense color code chart you will be better prepared to avoid or handle a self defense situation in the future.

Published in Crime Watch Magazine January 2008

Date Safety
“Date Rape, It Could Happen to You”
By Norm Bettencourt

Four out of five female undergraduates surveyed at Canadian universities said that they had been victims of violence in a dating relationship. Of that number, 29% reported incidents of sexual assault. Date rape is on the increase and many women are increasingly vulnerable when it comes to going out on a date and having this done to them. Regardless if it is a first date with a total stranger, dating a co- worker or dating a friend of a friend, date rape occurs in any of these given situations. So how do you protect yourself from this kind of crime?

Don’t be ignorant to the fact that anyone can become a victim of violent crime. Chances are that if you have known the person for a long time, it could still happen. I have had clients come to my self defense school that were victims of rape by their male friends, or from co-workers who raped them while working late at night. Rape is an issue of power and control and has nothing to do with sex. Regardless of what you wear, how far you go physically with the person you are on a date with, no means no - period.

Here are some ways you can protect yourself when going out on a date:

• Double date with a friend if you don’t know the individual, avoid being alone with them.
• If you’re at your dates home make a call to a friend within hearing distance of them, letting your friend know who you’re with and where you are.
• Make arrangements to call someone every hour and give them the phone number and address of your date’s home.
• State to your date that this is so your message service can get a hold of you for an important contact that you need to receive.
• If you are asked for the time avoid stopping and talking, continue walking as you respond keeping your distance from the person. This is an old trick used by muggers and pickpockets where one person asks for the time while his partner sneaks up from behind you.
• If you need help on the street yell FIRE! Believe it or not it will get more attention, than screaming RAPE or HELP.
• If an attacker says "I will kill you if you scream" do it anyways, he is stating his worst fear.
• It is also a good idea if your date is trying to rape you to vomit, urinate or soil yourself so the rapist will lose interest in you.
• It is always a good idea to bring a self defense product with you on a date or when going out in general.
• Make sure the self defense product is in an easily assessable place so you can grab it within a seconds notice.
• Avoid keeping self defense products in a zipped up pocket or purse. You need to be able to get to it, or it could be too late.
• If you are drinking with your date make sure you have a visual on your drink at all times, bring it with you where ever you go.
• If you do lose sight of it order a new one, all it takes is a split second as you turn your back and a drug can be slipped in your drink without you knowing it.

Now for situations where your “date” is physically attacking you, there are a few quick tips that can help you out. If you are laying flat on your back bring your feet up in the air and kick your feet out violently like you are pedaling a bike. Try hitting his face, chin or legs (In the knee or shin area.) As soon as you can get up- run away. If he is on top of you state to him that you will do anything he says. Pretend to comply and use your power of sweet talk when you do this. If he is on top of you, put your hands on his chest, and stroke him, then suddenly bring your hands up to the back of his neck and clasp your hands together and pull his neck down. If his face is next to your mouth bite his cheek or ear off. Keep pulling his neck down with one hand and with your other push his chin upwards. Use your feet to help push him off of you. This can also be done if someone is forcing you to perform oral sex, pretend to comply, place your hand lightly on the hand holding the weapon and state that you will do what he wants. Move in with your mouth pull the hand holding the weapon away from you and bite down.

If all else fails and you forget everything you’ve learned just bite your attacker and tear that body part off. Now this may seem a bit harsh of a tactic for some but the reality of rape is that it is a harsh crime that affects victims emotionally, physically and spiritually for the rest of the victim’s lives, changing the way victim’s see themselves and the life around them. These are just a few of the techniques I have taught my students, but if there is one thing I can tell anyone, it would be to follow your gut instincts. Don’t ignore that inner voice telling you something is not right.
Published in Crime Watch Magazine December 2007

Are You Unknowingly Targeting Yourself To Be A Victim Of Crime?
By Norm Bettencourt

Every where we go people perceive us by our body language. For how we feel on the inside is projected on the way we look or carry ourselves on the outside. Here is an example if you feel good about yourself you carry yourself in a certain way. You hold your head up high, look people in the eye when you speak or look at them and have erect posture. These are all good traits of someone having high levels of self esteem. Now lets look at someone on the opposite side of the spectrum who has a low self esteem, they usually walk with there head down, there posture isn’t very good and they usually avoid eye contact with anyone they meet and are not assertive.

Now ask yourself this question and answer it truthfully. If you where a criminal and needed to rob someone fast who would you find it easier to get money from? The answer would be the person with low self worth. Why? Because that person will least likely fight back and resist you because they have low self worth and are non assertive when it comes to standing up for themselves. Where when dealing with a person who has self worth they will put up a fight, attract attention to the situation and will not make it easy for you to get there money.

The last person criminals want to deal with is a person that is going to put up a fight. They want an easy target someone who does not show much self worth or esteem so when they come to you demanding your purse, wallet or try pulling a scam they know that it is as easy as taking candy from a baby. So how do you prevent yourself from being targeted for crime?

Here are some tips that will help you not be a target.

• Walk with your head held high
• Walk with purpose like someone is expecting you
• When you walk past people use eye contact
• Take corners wide so if there is someone around a building waiting to attack you have time to respond instead of being right in harms way
• If you are asked for the time avoid stopping and talking, continue walking as you respond keeping your distance from the person. This is an old trick used by muggers and pickpockets where one person asks for the time while his partner sneaks up from behind you.
• If you are being followed walk into a coffee shop and tell staff that you need help Be alert of your surroundings, use reflections from store and car windows to see who is behind you or if you are being followed.
• Walk in well populated areas that has good lighting
• Avoid walking with both your hands full
• If you are walking towards your car scan as you walk towards your car if anyone is underneath or around your car. Also look inside your car before entering it incase someone is hiding in the back seat.
• If you have a car alarm deactivate it just before you are about to touch the door handle just incase someone tries attacking you can touch your car, sounding the alarm and hopefully attract attention to your situation.

Common sense and awareness is your best defense when it comes to not targeting yourself to being a victim of crime. Stay alert on who is around you and if you can walk with a group of people then do so. If the company you work for has a security guard on duty ask them to escort you to your car if you are leaving late at night from work. By following these simple tips your chances of being targeted as a victim will decrease drastically.

Published in Crime Watch Canada Magazine November 2007

How To Train Smarter
By Norm Bettencourt

For years the military and FBI have been training their personnel with a training system called condition stimulus training. Soldiers and agents train in environments stimulated as close as possible to the environment that they will be fighting in. Everything from live ammo, explosives and ambush attacks are used to prepare soldiers and agents for the realities of violence. Research has shown that soldiers and agents with this type of training are better prepared when real life combat occurs and adrenaline kicks in. Fatalities are less due to being able to think and react calmly because they were constantly fed that type of stimuli.

For everyday individuals this type of training has the same benefits, conditioning civilians to the horrors of violence. So instead of becoming overwhelmed with the stimuli of violence people become better prepared to think clear and control the situation almost like it was an everyday event. Self defense is 90% mental and 10% physical. When you are threatened and your adrenaline kicks in you subconsciously fight like how you trained. So how do you train to experience violence and stimulate the bodies natural response to adrenaline in a safe manner to get as close as possible to the real thing? Here are a few simple examples. 

Through exercises which increases the heart rate and inducing the feelings of heavy and stiff limbs such as using wrist/ankle weights when performing your self defense techniques which imitates the affects adrenaline plays on the body. Train without knowing when or where your attacker is going to strike helps stimulate the mental aspects that adrenaline plays on the mind. For your environment train where it stimulates an apartment setting. Have your training area with wall to wall matted floor, with plastic or cushioned furniture and items on tables made of sugar glass - think of a stunt man set. This allows you and your partner to learn how to fight using your environment to your advantage and learn how to fight in confined areas without compromising you or your training partner’s safety.

What you wear while training is also a big factor when it comes to be prepared to move on the streets. Many self defense training systems get practitioners to wear loose fitting clothing when they practice tactics for the obvious reason of being able to move freely. The downside of this is that when you move on the street wearing boots, jeans and form fitting clothing your range of motion is restricted. You will move much slower and if you are a female wearing heels you will be off balanced performing tactics because you have not trained yourself to move with heels on. So always train wearing street clothing and foot wear.

The benefit with training this way is obvious, you give yourself more options, weapons and exits. Your mind is prepared and conditioned for the stimulus that comes its way when violence is presented to it. The more the mind is shown a stimulus the more it is accustomed to it and unfazed. It becomes “normal” just like any other everyday event it has experienced. Remember how you train is how you will respond.

The Three Horsemen
By Norm Bettencourt

Self doubt, indecision, & fear the three horsemen that destroy your chances for success. If you have one of these feelings the other two are nearby. If you have doubt in your abilities as a fighter or are incisive on how you are going to fight your opponent, fear will automatically kick in & take over. Your chances of being victorious before even entering the ring will be knocked out. These emotions will effect your performance due to the mind / body connection. You will hesitate on fully committing to your techniques & combinations while fighting. You will telegraph your movements due to indecision and your speed of your techniques will slow down due to being stiff & rigid.

Like animals, which sense fear, humans are no different. The vibrations of fear pass from one mind to another just as quickly & surely as a human voice. Your opponent across the ring will sense your fear and use it to his advantage. The three horsemen need to be mastered before claiming your title in or outside of the ring.

Here are some tips

1. Think from your opponents mind, what would he do?
2. Watch & analyze your opponents fights to get a sense of his game plan
3. Focus & remind yourself of your strengths as a fighter.
4. At night before going to sleep rehearse your fight plan in your mind & what you will do to counter attacks
5. Have a flexible fight plan ready in your mind & stick to it

"In order to achieve victory you must place yourself in your opponents skin. If you don't understand yourself, you will lose 100% of the time. If you understand yourself you will win 50% of the time. If you understand yourself and your opponent you will win 100% of the time."

-Tsutomu Oshima

Article in ISSUE #27-NOV 5,2005  Ironlife Magazine

The Size Of Your Thinking Is The Size Of
Your Results
By Norm Bettencourt

The losers limb is the pre excuse you give yourself on why you are going to fail before you even begin a task. Unsuccessful people love having alibis and using the saying “if only”, so they have an excuse to explain there failures in the ring and outside of it. The size of your thinking is the size of your results. Some reasons why people have the losers limb can vary from individual to individual from fear of success, issues from there past or they let the negative people’s opinions control their thoughts. Ninety-five percent of failure is usually based on fear of success. Everything we fear is learned which means we can unlearn it. Bottom line you are just giving yourself reasons to fail or not to try at all.

“You either have excuses or results”

Below is a list of “if only” alibis take an honest examination of yourself and see if you use any of these alibis in making excuses for yourself when it comes to training, in your fight career or in life in general.

1. If only I was younger
2. If only I had more time to train
3. If only I was bigger
4. If only I didn’t have a family to support
5. If only I had more money
6. If only I knew good trainers
7. If only I didn’t care of what people think
8. If only I had the talent of some people had
9. If only I didn’t have to work so hard
10. If only I lived in a big city
11. If  only I wasn’t out of shape

The list can go on and on. Having alibis will be fatal to your success. Listen to your thoughts and what you are saying to yourself. Having alibis’ is a habit that can be broken through constant practice and analysis.

“ The first and best victory is to conquer self. To be conquered by self is of all things the most shameful and vile.” -Plato

Article in ISSUE #26-Oct6,2005 of Ironlife Magazine Iron Life

Failure or Temporary Defeat-You Decide
By Norm Bettencourt

"Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not, nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent."
-Charles Swindoll

Persistence is a state of mind and is a direct result of habit. Your are the master of your own fate. Persistence is the key to your success in the ring and in life in general. Nothing beats persistence. The most common cause of failure is the habit of quitting when you are overtaken by “temporary defeat”. Most people quit just steps away towards obtaining there goal, not realizing how close there where if they just hung in there. You are in control of your destiny because you control your thoughts. You choose all the thoughts that enter your mind. So when you think you can’t revisit a former victory that you had. Every obstacle is just a stepping stone towards your success in the ring and outside in the real world, if you choose to learn from your mistakes and persist. Ask yourself honestly how bad you want to achieve that goal i.e. title belt. Here are some tips on gaining persistence in your life.

1. Knowing what you want is the first and most important step.
2. Have a strong motive and remind yourself of it everyday.
3. Have an intense desire to obtain your goal.
4. Believe in yourself that you WILL achieve your goal.
5. Gain knowledge from your team members such as coaches and conditioners who will help and push you to become the best fighter you can be.

 “I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.”
-William Henley

Take an honest look at where you stand with persistence in your fight career and what you need to do to be the best MMA fighter you can be. Talk to people who have gone through those same obstacles and overcame them and ask how they did it. Read biographies on your favorite fighter’s and their obstacles to put perspective on the fact that everyone goes through “temporary defeat”. Remember it’s only temporary it’s your choice if you want to give up and make it into a failure.

Article in ISSUE # 25- Sept 6, 2005 of Iron Life Magazine www.ironlife.com

Your Habits Will Determine Your Future
By Norm Bettencourt

We all have dreams, desires, goals and it’s great to daydream about what it would be like holding that title belt high in the air feeling the energy of the crowd cheering you on. Back to reality now and here’s a question for you. How much time do you put into a day to make that dream come true?  The time you spend training or doing something productive to get closer to your goal or dream, compared to sitting on your couch watching TV.

 Don’t get me wrong daydreaming can be productive if you know how to creatively visualize. Realize that your habits will determine your future. Successful people have successful habits, unsuccessful people don’t. To get your dream to materialize you need a plan to structure your time into productive slots. All successful people have a plan, follow it, and gauge their progress by it.

 Work towards making the majority of your time being productive towards your goal, i.e. training and conditioning, read and view material that is going to help you become a better fighter such as viewing video of your fights and your opponents to see what you need to work on.

It's All About Where You Put Your Focus

Ninety percent of your focus and energy should be directed at your fight plan and career if you want to succeed in the MMA world or in any goal in life. Instead of coming home from a long day at work kicking back with a beer and watching the game, put on an instructional dvd to help you learn new techniques or improve on your speed or power. Go to the gym left weights, do cardio, strength train or work on techniques with your sparring partner.

 During work or on your way home visualize yourself in a match performing a technique you have recently learned, so it becomes ingrained in your subconscious and is in your arsenal. Build on your strengths, not on your weakness. There are three kinds of people, people that make things happen, people that watch things happen and people who say what just happened. Which one are you?

So if you keep asking yourself why your fight career isn’t happening take an honest inventory of yourself because it’s about were we put the focus in our life that determines were we are going. If you keep on doing what you always done you’ll keep getting what you always got. Making your dreams become reality is not about luck, or “if it’s meant to be it will happen”. It’s not hocus-pocus; it’s all about were you put your focus.

Article in ISSUE #24 – Aug 6, 2005 of Ironlife Magazine Iron Life.

False Sense Of Security
By Norm Bettencourt

Working my usual weekend gig as a bouncer in a night club an attractive blond approaches me and asks if I can walk her though the club because 15 minutes before a male grabbed her arm a told her that she had to dance with him. She refused and pulled away; the male grabbed her harder then pulling her to the dance floor, lucky for her another bouncer spotted this and took care of her problem. I decide to give her my business card TACT SELF DEFENSE it reads, she tells me that she as a brown belt in the martial arts but everything she’s learned, she couldn’t remember and just blanked out. I tell her that this is normal, it is the effects of adrenaline. 

Most self defense programs do not think about these effects when training some one. That’s is why 95% of self defense programs do not work and will get you hurt or killed. I proceed to tell her most of my clients are martial artists or had some type of self-defense training in the past, she nods in agreement, understanding what I mean. The next day she gives me a call for some self-defense training.

 That is a very high percentage and considering many people still believe in these systems, thinking they are effective, this also includes “reality based systems” or “no holds barred” people need to be educated. It is amazing what is being taught out there in self defense schools, joint locks, cross legged arm bars which require you to go on the ground. I have seen self defense instructors teach students to kick to the head or grapple with an attacker, step here, turn this way, twist his wrist that way. Bottom line to many movements to remember, which are to complicated to work for ANYONE in a high stress situation of a violent street attack.

 You are being lied to, ripped off of your hard-earned money and given a false sense of security. What is being taught is to complicated to even work for a seasoned martial artist. Most self defense instructor’s have only had a few experiences with violence how would they know what works. It’s like going to culinary school and your instructor has never cooked or even turned on an oven before, how is he supposed to know how to make the meal, let alone teach you. Unfortunately people who have trained in these self-defense programs learn in horror after being assaulted the hard truth. Most self-defense instructors also do not understand the effects of adrenaline and how it affects the mind, or motor skill performance. 

Many systems use joint locks and pressure points that require years of training to properly execute. Some techniques even when applied properly to someone who has an unusual amount of joint flexibility or high pain tolerance such as someone high on drugs will not work. A lot of self defense techniques also have to be altered to work if environments change such as being in a small space or if there is snow on the ground causing slippery conditions. Think someone is going to remember all that while they are being attacked. I don’t think so.

Here are some tips on finding a realistic self defense program

1. Pick an instructor who is average or small in build they will focus on leverage techniques not on there strength, that is important if you are small or a woman.
2. Make sure you check your instructor’s credentials, ask to see his black belt certificate it will state what federation he is under and when he got it. If the instructor says he doesn’t have one than he’s a fake. There are a lot of people who will watch self defense instructional tapes or train in the martial arts get an orange belt and start up a school. Anyone can go to a store a buy a black belt.
3. Do you wear loose clothing and are barefoot when you train and wear protective gear? Conditions completely different from the streets. If you answered yes find a new self-defense program. Training should be as real as possible or be condition stimulus training. While training wear clothing that you wear when you go out, not gym pants, this includes shoes or boots. This will give you a realistic feel on how to move.
4. Do you train under situation specific scenarios, do they have to change if your attacker does something different or if he does this than do that? And then you ask what if he does this question making everything to hard to remember and confusing
5. Do methods consider every type of environment? Street, bus, rain, living room in confined spaces.
6. Can you perform these techniques even if you are injured?
7. Do these self defense methods require constant practice and you have to separate techniques for empty hand, weapons or multiple attackers. Bottom line techniques should be quick and easy to remember.
8. Training should be focused equally in physical techniques and mindset conditioning.

How you train is how you will respond in the real world, training should be as real as possible so you can get out alive.

Is Martial Arts Effective For The Streets?
By Norm Bettencourt

Self-defense is about survival and nothing else. It is not about fighting fair, clean or being honorable. It’s about doing what you have to do to go home and see your loved ones once again. Plain and simple combat is about doing whatever needs to be done so you get out alive. Lie, con, manipulate so you can catch him off guard and administer a tactic. Release the idea from your mind the image of a “dirty fighter” because there is now such thing. A “dirty fighter” is actually a smart fighter who knows how to use violence to his advantage. Freeing your mind of that idea could mean the difference between life and death.

Here are some tips and dirty tricks:

1. Hit first, hit hard and keep hitting
2. Always attack in mid word or sentence i.e.” I will do anything you say, please don’t hur” ATTACK NOW. The element of surprise is on your side he is not expecting you to do anything.
3. Practice saying your trigger sentence or word and cueing yourself to attack when you say it. Make sure your speech is smooth and that you are not telegraphing your words or actions before attacking.
4. If you are a woman use the power of  “sweet talk” get him to believe that you will do as he says, then turn the tables when he least expects it.
5. When speaking use your hands to help you speak, set them up to deflect or to position them closer to the target area you want to attack.
6. Use your surroundings, push your attacker into an object so he trips or falls. Giving you time to run off or to follow up with a more devastating tactic to immobilize him.
7. Gouge, spit, throw dirt or sand in his eyes to temporarily blind him to give you those vital seconds to get away. 
8. Make your training as real as possible have your training partner grab you, swear, yell at you.

You have the right to protect yourself and kill when your life is in jeopardy. When in combative mode your thoughts and actions should be as vile, vicious and violent as possible. Thoughts of legal or moral consequences of your actions should not even cross or enter your mind. If they do it will subconsciously hold you back in giving 100% in your attack.

About the author Norm Bettencourt is the creator of TACT Self Defense and is a former bodyguard/bouncer. For more information about the author or TACT Self Defense visit www.tactselfdefense.com

How To Use Violence To Your Advantage
By Norm Bettencourt

The topic of how effective traditional martial arts is in today’s world as a way of protecting oneself is still a very sensitive issue to a lot of martial artists. What is even more sensitive is the issue of how realistic and street effective is the newer styles that have come out since UFC/PRIDE have come into the picture. I am a Registered Black Belt & have nothing against the martial arts and have also studied styles such as Pankration. I know that the techniques I have learned in the dojo should stay in the dojo because they will only work there, that also goes with styles such as the “modern day or reality based systems” they are for sport only.

 I work as a bouncer/bodyguard & also teach tactical self defense. Many of my students are black belts or have trained under reality based systems & have learned the hard way that what they learned in the ring or dojo is not street effective. Their common question is why didn’t their system work? Part of the reason is that if a rule or law is applied to a system it will subconsciously hinder you when your adrenaline takes over in combat. There are no rules in the streets your mind should not have to sensor or think can I do this to beat this person? We respond exactly the same way that we train.

There is no time to switch gears from sport to tactical. If you are training and your coach or sensei says can’t hit their or no contact to the eyes your mind will remember that and store it for future reference. Your self defense system should take into account your environment as well. Can you kick your attacker in the small space your in? Can you balance yourself while performing a technique on the icy sidewalk?  If you grapple with him what if he has friends coming around, what do you do then? Street fighting or tactical self-defense should be in the simplest form of fighting. You don’t have time to play a chess game, like you would see in a UFC match. Time is not on your side in a street confrontation nor are rules or morals. What we can learn from the UFC or mixed martial arts events when it comes to reality fighting is if it has rules of what not to do, do those things in a street fight because its got to be effective.

A Quitter Never Wins And A Winner
Never Quits
By Norm Bettencourt

Bottom line that’s the difference in the mindset between a champion and just another fighter. The difference between winning and losing. This is the attitude you must have to overcome all the obstacles in your training and matches. Focus, hard work and commitment are some of the key factors in the making of a champion. Knowing the right way to train/condition your mind and body will increase your odds in becoming a champion. So how do you go about it? First it starts with your most powerful asset or weapon you have, your thoughts. We are all in control of our destiny because we control our thoughts. “What the mind can believe the mind can achieve”

A lot of people do not like to hear this because it makes them responsible for where they are at in life, it takes away excuses for failing, not trying or giving up. It’s all about attitude that sets you apart from every one else. DO OR DIE that is the attitude you need to defeat your opponents in the ring or outside of it in the real world. When you don’t feel like training because you are to sore, tired from a long day at work or your hand hurts or there are other things you need to get done these are excuses that you put in the way so you don’t achieve your goal. You have to train and condition your mind to focus on your goal so you have a burning desire to obtain it.

If two opponents of equal strength and fighting ability step into the ring the man with the stronger mind will be victorious. Here are some ways to train your mind to have the edge over your opponent. Take time to visualize your match or techniques in your mind with a clear, detailed and realistic picture for 10-30 minutes twice a day once in the morning when you awake and before going to sleep. This will feed positive messages to your subconscious mind.

1. Find a quiet place in your home sit or lay down whatever makes yourself comfortable and begin to visualize.
2. Always visualize what YOU are going to do not what your opponent is going to do because you can only control yourself.
3. Visualize yourself always moving quickly, effortlessly and being victorious, standing over your opponent holding your arms high up in the air with the championship belt around your waist.
4. Visualize as if you have already obtained your goal, SMELL the scents of the arena. TASTE the salt from your sweat on your lips. HEAR the crowd chanting your name. FEEL and TOUCH the championship belt around your waist and the crowd’s energy as you put up your hands in victory.
5. Surround yourself with positive people who push you to be your very best, believe in you and your goal and will help you achieve it. Having supportive people around will help deflect negative thinking and will rub off on you, we become who we hang out with.
6. Read biographies of your idols on the obstacles they overcame to get to where they are today.

The key to visualization is to have 100% belief and faith that you will achieve your goal and this is your purpose and destiny. Push away any doubt you have when it comes into your mind or the negative thoughts will cancel out the positive message. After a little while it will become easier to believe what you are telling yourself. The mind can not tell what is real or imagined when you keep telling it something. You will subconsciously begin believing those messages attracting people in your life that will help you reach your goal and you will begin acting, training fighting like a champion.

Article in ISSUE #22- JUNE 5, 2005 of IRONLIFE MAGAZINE Iron Life

No One Achieves Greatness Alone
By Norm Bettencourt

Take a look at all of your fighting idols, each one of them has a team of trainers, role models and idols that they respect and look up to on there team pushing them to be there very best. We are a direct reflection of our idols, peer group or team. If your fight team is filled with unfocused, unsupportive people with negative attitudes that do not give you the discipline or support you need, you will unconsciously take on the same attitude and get no where in your fight career. You will not believe in yourself, be motivated to train and will not become the best you can be inside and outside of the ring.

Choosing your idols, role models and fight team members should be taken seriously. We take on the attitudes of those we look up to, respect and interact with. Choose your fight team wisely in regards to everyone on your team being positive and supportive so that you can achieve your goal. Each member should push you to your limits that you thought you could never rise to because they give you strength and encouragement when you feel like giving up and you feel that you can not go any further.

“If you can tell me who your hero's are I can tell you how you're going to turn out in life”        
Warren Buffett

This quote hit the nail right on the head, we take on the attitudes and beliefs of our peers and hero’s. That is why it is important to have focused, positive and supportive people around us and to rid ourselves of anyone who brings us down. That is how to achieve and obtain a high level of success in our fight careers and in life in general. Champions are made up by a team/group who contribute their knowledge and effort for the attainment of a definite goal or purpose “ THE TITLE BELT” It’s important and essential that your team is this way for you to be a champion. Choose to associate with people who share common goals and have a strong desire to contribute to the overall effort.

Trail and error is part of the process. Sort out what strengths and weakness’ you have when it comes to your fight game, look for individuals to help you eliminate your weakness’. Sort out each team member’s strength’s and weakness’ and in fine tuning your plans each team member should have a specific purpose or responsibility to make you a better fighter and bring out the best in you and your abilities in the ring and outside of it.

Article in ISSUE #23- JULY 6, 2005 of IRONLIFE MAGAZINE Iron Life