SCENARIO REPLICATIONS

A Guide in Survival Enhancement

Through Scenario Based Training

Written By Richard Dimitri

Senshido Inc. © 1994 – 2010
 Scenario Replications
(1st Edition)
By Richard Dimitri

Copyright © 1994 – 2005

Printed in Montreal Canada

Published by Richard Dimitri / Senshido Inc.

Po Box 3133
Jasper, Alberta Canada
T0E1E0
(514)-500-2535

All rights reserved. Except for use in a review or without proper

acknowledgement and citation, no portion of this book may be reproduced in any
form without the express written permission of the author/publisher.

Neither the Author or the Publisher assumes any responsibility for the use or misuse of
the information contained in this book.

Book concept and photo selection by Richard Dimitri

Senshido Inc. is an incorporated Canadian firm Est. 1994.

For more materials, products or information by Richard Dimitri / Senshido Inc. please visit
www.Senshido.com

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PRE - INTRODUCTION: RBSD???

Before we start or get into scenario replications, I would like to address the term “Reality Based
Self Defense (RBSD)” and what this term or title conjures.

For The most part, I personally feel that the term reality based self defense is a redundant one.
How can any type of self defense training not be based in reality?

The term itself has unfortunately separated and divided those who train for efficient personal
protection skills. Unfortunately, many RBSD systems out there who label themselves as such are
nothing more than traditional martial arts that have abolished katas, uniforms and belts but still
train against unresisting opponents, where ‘full contact’ is only performed on Body Opponent Bag
(BOB) dummies or pads and don’t spar because they deem sparring as ‘sport’ related and not
‘street’ related.

Sparring is a necessity as a means to an end, and that end is scenario replications. Sparring in
all ranges both mixed and isolated will enhance tool and target development in real time/real
speed as well as enhance proximity sense, pain threshold through contact, timing, footwork,
combative endurance, strategic and tactical implementation etc. This should of course be
supplemented with pre-contact psychology, behavioral science and environmental awareness in
order to fully comprehend the totality of a real violent confrontation.

As mentioned earlier, many RBSD systems today neglect many aspects and facets of personal
protection or self preservation training and therefore because of this, all systems that are primarily
geared towards the enhancement of survival have been lumped into this category and deemed
‘dead pattern oriented’, ‘paranoid’ etc.

I much prefer the term “Protective Offense Training” as opposed to “Reality Based Self Defense
Training” as Protective Offense has a much more positive connotation, is less redundant and
deals with a more pragmatic and proactive approach.

The training has to offer resistance, real energy and no consent in order for one to confidently
know and understand what is and isn’t functional in terms of performance enhancement, and this
is true whether one trains for sport, street or both for that matter. Training with resistance doesn’t
mean hitting a BOB dummy full force either; it requires a training partner that is trying to negate
your every move as a real attacker would.

Keep in mind that the main difference between street and sport is not technical applications but
the delivery system. Sport primarily deals with a physical delivery system while the street
primarily deals with a behavioral delivery system. The more knowledge and skill you have in
both, the better your arsenal will be.

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Delivery Systems

A delivery system is a base from which one applies his tools. For example, without an adequate
understanding of the mechanics of boxing as a delivery system, tools such as a palm strike or
horizontal elbow strike have no foundational base from which to be delivered. Boxing offers the
proper bio-mechanical applications in terms of grounding, distance, torque, proximity sense,
and angles of attack for tools such as punches, elbow strikes, palm strikes, etc.

A proper delivery system is therefore critical. In order to develop this, one must train with
resistance and energy. This we all know. However, there are two distinct delivery systems. One is
physical, while the other – the one most often neglected and misunderstood – is behavioral.

In a sporting type situation like an NHB/MMA fight, as well as in sparring, the predominant
delivery system is physical. One absolutely needs a striking arsenal, a clinching arsenal, and a
grappling arsenal. The sporting event also has three elements a real, violent confrontation lacks.
These are awareness, consent, and preparation. These three elements eliminate several
factors present in a self-defense scenario, such as fear (for one's life – not a fear of losing or
looking bad), emotional inertia, the fight or flight response, the triggering of adrenal stress
(although an NHB fight will trigger adrenaline, the context in which the mind perceives the threat
is very different), and the rage with which the attack is delivered.

In a sporting event, your opponent – although he is trying to knock you out or submit you – isn’t
trying to maim, cripple, or kill you. This alone creates a completely different state of mind
compared to a situation in which a complete stranger is hell-bent on finishing you off. The very
fact that you can tap out whenever you feel you’ve had too much, or that the referee can stop the
fight, or that your corner can throw in the towel, also creates a different state of mind that is
incongruous to that of a real, violent confrontation.

The real threats are the rapists, the muggers, the gang bangers, the random bullies and ego
jocks, the road ragers, the potential murderers, the spousal & parental abusers etc. There is a
particular certainty that comes with sports training that doesn’t exist outside of that venue. It’s
been said ad nauseam, but weapons, multiple assailants, dangerous physical environments, the
presence of people accompanying you, and so forth all ad the stress of the unknown to a real
encounter, eliminating the certainty of sports training. The unknown changes the reality of the
outcome. It dictates different strategic implementations and tactical responses. The arena is
different; therefore the tools need to differ – and so does the delivery system.

What is reality? Go to your nearest "hard reputed" club, pub, or bar on a Friday or Saturday night
and simply observe the behavior, the initiation, the escalation, and the treacherous development
of a few fights. See if any of the participants "spar." Notice whether they stand at 4 or 5 feet from
each other and square off first. Check it out and compare it to the training that you do.

With that in mind, a real attack on your person deals primarily with an attack on the mind, which
triggers a very different physiological response. Let’s examine this very hypothetical scenario for
a moment: A top NHB fighter goes bad and decides to rape a woman. How will he approach her?
Will he be gloved up, wearing a mouthpiece after warming up for the last 20 minutes, or will he
most probably be dressed in his everyday clothes and approach her with dialogue as a set up?
Is he in any way, shape, or form expecting her to fight back and, if so, how easily does he believe
he can submit her and keep her under control to have his way with her? Is his guard up or down?
Is his ego up or down? Will his primary attack be a jab/cross combo followed by a clinch to
takedown, a mount and a ground and pound, or will he most likely grab her by her hair,
threatening her, anticipating and receiving a victim’s response of passive/submissive behavior?
Does she not have the element of surprise as an advantage if she decides to fight back? If she
did fight back, would her primary attack be a clinch followed by a head butt, knee & elbow (HKE)
combo, or would she not attack vitals first, considering the position and mindset of both predator
and prey in such a situation?

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When Mike Tyson allegedly raped Desiree Washington, did it look anything like his match against
Donovan Roddock that same year? Did he knock her out with a hook prior to forcing himself on
her?

In every successful rape escape incident about which I've heard in the last 20 years on the news,
in every case in which a woman successfully defended herself against a violent rapist, never –
not once – did the report mention the woman using a rear naked choke, a clinch, a boxing
combination, or any sort of "martial arts technique." As a matter of fact, every time it was
mentioned that a woman had some form of martial training, the result ended in rape.

Consider this example, in which a woman attempted a martial arts technique. Her attacker
threatened to kill her. She only survived when she went primal and instinctively fought back.

"After going to sleep, I was in the dead of sleep, I woke up with a man on top of me," Mira said on
Good Morning America. "I immediately just had the reaction to get him off of me. At that point he
told me he had a gun and I felt it against my left chest. He was restraining me with both of his
hands and the gun was across my chest and I just took my left hand and I started just pushing it
away from me."

Mira started trying to push him off with her hands and feet, using some martial arts and self-
defense techniques that she had learned years before.

"Do you want to die?" he asked. At that point, something snapped and she sprung into action,
Mira said. In what she described as something like "a dream state," she wrestled the .38-caliber
revolver away from her 170-pound attacker and rolled him onto the floor. She fired three shots at
the man, striking him twice in the upper torso. "Mira" is a single mom and bookkeeper in her early
30s who said she acted only on instinct and was driven by the desire to survive.”

- ABC News Online

Every successful rape defense includes primal defensive tactics such as gouging, ripping, and
biting. For example:

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – A woman bit off the lower lip of a fugitive man she said attacked
her outside her house in the South African town of Tzaneen, police said on Friday. They said the
man – who was already wanted on charges of burglary and rape – waited outside the woman's
house for her to return from an errand and then tried to drag her inside.

"This woman managed to grab the lower lip of the man with her teeth and bit it off," police Captain
Moatshe Ngoepe told Reuters. The man was arrested when he sought treatment at a nearby
hospital. He is due to appear at magistrates’ court on Friday.

Another example:

A rapist was left speechless when his intended victim bit off his tongue as he tried to force it into
her mouth. The 30-year-old woman from Harry squatter camp in Wadeville on the East Rand then
ran off, tongue in mouth, to the nearest police station a kilometer away. Police were shocked
when she produced the bitten-off tongue. Moments later, the suspect also arrived in agony, with
blood pouring from his mouth, hoping to get medical help. He was immediately arrested.

The woman was in a state of shock and had clearly been in a struggle with the suspect, said
Superintendent Sam Maredi of the Actonville police station.

"She displayed all the emotional signs of a rape victim and was given counseling," he said. The
woman had, however, managed to turn the tables on her attacker.

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Maredi added that the woman had been attacked as she made her way home at about 6pm on
Saturday.

"The culprit attacked her and then tried to put his tongue in her mouth. When he did this the fast-
thinking woman bit it off," said Maredi. The suspect appeared briefly in the Benoni magistrate's
court on Sunday.

– The Star online

Or how about this one:

“My friend Lynn was walking in the park one afternoon and saw a woman in the initial stages of
an assault. Lynn (maybe 5'5") went into rampage mode and attacked the assailant. The two
women were able to drive the attacker away while drawing attention to the situation by yelling the
whole time. Lynn's action was selfless and unrestrained. The intended victim later told police that
Lynn's direct and physical intervention broke the assailant's concentration and his resolve to do
her harm.

– Assault Prevention Information Network, September 1, 1996

Take this following real rape survivor story into consideration:

BANGKOK, Thailand Oct. 13, 2004 — Police in Bangkok said Wednesday they are searching for
a man whose tongue was bitten off by a girl he allegedly tried to rape.

She told police that when Koh attempted to rape her, she pretended to consent to his advances
and then bit off part of his tongue, police Capt. Somsak Maiboonmee said. "His tongue was
partially severed, so I decided to just bite it all off. It was still in my mouth," the girl told reporters.

Interesting strategic implementation she used:

“She told police that when Koh attempted to rape her, she pretended to consent to his advances
and then bit off part of his tongue”

So the delivery system once again was behavioral and the physical tool primal... with no prior
training... hmmm.... this is why it is critical to base any self defense system worth its salt on an
already instinctive, primal and ingrained delivery system without trying to reprogram what mother
nature already instilled in us.

Outside of the ring, the delivery system is behavioral. The attacker isn’t squaring off with you
unless your response is ego-based (e.g., shoves, face-offs, mouthing off). Your attacker
perceives you as being his victim, which is why he chose you. Use this to your advantage. Since
your attacker sees you as being weak and compliant, sticking with that in mind prior to retaliation
enhances your retaliation. This will lower his guard and raise his ego, making him the perfect
candidate for a brutal and completely unexpected physical retaliation. That is the ideal time to
strike if necessary, and that preemptive strike most likely won’t be a jab, hook, or Thai kick – or at
least, it shouldn’t be, considering the objective is to maim and not just hurt. The shot you don’t
see coming is the one that hurts the most because your mind and body were not prepared for the
assault. In a sporting event, the mind and body are fully prepared and aware of the retaliation.
Therefore, the nature of that attack process and response time is completely and critically
different.

Stating that root skills in a sporting delivery system are an absolute necessity and that without
them you are doomed is a fallacy. Although these skills can do nothing but improve and enhance
your survivability (and health, for that matter), they are not necessarily the end-all, and be-all.

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Far more people have successfully defended themselves against certain odds with absolutely no
training whatsoever than have martial artists who have used what they learned.

A behavioral delivery system is critical – much more so than a physical one in terms of personal
protection. This is what loads the dice in the favor of the intended victim, because seldom will an
attacker pick someone he thinks or believes will hurt or maim him in response. The attacker will
predominantly and primarily make an attack on the mind prior to an attack on the body – through
posturing, instigation through intimidation, cursing, threats, explicit anger, etc. The range will also
be close-quarter, but the aggression will not be sport-related at all. It will be very different and
include such things as lapel grabs, strangulations, weapon deployments, tackles, shoves, hair
pulls, and sucker punches from natural / non-sport combative stances, incorporating aggressive
dialogue and threats.

If the attacker doesn’t suspect a violent retaliation targeting vitals such as eyes, throat, and facial
features (not using the standard punching or Jeet Kune Do (JKD) finger jabs, either), his reaction
will be very different than if he was squaring off with an opponent who was trying to do the
same… In the case of real self-defense, it comes seemingly from nowhere. In the case of sports,
there is awareness, consent, and preparation. It is the state of mind and behavioral delivery
system that make real attacks successful, not the "technique" or tool itself.

The problem is in fixating on the tool (the eye gouge, for example) and claiming “anyone can do
that.” Yes, that is true; anyone can do that. However, how many real fights that you've seen or of
which you've heard ended with one of the opponent's having his eyes gouged out? The point is,
although anyone can do it, most people don’t – and they don’t even consider it or train for it. So,
yes, anyone can do it, but rarely does anyone do it. Just because you played badminton all your
life doesn’t mean you're a good tennis player.

This, of course, doesn’t mean you don’t need a good physical delivery system. We always have
and will continue to advocate the necessity of both a behavioral and physical delivery system. If
anything, we highly recommend actively training in an ‘alive’ combative discipline. However, some
people don’t have the time, energy, or desire for to train three or four times per week to enhance
their combative skills. Does this mean they cannot learn to effectively defend themselves? Does
this mean that they don’t have the right to defend themselves? Absolutely not.

If that were the case, we wouldn’t be alive as a species today. People have been effectively
defending themselves since the dawn of humanity and before MMA arts or NHB bouts ever
existed. So how did they do it? How does a woman defeat a crazed rapist without any prior
training at all? Luck? I think not. There’s much to be said about attitude, mindset, and belief
systems. The behavioral and psychological arsenals fine tunes our already existing survival
instincts. The key is in getting people back in touch with it. We already posses the tools and
instincts. We just need to re-awaken them and stay true to the physiological rules that govern our
minds and bodies.

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INTRODUCTION: What is scenario-based training?

Scenario based training is an efficient method of training situational responses that allows the
students/participants to learn and apply their knowledge and skills as they participate in realistic
situations. This method of training and learning allows students to move from theory to practical
application of skills in all areas and helps create the proper mental blue prints needed to survive a
violent confrontation. When students learn to apply their skills in scenarios, they are better
prepared to react appropriately in real fights and confrontations as the mind develops the
appropriate files to deal with the circumstances in a familiar setting. Law enforcement officers,
military personnel, fire fighters world wide use this method of training successfully.

Realism is an important aspect to maintain when replicating scenarios. The environment should
be real or replicated as realistically as possible, complete with realistic opponents and partners.
To further provide a realistic simulation in this environment, the student/participant should have
as much of a free range (both physically and strategically) of action as possible; their actions
should not be constrained by what the instructor’s or said system or style they train in envision
the student should do. We refer to the student’s desired actions and responses in the moment as
‘guided chaos’.

If we were to isolate one single goal of scenario replication training, then it would be to maximize
this guided chaos through tactical and strategic implementation based on behavioral doctrines.
However, since scenario replication training is a learning tool, there are specific training goals and
formulas for every given scenario. In order to achieve those goals, the instructor needs the
representational flexibility to formalize the goals for the scenarios, to script them out in a
conceptual manner, and have a way to dynamically modify the scenario to ensure that the proper
or most desired results are achieved by the participants.

We define the instructor’s goal to specify the exact scenario he wishes based on experience
and/or research and factual events and the participant’s lifestyle as ‘tactical selection’. The
purpose is to attempt to find a balance between ‘guided chaos’ and the ‘tactical selections’.
Achieving this balance lies in the monitoring of the participant’s actions from beginning to end. As
the students execute their actions, those actions may begin to lead them down a path that
diverges with the goals that the instructor has specified (I.e. defuse this situation at all costs yet
the situation went physical due to the ‘good guy’s’ failed attempts or lack thereof for example).
Monitoring the student and recognizing this possible divergence from the training goals of the
scenario is a key element of improving the efficiency and enhancing the survivability in a given
situation as every situation is filled with many layers and shades of grey.

Once a divergence is recognized, the student must be encouraged in some subtle yet realistic
manner to find a solution more suitable to the pre-defined scenario. How the world changes from
time to time, as well as which actions to execute to create this change becomes the instructor’s
burden to maintain his/her research. Once something has gone off course, how do we reconcile
the current state of the situation with the desired response in both a realistic and applicable
manner?

This is where the formula in this book comes in, to aide the trainer and the participants in creating
a 3 dimensional, realistic scenario replication training system.

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Occurring Problems in Confrontations

When interacting alongside other human beings, there are behavioral elements which may create
possible problems or situations that may arise. The root of all of these problems can be traced to
actions based on emotional and behavioral interaction, something that is sorely lacking in many
systems of defense today.

We have classified these problems into three different categories:

1. Inter-relationship Error
2. Personal Error
3. Variable Error

Inter-relationship Error

When you see most scenarios being run, they are generally one on one or two on one where the
bad guy(s) attack the intended victim, a few words are exchanged then the physical portion kicks
in. During a confrontation however, we sometimes are not alone. We may be accompanied by a
friend, a relative, a parent, a child etc. Therefore working with a partner or more is critical to the
strategic development in order to accurately create the mental blueprints and accomplish the
goals given by the instructor. In the course of going through a scenario with other trainees,
fulfilling the goals for this could be hindered by the mistakes caused by the interaction between
the student and his/her partners; therefore communication between all parties is critical.

For example, ‘John and Jane’ are sharing a drink together in a bar. A guy looks at her and walks
over to her making a pass at her and insults John, something to the effect of “Why don’t you drop
this fag and come with a real man?” John steps up and tries to defuse the situation but the
individual shoves him back, he decides to go preemptive and his girlfriend grabs his arm by the
shirt sleeve pulling him back and begs him to leave the bar now. John turns to her for a fraction
of a second to acknowledge her and the guy throws a haymaker. John flinches catching it off the
top of his head and ends up tripping over his girlfriend and they both fall to the ground, John on
top of her. The guy proceeds on trying to stomp John but he also lands some solid blows on his
girlfriend.

These are Inter-relationship errors that may occur. Depending on the given situation and
individual with you at the moment, the tactical implementations will be affected by the behavioral
elements of your relationship with any given party or even some other character‘s behavior that
the student couldn’t foresee that would render the situation worse. It is not as simple or as easy
as “head-butt, knee then elbow.”

We always propose to allow the scenario run its course prior to re-establishing the scene in order
to experience success. The instructor should have a global real-time view of the environment
and its surroundings though. The first responsibility of the instructor is to recognize when and
where the scenario is diverging from the goals specified and to pinpoint and debrief once it has
run its course.

It should also be noted that some of the behaviors mentioned above are actually realistic and
made by the teammates, while others may be improper actions taken in a given situation that still
went awry based on the ‘bad guy’s’ perceptions in the moment. Making a distinction between the
two is important; improper behavior by any participant (especially that of the bad guys’) should be
pointed out.

While the response is not always obvious, it is the instructor’s responsibility to have researched
and understood the behavioral elements of the chosen bad guy. There is a vast array of
character choices when choosing the behavioral aspects of the intended bad guy.

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The layers have to be instilled, the more character layers, the more realistic the response and
situation will be.

For example, if you choose the ‘mugger’ character and build a scenario around it, it is important
to understand that there are many different types of muggers and each will have different
perceptional reactions to the responses of the intended victim. Is he a ‘seasoned’ mugger? Has
he done this many times with success? Is it his first time? Is he on parole and absolutely does
not want to ever get caught? Is it a crack head that’s off his last high and caught you on your last
dime? Is it just a down on his luck dude that made a bad choice this particular time? Each one of
these ‘character’ types will require a different strategic implementation and tactical response
which in turn may lead to a different physical response with each.

Personal Error

The participant will also make behavioral errors. Typically, an error in behavior can and will cause
a deviation from the expected (congruous) behavior of an individual in a particular situation.

Knowing when the student is following incorrect behavioral patterns, even though it may not
directly affect the situation’s outcome, is imperative to point out in order to efficiently teach the
student proper behavior in a given scenario. For example, most students will ‘act’ differently in a
scenario than the way they would ‘react’ in a real given situation. If the instructor sees this and
catches the fact that the student has made a behavioral error and doesn’t pin point it, it can alter
the mental blueprint and state of the mind set of the student and negatively reinforce that
behavior.

For instance, if the scenario dictates the possibility of defusing a situation but the student goes
pre-emptive too early, the instructor may instruct another participant that the student didn’t
account for to attack the student from behind with a knife stabbing him in the back. This would
give the student the experience to learn by example, a viable learning tool for students to avoid
making costly mistakes as well as keeping them in line with the ever evolving possibilities of the
scenario. Through this type of response, the instructor must be used directly as an educational
force for trainees in an interactive environment.

It is imperative for students to ‘step out’ as it may, of the scenario and establish the proper mind
set the replicated time frame suggested in order to react as realistically as possible and avoid
acts of bravado or actions that in ordinary circumstances would never even be conceived.

Variable Error

Variables are unforeseen circumstances created by the environment, the moment, the time of day
etc. As we always say, the situation will dictate the response. However, the situation may create
unforeseen variables that need to be dealt with in the moment as they unfold.

For example, you create a one on one scenario where the bad guy is mouthing off and shoving
the ‘good guy’. He shoves a little too hard and the good guy trips over a curb and lands on
someone else behind him who wasn’t initially involved in the situation.

The unforeseen variable in this case is? The third party who has nothing to do with either of the
original parties or the unfolding situation created earlier. This third party gets pissed off and
shoves the good guy back from behind causing the good guy to trip over a school bag or brief
case (insert whatever appropriate object to the situation here) and falls to the ground. As he
attempts to get back up, both the bad guy and third party begin to stomp him down. Unforeseen
variables such as the third party and the bag on the floor, affects the outcome.

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If the student prepares for these through the scenario training and establishes the most desirable
response in a given situation, he is then creating the proper mental files to deal with these types
of variable errors that may occur in a much quicker and in a more tactical frame of mind then if he
would be completely caught off guard had he never experienced them before.

Creating variable errors can include weather conditions, wetting both the good guy and bad guy
in the scenario with water all over their arms/bodies in order to replicate a rain fall will alter
physical tools because the wetness of the arms and hands may possibly make grabbing and
anchoring to a certain degree extremely difficult due to slipperiness. Be creative in creating
variable errors but always remain within a realistic vicinity and one that parallels the participant’s
lifestyle.

Multi-Tasking

Multi Tasking refers to the juxtaposition of these problems: the necessity to direct groups of
students to work together to encourage an action to happen in the scenario that is difficult for a
single participant to achieve. The training knowledge is recapitulated in the instructor or a chosen
student to lead the replications; we do not need to distribute all of the scenario’s information or
sources to the entire students involved in order to establish the surprise mind set.

However, in order to avoid the scenario diverging from its intended purpose, the students need to
be given some goals or behavioral directions that will help bring the scenario to its intended
direction. Therefore giving each minor participant a behavioral base in which to work from is
imperative as well. I.e. One minor participant may be a man standing in line at the bank machine
behind the intended victim and told to just react as he would if he had absolutely no training
whatsoever as the situation unfolds. His reactions may affect the outcome and perceptions of the
major players.

Executing the intended goals of surviving and in the process making sure no one else gets
hurt/injured/killed in consequence of ones actions introduces a new problem of flexible
coordination and communication in the teamwork involved. Everyone involved must incorporate
team synchronization, environmental and individual monitoring and spontaneous repair abilities to
maintain a coherent and correct overview of the parties involved goals and plans. As stated
earlier, communication between parties becomes critical.

So without further a due, let us get to the necessities of replicating proper scenarios in order to
create the proper or most desirable mental blue prints to enhance our survivability during a real
life potentially violent confrontation.

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The Formula

How to replicate a scenario in training? Most think that because they swear at each other a few
times prior to fighting all out that they are scenario based training. Scenario replications require
much more than that. In a real fight, there are several variables and affecting factors that can and
will alter the results and chosen actions of the situation. The affecting factors are:

Time: The specificity of the time of day/night in which the scenario takes place makes a
difference. This eludes most. Take the following example for instance:

It’s 7:30 in the morning and you just woke up seconds ago from a short night’s sleep. You hear
the garbage truck outside your house and realize you forgot to take the trash out last night and it
is piling and smelling up the environment. You rush to take the trash out and as you do, one of
the bags slips out of your hand onto the pavement and tears open in front of the garbage men.
This pisses off the garbage man who has been working since 5am to pick up trash and he gets
off his truck mouthing off at you then shoves you hard in the chest threatening to kick your butt.

Considering the time of day, the way you feel, your state of mind and the fact that you are in your
robe and haven’t yet had your first cup of java, how do you honestly think you will react in that
particular moment? A take down perhaps? A chin jab? Doubtfully. Chances are, you are
exhausted, the light of day is affecting your eyesight and you never even saw the shove coming.

The primary attack on an individual is a behavioral one; the second portion of the attack is a
psychological one. The last phase of an attack is a physical one.

Let’s take the exact same scenario with the garbage man and change the time frame.

It’s 5pm and you just got home after an intense training session/workout, you’re in your gym
clothes and preparing to make a protein shake to replenish yourself. As you’re preparing the
shake, feeling good about your training and still pumped on the endorphins, you hear the garbage
truck approaching your home and you realize you forgot to take the trash out this morning and it
is piling and smelling up the environment. You rush to take the trash out and as you do, one of
the bags slips out of your hand onto the pavement and tears open in front of the garbage men.
This pisses off the garbage man who has been working since 5am to pick up trash and he gets
off his truck mouthing off at you then shoves you hard in the chest threatening to kick your butt.

Considering the time of day, the way you feel and your state of mind at this particular time, how
do you honestly think you will react in that particular moment? You may be a little more tactical
and aware then the previous scenario and your reaction will probably be completely different.

Emotional State of mind: How you feel in the moment will also affect and predetermine your
reaction both behaviorally and physically. For instance: it's a beautiful day outside, you're on
your way to your boy/girlfriends place to pick them up and go cash in on your winning lottery
ticket. You just received a call and got promoted with a raise on your job and you’re heading out
to your brand new convertible to pick up your mate. Suddenly, some guy bumps into you by
mistake, turns around and shoves you asking you what your problem is. What's your response?

Before you immediately respond, it’s important to adopt the frame of mind you would really be in,
in the situation described above. Don’t just blurt out your answer. Think about it, feel it.

Now, let's take this exact same day but change it around a little bit. It's pouring rain outside.
You’re sprinting to go put the top on your brand new, unpaid convertible, your mate just left you
for your best friend and you just received a call from your boss firing your ass. You’re extremely
pissed about this because you've lost your winning lottery ticket to boot. Same guy bumps into
you, turns around and shoves you asking you what your problem is. Now what's your response
going to be?

11
The point is this; if your techniques are memorized and take to much time to learn, when your
natural human emotions will kick in, your instinctive reaction will not be to drop into a stance and
perform an elaborate technique. The way you would act, or should we say, ‘react’, to the first
incident would highly differ in the way you would react in the second scenario.

Physical Well Being & Limitations: Since our opponent/attacker will always choose the time
and place of the assault, our physical well being may not always be at 100% during that
unfortunate moment. So it is important to

A) replicate an injury or altered state

and

B) train safely when we are not feeling 100%.

For example: in replicating an injury or altered state, we have often (responsibly) gotten our
students to drink alcohol (those that are occasional or frequent drinkers) prior to training. Another
thing we do is tie up one of their arms in a sling, have them carry a baby, put thumbtacks in their
shoes to replicate a swollen or bad ankle or foot. The thumbtacks stops them from putting their
weight on that foot therefore forcing them to go through the scenario with a bad leg, figuring out
how they’d move, react, etc. in order to create the proper mental blue prints. Be creative in
replicating these dis-eases.

Another thing we encourage the students to do is to train when they’re sick with a cold or the flu
(providing of course it isn’t a serious sickness that requires immediate medical attention or
hospital stay). This is encouraged to do because it’s imperative to establish what our capabilities
are during this state of being at the moment. One of the things I also do personally is when I get
up in the middle of the night to go for a glass of water or a leak , I enter my living room area and
start shadow fighting to see how I would perform if I were ever to be surprised by a break in my
home while asleep.

Remember, the attack will rarely take place as you are exiting the gym.

Clothing and Environment: I kept these together because they are interrelated. We dress
according to our environment and what we wear and where we are also predetermines how we
act, react etc. For instance:

Environment: The environment: A movie theater line up. You’re in line at a movie theater, you’re
with your ‘better half’  and a couple of ego jock type cocky punks are being loud, rude and
disrespectful in general. They turn their attention to your companion and completely dismiss your
existence. Your surrounding include 40 to 50 people (potential witnesses), and extreme close
quarters situations. You try to get their attention and they give it to you, one of the guys shoves
you hard and you trip and fall into another couple who are standing next to you. The male of the
other couple gets pissed and shoves you off of him. The situation just worsened. What is your
reaction?

Clothing: You’re taking a long winter snow shoe walk with your better half. Hand in hand, it’s a
nice but very cold day. You’re wearing many layers of clothing, snow shoes (rackets on your
feet) gloves, boots, snow pants, winter jacket, the works… three guys who are ski-doing see the
both of you and decide to stop and harass you. “Hey buddy, this is private property you’re
walking on” they laugh as they tell you this. You politely apologize and tell them you will be
walking off their land and that you didn’t know but they tell you that it isn’t that simple, that you will
have to sit there and watch them pleasure your girlfriend… what do you do?

Clothing and environment will play a part in affecting outcome, strategy, tactical implementation
and physical tools. If these things are not taken into consideration, you will not be able to access

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the strategic or physical tools necessary because you have never mentally blueprinted any
resolutions with the present variables.

For example: What’s the difference between a shove and a double leg take down, jab and/or
Thai kick? Take a moment to think about this prior to reading on and see what you come up with
as an answer.

The answer is the body language and behavioral delivery prior to the initial assault. The shove
will land; the 'martial technique' for the most part may not due to familiarity of the launching pad.
Again, sparring isn’t fighting.

When sparring, we are in fighting stances. What is the first thing we do when sparring or sport
fighting? We touch gloves then step back in a chosen fighting stance dictated by our style or
system creating distance and begin to circle each other, strategizing our offensive while aware of
our defensive maneuvering. Therefore the launching pad for the technical tools are familiar and
therefore, generally telegraphic to a certain extent through familiar body language.

The shove on the other hand, will be initiated from natural stances, delivered from a behavioral
point which will primarily attack the mind triggering emotional inertia and for the most part,
followed by a non technical fast and very aggressive hay maker/tackle/sucker punch that looks
nothing like the fine motor skill of a boxing punch or a grappling clinch. It is the preceding initiating
aspects of the confrontation (a real confrontation) which are forever present yet not dealt with nor
found in any of the majority of martial art systems and styles.

Martial technical applications are obvious fighting gestures. The delivery system, contrary to
common and popular belief perpetuated by sport fighters is not the same in the street as it is in
the ring. There are similarities and over laps but the differences are strong and present enough to
drastically change the outcome.

The problem is that most systems and styles start the defense from the physical point of the
attack where fights/confrontations begin much earlier. The foundation of your confidence lies in
your ability to deal with the behavioral element prior to the physical contact. If every defensive
maneuvers you train begins physically, it is very likely you will predispose yourself to wait for the
completion of the attack in the street. If you don’t think of doing it in training, what makes you
think you will do it for real under the stress, adrenaline and emotional inertia of the situation? A
real fight carries with it a reason. If that 'reason' isn't identified, analyzed and strategized then
you're missing 90% of the fight and are training only for 10%.

The idea is in creating a formula that will permit you to authenticate the theoretical self-defense
aspects of whatever style or system you study within a non consensual yet safe training
paradigm. Will your physical arsenal coincide with the situation you are facing?

Through experience and years of researching violence and how fights begin and evolve, we have
created a step by step process (formula) that allows you to experience the emotional and
behavioral elements as well as the physical variables of a real assault.

Step 1: Create the scenario: If possible, always refer to a situation that has really occurred to
someone where (sadly and unfortunately) the individual was victimized or potentially victimized.
This can be either through personal experience, news, word of mouth, research etc. The premise
of the attack should be congruous to the replication and in tuned with the scenario and the
individual participating. The scenario itself must coincide with the student’s (participant’s) lifestyle
(I.e. don’t create a bar scene/scenario for an individual that doesn’t frequent such
establishments). Lifestyle familiarity for each individual is critical here.

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Establish the time of day, the environment, the frame of mind, the reason behind the attack, the
presence of other parties etc. The scenario must unfold based on the circumstances surrounding
it as each variable will affect the outcome and response.

Step 2: Establish a time, place, environment and state of mind. Always connect the physical
attack to a realistic pre-contact build up so that your brain mentally blueprints and connects the
pre-contact cues and indicators in order to decrease reaction time. In a real fight, it is much more
important to move ‘earlier’ than it is to move ‘faster’. The speed in which the mind makes the
connection to act or react is much more important than the speed of any physically performed
technique. Not to say that physical/technical speed isn’t a definite pro, but it is not as important as
perception speed.

Step 3: React, don’t act. It is imperative that you do not ‘act’ out a scenario, this is not a
performance; but rather the participants must listen to and react to the stimulus presented both on
an emotional and behavioral level. This is as critical for the attacker as much as it is for the
defender. Do not pre-plan the dialogue, create the scene and let your emotional intuitiveness
guide you. Listen to what is being said and reply (as the good guy) tactically and (as the bad guy)
emotionally and behaviorally. This means that if the good guy is pissing you off with his words
because he is either insulting or challenging or what not, then the reaction should be connected
to the emotional charge of the words spoken and not acted out. No one should really know the
outcome beforehand, it should unfold based on the ‘defender’s’ training guidelines (guided chaos)
and tactical implementations.

Step 4: Replicate the ‘unknown’ frame of mind. What does this mean? Essentially, maintain
the honest quality and integrity of the ‘bad guy’. Don’t try to make your partner look good or bad,
just be in the moment and address the issues as they unfold. Forget that you know that your
partner is trying to defuse and defend him/herself, forget that you know why he/she is in a
Passive Stance, forget that you know it is a scenario and just be a proper ‘bad guy’. For example:
You approach your partner and are playing the role of a mugger, you manage to get your knife to
his carotid artery and ask him to drop his belongings on the floor. Your partner gets his hands up
slowly and congruously in a passive stance and you say “Put your hands down!”
For the most part, the Passive Stance is a common and natural reaction which victims adopt
without any knowledge of study of self defense. It is a universal sign of negotiation,
submissiveness and cooperation and very normal to be adopted when confronted. No predator
will give it a second look as it communicates frailty, abandonment and negotiation.
It is non aggressive, passive in nature and completely non telegraphic if accompanied by
congruous dialogue and behavior so demanding that your partner drops his hands when in a
passive stance, is incongruous and is usually ego based due to the knowledge of the participants
use of this stance and strategy.

Bottom line, don’t try and screw your partner up with incongruous responses and don’t make it
easier for your partner either. Put yourself in the frame of mind of the attacker and react to the
situation, words, behavior etc.

Step 5: The defender’s communicative guide lines – Through experience, research and
constant drilling and experimenting, we have found that there are generally 4 things you do not
want to do when defusing a potentially violent confrontation:

1. Do not challenge your attacker. Example: “Yeah, what are you gonna do about it?!” –
These types of replies will more often than not challenge the male ego and cause an
adverse effect. Inevitably, challenging your attacker will cause them to accept the
challenge as no one wants to lose face. The fight will escalate very quickly from this
point.

2. Do not threaten your attacker. Example: “Touch me and I’ll kill you” or “Don’t come any
closer or else!” – For the most part, these types of threats will usually cause the attacker

14
 to become more aggressive. Rarely will the attacker back off when challenged or
threatened this way as once again, the male ego is under attack and for the most part,
the single major cause of fights is due to ego and insecurity and the need to prove ones
self so attacking the very cause and source of the situation will only escalate it.

3. Do not command your attacker. Example: “Relax” or “Calm down, I don’t want any
trouble” – the term relax suggests your opponent is out of control and is inflammatory.
Telling someone to calm down and you don’t want any trouble may sound like you are
defusing because it isn’t aggressive or insulting but the underlining issue here is that you
are telling your opponent what to do. Once again, this is a no-no when it comes to ego,
never command your attacker, you’ll end up with a reply like “Don’t fuckin’ tell me to
relax!” or “I am calm mother-fucker and you got trouble!”

4. Do not insinuate your attacker is wrong. Example: “I wasn’t looking at your girlfriend”
or “I don’t have any problem” – once again, wrong answers. If your attacker accused you
directly or indirectly of staring at his girlfriend, telling him you weren’t is insinuating he
and/or she is wrong or lying. You may instead want to reply with something like “Hey
man, I had no idea you guys were together bro, sorry, she’s very attractive and you’re a
lucky guy”, will usually calm the situation down as you admitted to looking but apologized
with a valid excuse and a compliment to both. Behaviorally speaking, a reply similar or
as such will not challenge the male ego or trigger an aggressive response.

These 4 things will almost always (much more often than not) escalate the situation to a physical
level that neither you nor your attacker can control any more. This is why it is critical to listen and
respond based on the emotional triggers the words create in the moment. Not to say that
asserting yourself isn’t sometimes a tactical response that may work in certain cases but more
often than not, taking an aggressive or assertive approach will escalate the situation. This needs
to be felt out in the moment.

In terms of pre-emptive striking, it is always more favorable to ‘load the dice’ in your favor prior to
striking. Always remember that force must parallel danger, do not do in a scenario what you
would not do in reality.

Whatever you do, do not memorize key phrases. You don't want to have contrived replies, the
last thing you want to do is 'act'. The situation will dictate the response based on the 4
rules/concepts. Spontaneous improvisation moment to moment based on the unfolding of the
events is critical in order not to come across as 'fake', 'bluffing' or acting. The most common
mistake martial artists often make is to try to fit the situation/predicament to their strategies rather
than finding an appropriate strategy to the situation/predicament. We have a saying at our school
that goes "Do what needs to be done when it is called upon".

Step 6: Do not undermine the startle to flinch response. The primary physical portion of the
assault is critical to your understanding of what works when and why. During this step of the
scenario, providing you (the defender) haven’t gone pre-emptive, the exploration of the instinctive
protective reflexive response is paramount to minimize the time frame between the startle to
flinch response and your retaliatory arsenal.

That’s the bridge between maximizing perception time and minimizing reaction time. There are
far too many outside stimulus distractions that will prevent you from focusing solely on the danger
at hand (your opponent/attacker) such as bystanders, your friends, your opponent’s friends,
obscure or misinterpreted body language, auditory distortions, visual cues, etc. Taking your eyes
off your opponent for even a fraction of a second can and will often result in a ‘sucker punch’ or
attack you just didn’t see coming. If you maintain postural integrity (the Passive Stance) then you
will maximize in protection of your centerline as well as your startle to flinch mechanism.

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There has been much confusion regarding the startle to flinch mechanism. One cannot modify a
flinch or choose when or how to flinch. The startle to flinch mechanism is an autonomic one that
is not cognitively controlled. A flinch is an involuntary reflexive response to a sudden and
unexpected stimulus which involves flexion of most skeletal muscles and a variety of visceral
reactions - so neither you nor I can dictate its trigger; only a stimulus that is introduced too quickly
will trigger it. The startle response or flinch occurs in two phases: an initial surprise response and
then a more affected tightening. It is sustaining this latter part of the response that results in so
much chronic tension. Studies found that they could somewhat control the effect of the second
part once the flinch occurs, but not the first. The flinch response is just buried too deeply in the
instinctive machinery of the nervous system to be affected.

So the key is in minimizing the time frame between the flinch and the counter attack. If we
attempt to perform a 'technical' response or ideal technique it leaves too much room for mistakes
due to variable error. There aren't really any ideal or 'works every time' techniques, the situation
will dictate the response based on behavior, emotional inertia, natural postures in the moment,
mind set, etc.

Step 7: No consent, alive fighting. The next step is to work the physical portion of the scenario
from beginning to end using Senshido’s 5 Principles of Physical Retaliation* and the
Shredder™* as an offensive base. Both participants should be in some protective gear
(Senshido’s plexi-glass head gear, groin cup/protector) in order to experience real energy,
resistance and contact so that you understand the most important aspects of no consent training
in order to acid test your skills and determine what works, what doesn’t and the most practical
approaches.

Personally, as a side note, we don’t believe in full suits or full body armor for training. For one, it
is way too expensive for nothing. Some of these suits can go for $1000.00 USD or more. If the
gear distorts the reality then you've developed the wrong physical blueprints as the reactions
won’t be ‘natural’ – Not to mention; feeling the contact and increasing pain tolerance thresholds
are also paramount to the training in order to trigger realistic expressions and responses instead
of contrived or acted out ones.

A common misconception is that without protective suits, there will be severe injuries. We’ve
been running full out scenarios since 1994 without any protective suits (except for the head gear
and groin protector at a tenth of the cost) and we’ve had no injuries whatsoever since. You will
find through experience that the majority of the common physical tools (kicks, certain punches,
knees, elbows etc.) and strikes in general aren’t as easy to efficiently land if the scenario is
replicated correctly due to the fact that a real fight more often than not occurs at the close quarter
range and negates efficient use of strikes.

A real fight looks nothing like a no holds barred fight or a sparring match, there are several deep
rooted layers that affect and determine the outcome prior to any physical contact. Also, due to
the closeness of the assault and the fact that dialogue will bridge the gap & emotional inertia will
afflict performance, strikes become difficult to land due to the necessary 3 elements it requires to
be effective:

1. Distance
2. Grounding
3. Torque

Eliminate one or more of these 3 elements and strikes lose their efficiency.

* See the Shredder™ and Shredder™ Enhancer DVD/tape for detailed explanations and
demonstrations available through www.Senshido.com.

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Step 8: Debriefing. Always break down and analyze the outcome and results of the scenario.
Get feedback from the participants and see how things can be improved. Always take it from the
pre-contact stages, breaking down the dialogue, the body language, the initial physical contact
and determine (if the scenario went physical) if there was any way of defusing it.

I fundamentally believe in the “Socratic” method of teaching where you get the participants to
answer their own questions, provoking thought and discussion as opposed to offering the
answers for them. Ask the participants questions and pay close attention to the emotional
content, their feeling in the moment and the physiological changes and their reactions and
responses to those in terms of their actions.

* The 5 principles of Physical Retaliation can be found both in the “Shredder™ book”, The
Fundamentals of Person Protection DVD/Tape and our best selling book “In Total Defense
of the Self” available through www.Senshido.com.

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In this next chapter, we are going to look at criminal characteristics, tendencies and
behavioral aspects in order to help you create and give layers to your ‘attacker’ roles.
Please note that the following information is related to North American culture and may
vary from continent to continent.

CRIMINAL CHARACTERISTICS, BEHAVIORAL ELEMENTS & STATISTICAL REFERENCES

When role playing, as stated earlier, it is critical to understand the behavioral elements and
philosophical reasons behind the attacks, the victimization process, etc. I’ve taken the time to
include some statistics, as well as characteristics to aide you in recreating the scenario as
realistically as possible. This includes rapes, murders, sexual assaults, school and workplace
violence, demographics etc.

Violent crimes include murder, rape, hate crimes, sexual assault, robbery, aggravated assaults
etc. Generally speaking, males are more likely to be violently victimized by a stranger, whereas
females are more likely to be victimized by a friend, an acquaintance, or someone they are
intimately involved with.

Except for rape/sexual assault males had higher rates than females for other violent crimes.

According to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reports, in 2002, most murder victims (77% ) were male.

Men were more likely than women to be the victim of a carjacking (2 men and 1 woman per
10,000 persons).

RAPE, SEXUAL ASSAULT:

According to the US Department of Justice, in 2003, about seven in ten female rape or sexual
assault victims stated the offender was an intimate, other relative, a friend or an acquaintance.

Women age 16-24 experienced the highest per capita rates of intimate violence.

In Canada, a woman is raped every 17 minutes, in America, every 2 minutes.

1 out of 3 women will be sexually assaulted at sometime in her life and 1 out of 8 women are
before the age of 18.

60% of rapes and most battering and sexual assaults take place in the home.

68% of rape victims knew their assailant, 28% of victims are raped by husbands or boyfriends,
35% by acquaintances, and 5% by other relatives.

By the time you reached this portion of the page sadly and unfortunately, 3 women in
North America have already been raped.

Abusive relationship/spousal/partner characteristics:

Withheld approval, appreciation or affection as punishment.

Continually criticized you; called you names or shouted at you.

Ignored your feelings on a regular basis.

Ridiculed or insulted your most valued beliefs, your religion, race, class or sexual preference.

18
Been very jealous, harassed you about imagined affairs.

Manipulated you with lies.

Insisted you dress the way he/she wants.

Humiliated you in private or public.

Insulted or driven away your friends or family.

Taken car keys or money away.

Subjected you to reckless driving.

Thrown objects at you.

Abused pets to hurt you.

Punched, shoved, slapped, bit, kicked, choked or hit you.

Raped you or subjected you to other violent or degrading non-consensual sexual acts.

Threatened to commit suicide if you leave.

There are several types of rapists out there. From the serial rapist to the date rapist, from
incest rape to violent rapes here are the characteristics of the most common type of
rapists: The following typologies were done by the FBI.

A. Power Reassurance. Purpose of Assault: To reassure himself of his masculinity, he

has doubts about his manliness.

1. Method of Operation

Minimal level of force.

Surprise approach.

Attacks between midnight and five a.m. (usually).

Attacks in victims residence (usually).

Victim usually alone or with small children.

Fantasy is that of victim as lover.

Pre-selects victims through surveillance or "peeping tom" type activities.

Beginning attacks occur within walking distance of where he lives or works.

Only type of rapist to re-assault same victim, he may come back a second time.

Most likely to walk to scene.

Attack at 7 - 15 day intervals.

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Sexual assault generally over quickly, then may spend time in conversation with the victim.

Most common sexual dysfunction is erectile insufficiency.

Victims are generally within offenders own age range.

Most likely type of rapist to re-contact victims.

Likely to take a souvenir.

May keep record of his assaults.

2. Offender Characteristic and Traits (low self esteem is key to his characteristics)

Non-athletic.

Little or no pride in personal appearance.

An underachiever.

Does not interact well with people, particularly women.

Nocturnal type of individual

Has solitary pastimes.

Non-married (usually).

If dating, she is significantly younger than he.

Prior arrest history of nuisance offenses and property crimes such as burglary, trespassing, B & E
etc.

Lives alone or with parent(s).

Known as a loner.

Lives, works, or frequently visits in walking distance of first crime.

Considers himself a loser.

If he’s employed, he’s working in a menial type job requiring little or no contact with people.

B. Power Assertive. Purpose of Assault: Expressing his masculinity

1. Method of Operation

Verbally and sexually selfish.

Moderate level of force.

Con-approach.

Will attack victim in his own age range (usually).

Most likely to be "date rapist" - he has met victim on same evening.

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Will repeatedly assault victim during incident.

Likely to rip or tear clothing from victim.

Assault is usually away from where he works or lives.

Relies on his fists for weapons.

Assaults occur during the early evening hours.

Most common sexual dysfunction is retarded ejaculation.

Sporadic pattern (non-discernible).

2. Offender Characteristics and Traits

Athletic.

Exercises regularly.

Takes a great deal of pride in personal and physical appearance.

Likely to operate a flashy, macho, muscle-type vehicle, whatever reflects a macho image.

Drinks "macho" drinks.

Dresses according to the "macho" image of the area.

Dates frequently.

Married more than once.

Known as a "heartbreaker", uses women.

Self-centered.

Breaks off relationships with girlfriends.

History of conflict with women.

Interested in various ‘manly’ sports.

"Macho" job - construction, etc.

If married, cheats on his wife, not a good father.

Arrest history for assault, etc.

C. Anger Retaliatory. Purpose of Assault: To get even for real or imagined wrong doings to
him, to punish and degrade women.

1. Method of Operation

Spontaneous type of crime - will occur anytime, day or night.

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Excessive level of force.

Verbal and sexually selfish.

"Blitz" approach.

Episodic (periodic/intermittent) pattern.

Attacks involve victims of opportunity.

Spends relatively short period of time with the victim.

Rips and tears victim's clothing.

Victims are same age or older.

Frequently attacks symbolic victims - may not be clear until several attacks have occurred.

Common sexual dysfunction is retarded ejaculation.

Abuses alcohol.

2. Offender Characteristics and Traits

Reported to have a dark side to his personality.

Lacks a sense of humor.

Abuses alcohol and other substances.

Arrest history - alcohol related incidents, domestic assaults, drunk driving, etc.

Married more than once accompanied by violence.

Temper problems and substance abuse known to those close to him, may have received
counseling for them.

Impulsive person - changes jobs, travels, takes actions without considering consequences.

Loner personality: interacts with others but prefers his own company.

High school drop-out.

Employed in a job that allows him to work out his aggression .

D. Anger Excitation Purpose of Assault: (A true sexual sadist) enjoys to inflict physical
and emotional pain on his victims

1. Method of Operation

Uses "con" approach, sometimes "blitz".

Entire crime exhibits a great deal of planning.

Everything is planned except the victim.

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Uses restraints, bondage often evident.

Prone to a great deal of experimental sex.

Keeps victims from hours to days.

Usually records his activities.

Non-emotional during assault.

Vehicle may be modified - door handles removed, seat belts don't unlock, police equipment in
vehicle.

2. Offender Characteristics and Traits

Usually white male.

Outgoing and well liked - friendly.

Dominant personality.

Above average IQ.

At least some college training beyond high school level.

Outdoors man.

Uses but does not abuse alcohol or drugs.

Collects pornography - especially bondage.

Those involved in other criminal activity will be involved in sophisticated types of crime.

Collects guns, knives, or Nazi paraphernalia.

Drives a family or outdoor type of vehicle.

Personally neat and well groomed.

Compulsive driver.

E. Opportunity Rapist. Purposes of Assault: Sexual gratification

Offender Characteristics and Traits

He is there to commit another crime - burglary, robbery, etc. and seizes the opportunity to rape
the victim.

Level of force varies - generally minimal.

Generally uses alcohol or drugs to lower inhibitions.

Not likely to rape again therefore making it impossible to profile.

Using these traits and characteristics will help you create the layers for the bad guy roles of your

23
scenarios especially when working with women. How deep you want the layers to go is up to the
scenario director/instructor etc.

ROBBERIES, MUGGINGS:

In robberies/muggings, 62% of males and 45% of females stated the individual(s) who robbed
them was a stranger.

There are several types of mugger types whose behaviors will vary. Although a criminal, any
criminal, will usually want one or more of the following 3 things:

Your valuables – (Wallet, money, purse, shoes, car, jewelry etc.)

Your body – (Rape, beat, humiliate, injure, maim, cripple, etc.)
Your life – (Kill you)

Their behavior will dictate different strategies. For example: A seasoned mugger who’s never
been caught may be more cocky and sure of himself compared to an ‘Opportunity Mugger”
(someone down on their luck deciding to mug someone for the first time to make ends meet) who
will be much more nervous and potentially more dangerous due to the nervousness. These 2
types of muggers will require a different tactical solution based on the behavioral aspects of the
situation.

MURDER:

There are several types of murderers. There are serial killers, mass murderers, spree murderers,
murders of passion, premeditated murders, revenge or financial motive murders etc.

The mass murderer usually kills three, four or more victims in one location in one shot during a
period of time that lasts anywhere from a few minutes to a few days. Most mass murderers are
mentally disturbed people although not necessarily psychotic; whose problems build to the point
that they erupt against whoever happens to be in the vicinity at the time.

Charles Whitman, who shot more than 30 people from a tower at the University of Texas campus,
and James Huberty who murdered 21 people, most of whom were children, at a San Diego
McDonald's restaurant are some of the most ‘popular’ examples of mass murderers. Mass
murderers are sometimes divided into those who kill only members of their family and those who
kill victims to whom they are not related to at all.

There is always build up which leads to the murders where the murderer in question has been
(either in his mind or for real) humiliated of sorts by his family or society as he deems them,
where he has been ‘left out’ and/or ignored, let down or even ostracized by his peers.

Spree killers on the other hand, murder victims at two or more locations with no cooling-off
periods in between the murders whatsoever. The killing for the most part constitutes as a single
event although it can last a short period of time or a long time.

Murders of passion frequently happen in the moment, where a heated situation which seems to
have ‘cornered’ the individual, threatening his reality and/or well being (usually his entire life as
he/she knows it) is protected by a ‘justifiable’ act of killing in order to maintain or protect his/her
lifestyle. This can include the murder of a family member, business associate, friend or
acquaintance. The victim can also be completely unaware of the fact as he may be perceived a
threat by the individual and killed without necessarily being involved in a face to face to
discussion. This can also be premeditated at times where the killer plans the demise of the victim
(can be with or without the help of an accomplice or accessory to murder).

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A serial murderer is yet a different type of killer. The serial killer usually kills three or more
victims, each on separate occasions. Unlike mass murderers and spree type murderers, serial
killers usually select a certain type of victim who fulfills a certain type of role in their fantasies.
There are usually lapses of time between serial murders, sometimes ranging between days,
weeks, months and even years at times.

Some serial killers like the notorious Ted Bundy will travel and murder in several different
locations while others such as Wayne Williams (the man convicted of killing children in Atlanta,
FL) kill within the same area (town, city etc.) Others will encompass an unusual combination of
serial killer characteristics such as carefully planning their murders, often traveling long distances
between their crimes, kill for idiosyncratic reasons, and frequently wait months between killings.

CHARACTERISTICS:

Research shows that generally, serial killers are white males aged 25 to 34, of at least average
intelligence, and often with charming personalities. Many were illegitimate children and
experienced some form of abuse growing up. They tend to choose vulnerable victims of some
specific type who gratify their need to control people. They prefer to kill with hands-on methods
such as strangulation and stabbing. They are often preoccupied with sadistic sexual fantasies
involving domination and control of their victims. Many serial killers are impressed with police
work and like to associate with the police. Over the course of their murderous careers, their
murders may become less organized and more poorly planned as some have the subconscious
desire to be apprehended either due to extreme guilt or simply their 15 minutes of fame.
However, the contrary has also been observed.

Ronald Holmes, a criminologist at the University of Louisville, USA who specializes in the study of
serial murders, has identified four subtypes of serial killers:

1. The visionary type:

The visionary type feels compelled to murder because he hears voices or sees visions ordering
him to kill certain kinds of people. This type is often psychotic and suffers from delusional.

2. The mission-oriented type

The mission oriented type seeks to kill a specific group of people who he believes are unworthy to
live and without whom the world would be a better place. He is not necessarily psychotic, in fact,
his everyday acquaintances frequently will describe him as a fine and quite normal citizen, kind,
well expressed etc.

3. The hedonistic type

This type kills for the thrill of it. Such killers simply enjoy the act of killing. Sexual arousal is
common with this type of murder.

4. The power-oriented type

The power oriented type kills because he enjoys exerting ultimate control over his victims. These
murderers are not psychotic, but they are obsessed with capturing and controlling their victims
and forcing them to obey their every command.

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These are the most common related type serial killers, still common but not in the serial killer
category are crimes of passion. More often than not committed by someone we know, here are a
couple of statistics to consider:

Family members are most likely to murder a young child. About one in five child murders are
committed by a family member, while a friend or acquaintance is most likely to murder an older
child age 15 to 17.

For murder victims, 43% were related to or acquainted with their assailants; 14% of victims were
murdered by strangers, while 43% of victims had an unknown relationship to their murderer in
2002.

Intimate violence is primarily a crime against women. In 1998, females were the victims in 72% of
intimate murders and the victims of about 85% of non-lethal intimate violence

WORKPLACE VIOLENCE:

Of selected occupations examined from 1993 to 1999, police officers were the most vulnerable to
be victims of workplace violence, as well as correctional officers, taxicab drivers, private security
workers, and bartenders.

While working or on duty, U.S. residents experienced 1.7 million violent victimizations annually
from 1993 to 1999 including 1.3 million simple assaults, 325,000 aggravated assaults, 36,500
rapes and sexual assaults, 70,000 robberies, and 900 homicides. Workplace violence accounted
for 18% of all violent crimes between 1993 to 1999.

Police officers were victims of a nonfatal violent crime while they were working or on duty
between 1993 to 1999 at a rate of 261 per 1,000 officers.

Intimates were identified by the victims of workplace violence as the perpetrator in about 1% of all
workplace violent crime. About 40% of the victims of nonfatal violence in the workplace reported
that they knew their offender.

TIMES AND OCCURENCES:

In 2003, while overall violent crimes were more likely to occur during the day than at night, some
crimes exhibited different patterns.

In 2003, 53% of incidents of violent crime occurred between 6 am and 6pm. Almost two-thirds of
rapes/sexual assaults occurred at night between 6 pm and 6 am.

PLACES AND ENVIRONMENTS OF OCCURENCES:

In 2003 about a quarter of incidents of violent crime occurred at or near the victim's home. Among
common locales for violent crimes were on streets (notice it doesn’t say anything about the
octagon or a ring?) other than those near the victim's home (17%), at school (14%), or at a
commercial establishment (7%).

About one in four violent crimes occurred in or near the victim's home. Including these, about half
occurred within a mile from home and 76% within five miles. Only 4% of victims of violent crime
reported that the crime took place more than fifty miles from their home.

Twenty-two percent of victims of violent crime reported being involved in some form of leisure
activity away from home at the time of their victimization. Twenty-three percent said they were at

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home, and another 19% mentioned they were at work or traveling to or from work when the crime
occurred.

SCHOOL VIOLENCE:

In 2001, Students age 12 through 18 were victims of about 161,000 serious violent crimes at
school, and about 290,000 away from school. Between 1992 and 2001 victimization rates at
school and away from school declined.

In 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, and 2001 about 7 to 9 percent of students in grades 9 to 12 reported
being threatened or injured with a weapon such as a gun, knife, or club on school property.

In 2001, about 6% of students carried a weapon such as a gun, knife, or club on school
property in the past 30 days, a decline from 12% in 1993.

Sixteen school-associated homicides were of school age children between July 1, 1999 and June
30, 2000.

In 2001, 20% of students reported the presence of street gangs in their schools.

URBAN, SUBURBAN AND RURAL:

Urban residents had the highest violent victimization rates, followed by suburban resident rates.
Rural resident had the lowest rates.

In 2003, five urban residents, four suburban residents and four rural residents per 1,000 were
victims of an aggravated assault. Suburban and rural residents were victims of violence at
statistically similar rates during 2003.

WEAPONS:

In 2003, 24% of violent crimes were committed with the presence of a weapon.

Offenders had or used a weapon in 45% of all robberies/muggings, compared with 11% of all
rapes/sexual assaults in 2003.

Homicides are most often committed with guns, especially handguns. In 2002, 51% of homicides
were committed with handguns, 16% with other guns, 13% with knives, 5% with blunt objects,
and 16% with other weapons.

In each of 12 cities surveyed in 1998, victims said that less than half of the violent crimes involved
a weapon.

ALCOHOL & DRUG INVOLVEMENT:

Approximately 1 million violent crimes occurred in 2002 in which victims perceived the offender to
have been drinking at the time of the offense. Among those victims who provided information
about the offender's use of alcohol, about 30% of the victimizations involved an offender who had
been drinking.

Two-thirds of victims who suffered violence by an intimate (a current or former spouse, boyfriend,
or girlfriend) reported that alcohol had been a factor. Among spouse victims, 3 out of 4 incidents
were reported to have involved an offender who had been drinking. By contrast, an estimated

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31% of stranger victimizations where the victim could determine the absence or presence of
alcohol was perceived to be alcohol-related.

For about 1 in 5 violent victimizations involving perceived alcohol use by the offender, victims also
reported they believed the offender to have been using drugs as well.

HATE CRIMES:

The 1997-99 National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) data showed that out of nearly
5.4 million offenses reported to NIBRS agencies in nearly a dozen States, almost 3,000 were
identified as hate crimes.

61% of hate crime incidents were motivated by race, 4% by religion, 13% by sexual orientation,
11% by ethnicity, and 1% by victim disability. Targets of hate crime were most commonly
individuals (84%) as opposed to businesses or religious organizations.

Among victims of violent hate crime, 7% listed their attackers as relatives or friends, 38% as
acquaintances and 26% as strangers.

VICTIMS OF VIOLENT CRIMES:

In 2003, persons age 12 to 24 sustained violent victimization at rates higher than individuals of all
other ages. Beginning with the 20-24 age categories, the rate at which people were victims
declined significantly as the age category increased.

The FBI's Uniform Crime Reports show that in 2002, 90% of murder victims were age 18 or older.
Of all murder victims, 45% were 20 to 34 years old.

Elderly persons (age 65 or older) were victims of an annual average 46,000 purse snatchings or
pocket pickings, 166,000 non-lethal violent crimes (rape, sexual assault, robbery, aggravated and
simple assault), and 1,000 murders 1992-97.

Robbery accounted for a quarter of the violent crimes against people age 65 or older, but less
than an eighth of the violent crimes experienced by those aged between 12 and 64.

These characteristics and statistics should help you in building the layers and foundations for
some of your scenarios. It also takes a little research on your part, some creativity as well as
visualization in order to help create the most realistic situations to enhance the mental blueprints
in order to deal with today’s societal violence that unfortunately plagues us.

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Misconceptions of Scenario Based Training

Many systems out there today, especially ‘reality based self defense’ systems now incorporate
scenario based training into their curriculums. Unfortunately, many of these systems are missing
several integral elements in making the scenarios realistic or maximizing on the efficiency of the
tools within the system.

Some use extremely bulky full body armor making the attacks unrealistic, slow therefore
programming the wrong physical responses and spontaneous reactions where the attackers don’t
really attack but are more like walking punching bags.

Other systems pay lip service to the pre-contact aspects of the scenario where the ‘defusing’
portion consists of yelling and screaming ‘NO! BACK OFF! LEAVE ME ALONE! DON’T COME
ANY CLOSER” etc. and the situation ends up in a flurry of knees, elbows and groin strikes. We
refer to this as ‘sparring with swearing and dialogue.”

Still others will run scenarios but will miss on the most important factor; the triggering of the
behavioral elements which is the delivery system to all physical tools in a real fight and instead,
the scenario plays out like a bad Canadian murder mystery on CBC. 

Many people claim experience, but experience means nothing if it isn’t dissected, analyzed,
anatomized and identified in order to learn from these experiences and apply it to Joe Everybody.
You see, if someone had tons of experience working the door as a bouncer and won every
altercation using a collar grab and repeatedly punching his opponent in the face until
unconsciousness; then devises a system around brute strength and solid punching, then his
experiences means nothing to the general public. Yet the general public will listen to this
individual because he won all his fights and survived many violent altercations that way. Makes
no sense if you think about it yet many systems today are predicated on such ‘experiences’.

The point of the matter is; experience is only valid if it can be transcended. For the most part,
many out there claiming experience as their basis for teaching self defense doesn’t transcend to
the general public. Especially some of the more popular military systems out there now taught to
civilians. Civilians are not attacked the way soldiers are nor do the methods of attack or defense
transcend from the battlefield to the urban settings of today. Soldiers are trained to kill; civilians
have to deal with the moral, ethical and legal implications of defending themselves. Therefore if a
military system is to be taught to civilians, it has to undergo some serious modifications and
changes taking into account the behavioral and psychological aspects as well as the initial pre-
contact levels of the attack and the aftermath of the situation (legal aspects, witnesses, revenge
factor etc.)

It takes much more than just experience to have a solid understanding of the realities of violence
and its effects; it takes research and passion as well, as key ingredients. Experience alone
doesn’t cut it. Experience + Research (empirical, holistic & theoretical) + Passion = Successful
development of a self defense system.

There is much more to scenario based training than just starting a sparring match with dialogue.
This manual hopefully shed some light into the deeper rooted levels of proper scenario
replications based on my experience, research and passion for this stuff over the last 2 decades.
This includes keen observation of hundreds of fights and confrontations, the way they started, the
affecting factors, the behavioral elements and the unfolding of the physical portions as well as
those that were defused and de-escalated during my work as a bouncer, undercover security and
bodyguard; then researching the cause and effects on a 3 dimensional level – behaviorally,
psychologically and emotionally. The physical part is the easiest.

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Please read the following unfortunate true story with care.

"Hi, my name is Kris.

In 1977, I was engaged to a very attractive young woman named Rebecca. We were totally in
love and to be married in another five months, then she disappeared on September 20th, three
days before her 21st birthday. Rewards were offered; an investigation was launched, but nothing
could be found of her until the following March. (6 months later).

Her body was found in a secluded clearing, 60 miles from where she was last seen. Forensics
later showed that she had been repeatedly raped, sodomized, and assaulted. Her right arm had
been broken, her teeth were chipped, and finally she had been shot in the head. What had once
been a very beautiful and vibrant young woman had been totally destroyed by some animal with a
police record an inch thick.

Of course, police arrested her killer. There was even a trial. But under the laws of that state, he
was set free, even though the police had a signed confession and he had willingly taken them to
her body. I want you all to think very hard about those facts. I cannot go back to the town where
he still lives because I know who he is. Do any of you think I could restrain myself if I were
anywhere near him? (Could any of you?)

At the same time, I have never visited Rebecca's grave, first because it was too painful for me to
do so and later because she had been laid to rest in a state far from where I had known her. It
has been 21 years now, and I still remember everything about her as if it were yesterday. Her
auburn hair, her green eyes, her brilliant smile, even the way she laughed and kidded with me
about things are still right there in my mind.

I want each of you to think for one moment about what she went through before she died
because that is what can happen to any of you. Did she plead for mercy? Did she give him
everything he desired? Did she try to be rational with him? And, in the end, knowing what her fate
was to be, did she fight and claw and try to stay alive? The coroner says she was shot from
behind, probably while running away, and with a broken arm, probably naked and without shoes,
no one can run very fast under these conditions.

I imagine it was rather like a hunter following a maimed deer, ready to put it out of its misery with
a shot to the head and thus end its suffering. Only this time, it was to get rid of the only witness to
the crime. Then, when she had been dead for over five months, this sick individual came back to
her body and removed her head, like a trophy, and kept it in his house for a while before going to
the police with some made-up story about having "found" a body in the woods.

In the end, no one except her killer really knows what happened, how many sick things were
done to her, the humiliation she was forced to endure, the fear and horror she felt, and, in those
last moments, the absolute terror she must have suffered. In the end, though, mercifully she
could no longer feel those things, but everything she would ever have been -- mother, friend,
lover, wife, life-long companion, grandmother, and more -- were gone and impossible to bring
back.

Why have I told you this? Because if my Rebecca had not gone with this beast, had she not been
coerced in some way into getting into his van with him, had she run away at the first sign of
trouble, or had she fought hard from the beginning to prevent him from abducting her; no matter
that he had a gun, then I am confident that I would not be writing this letter today.

In the end, I can only say this and hope you all listen very well: If someone tries to force you into
a car, if they try to kidnap you, if they have a gun or knife and try to tell you to go with them, then
is the time to fight for all you are worth or run as fast you can to get away from them, because if
they succeed in abducting you, taking you to a secluded place to where they are totally in control,

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whatever happens is going to happen over and over and over again until they finally get tired of
their game.

And then, to put it bluntly, you will die. At least when you are still free, you can fight for that
freedom. At least when you are free, you can run and scream and do everything in your power to
get away. And, at least when you are free, you can choose your actions, even if they are your
last. To a man, it is usually very simple: Someone attacks or assaults you and you fight back.
There is no question of that to men. Women have been very misled into believing that being
passive will result in their safety and survival.

No one is an easier victim than a passive person. If you do not fight back, then your attacker will
do whatever he wants with you. Remember this above all else. Weakness is an invitation for
aggression. You need only be strong enough to get away. And, in the end, that is all that really
counts. I hope and I pray that each of you reading these words take every possible step toward
becoming a non-victim. It is too late for my Rebecca; do not let it be too late for you."

I included this letter which was written to a friend of mine who taught self defense in Texas, by
one of his students. Why did I include this letter? Because it is unfortunately very real. There is a
very disturbing trend out there perpetuated by mainly sport fighters and martial artists that training
specifically for self defense purposes is paranoid. Here are some direct quotes made by some of
these martial artists and instructors:

- “RBSD guys are paranoiacs”

- “I've thought for a long time that the terms "Realistic Scenario Based Training", is the ultimate
oxymoron.”
- “But, in the end the pursuit of "street fighting" and "self defense" is a dead end.
- Bottom line is that if you are staying out of bars, away from alcohol, and "party" people, and
living a clean, athletic life. . .its unlikely that you will ever get in a legit street fight."
- Contrast that with traditional self defense, and or street fighting arts. Put these same scared kids
in there . . . they begin wearing camouflage pants, carrying knives everywhere, thinking
"tactically", etc. Becoming just bigger dorks and obvious targets for a bully jock.”
- “They grow up and turn into the geeks you see at gun and knife shows.”

You get the point. Some of these quotes are by mainstream martial arts instructors with very
large followings, while others are by students of sport based systems who simply regurgitate what
they heard their ‘guru’s’ say.

Now I can certainly understand where these guys are coming from as there definitely are several
RBSD systems out there that do perpetuate this kind of “Rambo” mentality but the
ambiguousness of it all, lumping all RBSD together as such does a great disservice to those
teaching legitimate self protection systems. The problem lies in marketing and obviously trying to
get the masses to train with them instead of other places, which is fine as everyone needs to
make a buck and eat but this sort of behavior is in my opinion, socially irresponsible.

Unfortunately and sadly, violence exists. You can live the healthiest, safest, cleanest and most
athletic means possible and still unfortunately be victimized. To blame a victim for what they’ve
gone through is not only heartless, arrogant and self righteous but it is also very wrong. This is
not perpetuating on people’s fears nor is it trying to capitalize on fears or paranoia. That would
be like saying that fire alarms, car insurance, home alarm systems, cops, the military etc. only
exist to capitalize on our fears. The threat is unfortunately out there and to deny the fact that it
exists, that it could happen to you or a loved one is to give it more power as apathy and denial
are a victim’s biggest traits. Stay safe…

"The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist.”
- Christopher McQuarrie

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References:

- US Department of Justice - Office of Justice Programs

- Bureau of Justice Statistics
- Homes & DeBurger, 1988
- Wrightsman/Nietzel/Fortune, Psychology and the Law, 4th Ed., Brooks/Cole, 1997
- Swiss Criminal Profiling Scientific Research Site
- Riley Center General Brochure
- Brian Marjeko, John Laird, University of Michigan

For more information on Senshido Inc. please visit www.Senshido.com

To host a Senshido seminar in your area, please contact us at seminars@senshido.com or

call 514-879-5621.

Thank you

Sincerely,
Richard Dimitri

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