'Ready to Win' was the motto of the day when we, Ken Oesterreich and Veit Albrecht, conducted a one day intensive workshop on urban violence prevention and defensive tactics at the Otto-von-Guericke University Gym in Magdeburg. This specialized event included preventative measures against violent assaults in an urban environment such as rape attempts and situational self defense in confined spaces.
All participants were sensitized right from the beginning that a pro-active approach towards self-protection in combination with tactically correct counter-measures provide better options for maintaining the ability to assess, decide and execute the required options in a high stress situation. This process goes beyond physical tactics and requires first and foremost an open and honest approach to ones personal strengths and weaknesses as well as sound knowledge about human behaviour under stress. These specific aspects built the literal red thread that ran through the whole workshop and did not only function as an important element for the physical protection while under assault but also for the central skill set – How to create distance between yourself and the adversary.
The tactical and technical portion of the training was supplemented by the typical dirty tricks and camera friendly counter-measures of the Todd Specialist Close Combat System with the intention to both limit risks from physical superior attackers and legal repercussions which could result from misinterpretations of the situation of eyewitnesses. Scenario trainings concluded this intensive workshop and provided a valuable feedback for all participants.
The integration of empirical research on urban violence including police records, press coverage and video footage on current problems such as 'Happy Slapping' incidents enabled all participants to get a more complete impression of what human beings are capable of doing to others and highlighted the necessity for a training that goes beyond physical skills and established thought patterns.
Continuation workshops on specific modules of the Phase I syllabus of the Todd Specialist Close Combat System are already planned for the winter semester 2009 / 2010.
We would finally like to express our gratitude to the excellent support from the University team and all participants who contributed to the success of this workshop.
Train hard,
Ken Oesterreich ; Veit Albrecht
