Self Defence – The Essence of Personal Protection

Self-defence is not only about the physical tools and techniques used in fighting but also about on-the-spot assessment of many variables in unpredictable and rapidly changing circumstances, doing this under immediate threat, coming up with an appropriate plan of action and effectively implementing it in time, and being able to later explain why you felt that was the right response.

Anybody regardless of age, size, sex or shape can learn basic self-defence skills. These include situational awareness skills – ‘being switched on’, recognizing potentially dangerous situations, avoiding them before they escalate, developing solid awareness skills, following your ‘gut instinct’, making yourself a hard target, verbally deescalating and defusing a situation that may become out of control and stopping a physical assault with minimal damage to yourself and your loved ones.

Self-Defence increase confidence and improve your self- assurance. Originally self-defence was not regarded as a form of exercise, however new research on combative physical conditioning has changed this perception. Combat is physically stressful and demanding, and this needs to be taken into consideration. Fitness is always activity specific and it is always better to use combative activity such as pad-work or sparring to develop and test combative fitness, as opposed to using body weight and flexibility exercises. Self-defence is more about using short bursts of exercise to protect your-self and escaping from a violent situation.

Self-Defence offers skills that can be learned quickly and create a stronger mind-body connection in addition, self-defence develops self-respect and awareness. Effective self-defence means coming up with a defensive strategy or plan of action that is reflective on deflecting the immediate threat and escaping before another threat can be offered. Combative self-defence is an act of survival – not a ‘fist fight’. In a real-world self-defence situation if you lose you could die. Your mind and body are at risk of grievous harm or death and after an assault you become a survivor not a winner.

Real situations, frequently involve more than one assailant which becomes ‘a life threatening situation’. Reality based self-defence systems will include practice with more than one enemy. ‘Out fighting’ multiple enemies is a very difficult situation and therefore more emphasis is placed on escape. A good self-defence system will reflect violence as it happens by utilizing drills that involve realistic role play. These types of drills will have partners playing the role of assailants and will include dialogue, intimidation, deception and surprise, etc. This will usually be combined with live training drills and the requirements associated with awareness, avoidance and escape.

In conclusion, Self-defence training is geared to protecting yourself and loved ones in a ‘street’ context and your life could depend on your ability to defend yourself and your loved ones.

About us

Piet Opperman founded Self Defence Training Academy (SDTA) in 2014 to provide men and women – young and old alike – with effective, combat proven, real world self defence techniques to counter violent crime.

Piet has a strong military background where he received the majority of his military training in the United Kingdom as part of an elite unite serving in various conflict zones around the world. He is also a highly skilled, qualified close protection officer and self defence instructor with more than 15 years experience.

Our motto is “FIGHT TO THE END” come find out why.

Our mission is to become the Self Defence Training provider of choice in Gauteng, training clients to survive attacks and protecting loved ones.

Our clients will be better prepared mentally and physically for the dangerous world out there that they face on a daily basis.

We look forward to training you.

Be safe.

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