Fight or Flight

Awareness of yourself, the situation, and the surroundings is a big part of self-defense and will help you avoid most situations that can lead to physical conflict. When you are aware of a bad situation developing, you can normally distance yourself before you reach the point of no return. But sometimes you may not have the ability to distance yourself because you lack the physical fitness required to do so. Other times it may not be appropriate to distance yourself. Sometimes you must decide whether to flee or stay and fight. Sometimes it is not only necessary to stay and fight; it is the right thing to do. Preparing to deal with physical violence involves more than knowing the techniques. At what point do you really know that you are under attack? If you counterattack too soon, you may be doing damage to someone who intended you no harm; if you counterattack too late, you may end up dead. Study and learn the common cues that often precede battle. Formidable Fighter: The Complete Series, a compilation of all 14 books in this series, is available in both electronic and print format.