Able vs Disabled

[mercop]

This past weekend at the edged weapon course in Indianapolis we were talking about some of the things that could likely lead up to and justify the use of deadly force. One thing that can add to the totality of circumstances is someone who is able-bodied attacking someone who is disabled. When we hear someone say disabled our minds eye can have a tendency view someone that has a visible handicap or debilitating injury. That may only be the case some of the time.

In the beginning of all courses we have people fill out student contact sheets that include them listing injuries and allergies. Some of the most common issues include back, neck, shoulders, elbows and knees. The first two no only hinder mobility but aggravation can lead to central nervous system issues and possible paralysis. Aggravating a shoulder or elbow injury could severely hinder your ability to defend yourself or retain your weapons. Everyone needs to take an inventory of his or her physical condition and consider it in their overall personal protection plan.

Consider a scenario that starts off with you defending yourself against an open hand attack during which you move backwards and fall over a curb. As you hit the ground your eyes slam shut, with your arms stretched out to break you fall you land. You feel pain shoot down your back and into your legs. Just as you realize that you have severely injured your back you open your eyes only to see your attacker rushing you. What began as a fistfight has now escalated to what could require you to use the deadly force of a gun or knife to save your life.

Another common scenario is someone being punched or kicked repeatedly in the head. Any reasonable person would conclude that loosing consciousness might require the use of deadly force on your part to survive.

Even an able bodied person can be disabled in fractions of a second.

[Archbishop]

Good thoughts on the disparity of force. Thanks

[rhino]

Excellent post!

It also raises the issue of who may really, really need the knowledge and means to protect themself more so than someone who is able bodied and may have more options in a given scenario.

One of the things that I'm trying to improve in the big picture is accessibility to self-defense instruction to people with physical limitations, whether they are obvious to observers or not. They're the people who probably have the biggest need, but for a variety of reasons have less access to training, whether it's impossible for them to do it or self-imposed.

[mercop]

Rhino, I agree. One of my private students is in a chair. We do open hand, knife and pistol work. If someone was dumb enough to grab a hold of him they would be very sorry.

During the course we had a few people fall. Force on force was done in the grass so it was not that big of a deal. Earlier in the day we spoke about how people cross their feet when moving backwards and fall during force on force and for real. We also discussed the need to know how to fall. During one force on force our oldest student, a doctor in his 60's but in very good shape fell backwards and landed on his but and outstretched hands. If that had been him trying to gain distance during an assault in a parking lot he would have likely injured his tailbone and injured his hands/elbows. That is just how fast an able bodied person can become disabled. It all happened because he crossed his feet while moving backwards. This is VERY common and spawned the following drill we do in our Combative Pistol course.

We do something called the One Gun Drill. You start on your back with a holstered blue gun. The scenario is just this, you are involved in an altercation and knocked to your back and now injured against an unarmed attacker. As you are on the ground your firearm becomes exposed and a fight ensues. Both your hand and the bag guys hands are on it. You need to decide whether you are trying to draw it or retain it and he is trying to get it out and use it on you. Remember, if you carry a pistol and are involved in a altercation there is a gun involved in the fight.- George