Self defense and guns: Guns are very effective means of self defense with the proper training. This training MUST include the proper self defense mindset (Peyton Quinn’s “Real Fighting” is an excellent place to start).
Self defense with a gun faces to large problems. The first is the mindset as above. The will to actually use it. And if you are sitting there saying, “Oh I could use it.” you are likely kidding yourself! Especially if you have never fired a gun before! The second problem is accessability. In general, the best place to keep a gun (if you have no kids) is on your nightstand on the OTHER side of your alarm clock or lamp. This way you are unlikely to grab it by accident in the night, but in an emergency you can easily knock the lamp or clock aside and get at it.
If you have kids you have a real problem. Even kids who are educated about guns may decide to play with them. This because a strictly personal decision as to whether you risk leaving the gun in the open or not.
Self defense with a knife: A knife is probably you best means of home defense! However, a knife faces similar problems to the gun. The will to use it becomes that much more difficult since you are up close and personal. My suggestion for women is harnass that “mother bear” instinct. Train yourself to attack as if the attacker was attacking your kids and not you!
A little story (I’ll be brief): Woman is attacked in her home. Attacker beats her and rapes her. She does nothing. Attacker leaves and heads towards the children’s room. Women stabs him in the next several times with scissors.
Women you have the “mother bear” instinct and it is VERY strong. You need to learn to apply it to yourself!
Another story (I’ll be brief): Women in one of my classes states “I don’t think I could ever hit somebody”. I reply “Would you for you kids?”. Her “Of course, I’d kill him if he went after my kids”. Me “Train yourself to think that anybody who is attacking you will attack your kids next”.
A knife also faces the problem of accessibility. Again, I teach people to keep their knife on the nightstand behind the lamp or clock. Keeping it under your pillow could be dangerous (also, it is technically harder to get at something under your pillow than on your nightstand since you are sleeping ON your pillow and hence ON your weapon). If you are going to use a knife as a self defense weapon I suggest actually going and buying a nice long knife rather than using your kitchen knife.
However, for a technical perspective using a knife is not difficult in the slightest. In fact, it is probably easier to use than a gun. The good news is also that you likely already have plenty of knives in the house (I still recommend going and buying one) and your kids generally know enough to leave them alone (they have less mystique than the gun!).
If you are attacked in your home even if you have a gun, unless it is nearby you first goal should be to get out of the home. Your second goal if you can’t is to get to the kitchen! Throw every knife you have at the intruder while you rush with a nice big meat cleaver in your hand!
Knife vs. Gun: This is an age old debate which sees a lot of press on alt.rec.martial-arts. Again, see Peyton Quinn’s “Real Fighting” for some neat little tales about the knife vs. the gun. This post has been long enough, but I’ll try to state briefly that as a means of self defense the gun and knife are probably roughly equal because of the ranges were are talking about. A lot depends on the mindset of your attacker with his gun. This is why it is important to be able to recognize your attacker’s intent so you can take appropriate action.
Final Note: With the knife, remember to thrust at the opponent and not slash. Slashes will hit the arms or shoulders which will be marginal in effectiveness. Several good stabs wounds are very effective. Also, go for the chest not the face.
Apologies for the very long post.
What more could you expect from somebody who lets people kick him to the head?
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