Part of my philosophy is being prepared for violence. The way of the warrior is one of protecting one’s self and one’s family from harm of all sorts: natural disaster, emergencies, and the threat of violence from others. Phil Elmore, founder of the Martialist, has an approach to martial “arts” training that I concur with: self-defense is not a sport. It is not a game. The objective is to neutralize any threat with minimal risk to oneself and others. In other words: it is not about fighting “fairly.”

Phil is an ordinary guy who seeks out the most pragmatic, sensable solutions to self-defense issues. His website is quite a trove of useful information along those lines. I’ve already paracord-wrapped my “tactical flashlight” using advice from one of his articles. Purusing his e-zine and associated forums is time well spent.