Unraveling the Roles of Situational Awareness in Modern Self Defence
Situational awareness is a term commonly referenced alongside talk on self defense. In his video, Icy Mike, the mind behind the popular YouTube channel ‘Hard2Hurt’, shakes up this relationship. In his perspective, the emphasis on situational awareness could, in some cases, turn up as detrimental in self-defense situations. Situational awareness, for the uninitiated, is the notion of constantly scanning your surroundings to preempt potential threats. While painting it as an important tool for self defense often-polished to an exalted status, Mike provides a fresh outlook whereby he posits that situational awareness could even be harmful or dangerous. He anchors his argument around an essential truth of human behavior: people like having fun and doing things that are interesting. Overemphasis on situational awareness often proposes some restrictive safety measures such as not going out past 10pm or not being engrossed in your phone in public. While sensible from a purely self-defence perspective, these measures hinder people from enjoying life fully, the very life they’re trying to protect. Icy Mike points to tangible actionable advice as a more effective self defence strategy. He offers an alternative mental game which involves constructing a series of instinctive reactions to potential threats. He argues for keeping your head on a swivel and developing a razor-sharp instinct for safety without letting it dominate your natural behavior. The Hard2Hurt host illustrates this point perfectly through real-world situations such as bike riding. For instance, he points out how an electric bike offering faster speeds can provide an option to outrun potential threats. In his perspective, maintaining a healthy lifestyle and reducing stress makes for the best self-defense method, better than continual vigilance and severe awareness. Interestingly, he digs deeper, arguing about the flawed concept that situational awareness, referred to in pop culture as being in condition yellow, is a personality. But he posits that in reality, everyone practises it. However, Mike is not totally dismissing situational awareness. He’s highlighting the dangers of presenting it as the end-all-be-all advice for self-defense. Often, beginners are thrown into a dangerous situation may already possess situational awareness, yet the issue arises when situational awareness is presented as a catch-all solution. Icy Mike’s ideology is directed towards giving people something proactive to do with their energy that not only piques their interest but also helps them in practical self defense. The unconventional wisdom presented is provocative and extends the discussion around self defense methods. It opens up a doorway to understand mental and physical self defence mechanisms more holistically, emphasizing an active rather than a passive outlook. After all, self defense is not about living in a constant cycle of paranoia; it’s about enjoying life, being present in every moment, but with an added sharp instinct for safety. So the next time you think about self defense, remember Icy Mike’s advice: it’s not about micro-analyzing every situation you’re in; it’s about building robust, instinctive reactions that would keep you safe without robbing you of life’s little pleasures. On that note, let’s get up from our screens, go out there, and enjoy life fearlessly, for being alert doesn’t mean being scared. Rather, it’s about being prepared, aware, and, most importantly, remaining hard to hurt.Blablabla
The YouTube channel Hard2Hurt, run by Icy Mike, offers practical self-defense tutorials and fitness advice. Mike brings his experience as a martial arts instructor and former police officer to create uniquely effective and realistic training videos. His charismatic presenting style and credible insights help viewers improve their personal protection skills.
Self-Defence Block
If you think riding bikes is fun and interesting, go to http://www.hard2hurt.com/aventon
It's me. I'm that guy. Mostly reformed.
Yeah i'm a guy like that. I guess i'm socially inept. And i wanted to be able to advise folks. But my own life just isn't that great.
Oh man, where to start. That's pretty much every guy that works in the security industry. Had two bosses like that, and countless partners and coworkers like that. It got to the point where we started joking about how we sent an inordinate amount of special forces into the middle east and nam. Everything from knees to shoulders ect..
The best part: the ones who actually were special forces, usually avoided the topic altogether, cause of the stigma.
As someone who has always avoided throwing the first punch, this was so helpful.
This is superb information.
Situational awareness has helped me alot over the years knowing when the danger is coming is the best way to avoid life and death situations without resorting to violence
Cycle self-defence mike, wear a helmet. 😂
I'm at multiple guys like that different bodies different brain same bull crap in factories on the street they are everywhere😅
Personally the first punch for me is important it's like if you're fighting a dog who ever b the other one first usually is going to be the one in very big trouble in that fight but the problem with thrown the first punch is that meet personally with what I've experienced with police officers and the law growing up is that I need to be really really sure that I'm going to be attacked if you come at me aggressively that doesn't actually mean you're going to attack me because some people are very passionate when they're talkin and it come at you like all do blah blah blah blah you know you know what you look like who you look like and and you got to be aware that not everybody is a zombie coming at you for you to de brain
For me specifically the best way would be the expression on their face as you're coming at me the way they're coming at me looking at their hands if they have 1800 fist already broke balled up if they're reaching in their pockets or they're under their shirt like most gang bangerz would like to do if they have a gun or a knife or they actually verbally say you know I'm going to beat you up or give me what you got or whatever you know like the trying to rob you so many different scenarios but it's all about how they're looking in the face how their hands are where their hands are how they're coming at you and then you have to wait till the perfect moment when you see that their hands are coming to touch you that's when I would feel more comfortable throw the first punch so that legally I can honestly say yeah his hands were up coming toward me even if it means I must be get grabbed or struck it sounds stupid but if I caused a tremendous amount of damage to somebody in self-defense and there's not a scratch on me what are the Cubs going to thinkassuming I stick around because with the way things are going lately with all this wokeness and everything I honestly I want nothing to do with self defending myself or anybody else if bombs are being thrown as long as they leave me alone I'm good I don't have to you know I don't want to fight or defend myself or anybody just leave my people alone and and me and and we're all good
Saw this video when it first came out but was served up to me again. Interesting about using the bike in self defense. I DID that against an alligator! No joke. I have pictures….gator was randomly on a bike trail….putting the bike between myself and the gator gave me the reaction time to move away safely. lol
The concept of gapping is something I used quite a few times to get out of weird situations. Dunno how many would end up in an escalation, but the bottom line was that a weird dude/s werent able to reach me and I went about my business safe. BTW CRUCIAL THING: if someone suspicious tries to get your attention and they will immediately state their business, despite the distance or your first move towards a safe spot, they are probably okay. The dangerous fuckers usually start freaking out or reacting in a weird way cuz you are maintaining the distance, andcthey want to get to you. If I ask for time I want time, not inttimate whisper about what hour it is. Hopefully this helps anyone in your neighborhood IFF
I quite enjoy your approach to sponsorship in this video, and it's probably better too. Rather than an ad section that people just skip, you just use the sponsored item as a prop and example throughout. Pretty nice, lad.
If you wanna prevent fights, intention is key, being too situationally aware makes you look like a nervous prick which will get you in more trouble as you’re basically putting a siren on your head saying “I’m ready to fight”. Being calm but aware is the best option
For anybody that grew up in a rough/dangerous area then this is pretty much built in. It's not something you practice or are consciously aware of. Your subconscious brain just does, like Robocop scanning every new environment he enters, but subtly. Even the way you walk can deter or attract potential attackers or muggers. Over many years I developed and 'anti-crime target' walk. So much so that people start to think I'M the criminal sometimes. 🤣
Call it 'situational awareness', call it street smarts, call it common sense, etc, but it definitely is a factor that muggers, junkies, rapists target. Some people are just born marks for criminals.
I believe the whole situational awareness dialogue is good in the beginning for those who have absolutely none. But to be branded as the be all end all is folly. Great video as usual!
Seth didn't have enough situational awareness in this video
It’s called adulting. That’s boring. You can’t sell, pay attention.
Stike Hard Strike First and you'll be Hard2Hurt!
I am "that guy" that is all about situational awareness. 25 years in military special ops followed by 15 years as a cop. I give my wife shit all the time about wearing ear buds while running. PAY ATTENTION AND QUIT BEING A FUCKING IDIOT TARGET. Yeah, it doesn't go over well with her or most regular people. She and others can become victims, but I won't because I generally can recognize when the the potential danger level is higher and I take appropriate steps instead of bumbling along thinking nothing will ever happen. I love the videos covering mindset and preparation when you are surprised, but how about avoiding being surprised?
*casually draws pistol while riding a bike
Funniest shit i've ever seen 5:09
This feels like one of those videos that was made just because it's always tempting to try to argue against conventional wisdom, when in fact there's nothing wrong with the conventional wisdom.
we were so concerned about self defense we forgot about seth defense 😔
I know a guy who won’t eat in a restaurant unless he can sit either near an exit or back of restaurant, and he has to sit with back to wall where he can see everything. He will wait a long time for a specific table or go somewhere else. When he does sit, his eyes dart around like a damn chameleon and he is constantly saying stuff like, “That guy looks like he’s packing” and “I gotta keep my eye on that one”. I only ate with him a few times in a group…. he’s paranoid as f**k. Someone once sat in the seat by the wall and he refused to sit unless that person gave him the seat. F**k that dude. It’s one thing to be aware of his surroundings and something totally different to subject others to paranoia and obsessive compulsive thinking.