Combat>Fighting aspects>Levels of personal combat

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Levels of personal combat

Intro

When faced with a self-defense situation, there are levels of combat and level of force to consider.

Levels of combat

The following are the increasing levels of combat. The degree of force increases from one level to the next.

• Run, rather than hurt.
• Hurt, rather than maim.
• Maim rather than kill.
• Kill, rather than be killed.

Remember that any self-defense situation can turn deadly. Your attacker may strike you with the intent of knocking you out but when you fall, you hit your head on the curb and die. In your response to an attack, you might accidentally use too much force in a strike and accidentally kill your attacker. 

Remember these four levels of self-defense combat and that self-preservation comes first, and by properly executing your martial art techniques, you will be able to defend yourself properly in any situation.

Levels of force

The following are the increasing levels of force. The degree of force increases from one level to the next.

• Display posture and body language that indicate a high level of confidence.
• Use speech and attitude to indicate your intentions.
• Display a defensive posture.
• Use empty hand defensive techniques.
• Use empty hand non-deadly force offensive techniques.
• Use empty hand deadly force offensive techniques.
• Display non-deadly force weapons.
• Use non-deadly force weapons.
• Display deadly force weapons.
• Use deadly force weapons.

Circumstances determine the initial entry level of force. The progression from level to level is not linear; one may skip levels if the situation demands it. 

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