Would you have tried to stop this thief, or do you think this Good Samaritan was unwise? Practicing Active Self Protection means deciding in advance where you will step in and where you won’t, and also means evaluating whether your attitude, skills, and plan are enough to win this kind of fight.

Original video (not many details…please PM me if you find more!): http://get-asp.com/6pve

How do I protect myself as a Good Samaritan?

1. The P in ASP stands for Plan…and that’s critical here. Decide in advance what conflicts you’re willing to get involved in, and what conflicts you’re not willing to get involved in. Whether you decide to be totally unconcerned with anyone but your family, or to protect all of Gotham with your ninja skills, you need to know that in advance. (for the record, I would recommend neither of those extremes)

2. Facing a knife-wielding attacker is no joke. This brave guy was stabbed a half dozen times or so, which may well have been fatal. If you’re facing a knife wielding attacker, recognize that it is a deadly force encounter.

3. Grappling and jiu jitsu skills are important to have for covering your ASP, but know the limitations and weaknesses of each part of your art. Against a knife-wielding attacker you MUST control the knife arm, even at the expense of controlling the rest of the attacker. Because this Good Samaritan was intent on controlling the head and posture of his attacker, he mistakenly left his knife arm free and that cost him dearly.

4. Carrying your Individual First Aid Kit (IFAK) is important, and for this reason. Having a good pair of gloves, gauze, and Israeli bandages here to get some direct pressure applied in a hurry is critical. (I carry this one: https://get-asp.com/IPOK if you need one) Getting training in the use of an IFAK is critical as well. I am willing to use mine to help others.

5. If you’re stabbed, you may not know it immediately. Many people who are stabbed report feeling like they were punched for some time after the attack! This is why doing an injury check immediately after an altercation is important. Check yourself over, check your buddies or family members who were involved over, and make sure you’re not perforated. If you are, start care and get to the ER as fast as possible.

Attitude. Skills. Plan.