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Self Defense/Questions Answered by Expert Marc MacYoung
| Subject | Date Asked |
| Two questions about striking | 2/3/2012 |
| Q: First: It's common when throwing a roundhouse kick to throw the same side arm back to ... A: First off, the rotation is acceleration/increased speed. It is not, I repeat NOT, the source of ... | |
| Disabled person training | 1/28/2012 |
| Q: I have had both hips replaced and so I have very limited range of motion or flexibility. I know I ... A: My wife has had both hips replaced. She still does martial arts for exercise. She does not however, ... | |
| What is your Opinion on this | 1/15/2012 |
| Q: I just wanted to ask you what you think of this combat system I saw called Target Focus ... A: While the physical techniques that I have seen from Larkin's camp are good, a good chunk his stuff ... | |
| How to develop confidence | 1/8/2012 |
| Q: Hey Marc.How does one develop confidence whithin dangerous situations without going out and ... A: First off if you are using social/asocial violence like Tim Larkin has twisted to mean it, forget ... | |
| How to develop confidence | 1/7/2012 |
| Q: Hey Marc.How does one develop confidence whithin dangerous situations without going out and ... A: How do you develop confidence in dangerous situations without experience? The answer is you don't. ... | |
| Life Skills | 1/3/2012 |
| Q: I was reading one of your books: "Cheap Shots, Ambushes, And Other Lessons: A Down And Dirty Book On ... A: You're asking both a philosophical and a self-definition question. The first is easy to answer -- ... | |
| Various questions: Use of Karate vs. Boxing punches, Proper stance in karate | 12/29/2011 |
| Q: So I recently took up karate training a year ago, and have a few questions about using it properly ... A: Ummmm. Wow... you just asked about five 'simple' questions that millions of people have been ... | |
| masks | 12/22/2011 |
| Q: I hope I don't exaggerate with my questions. This time is a psychological one. When someone is ... A: Regarding incoming 'fire' not so much. When it physically hurts, people tend to break and run. ... | |
| kicks | 12/19/2011 |
| Q: In a situation where you need to hit first as the violent intention of the guy in front of you are ... A: It can work. It can also get you knocked on your ass. It also greatly increases the odds of your ... | |
| kicks | 12/15/2011 |
| Q: In a situation where you need to hit first as the violent intention of the guy in front of you are ... A: Kicking is a range issue. How far away is the guy from you? If he's too close, don't kick. If he's ... | |
| Roots of Rape | 11/15/2011 |
| Q: I know this question probably is a very long answer one but just wanted to know your thoughts on ... A: Okay let me start by saying it is not a simple question. This despite the claim of career advocates ... | |
| 2 questions | 11/4/2011 |
| Q: FirstHow to hit people during movement? I remember reading somewhere either in "cheap shots..." or ... A: There are actually more, but the two most common ways to hit involve you weight arriving as your ... | |
| Kata/Sparring/Principles/Iain Abernathy | 11/2/2011 |
| Q: Marc, We spoke earlier about katas, and you directing me to http://www.iainabernethy.co.uk/. I ... A: It's not just principle based. It's simplistic based. Understanding principles requires work to be ... | |
| Katas/Forms and Sparring | 10/31/2011 |
| Q: What benefits, if any, do you find in the practice of Katas/Forms and sparring in self-defense ... A: Okay, I'm going to have to use some Japanese terms. Bunkai and Oyou. These are two very different ... | |
| Katas/Forms and Sparring | 10/31/2011 |
| Q: What benefits, if any, do you find in the practice of Katas/Forms and sparring in self-defense ... A: My opinion of kata has changed over the years. Specifically I saw what it was that had given me such ... | |
| social/asocial violence | 10/30/2011 |
| Q: When a gang goes on the teritorry of another gang to put grafitty, or when they show their gang's ... A: You can do asocial violence for social reasons. It's asocial to the person it's being done to, but ... | |
| Experience | 9/25/2011 |
| Q: A quick question for you. In your article "Ruminations of an old bouncer," you mentioned that you ... A: First of all don't think a fight is a long drawn out exchange of blows. Most violence is actually ... | |
| Kicking and striking in general | 9/3/2011 |
| Q: I have a couple of questions I'd like to ask. The first question is about kicking and how viable ... A: Think about building a house. There will be times that you need a hammer and there will be times ... | |
| Dog Brothers | 8/21/2011 |
| Q: What is your opinion of the Dog Brothers? More specifically, how applicable are the lessons learned ... A: Let's start with an important concept, ALL violence is 'real.' The concept of 'real violence' or ... | |
| Dog Brothers | 8/21/2011 |
| Q: What is your opinion of the Dog Brothers? More specifically, how applicable are the lessons learned ... A: I really haven't looked at what they've evolved into over the last decade. I've seen clips what ... | |
| Elaboration on one of your quotes | 8/13/2011 |
| Q: Sir, I read an answer you gave a while ago. In it, I copied and pasted the quote below: "A ... A: I wrote an answer to this and Allexperts apparently ate it. Thing is I don't really remember exactly ... | |
| Elaboration on one of your quotes | 8/12/2011 |
| Q: Sir, I read an answer you gave a while ago. In it, I copied and pasted the quote below: "A ... A: I started writing because a lot of people I worked with could do, could sense, make accurate ... | |
| Elaboration on one of your quotes | 8/12/2011 |
| Q: Sir, I read an answer you gave a while ago. In it, I copied and pasted the quote below: "A ... A: I hit 'answer' to this, but in fact, it's to tell you that I can't really answer the question you ... | |
| self defense | 8/8/2011 |
| Q: I am looking to learn some physical self defense skills. I understand that part of self defense is ... A: Short answer: There is no one source for all the information you need. In fact, you have a lot of ... | |
| Power chain question | 7/21/2011 |
| Q: Here is a video of Floyd Mayweather doing a punch combination(Fake upstairs, left hook body, left ... A: Okay, this is weird, I answered the question, but apparently All Experts ate it. Here it is again. ... | |
| Alpha and Beta males | 7/18/2011 |
| Q: Since reading your information on Alpha and Beta behavior. I've realized how much inaccuracy there ... A: Sorry for the delay answering you. I had a week long gathering and that included a lot of time ... | |
| Safe vs. offensive distance in defence | 7/15/2011 |
| Q: I've been re-reading your 'Becoming a Complete Martial Artist' book, paying particular attention to ... A: Sorry for the delay answering you. I had a week long gathering and that included a lot of time ... | |
| The hype of (criminal) violence | 7/10/2011 |
| Q: In our Western urban society, criminal violence arouses a certain 'hype'. Whether I read a ... A: Sorry for the delay answering you. I had a week long gathering and that included a lot of time ... | |
| potentially dangerous hostel occupants | 7/10/2011 |
| Q: MacYoung, i am currently staying in a hostel. The hostel owners own another hostel in an adjacent ... A: This is a troubling situation. The question is 'Is it troubling in just a weird, socially awkward ... | |
| Questions on striking and moving off line | 7/9/2011 |
| Q: Hope you are well mate. I have a few questions on subjects covered in two of your books – effective ... A: Sorry for the delay answering you. I had a week long gathering and that included a lot of time ... | |
| Questions on striking and moving off line | 7/6/2011 |
| Q: Hope you are well mate. I have a few questions on subjects covered in two of your books – effective ... A: That's where it starts getting complicated with the different kinds of strikes. There are strikes ... | |
| edge control | 7/4/2011 |
| Q: As with many stick-fighters, I have problems keeping my strikes edge-on when working with knives or ... A: Ummm swords? The problem is that edges bring in an entirely new dimension with this kind of work. ... | |
| Disrupting and controlling structure | 7/4/2011 |
| Q: Here's the other question I had Controlling structure Disrupting an opponents structure. The ... A: Again the answer is in movement. If you move and stop, you will have to use muscle. If you put ... | |
| Questions on striking and moving off line | 7/4/2011 |
| Q: Hope you are well mate. I have a few questions on subjects covered in two of your books – effective ... A: There are several 'kinds' of impacts. (Wim Demeere says there are four strikes, I think more but ... | |
| Types of strikes | 6/17/2011 |
| Q: In Wim Demeere's Combat Sanshou DVDs, he talks about four types of strikes: penetrating, bouncing, ... A: Wim and I break things apart slightly differently. There are many 'depths' and angles of ... | |
| Self-defense against animals? | 6/12/2011 |
| Q: In two separate and isolated incidents, a man and a woman were attacked by chimpanzees and were left ... A: With ANY kind of violence we have to accept that we could be killed, injured or maimed. The same ... | |
| Stucture for weapons | 6/5/2011 |
| Q: I've been studying western sword fighting for several years now (from that guy with the coke-bottle ... A: Uhhhhhh.... no. That's a real booger question because of several component parts. You do not ... | |
| Presence of mind in defence situation | 5/17/2011 |
| Q: you r my favoraite expert in defence feild this time i want to ask you as we have 2 types of minds ... A: The answer is you do what you have to do when you are in dangerous situations. Then you hyperfocus ... | |
| GANGS | 4/18/2011 |
| Q: My name is Chris Fisher. I am currently a senior at Worcester Preparatory School. I am writing my ... A: 1 How can we cure gang violence Well it depends, how much do you believe that instead of executing ... | |
| Writter question | 4/17/2011 |
| Q: I'm a writer who is doing research for a book I'm doing. I have most of what I need but not all of ... A: It depends on a) the weapon (guns/clubs maybe, knives, less so) b) the weapon holder's intention ... | |
| Linear, Circular and Boxing | 3/18/2011 |
| Q: Mark I really enjoyed reading your article on No-nonsense Self-defense about how the boxing punch ... A: BOTH are sports. Old school 'pugilism' was a really violent and bloody sport, but it was still a ... | |
| Aikido | 3/10/2011 |
| Q: Just wanted to follow up on another aikido related question. You mentioned once [or at least I ... A: They are all forms of body movement. Past that things really start going off into different ... | |
| Authoritarian personality | 3/5/2011 |
| Q: Just a quick psychology questions: 1] What sort of environment creates these types of people? 2] ... A: Questions one and two are both beyond my expertize to answer. In fact, it's arguable that there are ... | |
| Structure, shoulder raised/lowered | 2/28/2011 |
| Q: I'm picking my way (slowly) through your 'Secrets' of Effective Offense book. Lots in there, and ... A: Super short answer...basically the way we use it means as you strike, your arm intersects with his. ... | |
| The deadliest. | 2/28/2011 |
| Q: Whether it's Knights vs Samurais, Roman empire vs Han Empire, Vikings vs Aztec and so fourth. There ... A: Did you know that in WWII the Japanese Army tore up a Swedish built railroad system in China, ... | |
| Structure, shoulder raised/lowered | 2/26/2011 |
| Q: I'm picking my way (slowly) through your 'Secrets' of Effective Offense book. Lots in there, and ... A: Okay, once again we run into sport vs. fighting vs. other application. IF you're standing right in ... | |
| Aikido | 2/25/2011 |
| Q: Just curious on a couple things. 1.First off I'm: 5'9 ft, weigh 200 and change, with a stocky ... A: Let me start by saying that while I know many aikidoists and years ago my girlfriend studied it ... | |
| Structure, shoulder raised/lowered | 2/22/2011 |
| Q: I'm picking my way (slowly) through your 'Secrets' of Effective Offense book. Lots in there, and ... A: That's actually a booger of a question. It may not seem like it, but it is. Several considerations. ... | |
| The deadliest. | 2/18/2011 |
| Q: Whether it's Knights vs Samurais, Roman empire vs Han Empire, Vikings vs Aztec and so fourth. There ... A: HACK GAG RALF BARF PUKE! Oh was that my inside voice? Back when I had to ride a mastodon to ... | |
| Avoidance-How much is reasonable? | 2/15/2011 |
| Q: Have been reading some of your stuff and you seem to advocate avoidance quite strongly.I'm all for ... A: Let me start with the fact that you are right now in the really rough period. I have a saying, ... | |
| Advice and animals | 2/13/2011 |
| Q: Sir, I recently read a "Patrick Parker Mokuren Dojo Interview" with you. He asked: "What do you ... A: Question one: Video no. The only photos we have of it are in the class notes. My best advice is to ... | |
| Advice and animals | 2/13/2011 |
| Q: Sir, I recently read a "Patrick Parker Mokuren Dojo Interview" with you. He asked: "What do you ... A: Question 1: The way we teach it is we take two long strips of tape and put them down like 'railroad ... | |
| absorbing blows | 2/13/2011 |
| Q: Marc, There seems to be different ways people take blows in a self defense situation. From my ... A: People often ask me, 'what's the best weapon?' My answer is "the one in your hand when you need it." ... | |
| street fights knockdowns(not knock outs) | 2/6/2011 |
| Q: i dont want any takedowns IM A HEIGHT 4 5 AND AM ABOUT TO BEAT SOME ONE 4 7 DO YOU THINK ILL BE ABLE ... A: If you are looking for the 'holy grail' of fighting, the one move that will solve all your ... | |
| street fights | 1/31/2011 |
| Q: hey im in desperate need of help.IM 13 years old(male)and the kids at school start acting a little ... A: FirstThere are lots of different techniques for getting someone to the ground. They are all ... | |
| Wich Martial Art or Combat Sport you Master In ? | 1/17/2011 |
| Q: and what you think of Aikido and Wado Ryu as Life Balacing Philosophy and Self Defense Systems ? ... A: All of those systems are tools. The more you know the bigger your toolbox. While they are critical ... | |
| Wich Martial Art or Combat Sport you Master In ? | 1/16/2011 |
| Q: and what you think of Aikido and Wado Ryu as Life Balacing Philosophy and Self Defense Systems ? A: Which martial art or combat sport am I the master of? Absolutely none. While I have been trained ... | |
| Effective Communication and dealing with difficult people. | 1/14/2011 |
| Q: Just curious, marc on how you would deal with difficult people. By difficult I mean: verbally ... A: Okay there are several levels going on here all at once. First is know what you're dealing with. ... | |
| Haganah and Kempo | 12/28/2010 |
| Q: Hey. You've advised me before. I am a corrections officer, and I asked you questions about uniting ... A: I know a guy named Bill Kipp. Bill and a friend of ours Peyton Quinn developed FAST defense. The ... | |
| Haganah and Kempo | 12/28/2010 |
| Q: Hey. You've advised me before. I am a corrections officer, and I asked you questions about uniting ... A: Question one: Never heard of it. I googled it and Haganah was a Jewish paramilitary organization ... | |
| any martial art can be used as self-defense | 12/2/2010 |
| Q: Sir, You said in a previous question, and on your no nonsense sight, that "any martial art can be ... A: That is -- believe it or not -- still in the realm of psychology. It what Massad Ayoob dubbed ... | |
| any martial art can be used as self-defense | 12/1/2010 |
| Q: Sir, You said in a previous question, and on your no nonsense sight, that "any martial art can be ... A: First I didn't know you were in a high risk profession. Most of the people who ask about ... | |
| any martial art can be used as self-defense | 11/30/2010 |
| Q: Sir, You said in a previous question, and on your no nonsense sight, that "any martial art can be ... A: In quoting my site you left of a key phrase. I believe the rest of the quote is "If your definition ... | |
| Self Protection Overseas - Dodgetowns, Preventing Gang Attack & Kidnapping | 11/28/2010 |
| Q: I'm scheduled to go overseas (Mexico & Russia) and on several projects I will be going in the ... A: The biggest bit of advice is limit your time in the areas to when the groups are least active. For ... | |
| A problem | 11/16/2010 |
| Q: Yesterday something happened to me that i would like to discuss with you about. On my way home in ... A: Did you notice what the pyramid was based on? Knowledge and understanding ... | |
| A problem | 11/12/2010 |
| Q: Yesterday something happened to me that i would like to discuss with you about. On my way home in ... A: From the sound of it, this is a pretty low level street hustler. It's weird that he was asking for ... | |
| japanese and chinese martial arts. | 11/10/2010 |
| Q: Having read your site [which is a great resource], I know that environment tends to have a big ... A: Man that is an amazingly complex question. Starting with the fact that in Japan the emphasis ON ... | |
| Stalking Help | 11/5/2010 |
| Q: Marc, I'm sorry if this question comes across to you as somewhat awkward. I have a younger cousin ... A: You're actually asking about a lot of different issues all at once. While there is a good deal of ... | |
| Stalking Help | 10/28/2010 |
| Q: Marc, I'm sorry if this question comes across to you as somewhat awkward. I have a younger cousin ... A: The answer to your question of 'does it work for minors' is 'with modifications.' Except, what ... | |
| Testimonials = effectivness? | 10/18/2010 |
| Q: These days i found a penn and teller's video about BS martial arts where they chose you for an ... A: The answer your question is very short HERE. Understanding the answer, however, is going to take ... | |
| worthiness of ma | 10/13/2010 |
| Q: my question is simple that are all martial arts not worthy to be included for self defence or are ... A: Let me start by saying I'm going to give you a LOT of reading to do. My first statement is: The ... | |
| How much time before training can be relied on? | 10/4/2010 |
| Q: A friend and I have been training together for the past few months, he has not trained in any sort ... A: That is a simple question that doesn't have a simple answer. In fact by asking about muscle memory ... | |
| moving and shielding follow up | 9/12/2010 |
| Q: Marc, I'm the corrections officer who asked you about my son. You wisely answered a question I ... A: Sorry for the delay getting back to you, I got hit with the creeping crud that knocked me on my butt ... | |
| moving and shielding follow up | 9/11/2010 |
| Q: Marc, I'm the corrections officer who asked you about my son. You wisely answered a question I ... A: The dropstep can be a little sophisticated for a seven year old. First there is the fact that he's ... | |
| follow up | 9/6/2010 |
| Q: Hey. Please elaborate on something you said awhile ago concerning 30 second "living room" dancing. ... A: Okay, first things first you're going to need to go to www.conflictcommunications.com and do some ... | |
| Important | 8/30/2010 |
| Q: are u the same person called animal on street well if u are the same then i am communicating with ... A: I am "Animal" and no I'm not Bruce Lee ... start with the fact that he's dead. As for being like ... | |
| Armour vs Martial Arts | 8/16/2010 |
| Q: at first i want to tell something about me to understand the topic better i am or say i was an avid ... A: Start with the fact that there is no 'one' answer to any problem of self-defense, personal safety or ... | |
| defense tips | 8/13/2010 |
| Q: Recently I had an experience that makes me want to look into learning a little more about self ... A: Sorry it took so long to answer, I'm in the UK now after a week in the Northwest. I won't be home ... | |
| Left hook power! | 7/31/2010 |
| Q: I have read your book "Secrets of Effective Offense" and read the part about throwing an effective ... A: It's also funny how so much of that macho "DANCING IS FOR SISSIES" is from people who never ... | |
| Left hook power! | 7/31/2010 |
| Q: I have read your book "Secrets of Effective Offense" and read the part about throwing an effective ... A: Dude, that ENTIRE clip is an awesome example of the kinds of punches one should be working to ... | |
| Wolfpack and chase mentality | 5/27/2010 |
| Q: Been a fan for a long time. I'm just curious. As someone who has never faced a group situation, I'm ... A: First off, your use of the term 'wolfpack' means something very specific. These are groups of teens ... | |
| Legal boundaries/definitions | 4/17/2010 |
| Q: My question is twofold: a) On your site, you mention that self-defense, being a legally defined ... A: Sorry for the delay answering this. I'm in the middle of writing a new book and the world falls away ... | |
| Your experience | 3/21/2010 |
| Q: Hope you don't mind a somewhat more personnal question. I have read most of your books, and of ... A: Honestly I can't tell you. To me conflict and fighting is like sex, you remember the first time and ... | |
| Defense against Balisongs | 3/2/2010 |
| Q: Macyoung, Where I used to go to school, I always observed that there were these guys that hung ... A: Sorry for not getting back to you, I'm in Canada right now and am running late on my email. Okay, ... | |
| skinny white boy heading to prison | 1/31/2010 |
| Q: Hey, This is a question that I have been thinking about recently. I have a friend that is ... A: The first thing he needs to do is shut up, NOT try to show everyone he's too dangerous to mess with ... | |
| Avoiding conflict when not alone | 1/21/2010 |
| Q: please your opinion on how shell I get out of situation, when I walk with my family (me, my spouse ... A: Then you did right. If there was no physical danger -- just verbal abuse and aggressive gestures -- ... | |
| Avoiding conflict when not alone | 1/20/2010 |
| Q: please your opinion on how shell I get out of situation, when I walk with my family (me, my spouse ... A: First off is this a legitimate issue (as it happens) or is it a 'what if?' If it is an existing ... | |
| Street defence | 1/3/2010 |
| Q: On New Years Eve my friend and I were making our way home after a night out and I noticed (rather ... A: Let's start with the very simple trick of just crossing the street. Late at night, late out on New ... | |
| Square on stance or Side way stance? | 11/6/2009 |
| Q: how is it goin' I am curious about the pro and cons of a square on stance (a la wing chun) or a ... A: Okay I'm going to cook your noodle here. The reason is what I am about to say can change your entire ... | |
| Aikido Technique | 10/26/2009 |
| Q: i have dabbled in a few martial arts and recently spent about four years doing aikido which seemed ... A: If the Aikido you were learning still retained the physics to take control of someone's balance it's ... | |
| 'Hard' Martial Arts. Vs 'Soft' Martial Arts. | 10/25/2009 |
| Q: I've been reading about different martial arts for quite some time now, yet I still haven't decided ... A: Wing chun is an art that I studied over 20 years ago. Back then what it was for was a lot less ... | |
| 'Hard' Martial Arts. Vs 'Soft' Martial Arts. | 10/16/2009 |
| Q: I've been reading about different martial arts for quite some time now, yet I still haven't decided ... A: Honestly, try them all. If you're talking about a life long process then pick and choose what system ... | |
| Secondary Location | 10/14/2009 |
| Q: On your website you mention that you should never allow yourself to be taken to a secondary ... A: A common one is in robberies. The criminal promises to lock everyone in a room so he can 'get away' ... | |
| Physical Self Defense | 10/14/2009 |
| Q: Although I know that physical self defense methods are the last resort after avoidance, ... A: If I might suggest, forget once-a-month practicing striking. First off, a better self-defense ... | |
| Psychology- Sociopaths | 10/11/2009 |
| Q: Mr. MacYoung, since you know a lot about psychology as well as violence. I've read your entire ... A: "Nature vs. nurture" is a long standing question. Is it biology that creates behaviors or is it ... | |
| Boxing skills | 10/7/2009 |
| Q: I'm going to be getting into boxing just for the sport and health aspect. Now I figured from reading ... A: Step one. Boxing is a sport. The purpose of a sport is A) to protect the participants from injury B) ... | |
| General information | 10/3/2009 |
| Q: Mr MacYoung. I'm writing a story where someone is beaten up and is then given some basic pointers ... A: Here's the booger about violence. It's never the same. From once incident to another, it's always ... | |
| Avoiding violent gang attacks? | 9/30/2009 |
| Q: Obviously in places or streets where gang activity is high, staying away from those areas are a good ... A: Well there are any number of ways, but unfortunately I can't exactly speak about details because I ... | |
| General information | 9/27/2009 |
| Q: Mr MacYoung. I'm writing a story where someone is beaten up and is then given some basic pointers ... A: sorry for the delay getting back to you. I woke up three states back this morning. That's me saying ... | |
| Lyoto Machida, and getting off the line. | 9/19/2009 |
| Q: Mark, first thanks again you gave me some really eye opening and crucial advice a while back. Now ... A: It's a hard concept to explain in words without demonstration. What's more there are many ... | |
| Lyoto Machida, and getting off the line. | 9/19/2009 |
| Q: Mark, first thanks again you gave me some really eye opening and crucial advice a while back. Now ... A: Well no, not really. I watched part of the first clip of him in the ring (it was downloading real ... | |
| knocking out | 7/10/2009 |
| Q: how do you knock someone out with a punch or put them to sleep with a sleeperhold with out killing ... A: Short answer, get training. Lots of it. The mechanisms of both are very specific AND can be ... | |
| adrenal stress training | 7/9/2009 |
| Q: I was wondering what the best adrenal stress training is. Would you recommend taking up boxing with ... A: Real life. I was sitting talking with Peyton Quinn (one of the pioneers of adrenal stress training ... | |
| self defense | 6/6/2009 |
| Q: i'm a young kid heading to college and was wondering what martial art was right for me. what is the ... A: Sorry for the delay, my office printer blew up and I've been caught dealing with computer issues. ... | |
| Punching with first two or last three knuckles. | 4/28/2009 |
| Q: I have been taught to hit with first two knuckles but i recently read Get tough form Jack Dempsey ... A: Okay first things first NEVER try to learn a new way of hitting by yourself. Find someone who really ... | |
| disciplines available | 4/21/2009 |
| Q: In my area I have a Hapkido school, a Modern Arnis school, a traditional Wing Chun school and Muay ... A: For self-defense? None of them. For fun, enjoyment, exercise, socializing and a mental challenge, ... | |
| Re: Knowing if you've got the power. | 4/20/2009 |
| Q: I couldn't reply back properly because my email provider didn't seem to be working. Yeah I guess if ... A: Damn, all experts ate my original answer Boxing gym will help you understand the dynamics of ... | |
| Knowing if you've got the power. | 4/7/2009 |
| Q: I'm just wondering if there's a way of telling you have decent punching power? I don't do any ... A: Wow, in just one seemingly simple question you've asked about sixteen complicated ones. The short ... | |
| Dimmak, Kyushu, pressure points | 3/23/2009 |
| Q: I actually have several questions regarding the subject. The first, the obvious one: Does it ... A: AAARGHH!!! I wrote you a long and full answer to this and Allexperts ate it. While I normally copy ... | |
| Gun defense | 3/22/2009 |
| Q: Mr Macyoung I have 3 questions that have been botheing me for a while 1)In most videos I see ... A: The answer to the question is "It depends" By that I mean it depends on where you are, who is doing ... | |
| Attack Proof, Guided Chaos | 3/17/2009 |
| Q: I read you more or less covered this before, but after reading this: ... A: Well, I still haven't read the book. I did follow the link. And well, gosh, while they're talking a ... | |
| Gun defense | 3/11/2009 |
| Q: Mr Macyoung I have 3 questions that have been botheing me for a while 1)In most videos I see ... A: First guns at that close range are not unheard of, but it is more common with robberies. ... | |
| Systema, ballistic striking, and other stuff. | 3/5/2009 |
| Q: I recently saw some videos about a russian fighting system called (quite bluntly in my opinion) ... A: The technique is valid. But I'm not enamored with the explanation. It also looks a whole LOT more ... | |
| what systems work on the street | 2/22/2009 |
| Q: Do you think systems like tai chi and aikido and gigong as well as kung fu are good for the street? ... A: It takes a long time to embed the neural pathways that make for effective movement. Effective ... | |
| what systems work on the street | 2/21/2009 |
| Q: Do you think systems like tai chi and aikido and gigong as well as kung fu are good for the street? ... A: Let me start by saying 'effective physics are effective physics.' I know Tai Chi players who will ... | |
| regarding self-defence | 2/15/2009 |
| Q: can you explain briefly,describe briefly,discuss,evaluate,outline how can self-defence is justified? ... A: Briefly? No. That's because 99% of what people think they know about the subject is wrong. My ... | |
| different martial arts | 10/13/2008 |
| Q: Marc, I have studied several martial arts. Whatever was available in different places. I ran into ... A: Again you ask a simple question with no simple answers. Get a cup of coffee ... in fact, brew an ... | |
| telltales of intxication/drug use | 10/10/2008 |
| Q: Marc. What are some common telltale signs that a person is under the influence of some form of ... A: Sorry for the delay, I was out of town this weekend and am catching up on stuff. You ask a simple ... | |
| is there a difference between male and female violence? | 10/10/2008 |
| Q: When I was younger I worked as an "attendant" at a laundry/arcade where people of low income, as ... A: A difference in the goals of violence? No. A difference in the motives for violence? Again no. How ... | |
| power | 10/7/2008 |
| Q: I 20 years old and I am strictly a Jun Fan JKD practionar. Iv done wado karate as well. When I first ... A: *sigh* The eternal question. Muscle vs. Momentum. It's time to go to science class About 90% of ... | |
| guns - always run? | 10/7/2008 |
| Q: I have been reading safety tips for women on internet and a comment was written saying you should ... A: Generally speaking running from a superior weapon IS the smart thing to do. This is especially true ... | |
| drills for self defense | 10/3/2008 |
| Q: I am in a somewhat isolated area that has the usual types of martial art classes available. There is ... A: *sigh* For the sake of clarity, I'm limit what I'm saying to blocking punches, but this applies to ... | |
| drills for self defense | 9/28/2008 |
| Q: I am in a somewhat isolated area that has the usual types of martial art classes available. There is ... A: Okay, let's start with the fact that 99% of the people you are training will lose in a physical ... | |
| Dangerous Situation/No help | 9/15/2008 |
| Q: I'm still a bit pissed off with something which happened last Friday night/early Saturday morning. I ... A: From the sounds of it, the security guys just saw a group of young people talking -- especially if ... | |
| Street Situation | 8/16/2008 |
| Q: Heya, I've got a few questions to ask. 1) What should I do if i'm caught against multiple ... A: Question one: Draw a line on the ground. They stay on one side of it, you stay on the other. You're ... | |
| tunnel vision | 7/27/2008 |
| Q: How you doing today? During fight i have tend to have tunnel vision(i just concentrate on opponent,i ... A: You're running into a problem that has been created by bad training. That's because there's a ... | |
| tunnel vision | 7/27/2008 |
| Q: How you doing today? During fight i have tend to have tunnel vision(i just concentrate on opponent,i ... A: The answer is you don't. It's a preprogrammed response to help you focus on danger. There are all ... | |
| help | 7/23/2008 |
| Q: I am going to high school this year, and there is a move where you ram your hand into your opponents ... A: Hey CJ, I just answered Nick about "Good Target" which will answer most of your questions. I also ... | |
| Good target. | 7/23/2008 |
| Q: I wanted to ask you that what accoring to you are the best targets on the human body in terms of ... A: Okay, realize you're asking about THREE different levels. 1) Pain 2) Injury (pain caused by ... | |
| Hapkido & Kung Fu San soo | 7/11/2008 |
| Q: These are the two arts I am looking at starting. I am 43 years old and have never trained before. ... A: Okay, there's going to be SOME overlap between the two. But the approach is totally different. AND A ... | |
| Suggestions for Training... | 6/22/2008 |
| Q: Marc, I am another expert here on all experts. My specialization is personal defense using ... A: Actually, I'd recommend looking into grappling for starters. I often tell people that grappling ... | |
| corect offensive kicks | 6/14/2008 |
| Q: I enjoyed reading your book 'taking it to the street'. I totally agree with the wedge and reading ... A: People who live in a Newtonian world (everything is a giant machine that can be taken apart and ... | |
| leg broken | 5/8/2008 |
| Q: I know you are a street fight expert and not a MMA one but still let me ask a question since you ... A: Which 'wicked trick' are you talking about? The chi na-like diving forward roll, scissoring leg trap ... | |
| question regarding fighting | 4/22/2008 |
| Q: I have read two of your books and I have been enriched by those very much. I thank you for that. I ... A: Sorry about the delay getting back to you, the wife is in the hospital with a hip replacement ... | |
| defense | 4/11/2008 |
| Q: Self-defense deals mostly with defense against close threats. But what does a person do when ... A: Well first of all you need to determine if they are shooting at you or there is just shooting in the ... | |
| I'm lost here | 4/2/2008 |
| Q: I have read your book on effective offense, as well as done some research on the way you teach. I ... A: It's more how they are taught. I've heard a several interesting versions. One is that extra things ... | |
| how to use | 3/31/2008 |
| Q: what is another good target besides legs..... A: For what purpose? Are you hitting? Are you grabbing? Are you sport fighting? Are you bouncing? Are ... | |
| strength | 3/3/2008 |
| Q: First and foremost I have been studying your website and I spread it to people I know because I ... A: Think of a mountain ... how many ways up it are there? Great physical conditioning is one of those ... | |
| strength | 2/29/2008 |
| Q: First and foremost I have been studying your website and I spread it to people I know because I ... A: It's not that you are wrong ... it's that you are half right. You're right enough to see what ... | |
| "Attack Proof" / "Guided Chaos" by John Perkins (part 2) | 2/19/2008 |
| Q: I might just as well be a little more specific concerning my questions (as long as the book rests on ... A: Okay this I can answer in general terms ... 'cause face it, I still ain't read the book. The trick ... | |
| Baton defense against a knife | 2/19/2008 |
| Q: I am in a motorcycle club where the weapons of choice seem to be a knife (within the law to carry). ... A: Okay, let's start with the fact that in order to effectively and reliably achieve lethal ... | |
| Dangerous techniques | 2/12/2008 |
| Q: Marc, I do sports MA and recently I've been reading about the differences between MA and self ... A: Okay, first let's start off that I'm sorry it took so long to get back to you, the flu that is going ... | |
| a little advice...? | 1/8/2008 |
| Q: I am 25 y/o man and I am about to move from a small town (Fyffe, AL) to a city (Tuscaloosa, AL). I ... A: Yeah, my biggest piece of advice is get a cup of coffee and go to www.nononsenseselfdefense.com (I ... | |
| ufc/street | 1/4/2008 |
| Q: I realize that ring fighting and street environment fighting are 2 very different worlds. But since ... A: The answer to many of your questions is "Find the right tool for developing the attribute you are ... | |
| ufc/street | 12/31/2007 |
| Q: I realize that ring fighting and street environment fighting are 2 very different worlds. But since ... A: Okay, let's start with the fact that ANY training is a tool. And tools are what you use to get the ... | |
| self defense dvds | 12/23/2007 |
| Q: Mr.Macyoung, I am trying to decide which self defense dvds to buy.I am trying to choose between John ... A: This is going to sound like a wishy washy answer, but "All of them, none of them." The reason I am ... | |
| dvd | 12/5/2007 |
| Q: Can you tell me the best contemporary street fighting dvd on the market? I am looking for realistic ... A: The short answer is No. The reason I say this is that about 99% of what is out there is the ... | |
| Questions on The SPEAR System | 11/27/2007 |
| Q: Hi. I have two questions. One, what is your opinion on Tony Blauers SPEAR System(Both empty handed ... A: Oh boy, you ask a simple question that doesn't have a simple answer. However, I will start by saying ... | |
| important question | 11/19/2007 |
| Q: I was wondering if you could tell me a good way to approach my kenpo instructor about something. ... A: Sorry for the delay getting back to you. I was on the road for two weeks of constant shows, business ... | |
| bringing up a child in a violent world | 7/31/2007 |
| Q: As a parent I think it's kind of my responsibility to preserve my daughter's innocence as long as ... A: Oy! Oy! OY! Why don't you ask me something simple, like how to explain quantum physics? That is a ... | |
| refusal to comply with attacker | 7/11/2007 |
| Q: I am writing a book which contains a short section on how resisting or complying with an attacker ... A: The overall answer to your question is "It depends." You can't make absolute statements about what ... | |
| Richard Lee Mcfield aka marter lee | 6/20/2007 |
| Q: every heard of this fella? teach out of raytown, mo. He studied a year and half. Then his teacher ... A: In cases like this...you don't. The stories, the pitch, the claims, all are totally unprovable. ... | |
| choosing what style | 6/15/2007 |
| Q: well I've done trainning with kung fu,before got a green belt, but i dont think the techniques are ... A: Okay, sorry about the delay getting back to you, I had a house guest from Malaysia drop in. Playing ... | |
| Fighting large people | 6/13/2007 |
| Q: I need help, defense-wise. I want to know if size really matters when you fight, because I have been ... A: Size matters in a contest... that is why there are divisions and weight classes in sporting ... | |
| seeking advice | 6/4/2007 |
| Q: Marc, I'm going through this early life funk right now (I'm just turning 30, married with 2 young ... A: Yes, I have recommendations, but you're not going to like them. The problem isn't with "proving ... | |
| Martial Arts, Help please. | 5/29/2007 |
| Q: I'm feeling a little dopey asking or messaging you about this subject, but oh well. I'm not sure if ... A: I'm sorry for taking so long to get back to you. I had incredibly bad luck with two computers ... | |
| kata | 4/20/2007 |
| Q: I would like to know the importance of kata? How will it help me in sparring and on the street? ... A: It ENTIRELY depends on two factors. 1) The kata itself 2) Your instructor's understanding If the ... | |
| Training to defend myself | 2/11/2007 |
| Q: I've been wanting to train/learn self-defense etc, for quite some time now, but have never got ... A: Okay, first thing you do ... go into the kitchen, make a BIG pot of coffee, come back to your ... | |
| fear of what | 2/6/2007 |
| Q: i am blackbelt holder in karate(1996).From that year i m practise on and off and right now i am not ... A: It's not cowardice to be afraid of danger, it's common sense. I'll give you a bit of information ... | |
| Peyton Quinns combat course | 1/26/2007 |
| Q: I have a question about Peyton Quinns Combat course. I have purchased one of his DVD's(which also ... A: To start with, Peyton and I have radically different fighting styles. Having heard reports of ... | |
| boxer fracture/proper striking technique and prevention of the injury | 1/23/2007 |
| Q: MacYoung, I do not seek violence, nor am I prone to altercations. However, I recently was ... A: Hard hand, soft target. Soft hand hard target That's the general rule of how to hit with what. ... | |
| strategy | 12/10/2006 |
| Q: I enjoy studying strategy and really liked your book on effective offense. Can you give me a top10 ... A: Sun Tzu Art of War (with or without commentaries) Carl Von Clauszwitz on War Machavelli on War The ... | |
| Who would win? | 11/18/2006 |
| Q: Marc: Hi.Thanks for taking the time to read this e-mail. You've probably ... A: Questions like this are almost impossible to answer. It isn't just a matter of hand speed, but the ... | |
| Which Martial Arts should I go for? | 9/16/2006 |
| Q: I'm a 20year old boy willin' to learn Martial Arts. Reason: Self Defeance, Power, Bodyfitness, Body ... A: Well that's a tough one... The reason is, it's kind of like asking "What car should I buy?" There ... | |
| What To Take | 8/27/2006 |
| Q: I'm a rather , for lack of a better word, weak woman living in the city in my late teens. I've been ... A: Okay, first things first, there needs to be a mindset shift here. Take a gander at these Webpages. ... | |
| grapling | 8/11/2006 |
| Q: MARK,do you think its better to have strong powerful legs for mma and grapling,reason being i have ... A: Sport arts like MMA, grappling, boxing and muay Thai require an overall degree of fitness. And by ... | |
| how can i train? | 7/21/2006 |
| Q: this is very good. but how do i know when i am moving from my hips, and not my shoulders(even in ... A: Well to your first question... The bag crashing into you should tell you that you're not moving from ... | |
| how can i train? | 7/21/2006 |
| Q: i am a 16 year old boy living in south africa. can you please send me a training schedule (and a ... A: Okay on the fitness and diet stuff, that is my friend Wim Demeere's department. ... | |
| What is you view on women defending against stronger men in a real situation? | 7/20/2006 |
| Q: I really enjoyed your input on WC and it's practicality. I've been studying WC for 3 years and have ... A: It's the same as a smaller man trying to fight a larger one. DON'T TRY TO FIGHT HEAD ON The ... | |
| Self-defence against politically moivated knife-wielding attacker | 7/10/2006 |
| Q: I live in Isreal and there is a lot of instances of politically(nationalistically) motivated knife ... A: Okay you ask several difficult questions all rolled into one general idea. First off the best ... | |
| self defence | 7/9/2006 |
| Q: some who are bigger and stronger than me, in big groups, will want to pick a fight with myself or my ... A: Well the long and short of it is move in groups with your friends. If you can, avoid the areas that ... | |
| Fighting | 6/2/2006 |
| Q: How can i learn to defend myself? can i learn by myself? can i teach myself? How long will it take? ... A: Okay, now that's a good example of "train for what happens most, so you can handle most of what ... | |
| Fighting | 6/2/2006 |
| Q: How can i learn to defend myself? can i learn by myself? can i teach myself? How long will it take? ... A: I will tell you something that Col. Rex Applegate (the father of WWII combatives) told me ten years ... | |
| Learning self awareness and control... | 5/26/2006 |
| Q: My question pertains to self awareness. I am a 225lb 5ft 11inch 35 yr old. I ve been in 3 fights my ... A: A lot of the issues you are asking about in this post are closely linked to your other post. Like I ... | |
| Learning self awareness and control... | 5/26/2006 |
| Q: My question pertains to self awareness. I am a 225lb 35 yr old. I ve been in 3 fights my entire life ... A: You're asking a simple question...the problem is there isn't a simple answer. There are a lot of ... | |
| Martial Arts | 11/27/2005 |
| Q: First let me say I enjoy your website tremendously and refer all my friends to it. I want to take ... A: First off last time I checked, there are something like over 2,000 forms of "kung fu" So the "which ... | |
| School Yard Self-Defense | 10/11/2005 |
| Q: My two sons have not started kindergarten yet and I am already thinking about self-defense for them. ... A: Well first off your children's best defense against bullies is social skills. The more adept they ... | |
| Need Help | 6/6/2005 |
| Q: I heard that if i fight with some one stronger than me i can Knock him down by some way depending ... A: "Fighting" a bigger stronger guy is a sure way to get your butt kicked. By fighting I mean going ... | |
| Comtech Stinger | 4/3/2005 |
| Q: MacYoung. Thanks again on answering my last question on Wing Chun. I write today to ask whether you ... A: My answer to any question regarding "strike enhancers" is the same "Learn how to hit." Proper body ... | |
| Stripping down Wing Chun | 3/13/2005 |
| Q: Macyoung. After hours of enjoying your writings, I'd like to get your perspective on the tricky ... A: Realistically, I am still finding new depths to stuff that I learned in Wing Chun years ago. I am ... | |
| street fights, | 3/2/2005 |
| Q: my name is ekachai Promli, and am 16 years old, back wehn I was 13 - 15 I had about 4-5 school ... A: Get the anti-graffiti paint.... Call the cops on them...a lot. In time, the extra heat will cause ... | |
| defence | 2/3/2005 |
| Q: I live in quite a bad area of London, and was recently a victim of a street robbery – for the third ... A: Bottomline....move. Get out of there ASAP. Bugger cheap rent, exciting night life, or any other ... | |
| Expandable baton use | 3/16/2004 |
| Q: I have a steel baton that expands to 26 inches. If I was to defend my self, what are the best ... A: Legs...for a variety of reasons. First legal, if you go for the head you will have all kinds of ... | |
| Bouncer resources / training | 3/10/2004 |
| Q: MacYoung, I would like to know which resources you would recommend to someone who would want to ... A: Yeah, go to my website, www.nononsenseselfdefense.com scroll down to the bottom and click on ... | |
| back issues | 1/17/2003 |
| Q: I apologize for my engilsh is bad. i want shopping " back issues " abut : " Training Kung Fu ... A: You can go to the publisher themselves... but that can get expensive. Another thing you can do is ... | |
| video training tapes | 6/8/2002 |
| Q: please sir,,recommend a number of good home-study video courses by well-respected martial arts ... A: Bottomline while you can get lots of good information from tapes, there is no way that it is as good ... | |
| BEST BOOK | 7/26/2001 |
| Q: sir.pleas answer my1-WHAT IS THE BEST BOOK ABOUT ( MARTIAL ARTS )? 2-WHAT IS THE BEST BOOK ABOUT ( ... A: The problem is that you have to train with people. Books can give you intellectual learning, but ... | |
Self Defense
Answers by Expert:
Marc MacYoung
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
Street self-defense, crime avoidance and personal safety
Experience
I grew up in the streets of Los Angeles in 'situational poverty.' I have dealt with criminals and violent people all my life -- both personally and professionally. I have written 15 books and 6 videos on surviving street violence. I was originally published under the name Marc Animal MacYoung. (Animal was my street name). I've taught police and military both internationally and within the US. I've lectured at universities, academies and done countless TV, radio, newspaper and magazine interviews. I'm a professional speaker on crime avoidance and personal safety. And I am an expert witness recognized by the US court system.
My bio is at
www.nononsenseselfdefense.com/marcmacyoung.html
My abridged CV (Curriculum Vitae) is at
http://www.nononsenseselfdefense.com/seminarEW.htm
Organizations
See CV
Publications
Too numerous to list here. My CV (for my expert witness work in court) is at
http://www.nononsenseselfdefense.com/seminarEW.htm
Awards and Honors
See CV
Past/Present Clients
See CV
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