Publisher's Synopsis
I wanted to include a selection of the actual strikes and physical target zones because I think it's important to balance the practical and theoretical. I can't stress enough though how important a deep understanding of the principles behind self-defense are BEFORE you ever tackle any physical tactics. Consider these principles your foundation for self-defense. Without a solid base of understanding, your physical actions will likely be shaky and unpredictable. This can make things even worse given that violence is already a pretty shaky and unpredictable experience anyway! Ensure you have read and fully understood, on a personal level, the various chapters before believing yourself confident to face situations in the real world. Its one thing to read about adrenaline and stress affecting you, but until you truly experience it, it's common to think "Oh, that won't affect me" or "I'll be OK because I will just do X." The truth is we wouldn't just do anything, and it's likely we would be completely overwhelmed at the time. I say this not to focus on the doom and gloom of the situation but to stress how important the understanding of how to use your mind and body is before you put any of it into practice.
