Spring is here! We can finally say goodbye to freezing temperatures and hello to warmer days. Oftentimes, with warmer weather comes the opportunity to spend more time outside—taking walks, doing yardwork, etc. When doing so, we should always try to be aware of our surroundings in case of trouble.

Now that we are in April, it’s a good time to discuss preparation for spring weather. After all, “April showers bring May flowers,” so we need to prepare for some wet showers. This is relevant for defensive tactics training because, as you know, our Improvised Defensive Tools (IDTs) are not designed to be objects of defense, but rather, they double as objects of defense.

I suggest that now is the time to get out your umbrellas. Travel umbrellas are small enough that they can fit into the door pockets of vehicles and into a purse or backpack. You’ll be glad to have it for two reasons: (1) It will help keep you dry, and (2) it may help keep you alive!

All of my students know that a travel umbrella is light enough to wield. It can be swung fairly easily allowing you to create space so that you can make the next best decision regarding your defense. An umbrella requires no special permit or license to have and can be taken almost anywhere (including your workplace) without fear of violating a policy.

For those of you who are not yet students of Dynamic Defensive Arts, if you feel the need to use the umbrella for defensive purposes, make sure you are justified and know the use of force laws in your area.

So, get those umbrellas out and keep them in an area where you have easy access to it. I hope you won’t need them for anything other than a shield for the rain.

Good luck, stay dry, and remember at Dynamic Defensive Arts – We don’t do helpless!

 
Jack Pettengill is the senior defensive tactics instructor and co-owner of Dynamic Defensive Arts, LLC.  He has over 30 years experience personal defense and real world trainings.