Reality-Based Self-Defence Northeast

Welcome to RBSD NE! This site is devoted to furthering awareness of the very real threats that exist in today’s society. Crime, disorder and violence can affect anyone, at almost any time.

On the plus side, most people get through their lives without encountering much more than a harsh word now and then. Problem is, that doesn’t help much if you’re unlucky enough to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and become a victim.

It sometimes seems that the only answer is to hide in your fortress-like home or just hope it doesn’t happen to you. However, there are some quite simple things that can be done to greatly reduce the chances that you will encounter violence.

If that fails, then it IS possible (and legal) to defend yourself in an effective manner, even if you are not an athlete, martial artist or in the best of health.

What we hope to do is to present clear and simple information about the reality of the threat and what can realistically be done about it. This is what Reality-Based Self-Defence is about - realistic solutions to the real problems that exist today.

So what IS Reality-Based Self-Defence (RBSD)?
Like every name put on anything, anywhere, ever, RBSD means different things to different people. This is what it means to me:

RBSD is all about defending yourself from the sort of attacks you are likely to encounter in today’s society. Exactly what physical means you use does not matter all that much, though there is a body of technique that is well-respected by people who actually have to deal with real violence. Much of this technique comes from martial arts and fighting systems - RBSD and martial arts are much the same thing in some ways but very different in others.

(NB: RBSD is also not just ‘martial arts in combat pants’. The whole focus and ethos is different, not just the clothing!)

Martial Arts often have a focus that is not specifically self-defence. That focus might be sport, tradition, aesthetics or fighting. Fighting systems are the most applicable to RBSD, but there is more to RBSD than fighting. Good RBSD teaching is tailored to the real-world environment and contains elements of conflict management, deterrence and other self-protection elements. It also needs to work on a wet Friday night at the bus stop. A Martial Art need not necessarily concern itself with that kind of thing, though some of course do.

RBSD is not concerned with forms or kata, or with techniques intended only to be used in a sporting contest. Students do not train with or against the traditional weapons of the martial arts, e.g. rice flails, spears and swords. RBSD is concerned with dealing with today’s opponents, possibly armed with the sort of things people use to hurt one another today. If there is a spate of street muggings by mounted Samurai, you can be sure that the RBSD people will re-introduce sword defences and jumping kicks. Until then, it seems unlikely.

Meaning no disrespect to martial arts or martial artists, things that work well when you’re properly warmed up, wearing a loose-fitting training uniform, in a warm and well-lit Dojo (training area), and not in fear of your life may (may!) not come up to scratch in a domestic confrontation when you’ve just been woken up at 3AM, or outside a nightclub on a rainy Friday night when you’re too terrified to think, let alone remember complex techniques. What RBSD teaches is designed for these situations. It may not be aesthetically pleasing but it really does work.