Survive In Place Bonus Lesson
The Ultimate Step-By-Step guide to creating your Urban Survival Plan
Welcome to a mid-week Bonus SurviveInPlace™ lesson!
How To Increase Your Awareness By Becoming The Hunter!
I believe it’s important to develop your armed and unarmed skills, but when it comes to violence, luck can play a significant role. As a former no-holds-barred fighter (before MMA was regulated,) I saw and experienced how quickly a fighter with superior skills could be defeated by a newbie who got lucky.
If they’d fight 100 times, the superior fighter would probably win 90 times or more, but the newbie still has a chance.
With violent encounters, there is no referee or rules and a lucky cut, stab, or shot can kill you, even if you eventually stop the threat.
Although it sounds overly simplistic, one of the best ways to survive a violent encounter is to avoid violent encounters all-together.
One of the best ways to avoid violent encounters is to train your mind to recognize criminals, and the quickest way to do this is to start thinking like one.
For the next several days pretend that you are a mugger. As you go about your daily business, picture how you would bushwhack someone in the various places in which you find yourself.
If you live in an apartment, where in the building or parking facilities would you hide if you were going to attack someone? With a little practice, you’ll be amazed at how many spots in which you might be able to hide.
Start at home and then move your attention to your place of employment. Pay attention to those areas where you would normally be by yourself. The parking lot. Even the restroom. Pay attention to which stalls are the most vulnerable.
Start watching how you open doors. In particular, note where you’re looking, which arm you use, and how that helps/hinders your ability to react to someone on the other side.
Most crimes occur outside of your dwelling or place of business. Elevators, garages, building entrances and exits offer criminals opportunities to take you by surprise.
After you’ve learned to spot the ideal physical settings for a crime, you need to spot potential criminals.
You need to pay attention to the physical mannerism of potential bad guys.
When you see a person approaching you, ask yourself “is he dressed appropriately for the circumstances?” Is he wearing baggy clothing to hide a weapon? Do his shoes match his clothing? If he’s wearing running shoes with nice slacks and shirt, be careful. Is he wearing a hat and sunglasses that go out of their way to hide his face?
Don’t be afraid to look people straight in the eye. You want to know if they’re checking you out as a possible victim. Does the potential bad guy have his hands in his pockets, perhaps holding a weapon? Does he appear nervous, sweating or breathing heavily?
Most attacks come from behind, so learn to expand your field of vision.
Most of us tend to stare when we look at something. Here’s a simple exercise you can use to break this habit and expand your field a vision.
Look at an object in the room you’re in. Now, without moving your eyes or head, what do you see out of the sides of your eyes? How about top and bottom?
It’s amazing how much more you see when you pay attention to your peripheral vision. Imagine a hose nozzle that can be adjusted back and forth from a wide spray to a concentrated stream. When you need to focus on something, tighten the nozzle and then quickly adjust your vision back to a wide spray.
As you develop your vision, with a little twist of your head you will be able to scan almost 360 degrees around you.
No one will ever be able to sneak up on you again. Try it and see for yourself.
Most people have never seen a real criminal in person. So as part of your training you’ve got to get out and see the bad guys, learn how they think and act.
When Rick Jones joined the L.A. County Sheriffs Department he was being groomed for undercover work with L.A.’s most notorious gangs. To prepare him for that assignment, he was assigned to work in one of California’s toughest prisons. Why?
Because you get to see the worst that society has to offer in terms of vicious criminals — and they’re all in one place.
Dep. Jones was able to observe and study the behavior of killers, rapists, muggers, robbers, and a special group of violence prone people referred to as EDP’s (emotionally disturbed people).
In time Jones became an expert in spotting criminals and categorizing them according to their specialty and propensity for violence.
Today, whether Rick Jones walks into a restaurant, bar or other place of business or simply walks down the street, he quickly sizes up people he meets. If he senses trouble he knows what to expect and he’s ready for it.
Here’s the next best thing you can do to learn the same kind of lessons Rick Jones did.
Call your local police office (or a friend who’s in law enforcement) and ask if you can do a “ride-along” with them. Try to find someone who is a “beat cop” and who regularly runs into bad situations. It won’t do much good to ride with a detective or an officer doing traffic stops.
You can also spend some time in the local criminal court. Spending a few hours a day, or night, over several days will give you a great education when it comes to knowing who the bad guys are and understanding their behavior.
By watching these people you get a feel for what they’re like, the way they move, act and THE WAY THEY WATCH OTHER PEOPLE.
Most criminals are petty thieves and not very dangerous. What you’re looking for is a way of spotting those who are mean, sadistic or emotionally disturbed. They are the violent offenders who will rob you first and then shoot you just for the fun of it. They are the ones you want to spot early on. You want plenty of time to either avoid, evade or otherwise deal with these people.
After a little practice in criminal court, it’s time to go to your favorite mall or even a busy street corner. Find a spot from which you can watch people. Then repeat the exercise, only this time your picking out the bad guys from the general population. See how easy it gets to “BE ALERT” once you know what to look for.
I hope you enjoyed this sample lesson, and if you haven’t yet, I look forward to you signing up for the full 12 week online course at www.SurviveInPlace.com
I have received several responses about the course and how much people got out of going through the exercises. I’ve included some below.
Remember, it’s a self-paced course, so you can complete it in 12 weeks or stretch it out longer once you’ve received the lessons.
You can go to www.SurviveInPlace.com to sign up for the complete course right now.
God Bless,
David Morris
P.S. Please comment on this and the course in general…ANYTHING to let me know that you’re alive and that I should keep sending you Urban Survival Information. Love it? Hate it? Let me know!
Dear Dave,
Excellent advice! I will “practice” all that you have suggested. Having already being a former Marine and a ‘Nam vet (combat ’65 – ’66 CAM LO/I-CORPS)no one can ever sneak up on me, no matter how tired or worn out I am. I am always aware of everthing that is going around me, 24/7. Many of the suggestions I already practice and some I have just learned from you. Thanks!!
Excellent tips and look forward to the next lesson.
Very informative. I never thought as most people to look for the “Bad Guys” but if you want to be safe in your surroundings you need to know who is around you. Thank you for this valuable information.
This is very informational. I am very interested to learn more.
As law enforcement officer of 24 years with lots of time in swat and undercover narcotics, i appreciated reading this post. Spent 10 years as an LEO trainer in firearms and some in survival and combatives. I agree. Understanding the predator mindset is key to awareness. Understanding that not everyone subscribes to our value systems or honor code is critical to reducing that “I cant believe this is happening !” thought process. thanks.
Your article was good, but I am unsure why I am getting it. I do not remember asking for it, and I don’t remember paying for it. If it is free, keep it coming. If not, let me see some prices. thanks.
Keep Sending
This is good information – everyone should read this.
Excellent article. Will be very valuable in the days to come. I’ll forward this to several friends..Thank you.
Theoretically interesting, but I am a retired homebody who doesn’t spend much time out and around people. In general, you write well and in a good condensed style. Now, if I can just find a little time with my wife to do the homework…
Sounds like excellent advice
Thanks, great advice!
I try to practice these skills as well.
I am trained in a variety of weapons use and martial arts. As an older person, with some disabilities, I realize limitations now that were not present earlier in my life.
Good SA is always the very best and first defensive tool that we have.
In my daily activities I notice that most folks are oblivious to there surroundings – making them very easy prey for thugs. A “white zone” mentality.
Even with many years of training and the habit of carrying both a firearm along with a non-lethal defensive tool; I realize that we are all vulnerable.
Your tips on observation, good SA and how to present ourselves to any watching eyes are excellent!
Thank you and please continue to do your good work!
V/R, Errol Myers
Pensacola, Fl
Hi Dave; I`m a 67 yr. old retired , ex-machinist repairman….never been in the service….something I`ll always regret, I guess, but that is another story. I`ve always been a firm believer of self protection, and protecting my family . I whole-heartedly believe in The Lord, America, Our Armed Forces, the right to bear arms ! I`m also a realist,who sees what is happening to our wonderful country, and our rights that our men gave their lives for, that are being taken from us . I`m totally against this liberal, atheistic , socialistic, “smooth-talker”, that has been put in command of our nation . God help us….but until He can, I want to be up on what to do to protect me & mine, when the stuff hits that fan.
God bless you for this program, and I feel this was put here for all of us who know we need to get our “stuff together” and be ready !
Thanks , and I`m ready to learn all you have to offer.
God Bless America…Again ! Dwight
From my experience, all that you said is absolutly corredt!!
The biggest problem is that you get sloppy or lazy and may not realize it untill its to late!
This was identified as a bonus lesson. Unfortunately, it’s the first one I’ve gotten. If you have sent me others, I must not have received them or discarded them by accident. Please resend whatever I’ve missed out on. And thank you for the very informative lesson. I’m entering you into my address book so I should not have this problem again. Thanks. Ron
Alive? Well yest but without reasonable expectations for another 80 years. LOL.
Sorry that I haven’t been able to get into your bonus lessons but I will. Today’s is excellent and right to the point of the best way to survive by avoidance.
I am the admin. of a small moral (Christian) conservative website. Is it OK with you if I post your sample lessons with attribution such as your sign up information?
Absolutely. You can post the sample lessons with a link back to http://www.SurviveInPlace.com or http://www.UrbanSurvivalPlan.com.
The paid lessons have a copyright, so people need to pay to get them.
I’d love to pay you if anyone signs up as a result of your recommendation. To do that, all you need is a clickbank account. You can get one by going to:
http://www.clickbank.com/promote_products.html
Once you have your ClickBank id, put it in this link:
http://YOURCLICKBANKID.urbsurv.hop.clickbank.net
Thanks!
David
Very interesting. I just finished writing to an instructor about force on force training and the necessity for lateral movement in order to become a more difficult target. So far I kind of like what you sent. Thanks
Hi David, I just read your article or lesson and I must say it is very good. You mention the way a criminal might dress. In my day to day observance. There are quite a few people who actually wear nice running shoes with slacks, loose pants and tops, sunglasses and so on. And not all of them are criminals. Granted, yes some may be. But not all. I for one know what you are saying, as I have had some specialized training when I was in the military and have never forgotten it. I practice it everyday. But there are those who would aay this is profiling. Yeah, I know the ones who will cry the loudest will be the criminals. Just wanted to point this out. All in all though it is a very great lesson. And like you say a little practice goes a long way. But as the saying goes the more you practice the better you get. Keep up the great work and keep the lessons coming! Thank you very much.
You’re right on the mark with this awareness issue. All the weapons and specialized self-defense training in the world won’t do you a damn bit of good if you all yourself to get caught off guard because you’re not paying attention to your surroundings. I also wholeheartedly agree that it’s much better to avoid any kind of violent encounter than to expose yourself to physical harm, or resort to the use of deadly force that might land you in jail and/or court. Thanks for these bonus lessons! Can’t wait to get signed up for the full course!
Thanks David, for pointing out things in our surroundings which have become too familiar for safety. With a few years in LE and living in several countries, my peripheral awareness and sensitivity to cultural variations have conditioned my mind to be constantly re-evaluating surroundings.
Local customs, neighborhood changes and the unlimited mobility of criminals and other social threats need to be pointed out.
Thanks for the reminders and refreshing, alerting lessons in your Bonus Lessons. Keep it coming!
Thank you for the Bonus Lesson. I liked the first sample lesson so much I signed up for the course last Saturday and can’t wait for my next lesson.
Great advice. I am an RN and a CCL holder. I don’t get to cary my firearm to work because there is not a safe place to secure it on the unit and when I really might need it is between the car and the building (long walk from the dimly lit, unpatrolled parking deck). I also fear that with the very physical work I do with my patients that one of them will feel it on me if I tried to just keep it on me through my shift, not to mention the weight of it may drag my scrub pants down LOL! As someone in healthcare, I know that prevention is the best medicine. I too have done some reading such as the Massad Ayoob files and was not at all liking what I was seeing with regard to how much hind sight is used to judge you if you have to use lethal force to defend you and yours. This lesson is perfect for someone who is a lay person and not at all aware of the darker side of our society.
I was married to an ex-con EDP. It was a hard lesson. I’ve also done some volunteer work in our local jail, so I know what 2-legged predators look like and how they act – at least some of them. I agree that my awareness and an alert attitude can go a long way to keep me out of trouble. Next to that I need to learn more non-lethal methods of dealing with various situations. My CCW is the ace in the hole I pray I will never have to use. I carry that ace, thanks not only to the liberals who voted but also to the conservatives who did NOT vote. Because of those two groups bringing about the dictatorial high-handed “leadership” of “The Annointed One” and his ilk, our nation has chosen judgement. May God help us.
Thanks David for all the info. We, no matter where we are have to use our layers of security, SA would be one of the first. If you are aware you may be able to avoid or take them out if need be.
Keep sending
Great Info,Keep it Coming.Thank You
Thanks, David, for refreshing information on how to expand peripheral vision and increase awareness of surroundings, especially danger zones. As former military and LEO, now retired, your courses are reawakening my alertness to possible dangers, without becoming paranoid.
I’m enjoying your lessons and sharing with my wife in order to sharpen our level of alertness.
Thanks Dave for an excellent training tool. As a former corrections officer, I know the evil that exists in our world. Now a retired, senior citizen with a greater potential for becoming a target for a cowardly predator, your course has bumped my level of readiness up a notch or two. Looking forward to the other nine lessons. Stay safe! 1*
Love these lessons!!! Although I live in the country, there has been something in every lesson that I can use…I look forward to Fridays when I get the next lesson. Marva
My husband and I are waiting to be enterviewed for a CCW permit, and praying we are granted them! In the meantime we are learning all we can to protect ourselves in every way possible, you have added a great element in our readiness and awareness indeed! We signed up for your Plan and enjoy EVERY one of them…. thanks for this bonus we just received… we have always been “people watchers” and now can add to what we have already learned! Thanks again, David! You are supplying a great service, we send your website to anyone we think will be interested!
I am a Viet Nam vet and now work as a corrections officer in a Med to Max prison. One problem I have is when I travel in or out of country in airports. I naturaly observe where everyone is and what the are doing. Do they look suspicous, are they restless, are they looking around a lot, ect. By doing this I bring suspicion on to myself. I also have gunpowder in my clothing from shooting and reloading. It is allways hard for me to get back into the good old USA.
I am a former Army Ranger, and was a licensed body guard, I was trained to be aware of my surroundings but have to admit sometimes it is easy to let my guard down especially around my small town. I have been stocking up for several years but we have been using it and letting it dwindle down some. Your lessons have re-awakened me I guess for a lack of a better word. Thank You
I am an 80 year old woman who is concerned about survival skills.. and I live in a very small town.. so I think we may be safer than those in larger places.. but there will come a time that we get over run by people escaping the horrors of the city.. So.. much of what you are talking about is important even for us. Maybe I will be out of here before it hits us.. but I am an old Girl Scout… Be prepared! Blessings to all who are paying attention!
I am 50 yr old woman that is worried about surviving when it falls apart (and it will) I live in a medium size town, your survivor course has been a god send! I was out here trying to put a plan together without focus until I came across your website I can now put feet to my plan. I don’t own a gun yet but am learning how to use one!!keep these things coming there are those up us out here that are hearing you and putting “our” plans into place. Bless you Bless you bless you
Hello David…….I will be 78 this month, smoked way too many cigarettes before I quit, and now have COPD…..Every lesson I get from you seems as if it was written “just for me”; and they are well worth the $27.00 a month they cost me…. My family has learned much from them, as have I, even with the little training I received in the Service of our Country (USMC and US COAST GUARD), your lessons are “eye openers”…. Many thanks.
Windell
a little sidebar to your supplemental lesson. in addition to a real awareness of your surroundings and people who come into your sphere it is very important that we avoid looking like a victim in waiting. how often have you felt like taking on a biker type? we do not need to project that menacing of an image to thwart unwanted attention but it is possible to let people know by our deameaner that we are not the average taget. stand straight, walk erect, hold your head up, look people in the eye, speak directly, shoulders back, but no need to bluster. image matters.
Dave,
Thanks for the bonus lesson! Great stuff! Keep the information coming. We all need to stay vigilant. Complacency will ensure failure everytime.
Thanks. I need someone to remind me to do these simple common horse sense things. There is no magic in avoiding most trouble.
Your bonus article just reminded me of how many hiding places exist in and around the parking area and elevators of an inner-city apartment building. I’m aware but not the 100% of the time I need to be. Thanks.
Your bonus article is tremendous reinforcement, especially for my prevailing suspicious mindset. My mind is constantly generating “what-if” scenarios in city, rural, back country, and home front environments. In maintaining a state of readiness, mobility and super mobility (when called for) is imperative, therefore, proper footwear is a compelling consideration. Additionally, memorizing license plates is not only a beneficial mental activity, but could also prove useful in an adverse situation.
Thank you, David, for imparting your preparedness expertise and enthusiasm, and for stirring me to continually sharpen my skills.
David, Thank you for the bonus and a great thanks for the lessons. I have 9 adult children that need this information. Keep up the good work.
I have joined your program and have gained much knowledge since signing on. I live on the Texas Gulf Coast and taking this course and stocking up on food and other supplies especially this time of the year [ Hurricane season ]is working out perfectly.
All othe info is very valuable as well.
Mike Jones
Stafford,Tx
Dear Dave,
Today is Thursday august13th, we just had 10 inch of rain and our little town was flooded. The Military base was closed both coming in and going out. They lost power and internet. Many cars were in the ditches and some children were unable to go home because parents counld not get through the street due to flooded streets.
Houses were flooded. We were prepared. We are on higher ground so the water did not bother us as far as the flooding. We were in need of nothing because we were ready. We were able to maintain or power and we just stayed put until the area was safe. Than you Organic granny
Hi. David,
I love your lessons. I’ve been closely following your advice and have contacted my three, grown kids to let them know I am always hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst. I’ve put a lot of the info into place, and am stocking up on important items, like 72 hr. kit, bug-out bags, and stocking up on emergency rations. It’s amazing the people I talk to who just look at me as if I was paranoid when I try to engage them in a conversation about their preparedness. It’s discouraging when you’re trying to put together a team. The communications lesson was a real eye-opener. I look forward to each lesson. Great Job!By the way, there is a great website for emergency food. Pleasant Hill Grain.com. They have really good products with 20 year shelf life. Good stuff.
Very good reminder. Keep them coming.
Very interesting. I have always tried to use observation, nad thinking ahead. Take driving, for example, When I ride with someone else, they seem to wait outside stimli to make a lane change or brake. I have always played out scenerios in my head, made corrections or adjustments, ahead of time. Seems like the same type of thinking. Keep up the good lessons. Thanks. John, in Central Florida
Thank you, for your great info at a very reasonable fee. I have “warned” the folks I care about for years, but they tend to consider me to be a bit paranoid. When they see the advice from you, in print, they become attentive. I appreciate the simple fact that your offerings cause me to seem a bit more “believeable”.
BTW, I am a subsriber, my good man- you are doing a fine service for those who choose to heed.
Later, Bob
Your lesson package is the best value on preparedness I have found. Each lesson is easy to follow and allows me to complete it at my own pace. I don’t know how I would be able to learn these important skills without spending thousands of dollars and haveing to spend time traveling to classes.
Thanks for a great program!
I am a subscriber and I find your information very helpful. I am 77 years old, an NRA Training Counselor/Instructor in Firearm Safety/Pistol/Rifle/Shotgun and Personal Protection. I of course have a CCW and have been carrying since 1957 (what I call my “american express”- never leave home without it).