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One of the advantages of learning boxing or any other kind of martial art is building self-esteem. Not only do you learn how to defend yourself but you learn to feel better about yourself-something that’s lacking a lot of teenagers. This ARTICLE explains how young teenagers are learning how to box to do just that up in Washington state.

It has often been said that the best defense is a good offense. In this case we feel that self-defense is the best offense. We have often maintained that if young children learn how to defend themselves when they are small, those skills will not only improve and keep them in shape but help protect them against things like bullying.

One of the best ways to learn self-defense tactics is from an absolute expert. And the self-defense training DVD called Street Safe is one of the best especially for beginners, young kids and women. They can teach you the basics of self-defense in an hour.

Check out all of our other Martial Arts DVD’s

Any weapon or tool that can come to your defense when you are being attacked by either an animal or another human being can be termed as a self defense weapon or tool. While the weapon or tool can be in any form, shape or size, it is the ones that are compact and portable that are being preferred the most. Irrespective of the gender of the person, a self defense tool can prove to be very handy. You never know when danger strikes. These weapons help you stay prepared at all times of the day or night.

It is important to understand that though self defense tools like the pepper sprays, pocket knives, tasers and stun guns are the best form of protecting yourself, they are not legally allowed in all states. It is imperative to understand the local laws and opt for the weapon or tool that is legally endorsed. If you belong to a state where these weapons are banned, consider taking up training in martial arts like karate and taekwondo that will help you overpower your attacker easily.

As 31 year old Daniel Wood recently found out, however, they don’t always work as advertised when certain guidelines are ignored.  When police interrupted him inhaling an aerosol, Wood made a run for it. After darting though traffic he was caught and as the officers tried to subdue him he began to resist arrest.  That is when another officer Tasered him, causing a small fire to ignite on his chest.  The fire was quickly patted out and the suspect was treated and released.

This unfortunate injury should not have happened.  The Tasers had just recently been issued, meaning all of the officers had just been trained in its use and on the polices regarding appropriate situations for its use.  One of the Lancaster’s polices forbid the use of the Taser when flammable substances, in this case the aerosol, might be involved.  The department has launched an investigation into the matter but it would be a good guess that the Lancaster police have a new found respect for the policies having seen what can happen when they are not followed.

Lancaster police Chief Dave Bailey is still a propionate of the Taser, quick to point out that incidents like this are uncommon.  He also points out that most injuries. Both to police and suspects occur at the time of arrest.  The Taser, when used properly, is a lot safer to the suspect that being subdued by a baton and he would most certainly rather be shot with a Taser, however unpleasant, to being shot with a gun. And for the officers it is even safer than Mace. A strong gust of wind can blow it right back into the officer’s face.

The internal investigation will shed some light on just what happened.  Did the officer just decide to ignore the policy because he did not think it was dangerous to do so, or did he just get caught up in the moment and it slip his mind?  It would be a good guess that other officers have learned from this so it seems unlikely to happen again.

When the smoke has cleared around this incident, however, the public will look back over the track record for the Taser and see that it can be used as a safe and efficient law enforcement tool.

What are Taser holsters?
Taser holsters are holders that resemble shaped pouches.  They are used to hold Tasers when not in use and are usually sold as a free accessory for every purchase of a Taser.  While optional in many cases, holsters are increasingly becoming popular with people who want a practical means to keep their Tasers and carry them during transit.

Taser holsters are made of cloth or some other strong material such as leather.  Some of the most common holsters being sold today are made with nylon.

Do you need a Taser holster?
A Taser holster is nothing more than just a container or storage device for your Taser gun.  In the absence of a holster, the Taser will probably find a comfortable place in a bag or a pocket.  While this is good enough, it may not be practical in the long run.

When not in use, Tasers tend to be forgotten tools of self-defense.  The problem here is that in case an emergency does occur and physical attack is imminent, how soon can you get hold of your Taser gun, aim it and fire?  A holster will not only keep your Taser in place, it will also encourage you to wear it near your body where it will be easy to find and deploy.  The few seconds it would take for you to rummage through your bag or dig into your pocket for a loose Taser might be enough for your attacker to hurt you.  with a holster, you will have no excuse to give him that chance.

Buying a Taser holster
When purchasing a Taser, check to see if a holster comes with the offer.  Holsters are often offered for free.  If your purchase does not include one or if you are not comfortable with the free item, you could choose from numerous styles, designs, colors and brands.  Be sure to check the model of your Taser gun prior to purchase of a holster because many of these are designed for use with specific Taser types.  This will ensure a snug, reliable fit for your gadget.

In the movie, each of the four main characters has their own stories. Phil was a perfect jerk like what Bradley Cooper is known for. Stu was the type of boyfriend who gets beaten up by his girlfriend while Alan was an idiot anyone would love. Doug, on the other hand, was the very responsible, soon-to-be-wed boyfriend.Just like other male-centered movies, Doug is the type that everyone would like to have as a friend. Phil is a school teacher whose regular thing is to steal from his students’ field trip fund. Meanwhile, Stu doesn’t have the guts to stand up to his girlfriend as she beats him up. This led to him being panicky all the time. Alan, is weirdly not allowed within 200 feet of any school.

Overall, the movie is really funny. There are just some scenes that are somewhat unacceptable to some audiences. For one, there is one scene where the main characters are nailed with tasers as some cops and school children just and watch and laugh at them. Even the kids used the cops’ tasers on the three funny heroes. It appeared funny to some but to some, it made them queasy because of the taking in of torture in the taser scene.

You won’t believe how the movie can get the viewer confused. So many crude moments that you can’t forgive yet it also has a lot of softhearted moments that makes your forget the crude moments. The confusion and the speed of events were really hilarious. The only flaw that critics have found is the tasteless taser scene. This has led them to name the movie as the “Self-defense movie of the year.” Tasers are supposed to be a defense of victims against attackers. Using tasers on the characters in the movie wasn’t exactly funny to all viewers.

The manner of how the story was told was one of the movie’s strengths. The watcher is kept in suspense the whole time until it gets to the climax. The cast really rolled comedy-style. The punchlines were gratifying for the male watchers as given by its R rating. The actors played their parts nicely while their interaction with each other showed very well in the movie.

How personal alarms work
Personal alarms are designed to sound a loud alarm when switched on, usually with a button.  This button is usually referred to — appropriately enough — as the panic button.  The alarm is a high-decibel sound that’s meant to warn other people that someone needs help.  It can also be used to locate someone, such as a young child or an elderly, in case they get lost or need assistance.

Personal alarms are also the preferred choice for people who can’t fight back or can’t scream loud enough.

Are personal alarms effective?
Personal alarms emit a blaring noise that will only be shut off if the user pushes a button.  The noise can register at up to about 140 dB.  That’s a lot of noise if you consider that a train whistle only registers to about 90 dB.  Use this much noise against an attacker and you will cause panic or momentary confusion, giving you enough opportunity to fight back, bring them down, run away or alert someone that you are in imminent danger.

If the user is lost and need to be found, the personal alarm can be very effective in calling someone’s attention.  It’s also an excellent device to use to warn or alert other people during any kind of emergency.

Personal alarms can be very effective self-defense tools but they too, have their limitations and it’s important for users to recognize this so they know what to expect and are better prepared for certain situations when a personal alarm may not always work to their advantage.

While quite effective in deterring crime or a possible attack and in helping locate a lost loved one, the personal alarm may not always suffice in certain situations, such as when:

- The user is in an isolated area where no one else can hear the alarm and no one can come to the rescue.
- An assailant may forcibly take the alarm and turn it off, thereby rendering it useless.
- The alarm runs out of power.  This device needs fresh batteries in order to work.  In case the batteries die out when they’re needed most, the alarm will not be of any help.

In spite of its disadvantages, the personal alarm still has its own set of benefits.  The user simply has to understand what it can and cannot do so as to be able to maximize its use.