Podcast #513: Be Your Own Bodyguard | The Art of Manliness

If you’ve ever been at an event with a prominent person like a politician, celebrity, or business executive, you’ve likely noticed the dudes wearing sunglasses and sporting an earpiece, trying to look as unassuming as possible while vigilantly keeping an eye out for their client, or “principal.” These guys are part of a personal security detail, and their job is to protect VIPs from harassment and harm. Most of us will likely never be able to afford our own bodyguard, but that doesn’t mean we can’t use the same mindset and skills these professionals use to protect their high-powered clients, to protect ourselves and our loved ones. Today on the show, I talk to former executive bodyguard Nick Hughes about his book How to Be Your Own Bodyguard. We begin our conversation discussing Nick’s stint in the French Foreign Legion and how that transitioned to his work in executive protection. We then discuss how a bodyguard’s primary focus is to prevent violence or altercations from occurring in the first place and the tactics that can accomplish that goal. Nick walks us through how criminals pick out their victims, and how to avoid being targeted. We then discuss how to verbally defuse a situation before it turns to blows and the legal ramifications of self-defense. We end our conversation with tactics you can use to stay safe, whether you’re vacationing abroad or driving the streets of your hometown. Show Highlights Nick’s experience in the French Foreign Legion The realities of bodyguarding as a profession Why prevention is the first key to keeping yourself safe What can people do to increase their chances of not being selected as a victim? Developing your situational awareness The problem of task fixation Defusing verbal altercations The importance of having a full range of self-defense tools Getting the lay of the land in a new environment Isn’t all this stuff a form of paranoia? Imagery rehearsal The legal ramifications of self-defense Staying safe in your hotel room Maintaining situational awareness while driving Resources/People/Articles Mentioned in Podcast Treating Your Family Like VIPs Developing Real World Situational Awareness French Foreign Legion Krav Maga: The Self-Defense System of Israeli Special Forces Turning Yourself Into a Human Weapon Attracting Assault: Victims’ Nonverbal Cues The Warrior’s Manifesto How to Deal With Aggressive People When Violence is the Answer How to Develop the Situational Awareness of Jason Bourne How to Survive (and Prevent) a Carjacking A Complete Guide to Home Security How to Avoid Getting Pickpocketed How to Survive a Mugging Rory Miller Social Aggression vs. Asocial Violence: Why Knowing the Difference Can Save Your Life How to Master the OODA Loop Thinking, Fast and Slow Follow us! https://ift.tt/YAd15k http://twitter.com/artofmanliness