According to a March 2023 article from Runner’s World, 92% of women have feared for their safety during a run. On the male side of the same article, only 28% have ever feared for their safety.
I would argue the men aren’t that much safer but tend to be not as vigilant when it comes to paying attention for danger. I have spent the last two years training soldiers (mostly male) for hand-to-hand fighting, and I can say without a doubt most of them overemphasize their ability to defend themselves. As demonstrated by my 66-inch, 157 lbs, and 40+ year old body, I would manhandle soldiers half my age despite them having a 50+ lbs. weight advantage. That’s not a testament to how good I am, but rather to how bad the average male was at defending themselves. Person after person would say things like “I just see red” and “I’ll know what to do” but our practical exercises proved otherwise, while some were successful early, most would freeze up or often do the wrong thing.
If you’ve ever felt uncomfortable during a run whether it be due to a suspicious person, your physical stature, running at a different time or simply running in a new area, I have a solution for you.
Thanks to the methodology by Tiga Tactics, two cousins (Dr. Conrad Bui and Patrick Vuong) with more than a dozen martial arts black belts between the two of them, I have condensed and organized the information into an easy-to-read and easy-to-apply book. It’s not just their tips though. In addition, I use my experience of 20+ of endurance training and my time as a Special Forces Soldier through a 20-year military career to further provide clarity.
You don’t have to have the same qualifications as myself, Conrad or Patrick, you simply need situational awareness, a solid plan, good habits, and if it comes to it, some simple skills to defend yourself. If you want to be safer on the road, trail or even inside at 24-hour fitness centers (yes, attacks still happen in those even with cameras rolling and the door locked), you need to pick up this book. Tiga Tactics methodology doesn’t come from theory, it comes from watching hours upon hours of real-world attacks that happen via security cameras. From this we aren’t guessing at what bad guys do, we are using actual data on how they attack and what works for self-protection.
“Run If You Can, Destroy If You Must” is a comprehensive guide to self-protection for runners, walkers and hikers. If you or a loved one spends any time outside walking, jogging or running, you need this book for your personal safety.
You don’t worry about getting into a car accident every time you drive because you have an emergency plan to deal with car troubles including seat belts, airbags, a car that’s been tested, a spare tire, and your phone to help find a solution. You should treat your body the same way. Read the book, develop a plan, and put your mind at ease.
The book is now available on my website Strength & Speed as well as Amazon in both digital and physical copy. The book isn’t just martial arts moves (it does have some simple ones in there) but it is a comprehensive guide to self-protection. Situational awareness, planning, mindset and pros/cons for various self-defense items are just some of the topics. Overall, I think you’ll be surprised with how much you learn and how much of self-defense happens before an actual incident. Even experienced martial artists will find value in the simple and easy to learn techniques/strategies taught in the book. Despite all the experience I have from both martial arts and the military, Tiga Tactics is the methodology I use when I teach others.
Pick it up, read it, implement some basic strategies and put your mind at ease. You’ll be better for it and bad guys will be worse off. Get some training whether it be from the book, online with Tiga Tactics or in person at one of their seminars. Making good people a little more dangerous will help make the whole world a little safer.
