The SAS Self-Defense Handbook: A Complete Guide to Unarmed Combat Techniques

by John Wiseman

Book Overview

Written by a former Survival Instructor of the SAS (Special Air Service - England's equivalent of the United States Special Forces), The SAS Self-Defense Handbook provides easy-to-follow illustrated... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1585740608
• ISBN13: 9781585740604
• Release Date: April 2000
• Publisher: Lyons Press
• Length: 156 Pages
• Weight: 0.76 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 7.4" x 9.4"

Customer Reviews

Excellent Primer For Civilian Combatants

I purchased this title for a civilian friend of mine who was interested in the unarmed combat techniques I was taught while serving with this Regiment in Rhodesia during the 1970's. While I agree with another reviewer that remarked that the laws in The United States and Great Britain (where I also served during the Faulklands campain with The 3rd Para) are rather draconian with respect to self-defense, the book is very informative regarding the basic tactics and pressure points of the human frame, i.e. body, and is indeed a wonderful primer for the lay-man. A small bit of inside information regarding The Regiment: Unlike the films, which portray every fighting soldier as 6'4" 280lbs, the average height and weight of a member of the SAS and The Parachute Regiment is 5'7" 150lbs, only showing that it is not size that determines a man or woman's strength but their Will to Survive, Endurance and Skill in unarmed combat that determine the outcome of any situation. My Instructor was a 5'2" 48y.o. man who had jumped with The Regiment in the jungles of Malaya (today Malaysia) and I feared him more than any of our oppenants during the war in Rhodesia! To my fellow American Service Veterans whose reviews are listed and speak disparagingly of this book: "Get Buggered!" The Regiment pre-dates The Green Berets, DELTA and Navy SEALS by nearly 20 years and most of the techniques they were taught were offered by The Regiment to it's American Cousins during their formation. And we are still in close contact with these units to this day in the area of COIN Operations. Those who Brag Don't Do. Those who Do Don't Brag! Who Dares Wins! And finally, to all my Mates, those who have past and those of us who remain, "Peter sends his regards and he'll be seeing you soon."

Excellent book!

I've only just begun to read this book but I am finding it to be very informative and well illustrated. I am sure this book would be helpful for everyone.

Real world advice

As a member of the military who has done some military self defence traning and also a martial arts trainee, this book was excellent. The techniques and advice are straightforward, useful and 'real world'. The only downside is it doesn't come with someone you can practice with (a must to really learn how to apply the techniques instinctively and explosively).

Good practical introduction

I really enjoyed this book, partly for nostalgic reasons. The line drawings and illustrations showing the self-defense techniques reminded me of an earlier generation of martial arts books back in the 50s and 60s and before, such as Kyose Nakae's Police Jiu-jutsu, the Ratti brothers Aikido and the Dynamic Sphere, Donald Hepler's Self-Defense, Simplified in Pictures, the infamous Ketsugo book ubiquitously advertised in the back of comic books in the 60s, and others. If you're an experienced martial artist you will probably already be familiar with many of these techniques, but if you're a beginner and looking for a good introduction to the field, this is a good place to start. Before I get into my own comments, I note the extremely negative review by one writer who says the book was a complete waste of money and the author mistakenly assumes these techniques will work against larger, stronger, hopped up, homicidal, or psychotic opponents. That's probably true, but that is not a valid criticism. As a self-defense instructor for 35 years myself who's trained in a number of styles and methods, there is no system I've encountered that is guaranteed to enable you to prevail under any and all circumstances and conditions. If they do make these exaggerated claims then they're probably selling you snake oil. I've also read the Perkins book the reviewer says is far better and am quite familiar with Fairbairn's book and methods, and although these are also fine books and I would recommend you get these also, they don't resolve these issues entirely either although they admittedly have their advantages also--the Fairbairn methods are more vicious, but if you just add the groin rips and strikes, eye gouges, strikes to the throat and temple, and clapping the hands over the ears to break the eardrums (a technique which Fairbairn favored) to these techniques--you'll basically have the best of both worlds. But, contrary to what the other reviewer says, you'd better have a serious self-defense situation if you end up injuring or maiming someone for life or killing the attacker using those techniques--especially if there are witnesses. Of course, there are many legal complexities and sides to this issue that I can't possibly go into here, but if you're a 100-pound girl or old lady and you cripple some 250-pound guy for life who attacked you, well, even if you get prosecuted by the district attorney, the jury is likely to go easy on you, and you may get off. But if you're a young, 200+ pound, athletic-looking guy with a dubious or disreputable past and you cause serious harm or injury, or worse, well, you can expect to do some jail time. For some reason, the law frowns on the excessive use of force and violence in self-defense even if the two parties involved are admitted scumbags. :-) But getting back to the issue of survivability against adverse odds, the most that can be said is that a good self-defense course will increase your chances of survival and giv

A superb introduction to unarmed combat techniques.

John Lofty Wiseman's SAS Self-Defense Handbook covers basic unarmed combat techniques, using text, black and white photos and illustrations to reveal the basics. A truly excellent pick.