Facing Violence

If you have a son (especially) or daughter between 14 and, say 24-28, I totally recommend you MAKE them watch this DVD "Facing Violence" by Rory Miller - it is not about fighting - it is about violence - how to avoid it and, when unavoidable, how to respond as well as how you will respond to unwanted encounters ... it is NOT a how to fight DVD... probably the opposite... I consider myself a fringe martial artist - I know a few "techniques" but I respond on instinct. As an adult I have had four encounters - prevailed (which in a few cases involved a few lucky strikes and a good set of legs...) in each one because I acted out of instinct / reflex but everything covered in this presentation is exactly true - even in other incidents like car accidents or when I encountered the bear this summer in Glacier National park almost all this rang true... The DVD really demonstrates situational awareness and what to expect when you are in an unexpected situation. I am going to share some of this with my students (I am a Biotech professor not a martial arts instructor) and encourage them to purchase this DVD. Highly recommended!!

I have read Rory Miller's book Facing Violence and like other reviewers this is a must own with the book. I thought the "Articulation Wars" and "Aftermath" talks were awesome. There is so much more information and tactics Miller can share that he can make DVDs on each topic alone and I hope he does in the future. Check out his book "Scaling Force" as well, another excellent work by him.Only drawbacks was there was this annoying low music being played in the background. It did not ruin the content at all but like I said it was noticeable. Miller could also have gone into more depth about "Articulation Wars" and Deescalation but I guess it's hard because of time constraints for one DVD.In closing it was very informative.

This is the first of many videos I am buying from Rory Miller, He talks about practical self defense and how to prepare for an attack. Rory goes over things that I always knew but it didn't really hit me until he says it like how every training drill has its flaws, something I always knew but never thought too much about before.There are really no techniques shown its more about strategy.BOTTOM LINE, EVERYONE and I mean EVERYONE should watch this video, if you have done martial arts or not is irrelevant. This is a good DVD and I recommend it to anyone that I talk to about self defense.

Excellent DVD fills in some of the missing parts of martial arts training. First - how not to be there in the first place (best strategy yet.) Last - the 3 part mantra on what to do if the worst day of your life happens. By better understanding what will go on at each step, anyone can become better prepared. I wish I lived in a world that was safe for everyone, but until Utopia breaks out, anything that makes us all a little safer is a step in the right direction. I would recommend this video for all women and martial artists.

Love this guy. I read his first two books during my last deployment and was able to immediately begin to apply concepts to my instruction to other service members and students. The video, however, fills in the little things that just couldn't be clarified in the books. The training exercises demonstrated were also very interesting. I'd love to meet Miller face-to-face and pick his brain on matters. If you don't have this, and you're at all serious about REAL self defense training, BUY IT!

I'd read the book, but I was still surprised by how much I learned from the DVD.Normally I try to give more details when I review. Yet I feel almost redundant reviewing this.Of great interest to me was the portion at the end where he is discussing the harmful effects of violence, including the effects of surviving and even "winning" a fight, on most people. This is something rarely discussed and he discusses it well. Great product.

No, I don't get a kickback, but 30 plus years of first hand experience on the street and in various sub-cultures have shown me that Sgt Miller knows his stuff, and the no BS approach and real world/time information found in the book and this DVD is absolutely worth the money. I bought a spare just in case this wears out or is borrowed from my personal library... it's good.

In this day in age, anyone who participates in a martial arts or has a combative training needs to review this DVD.Coupled with his book: Force Decisions: A Citizen's Guide - Understanding How Police Determine Appropriate Use of Force- the informed and contemplative artist will remember the most important weapon he or she has is their mind.Highly recommended!

I can highly recommend this DVD as being of great quality filming with a truly great self defence trainer Rory Miller.I have had the great pleasure of training with Rory Miller and I bought some of his books before training with him. This is for anyone who is interested in Self Defence, who teaches/instructs Self Defence Classes. First, you'll get a lot if you pay attention, think about what Miller discusses, and implement his ideas into your overall self-defense strategies and training. Second, watch this DVD because Miller knows what he's talking about and addresses a lot of things that aren't even mentioned in most self-defense and martial art's training DVDs.The DVD is great companion to Rory Miller's book of the same title. Both the DVD and the book "Facing violence" cover seven important things any martial artist or person wanting to know about self-defense must consider when dealing with real fights, real attacks and real violence. These seven areas are: 1) Legal and ethical implications 2) Violence dynamics 3) Avoidance 4) Counter-ambush 5) Breaking the freeze 6) The fight itself 7) The aftermath.Rory Miller has a group that he teaches to, and they interact with Miller, and thus is makes this DVD more like being in a live seminar with Miller. Rory Miller teach's these seminars of which I have attended one in Edinburgh. This DVD takes on the appearance of a live program and not the rehearsed "DVD programs" that many of us are used to.My best advice is to Listen Clearly to this. Pay attention. And you need to let these lessons sink in to help you be better prepared to face actual violence.When Rory talks it is from actual hard-won knowledge that he shares honestly. He sincerely delivers the information in this program to help people avoid if possible, and survive if necessary, when dealing with the real-word violence found in today's streets.No, this isn't your normal self-defense DVD, it's something totally different. It's a program I strongly recommend people watch and learn from this to help with their martial art's and self-defense training. If you are a self-defense instructor, you must be including these seven areas in your teaching. If you aren't, you are doing a disservice to your students. This DVD, together with the book of the same name, you'll be much better prepared to face real violence, and you'll be a much better self-defense instructor.

Novelist Steven Barnes, in the foreword to Rory Miller's first book, writes about the "gap" between reality and fantasy: the place where novelists play. Between the many kinds of violence and dojo training lies the gap which others have tried to help us span: Geoff Thompson and Peter Consterdine here in the UK, Loren Christensen and Marc MacYoung in the US. For the last few years, Rory Miller's been bringing something new to the mix.When does breaking eye contact and turning away defuse the situation? When does it spell disaster? What are the personal, ethical decisions you need to make now, in advance, when (I hope) you are safe?There are training scenarios here, but it's 90 percent in a lecture/tutorial format, and it's possibly the best single resource on self-protection I've encountered in four decades of training. There's nothing specific to a style or discipline here: that's what your dojo is for.Mr Miller's background is as a corrections officer in US prisons (and in Baghdad), dealing legally and safely against threats most of us will never face once - and doing it all the time. And that includes talking down psychotics. Only two or three references are specific to the US, such as exploring your ethical limits by imagining the circumstances under which you would shoot (or refuse to shoot) an attacker. All of it translates.And yes, I recommend the book of the same name - it complements the DVD - along with Meditations on Violence. Superb.

I have read or downloaded most of Rory Miller's books. Although US based,most of the points are as applicable in the UK. I like the fact it's not combat martial arts but more a basis for self protection and some really interesting basic concepts.Overall an excellent view and I've just bought another to give as a present!

VERY HONEST DVD ABOUT VIOLENCE. EMPHASISES ON LETTING GO OF YOUR EGO TO SAVE YOUR LIFE. I recommend this dvd.