While physical fitness is helpful for general health and well-being, in a survival situation your fitness level becomes a matter of life and death. Making targeted decisions about the types of training you do will give you the advantage when the pressure is on and increase your overall odds of survival. The key to choosing the right kind of self defense training is to choose efficient programs that promote a balance between strength, power, endurance, and mobility.

Read on for a few of our favorite methods and choose the one that's right for you.

Krav Maga

Krav Maga is the well-regarded method of defense training used by the Israeli Defense Forces and U.S. Law Enforcement agencies. Krav Maga means, literally, “contact combat”. Krav Maga places an emphasis on easy-to-learn techniques that have been battle-tested and refined. It lacks unnecessary flourish and requires no previous martial arts training.

            TZAHAL / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain

Learn More: http://www.kravmaga.com/

Systema

Systema is a Russian martial art (literally The System), which emphasizes mental focus, endurance, and pressure point application. Systema’s prioritization of a relaxed, focused state of mind free from anger and toxic thought makes it an excellent addition to the personal defense arsenal of anyone who wants to be prepared for the worst.

Learn More: http://www.russianmartialart.com/

                    http://www.systema.us/

Mixed Martial Arts

MMA uses a wide variety of striking and grappling techniques gleaned from other combat sports and martial arts including Boxing, Muay Thai, Kickboxing, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Judo, Karate, and Taekwondo. The benefit of learning MMA is that the parts from various disciplines that are incorporated are those that are most practically applicable to real-world self defense scenarios.

Learn More: http://www.mixedmartialarts.com/

It’s a simple little piece of gear, so it’s easy to overlook the value in a paracord bracelet. The intricate braiding brings to mind something a pair of BFFs might fashion at summer camp rather than a serious survival tool. But don’t let looks fool you: a paracord bracelet can be a lifesaver.

Paracord 101

The strong yet compact nylon rope is used in the suspension lines of parachutes, from whence comes the name paracord, but it is widely used for other purposes, especially survival gear. The most commonly used cord for this purpose is mil-spec 550 cord, which has a tensile strength of 550 lbs.

Why is it So Strong?

Nylon is powerfully strong at a molecular level: hydrogen forms strong bonds between polyamide chains. The heating and cooling that takes place during the production process allows the bonds to settle and bond further.

Nylon is actually a word used to identify an entire sub-group of synthetic plastics. When stretched into filaments they can be used for products like paracord, toothbrush bristles, and fabrics (including the women’s stockings by the same name). It’s an excellent choice for survival gear because it’s resistant to the mold, fungi, and insects that may wreak havoc on natural materials, given enough time.

What Can I Do With It?

Paracord is perfect for virtually anything that you need to tie, secure, fasten, connect, lash together, etc. Its’ uses are limited only by your imagination.

• The tremendous tensile strength means you can rely on it to serve you as a tripwire or snare without snapping (just make sure you know how to tie a good knot)
• Separate the strands and use it as fishing line or dental floss- no better way to maintain your morale in an emergency than with good dental hygiene, right?
• Use it to secure an emergency splint or tourniquet
• Fasten together a quick shelter
• Secure your emergency gear together for easier carrying

Make Your Paracord Bracelet Work Even Harder

Clearly, paracord is extremely useful. Because a significant length of the lightweight cord can be compacted down into a very small space, there is virtually no excuse for not including it in your EDC and/or bug out bag. But it can do even more for you: a survival bracelet like the Superesse strap bracelet includes not only paracord but multiple built-in survival tools, enabling you to carry an entire survival kit on your wrist. Shop now!

Case Study

Lars was an avid traveler: he embraced the challenge and excitement of traveling alone, usually with little more than the clothes he was wearing and a small backpack. In spite of his few possessions, he considered himself pretty well prepared. He carried a small handcuff key in his back pocket along with a good pocket knife. He got pretty chummy with a fellow drifter he befriended in a hostel in Central America. Unfortunately, he let down his guard after a few drinks one night and let it slip during the lighthearted conversation that he was carrying quite a bit of cash on his person. In his bleary half-drunken state Lars thought it was still a joke when his new friend suddenly produced a pair of handcuffs and cuffed his hands behind his back, but he sobered up quickly when he realized that his acquaintance was going through his meager possessions and pocketing everything of value.

He reached for the handcuff key in his back pocket and managed to fish it out despite his trembling fingers, but having never actually practiced with it his fingers had no muscle memory. He fumbled with it behind his back, unable to find the keyhole. His shaking hand dropped the key after a moment, and a crack on the head made him black out.

The Common Mistake

If you are a frequent foreign traveler, a law enforcement or security officer, in the military, or otherwise determined to be prepared for anything, a handcuff key should have a place in your everyday carry. This is an excellent first step, but just like any other specialized gear, a handcuff key is worthless to you in an emergency situation if you have no experience using it. Lars’ story is an all-too-common one, about an individual who considers himself well-prepared because of the gear he carries. His huge and potentially deadly mistake was in not cultivating the skill to actually use his handcuff key. His lack of applicable skill rendered the key useless.

The Solution

The answer to this problem of false preparedness is simple practice. Just as you can tie your shoes in just about any circumstance without thinking about it, your goal is to develop the muscle memory to be able to use a handcuff key in a variety of situations- in the dark, while distracted, with your hands behind you, etc. An excellent tool to assist you in this is a handcuff trainer. A handcuff trainer is a real working handcuff with a cutaway side so you can see the movement of the inner mechanism as you work on the lock. Practice with a trainer will increase your overall understanding of how handcuffs work,  increasing your effectiveness at escaping and thus your overall chances of survival. The real question is not why you need a handcuff trainer, but why don’t you have one yet?

Get prepared now with our handcuff trainer kit -- Check it out!

When Can You Be Legally Handcuffed?

Ask the average law-abiding American citizen when they can be placed in handcuffs legally and you’ll probably be met with a blank stare, followed by “uh, when you break the law?” Naturally, it isn’t always as black-and-white as that.

When you decide to keep a handcuff key on your person for a SHTF event, the possibility of societal collapse, and everyday preparedness, it’s essential that you know your rights. The following are situations in which you can be legally handcuffed by law enforcement. We do not advise attempting to escape in these situations, even if you question the legality of your detainment. If you feel that your civil rights have been violated, contact a civil rights attorney.

The primary law to be aware of is the fourth amendment, which prohibits unreasonable searches and seizures and requires any warrant to be judicially sanctioned and supported by probable cause. We could take pages and pages discussing what warrants an “unreasonable” search or seizure; ultimately that will be up to the officer in the moment and is likely to vary from person to person. With this in mind:

• Law enforcement can handcuff you while executing a warrant.
• Law enforcement can handcuff you without reading you Miranda rights; these apply only to interrogations.
• Law enforcement can handcuff you when they perceive your behavior as a threat to their safety. The criteria here is not rigid. It’s impossible to anticipate every possible situation when handcuffs would be necessary or advantageous. You can bet that any verbal or physical threat toward an officer will result in handcuffs at the very least.
• Law enforcement can handcuff you at any time while you are in their custody. In other words, if you’ve been arrested you can be cuffed at any point during that process, even if your cuffs had previously been taken off.

According to a training bulletin from the Los Angeles Police Department:

“The principle reason for handcuffing an arrestee is to maintain control of the individual and to minimize the possibility of a situation escalating to a point that would necessitate using a higher level of force or restraint. The decision to use restraining procedures and devices depends on common sense and good judgment.”

Law enforcement can make a case that any of the above situations warranted handcuffing you.

What About Citizen’s Arrest?

Citizen’s arrest began as a common law that allowed for citizens to make a warrantless arrest for crimes such as prostitution and gambling. Most states have since codified those common laws, and they vary widely by state. All states require that a citizen can only legally arrest an individual if the crime happened in their presence. This extends to merchants, who enjoy in most states the ability to detain a suspected shoplifter until law enforcement arrives.

A handcuff key is an important part of your everyday carry, but should not be used when you have been detained by law enforcement, especially considering the lack of rigidity surrounding the legality of detainment. It will be easier for an officer to defend their choice to handcuff you than it will be for you to defend your choice to escape custody. It is much wiser to seek professional legal counsel if you feel your civil rights have been violated.

This is a guest post by John V Cain. John writes about the vagabonding lifestyle at VINJABOND.

Why Travelers Should Carry Handcuff Keys

A covertly equipped handcuff key for a foreigner abroad is the smallest part of their gear but potentially the most important.

Gear to survive or endure dangerous and hazardous scenarios is valuable but gear to avoid them is invaluable.

-John V Cain, founder of VINJABOND.

Specialized handcuff keys and other escape tools have been a part of my everyday carry equipment for my professional life for years but have found them to be just as useful in civilian life, especially while traveling.

It’s my nature to be drawn to danger and unstable situations so don’t take it from me but from the experience of an ordinary traveler on holiday…

While packing up to leave a hostel in Bangkok, I met Alex. A Canadian pre-med student on his gap year interested in my strange gear. We got to talking and I gave him a TIHK handcuff key and showed him how to use it.

Then I headed north towards Vietnam, he headed south towards the Thai islands, where his story begins.

The Full Moon Party

Every full moon on the small paradise island of Koh Phangan, an event occurs that started in the mid 80’s. It’s called the Full Moon Party. With up to 30,000 attendees at each event, it’s the largest recurring beach party in the world. It’s gone through many changes over the years but what remains is its crazy-intense-debaucherous-wild-hedonistic essence.

Thousands of young travelers from every country mixing with each other with powerful music blasting on a true paradise beach. What could go wrong?

When you have this much explosive and dynamic social activity going on, the socially inept tend to have a hard time fitting in, even to the point of becoming a recluse.

Traveling alone through a strange country and attending a monstrous party with thousands of strangers, Alex became that recluse.

Recluses at parties are obvious but ignored.

Belly, a slick Thai local saw poor Alex, but instead of ignoring him like everyone else, he made him his party-protege, despite the language barrier.

Anyone in Alex’s shoes would be delighted to chill with Belly, especially with the 3 girls he was with.

And so he partied on, finally…

Nearly 10 hours later at about 5 in the morning with the party still going strong, Alex was resting, sitting on a picnic table staring into the abyss of dancers dancing away against the endless black ocean.

Suddenly, Belly appears from the moving crowd like mist. He runs straight to Alex out of breath and tells him something in broken English; “Police ???? hide ??? ??? later ???…” Then he hands Alex a Pringles chips bag (tubular paperboard can) and vanished into the crowd.

Dazed and confused, as Alex starts to put the Pringles can between his feet, he’s blinded by a flashlight.

The light then trails directly to the Pringles can. His eyes focus and he can clearly see it’s the police.

One of the cops takes the Pringles can as his partner looks around the vicinity for Belly (I presume).

Again in broken but better English, the cop asks Alex if the Pringles is his. Alex confirms. The cop then opens the can and lays out the contents on the picnic table. To shocking surprise, Alex sees it’s dozens of pills (probably ecstasy) with just as many baggies of white powder.

Alex immediately and nervously denies it’s his now and tries to explain that he was just holding it for a friend.

The cop then handcuffs him and yells at him in Thai.

Alex, now detained and in tears, sits with the cop as his partner searches for Belly within the crowd.

Facing 10 to 20 years in a Thai prison, he remembers the handcuff key I gave him. But the key is hidden on the front of his shorts with his hands cuffed in back.

With the cop sitting right next to him but preoccupied also looking for Belly, Alex starts twisting his shorts to reach the key. He gets it and tries to open the cuffs…

He fails and drops the key, but not on the sand.

Blindly and nervously shaking, he feels for the key on the table. He finds it. Tries again. Drops it again. Repeat…

Click, clank, clack, clack, clack… Success!

Amazed at himself but also realizing the implications of it, he loses the key again but this time it drops to the sand, lost forever. But no matter, one hand is free.

Uncontrollably nervous, he dry vomits, paralyzed.

An eternity passes by (probably 5 minutes). His hand free from the shackles, making pretend it’s still engaged as he builds up the courage to run.

Another eternity later, he bolts into the sea of people like a bat out of hell. Adrenaline at max output with his left hand sporting a shiny bracelet. He runs and runs.

Alex has been sober all his life including this night but the euphoria he feels as he finally makes it back to his bungalow is the epitome of a natural high.

He remembers my “5 minute training” and shaves his mustache, gives himself a drastic haircut, bruises his cheeks and forehead, changes into completely different colored clothing and buries the ones he’s wearing.

Not long after that, he made it safely back to Bangkok.

Handcuff Keys and Shims for World Travel

A life saved by a piece of plastic, a handcuff key.

There will be detractors on civilians carrying handcuff keys. If you are one of those, I’d like to ask you: “What would you do in Alex’s exact situation?”

Would you let yourself be arrested and spend a quarter century in a foreign prison because the “law is the law”?

Remember, you didn’t murder anyone, steal from a store or even knew you were committing a crime. For all intents and purposes, bad friggen luck.

I don’t know about you but I will not go to prison for holding a bag of chips if I can help it. And it’s not like “I was holding it for a friend” or “I didn’t know it was drugs” is going to hold up in court in this scenario.

If you still don’t want to control your own destiny and trust a foreign justice system implicitly, then at best you can; get yourself officially arrested, processed into their system, go to lockup, wait to see a judge, meet with an embassy appointed lawyer, go back to lockup and 6 months later you’re rather set free or sent to prison.

Complete Escape Tool Gear Kit

I received the longest email ever from Alex (not his real name by the way) shortly after. I wish it was written on paper by hand as it was motivating and one of the most touching pieces of words I have ever read.

Back home or abroad, it’s unlikely to be unfairly or unjustly arrested but it’s more likely to occur as a foreigner because of unfamiliar international laws, cultural differences and inaccurate communication.

Then there’s also the possibility of kidnapping.

It will most likely never happen to you (or so you think), but it does happen quite frequently on a global scale.

So as Franz Kafka so wisely says, “Better to have, and not need, than to need, and not have.”, reinforced by the fact that a covert handcuff key is smaller than a clothing button and almost as inconspicuous. Reinforced by the fact that a covert handcuff key is smaller than a clothing button and almost as inconspicuous.

-Malcolm X

It’s true that, aside from law enforcement and military personnel, the individuals you are most likely to find in possession of a handcuff key are the bad guys. But beware of drawing fallacious conclusions: possession of a handcuff key does not a criminal make. It simply follows that those who are most likely to desire a secret way of escape are those who have something they feel the need to escape from: i.e. jail time.

Because of this notion, we often receive earnest questioning from people who wonder why in the world we would market a tiny inconspicuous handcuff key to the general public. They are sure that the majority of our clientele must be those who would do harm to the good guys. While we acquiesce that products falling into the “wrong hands” is an unfortunate reality of the marketplace (and one that we do not condone), consider the fact that handcuffs also can also be purchased by anyone.

Take, for example, the very recent story of a Los Angeles couple who were detained in their own home by home invaders in ski masks. The couple was detained not with rope, wire, zip ties, or any other shady tool to which we may erroneously assume the bad guys are limited. They used regular old handcuffs. Fortunately the couple was not harmed in this case by the trespassers brandishing a screwdriver and a handgun- merely robbed. No one would suggest that they should have freed themselves, should they have had the means, while the invaders were in their home, but who knows how long they had to wait, and scream for help, and pray that the thieves didn’t return while they sat helplessly cuffed?

Choosing to possess a universal handcuff key as part of your everyday carry is not an immediate sign of a criminal, or even of a paranoid person. It’s the choice of someone who knows how frequently the bad guys use handcuffs, and who chooses to do everything in their power to be ready, should the worst-case-scenario happen. It’s about taking responsibility for your life into your own hands, rather than putting it into the hands of someone who would do you harm.

Disposable restraints as used by bad guys most often take the form of zip ties that you can buy at your local hardware store. At first escape seems daunting- how do you pick a non-existent lock? But rest assured, with a little practice and resourcefulness, there are several ways to escape unlawful restraint via zip tie. The effectiveness of these tactics will depend on the material type (these tactics are much less likely to be effective on the plastic cuffs used by law enforcement, nor should you try to) as well as the positioning of your hands and what tools you have at your disposal. As with normal handcuffs, if you think you may find yourself in a situation from which you need to escape, it’s a great idea to practice your tactics in advance.

Silverxxx / Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY-SA-3.0 / GFDL

Breaking Zip Ties

Zip ties operate with a ratchet mechanism, very similar to traditional handcuffs, but without the double lock that prevents them from being tightened further once they’ve been secured. While tightening your restraints further may at first feel counterintuitive, it can actually work to your advantage. This method can work whether your wrists have been bound with a single tie, or with two ties bound together: tighten them as much as you can (you may need to use your teeth), then bring your arms up high, and pull them down quickly. Flare your elbows out and simulate touching your shoulder blades together on the down-swing as your hands hit your stomach (or your rear, depending on whether your hands were cuffed in front of you or behind you). For a visual, check out this video from ITS Tactical:

Melting

If you carry a lighter on your person and can maneuver to angle the flame toward the plastic between your wrists, you may be able to soften it enough to pull the plastic cuffs apart or more easily break them using the method outlined above. This method of course runs the risk of burning your own skin, but in a risky situation it will likely be worth it.

With a little forethought, you may be able to afford yourself extra wiggle room to maneuver around inside the zip ties. If you are able to, present your hands to your captor with your fists side-by-side, palms downward and thumbs pressed together. Then, once they have cuffed yours hands together, you can twist both hands sideways (palms both facing inward) and will find that you have much more room to work with, and you may even be able to slip out of the cuffs altogether.

Sawing

A sharp serrated edge may be able to saw through the material, if you can position your hands correctly from the beginning to afford yourself as much wiggle room as possible (see above). You can also use a length of paracord to create a friction saw. Keep your eyes open to the objects around you that can be used as tools.

Shimming

Because zip ties operate with a ratchet mechanism, you can shim them in the same way you may shim standard metal cuffs that haven’t been double locked. A shim can be any small, flat object that you can fit into the ratchet mechanism between the locking bar and the tie itself- including the excess end of the zip tie. Inserting the shim separates the ratchet from the locking mechanism, allowing you to easily loosen your restraints.

For more escape tips, check out this overview of handcuff escape methods.

All About Disposable Restraints

As many of our loyal customers have pointed out to us, a handcuff key will be of little use if you find yourself tied up in disposable restraints. Read on to learn all about disposable restraints, the circumstances in which they are often used, and some tips for escaping unlawful detainment.

What are They?

A disposable restraint can be an extremely effective tactic, yet as simple as a single zip tie. Zip ties come in different units of “tensile strength”, which is the maximum stress they can withstand before failing. A standard nylon tie sold for the purpose of detainment (such as a Flex-Cuf) will likely have a tensile strength of anywhere between 300-600 pounds. (Cable ties sold at your local hardware store will be tough, but likely with a lower tensile strength.) These cuffs come in two types: a single length of cable that is wrapped around both wrists, or a set that looks more like traditional handcuffs with a separate loop and lock for each wrist. Zip ties function with the same ratchet mechanism as standard handcuffs, the difference being the absence of a lock and key.

Silverxxx / Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY-SA-3.0 / GFDL

Where Are They Used?

Disposable restraints are most often seen when law enforcement anticipates a high number of arrests that renders metal cuffs impractical, such as riots or demonstrations. They are cheap, lightweight, and easy to carry in bulk, which makes them ideal for detaining a large number of individuals at once. They can also be more easily attached to one another than metal cuffs, which allows an officer to easily contain a group of detainees if working alone. Zip ties are also a common restraint of choice for those with more sinister motives, for the same practical purposes: cheap, quick to use, and lightweight, not to mention easily concealable.

helloturkeytoe / CC BY 2.0

Escaping

Should you find yourself unlawfully restrained with plastic cuffs, rest assured that with a little practice and resourcefulness, there are several ways to escape them. The effectiveness of these tactics will depend on the material type and thickness as well as the positioning of your hands and what tools you have at your disposal.

-Brute force: by tightening the cuffs as much as possible and then bringing them down hard against your body, it is possible to snap the cuffs.

-Melting: a flame or cigarette lighter may be able to melt the plastic, weakening it enough for you to pull the cuffs apart (preferably before burning yourself).

-Sawing: a sharp serrated edge may be able to saw through the material, if you can position your hands correctly or rub them against the tool.

-Shimming: because zip ties operate with a ratchet mechanism, you can shim them in the same way you may shim standard metal cuffs that haven’t been double locked.

Check back next month for a more in-depth study of disposable restraint escape methods.

If you are familiar with today’s standard-issue handcuffs, you know that most models, even across different brands, can be opened with a universal key. A universal handcuff key at first seems like a very counter-intuitive concept, placing law enforcement at a tactical disadvantage. But consider which scenario is really of a greater disadvantage- one in which the cuffs being used to secure a suspect can be opened by a universal key, or one in which the cuffs can only be opened by a single unique key, easily misplaced or lost?

Universal handcuff keys have a simple barrel shape, popularized in 1932 by Peerless Handcuff Co. with the introduction of an updated cuff design. At the end of the barrel is a single small tooth, which is turned to disengage the lock mechanism. The simplicity of the design is intentional: the hassle of requiring a different unique key for every single pair of handcuffs used would slow down the process unnecessarily; a suspect may enter the custody of many different officers from initial detainment, to prisoner transport, to the moment when the cuffs are removed. A universal key allows for a much more seamless transition that ultimately works in the favor of all involved, including the suspect.

Naturally a universal locking mechanism can present the potential for unlawful escape attempts. Law enforcement works to prevent this from happening in a variety of ways- among them are thorough searches of the suspect, proper handcuff positioning to make it more difficult to tamper with the cuffs, and employing the double lock. There is a secondary advantage to the uniformity of handcuff keys, however, and that is the ability to escape should you become wrongfully detained. With its unprecedented ease of concealment, a covert handcuff key is the perfect solution for such a scenario.

As quick and simple as it is to secure most modern cuffs on an individual (with a pair of swing cuffs it can easily be done with one hand), there is quite a bit of technique that law enforcement officers must learn in order to place handcuffs most efficiently. The primary goal of cuffing a suspect is to restrain their hands (at the very least) so that they can be dealt with lawfully. Quality cuffs placed in just about any position will effectively provide some level of restraint, but an LEO must also consider the possibility that the suspect may try to escape, and cuff them accordingly without an extreme degree of discomfort for the suspect.

Handcuffs placed in front make it much easier for a suspect to attempt to pick the lock, open them with a universal handcuff key or even use their hands and arms as a weapon. An officer’s first line of defense, then, is to cuff the hands behind the back. Police recruits are typically taught to apply cuffs so that the palms of the suspects’ hands, already behind their back, face outwards with the thumbs up. This makes it more difficult for the hands and fingers to work together to pick or otherwise escape from the cuffs.

A concern, however, of this standard of hand placement is the possibility of handcuff neuropathy. Handcuff neuropathy is the occurrence of numbing, tingling, burning, or pain sensations in the suspects’ hands as a result of nerve compression from the cuffs. Handcuff neuropathy occurs in varying degrees, but if severe enough can be rather debilitating and long-lasting. One way officers may choose to lessen this possibility is by placing the palms together (still behind the back). This somewhat increases the ease with which the suspect may tamper with the lock, so the officer will likely also position the cuffs with the keyholes facing up and away from the hands. This makes the cuffs more difficult to open, even with a covert handcuff key.

A particularly motivated individual may attempt to slip their hands over their feet and legs in order to bring their hands to the front and into a better position to tamper with the cuffs. If this is a concern, a law enforcement official may choose to secure the cuffs, via zip ties or a carabiner clip, to the back of the suspects’ belt or belt loop. Belly chains are another option, often used when transporting high-security prisoners.