Fierce Israeli Guerrilla Hand-to-hand Tactics (F.I.G.H.T.) is a self-defense program based on an Israeli self-defense system called Haganah.  Essentially, it's a way for a smaller person or body (think Israel) to defend itself against a larger, stronger person or body (think the Israel-hostile Arab world).  Unlike other self-defense systems, it doesn't advocate the use of pepper spray, calling for help, or locking yourself in your car.  Instead, it emphasizes the idea of turning the attack on the attacker with fist and elbow strikes, leg and groin kicks, takedowns, joint locks/breaks, chokes, gun disarmament, and knife defense.  A typical training session is usually located at a martial arts center and consists of 1-on-1 practice scenarios where each person learns how to defend against a typical type of attack, such as a front face punch, a rear choke, or a running takedown.  All scenarios are broken down into an initial defense, a point of reference, and an objective.  The initial defense is meant to short-circuit the attacker and usually consists of some sort of block and a punch or kick.  The point of reference is the same or similar for almost all scenarios and consists of some sort of center-clinch headlock or side-clinch arm grab, accompanied by knee strikes and an elbow in the face/neck.  The objective is either to take the attacker down to the ground (to get out of the situation or to handcuff them), incapacitate them (break an arm or leg), or terminate them (break their neck or dislodge their esophagus).  Each practice scenario is meant to train a person's muscle memory so there won't be any hesitation in a real scenario.  Everything is done at less than half speed and intensity so there are no major injuries or deaths.  A typical F.I.G.H.T. practitioner will regularly receive a variety of bumps and bruises, with the advantage being that the person will develop a higher tolerance for physical pain. 

This is what I've been doing twice a week for the past 4 months.  It's awesome.  I originally thought about getting into Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu because of my interest in UFC.  But after reading more about it and watching a practice session at a martial arts center, I wasn't that interested in how much it resembled wrestling.  But at the same martial arts center, they had classes for this thing called Israeli self-defense.  I checked it out and haven't turned back since. 

Another part of the reason for my interest in this stuff is that my life has changed over the past few years.  If somebody robbed me in college, they wouldn't have made out with much.  But now I have a car and a house and things in my house, and I feel at least a little vulnerable and protective.  And as the "man" of the house, I feel a strange desire to protect what's mine, including my wife and my cats.  I wouldn't go so far as to buy a gun or keep a butcher's knife under my pillow, but I definitely see the value of knowing how to protect myself if I'm attacked. #sports