Self Protection, 5 & 25 Rule, and Getting Followed

I had a conversation with Greg Lapin.

Greg is a first-degree black belt in Jiu Jitsu, former SWAT operator, former government contractor, and an instructor at Fieldcraft Survival.

Greg shared his insights into how to become more situationally aware and how to better protect yourself and your loved ones.

Here are the 7 most important lessons:

1. 5 & 25

When you are in an area, especially one you’ve just entered, (a gas station or parking lot for example), first look around your immediate vicinity - 5 meters. Once you’ve become aware of the 5m area around you, expand out to 25m and do the same. Take notice of potential threats, oddities, or anything that stands out.

2. It’s a muscle

Sitiuational awareness(and the ability to protect yourself and loved ones generally) is a muscle. It must be trained to grow. Begin by taking a second right now to assess your immediate area and build this habit into your daily life. You will become more aware and by default more safe.

3. Trust your spidey senses

Your intuition has been honed over a long time to detect threats; trust these senses. If you think someone is following you, then take the measures to lose them. If you think someone looks like a threat, do not dispell this sense and continue on like you never noticed. Take stock of your intuitive senses and trust them.

4. Train so you can be prepared, not paranoid

There is a saying that goes “the paranoid survive”. A better and more accurate way to say this is “The prepared survive.” Be prepared for your sake and your loved ones’

5. Getting followed

If you think you’re being followed while you’re walking, don’t continue on your normal route: cross the street, if the suspected follower does too, cross the street again. If the suspect does it again and again then you know you’re being followed and you can take necessary measures.

6. Keep blood in

It’s more important to train how to keep blood in good guys than it is to train to take blood out of bad guys. You are far more likely to be required to administer aid to save someones life than use a firearm. Train accordingly.

7. Understand your ability

Know your abilities and be honest with yourself about your limitations. Once you’ve identified these, train to enhance your limitations and maintain your abilities.

—

Your ability to protect yourself and your loved ones is paramount; train like it will save your loved one’s life because it very well might. What a tragedy it would be to be ill-equipped and ill-trained if that day should ever come.

Listen to the full conversation with Greg on Spotify, Apple, or watch on Youtube.

Share this newsletter with someone using this link

Onward & Upward,

Nolan