Self defense
Representative image. Pixabay

The significance of self-defense training in the U.S. cannot be overstated. A Gallup poll has revealed that a significant amount of Americans are apprehensive about walking alone in the dark. Acquiring tactics for self-protection goes beyond a set of skills; it's a transformative tool that strengthens individuals, fosters confidence and addresses the pressing need for personal safety in our society. Josh Katz, the founder of 419 Strategy and owner of Rock Solid Krav Maga, emphasizes the importance of this.

419 Strategy's approach is guided by Josh's early experience providing security in Hollywood along with years of self-defense training and contact with law enforcement. These experiences helped him to identify the different scenarios and factors that contribute to victimization.

In a post-pandemic landscape, as anxiety about returning to the workplace became palpable, some employers widened their support for employees' safety to stretch beyond the workplace. Katz's business responded to this idea of going beyond the office walls, by developing a live online seminar, usually moderated by a senior HR professional. "As employers started to realize the importance of an employee's well-being beyond the workplace, we developed a program aimed to empower employees to improve the safety of their daily lives,'' Katz says.

Although Katz has developed a physical program to rapidly teach people the basics of self-defense, this online program emphasizes the importance of prevention. Katz says, "When I address the subject of self-defense, I talk about the 3 T's of Target Hardening, Toughness, and Technique. This online seminar focuses solely on Target Hardening because learning to stay out of trouble is more important than learning to get out of trouble. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. "

419 Strategy's live online seminar goes beyond theoretical concepts, offering simple tactics that employees can immediately put into practice. This seminar covers scenarios such as commuting on mass transit and walking home from work but also discusses social situations as well as other kinds of encounters people have in their daily lives. Katz addresses the dangers of various impairments and distractions and explains how to create a state of readiness for yourself without feeling paranoid.

California, often a trendsetter in legislation, has authorized the Workplace Violence Prevention Act, which will commence on Jan. 1, 2025. This act obliges employers to provide effective training to prevent violence in the workplace. Katz foresees this as a potential model for other states. When the expanded safety role of employers spreads to other states, Katz's live online seminars will be a useful tool for employers who want to provide safety training for the "whole employee," even outside of their work location.

"In concert with the HR team, 419 Strategy's seminars offer employees specific and effective tools for their safety," Katz says, "ensuring that people have the useful knowledge and the confidence to use it."