"I had a near-violent encounter with a man living in a homeless encampment near my house. To make matters worse, a local gang moved in to distribute drugs out of the tents, knowing the police couldn’t search the tents without a court-order. I expressed concern to my personal trainer about my ability to handle these situations, given the police aren’t “readily available in the moment” and he said I should call Chris Hicks. Ironically, I knew Chris from my gym where he taught a self-defense class, though I never took it myself. This training is not about “fighting skills” like martial arts or any system requiring years of practice and a high level of physical conditioning. It’s about handling a violent situation where rules of engagement, moral-ethical norms, justice or decency are non-existent and you have a very short window of time to disrupt the attack; or as Chris says, “7 seconds to safe”. You don’t need to be in great shape to be able to learn what he teaches; the challenge is almost entirely mental. Chris will have you do many things that will give you pause and this is the greatest benefit - overcoming hesitancy to act effectively in a state fear and anxiety. Counter-intuitively, learning how to effectively respond to physical aggression has had mental benefits I never expected. It’s helped me be more assertive and I’ve become more comfortable saying the word “No” in a way that’s not reactive to fear or anxiety. For me personally, Chris and his Armor Up program has been extremely worthwhile both in its stated purpose and beyond. I would recommend it to anyone.