Fight Back: Arm Yourself with Mental and Physical Self-Defense

By Dominick DiVito

Book Overview

A self-defense expert empowers readers with techniques anyone can use to fight back against a physical attack.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1931722463
• ISBN13: 9781931722469
• Release Date: October 2005
• Publisher: Center Street
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 1.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 7.3" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

Extremely Informative

As a mother of three girls, I'd like to say that I found this book extremely informative. I appreciated the "awareness" element of the book. I will definitely share these elements with my daughters. I want them to be empowered with knowledge, not gripped with fear. If you are unaware of your surroundings or ignorant to the danger you may be putting yourself in (i.e. Natalie Holloway comes to mind) you will be crippled with fear and possibly put in a life threatening position. As I was reading some of the other reviews for this book, I was amazed - don't blame this book for teaching a criminal mind, we have Hollywood/TV for that - praise this book for trying to combat the wickedness and give you a tool.

Definitely NOT missing the mark!!!

I am responding to Michael Dobony's opinion of Fight Back. He states DiVito's examples of criminal stories and relating self-defense techniques are unrealistic and resemble "Hollywood" type scenarios. Was he reading the same book I was? The incidences which Divito uses are definitely realistic, i.e., someone breaking into your house in the middle of the night, attempted date rape, being attacked in a parking garage. I am an average American woman, 30 years old, and I can tell you I have either been in or know of people who have been in the situations that Divito uses. Also, if you watch TV news or read the paper, you'll recognize the authors' examples mirror common criminal occurrences. There is nothing Hollywood about the attacks! Additionally, as far as Fight Back's advice being deadly to the victim....One, the book quotes statistics that prove the effectiveness of self-defense. Two, the moves DiVito teaches are simple and are focused on areas of an attacker's body that are generally accessible and easy to find. For example...gouging an attacker's eye or striking him in the throat. These aren't fancy, difficult, or risky moves for a victim. I think the biggest risk would be to do nothing! DiVito is honest and smart about not offering guarantees that self-defense works every time, all the time, however his method of defense combined with solid statistics and real-life stories prove it is better to fight back than to do nothing. The book is nothing less than empowering!

Speaking from personal experience

I am a personal client of Dominick DiVito. He has taught not only me, but my family, that knowledge is power and unlike pepper spray or a weapon, knowledge will always be there when you need it. Todays culture is educating the criminal mind through television, violent movies and violent video games. It's about time that someone came along with the passion and a tool to educate the rest of us on how to fight back - which this book does! It's an easy read that everyone should make the time for!

Fantastic Introduction

This book is a well-written, step-by-step introduction to self-defense. There is an interesting, albeit short foreword by Wynonna Judd showing how she benefited from Mr. DiVito's training and even a testimonial by Chuck Norris to show that the author really knows his stuff. The book is split into two components: mental defense and physical defense. I like the "did you know" boxes that highlight relevant statistics and pertinent vignettes. The introduction actually has a section for you to fill out your goal for learning about the subject, a useful exercise. If you are already a trained martial artist the first half of the book is still well worth the read. If you've never been introduced to the topic the physical concepts in the second half of the book are fairly basic but generally effective but you really should follow-up with physical practice under the guidance of a competent instructor. The various scenarios demonstrate how to apply the movements in realistic settings. This book is a fantastic introduction to essential safety principles. The author demonstrates effective ways to avoid trouble when you can, fight back when you can't, and develop the mindset necessary to survive a violent encounter. Written primarily for women but sound advice for men too. Lawrence Kane Author of Surviving Armed Assaults, The Way of Kata, and Martial Arts Instruction