In the movie Jack Reacher, you’ll notice that he creates a microclimate of chaos when the odds are stacked against him. So to start we need to define what a microclimate is. In survival terms, a microclimate is an immediate area around you. To stay out of the rain you create a microclimate by using a hat, rain jacket and rain pants. In the city, your microclimate might be a jacket and umbrella. In this article, we’re going to discuss your self-defense microclimate, using Jack Reacher as an example.
Soft skills are important. I’m never not looking, never not conniving. I’m always paying attention to, “I can use that if I have to, I can use that if I need to.” I was in a convenience store and a guy came in to rob the place… All I had in my hand was a Mountain Dew bottle, so I was going to use that. Soft skills are extremely important. A good run is better than a bad stand any day. Even if you win the fight, if you die on the way to the hospital I still win as the bad guy.
A good run is better than a bad stand because only you know if you’ve prepared for the fight up to that point. A warrior can only afford to die once. Running headlong into defeat is not only stupid, it endangers others. That is more important than self-preservation. If a man has the jump on you with a gun or knife in your throat or head, give him the wallet. It’s only money. Turn away if you’re not prepared for that fight in the right way. But if the fight is happening anyway and there’s no way to avoid it, go down biting, screaming, punching, kicking and anything else you can do to cause harm. Always pick your battle space, prepare your defenses and have a way out if need be. ~ Frank McRae (Former Army Special Operations)
Most attacks happen within what’s called the combative bubble. If you held your arm straight out in front of you and turned 360 degrees; that imaginary circle you just created is your self-defense microclimate. Anything that happens within this microclimate will happen too quickly for you to present your primary weapon (your pistol if you are carrying). In this case, you need to have a backup plan. To survive, you’re going to need to create enough chaos for the assailant to think twice about continuing their attack.
Breaking Down the Jack Reacher Street Fight Scene
In the street fight scene of Jack Reacher, He employs a few key strategies that ensured his success and being able to walk away.
- During a street fight the rule of thumb, although there are no rules, is that the outcome is determined within the first 13 seconds. That means you have 13 seconds to turn your defense into an offense.
- Jack got into the heads of the attackers, throwing them off their game before the fight even began. He did so by remaining calm and outwardly showing his confidence.
- He strikes hard and fast, creating chaos not expected by the attackers. In other words, Jack demonstrated what violence of action is.
- He kept constant pressure on the threat he was engaging. And kept fighting and driving forward until the threat was no longer a threat.
