In conversation with Nick Hughes, a former executive bodyguard and author of "How to Be Your Own Bodyguard," listeners dive into essential self-defense techniques. Nick discusses the importance of a proactive mindset, how to avoid being targeted by criminals, and the art of verbally defusing potential confrontations. He shares insights on mental preparedness, daily habits for personal safety, and essential travel tips. The discussion demystifies the world of personal security, making it accessible for everyone.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Joining the French Foreign Legion
Nick Hughes, the author, joined the French Foreign Legion at 24, seeking advanced security training.
He served five years, becoming a paratrooper and recon diver, before transitioning to executive protection.
insights INSIGHT
Importance of Prevention
Most self-defense focuses on physical altercation, but prevention is key.
Understanding the criminal mindset and pre-attack phases (selection, isolation, verbal) is crucial for avoidance.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Avoiding Target Selection
Avoid being a target by blending in and being aware of your surroundings, what Nick Hughes calls 'task fixation'.
Criminals select victims based on vulnerability, not size or demographics.
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This book provides insights into how to lower your profile and avoid potential threats by understanding how criminals select victims. It covers soft skills such as situational awareness and counter-surveillance, offering practical advice for personal security. The author draws from his experience as a Close Protection Agent to emphasize the importance of awareness over physical confrontation.
If you’ve ever been at an event with a prominent person like a politician, celebrity, or business executive, you’ve likely noticed the dudes wearing sunglasses and sporting an earpiece, trying to look as unassuming as possible while vigilantly keeping an eye out for their client, or “principal.”
These guys are part of a personal security detail, and their job is to protect VIPs from harassment and harm.
Most of us will likely never be able to afford our own bodyguard, but that doesn’t mean we can’t use the same mindset and skills these professionals use to protect their high-powered clients, to protect ourselves and our loved ones.
Today on the show, I talk to former executive bodyguard Nick Hughes about his book How to Be Your Own Bodyguard. We begin our conversation discussing Nick’s stint in the French Foreign Legion and how that transitioned to his work in executive protection. We then discuss how a bodyguard’s primary focus is to prevent violence or altercations from occurring in the first place and the tactics that can accomplish that goal. Nick walks us through how criminals pick out their victims, and how to avoid being targeted. We then discuss how to verbally defuse a situation before it turns to blows and the legal ramifications of self-defense. We end our conversation with tactics you can use to stay safe, whether you're vacationing abroad or driving the streets of your hometown.
The Art of Manliness 