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W.E. Fairbairn
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Scientific Self-Defense Paperback – January 1, 2006

by W.E. Fairbairn (Author), Douglas Fairbanks (Preface)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 194 ratings
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One of the most highly sought volumes in the library of legendary hand-to-hand combat manuals is finally available from Paladin Press. W.E. Fairbairn's Scientific Self-Defence, published in 1931 as a slightly modified reprint of Defendu (1926), outlines the brutally effective close-quarters combat program developed during Fairbairn's renowned service with the Shanghai Municipal Police. Fairbairn's straightforward techniques for defending against various holds, dealing with assailants armed with guns or knives, applying truly effective holds and throws, using the club and walking stick for self-defense, and other areas of close-in fighting have had an extraordinary influence on the development of the combat arts. His immense impact on generations of fighting men - from an elite cadre of instructors who trained soldiers in realistic hand-to-hand combat during World War II to today's practitioners of hard-core self-defense - can now be studied directly from the source in this quality reprint edition of Scientific Self-Defen
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Previous page
  1. Print length
    182 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Paladin Pr
  4. Publication date
    January 1, 2006
  5. Dimensions
    5.5 x 0.5 x 8.4 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1581605293
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1581605297
  8. See all details
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Paladin Pr; First Edition (January 1, 2006)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 182 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1581605293
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1581605297
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 8.8 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.5 x 8.4 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 194 ratings

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W.E. Fairbairn

W.E. Fairbairn

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Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
194 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Super-Cool-Dude
5.0 out of 5 stars THIS MAY BE THE BEST SELF DEFENSE BOOK EVER WRITTEN
Reviewed in the United States on March 11, 2015
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THIS IS AN OUTSTANDING BOOK ON DEFENDING YOURSELF WHEN SOMEONE GRABS OR ATTACKS YOU FIRST OR COMES AT YOU WITH A KNIFE, GUN OR CLUB. IT ALSO SHOWS HOW TO PUT SOMEONE ON THE GROUND QUICKLY IF THEY AMBUSH YOU OR GRAB YOU FROM BEHIND. HE ALSO SHOWS YOU HOW TO DEAL WITH MULTIPLE ATTACKERS/HARASSERS. ALSO EVEN SHOWS YOU WHAT TO DO IF SOMEONE ATTACKS YOU IN YOUR BED WHILE YOU`RE SLEEPING AND MANY OTHER SITUATIONS AS WELL. IF YOU WANT TO SEE HOW JUDO/JIUJITSU SHOULD REALLY BE USED THEN THIS IS THE BOOK TO GET. OTHER TRADITIONAL JUDO/JIUJITSU BOOKS SHOW YOU THE TECHNIQUES BUT NOT HOW TO USE THEM ON THE STREET WHEN YOUR LIFE IS IN DANGER BUT THIS BOOK DOES IT AND IT DOES IT EXTREMELY WELL. ALSO IT CONTAINS DIRTY STREET FIGHTING TECHNIQUES TO SAVE YOUR BUTT. WRITTEN IN 1931 IT IS PROBABLY THE BEST BOOK ON THE SUBJECT THAT I HAVE READ. EVEN IF YOU ARE A SMALL AND WEAK PERSON YOU WILL GREATLY BENEFIT FROM THE TECHNIQUES PRESENTED HERE AND YOU SHOULD BUY IT AND PRACTICE WITH A PARTNER DILIGENTLY. ANYONE WILL BENEFIT FROM THIS BOOK AND THE KNOWLEDGE PRESENTED CAN SAVE YOUR LIFE. THE AUTHOR IS CONSIDERED THE FATHER OF MILITARY HAND TO HAND AND HAND AGAINST WEAPON FIGHTING. THE GUY USED THESE TECHNIQUES SUCCESSFULLY ON THE STREET FOR YEARS IN REAL LIFE AND HE REALLY KNEW HIS STUFF. IF YOU ENJOY THIS BOOK I ALSO HIGHLY RECOMMEND THE BOOKS "AMERICAN COMBAT JUDO" AND "KILL OR GET KILLED".
14 people found this helpful
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Ronin Kayne
5.0 out of 5 stars Scientific Self-Defence
Reviewed in the United States on February 3, 2011
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Clear and easy to understand. Some of the techniques display a sense of "chivalry" and an intent to subdue an attacker with the least amount of injury to them. The principles are sound, however, they would need to drilled to be of good use to a practitioner.

Comments regarding the overall character of criminals is a bit outdated. The author implies that criminals are generally a cowardly lot and should they approach you with a weapon they would not be very likely to use it. While this may have been true about most criminals around the turn of the century, this is, obviously, not true today where a high percentage of street criminals commit armed robbery or muggings and still injure, kill, or rape their victim despite the victim's cooperation.

Overall, it is a good reference source for anyone who is interested in reality based self-defense and can be useful if applied with more decisive techniques and follow through to neutralize an attacker.
13 people found this helpful
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obejohn
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book, based on LOTS of practical experience
Reviewed in the United States on October 31, 2016
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This terrific book is based on the experience of a policeman who worked in the red light district of Shanghai during the first half of the 20th century. On retirement at the age 55, the official record showed he had been involved in 600 (yes 600) street fights. At the outbreak of World War 2 he was enlisted to train British and American Special Forces in close quarter combat. His code name was 'Dangerous Dan'. It's interesting that Imrich Lichtenfeld was developing Krav Maga at about the same time. This book contains a LOT of interesting close quarter combat information. That said,  All-In Fighting 1942 , another book by the same author on the same subject, has diagrams and explanations that are easier to follow.
8 people found this helpful
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"Big George" Afutu Jr.
4.0 out of 5 stars The Original Manual for Jujitsu Combatives and self-defense!
Reviewed in the United States on July 17, 2019
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The moves taught in this Fairbairn manual are time-tested proven techniques, many seen or taught in the military or WWF/WWE. Fairbairn is the Great Grandaddy of CQC and Infighting/Stand-up Grappling in the Western World. However, I did not like some of the gun disarm techniques because many require you to be extremely quick and precise to accomplish and Fairbairn mistakenly assumes that the armed assailant does not have the "balls" to pull the trigger and kill you as he wrote in the book. That assumption is WOEFULLY OUTDATED! Other that that the book has great illustrations making the techniques easy to learn for self-defense. A classic manual for Jujitsu-based self-defense.
4 people found this helpful
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Gary Wiley
5.0 out of 5 stars Has a lot of pictures and seems realistic.
Reviewed in the United States on April 8, 2020
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I expected to get what I ordered and I certainly got it! Great book, a bit old in the writing (no politically correct baloney) he just tells it like it is which instills in me at least the degree of which I'd like to finish some one off and finish him off but good! Good book.
3 people found this helpful
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Bailey
5.0 out of 5 stars Just What I Need
Reviewed in the United States on October 2, 2019
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I'm a rather small female with zero defense training. I need this. The fact that it is dated 1931 doesn't mean it does not work. It worked then, it will work now. I sent a copy to my sister.
One person found this helpful
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DavidP from HB
5.0 out of 5 stars Foundation of Miyama Ryu?
Reviewed in the United States on March 16, 2015
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I learned a style called Miyama Ryu Jujitsu out of the South Bronx, NYC. My teacher had said that the founder Antonio Pereira had studied something called Combatu (I may have gotten that wrong, it may have been Defendu!). I recognized a lot of my old "friends" from Miyama Ryu!

Sensei Pereira looks like he updated and made a even more effective system out of this impressive collection of deadly moves!
http://www.mi-yamaryu.com/history.html
4 people found this helpful
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impossibledrms
5.0 out of 5 stars Scientific Self Defense
Reviewed in the United States on July 6, 2012
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I liked this book. Written at a time when Shainghi, China was wilder than our wild west. Here it was early 1900's to 1930's, some of the motorcycle cops had sidecars with machine guns. Shootouts not that uncommon. Many police had bullet proof vests of the era. Kidnappings, robberies, burglaries were fairly standard. Taking criminals into custody was tricky, same as today. But a lot of good basic information, you can't really go wrong.
12 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Robert Woolf
5.0 out of 5 stars arrived on time and as advertised
Reviewed in Canada on October 15, 2020
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good info for self defence
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Robin King
5.0 out of 5 stars Oldfart
Reviewed in France on August 16, 2019
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Très bien merci !
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David D.
5.0 out of 5 stars Superb old book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 8, 2013
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I'll take that back it is not an old book the techniques still work, I demonstrated the modern ju-jitsu verson on a few senior students and then performed a throw from the book where you are slightly behing, applying a neck hold/strangle and using your other hand to push his hips up as you pull him around, well said student landed like a cae crash and stayed there, hurt his back and went a nice colour of white! Just shows you even modern well practiced techniques where breakfalls are natural go out the window when an old twist is applied. Lesson for me dont assume your senior student will nail the landing!!!!!! This old stuff has key learning point that you should read and practice to feel the differences from modern self defence stuff. Love it, but I bet the mention of "Fairbairn" will have them running to leave the volunteer up front!!!!!!
9 people found this helpful
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N S
5.0 out of 5 stars The original British unarmed combat
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 9, 2019
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Something I learned from, a long time ago. It's just amusing to read. The way it was written. By that I mean it was written by a man who patroled the streets of shanghai a century ago, and his methods are still very much in use today, or somewhat. Nowadays he may be thought of as a bit of a dinosaur. But having been trained, and had to use some of Fairburns moves. I can tell you that it works
One person found this helpful
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Momahony
5.0 out of 5 stars Who knew loving science would make me get this
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 1, 2018
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Amazing book, giving you a lot of information as a reference in how to train safely and correctly. 11/10 a must to anyone wanting to learn.
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