A self-defence book aimed to train you to read the body language and ritual of attack and so "stop" your attacker in his tracks by using various tactics. Also covered are "ambush attacks" and "match fighting", with guidelines on how to distinguish and train realistically for action.Pick up any self defence book on the shelves and you may see a catalogue with hundreds of techniques and applications. An old principle states that a few good techniques can beat a hundred techniques and this is what geoff thompson's philosphy is based around. Throughout the book he emphasises the 'Sniper Option' and shows how his few techniques can be called upon before a situation may turn physical. This book is well worth the read for anyone who dares to take a critical view of theirs and other arts. What Geoff Thompson teaches us is the guidelines that we should bear in mind during the different stages of a violent encounter, from the verbal agression to the moment in which everything is over and the police are about to come.

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Product Description

A self-defence book aimed to train you to read the body language and ritual of attack and so "stop" your attacker in his tracks by using various tactics. Also covered are "ambush attacks" and "match fighting", with guidelines on how to distinguish and train realistically for action.

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #150297 in Books
• Published on: 2005-01-01
• Format: Illustrated
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 96 pages

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Customer Reviews

You need to know this, and practice it.
The title of the book 'Three Second Fighter: The Sniper Option' refers to Thompson's advice on how best to prepare yourself for a situation where you are under imminent threat of assault. He explains that most violent confrontations are over in about three seconds, with the person who strikes the first blow usually being the one who comes out of the situation in better shape. Thus Thompson's advice is that you learn and practice a very small number of techniques to give you as much of an advantage as possible in case you are caught up in a situation that is about to become violent but which you cannot escape from.

The bulk of the (quite short) book is taken up with explaining the 'attack rituals' of violent offenders such as muggers, and with showing you the core techniques you need to practice to help you deal with things in the event that you are about to be attacked. He makes it quite clear that although knowing a huge number of martial arts techniques can be very useful if a fight or attack lasts more than three seconds, the best thing you can do is master and practice, over and over, one or two powerful techniques that will become automatic responses if you ever need to act in self defense. These techniques will be your 'sniper option', the pre-emptive strike deployed to give you enough time to get away or put any more thought of attacking you out of the assailant's head.

The book is rounded off with a discussion of the law as regards self defense, and that should serve to really open your eyes to the legal situation as regards self defense and violent encounters. Overall the advice in this book is excellent. Thompson does not blow smoke up your nose, there are no chop-socky super martial arts techniques here. He tells you straight, and he tells you the truth.

The only reason I have given this four stars and not five is that the same information, and a whole lot more, can be found in Thompson's other and better book 'Dead or Alive: The Choice is Yours'. But if you cannot get hold of 'Dead or Alive' then this book will give you what you need.

3 Second Fighter
The essence of this book has been conveyed well by the previous reviewers, but I'd like to add the following: Geoff Thompson covers issues that aren't even discussed in other manuals ie, how to prepare yourself for the pugnacious git who threatens you with all sorts of horrible consequences should you dare to fight him back (even good martial artists have been defeated with this tactic.) Or how to deal with the Old Bill once your pre-emptive power-strike has wiped-out the thug who's just tried to mug you.

This work is not just about 'real fighting', but is also about conflict awareness and reading situations before they get out of hand. Technical detail is not the strength or the purpose of this book; it is just a brutally honest, in your face, lesson about the psychology of violence spoken by someone who's been there.

Geoff thompson has certainly shown me the flaws in my martial training. Of all the books that I have read in this genre I feel that this one has made the greatest impression on me.

a simple and unique way of looking at self defence
Pick up any self defence book on the shelves and you may see a catalogue with hundreds of techniques and applications. An old principle states that a few good techniques can beat a hundred techniques and this is what geoff thompson's philosphy is based around. Throughout the book he emphasises the 'Sniper Option' and shows how his few techniques can be called upon before a situation may turn physical. This book is well worth the read for anyone who dares to take a critical view of theirs and other arts.