Concerns about safety and security are growing among the very wealthy. As is often the case, when fortunes increase so does unwelcome attention from a variety of criminals. One reaction to the heightened concern is the use of security experts, close protection personnel and state-of-the-art security systems that can protect loved ones and physical assets. But increasingly, affluent individuals are supplementing their professional security arrangements with education and training on self-defense tactics.

"There's been a pronounced increase in the number of nonprofessionals that want serious training in self- protection," says Eric Konohia, president of Bulldawg Protection LLC, a private client security firm based in Maryland. "More schools and training facilities that used to work exclusively with specialists and professionals are finding corporate executives and the like in their classrooms, at their firing ranges and in their defensive driving schools."

It's not surprising when you think about it. Most successful individuals can attribute their accomplishments to tenacity, intellectual curiosity and a desire for control-the very same qualities that likely prompt them to learn more about security strategies and techniques. "Smart businesspeople don't leave anything to chance when it comes to an important negotiation, "reasons Konohia. "And this is no different. They want to be informed and prepared if they find themselves in a potentially dangerous situation."

Charting A Course Of Instruction
Training options are available for all levels of proficiency, although most nonprofessionals want quick results that give them peace of mind. George Chaber, director of Karate America in Connecticut and a well-regarded combat martial arts instructor of security professionals, knows what's important to skittish wealthy clients. "Our newer students have a lot at stake and they feel like targets. They're captains of industry. They have massive homes, deep pockets and beautiful families, and they don't want to feel impotent in a crisis."

Many wealthy individuals choose to continue with training once they've mastered basic competencies. At this stage, students generally work with their instructors to focus on either unarmed or armed training, as each discipline has unique philosophies and techniques that are best learned in isolation.

Leveraging Natural Resources
Unarmed, or weaponless, training must be highly focused and tightly executed, as there is often little room for error. "We draw from many different martial arts to build a curriculum of self-defense techniques that are easy to learn, but devastatingly effective," says Chaber. "Our goal is to help the client master moves within a few hours that can cause damage within a few seconds."

"It's a real anomaly," says Charles Giangreco, president of the Westchester Martial Arts Academy and an instructor to military special operations teams. "The more lethal the unarmed training, the easier it is to teach and the less time it takes to master. For instance, it's much harder to lock someone up then it is to just cripple him." Techniques are drawn from many different martial arts styles-from the well-recognized karate and judo, to more esoteric styles such as koshu, muay thai, tai zen and dim mak. This variety gives students the flexibility to adapt their skills to each situation. Most affluent individuals begin their unarmed combat training as part of a self-defense initiative, however both Giangreco and Chaber have worked with students who took their training far beyond the initial intent, incorporating it into their lifestyle and eventually competing in tournaments with other nonprofessionals (see box).

Working With Weapons
Adding weapons to the equation considerably changes the character of the conflict. No lethal weapons-such as pepper spray, tasers and non lethal shotguns-can easily thwart attackers, but most wealthy individuals who have started armed training prefer to work with lethal ones. "The most common weapon used by our wealthy clientele is the knife," says Chaber. "A regulation-size flip-knife in capable hands can prove effective and deadly. Although, upon request, we have also trained some nonprofessionals on more exotic weapons like a Japanese war fan called the tessen."

Other wealthy individuals prefer to work with firearms. "Anyone that wants to use a firearm for protection must purchase the right weapon for their needs and undergo extensive user education," declares Scott Moss, CEO of Forest & Field Outdoor Specialty Inc. and Shooting Sports Ltd. in Connecticut. "A lot of our wealthy clients are referred to us by their security specialists because they have the wrong weapon or insufficient training, or both."

One of the keys to successful training is repetition. Consistent use and handling of a firearm will increase an amateur's level of comfort and confidence, which will translate to smoother handling and abbreviated response times. Furthermore, repeated immersion in stressful situations helps familiarize a nonprofessional with typical conditions so they can ignore harmless distractions and, instead, focus on eliminating risk. "Most people underestimate the stress of a situation that would require the use of a firearm," says Moss, one of the nation's top authorities on firearms education and training. "We create extreme conditions and run clients through high-intensity scenarios as part of our firearm training for nonprofessionals."

Selecting A Trainer
For the affluent to get the greatest benefit from self- protection training, they should carefully select their trainers and instructors using the following guidelines. "There are a lot of people in this business who shouldn't be," says Konohia, who recommends working only with licensed professionals. "Basic due diligence can help a potential client confirm that the school or company they are considering is properly licensed at the national, state and local levels." The degree of skill an instructor has with a specific discipline is another important consideration. "Yes, I'm ranked in a number of the martial arts," says Chaber. "But the real value I bring my clients is the experience I have with my craft and helping people like them achieve their self-defense goals." To be effective with wealthy individuals and families, instructors need more than technical proficiency. They must understand the mindset and the motivations of their students and be able to adjust their teaching style accordingly.

Finally, for a program of study to be effective for nonprofessionals, it must fit their everyday lifestyle or it won't be embraced over the long-term. "Our training courses for nonprofessionals are designed with pragmatism in mind," says Giangreco, "These individuals don't need to become self-defense experts, but they do need to leave a seminar or a one-on-one training session with a few powerful techniques that will work for them in the real world."

Owning The Results
The affluent are looking for the experts who can show them how to take care of themselves and their loved ones, and they have both the resources and the determination to access the caliber of self-defense training designed for professionals. While close protection personnel and other security specialists won't be supplanted by the successful executives, business owners and other wealthy individuals flocking to self-defense training, demand for these types of services is increasing as the rich get richer and more concerned for their safety and well-being. "Training is not just about capability," reminds Giangreco. "It's also about giving nonprofessionals the confidence and the wherewithal to take action when it's most needed."