Back to basics: What is breakaway training?

Here at GoodSense Training, we specialise in providing the widest range of conflict management and physical intervention training.

From teaching security staff to diffuse situations and providing teachers with the skills to manage challenging behaviour, to showing front desk council staff how to deal with angry customers, our training covers it all.

Conflict management or physical intervention training can also be referred to as breakaway training. By taking part in this type of training, people can learn how to deal with threatening situations. Not only are they taught the correct procedures to protect themselves, but those who are around them, be that their colleagues or passers-by.

What is breakaway training?

Breakaway training is very similar to self-defence as it teaches you how to ‘break away’ and protect yourself during aggressive or volatile situations, using breakaway techniques.

You don’t need to have any specific skills to be able to take part in breakaway training, although it’s recommended that you are physically fit to be able to carry out the moves. You may have already completed the Certificate in Conflict Resolution or Certificate in Promoting Safer and Therapeutic Services or you may be totally new to conflict management training.

Who should learn it?

This type of training is suitable for all people, although it’s particularly useful if you’re at risk of being physically assaulted while at work. It’s also ideal for people who work alone too.

What does breakaway training involve?

There are all sorts of different types of courses out there, but if you want to walk away having learnt the right skills to be able to instantly protect yourself at work, then ideally, your training should cover:

• Legally using physical force to defend yourself and others
• Distance and stance
• Wrist grabbing
• Defences against punches/slaps, front strangles and other scenarios
• Defences against front collar grabs, strangles and hair grabs
• An explanation of why some techniques should not be used

What does good breakaway training look like?

The most effective breakaway training courses are those that have been tailored to your needs, that way, you’ll come away having learnt skills that apply to your world, whether that’s in a personal or professional capacity.

Ideally, your training will teach you, among many things, how to:

• Use appropriate and effective physical skills for breaking away and defending yourself against violent assaults
• Break away from being grabbed and held
• React when your clothing is grabbed
• Escape if you’re being strangled or choked
• Rescue somebody who’s being held in a stranglehold
• Get up from the floor safely

For more information about how you or your colleagues could benefit from breakaway training or to discuss your requirements with us, contact us on darren@good-sense.co.uk or 0845 576 0035.