States of Awareness - The Cooper Color Codes & Self-Defense
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"Ultimate victory is in avoiding the fight." - Sun Tzu
It is an unfortunate fact that most people stumble through life blissfully unaware of the world around them. They remain preoccupied in their own thoughts with no focus on their immediate environment. By not paying attention to their surroundings, they place themselves in needless jeopardy.
You can be inattentive in your work environment day in and day out and get lucky — until one day the odds catch up with you and you are injured. The same principle applies to the streets. You can be inattentive and get away with it until your path crosses the path of a criminal. The vast majority of criminals are opportunists who only strike when presented with an easy opportunity. Remove the opportunity and you remove the risk to yourself.
You can achieve a large degree of control over your fate by observing your environment, continually evaluating it, and reacting appropriately to what you see or feel.
This requires that you learn a concept known as the Color Code, developed by Col. Jeff Cooper as a way to train soldiers in awareness and readiness to react and respond to combat conditions.
The Color Code scale allows you to match your level of readiness with the situation being presented. It allows you to mentally shift gears from a state of being unprepared to a condition of being ready to do lethal violence if forced.
The Color Code System of Awareness
So what is the Color Code System of Awareness? Simply, it is 5 states of readiness:
White — Unaware, not paying attention
Yellow — Attentive but relaxed
Orange — Focus is directed to an immediate potential threat
Red — There is a definitive threat
Black — You are actively fighting
So why do we need the colors? Because, when confronted with a life-threatening attack by a criminal, we are faced with three challenges:
- Recognizing the presence of the predator in time
- Realizing and accepting that a person is about to harm you if you do not stop him
- Overcoming reluctance to do lethal violence to a fellow human being
Luckily, by studying and practicing the Color Code system, you mentally prepare yourself to overcome these challenges. By making the system part of your daily routine, you can see an attack in its beginning stages and become both mentally and physically prepared to defend yourself when avoidance is not an option.
The Colors
White is the lowest level on the scale. Here, you are oblivious to your environment. This state is usually characterized as "daydreaming" or "preoccupation." People in white walk with their heads down and do not notice impending danger until it literally has them by the throat.
When is it acceptable to be in Condition White? When you are in your home with the doors locked, the alarm system on and your dog at your feet. Now you can turn your mind off because you have plenty of early warning systems in place. If you leave your home, you now move to Condition Yellow.
Yellow is a relaxed state of general alertness. You are not looking for anything or anyone in particular; you simply have your head up and eyes open. You are alert and aware of your surroundings. You do not expect to be attacked today; you simply recognize the possibility.
In Yellow, you would step to the far side of the sidewalk when passing a dark alley and look down it as you pass. In Yellow, you know where the people are around you. It enables you to spot trouble coming and either avoid it (where possible) or be ready for it (if you can't avoid it). If you can't avoid it, move to Condition Orange.
Orange is a heightened state of alertness with a specific target noted. The difference between Yellow and Orange is that there is a specific target who has caught your attention. It might be that he is wearing a wool jacket in the middle of summer or is loitering by the doors to the mall. It might be that you have been in six different stores and have noticed this person in each one. His actions have caused you to take note of him; therefore, you must assess him as a potential threat and prepare accordingly.
How do you assess someone as a threat? Consider the clues being presented from his clothing, appearance, demeanor, actions, intuition, and anything he may say to you. The single most important clue is body language. About 80% of human communication is through body language. Criminals and predators display subtle pre-aggresion indicators which are obvious once you learn to look for them.
When shifting to Orange, focus on the individual that drew your attention, but do not lose focus on your surroundings as you do not want to be blindsided by any of his associates. Nine times out of ten, you will note after a few minutes of observation that there is a reason for his behavior and you will dismiss him. Once he is no longer a threat, you will de-escalate to Yellow.
So what about the tenth? He is the predator, the criminal who would have gotten you if you weren't paying attention. Now that you are aware of him, you are in far less danger.
As you note things that convince you this individual has evil intentions, play the "What if...." game in your mind and begin formulating a basic plan: "If he does this, I will do this." With even a simple plan already in place, your physical reaction is both assured and immediate if the criminal presses his intentions. If, after assessing him, you believe he is an actual threat, escalate to Condition Red.
In Red you are ready to fight! In many instances where you have gone to Red, you will not actually physically do anything at all: The entire process of escalating from Yellow to Orange to Red then de-escalating as the situation is resolved occurs without physical activity on your part. The key is that you are mentally prepared with a game plan for a conflict and could physically react if the situation demanded. When you have escalated to Red, you are waiting for a specific, pre-determined action on the part of the criminal that will trigger an immediate, aggressive reaction from you.
The final Condition is Black. This is where you are physically engaged with the criminal. Your mental trigger has been tripped and you have responded. React and trust your training.
Mental Tricks
There are a couple of mental tricks you can use to help you prepare for Condition Red or Black. Each morning when you get up, remind yourself, "I may have to use my defensive training today." This plants a thought in your subconscious mind that there is a reason we train the way we do — we may actually need to save lives.
When you pick up on that potential threat and escalate to Condition Orange, tell yourself, "I may have to seriously injure this individual!" If you have internalized that a person is a threat to your life — but that you have the means to stop him if need be — it becomes easier to deal with the situation.
Ultimately, the more aware you are, the more you will prevent an attack. Practice using the Color Code daily and integrate in into your training and daily life.
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Disclaimer: To gain proficiency at women's self defense you should also seek training at a live class. The owners of this website are not responsible for injuries inflicted or received as a result of practicing or attempting these techniques. The owners of this website do not claim to guarantee your safety. The views and opinions here do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the website owners. Physical techniques are dangerous and painful, they should only be used in self defense.