{"id":104806,"date":"2019-06-03T11:16:08","date_gmt":"2019-06-03T16:16:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.artofmanliness.com\/?p=104806"},"modified":"2026-09-24T20:27:53","modified_gmt":"2026-09-25T01:27:53","slug":"podcast-513-be-your-own-bodyguard","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.artofmanliness.com\/skills\/tactical\/podcast-513-be-your-own-bodyguard\/","title":{"rendered":"Podcast #513: Be Your Own Bodyguard"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019ve ever been at an event with a prominent person like a politician, celebrity, or business executive, you\u2019ve likely noticed the dudes wearing sunglasses and sporting an earpiece, trying to look as unassuming as possible while vigilantly keeping an eye out for their client, or \u201cprincipal.\u201d<\/p>\n

These guys are part of a personal security detail, and their job is to protect VIPs from harassment and harm.<\/p>\n

Most of us will likely never be able to afford our own bodyguard, but that doesn\u2019t mean we can\u2019t use the same mindset and skills these professionals use to protect their high-powered clients, to protect ourselves and our loved ones. <\/p>\n

Today on the show, I talk to former executive bodyguard Nick Hughes<\/a> about his book How to Be Your Own Bodyguard<\/em><\/a>. We begin our conversation discussing Nick\u2019s stint in the French Foreign Legion and how that transitioned to his work in executive protection. We then discuss how a bodyguard\u2019s primary focus is to prevent violence or altercations from occurring in the first place and the tactics that can accomplish that goal. Nick walks us through how criminals pick out their victims, and how to avoid being targeted. We then discuss how to verbally defuse a situation before it turns to blows and the legal ramifications of self-defense. We end our conversation with tactics you can use to stay safe, whether you’re vacationing abroad or driving the streets of your hometown. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019ve ever been at an event with a prominent person like a politician, celebrity, or business executive, you\u2019ve likely noticed the dudes wearing sunglasses and sporting an earpiece, trying to look as unassuming as possible while vigilantly keeping an eye out for their client, or \u201cprincipal.\u201d These guys are part of a personal security […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":195323,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[156,42259,42394],"tags":[42240],"class_list":["post-104806","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-podcast","category-skills","category-tactical","tag-self-defense"],"featured_image_urls":{"large":"https:\/\/www.artofmanliness.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/513-538x280.png","medium_large":"https:\/\/www.artofmanliness.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/513-768x432.png","aom":"https:\/\/www.artofmanliness.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/513-372x230.png","reactor-320":"https:\/\/www.artofmanliness.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/513-320x180.png","reactor-640":"https:\/\/www.artofmanliness.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/513-640x360.png"},"yoast_head":"\nHow to Protect Yourself and Be Your Own Bodyguard | Art of 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