Defendu is William E. Fairbairn's seminal manual on his complete, close-quarters combat system of the same name. Pragmatically developed to address the harsh realities of violent real-life situations, Defendu (the name itself a fusion of "defense" and "do") is a hybrid of other martial arts and fighting styles. It blends moves from a variety of sources ranging from boxing and wrestling to jujitsu and judo. The linking theme throughout is ending the conflict as quickly and effectively as possible, placing survival as the highest priority. Covering both armed and unarmed moves as well as a variety of restraint techniques, students will find a wide range of easily learnable skills that will be useful everywhere from home to the streets to the battlefield.

Fairbairn influenced the world of hand-to-hand combat as a member of the Shanghai Municipal Police in the 1930s and a trainer of elite-unit soldiers during World War II. He is a modern legend in the history of fighting and self-defense skills and is widely regarded as one of the fathers of modern hand-to-hand combat.

Fairbairn's first book, Defendu offers practical fighting skills as well as valuable historical insight into the evolution of this innovative self-defense technique. The material is clearly presented and can be useful to everyone from the light weight beginner to a powerful martial artist. The knowledge you gain just might save your life!

Fully illustrated with over 200 demonstrative photographs.