A common parental concern that, as a martial arts instructor, I continue to encounter is in the difficulty that parents often encounter in getting their youth student to class.

“I have to fight to get them here,” or…

“He just wants to play with his friends,” are common statements that I hear.

Often, parents consider letting their child quit but then come to find that’s not what the student wants.

“How,” they ask me, “can he want to keep training but fight me when it’s time to come to karate class?”

They find it very difficult to understand the contradiction between having to fight to get their child to class and the fact that they have so much fun when they get here.

To solve the ‘mystery’ and eliminate the misunderstanding we must understands the way a child thinks and the way their brain has developed to this point in their young lives. It’s very important for parents and teachers alike to remember that…

…kids are not adults in little bodies.

And, many of the things that we, or more correctly, our fully-developed brains, take for granted aren’t even possible in the still-developing processes of a child’s mind.

So, what makes them resist coming to class but enjoy it once they are there?

The answer is: timing.

Quite frankly, children (and some adults) have not developed an understanding of the concept of scheduling and timing. That is to say that, once they have become involved in something, that’s what they want to do. Anything else, regardless of how pleasurable or necessary, at that moment, is seen as a hinderance to ‘this moment’s fun.’ Whether it’s watching TV, playing with their friends, or whatever, once a child becomes involved in something, anything, that “thing” gets ALL of their attention - period.

So, what’s a parent to do elleviate the frustration, both themselves as-well-as the child?

How do they avoid making the mistake of pulling their child out of martial arts training - the one thing they need to teach their son of daughter the life lessons that won’t be taught in any other school they ever go to?

Of all of the possibile answers that I share with the parents who bring their children to me, my best advice is…

“Don’t let your child get involved with anything that you know will grab their attention in a way that will make it difficult for both of you, within at least one hour of leaving the house to go to martial arts class.”

But, what can they do if they can’t get involved in anything?

Simple. Have them get ready for class. Have them make sure that their uniform, including martial arts belt, is in order and folded neatly. Have them review their moves, any vocabulary that is required, or even tell you something “cool” or “awesome” that hope to work on when they get to class.

The point is, to really help your child to develop the discipline necessary to succeed in the martial arts and to achieve their goal of becoming a Black Belt, you will have to use your brain to help them make up for those areas of their own that have not yet developed.

By understanding your child’s needs, from THEIR perspective and not simply your own, you will rise above the masses of clueless parents who act out of frustration born of a lack of understanding of what it means to be…

…a parent.

Too bad they don’t hand out Black Belts to parents who achieve this level of understanding, don’t you think?!

Jeffrey M. Miller is the founder and master instructor of Warrior Concepts International. A senior teacher in the Japanese warrior art of Ninjutsu, he specializes in teaching the ancient ways of self-protection and personal development lessons in a way that is easily understood and put to use by modern Western students and corporate clients. Through their martial arts training, his students and clients learn proven, time-tested lessons designed to help them create the life they’ve always dreamed of living, and the skills necessary for protecting that life from anything that might threaten it. To learn more about child development and other subjects related to the martial arts, self-defense, personal development & self-improvement, visit his website at http://www.warrior-concepts-online.com To subscribe to his online newsletter, go to http://www.warrior-concepts-online.com/newsletter-subscribe-self-defense.html.

It’s sad to think that we have to consider arming or equipping ourselves to feel safe. The truth of the matter is however, that violence can happen to anyone. A Personal Safety Device can help you avoid or escape a sudden attack. Should you carry one and, if so, what should you carry? Only you can decide.

The market is flooded with all kinds of gizmo’s and gadgets; guaranteed to ensure your safety and promising to instantly neutralize a violent assailant. Some are legit. The majority, unfortunately, are junk! Even good ones, if you don’t understand their proper use and limitations, can be a liability. How do you tell the difference?

If there is one thing I want to emphasize in this article, it’s this: if you are developing a realistic personal safety strategy, focus primarily on YOURSELF… not on a tool, toy or gadget. Your brain and your body are your most powerful personal safety “devices.” Your development in each of the “Seven Components of Self-Defense,” will have the greatest impact on your legitimate safety and sense of security.

If you are considering a Personal Safety Device, do your homework. Research what’s available and evaluate your options rigorously. Find one that you are comfortable with and suits your ability and personality. Easier said than done right? When evaluating the merits of a PSD, ask and answer the following questions…

================== PSD Evaluation Questions ==============
1. Is it legal?
2. Will I carry it all the time?
3. Will it be immediately available when I need it?
4. Do I have legitimate confidence in my ability to use it?
5. Is it as effective as it has been held out to be?
6. Could it be taken away and used on me?
7. Am I physically, mentally and emotionally prepared to use it?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~

Let’s take a look at each question in greater detail:

1. IS IT LEGAL?

Are you willing to run the risk of being arrested and criminally charged for being in possession of an illegal weapon on the off chance that someday you may need it to protect yourself? Before investing in a PSD, find out if it’s legal to possess and carry where you live. A phone call to the community services branch of your local police department should be able to provide you with this information.

2. WILL I CARRY IT ALL THE TIME?

My guess is that people seldom leave their homes thinking, “Gee, I think I’ll go out and fend off a robber, rapist or mugger today!” What happens to most PSD’s is that they are quickly forgotten about and find their way to the bottom of a purse, the glove box of your car, or the back of a kitchen drawer. They won’t do you much good there! Is the device you are considering something practical enough to carry with you all of the time, discretely, without looking or feeling paranoid? If not, don’t waste your money.

3. WILL IT BE IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE WHEN I NEED IT?

Even if you do carry it all of the time, will you be able to draw and ready it in time to use in the event of a sudden attack? Again, if it’s in your pocket or purse when you need it, it won’t do you much good. Is the PSD something that you will have ready, preferably in hand, if and when you need it?

4. DO I HAVE LEGITIMATE CONFIDENCE IN MY ABILITY TO USE IT?

Military and law enforcement research confirms that people who lack confidence in a technique or device will not resort to it in a stressful situation. Many people have been seriously hurt in violent encounters with a potential PSD in their hand. In the stress of the moment, they didn’t think to use it or doubted its’ ability to impact the situation. Perhaps they were afraid that it would only make matters worse. If you are thinking of carrying a PSD, are you prepared to learn how to use it and practice to become proficient with it?

5. IS IT AS EFFECTIVE AS IT HAS BEEN HELD OUT TO BE?

Over-inflated claims and quick-fix promises are the “cancer” of the self-defense business. Often, unscrupulous self-defense instructors and gadget salespeople exaggerate the benefits and capabilities of their systems and products.

Whenever you hear words like “guaranteed, quick, and easy” or claims that the product will subdue any and all assailants regardless of their size, strength or sobriety, it’s time to call, “bullshit!” Walk away, someone’s trying to rip you off!

Understand the psychological and physiological control principles associated with the PSD. In other words, how is it supposed to impact the assailant’s intent or behavior? What is the science behind the claims being made?

NOTHING works all of the time. Always acknowledge the limitations and potential failure of a PSD and have a back-up plan.

6. COULD IT BE TAKEN AWAY AND USED ON ME?

This is probably the most common concern about personal safety weapons; and it’s a valid one. Are you prepared to use the device aggressively on a predator to protect yourself? Are you knowledgeable and skillful enough to retain the device if he attempts to take it away from you? Never carry a Personal Safety Weapon with the intent to “bluff” your assailant. If you are not prepared to use it decisively, don’t carry it!

7. AM I PHYISCALLY, MENTALLY AND EMOTIONALLY PREPARED TO USE IT?

Carrying a personal safety device without investing the time to become knowledgeable and proficient in its use is a big mistake. It’s as useful as a pair of boxing gloves to someone who can’t punch or a tennis racquet to someone who doesn’t have a clue how to play the game.

You must prepare physically by practicing the necessary skills and techniques associated with the device (if it requires such skills). You must prepare mentally by knowing when and how to use it and the situations that would make it’s use legal and appropriate. You must prepare emotionally by deepening your emotional and moral resolve to protect yourself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Can you come up with any other questions yourself? Have I left you hanging by not taking you by the hand and recommending MY favorite personal safety devices? If you haven’t noticed by now, my predominant teaching angle is to promote responsibility and independent thinking in my students and readers. Don’t believe me, or anyone else, about what’s best for your safety until you test it out or think critically about it. You must become your own expert, make your own decisions and draw your own conclusions.

==================== So What? ==========================

You should be asking yourself by now, “So what? How can I use this information?” Let me reiterate that I’m against the idea of carrying a PSD as a replacement for the phyiscal, mental and emotional development that self-defense training has to offer. I am not, however, against carrying a PSD as a supplement to a comprehensive personal safety strategy. There are some valid ones out there. In fact, I demonstrate and even sell them at my self-defense seminars.

I also believe in the merits of training yourself to recognize and use “weapons of opportunity” in the event of a violent encounter. A weapon of opportunity is a common, every-day object that can be converted into a weapon during an encounter.

If you are looking for, considering or evaluating a personal safety device, don’t do it blindly or impulsively. Do your homework and some soul searching. Will it serve your needs? Will it improve your ability to respond and your sense of security? Does it “fit” your lifestyle and personality? Only you can answer those questions.

If you are interested in specific reviews or recommendations about PSD’s in future newsletters, let me know and we can explore the issue in greater detail.

Take care, train smart and stay safe…

Randy LaHaie
Protective Strategies

Final Note:

I may have created a limited perception what a PSD is. Keep in mind that PSD’s are not necessarily exotic or concealable weapons with the potential to inflict injury. In fact, many of the best one’s are no such thing.

If I had to select just one PSD to carry myself (which I do) or recommend to a loved one, guess what it would be… a CELL PHONE! I could go on for an entire newsletter trumpeting the powerful personal safety benefits of a cell phone and the ability to summon help that they provide.

If you can afford a cell phone, it’s one of the best personal safety investments you can make.

============== Self-Defense Quotable Quote ===============

“Self-defense gadgets don’t cut it. Not even guns work for most people because they can’t use them safely and effectively. The advantage of a survival mind-set over everything else is that it’s always with you and ready for immediate use. That’s crucial and lifesaving because when violence explodes the security of your world, there are no second chances and no time-outs to think it over and decide what to do.”

Strong On Defense
Sanford Strong

============================================================

Randy LaHaie is the president of Protective
Strategies and has been teaching reality-based
self-defense for over 30 years. He is the author
of several “Toughen Up Combative Training Guides”
(http://www.ToughenUp.com)

Subscribe to his FREE SELF-DEFENSE NEWSLETTER at
http://www.ProtectiveStrategies.com

Perfect one’s character:

Do not harbor hatred and bitterness. Negativity breeds negativity. Love one another. Enough cannot be said on this.

Dedicate oneself to others:

And not just to oneself. Selfishness leads to hate, which leads to anger. Anger consumes all in its path and is never quenched, except by effort, which rebuilds. This may be one’s own effort, or the effort of another, changing your nature and your life from the inside out. This will influence those around you.

Uphold honor, bravery, and justice:

In these you will find right paths. Selfishness corrupts. Patience instructs. Only time will tell.

Never stop learning:

Always consider following right paths. Think not on the way of life or death. Life’s sorrows in disguise will always surprise you. Do not settle for less than truth, or you will be deceived. Letting go of life too quickly is not always honorable. Let go of concern for your life or death; seek only honor and truth. Focus only on these, then pain and deception turn into lessons, or blessings. You must always seek greater understanding, so you may seek greater truth.

“Obstacles are what you see when you lose sight of your goal.” - Anonymous

Obtain victory without conflict:
The paramount of skill is victory without conflict. Preserve the whole using your empty hand. You must practice preserving the whole in every thing.

In summary:
Meditate on all of this continually.

Righteousness is The Divine Truth.
Righteousness is the goal of all existence.
Righteousness is the only path to Nirvana, or Heaven.

The author, Owen Johnston, lives and teaches Wado ryu Karate in Lake City, South Carolina. He also enjoys training, reading, attending church, and spending time with his fiance. For more information, please visit Johnston Wado ryu Karate - Online Community

Determination- this represents the strength of your intent. It consists of your motivation or the inner drive that propels you toward a goal. Commitment to your mission. Your will to succeed- strength of your inner resolve. Be rigid in your commitment to your goal, but flexible in the strategy you rely on to reach it.

Courage- is the ability to act despite fear. You must have the ability to risk, to be proactive and have a seize-the-initiative attitude. Your ability to risk success measures how eagerly you embrace the undesirable consequences that come with success. You acknowledge possible failure and act anyway.

Athletic poise- the ability to recognize and maintain a particular state of psychological readiness (such as relaxed, confident, focused on the present, energized, in control).

Responding to failure- never carry failure forward- see the performance as a learned experience not to be repeated unless positive. Your self talk after a performance confirms or denies the self image you brought into it. Accept the mistake and avoid wasting time in denial. Focus on the here and now and realize that you can’t fix the mistake. Relax the muscles you reflexively tighten in response to making a mistake.

Relaxation- the next time you are stressed, try the five breath relaxation technique: Breath one- relax face and neck as you breathe out. Two- relax the shoulders and arms. Three- relax the chest, stomach and back. Four- relax the legs and feet. Five- focus on relaxing the whole body. Assume that your body is carrying around excess tension. Gateways to relaxation include the forehead, eyes, jaw, lips, back of the neck, shoulders, fingers and stomach. Also- try to breathe in a continuous and soothing flow. This is also known as the scuba or circular breath with no beginning or ending instead of a series of starts and stops.

Centering- focus all your attention internally on the area immediately behind your navel. Breathe normally, feeling very controlled, heavy and calm. feel rooted, grounded & stabilized. Put on a relaxation mask. Centering is also shifting from words and instructions to images and sensations.

Concentration- controlling the direction, width and selectivity of attention. Be in the endless series of present moments. Concentrate on fending off the adrenaline rush.

Poise- this is how we describe those who perform with ease under fire. They are able to make critical decisions, negotiating, presentations, multitasking. The right brain has the ability to pull away and apply some perspective. It sees how all the bits of information come together.

Resilience- the ability to hang tough through adversity and persevere despite mistakes, setbacks or failure is vital for success. Resilience consists of the ability to recover from a mistake, the ability to fight & stand your ground, and mental toughness to control your emotions and prevail regardless of what assault or setback you have suffered..
The ability to move on, to put a poor judgement, a wrong answer, a weak moment or a physical lapse behind you instantly. No matter what comes between you and your goal, you continue to move forward.

Precision- Avoid worrying too much about precision- obsession with precision often causes feelings of nervousness. Putting such a negative value on mistakes reduces enjoyment of the process. Focus more on continuous correction and staying in the moment. An ultimate performance is more about passion and correction than it is about perfection. The ultimate performer doesn’t fear or obsess about being off because she knows how to take specific actions that will enable her to recover. Have the ability to feel, accept, regroup and recommit during rough and devastating times. The more specific, vibrant, and positive the pictures, colors, odors, tastes and textures, the more powerful the visionary process will become.

Goals- once your dreams and goals develop into nonnegotiable agreements, your debilitating feelings, low-energy states, internal conversations, feelings of insanity, and addictive throbbing will have less control over your destiny.

Performing in the moment- trust your skills and stay focused in the moment, rather than trying to remember what you are supposed to do. Use sensory actions to bring yourself back to the moment. Examples- taking a deep breath, focusing your eyes on an object, touching an object and feel the texture.

Act as if- 1. Form a picture in your mind of who you’d most like to be in terms of confidence- a better teacher, communicator, etc. Get a feel for how this person looks, sounds and behaves. Imagine you were a professional actor auditioning for this role: what speech mannerism? Facial expressions? Body language? Clothes, accessories for this character? Go out on stage- step into your role and act accordingly.

Focus- use an imaginary boundary that no distracting sound can penetrate such as a ‘cone of silence’ that you zip yourself in. Try a circle and dot. Your breathing is the dot and the present is the circle. If your thoughts wander out of the circle gently settle them back.

Intensity- refers to the amount of energy you are able to train on the object of your focus. Duration- is a measure of how long you can sustain that intensity.

Anger- allowing your energy to turn negative in the face of problems. Try to use anger to focus past distraction. Direct the anger at an obstacle or circumstance standing between you and your goal. Plant the anger in your center and use it to trigger the most appropriate and effective solution.

Visualization- Imagine that you have stepped inside the person per-forming the perfect routine and imagine that you are watching yourself on the screen. Act as if. Use physiology to model a master in the area where you want to achieve success. Set up blueprints through repetitious practice, performing the movement over and over until in becomes an automatic or conditioned reflex.

Balance- never being put off center, no matter how hard we are squeezed. Relaxing and letting life flow through us not standing apart an analyzing it. Because he believes in himself, he doesn’t try to convince others. Because he is content with himself, he doesn’t need others’ approval. Because he accepts himself, the whole world accepts him.

Going with the flow- this concept involves the concept of relaxed concentration that opens the way for peak performance. There is a feeling of total immersion in the present activity, with the body, mind and spirit united on the one experience. Peak performance can only happen when an exerciser stays in the present mentally by setting aside any concerns or worries during the exercise session. When a person is totally focused on the activity, all doubt about performing well is pushed away and he or she excels.

Stress- When a powerful stressor hits, ask yourself- What is the most intelligent response that is consistent with my deepest values and beliefs? Then summon your courage and warrior spirit to bring the response to life. it is not the exposure to stress that causes the undesirable changes in brain chemistry. It is the perception of helplessness. Best response- Never give up or surrender your spirit emotionally. Resist blaming others or exaggerating the hopelessness of the situation. Practice some of the other techniques mentioned here, such as the 5 breath relaxation technique.

Head cases- these people are at the mercy of their emotions. They simply follow the emotions of the moment without much discipline. This is where you can end up if you don’t learn and practice mental discipline.

Koroko- this is a martial arts term for indomitable spirit. Simply refusing to accept defeat. It goes beyond simply enduring a situation, to throwing your entire spirit into the effort of defeating the challenge. Make never giving up a habit that you practice daily.

Best wishes,
Rick Sheridan
Community college instructor
http://MartialArtsClassics.com

Martial arts have become incredibly popular in the US. Drive through any little strip shopping center in nearly any city and you’re likely to see a martial arts studio. There are dozens of styles to choose from. Karate, jujitsu, aikido, kung fu, qi gong, taekwondo, tai chi. How did that happen?

I think it’s partly because Americans are so competitive. To many, a martial art is just another sport. You move up the ranks from one belt color to another until finally you’re at the top and you’re a black belt in karate. It’s also good exercise. Many of us don’t get nearly enough exercise. But if we can engage in a little friendly martial arts tournament and work out at the same time, we can really get into that.

In the East where all the martial arts came from, it’s a bit more than just a sport or a way to exercise. Martial arts are the physical part of an entire spiritual discipline designed to teach us to live as better and happier people. They believe that our bodies must be healthy temples for our spirits. Monks in monasteries learned the martial arts. I don’t know of any comparable practice in Catholicism. Do you? There may be, but I have never heard of it.

In karate, and all the martial arts, we bow to our opponent before and after the match. Why is that? Any martial arts student from any decent school can tell you that you are honoring the other person. You honor them for their skill. You honor them as another spiritual being on the planet. You honor them for giving you the honor of the match.

I think practicing karate and other martial arts is really adding something sacred to our American understanding of people. And yes, we get to compete and get a little exercise in, too.

About this writer

Aiko Mettarod moved from Japan with his parents as a child. His father was his first karate teacher. You can read more articles about martial arts at Tsunami Karate

If you are like me, you are looking to get in a little better shape. What better way to do that than to start taking up martial arts. There are literally hundreds of different types of martial arts styles, and you want to make sure that you are getting a good deal on your karate lessons. Karate studios vary in quality, and unless you know what you are doing it might not get the best deal available. There are hundreds if not hundreds of thousands of karate instructors and their quality varies widely. Let’s take a look at three different tips to keep in mind when shopping for a karate studio.

1. How long. This might not seem obvious at first, but the length of time that a karate studio has been in existence is more important than you would think? Why is that? Because many karate studios are like restaurants. People who open restaurants generally are good cooks, and maybe not the best business people. Just because you’re an Olympic athlete doesn’t mean you are a good business person. So what if a karate studio is brand new, the odds of its staying around for a long time, are fairly low. But if the karate studio has been around for a little while. You might be a lot safer, signing a long-term contract with them.

2. Instructor. Who is the instructor? Is he or she a well-known name? Is in a chain of karate studios? The instructor makes all the difference. Finding a good instructor is like finding a nugget of gold. The good ones are hard to find, but when you find them, you should really stick to them. Ask the instructor or what his qualifications are and how long he’s been practicing karate. A little legwork goes a long way.

3. Location. Is the karate studio close your house? Is it easy to access? What are the hours? Find out all this before hand. You don’t want to be driving hours just to take a karate lesson here and there. While close is better, if a really good instructor is a little out-of-the-way, that might be a good way to go too

This is just the tip of the iceberg. Come by our site and learn all about karate today.

I just received an Email from a woman who has a child (3 year old) and about to have another. Considering my wife is in a similar situation, this question couldn’t be more relevant. This idea can be expanded to those of us getting older, injured or of smaller stature. Keep in mind, a little common sense goes a long way.

First of all, the life you used to enjoy has changed. You can not casually go to places you used to go. A woman, preoccupied with the safety and care of two children, let alone one, is a prime target for the pieces of sh$t who earn their lining taking advantage of this situation. So, how can you best prepare yourself?

First, pick your fights. Go to only very public, very safe places that are mother and child friendly. Going to malls in the evening or quickly running into the Laundromat with the kids in the car is probably not a great idea. If you can schedule a day to run errands child free, great, if you can’t, just ask yourself, if I came back and my child was missing, was it worth it? That’s it, it’s a simple as that. Once you start talking about, I can’t afford a sitter or I have no support- that’s your decision, but if you chose a Laundromat with a delivery service worth it? What’s it worth to you? Would you be thinking about the cost or inconvenience then? The point is you have to think in this way because the predators or banking on the fact you will play the odds and hedge your bets. All you have to do is be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Beware of people telling you, you will have no problems fighting with a child strapped on your back, protecting another while trying to escape a determined assailant. Those people should be arrested at the very least. I hear some of these experts talk and one thing comes to mind- this idiot has now idea what he’s talking about. Plus he believes his own B.S. Personally, I don’t care if you’re teaching how to levitate, move rocks with your mind or prove the nothingness of lute-fish. But as soon as you tell a mother of two in her forties that she will be able to handle any attacker after a one hour seminar, you should be arrested. Now, don’t get me wrong, people can be trained. It just doesn’t happen in an hour or two.

As I said before in previous articles, if you’re serious, really serious, take shooting lessons and be armed at all times. Next step would be push-daggers or finger-hole design knives; something that you can grab, squeeze and not let go. Next is pepper sprays and stun guns. Have these at the ready.

Strategically, the most vulnerable you will be is packing the kids in the car. If you are alone, have a system for packing the kids away while you have one hand on your weapon of choice. Your weapon if not in your hand should be at the tip of your fingers.

Practice: drill when you put the kids in the car in your driveway. Picture the assailant and draw your weapon. Do this during times of the loading process that you feel the most distracted.

Know your route, and pay attention to who’s following you. A few extra turns may smoke someone out. Driving to the police station is an excellent option. Plus, we all have cell phones.

Choosing the correct equipment is essential. We have one arm, one hand EVERYTHING, from strollers to car seats. Think about this when you make your next purchase…HOLD THE PHONES!!! Here’s your million dollar idea: The Tactical Tot Stroller. Hideaway compartments, pepper spray holders- stun gun caddy, .50 cal mount. You get the idea. Run with it. Put a stroller, a video. Hey, a magazine “Tactical Baby” is you child ready for the apocalypse? See what all the best dressed babies will be wearing in all the bunkers! PLUS, How to Burp you tot under fire…

Any way, what you want to do is be aware and plan ahead. People get jammed up because they don’t think a situation through. The idea is to realize when you’re getting in over your head. Don’t let your ego put you in a place that you can’t get out of. Be paranoid, be a little late. Plan and leave early. It’s been my experience, if you have kids, the world will wait for you. If not, screw ‘em.

So where do our videos and training fit in? As an absolute last resort. ALL HAND TO HAND is a tactical last resort. The training does two things: First, it gives you something to fall back on, second it gives you confidence and it awakens the part of you that doesn’t think tactically and defensively. Finally, our stuff works, but its still a last resort. Will someone trained fair better than the person untrained. ABSOLUTLEY. But like the man says, “You don’t bring a knife to a gun fight”. If you choose to end the fight with out a weapon, that’s YOUR CHOICE. I’d rather have it and not use it, than need it and not have it.

The person who doesn’t prepare for the absolute worst and thinks they are going to get out of every situation with just their empty hand is either very ignorant, very lucky or very dead.

Just like the sign says www.thetruthaboutselfdefnse.com

Maybe I didn’t sell a video, but I still have to look at my self in the mirror.

© www.thetruthaboutseldefense.com

Damian Ross is the owner of Zenshin and instructor of Tekkenryu jujutsu and Kodokan Judo. He started competing in the combative sport of wrestling in 1975 at the age of 7 and began his study of Asian martial arts with Moo Duk Kwan Tae Kwon Do at the age of 16 in 1984. In 1989, Shinan Cestari gave a seminar at Sensei Ross’s dojo. Sensei Ross has trained under Shinan Cestari’s direction ever since. In addition to Tekkenryu Jujutsu, Judo and Tae Kwon Do, Sensei Ross has also studied Bando. Sensei Ross continues his study of Judo under the direction of 8th degree black belt Yoshisada Yonezuka and Tekkenryu Jujutsu under it’s founder, Carl Cestari. Below are is a list of some of his title ranks:

Yodan (fourth degree black belt) Tekkenryu Jujutsu under Carl Cestari
Shodan (First degree black belt) Kodokan Judo under Yoshisada Yonezuka
Varsity Wrestling Lehigh University under Thad Turner
2nd Degree Black Belt Tae Kwon Do
http://www.thetruthaboutselfdefense.com

Your child slips and suddenly he’s about to fall down some stairs.

What can you do?

“Grab him fast!”

Right?

Of course. It’s nearly reflexive, and it’s intuitively obvious.

But why would you ever want to grab onto a bad guy, unless you’re falling off a cliff and you need his footing and stability to save your life?

I realize there are some martial arts that use grabs, extensively.

Aikido, which I respect very much philosophically, is one of them. But my art, Kenpo Karate, as a general rule, sees grabbing as foolish, for these reasons:

(1) It ties up what is otherwise a perfectly good weapon. Why voluntarily disable your hand, arm, elbow, and striking ability by clenching someone’s shirt? Keeping your weapons free seems the superior choice.

(2) A bad guy grabs your shirt, so you grab his. Now, there are two stupid people in this altercation. What is this, Sumo, with clothes on?

(3) You lose blocking capability.

(4) You definitely lose overall mobility. Grabbing him is like he grabbed you. It gives him a third arm and hand, and he can more effectively pummel you with the two he has left over.

(5) It keeps you in dangerous hand range when the best place to be is out of range.

(6) A grab, unless it’s a claw to the eyes or throat does no damage.

Consider these minuses very seriously before you reach out and grab someone, especially in a fight!

Dr. Gary S. Goodman, President of Customersatisfaction.com, is a popular keynote speaker, management consultant, and seminar leader and the best-selling author of 12 books, including Reach Out & Sell Someone® and Monitoring, Measuring & Managing Customer Service, and the audio program, “The Law of Large Numbers: How To Make Success Inevitable,” published by Nightingale-Conant. He is a frequent guest on radio and television, worldwide. A Ph.D. from USC’s Annenberg School, a Loyola lawyer, and an MBA from the Peter F. Drucker School at Claremont Graduate University, Gary offers programs through UCLA Extension and numerous universities, trade associations, and other organizations from Santa Monica to South Africa. He holds the rank of Shodan, 1st Degree Black Belt in Kenpo Karate. He is headquartered in Glendale, California, and he can be reached at (818) 243-7338 or at: gary@customersatisfaction.com.

For information about coaching, consulting, training, books, videos and audios, please go to: http://www.customersatisfaction.com

Sometimes one would see references to ‘hard’ style and ’soft’ style martial arts. To many non-martial artists, these terms may be puzzling. In North America, these terms are used to classify martial art styles into two main categories. Japanese/Okinawan karate and Korean tae kwon do are generally referred to as hard styles. Movements in both karate and tae kwon do are often linear with their forms (traditional sequence of set moves) performed with crisp movements. Chinese kung fu styles are usually referred to as soft styles. The circular motions of kung fu forms give them a more visually graceful or softer appearance especially when many of the movements flow from one to another. Even Korean kuk sool won which is sometimes referred to as ‘Korean kung fu’, is often classified as a soft style since its movements are also more flowing than the stop and go of tae kwon do or karate. This is not to say that hard styles such as karate or tae kwon do are more powerful martial arts than kung fu and other soft styles. The term ’soft’ is a bit misleading because the power from circular kung fu moves are often hidden. Circular moves can generate just as much power as linear ones.

The terms hard style and soft style came as a result of the evolution of North American martial arts competitions, particularly in forms divisions. For many years, open karate tournaments which allowed all martial arts styles, had competitors from different martial arts backgrounds compete in the same forms divisions. All equivalent level competitors, whether they used a Japanese/Okinawan karate kata, a Korean tae kwon do pattern or a Chinese kung fu form, competed together in the same divisions. This provided a nice martial arts showcase for spectators especially at the bigger tournaments. However, some competitors and judges considered divisions with combined styles to be too complicated. For example, judges who were familiar with only Japanese or Korean styles had a difficult time scoring competitors performing Chinese kung fu forms. Sometimes competitors from different martial art styles felt that judges were being biased against them. Judging a hard style form against a soft style form was often like trying to compare apples to oranges.

To help resolve these issues, many of the larger martial arts tournaments expanded to have separate divisions for hard and soft styles. This was a way to equalize things and add some more fairness to all competitors. The largest tournaments went another step ahead and further separated Japanese karate stylists from Korean tae kwon do stylists by putting them into different divisions too. This still left many kempo stylists up in the air because their particular forms have both hard and soft style elements since their movements are both linear as well as circular. Some promoters of large tournaments decided to accommodate kempo stylists by adding in separate forms divisions just for their style too. Of course many smaller local tournaments have not been able to offer separate hard and soft style divisions for martial arts forms competitors mainly because of financial budget restrictions. The terms hard style and soft style are used only in North America and parts of Europe since these are the only regions of the world that have open martial arts competitions. Martial arts competitions in other parts of the world such as Asia are generally restricted to certain specific styles only.

Clint Leung is a lifelong martial artist with over 32 years of training experience in kung fu, tae kwon do, karate, kickboxing and martial arts weaponry. He has won Canadian and world championship titles (NASKA, NBL and WSKF). He is also owner of Free Spirit Activewear (www.FreeSpiritActivewear.com) , an online retailer and designer of premium martial arts activewear. Free Spirit Activewear has martial arts info articles.

In Part 1 of this article we arrived at the point where it was established that you could be confronted by a desperate, violent person with no police or security guards anywhere in sight. What do you do? How can you be your own bodyguard?

As promised, I will outline some tactical responses that you can employ. Having studied karate for 35 years and run countless self-defense courses I believe I am as qualified as anybody to teach this.

Here are your options:

1. try to escape - ie run away
2. try to attract the help of others - ie call for help
3. try to outsmart your antagonist - ie trick him or her
4. try to defend yourself - ie fight back
5. succumb to the antagonist - ie give them what they want

Here, now, are my recommendations for each:

1 - If you try to run you will need to be fit. Are you keeping yourself fit? If you have a disability or are too old then this is not a viable option. Sometimes an attacker will chase you, sometimes he will not. It depends on his level of desperation and whether he is willing or capable to chase you. Where do you run? This is a serious option if you are capable but you must give due thought to the terrain, your attire, your fitness, the attacker’s apparent fitness, time and location.

2 - If you try to enlist the help of others do not expect a “knight in shining armor” to arrive. Most people will just not want to help you. They don’t want to “be involved.” They fear for their own safety. And the way that Courts operate these days if they do fight your attacker off they will most likely have to pay the cretin compensation. If you yell “help!” nobody will come. However, if you yell “fire!” everybody will come. Nobody wants to help but everybody enjoys watching a fire - perverse, but true. Yell fire!

3 - If you try to outsmart the antagonist you might try to distract them in some way long enough for you to escape. Here is where you need to be both creative and convincing. A few ideas you might try are as follows. Pretend the police have arrived, that you have a communicable disease or that you know a friend of the person. For example, you might try saying: “Hey, aren’t you John’s friend?” Everybody knows somebody called John so it may work. At least it will stop the antagonist for a moment by making him wonder whom you are referring to. That moment might be all you need to escape.

4 - Unless you are skilled in a martial art like karate or boxing this option could be a problem. Even if you are skilled it could still be a problem. Never underestimate an opponent. They may have a weapon or they could have friends nearby. People who attack others are good at it because they do it so often. They know how to take all the advantages of fear. My recommended actions for an unskilled or semi-skilled person would be a finger thrust to the eyes and/or a swift kick to the shins. They are the best targets and have obvious tactical advantages for you.

5 - Succumbing to an antagonist is the last option you should consider, particularly if you are a female and the attack is sexual. These days there is a high probability that a violent offender will get what he or she wants and then enact violence on you anyway. Apart from that, if the offender is subsequently apprehended by police that person’s defense lawyer will tear you to pieces in Court for not resisting. The lawyer will attempt to convince a magistrate or a jury that you condoned the act.

My final word on all of this is that you really do need to be your own bodyguard. Don’t expect anybody else to protect or defend you. It won’t happen. When weighing up the appropriateness of your response ALWAYS remember the three variables - time, place and circumstance. Use your experience and judgement.

For more information of self-defense please visit my website.

This article comes with reprint rights providing no changes are made and the resource box below accompanies it.

About the author: Gary Simpson is the author of eight books covering a diverse range of subjects such as self esteem, affirmations, self defense, finance and much more. His articles appear all over the web. Gary’s email address is budo@iinet.net.au. Click here to go to his
Motivation & Self Esteem for Success website where you can receive his “Zenspirational Thoughts” plus an immediate FREE copy of his highly acclaimed, life-changing e-book “The Power of Choice.”