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“There Are No Superior Martial Arts,
Only Superior Martial Artists”

I’ve read, heard, repeated and written that phrase so often I can’t even remember where it came from. The reason I like it so much is because it’s true!

This article is not another effort to debate the merits of one self-defense system over another. Nor is it to argue about which style will or won’t work “on the street.” All martial arts have components within them that are powerful fighting techniques. It’s important to know which ones they are!

Self-Defense Systems Differ,
But Self-Defense Principles Don’t

On the surface, martial arts and self-defense systems seem different. However, if they are legitimate and effective, the principles underlying them are the same.

Principles are the rules about the way things are. They are inarguable, non-negotiable and unchanging. They have nothing to do with the way we think things are or the way we want them to be. Like the laws of physics, they just are.

As “Martial Scientists,” our goal is to explore, discover, test and confirm the operative principles that define and influence the reality of combat. Your ability to produce a desired result, in this case to effectively defend yourself, is a direct result of how well you understand and apply the principles of combat and human performance.

What Do You Know About
Performance Under Pressure?

This article is about how fear and stress affect fighting performance. Whether you consider yourself a seasoned martial artist, a self-defense enthusiast, or a self-taught “ham & egger” who just wants to stay in shape and boost your confidence, this information is important to know. If you are training for self-defense, you need to select and develop skills that will be effective in the chaos of a violent conflict. This article will help you in that process.

FEAR, STRESS AND SELF-DEFENSE

Stress Is Good, But Only If It
Works For And Not Against You

Stress is our response to a real or perceived threat that we inherited from our ancestors. It was, and is, essential for our survival as a species. That survival mechanism, often called the “Fight or Flight Response,” is a good thing. If properly managed, it can be a powerful force in fighting off (fight) or escaping from (flight) a violent assailant. However, if ignored or misunderstood, stress can impair our mental and physical performance and compromise our effectiveness in a fight.

What Is “Self-Defense Stress?”

Stress, as it relates to violence, is the response to a perceived discrepancy between a threat and your ability to control it under conditions where the outcome has the potential for death, injury or physical degradation.

The Symptoms Of Stress

Stress causes a variety of psychological and physiological changes. Without getting into the specifics of those changes, the affects of intense stress on performance fall into three categories:

1. Perceptual Distortion - loss of peripheral vision and depth perception, hearing may be impaired, changes in pain sensitivity, etc.

2. Cognitive Impairment - the emotional centers in the brain become predominant and creative or logical thinking is impaired.

3. Motor Skill Deterioration - the ability to perform certain physical actions is impaired by stress. However, other actions can actually be enhanced by stress.

Each of these categories could form an article (or book) of their own. However, for the purposes of this article, I’ll confine myself to information pertaining to the selection and performance of physical skills.

THE KYSS! PRINCIPLE (Keep Your System Simple!)

Why Do Black Belts Get Beat Up?

Why is it that so many martial artists get beat up? I’m sorry to burst your bubble if you thought otherwise but the fact is that many people, even after years of training, have been thumped by “unskilled,” intoxicated adversaries. How can that be?

Often people train with a distorted mental map of what it’s like to be in a real, knockdown, drag-out, anything-goes street-fight. They confuse sparring with fighting and find themselves hesitant, overwhelmed by fear or attempting techniques that just don’t work.

The more clearly you understand the realities of a “fight” and the affects of being in one, the better you can prepare yourself for the chaos of personal combat.

Motor Skills Classification

Motor Skills is a fancy name for physical actions or techniques. They can be divided into three categories:

1. Fine Motor Skills - are actions involving small muscles, dexterity and eye-hand coordination. The ability to perform fine motor skills deteriorates at low to moderate levels of stress.

2. Complex Motor Skills - are actions that link three or more components in a sequence that requires timing and coordination. At moderate to high levels of stress, the ability to perform these skills is also impaired. Many martial arts techniques are complex motor skills. This explains why techniques that may work fine in low-stress training fail in a high-stress street-fight.

3. Gross motor skills - are simple, large-muscle group actions like a squats, pushups and push/pull-type movements. This includes basic fighting skills like a straight punch, a hook punch or a Thai boxer’s knee strike for example. Unlike fine and complex motor skills, gross motor skills DO NOT deteriorate under stress. In fact, they are enhanced by the affects of fear and stress.

Obviously we want to rely predominantly on gross motor skills when designing a self-defense response system.

The “Less-Is-Best” Theory

Some self-defense and martial arts instructors believe in the “More-Is-Better” philosophy. They think that learning a high number of techniques will increase the ability to respond effectively to a wider variety of situations; that the more elaborate the fighting system the more adaptable it becomes.

If you hold this philosophy yourself, please forgive my bluntness but…YOU’RE WRONG!!! The More-Is-Better approach does not withstand scientific scrutiny. Complex or elaborate techniques don’t work in a real fight. It’s as simple as that.

In contrast, the “Less-Is-Best” approach is more practical, realistic and consistent with what science tells us about the way we perform under stress. Here are a few of the benefits of keeping the number of techniques to a minimum.

Faster Reaction Time

As far back as the 1800’s, researchers knew that the more responses you have to a stimulus, the longer it takes react. In 1952, a researcher named Hicks confirmed that for every response choice added, the amount of time required to react doubles! This is widely known as “Hicks Law,” and has been repeatedly confirmed by subsequent research. In a self-defense situation, the longer you take to respond to a threatening action, the more likely you will be injured and defeated.

Fast Results With Minimal Training

Another issue that supports the idea of keeping your inventory of techniques to a minimum is the amount of time you have to practice and the time it takes to build technique competence. (remember: competence builds confidence which reduces stress!)

Imagine you work on 20 techniques and you train for an hour per session. That means you have 3 minutes to invest on each technique. If however, you reduce the number of self-defense techniques to three (just an arbitrary number), you invest 20 minutes on each technique, conceivably investing 600% more time and repetition on each one. What technique wouldn’t be improved by six times more training?

The Brass Knuckle Effect (Cognitive Clarity)

Imagine you knew you were about to be attacked by a large, strong, psychopathic assailant. There is no way of avoiding the fight. Let’s say your self-defense system consists of 20 different techniques. In the stressful moments preceding the encounter your mind is reeling; trying to figure out the most appropriate course of action.

Keep in mind that your cognitive abilities are impaired by stress. Stress-related “brain damage” prevents you from forming a logical or creative solution to your predicament. What will you do?

Seeing your dilemma, a good friend (if he wasn’t before he is now!) discretely passes you a set of brass knuckles. What do you suppose has just happened to your thought process?

I’ll hazard a guess that the mental fog begins to lift, your stress decreases and your objective becomes clear. It’s now a simple matter of taking those brass knuckles and slamming them repeatedly into vulnerable parts of your opponent’s anatomy. Seems simple now doesn’t it?

The potential of you winning the encounter has been significantly enhanced. That same affect can be achieved without the brass knuckles by sticking to a limited, yet adaptable, inventory of dependable fighting skills.

THE SCIENCE OF STRESS POINTS TO THE NEED TO SPECIALIZE

Virtually all accomplished fighters are known for specific techniques that they excel at. However, if you ignore their “bread & butter” techniques, most of them would be considered “average.” Those fighters excel because of their ability to simplify their system and build on their superior techniques.

Knowing what you now know about technique selection and stress performance, what do you think about the merits of “specializing” in a core set of fighting skills? Here’s how to get started.

Explore Your Strengths

Don’t just latch onto a fighting tactic arbitrarily. Evaluate your existing skills and select a strike, a kick, or a finishing hold that seems like a “good fit” for you. What technique to you consistently land or apply when sparring? What is your best or favorite technique? What technique do you feel you would resort to under pressure? Answering these questions will get you started with the specialization process.

Adaptability

Having as few techniques as possible doesn’t mean that you limit your ability to respond to a wide variety of situations. The idea is to take that specialty strike, kick, joint lock or choke and train it in as many different ways as possible. Learn to apply those basic skills at different ranges (striking, clinching or on the ground), against different partners, against different apparatus and in as many drills as you can think of. Learn how to set them up and follow them up. Strive to learn a lot about a little, not vice versa.

Train to Momentary Exhaustion

A good way to see how well a technique holds up under stress is to train it to extreme fatigue. You can bring on the physiology of intense stress by exerting yourself. I call this “blitz training” in the heavy bag article: “There’s nothing like a swift kick to the bag.” on my site at:

http://www.protectivestrategies.com/heavybag.html

Blast out a technique or combination repeatedly for a specified duration or until you can’t do it any more. I can guarantee that gross motor skills will be the only ones conducive to this type of training.

Keep in mind that you wouldn’t do this training all of the time. You need time to recover between intense workouts like this.

Obviously you must be healthy and in good physical shape to do in this training. Refer to my disclaimer page for precautions before following this advice.

http://www.protectivestrategies.com/disclaimer.html

Simplicity Is Not Inflexibility

A final note in keeping things simple is that the process of specialization doesn’t mean that you stop learning, experimenting or that you abandon your existing training program in lieu of a “bare-bones” self-defense program.

If you are proud of your traditional martial arts system stick with it. If you love to jump up, spin around and kick things, then by all means, go for it! Just don’t confuse techniques that will work in a street fight with those that won’t. Apply the science of stress performance by adding specialty training to the degree that you want to develop practical self-defense skills.

SO WHAT? HOW TO USE THIS INFORMATION

Using The “KYSS! Principle”
To Evaluate A Potential Specialty Technique

Now its time to put this stuff into practice: Based on the priority you place on “fighting skill.” (there are several other benefits and reasons to train) Take a good, hard look at the skills you have in your inventory and the amount of time you plan to invest in training.

Decide on what proportion of your training you want to dedicate to self-defense. Design your system based on the following “KYSS Criteria.”

=> is the technique a “gross motor skill?”

=> do you have confidence in your ability to perform the skill under pressure?

=> What technique is most successful for you in training sparring or competition? (however don’t confuse those activities with fighting)

=> Is the technique applicable in a wide variety of situations, at different ranges, in different environments, ring clothing that you were during your day-to-day activities?

=> Are you able to construct a wide variety of training drills to build adaptability and flexibility in your chosen techniques?

=> Are there techniques that you’ve selected that are redundant?

=> Do you understand the underlying principles and biomechanics of performing and applying the skill with optimal efficiency?

CONCLUSION

Stress in a combative situation is a given. Expect it. It’s going to be there. Your performance is the result of how confident and well prepared you are in addition to how well designed your self-defense response system is. Attack the problem of stress performance this way:

=> Simplify your system through specializing in a handful of effective and adaptable techniques.

=> Artificially create stress in your training sessions to inoculate yourself to it to some degree (more on this in future articles) and…

=> Select gross motor skills that will be efficient under stress.

Knowing what you now know about stress performance isn’t it obvious that the “KYSS! (Keep Your System Simple!) Principle” is worth incorporating into your training? Scrutinize and evaluate your inventory of fighting skills and select those that meet the KYSS criteria and you will improve your performance in a combative situation dramatically. The bottom line of what I want you to take away from this article is that if you are training for self-defense Keep Your System Simple!

Take care, train smart and stay safe,

Randy LaHaie
Protective Strategies

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

“There are no superior or inferior martial arts, there are only warriors and non-warriors”

“Each martial art is based on doctrine, a set of broad and general beliefs. People who study a single doctrine tend to shut out ideas from other sources and convince themselves that their’s is the one true way of fighting. They become slaves to the very doctrines they profess.”

Forrest E. Morgan, Maj. USAF
Living The Martial Way
A Manual For The Way A Modern Warrior Should Think
================================================================

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

When I talk to people about Iron Palm, they think that it’s just about breaking bricks. They even ask, “Why do you want to learn how to break bricks?”. Well, it’s not about breaking bricks. What it is about is cultivating and controlling your Chi, your internal energy.

I look at Chi and where it is stored like money and a bank account, a Chi account, if you will. Deposits have to be made, savings for our “golden years”. The more you know about cultivating it, and “depositing it into your account”, the more internal energy you’ll have when you need it the most.

Once we have an account built up, we have to be able to manage our account. We have to be able to move the energy where we want to, when we want to. That is the Mind-Body connection, to transmit energy where we command it to go.

This is Iron Palm training, this is what we’re after. The breaking of the bricks is strictly a training aid. It’s a measuring devise. It is also a way of losing Chi. You lose Chi from fighting, breaking bricks, and through sex. That’s why Semen Retention, is so vital. That’s why it is so important to makes deposits into your “Chi Account”, and not
withdrawls.

This is a problem that happens with most Iron Palm people.
They stop training because their capabilities become greater.

They think that they have the “heavy hand” and that they have some good techniques, so they slow down in their learning, in their training, and depend on their hand.

This has been a grave error that many a skillful martial artist have made. Fundamentals, the basics are always going to be necessary.

Grand Master Tung Sheng Chang, never trained his hand in Iron Palm. He trained his elbows. When I learned this, I began training my elbows as well. I did keep up with my palm training though.

This was the reason that he didn’t train his hand. He didn’t want to become dependent on this unique special training. He saw many men die from their dependency.

Think about it, the year is 1930, you master this special program, then several years afterward you begin slowing down in your training. Then you receive a challenge, you take the challenge. You feel as though your abilities will see you through. But once the fighting begins, you see the “rust” that has built up on you. You want so badly to land that one blow. The one that will end it, the one that will get you home tonight.

You can see the rest of the story. GM Chang, saw it too many times. How much knowledge went to the graves with these masters?

Most of the Iron Palm courses that are out there start the student off with the striking of a bag filled with mung beans. Then, they move up to the bag that is filled with gravel, all the while using the herbal medicine known as Dit Da Jow.

Dit Da Jow, is a simple formula we call bruise medicine. This formula will get rid of bruises, aches and pains, and so forth.
And, it might be a good formula for striking beans and gravel, but, for striking a canvas bag, that is filled with iron shot (about the same size as BB’s) this bruise medicine will not do.

One of the Herbalist that I use for our Iron Palm formula, told me that he and some of his students, put a little of my medicine on their hands, he then told me that their hands were tingeling. This man is an Herbalist, and he said that he had never felt this before.

This is Iron Palm medicine. This is what it does. It pulls your energy, your Chi, to the part of the body that it’s applied to.

There are many different types of formulas, many of them containing between 9 and 16 different herbs in them. I have seen a couple of formulas that have as many as 30 herbs in them. The formula that has been passed down to me has 39 different herbs in it! It is by far the best that I have ever used. It isn’t by any stretch of anyone’s imagination, a Dit Da Jow. It is an Iron Palm medicine.

Steve Hamp, is a 6th Degree Black Belt in the Chinese Martial Arts. He is soaring quickly because of his willingness to teach and his knowledge of health and the Chinese martial arts. You can find out more about Iron Palm by going to;
http://www.noweightsworkout.com/

MMA gear, mixed martial arts wear, mma sparring gear, mma gear online, mma workout clothes, and mma gear are just some of the specializations of House of Pain Iron Wear. http://www.houseofpain.com boasts top of the line as well as the best mixed martial arts equiptment, mixed martial arts clothing, and all of the gear and apparel that you will need in the ring, in the gym, or on the street. The HouseOfPain website not only features the best in gear, workout apparel, and clothing, you can see our lifting and fighting news departments, our in the gym section, other information, events, and links including news pertaining to the weightlifting and mma scene.
Apartment investing is an very good chance that can help develop a ongoing stream of income previously unimaginable. You can discover this from a man who has discovered the secrets and risen to the top beginning from literally nothing, who is has no prevous experience and is not different than you and I. It’s very much a typical rags to riches story where someone having very little if any resources and exxperience has achieved so much, and in a very quick amount of time. Apartment investing is the vehicle which he used. In the free CD he is offering, it will be revealed to you exactly what did Carlose do before he closed his first apartment investing deal to set himself up for much bigger deals in the future - this is something no other apartment investing gurus will let you in on. In the apartment investing material you will also learn how the current economic crisis is about to release a tidal wave of opportunity for educated apartment investors and the closely guarded secrets to getting financed for apartment investing in today’s market. You will quite a bit more about apartment investing and some of the things most others are afraid to tell you.
Reverse Craigstlist software just imagine it. It can give you the power to literally develop possibly up to hundreds of thousands of qualified leads in just a matter of minutes by mining information from advertisements on craigs list. Simple reverse craigs list software can provide an opportunity to quite literally drive you business to the highest level. You just select which niche you are aiming at as well as specific geo areas, then push a button, sit back, and watch the leads come in. Then you can make direct contact to these leads or save, manage them, export,, and more.

Mixed martial arts wear, mma gear online, mma sparring gear, mma gear, mma gears and mma work out clothes are just a couple of of the specialties of House Of Pain. http://www.houseofpain.com features top of the line and the best mixed martial arts equipment, mma clothing, as well as all of the gear and apparel that you would expect in the gym, on the street, or in the ring. Our website not only features the finnest in gear, workout apparel, and clothing, you can go to our fighting and lifting news segments, our in the gym section, events, links, and other information as well as news for the mixed martial arts and weightlifting. HouseOfPain sport articles of gyms accross the US, a mma news blog, weightlifting and strongman news blog, workout information, tips on training, a body fat calculator, powerlifting federations, videos, kg conversion chart, not to mention a page on what types of equiptment are allowable by federation. Go to House of Pain for all of your weightlifting and mma news, gear, and clothing needs.
Maryland Home inspections have most likely been around probably as long as houses themselves. People would often ask someone they were familiar wtih, such as a friend, parent,.or sometimes a builder, to assess the condition of the house they were buying or planning to sell.

Home Inpsection Software IQ6000 developed with quite a bit of hard core frustration while using quite a few other home inspection software programs plus with over 25 years of experience performing home inspections, taking from that experience, I have created IQ6000. It was deveolped to be very easy to put to use immediately. You will most likely be able to learn it after viewing 1 hour of instructional videos, and be able to put it to use right away. If you have problems or questions, just e-mail us and we will assist you with the home inspection software. You are able to change the options, put out house inspection software report to PDF, burn to CD, e-mail, or print. Databases can be created of inspection reports, attorneys, and realtors. Backing up the database, just click on it and simply drag. It’s compatible with PC and Mac, and the best part is, home inspection software IQ6000 has no up front charge. We feature no setup fees, no fees to upgrade, you just are assessed a feee per the number of reports, and you have a variet of volume purchase options, as well as there are monthly subscription options available. House inspection software IQ6000 is the only home inspection software of choice for the smart home inspector.

In the USA, every two minutes a woman is being raped.

A 1993 survey revealed that 50% of Canadian women have experienced an incident of sexual assault or physical violence.

In Australia, 19% of women aged 18 to 24 experienced an act of violence in the last year.

Statistics show that one in very four women in America will be sexually assaulted in her lifetime.

These are SHOCKING statistics!

For more than 30 years I have been running specialized self defence courses and seminars. Over that time I have shown thousands of people how to protect and look after themselves.

Increasing personal safety ALWAYS commences with awareness.

Since most women fear attacks of a sexual nature more than anything else most of my quick tips are geared towards that.

If you are a woman, here is a list of ten simple things that you can do immediately that will increase your safety:

1 - Do not wear revealing clothing in public places. Doing so will ensure that you attract plenty of attention, including attention from those people with evil intent. Be discrete and leave provocative wear to those times when you can enjoy the intimacy of your partner.

2 - Trust your instincts. Women are very intuitive. If you think a situation might be dangerous then it probably is. That little guardian angel should be trusted rather than ignored.

3 - Rape and other sexual assault is always increasing. In the event of the worst outcome use your fingernails to gouge your attacker’s cheek. It marks him for identification and you will have DNA under your nails.

4 - Drive your motor vehicle in a courteous manner. Nobody appreciates rude hand signs. Remember - eventually you have to stop, even if it is to refuel. Psycho cases might follow you for many miles “just to teach you a lesson” - all because you made yourself a target to their twisted minds.

5 - Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol, taking mind altering drugs and leaving ANY food or drink unattended where it may be tampered with is a recipe for disaster. Give your self an even chance.

6 - NEVER pick up hitch-hikers and ABSOLUTELY NEVER hitch-hike yourself.

7 - If you live alone make sure that all your mail is addressed by just your first initial followed by your surname. Never allow mail to be addressed to you with salutations like Miss, Mrs, Ms or with your christian or given name. Those letters and parcels pass many eyes before they get to you. Change them. Make them nondescript as to your sex and marital status. Why allow anybody even one extra shred of information about you?

8 - NEVER walk alone at night or at any time in isolated areas. Predators love these locations. Avoid them.

9 - Many sexual acts are committed by people who the victims knew - or, at least, thought they knew! Be friendly and polite by all means but be vigilant for tell-tale signs of “strange” behavior. Do NOT flirt. Be firm about any unwanted attention, particularly in the work place.

10 - Sexual attack is usually preceded by some visual sign, which is usually preceded by some verbal approach before the physical action. Recognize the sequence: the look - the talk - the attack.

Please feel free to distribute this safety list to every woman you care for. The only condition is that the resource box remains intact and that this article is not altered in any way.

There are so many predators out there. Let’s help our women to PROTECT themselves! Don’t let somebody YOU know become the next victim.

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.”

The two most common martial arts practiced in North America are karate and tae kwon do. Many wonder what the difference between these two martial arts is. This is especially the case for those who are just starting to look around for a martial arts studio. After all, most practitioners in both karate and tae kwon do seem to wear the same type of white gi uniforms with various colored belts.

Modern traditional karate was developed in the islands of Okinawa in Japan after some influences from Chinese martial arts. There are actually different styles of karate but they are all commonly considered as Japanese martial arts today. The colored belt system was developed to show the various ranks of karate practitioners with white depicting novices and black belts (with various degrees) representing instructor levels and higher. There is a whole range of other different colors in between. Modern tae kwon do was developed in Korea after much influence from Japanese karate during the occupation by Japan. Indeed, tae kwon do is sometimes referred to as Korean karate. The Koreans adopted similar white uniforms along with a colored belt ranking system for tae kwon do. Today, there are two main styles of tae kwon do, one under the International Tae Kwon Do Federation and the other under the World Tae Kwon Do Federation. Many tae kwon do schools have added a black lining to their white uniforms for black belt levels. A V-neck top is often seen in schools affiliated with the World Tae Kwon Do Federation. There are also older Korean styles including tang soo do and moo duk kwan. Some of the more Americanized karate and tae kwon do schools also use uniforms with other colors such as red, black and blue in addition to the traditional white.

It can be generalized that in karate, one would use their arms or hands for 60% of the time for strikes or blocks while the use of legs for kicking will be about 40%. This breakdown is seen in the many forms or katas of karate which are set routines which simulate fighting against imaginary opponents using martial arts techniques. The forms from tae kwon do would have the opposite percentage breakdown with 40% hands and 60% legs. In tae kwon do, there is also more emphasis on higher kicks to the head level than in karate. Tae kwon do practitioners also utilize more jumping or flying kicks where one is airborne while executing kicking techniques. The tae kwon do forms or patterns are generally a bit shorter and less complex than the karate forms. Some tae kwon do schools have been known to use the odd karate form in its curriculum as well.

In North America as well as other parts of the world, there are separate traditional competitions for karate and tae kwon do. However, the open martial arts tournaments in North America often have competitors from both karate and tae kwon do competing together. Some of the larger open martial arts competition events will have separate forms divisions for Japanese karate and Korean tae kwon do competitors but the fighting or sparring divisions will usually be combined. Many black belts in tae kwon do end up studying karate as well and the opposite has been true too. Tae kwon do has received more publicity in recent years since its introduction as an Olympic sport. The style and rules used for the Olympic version of tae kwon do fighting comes from the World Tae Kwon Do Federation (WTF). Both karate and tae kwon do are considered as hard style martial arts in North America today (as opposed to soft styles such as the many versions of Chinese kung fu).

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.

If you ain’t pissing anyone off, you’re not doing anything worth while. Like religion and politics, martial arts are not for a lack of its zealots. Decide right now, you can either A. Continue to “sip the kool-aide” or B. Look to improve. One criticism about our training material is that it is simple and would work against some one who is untrained. What the hell does this mean, exactly? Does this pertain to the woman who takes muay thai or the serial rapist sociopath that has successfully applied his trade a dozen times? Does it apply to the mixed martial artists or a bag man on a pick up? Who do you want to fight for your life against, the martial artist or emotionally disturbed person (EPD) who gargles with pepper spray?

Personally, if I had my choice, I’d take my chances with the guy who thinks he has all the answers and not the guy who has nothing to loose. Is our stuff simple, you bet your ass it’s simple. It has to be. Anything that works is simple and straight forward. (Remember that thing; what’s it called…the WHEEL). Here’s a pop quiz, what’s the most widely used technique with the highest degree of success and knock out rate? (Drum roll please…..) The Over Hand Right! But that’s so simple, everybody knows that. You learn that your first day of boxing. Since it’s so simple and everybody knows it; why does it work? Because some one decided to seize the opportunity to throw it and it hit its mark. That’s the essence of a fight, timing, opportunity and luck. The techniques can’t be complicated. As we mentioned countless times before, anything can be blocked if you know it’s coming. But you will be approached in a way or by a person who is banking on the fact that you won’t do anything. So anything you do has a chance.
So you’re trained, great.

God bless you and congratulations. Now I heard Jon Bluming say something that I thought was right on the money. If you don’t know who Jon Bluming is, get your google working. He said that grappling and submissions are treated as “support systems” and he continued to say that you will spend more time training your support systems rather that your primary self defense. That doesn’t mean don’t train in these systems, because you will fall back on these if you, well- miss. Which happens more than you think; but you want a front line of defense.

This is where we come in:
Is it simple: YES.
Basic: YES.
Let me ask you:

Would you rather practice knocking some one out or dragging them to the ground? Would you rather practice for a 5 - 10 second blast or a five minute round?

Do you know when your next competition is? It could be in the parking lot tonight after work. Are you warmed up? Do you have your training equipment on? Is the ref there?

Now make no mistake, I am not advocating NOT practice other endeavors, I think they’re great. Competition and training are excellent character builders and will prove there own worth in the grand scheme of things.
But if you’re serious about realistic, explosive self defense, here’s the check list:

1.Arm your self to the teeth. Guns, knives, Sherman tank.
2. Pepper spray, Stun guns
3. Black jacks, sap gloves, spring kosh, asp
4. The environment: bricks, rocks, garbage cans
5. Hands, feet, teeth simple straight forward basic technique. Strikes, gouges.
6. Grappling, submissions.

Bonus: the better shape you’re in, the better all of this stuff works (yes, even shooting). The sharper you are, the better you will operate under stress.

So will this stuff “work” against someone who is trained- you bet, it has and it does.
It’s always good to have a back up plan, but first things first.

Musashi said, it’s regrettable to die with your sword still in its sheath. Personally, I get looks from other martial artists when the catch a glimpse of what I carry. They look at me like “why do you need that stuff”. My reply is, I’d rather have and not need it than need it and not have it. It also gives me a glimpse of how nave they are. Are you really going to depend on that when some street skel looks to put a hurt on you? If I can, I’ll work my way down from number 1 to number 6. Hey, don’t get me wrong, some days you start at 5.

The 3 to 5 year martial artist.

This is the person I get the greatest reaction from. They are very in to their training, which is great. But they believe they are in to end all, be all system. After they read the page at www.thetruthaboutselfdefense.com they feel compelled to write me and tell me how wrong I am (with out viewing the videos). First off, if you feel the need to write some guy on the internet to really show me something- get a life. The irony is, if they stay with there training, eventually they come back. Why? The men and women who have been in the martial arts for more than a decade realize the value of the material and just want to add it to there bag of tricks. These people have been to the show and realize that in a real fight, its what ever it takes. That doesn’t mean the a fifth degree black belt in tae kwon do is going to hand his dobok up and put on some combat boots (well, not permanently). What it does meant that this person can look into there own training and pull out what’s effective. Two, realize that they don’t have all the answers and they want to just get better. And three, they realize that there is a lot more to martial arts than just fighting. Here’s a secret learning how to fight is the easy part.

Carl and I are constantly receiving instruction. We are not “making this stuff up”. We learn this from real people who actually had to do this FOR REAL.

Making stuff up seems to be a trend. Some “expert” invents something and is going to tell you what’s the best and the ultimate because it has an Acronym attached to it with a cute name.

©2005 http://www.thetruthaboutselfdefense.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

Note: I wrote this essay regarding the development of Tekkenryu jujutsu. However, I think it is applicable for all methods of self defense. It may also explain why martial arts are the way they are.

Catholic, by definition, means universal or “broad minded”.

I could pull out STACKS of manuals, syllabuses, films, and related research material that cover an ENTIRE range of unarmed combat.

Some methods advocate wrestling as their base, others use boxing or savate. Some jujutsu and judo while others call their systems “rough and tumble” or “all in”, and there is even a system based on American SPORTS. I have an old manual on YOGA for self defense. The material ranges from current to OLD, some very old.

These varied systems have everything! Striking and kicking methods drawn from EVERY method and “nationality”, GRAPPLING methods from Lutte to Judo, from Sambo to All-In Wrestling. They range from standing to the ground; all aspects, all methods.

The guys in our crew have trained in an impressive array of systems and methods. They have a fantastic “pool” of knowledge, SKILL, and TRAINING to draw from.

OKAY, so WHAT?
See if this makes sense…………

Damian, Clint, and I worked out a comprehensive syllabus of instruction. It is based on a catholic approach to combatives. We drew these methods from a number of varied sources and training. The problem as we saw it was in the PROGRESSION of instruction. Here’s how we attempted to solve this fundamental problem:

Very few individuals will start so-called “martial arts” instruction or training and stay with it for any real length of time. Many combative skills are JUST that, SKILLS! They require dedicated time and training to inculcate to the extent that they will be “useful” in a REAL fight or even in a controlled “free sparring” environment.

Japanese Judoka have a saying - “One year for Newaza, TEN years for Tachiwaza”. In other words, proficiency in groundwork can be gained in a year, standing techniques require ten. So, here we see an acknowledgement that “different” SKILLS require varied amounts of TIME, TRAINING, and DEDICATION.

So that was our problem. MOST people will simply NOT invest the time and effort to “master” MANY of the skills involved. MOST people will “train” for a limited amount of time and then move on to the next “thing” that catches their interest.

What then is OUR responsibility as “instructors”? What we did is set a curriculum that takes this into account. The syllabus, for the first three to six months, includes NOTHING but the most BASIC, easily UNDERSTOOD, SIMPLEST METHODS of EFFECTIVE PERSONAL PROTECTION. Someone can train for a limited time AND still get something USEFUL in terms of “SKILL”.
What was our basis on selection of “method”?

“Hence the reason for a simple type of instruction with a great deal of emphasis on the FEW elementary methods which can be easily and instinctively used in combat after practice…..basis of selection was the theory of what the smallest man can do to the largest.”

I’m quoting Applegate from the 1943 edition of Kill Or Get Killed (This DOES NOT, I hope, portray me as a zealot).

Continued training and “dedication” will result in learning more and more “complex” skills. However, if an individual ceases practice after a “limited” amount of time, we feel that we have at LEAST given something of VALUE in terms of personal survival.

Damian is a highly skilled grappler in any venue, i.e., wrestling, judo, and submission. Clint is a walking encyclopedia of “waza”; Ralph is amazing in his knowledge of close combat and weapons. Each of these men could teach to a high level of SKILL and COMPLEXITY with NO PROBLEM. However, they fully understand that you must “walk before you run”. So, they are strong advocates of BASICS. First!

Judokas (like any other combative athletes) have a term called “Tokuiwaza” or “favored” technique. It is that one method that it is worked on incessantly, continually for YEARS in search of “perfection”. Whether it be “Judo” Kimura, Gerry Cooney, “Strangler” Lewis, or Georges Carpentier, this approach holds true. So, realistically, does this apply to MOST PEOPLE? NO. That’s why “champions” are revered. They are the EXCEPTIONS.

Why would anyone “teach” a middle aged businessman or a small petite housewife a technique or method that requires complex skills developed over YEARS and that requires a “set” of physical adjuncts in order to be even somewhat effective?
Well, you wouldn’t, at least NOT initially. Like building a house, you start with a SOLID foundation, and then BUILD from there. So the simplest approach in regards to personal protection is to start with techniques based on what the “smallest can do to the largest”. Is that a guarantee of SUCCESS? NO, that’s not how life works. Is it a LOGICAL place to “start”? I believe so.

Damian, Clint or I could teach DOZENS of different chokeholds and strangleholds. Ralph could teach DOZENS of highly complex drills and methods of stick and knife work. DOZENS! So what! Without the time, training and dedication to master these techniques they are WORSE than useless. The same goes for any “class” of techniques. Training and the DEVELOPMENT of skill is what makes ANYTHING “WORK”.

So ALL we advocate is that simple common sense basic approach. Start with the SIMPLEST methods and build from there.

It has NOTHING to do with “blind” allegiance to any one method or man. It has NOTHING to do with being a “zealot”. It has NOTHING to do with following any “gospel” in ignorance.

It has EVERYTHING to do with a sincere dedication to seeking the best, most rational and logical “solutions” to the multitude of complex problems inherent in real world survival.

This is why on going, dedicated research is SO CRUCIAL. Some question that “validity” of certain methods. DO NOT assume that these “questions” have NOT been asked and answered by others. Only a fool would blindly follow any “doctrine” without questioning and validating the information presented.

Can a skilled grappler apply his craft? Of course. Could a skilled boxer or muay thai fighter ply his trade with success? Of course. That’s NOT the question. The question is “what can YOU do?” What one can do at twenty is different than what one can do at fifty. What one can do after several years of training is different than what one can do after several months of training. What one can do against an opponent of equal strength and weight is different than what one can do against a much larger, stronger adversary, or for that matter, a much smaller, lighter one.

So what’s the point to all of this? Simple. Know who you are. What YOU are capable of. What YOUR abilities are. YOUR strengths, YOUR weaknesses, YOUR goals. Take a hard long realistic appraisal and find the answer to that question.

And then work from there.

Copyright 2003 www.thetruthaboutselfdefense.com ©

Carl Cestari began his study of the martial arts with judo at the age of 7 under the direction of Yoshisada Yonezuka. During the past forty plus years Carl has dedicated his life to studying the martial arts, hand to hand combat systems, history and religion. He is continually improving himself through his studies. What makes Carl unique is his combination of martial arts, law enforcement, military and real world experience. Carl has been exposed to a multitude of people with a wide variety experience. The following is a list of some of Carl’s ranks and honors.

Shinan (Founder) Tekkenryu jujutsu

Ryokudan (6th degree) Koshinkai Karate under John Burrelle

Godan (5th degree) Jujutsu under Clarke of the World Jujutsu Fedaration (now defunct)

Sandan (3rd degree) Nippon Kempo under Narabu Sada

Nidan (2nd degree) Judo under Masafumi Suzuki

Shodan (1st degree) Judo under Yoshisada Yonezuka

Shodan (1st degree) Shukokai Karate under Kimura, Kadachi and Yonezuka

Shodan (1st degree) Daitoryu Aikijujutsu

Instructors Certificate- Charles Nelson System of Self Defense under Charlie Nelson

Escrima is a popular Filipino martial art dating back to the 1500s, during the colonization of the Philippine Islands by the Spanish. Escrima is a very simplified but practical form of combat technique originally designed as a self-defense tool. Escrima is also known by many other names such as Eskrima, Arnis, Arnis de Mano, Kali and FMA (Filipino Martial Art). Because of its effectiveness, Escrima is also taught extensively in many Special Forces including the Navy Seals and Army Special Forces.

Brief History:

Many believe that Escrima or Filipino Martial Art originated from Chinese influenced Indonesian fighting tactics such as Kun Tao, Chuan Fa and Tai Chi double stick forms. Others believe the Escrima art form to be wholly developed by the Filipino people. However, the most plausible explanation seems to be rooted in the history of the Spanish colonization.

When the Spanish occupied the Philippine Islands, a form of art similar to Escrima had already existed but was only recreational. However, this art began to develop into a more martial discipline when the Spanish prohibited indigenous Filipino weapons such as the Bolo (machete), daggers and fighting sticks in the 1700s. It remained a clandestine art until the Americans took over in 1898. From then on, the Filipino Martial Art started to gain recognition and popularity.

In the West, Escrima was introduced and popularized by Filipino immigrants after the Second World War, particularly in the American states of Hawaii and California.

Weapons and Footwork in Escrima:

Unlike other forms of martial arts, the primary tool to learn the basic concepts of Escrima is focus on weaponry, which is followed by empty-hand techniques. The Rattan stick is the most common weapon used in Escrima training, which includes hand and head protection when sparring. Other weapons include burned and hardened stick made of hardwood, such as Molave or Kamagong (ebony). Modern versions may be made out of aluminum, other metals, or high-impact plastics. The Nunchaku (also known as Kung Fu sticks or Double sticks) weapon was popularized by actor Bruce Lee, an avid practitioner of Escrima.

Each range - the distance between opponents - in Escrima has its own characteristics and footwork techniques. Good footwork enables efficient control of these ranges. The footwork is demonstrated in terms of triangles with two feet occupying two corners of the triangle and the step to the third corner. The shape and size of the triangle is dependant on the particular situation.

Escrima Facts:

1. Escrima is mixture of hard (like Karate) and soft (like Tai Chi Ch’uan) styles.
2. Escrima is taught on ideal street-fighting settings without the need for uniforms.
3. Restraining techniques are not focused on but rather on offensive, combat styles.
4. There are no official rankings in Escrima except for titles to recognize seniority of instructors.
5. Most of the power in Escrima is derived from body movement and economy of motion, rather than strength.
6. Escrima is a complete martial art, focusing on weaponry and empty-hand techniques.
7. Escrima provides effective training in sparring against multiple opponents.

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