There is No Such Thing As Fighting Dirty – And Other Self Defense Tips That Will Save Your Life
Here is your fact for the day - Our society is becoming more violent. Violent crimes increase daily and yet, our world is more integrated than ever. We travel more, commute from home to work, and are out and about more than our grandparents, or even our parents, were. So, the question is: how will you prepare to be out in this world, as it presents increasing risks to your own personal security? You are taking steps, such as reading this article, to educate yourself. But what type of training will that education lead you to choose?
When choosing a school at which to train, research both the school and its instructors to learn their training principles for self defense. Find a school that is self defense oriented. This will probably mean the school does not award belts for levels that you complete. Although certain martial art schools have come around to this new way of thinking, they are far and few between.
A New Way Of Thinking
Train off the principle that, when under an aggressor's attack, your body will only allow you to utilize gross motor skills, i.e., simple movements. You cannot perform intricate jump-spinning back kicks and other gravity-defying movements with success when under duress. In addition to requiring a ballet of choreographed movements, certain martial art schools impress upon the student that he must be prepared to defend himself after he is physically attacked. Such reactive, versus proactive, training is not effective and relying on it can be costly and dangerous. In fact, the best defense (with a new spin on an old saying) is a good offense.
In addition to advocating easy-to-execute training, the author has designed the following A.D.D. formula for recognizing and dealing with possible physical attacks:
(A) Avoid compromising situations. Be aware of your surroundings.
(D) Dissuade any potential aggressor with verbal commands and body language.
(D) Decimate your aggressor with devastating strikes.
Finally, remember this: there is no such thing as fighting dirty when it comes to life or death, so when the time comes for you to engage, be prepared and give it everything you have. Find an instructor who teaches you to manipulate the body's vulnerable areas such as the eyes, ears, throat, neck, and groin. Once you have identified an instructor who emphasizes simple movements, who is teaches an offensive form of self defense, and who does not shy away from teaching you to defend yourself at all cost, you will know you have done your homework completely! All that remains is to train like you mean it!
Gloss