January 16, 2010 at 1:33 pm 
Martial Arts
When most people think of self-defense, what usually comes to mind is protecting oneself from the physical onslaught from a criminal attacker. And, while this is not, in itself, a problem, it is however, only a small part of being able to be safe and free from harm in Today’s often dangerous world.
The following is a list of the major key skill areas that should be developed if you are truly seeking to be able to avoid or escape from an attacker bent on seeing you as his victim.
Key #1 – General Awareness
It goes without saying that, if you don’t believe that danger exists in the world, or more to the point, that danger will never find you, then you will do little or nothing to insure your safety. In addition, even if you do understand the dangers inherent in your world, which can be assumed as you’re reading this, it’s important to not fall into the trap of believing that the police, military, or government can and should be the ones to protect you. When push-comes-to-shove, and you’re the one facing an enraged attacker directing his wrath at you, you will be responsible for your own safety in those first few, precious, seconds.
Key #2 – Awareness of Surroundings
While most so-called self-defense experts tend to lump “awareness” into one category, the truth is that there are many levels to this “skill of directing the mind where it is most needed.” While Key #1 focuses our attention on the larger world-view of the presence of danger and our personal responsibility for our own welfare, this key is directed at the details of the moment. Here we’re paying attention to “what’s going on around us.” The fact is that, the better our ability to pay attention and recognize danger as it begins to take shape, the greater our ability to avoid, escape, or neutralize its effect on us BEFORE it has a chance to touch us at all.
That’s what Danger Prevention Tactics are all about. And, especially for those of us who want to avoid fighting at all costs, it is the key to defending against most of the dangers that others fall victim to every day. You can read more about this powerful video and mastering the skills of danger avoidance at http://www.warrior-concepts-online.com/self-defense-video-dpt1.html
Key #3 – Escaping to Safety
While awareness will not prevent danger from appearing in your world, what it will do is to allow you to respond to it sooner. And this is the powerful secret used by the professionals and experts who regularly face danger literally every day of their lives. No, awareness alone will not save you, but it will allow you to escape from the danger before it gets close enough to cause damage. The trick here is to develop multiple routes to places that you visit regularly. Also, developing the ability to recognize and plan for escape routes out of places like traffic, restaurants, your own home, aircraft if you travel, and the like are all important to your overall safety plan. Remember too to validate all safety information that comes your way as most of what is out there has been written, not by actual survivors, but by people who have the job of writing safety procedures. And, as any expert or survivor will tell you, what sounds perfectly logical in theory, may be completely and totally useless in the heat of the moment!
Key #4 – Distracting the Attacker
The fact that your day is filled with demands for your attention, distractions, confusion, and input coming from a hundred different directions at once, can make even the most disciplined meditation master open to attack by a determined assailant. Add to this, all the trickery and manipulative deception used by various types of attackers, and you can see that it’s virtually impossible to be aware of everything. And that sets you up for the potential of an attack that comes seemingly “out of the blue.” Where distance is required to effectively escape from an impending attack, you may not have this luxury when you suddenly realize that you’re the target of an attacker already standing right in front of you.
But, this still doesn’t mean that you have to jump right to the physical aspects of self-defense. It’s important to remember that, regardless of your martial arts rank, how many tricks you know, or even whether or not you’re carrying a weapon, moving directly to physically fighting with your assailant provides the greatest chance for something going wrong.
Instead, you can use tactics and strategies that involve humor, feigning ignorance, or even faking a heart attack, to diffuse the situation and change a would-be attack situation into one where the assailant becomes an ally. Here, it’s important to remember that we want to avoid mentioning the possibility of an attack but instead, to distract the assailant by redirecting his or her attention away from you as a target.
Key #5 – Dissuading
When you can’t avoid, escape, or even distract the attacker and it appears that they are determined to unleash their punishment on you, you still have one more card to play before having to resort to fighting. At this point, you must become very focused yourself and understand that this is your last chance to stop things from going “too-far.” Here, you must be able to look squarely at your antagonist and, with your words, body language and raw determination, communicate that you will not allow them to carry our their plan – that you will not comply or become their victim.
It’s important to understand that, even though there it’s estimated that there is an assault every 17 seconds in the US, that a full 70% or better of these can be handled by Keys 1 through 5. It only stands to reason that you should know as much as possible about these important areas and make sure that you have several skills in each area that will work to serve you if and when you should ever need them. If you’re looking for a good source to learn more about these important key elements in a sound self-defense strategy, as well as what you’ll have to deal with from your own body and mind’s physio-emotional responses to stress and danger, make sure you read the book, “The Karate Myth: Why Most Martial Arts and Self-Defense Programs Don’t Work and How to Be Safe in Today’s World”
Key #6 – Physically Handle the Attack
When all else has failed, no matter what you believe, think, or wish would have or should have happened, when the fists start flying – the blade comes in to bite into and open your flesh – or the bullets start coming in your direction, it’s time for effective, efficient, and proper physical action. There’s a saying that goes, “Survivors Live Where Others Die.” It’s ultimately up to you, and the actions you take, long before the attack happens as to whether you will be a “survivor” or an “other.” The choice is yours.
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Jeffrey Miller is a 10th degree black belt and founder of Warrior Concepts International, a self-protection and personal development consulting company specializing in teaching you how to be a survivor. He is the author of “The Karate Myth” and the “Danger Prevention Tactics” video, among others. For information about sponsoring a seminar, attending a live event, subscribing to any of his newlsetters, or any of his other products or services, visit his website at http://www.warrior-concepts-online.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeffrey_Miller |
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January 16, 2010 at 1:33 pm Martial Arts
It’s pretty much common knowledge that the majority of fights eventually end up on the ground.
But what’s not so well known and obvious is this almost fool-proof way to win a ground fight without needing to know a lot of moves or techniques — and that works regardless of your size, strength and power.
Listen to this:
If you’ve ever been in a ground fight then you know it can tire you out very quickly, both mentally and emotionally.
It’s just one of the most physically grueling activities in the world. In fact, it’s been said six minutes of wrestling is the equivalent of running a short marathon as far as how exhausting it can be on the human body.
And unless you are some kind of super athlete with tremendous endurance, this is why the first thing you must do in a ground fight…is relax.
Fact is, you can give yourself an enormous advantage in a ground fight simply by putting yourself in a position where you can rest while emotionally and physically draining your attacker.
And that’s why, if you find yourself in a fight on the ground, don’t panic, don’t struggle and don’t try to out fight the other guy.
Instead, relax, stay off your back and let your attacker wear himself out. Doing so will allow you to take advantage of his fatigue and win the fight with minimal strain and injury.
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Sifu Matt Numrich is one of only a few instructors with Full Certification in Bruce Lee
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January 16, 2010 at 1:33 pm Martial Arts
Do you know what the single most vulnerable spot on a person’s body is? The spot people will drop everything and anything they are doing to protect? The spot even people jacked up on mind altering drugs or illegal steroids will do everything in their power to cover?
It’s the eyes.
The eye ball is the single most vulnerable spot on the human body.
In fact, if you can jab a person’s eye — and I don’t care how ripped up with muscle he is or how “tough” he thinks he is — you will cause him a lot of pain. Sometimes immense pain.
It’s true.
And we’re all born with a natural instinct to protect our eyes at all costs. Whether it be from a small speck of dust…or a protruding finger in the middle of a vicious street fight.
That’s why, if someone ever attacks you on the street, one of the first things you should do — before messing around with complicated martial arts kicks and punches — is simply jab one or both of his eyes.
At best, you’ll connect and cause him enough pain to forget all about attacking you. At the very least, you’ll cause him to slow down and protect himself, giving you a chance to either escape or go in for an attack of your own.
I realize poking someone’s eye isn’t the most sexy martial arts move in the world, but it works like gangbusters and can keep you alive and in one piece if some lunatic attacks you on the street.
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Sifu Matt Numrich is one of only a few instructors with Full Certification in Bruce Lee
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January 16, 2010 at 1:33 pm Martial Arts
Sometimes in my street-fighting classes, I will get students who complain, whine and moan because I will put them through drills that seem “pointless” to them.
Usually this happens when they are least expecting it. In other words, I will be drilling them on something or maybe have them huddled around telling them something. Then, without warning, I will tell them to grab a training knife in the corner and spar. Or pick a partner, one pinning the other to the ground. Or grab a partner with one getting a training knife and the other nothing.
Then, maybe ten seconds into the drill, I will have them do something else completely different than what they were doing. Maybe have three people “gang up” on one, or have one person get two training knives with the other empty handed.
And I may even do this”change up” again — sometimes as early as five seconds later.
Why do I do this?
Because I believe people should be ready for anything at any time.
For example, imagine walking to your car and some lunatic attacks you. Soon, you’re both on the ground, struggling to get the upper hand.
Now imagine your attacker pulls a knife.
What do you do?
Well, if you don’t know how to adapt to the situation — fluidly, without thinking — you’ll be stabbed, cut up, maybe even killed.
I know that’s not a fun thought, but it happens all the time.
In a real fight people pull weapons. You can slip and fall. Friends can come and help your attacker. And so on.
This is why your chances of winning a fight will almost always completely depend on your ability to adapt to the thousands of unpredictable things that happen in the average street fight.
In fact, you can win just about any street fight if you simply know how to adapt from one situation to the next — without missing a beat.
This is one of the most important fighting martial arts and self defense “skills” you can learn. And the good news is, all it takes is a little practice changing things up at unpredictable times.
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Sifu Matt Numrich is one of only a few instructors with Full Certification in Bruce Lee
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January 16, 2010 at 1:33 pm Martial Arts
In today’s society, it’s almost a given you will at some time be approached by a an irate person, either attacking you, yelling at you, or maybe just trying to stare you down.
This can happen for almost any reason and in almost any location — like in a bar, a restaurant, on the street or even on your property in some cases.
When this happens, you’ll be tempted to yell back, shove back or simply attack.
But for purely legal and ethical reasons, unless someone is trying to kill you or outright attacks you…your first reaction should always be to simply gain some distance.
For example, imagine some ticked off guy comes knocking on your door some day and starts accusing you of sleeping with his wife (happens to totally innocent people more often than most people realize.)
He’s naturally (and understandably) angry, and looking to tear off your head.
What do you do?
Well, unless he outright attacks you, the first thing you should do is slowly take a couple steps back, and relax.
Why?
Because taking a couple steps back usually starts the “de-escalation” process. Plus, it also lets you see a lot more of the “playing field” — like the closest exit, a possible weapon, or his friend waiting in the corner ready to jump in.
It may sound simple, but simply stepping back slow is a highly effective way to protect yourself and, at the same time, start the process of calming the guy down and (ideally) talking it out — instead of fighting it out.
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Sifu Matt Numrich is one of only a few instructors with Full Certification in Bruce Lee
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January 16, 2010 at 1:33 pm Martial Arts
Would you like to know a fast, simple and easy way to strike someone with the equivalent power of 15-20 punches in a row?
A way that works regardless of size, strength, speed or power?
Then all you have to do is master the headbutt.
In fact, when you know how to do a proper headbutt (there is a right way and wrong way to do a headbutt), you can literally smash a person’s face in — breaking their nose, their jaw, and even a few of his teeth — and barely feel a thing yourself.
Quite frankly, properly headbutting an attacker is basically the same as bashing your attacker’s face with a bowling ball. The extreme pain and shock alone will (in many cases) end the fight. Or at least give you enough time to get away. Especially if you break his nose or give him a concussion.
Bottom line:
Although it is far from being complicated or “sexy”, there is nothing that “equalizes” a fight against someone who is bigger, badder and meaner than you more than a well executed headbutt. It doesn’t matter how small your are, young you are or inexperienced you are — you can do a LOT of damage with this one simple move.
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Sifu Matt Numrich is one of only a few instructors with Full Certification in Bruce Lee
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January 16, 2010 at 1:33 pm Martial Arts
If you want to give yourself an enormous advantage over any kind of attacker — whether they’re armed, trained or just plain psychopathic — then the best thing you can do for yourself is do your martial arts and self defense sparring in the dark.
Why?
Simply because, statistically speaking, the vast majority of violent crimes happen at night, under cover of darkness — when you can’t see a thing, or when visibility is extremely low.
And if you know how to fight when you can’t fully see everything (and everyone) around you…and your attacker is foolishly relying on his weapon or the element of surprise (as most violent criminals do)…then your chances of winning and dominating the fight go through the roof.
In fact, this this is such an important skill the military special ops…and even your local police force…are required to train in low-light (even pitch black) scenarios.
And you know what?
When you do the same thing — when you start to spar and practice your martial arts skills in the dark — as well as in other environments, like in the snow and ice, rain and fog, and even in the extreme heat — you’ll always be a step or two ahead of anyone who tries attacking you, no matter when or where it happens.
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Sifu Matt Numrich is one of only a few instructors with Full Certification in Bruce Lee
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January 16, 2010 at 1:33 pm Martial Arts
Did you know that when you begin learning martial arts, self defense and how to handle yourself in a violent situation, you actually start to give off certain “vibes” in your regular, every day life, that tell people you’re not someone to mess with?
It’s true.
In fact, I’ve seen this phenomenon so many times, it doesn’t even surprise me anymore.
For example, a martial arts student of mine (someone who is small and looks
anything but “tough”) once told me how his wife started noticing a change in him within just weeks of starting his self defense classes.
She noticed it one day when they were at the store. Apparently, he was just kind of standing there in this crowded store, where a bunch of cash registers were down and people were tense and getting angry.
Yet he just kind of stood there in line and she noticed he looked…well…tough. She never thought of him like this. And never in a million years would have guessed it was possible for him.
But there was something in his eye, she said, the way he looked and even the way he stood, that said, “back off.”
And you want to know something?
When you start learning martial arts — and especially how to street fight — and when you really know, in your heart and mind, you can take out someone who attacks you — even if they’re bigger, stronger and meaner than you are — people will sense it.
The chances of someone picking you out to rob, mug or threaten go way down. You won’t come off as being weak. You’ll come off as being tough, and in control. Even if you’re a naturally small and skinny guy or completely out of shape.
It won’t be a conscious thing, either. In fact, you won’t even know it’s going on. You’ll only know when someone, like my student’s wife did for him, tells you about it.
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Sifu Matt Numrich is one of only a few instructors with Full Certification in Bruce Lee
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January 16, 2010 at 1:33 pm Martial Arts
A lot of martial arts people don’t like to hear this but, the real difference between those who win street fights and those who lose street fights…has less to do with knowing every self defense skill, technique and “style” in the world…and more to do with having a simple “game plan” in place before the fight even begins.
Here’s what I mean by that:
In sports — especially professional sports — games do not get won by “chance.” A point scored, a goal made, distance taken, or a finish line crossed, happens by means of a game plan by either a player or team.
And it’s no different when you’re out on the street fighting for your life.
Fact is, inexperienced fighters will “just fight” and throw caution to the wind…while experienced fighters — even if they haven’t learned a lot of specific self defense “skills” — will have a game plan mapped out before the fight starts.
A game plan to win in the quickest, most effective way possible. Every move and reaction has a specific purpose and nothing is left to chance.
And, thus, they will almost always win fights. Even against people with more martial arts skills, talent and ability.
So let me ask you, what’s your game plan if you get attacked?
Do you know what you’d do if you were jumped on the street tomorrow?
What if someone pulls a knife on you? What if some doped-up lunatic tries to grab your wife or girlfriend? What if an entire pack of gang-bangers, full of hate and rage, corners you in an ally?
These thing happen all the time to people all over the world.
But when you have a game plan for the most common scenarios (like the ones above) your chances of getting away in one piece go up dramatically.
On the other hand, if you don’t have a game plan in place then, no matter how “tough” you are, skilled you are or fast you are…you’re going to be in some serious trouble.
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Sifu Matt Numrich is one of only a few instructors with Full Certification in Bruce Lee
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January 16, 2010 at 1:33 pm Martial Arts
People often send me emails asking me why I’m so hard on traditional martial arts — like karate, kung fu, aikido, etc.
Only problem is, I’m not hard on them.
In fact, I have nothing but respect for them — as did Bruce Lee and all the other street-fighting masters who have emerged in the past 30 years.
The street-fighting philosophy I teach literally has elements from some 30 different kinds of traditional martial arts. If I didn’t like or respect them, I wouldn’t be teaching them.
But at the same time…Bruce Lee had this saying: “absorb what is useful, reject what is useless, and add what is specifically your own.”
In other words, take a good look at what’s out there, extract what you can actually use in a street-fight — where there are no rules, regulations or referees — and leave all the fancy stuff out.
Like, for example, the much revered spinning high kick you see performed on TV and in the dojos all the time.
Totally useless in a real fight.
Don’t believe me?
Then go ahead and try it for yourself in a real fight.
Chances are you will either severely injure yourself, or leave yourself wide open to an attack.
Why?
Because unless you’re a phenomenal athlete, with an almost supernatural sense of balance, timing and power…and unless you perform your “super kick” at just the right angle and distance…you’ll fall flat on your face.
Happens all the time.
Reason why is because that particular kick — which is enormously popular in some of the traditional martial arts — was invented hundreds of years ago to kick people off their horses.
Not take out a thug in the back alley high on meth, with a knife in his hand.
You see, the violent criminals stalking our streets today are meaner, nastier and tougher than ever before in history. They have no sense of honor, fair play or morality whatsoever.
And to make matters worse, many of them also abuse mind-altering drugs and even steroids — making them almost immune to pain and pumped with an almost freakish kind of brute strength.
And so, to really defend yourself against these violent criminals you need fighting tactics that are “monkey simple” to learn, work almost automatically when you need them, and that can quickly do a lot of damage — whether you’re in shape, out of shape, or have any natural athletic ability whatsoever.
Bottom line:
When you’re in a violent altercation on the street, leave the fancy “Jackie Chan” moves and Van Dam roundhouse kicks for Hollywood where they belong.
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Sifu Matt Numrich is one of only a few instructors with Full Certification in Bruce Lee
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