subject: Learn Self Defense - An Alternative Method For Learning Self Protection [print this page] When I first began training in the Ninja's martial arts, my teacher would talk to us about the benefits of training in a well-structured program, as opposed to other methods that could be used to develop real-world fight proficiency. We would often discuss the fact that there are many good fighters out there - many of whom learned their skills on the street - in the "school of hard knocks."
But, we also had to admit that many of us knew people - who had friends - who were no longer in the world because they "failed this form of training." I personally knew friends who took the wrong Path in life and, for one reason or another, made mistakes that cost them the ultimate price.
In fact, we used to joke around about an alternate method that you could take in your quest to learn to be able to defend yourself against violent attackers who wanted to beat, break, or kill you. Of course, this path is completely devoid of, and missing at least half of the lessons of the true warrior - the lessons that lead to life mastery and the ability to create the life you've always dreamed of living.
This alternate path to fight-mastery is just that - limited to "fighting," and being able to survive a violent encounter... maybe!
As a way to illustrate one possible substitute for training with an authentic teacher of the warrior lifestyle, the following step-by-step outline is offered as a way to see how some approaches, while seeming logical, may actually put you at more risk than might be considered "normal."
4 Step Process For Learning Self Defense Without A Teacher
1. Find any place or establishment where you can find a good supply of human beings who are generally discontent with their lives. To increase your chances of being able to practice your skills, the best places will involve drugs, alcohol, or any other element that will heighten and increase the emotional state and sensitivity of the participants. Basically...
... just about any bar will do!
2. Look around and identify someone who seems to already be in an emotionally agitated state. Then approach this person and engage in conversation that will make them feel threatened, attacked, offended, or otherwise needing to respond in a violent way toward you. You could start with...
...calling their mom, wife or girlfriend a socially offensive name!
3. Next, do your best to avoid, evade, neutralize, and/or defend against the violent onslaught that you're about to encounter.
4. And finally... Check out of the hospital and heal up before going at it again. The goal is to...
...repeat steps 1 thru 4 until step 4 is no longer necessary - either because you are a master...
...or you're dead!
Of course, this "alternate method" is offered as a way to illustrate a point. It is NOT anything that I would advocate or condone - because it's just not necessary.
But, in lieu of training with a professional teacher - whether it's me or anyone else - the fact is that you could take the ultimate risk and hope for the best.
As always, the choice is yours. But, remember that...
Effective self defense requires more than just a few "karate moves." It involves the ability to think strategically, and understand how to defend yourself with as little wear-and-tear on you as possible.
