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Gaining self defense skills is not a task that is highly complicated. I mean, how hard is it to raise your hand, step forward and hit someone in the nose? The skills that I teach in my self defense videos can be mastered in a very short time, because they have been [...]
Being a part of the self defense community for as long as I have, there are questions that always seem to come up time and time again. So widely believed are some of these thoughts that I like to refer to them as the myths of self defense training. Let's take a look [...]
Being a part of the self defense community for as long as I have, there are questions that always seem to come up time and time again. So widely believed are some of these thoughts that I like to refer to them as the myths of self defense training. Let's take a look [...]
I was recently talking with a friend, and the topic of fighting off weapons came up. He said to me,
"Yeah, there's really no threat that I'd ever have to fight off a weapon, Chris. People don't walk around carrying samurai swords anymore." He actually got a good chuckle from his seemingly accurate [...]
Many teens take jobs babysitting for families with small children. Those who "go the extra mile" may obtain training in CPR and other babysitting skills. This is a great step for responsible babysitters to take. However, part of the responsibilities of babysitting is to ensure the safety of those under the care of the babysitter; this includes safety from dangerous situations and people. [...]
The feeling that someone is following you is a scary thing. (Remember the post about the girl walking a few blocks to see her friend?) Being trained in hand to hand combat training, I can tell you that even I dislike the feeling of the hair on the back of my neck standing on end. [...]
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The Body's Response to Danger
You've heard of "Fight or Flight". This “fight or flight response” is the body’s primitive, automatic, inborn response that prepares the body to “fight” or “flee” from perceived attack, harm or threat. However, there is a third option to fight or flight, and that is to freeze. Why this is not made clear in unclear. Knowing what happens in the body when it is under great stress is a key factor when you set out to learn self defense.
The Fight or Flight response is hard-wired into our brains. It shows off our genetic wisdom that was designed to protect us from bodily harm. It is a response that occurs naturally; and when it does, you are powerless to resist it. For this reason, it is wise to learn self defense techniques that will work along with this natural response. The Fight or Flight response is also called an Adrenaline Dump by experts in the field of self defense training. However, the response releases chemicals like cortisol and noradrenaline into the blood stream as well.
During this physical response to extreme stress, you notice an increase in respiratory rate. Your heart starts pumping incredibly fast. Blood is directed away from the digestive tract and directed into the limbs and muscles. They way the body sees it, this is where the energy is needed in order to stay alive. In Fight or Flight, the awareness intensifies and sight sharpens. This is invaluable when you learn how to use these senses properly. The body's perception of pain also diminishes in extremely stressful situations.
It's easy to come to the conclusion that Fight or Flight will help you get out of a dangerous situation. While this is true, it is not the entire truth. See, an adrenaline dump has a scale. There are rates at which your senses respond incredibly to stress; and rates where your body is going so hard that you cannot think straight; your hearing diminishes, and you lose your peripheral vision. Essentially, one of the best self defense tactics there is is to harness this natural response and use it to your advantage.
Martial arts training, while great for focus and fitness, may not have the essentials that teach you how to react properly to the body's natural response to stress. When faced with danger, this response will be real and it will be sudden and it will be strong. It is important that you do not take the feeling as fear. This is what the mind will want to do. When your mouth goes dry, your legs shake and your stomach is flipping somersaults, what else would you think but that you are scared to death?
With the proper self defense training (sometimes misspelled self defence training), you can learn to look at the adrenaline dump with thankfulness. It is there to help you get through a fight with the necessary energy to outwit and outlast your enemy. It is not fear; it is a natural physiological response that is meant to help you survive. Self defense is about survival, remember? |
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James “Kenny” Booker. Dunn, North Carolina. Alternative School
“Here at alternative school sometimes you have to restrain a student who may have violent tendencies. I like to be able to move quickly and with authority and get control of the physical part of the situation before it gets out of hand. I have already used what I learned from Close Combat Training system to defend myself. I also learned that by recognizing a student’s body language I can stop a situation before it escalates into something worse.”
Martin Joergensen. Afseth, Norway
“The most important thing is that I have gradually become stronger and more physically fit than I could have ever thought possible! It doesn’t take much time and effort to get in great shape. Your corporation is very professional, and deals with businesses efficiently. It’s great that you guys are getting the “martial” back in martial arts.”
The Case for Combat Training
Assault. Rape. Violence. War. Oppression. Prisoner. These are words that could be associated with time when leaders of countries went all wrong. Looking back in time, there are many instances of oppression against people; sometimes entire races or cultures of people. These people went through unspeakable horrors, and help was too far off for them. Alas, help did finally arrive and these times of oppression ceased; for the time.
The world can be an ugly place. But the words that began this article do not belong in the world you live in. You have the right to experience Life. Freedom. Safety. These are the words that belong in our society. Today, there are people who wish to take those rights from you. It is not our government; not in a direct manner, anyway. But danger does lurk in societies all over the world in the way of sexual predators, drug lords and gang members. Violence is a part of our lives; which means that self defense should also be a part of our lives.
There is a lot that can be learned from our forefathers; especially the generation that lived through World War II. The brave men that fought for the rights and freedoms of others found that the weapons that they were issued did not always meet the specific needs of the scenarios they found themselves in. Because of their unique situations, combat self defense came into being. The hand to hand combat training that has been developed over the years is not only good for men and women in the military. Today, this type of training can be obtained by anyone who wishes to take their safety seriously.
History is always important, so let's take a brief look at close combat training. This history will make you see why, after years of study all around the world, I still felt as though I learned the absolute most effective fighting when I came across this military self defense fighting style.
The history of combat self defense dates back to the the time of the Nazi's. During the war against Hitler and his men, terrified diplomats gathered to determine the best way to protect their soldiers and eliminate the enemy. What came from their search was a mixed form of martial arts techniques developed from the different martial arts styles studied. You could say that the "combat engineers" of WWII were the first mixed martial artists on the scene.
The funny thing is that, although combat fighting was developed through a study of martial arts; combat self defense really is not about martial arts moves at all. Combat fighting is about survival. Period. What the men of WWII found in their time of putting martial arts under the microscope is that there is no one single type of fighting that gave them the ultimate fighting advantage. Each style on its own carries a merit, as well as a fault. And when you are defending your life, there is no room for fault.
Why is this not completely easy to learn? Why, in today's society, do you need to learn self defense? Why can't you just learn martial arts and have that be that? These are great questions; and ones that deserve answers. In fact, without answers, you could find yourself spinning your wheels and essentially unable to protect yourself if you come face to face with danger.
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