Do not believe that practicing "by rote" 1-2-3,etc. type "responses" to street attacks is a viable or particularly useful training exercise. Example: He does this, I do that. For attack A I use Defense A.

Realize that in a street fight there are far too many variables, too many contingencies. Uncle Murphy rules the roost. Terrain, weather, injuries, any number of unforeseen deficits is one major concern.

The variety of assailants (size, number, weight, height, mental state, tolerance to pain, clothing) is another major stumbling block.

Train your "tools", study your "targets" and master your "opening gambit", anything "rehearsed" past that point, that initial sudden and explosive action is unrealistic.

ANYONE with real experience knows this. Whatever can go wrong…….WILL! So your training must emphasize instinctive and spontaneous "reactions" as opposed to attempted by rote "responses". You "take" whatever the attacker gives you, or make whatever opening you need, but there is NO way to know this before hand!

Many so-called "combative" systems miss the most fundamental principle of training……..K.I.S.S.!

A padded syllabus may "look" impressive and "complete" but in light of the stark realities of survival, they are counter-productive.

Get your “tools” in the Old School Series. Those of you who practice with Video OS1, Fundamentals of Unarmed Combat know what I am talking about. Remember to Practice REACTIONS not RESPONSES! Practice to react a certain way. That’s a few combinations of two or three techniques practiced over and over again.

HOMEWORK: Take the combination of a Short Axe Hand, Long Axe hand, Chin jab and a Knee (from Video OS1). on a SparPro or heavybag- what ever you can hit Practice this 300 times a day. After 5 days let me know what you find.

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

Frequently, I get asked about certifications, systems or methods. We made a decision a long time ago of purposely staying away from things like this.

Obviously, it’s a no-brainer, money maker and it’s not that I don’t want to make money; but our purpose was to give you real training on the real stuff. Certifications and acronyms lead to a false sense of security and there’s a fine line between sense of accomplishment and sense of security.

Personally, no matter how many black belts and “certifications” I have- I can always find people 10 feet outside my dojo who could care less. That and 5 bucks can get you a venti, no caff, half caff, caramel mochachinno deluxe, no whip of course.

I may be beating a dead horse….. but its about the TRAINING. Training and practice is what counts. Now ITS NOT YOUR FAULT that you search for this stuff. You have been conditioned with certifications, acronyms black belt clubs and all that. The only thing that’s good for is padding your resume. We “ain’t” about that. If you want something to hang on your wall- buy a mirror and take a long hard look in it. If you like what you see and you are true to your training – that’s what matters.

We have been thinking of “naming” the system. Carl thought of this, I didn’t. It’s going to be called:

Fierce Unarmed Combat Karate Instinctive Training.

You figure it out.

Copyright 2003 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

One of the ‘mystical’ aspects of the martial arts has always been the ability to feel another persons intention.

Sensing intention gives a person the ability to be in instant control of a potentially violent encounter, and it’s one of the ways we use the martial arts to test our energy work and meditation skills in Hoshin.

A simple explanation of ‘intention’.

When a person intends to hit you, that intention carries with it a very subtle vibration. Since most people are unaware of this they put off a variety of these subtle vibrations constantly.

Have you ever come home to an angry spouse and felt the entire house vibrate with the bad energy? This is exactly the same.

When a person tries to hit you they put off a vibration that you can feel, even with your eyes closed. With training a person can distinguish between the intention to strike and the strike itself as there are subtle differences in the feel of the energy vibrations emanating from the attacker.

In Hoshin class we have a student stand with their eyes closed and then, very slowly, send a punch towards their face with the full intention to make contact.

Almost invariably the student will feel the difference in the subtle energies that surround them and their body, seemingly of it’s own accord, will dodge out of the way.

It’s fun to see the look of shock on a persons face when they realize what happened and what they felt.

Another exercise is to have a student stand with his back to you, then walk slowly (and silently) forward. The student is to raise a hand when they feel you coming up behind them.

You can vary this by thinking angry thoughts and happy thoughts and watch the distance at which you become ‘noticed’ by the student.

The purpose of teaching a student to feel intention is to empower them in situations that most people find daunting. When you KNOW that another person has ill intentions towards you, then you are in control. Depending on the situation you can leave, you can seek a diplomatic solution or you can wait till the future attackers back is turned and hit him with a chair.

While some of these solutions are better than others (Chair Fu should always be the absolute last resort) what’s important here is that because of your heightened awareness you weren’t taken by surprise when someone attacked you.

For an interesting illustration of using intention and feeling the difference between the intent to strike and the actual strike read Chapter 6 of Dr. Glenn Morris’ book "Pathnotes of an American Ninja Master".

—

“Sensing ‘Intention’” is an excerpt from Robert Morgen’s book “Kundalini Awakening for Personal Mastery” (ISBN: 0-9773801-0-6)

His new book “Easy Meditation for Martial Artists” (ISBN: 0-9773801-3-0) will be available in October, 2006.

Robert Morgen is a Reiki Master who holds a Black Belt in Hoshinjutsu. He’s founder of the Mystic Village Online Community at http://www.mysticvillage.org

He writes a regular column on subtle (or internal) energy for Fight Times Magazine and a column on Kundalini Awakening at Alumbo.com. He’s the author of 3 books and 4 CDs on meditation and energy work.

He’s a member of the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids as well as the International Bujinkan Dojo Association, Canemasters International and the International Combat Hapkido Federation.

You can learn more about his books, Kundalini and Martial Arts Seminars and free events and newsletters at his website at http://www.mysticwolfpress.com

The following are a few thoughts about how to decrease your chances of being a victim of a violent crime. I know a lot of times we focus on the nuts and bolts of a fight and we assume most of us know these things and this information is common knowledge for some of you, but it some times it’s always good to review.

Your assailant has to get close to you. No matter what, in order for anyone to impose his will on you, he has to get next to you. Here are a few ways to get a criminal to select someone else.

1. Always survey the area you are walking.

2. Look for street lights that are out.

3. Look in the cars parked next to you, do you notice anyone sitting in the car parked next to you.

4. Vans with sliding doors that face your car make for a good way to take you out of the area quickly.

5. Look under your car. A few years ago criminals would hid under vehicles, slash the ankles of the owner of the car with a razor while an accomplice would secure the keys, money and valuables of the victim.

6. Don’t pass by alley or door ways too closely. Give a wide birth when walking by.

7. Don’t walk next to parked cars. I know this may get a little difficult, but give about 6 feet between you and cars parked in a parking garage.

Don’t be distracted.

1. Good victims are preoccupied. If you are over burdened with bags and children, you will make a good target.

2. Do you look lost? Trying to figure out where you are going and looking around and cursing is a good tip-off that you’re not paying attention.

3. Have your keys ready to go and have a plan to get the kids and the packages stowed away.

Know your environment.

1. If you are not familiar with the area, especially cities, the street you are on may change from morning to evening. What was a busy business district in the morning; may be a wasteland come 11:00pm. So know where you are and if its unfamiliar to you, leave at the same time of day that you arrived.

2. Buy a map and have a course mapped out.

When you’re driving…

1. Leave enough space in front of you to pull out if you had to.

2. Constantly check mirrors and briefly check the surrounding cars.

3. If you are bumped while driving. Dial 9-1-1 and drive to the police station. You don’t have to stay there and get out of your car to survey the damage. If you can get a license plate, good. But you’re not obligated to stay there. You are obligated to contact the police.

4. Keep your tank full if you are going someplace unfamiliar.

5. Always consult a map. Map quest is well, map quest.

Three of the most common dodges that are used for setting you up:

1. Do you have a match?

2. Do you have any change?

3. Do you have the time?

4. Can you give me some directions?

All of these are designed to do two things, occupy your eyes and your hands. Answers to the above questions

1. No I don’t smoke (even if you have a cigarette hanging out of your mouth)

2. No

3. No (even if you are wearing a watch)

4. I’m not from here.

Never stop, keep walking and keep moving. If the person asking the question keeps persisting, then they want more than the time.

An ounce of prevention…

1. If you carry w weapon have your hand on it, and have some back ups secreted on your person.

2. Don’t depend on pepper spray and stun guns to end the assault. Do expect them to give you an opening to escape.

3. If you feel you are being followed:

a. Get ready to defend your self. Place your hand on your weapon of choice.
b. Mark ‘em. Make brief eye contact, even if it means turning around
c. Change direction and pick up the pace.
d. Duck in to a public place.
e. Call police (even if you are a little paranoid, its OK)
f. Run

4. Practice drills in you head.

a. What if my car was approached, how do I get out of here?

b. Am I boxed in, what are my avenues of escape?

c. Practice dialing 9-1-1. (Disconnect the phone). Have your kids practice it. You would be surprised how many people under stress dial 4-1-1.

d. Do you have a safe room in your house? The bathroom is a good one. One entrance. A small or no window. Put a few choice weapons hidden in there as well. Practice getting the kids together going in the bathroom, locking the door and dialing 9-1-1. You don’t have to do this all of the time; a few times a year is enough?

e. What about a fire? Pick a spot to meet and have a fire drill. Same thing, only about once a year. Does each room have a safety ladder? (Note: don’t leave the ladder accessible from the outside; it’s a good way to give access to your home. you may have to employ drill “d.”

The list isn’t all inclusive, but I’m sure you get the idea. I could write a book on Home Safety, but its been done and its not my thing.

Just remember a little bit of paranoia goes a long way.

©2005 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

Let’s put the non-lethal fantasy to rest.

1. Never trust your assailant. No matter what they say, no matter how believable they may sound. If they need a ride some place or need you to go into a hallway or a room. No matter what- don’t move. The real reason your assailant wants you to move is because he can’t do what he needs to do in your present location. Since he can’t do what he wants to you in your current location he needs to move you. A more recent example is the BTK killer Dennis Rader, the serial killer who terrorized Wichita for 31 years, naming himself BTK for "bind, torture, kill". Rader would convince his victims that he was only going to rob them and steal their car, but he needed to tie them up so they wouldn’t call the police right away. Once the victim was tied up, he was able to do as he wished.

2. Your assailant will have a distinct advantage. You will most like be alone and out numbered. Your assailant already has a plan. So you better have one too. They pick the time and place. Whether it’s a weapon, accomplices or sheer size; you’re picked as a likely target because your attacker feels he has a great chance of imposing his will on you. You’re not to blame: you’re just in the wrong place at the wrong time. That’s it.

3. Simply running away solves a lot of problems. FBI studies show that would be victims who simply ran from a potentially violent encounter survived; even when the assailant used a fire arm. Rarely were the victims even fired upon. An in the small percentage of victims that were hit, all of the wounds were superficial. Have an evacuation plan.

4. Empty hand combat is the lowest rung of personal protection. The idea of dispatching all comers with a flick of a finger is a romantic fantasy. People that know better, prepare. Even if you look at how jujutsu practitioners of the 1800’s armed themselves. In Serge Mol’s book Classical Fighting Arts of Japan: A Complete Guide to Koryu Jujutsu you will see that these men carried a variety of knives, horse stirrups (used as brass knuckles) medal fans (see black jack), spiked rings and throwing shuriken or spikes. Even these men knew that hand to hand is and always will be a last resort or the situation was not life threatening. So you should take advantage of personal protection devices that will allow you to escape and survive a situation. It should be noted that the less lethal your intentions the greater the risk of your failure. Pepper foam, personal alarms, edged weapons are the next step up from empty hand methods. As Yonezuka sensei says “If you’re really serious about self defense, buy a gun.”

5. The myth that weapons can be taken away and used against you. A lot of so called “experts” subscribe to this myth. The idea of opting not to use a weapon and going to hand to hand technique is insane. People who promote this type of behavior should stick to movie choreography and romance novels. The use of a knife is the prime target of this comment. I suppose if you were to spar with the knife or even threaten with the knife (See West side Story, the Musical) maybe it could be “used against you”. But if you are angry, and down right pissed off, you grip that thing like you were strangling it to death and proceed to plunge it into your target over and over again. I don’t think there’s a ‘Grand Master’ out there that will take it away from you. And in a grappling situation, as we say in jersey, Fageddaboudit, a knife is your best buddy. By the time the skel realizes he’s being carved up like sushi, it’s too late.

6. You will be in the fight of your life. It will not be clean, look pretty, poetic or feel good. You will have to scrape, bite, gouge, kick and claw your way to safety. You will be injured. And you will be exhausted. Keep in mind, an adrenalin burst lasts about 30 seconds and then you need about 3 minutes to recharge. So make that 30 seconds count. Check out Lt. Col. Dave Grossman’s On Combat.

7. Specific Defenses don’t work. The idea that you will be able to recall a specific response to each individual situation is not going to happen. The idea that if he does this, I do that or when he grabs my wrist I do one thing, when he grabs my arm, I do another is another fantasy propagated by my fellow martial artists. You will be lucky to recall only a handful of behaviors at best, so you better make them count. And when you’re stressed you never really know what will come out so you better make sure it’s the most effective ones. Any technique must be applicable to a wide variety of situations and positions and require a minimum amount of skill and effort. The best advice anyone can give you is to “fight like hell”. And just try to destroy what’s in front of you by any means necessary.

8. Plan for the worst and hope for the best. Last night I was discussing the merits of pepper spray with one of the guys I train with who is a Port Authority police officer. He was recalling times were he sprayed targets and the pepper spray had little or no effect. The common misconception about pepper spray is that it will end the assault. As you may or may not know, a lot of emotionally disturbed persons (EDP) will just walk off the pepper spray. Most times, it only serves to enrage them further. Now what? Should you throw out your pepper spray? Of course not! Don’t expect the pepper spray to end the fight. DO expect the pepper spray to afford you an opening to inflict greater damage or escape. Even if the spray simply causes your target to blink, it’s done its job. All it has to do is create an opening, a little hesitation in your assailant’s plan of attack; just enough to let you seize the opportunity, gain the advantage or escape. When you train in close quarters combat/ self defense, always train with multiple, lethal strikes and have a variety of weapons in your arsenal. The same goes for empty hand technique. Don’t depend on every technique you throw to hit its intended target or end the fight. You will miss a lot more than you hit. That’s why you train with OVER KILL. You should go about two or three steps past what you would normally perceive as the “end” of the fight. Remember, it’s better to be pleasantly surprised that gravely disappointed. Realistically, hand to hand or empty hand techniques are best served when working in conjunction with weapons. The strike, kick or hold will allow you an opening to secure or use a weapon to end the fight as quickly as possible against any assailant.

PS. Check out these books as well: Strong on Defense by Sanford Strong The Gift of Fear by Gavin De Becker Tough Target by J.J. Bittenbinder On Combat by Lt.Col. David Grossman

©2003 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

The time you will be attacked you will most likely be:

Distracted
Out numbered
Alone
There will be no back up
You will be in the fight of your life.
Specific Defenses don’t work.

1. Nothing you do will work. Last night one of the guys who train with me is a Port Authority police officer. We were discussing the merits of Pepper Spray. The common misconception is that the pepper spray will end the assault. As you may or may not know, a lot of emotionally disturbed persons (EDP) will just walk off the pepper spray. Most times, it only serves to enrage them further. Now what? Should you throw out your pepper spray? Of course not! Don’t expect the pepper spray to end the fight. DO expect the pepper spray to afford you an opening to inflict greater damage or escape. Even if the spray simply causes your target to blink, it’s done its job. All it has to do is create an opening, a little hesitation in your assailant’s plan of attack; just enough to let you seize the opportunity, gain the advantage or escape.

When you train in hand to hand, always train with multiple, lethal strikes. Don’t depend on every technique you throw to hit its intended target or end the fight. You will miss a lot more than you hit. That’s why you train with OVER KILL. You should go about two or three steps past what you would normally perceive as the “end” of the fight. Remember, it’s better to be pleasantly surprised that gravely disappointed.

2. You will not feel how you feel right now. In fact, your body and mind will due a wide variety of things to help you deal with the hormone induced stress. Tunnel vision, audio exclusion (you won’t hear everything), slow motion perception, loss of finite motor skills and your reasoning skills will disappear. Don’t think of this a problem. Understand that your body is preparing its self for battle. The same as it has done since Kane killed Abel.

3. You will act with single purpose. Think about the time(s) you locked your keys in your car. How many times did you try the handle? Even when you knew it was locked. Heck, we press an elevator button repeatedly when we are impatient. Imagine if your life depended on it! Simple effective methods are tailor made to enable you to operate with in this specific behavior. When you study a martial art, the feeling is “The more moves, the better” Sort of a more bang for the buck. Don’t be concerned with what, just how effective.

4. You will be in the worst place imaginable. Your home, the parking garage; chances are you will be distracted. That is, if your assailant is doing his job. The terrain will be cluttered and covered with “body unfriendly” objects like bottles, concrete and asphalt.

5. You will be distracted. There is no doubt that the more aware you are, the less likely you will be assaulted. Expect to be surprised. Even the most experienced martial artists get startled by the family cat.

6. Your assailant will have a distinct advantage. Whether it’s a weapon, accomplices or sheer size; you’re picked as a likely target because your attacker will think he has a great chance of imposing his will on you. No matter how hard you train, these reactions are hard wired into you. That’s why you need to work with in the parameters of what you will be capable of accomplishing.

Now for the good news…

You will be able to absorb a tremendous amount of damage. There are numerous reports of people being shot and stabbed multiple times, surviving the assault and even driving themselves to get help. I have seen video of a 110 pound police woman get shot 2 times, fight back and surviving to patrol another day. I have also heard first hand accounts of a 220 pound man crumble at the first sign of gun or knife play; only to be pronounced dead at the scene. Do your own research. You can begin by reading the accounts of Congressional Medal of Honor winners. All of these people have been shot and stabbed multiple times, performed amazing feats and some even SURVIVED before they died.

Take Ben Salomon for example. On July 6th and 7th, 1944, during a battle on the island of Saipan, Ben Salomon’s Army surgical tent became overrun by a Japanese infantry. According to eye witnesses, Ben shot the first one who had bayoneted a wounded American lying on a stretcher. Two more charged through the tent entrance. Ben clubbed them both with a rifle, then shot one and bayoneted the other. Four more began to crawl under the sides of the tent. He shot one, bayoneted one, stabbed another with a knife, and head butted the fourth. Next, Ben ran out of the tent to get help to defend the aid station. He quickly realized that the situation was hopeless since the Japanese force had overwhelmed the two American battalions. Pockets of American resistance fought on inside the perimeter, but the bulk of the surviving American soldiers were being pushed back toward Tanapag village. Salomon returned to the tent and ordered his aid men to evacuate the wounded while he stayed behind to hold off the enemy and cover their withdrawal. Salomon then grabbed a rifle and fought on with the few Americans still resisting inside the perimeter. Eventually he manned a machine gun after its gunner was killed. That was the last time anyone saw Ben Salomon alive. After the battle, Ben Salomon’s body was found with 72 bullets in it. Doctors confirmed that he incurred at least 24 of the wounds BEFORE he died. Not bad for a dentist from Wisconsin.

What’s the secret, what’s the difference? What makes people like Ben Salomon continue to go forward?

ATTITUDE!

No matter who you are you will have one of to reactions. One will get you killed; the other may save your life. If your reaction is “Oh God, why is this happening to me” you will surely end up in the box. But if your reaction is “I’m taking you with me you SOB!!!” You’ve got a good chance of making it home. First, you have to assume you’re already dead and anything you do is an improvement over being dead. Don’t complicate this issue. It can’t be rationalized. Rationalization only serves denial of the truth. And Denial will get you killed.

You can use this information when you’re training. If you are doing weapons training and the knife touches you, YOU ARE NOT AUTOMATICALLY & MAGICALLY DEAD. You may be cut or shot, but you are far from dead. Remember, nobody dies in training.

But be prepared. Know that you will have to fight, even if you’re injured. Don’t stop. When you do this you will stop at the moment something doesn’t work out.

Nothing will go smoothly and it NEVER LOOKS GOOD. Save that for Hollywood. It’s a struggle. It’s Ugly and painful. You want to be as ruthless and as nasty as fast as possible. Anything less reduces your chances for success. It’s that simple. The longer you prolong the fight, the less your chances of success. Train and act as if your life depends on it, because it does.

“Non-lethal” technique or methods designed to subdue your assailant with out doing significant damage are a fantasy designed to play on your sense of compassion and fair play. If you’re a civilian being assaulted in the street or a soldier in the heat of battle, there is no place for it. The only application of non-lethal technique is in law enforcement only to be used on compliant and semi-compliant subjects. If you happen to end a situation and your target remains alive, it was his lucky day. But it was your choice to stop, not his.

Why are the methods that came out of the early 1900’s are so effective. First off, we will never have the opportunity to “test” methods like these on the scale that they have been tested. Technology has changed the way we wage war, so the instances of hand to hand combat significantly less. But make no mistake, times and technology may change but hand to hand, mano y mano will never change. Unless we grow a third arm, we are still basically the same since the first homo sapien sapien walked the earth. New training methods may appear but the opportunity to test their validity is less available than the world war I and world war II era.

No matter what you do…it must be instinctive, swift and powerful. This is why the information gathered @ www.thetruthaboutselfdefense.com is so valuable and sought after. Carl Cestari breaks it down in a way that is easily understood.

PS. Don’t believe me? Send them back and we’ll refund your money, no questions asked.

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

Psychology of Tenacious Resolve

tenacious (t-nshs)

adj 1: stubbornly unyielding; "dogged persistence"; "dour determination"; "the most vocal and pertinacious of all the critics"; "a mind not gifted to discover truth but tenacious to hold it"-

T.S.Eliot; "men tenacious of opinion"[syn: bulldog, dogged, unyielding] 2: (of memory) having greater than average range;From Latin tenx, tenc-, holding fast, from tenre, to hold. See ten- in Indo-European Roots.

re·solve (r-zlv) n.

Firmness of purpose; resolution. A determination or decision; a fixed purpose. A formal resolution made by a deliberative body. [Middle English resolven, to dissolve, from Old French resolver, from Latin resolvere, to untie : re-, re- + solvere, to untie; see leu- in Indo-European Roots.]

What you are about to read are the state of the art techniques, tools and tactics you need to overcome all doubt and fear and take rapid offensive action.

The best defence is offence. Get inside your opponents space, keep moving forward. Your primary objective is to intimidate, confuse and overwhelm. There are some basic concepts of performance psychology and NLP that need to be covered first before you start hardwiring your neurology to reach your objective successfully.

Terminology: STATE: the combined subjective experience of the individual in the physiological, psychological, emotional spheres. That is whatever he or she is feeling and experiencing at any given point in time. The term state is much cleaner and more specific than mood or emotion because it doesn’t come loaded with preconceived notions and implicitly indicates the responsibility of the individual to manage and control their own state.

ANCHOR: any distinctive trigger or association to fire off the desired state. Anchoring is the process of creating a strong neural associative conditioned response to a particular state. The anchor could be from any sensory sub modality, ideally it should be something unusual and combine several sub modalities. SUB MODALITY: The sub modalities are the sensory coding which constitutes the individuals subjective experience of internal and external reality. Simply: visual, auditory, kinaesthetic, olfactory and gustatory. E.G.: You smell a particular type of food being cooked and it takes you right back to a certain time and place where you felt happy and relaxed. An olfactory sub modality fired of an anchor in your neurology causing you to change state and access a new state in which you feel a certain way. OR A physical confrontation is imminent, so you deliberately and consciously fire off a particular anchor which is: touching your fingers together in a certain way (kinaesthetic external), saying a particular phrase inside your mind (auditory internal), seeing a particular thing inside your mind (visual internal) and moving your body into an on guard posture (kinaesthetic external). This combination fires off a state in which you feel confident, are thinking clearly and are filled with tenacious resolve.

STATE MANAGEMENT The most important part of the whole process. Managing your state is the process of guiding and changing states from undesirable ones like confusion or stress to more desirable states like confidence and clarity. The quality of your technique and performance is directly proportional to the quality of the communication with yourself and your environment. (see ooda loop) Why should you manage your state? You want to be able to respond effectively to all types of assault? Do you want to be able to react with skill and intelligence in the pursuit of your objectives? Manage your state. If you can control and change how you feel, you can determine how you will think and act. Which is a very important point to make at this juncture. If you are reading this manual because you are a social recluse who would rather stay in your bedroom sharpening your weapons than going out and expanding your social circle, its time to manage your state. Go outside, smell the air and hear the birds sing. If you are paranoid, moody and aggressive and would like to get what you want out of life by scaring people, put this book down and invest your cash in some good counselling.

Sometimes the best defence is a smiling, confident demeanour.

In Zen Buddhist Thich Naht Hahns classic "Mindfulness and Psychotherapy" he points out:

"Smiling is very important. If we are not able to smile, then the world will not have peace. It is with our capacity of smiling, breathing, and being peace that we can make peace"

If you assume the world is out to get you, you will prove yourself right. If you are genuinely happy and experiencing good states (like euphoria, clarity, confidence, generosity, humour etc) regularly you will get in to far fewer physical confrontations. You get what you train for. If you practise feeling good more than you practise feeling bad, you will feel good more than you feel bad. Whatever you want out of life- learning to manage your states is essential to your success.

People in good states make good decisions and perform well. People in bad states… don’t! You must have had a training session when you were performing really well, when you were flowing from movement to movement with ease, when you were really seeing your training partner clearly and almost psychically predicting their next move.

Wouldn’t it be good if you could switch that state on every time you felt a confrontation was imminent?

Richie Grannon… bio at http://www.streetfightsecrets.com

There is no doubt that violence in our community is increasing. Look at what happened in the wake of the New Orleans hurricane Katrina disaster. The criminals of the city took it upon themselves to further the trauma by committing all manner of violence and disgusting crimes towards others.

Violence simmers in every city. It is just below the surface - everywhere. Just walk down the wrong street, breakdown in your vehicle in the wrong neighborhood, make an inappropriate remark or even look at somebody the wrong way and you can be in a lot of trouble.

Police cannot stand on every street corner. Nor should they. Hoods know this. They might be violent but many of them are not stupid. They know exactly where, when, how and who to target for maximum impact.

We all know the problem. But what is the solution?

Well, simplistically it all boils down to two basic options:

1. stay at home behind locked doors (even then you may not be safe)
2. learn how to protect and, if necessary, defend yourself

Sure, we are under more and more surveillance all the time. Just look at how many cameras were operating in London at the time of the rail and bus terrorist bombings. Nowadays, you are being filmed all the time. Sometimes you are aware of it, often you are not. Do cameras protect anybody? No.

Cameras and to a large extent even the police are effective only AFTER the event. Cameras can provide evidence for Court proceedings. Police can make arrests. But how does any of that help you when you are trapped by a lunatic hell-bent on causing you damage?

In many cases drugs are the cause of violence. That was one of the theories put forward in the case of what happened at New Orleans. It was stated that as the many drug users became more and more desperate and demented for another drug fix they resorted to acts of extreme violence.

You cannot negotiate peace with a violent drug user because the drug is shielding the sensibility, sensitivity, compassion and humanity of the drug taker. All they see you as is a target capable of supplying them with their next fix.

We have now arrived at the point where you could be confronted by a desperate, violent person and there are no police or security guards anywhere in sight. What do you do? How can you be your own bodyguard?

In Part 2 of "Danger in the Streets - How to Be Your Own Bodyguard" I will outline some tactical responses that you can employ. However, if you prefer, you can go directly to my website and view more information on my two "Strike-Back" manuals. Having studied karate for 35 years I have put all my experience into their contents.

You can learn to be your own bodyguard. Stay with me and I will show you how.

This article comes with reprint rights providing no changes are made and the resource box below accompanies it.

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."

In Part 1 of this article we arrived at the point where it was established that you could be confronted by a desperate, violent person with no police or security guards anywhere in sight. What do you do? How can you be your own bodyguard?

As promised, I will outline some tactical responses that you can employ. Having studied karate for 35 years and run countless self-defense courses I believe I am as qualified as anybody to teach this.

Here are your options:

1. try to escape - ie run away
2. try to attract the help of others - ie call for help
3. try to outsmart your antagonist - ie trick him or her
4. try to defend yourself - ie fight back
5. succumb to the antagonist - ie give them what they want

Here, now, are my recommendations for each:

1 - If you try to run you will need to be fit. Are you keeping yourself fit? If you have a disability or are too old then this is not a viable option. Sometimes an attacker will chase you, sometimes he will not. It depends on his level of desperation and whether he is willing or capable to chase you. Where do you run? This is a serious option if you are capable but you must give due thought to the terrain, your attire, your fitness, the attacker’s apparent fitness, time and location.

2 - If you try to enlist the help of others do not expect a "knight in shining armor" to arrive. Most people will just not want to help you. They don’t want to "be involved." They fear for their own safety. And the way that Courts operate these days if they do fight your attacker off they will most likely have to pay the cretin compensation. If you yell "help!" nobody will come. However, if you yell "fire!" everybody will come. Nobody wants to help but everybody enjoys watching a fire - perverse, but true. Yell fire!

3 - If you try to outsmart the antagonist you might try to distract them in some way long enough for you to escape. Here is where you need to be both creative and convincing. A few ideas you might try are as follows. Pretend the police have arrived, that you have a communicable disease or that you know a friend of the person. For example, you might try saying: "Hey, aren’t you John’s friend?" Everybody knows somebody called John so it may work. At least it will stop the antagonist for a moment by making him wonder whom you are referring to. That moment might be all you need to escape.

4 - Unless you are skilled in a martial art like karate or boxing this option could be a problem. Even if you are skilled it could still be a problem. Never underestimate an opponent. They may have a weapon or they could have friends nearby. People who attack others are good at it because they do it so often. They know how to take all the advantages of fear. My recommended actions for an unskilled or semi-skilled person would be a finger thrust to the eyes and/or a swift kick to the shins. They are the best targets and have obvious tactical advantages for you.

5 - Succumbing to an antagonist is the last option you should consider, particularly if you are a female and the attack is sexual. These days there is a high probability that a violent offender will get what he or she wants and then enact violence on you anyway. Apart from that, if the offender is subsequently apprehended by police that person’s defense lawyer will tear you to pieces in Court for not resisting. The lawyer will attempt to convince a magistrate or a jury that you condoned the act.

My final word on all of this is that you really do need to be your own bodyguard. Don’t expect anybody else to protect or defend you. It won’t happen. When weighing up the appropriateness of your response ALWAYS remember the three variables - time, place and circumstance. Use your experience and judgement.

For more information of self-defense please visit my website.

This article comes with reprint rights providing no changes are made and the resource box below accompanies it.

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."

It is very important to remember that parents are also martial arts coaches. When children first start their training in the martial arts, especially in the case of very young children, we often find that they have not yet developed the self discipline to practice at home on a regular basis. Practicing at home greatly enhances performance at the school and it should be encouraged. We suggest that you talk with your child and agree on a daily practice time. It can be as little as ten minutes per day. Pick a category each day and work on it for a solid, focused ten minutes. ( form, one steps, etc.) Developing the habit of setting a goal ( next belt) and working for it on a regular basis will give your child life skills that go far beyond punching and kicking.

One of the easiest ways to help your child is by simply showing that you are interested in his or her training and talents. Children love to show off what they have learned in class and we encourage parents to ask their child what they have learned every single week. Show your encouragement by offering positive feedback, and compliment them in the areas where you can see improvement. In fact, if you use this approach in just about everything your child does, whether it be homework or chores, you will soon notice the difference. If children believe that they are getting better it boosts their self-confidence, which in turn encourages them to try even harder. When children know that they will receive recognition and praise, they will want to do well because it makes them feel good. Children will rise to the level of your expectations, but only if they are encouraged and praised along the way.

Our "Intent to Promote" letters are an excellent opportunity for you to praise your child’s accomplishments. Use the comments section to say something nice that your child will internalize. Help your child to reach his or her personal best by being the martial arts coach at home.

Master Wayne’s Martial Arts School, The Family Martial Arts Center located in Mt. Dora, Florida is the largest in the area. The programs themselves range from Little Ninjas ( for 3,4 and 5 year olds) to a comprehensive childrens program ( geared for 6 to 10 year olds). Master Wayne has also introduced a Black Belt Club for advanced Tae Kwon Do studies as well as a Tai Chi program for the spirital development of his students.His center also involves family members with parent /student night and mommy and me classes. His center is listed in the top 15% of all matrial arts schools in the country and will continue to serve his students with up to date and cutting edge ideas and concepts.