| There are literally dozens of reasons to study the | | | | work.Examining Your Life and LifestyleAs I point out |
| martial arts. Everyday, countless numbers of children | | | | on my knife-defense DVD called "The Cutting-Edge," |
| and adults take up the practice and study of such | | | | your attacker will almost always come to your world. |
| martial arts as karate, judo, aikido, as well as many | | | | That means that you will most likely be attacked in |
| other mixed or ecclectic forms. And, for the most | | | | familiar territory - where you live, work, and play. |
| part, a student will probably find what he or she is | | | | Take a good look around your world. Knowing where |
| looking for in the program that they choose. I say | | | | danger is likely to come from, and in what form, is a |
| "for the most part" because, the one area of study | | | | crucial element to being ready if and when it |
| that cannot be left to chance is that of | | | | does.Researching the School, Program, and TeacherI |
| self-defense.While just about every form of martial | | | | find it disconcerting to watch people take more time |
| art can help a student to develop personal success | | | | trying on jeans to find just the right fit than is done |
| traits like...ConfidenceDisciplineFocus, and...RespectNot | | | | in selecting a self-defense program. According to |
| every art, or teacher for that matter, is cut out to | | | | statistics, students chose a martial arts or |
| teach you what you need to know to survive a | | | | self-defense program based more on comfort and |
| life-threatening situation.Now, before you go off all | | | | convenience, than for effectiveness. Effectiveness, |
| half-cocked because you think I dishonored your art | | | | they assume, is the same regardless of school or |
| or school, or because you think I just said that you | | | | program; so the decision most often comes down to |
| can't learn to defend yourself by taking karate, give | | | | location of the school and scheduling.It's important to |
| me a minute to explain where I'm coming from. As a | | | | remember that, selecting a school, program, and |
| former federal police officer and undercover | | | | ultimately a teacher, is not the same as buying a pair |
| operative in the areas of drug suppression and black | | | | of jeans, or a hundred other decisions that you could |
| market investigations, as-well-as plenty of street-time | | | | make. Why?Because this decision, if not made |
| as both a uniformed police officer and bodyguard, I | | | | properly, could cost you more than you're willing to |
| can assure you that, there is much more to | | | | lose.What it comes down to is whether or not you |
| defending yourself than learning a few punches, | | | | want what you need, or you just want to feel like |
| blocks, and kicks in a karate class.So, how do you | | | | you've done something. The choice is yours. The |
| make sure that what you're getting out of a martial | | | | martial arts, in their most original form, were designed |
| arts class or so-called self-defense program will work | | | | to deal with dangerous assailants and for the |
| in a real-world situation? How do you make sure that | | | | preservation of life. If an ancient warrior didn't |
| you're not going to be spending your hard-earned | | | | practice enough, failed to learn an important lesson, |
| time, money, and effort on something that, when | | | | or wasn't prepared for the attack or attacker he |
| the time comes, will be as worthless as not having | | | | was facing - he died. Plain and simple.In Today's |
| trained at all? The answer is......you're going to have to | | | | world, we don't have to deal with physical danger on |
| do some work ahead of time.If you're going to get | | | | a day-to-day basis like our martial ancestors did. And, |
| what you need to survive a street attack in Today's | | | | quite frankly, that's a good thing. However; it also |
| world, you're going to have to do some research in | | | | produces a situation where underskilled, |
| three important areas. They are...Knowing What You | | | | inexperienced, and sometimes unscrupulous intructors |
| NeedExamining Your Life and Lifestyle, | | | | can pass off lessons that are more harmful than |
| and...Researching the School, Program and TeacherI | | | | good. But, that does't mean that you can't find good, |
| go into these areas in great depth in the book, "The | | | | quality, accurate instruction. What it does mean |
| Karate-Myth: Why Most Martial Arts and Self-Defense | | | | is......you, and no one else, is responsible for your own |
| Programs Don't Work and How to Be Safe in | | | | safety and self-defense education.Jeffrey M. Miller is |
| Today's Violent World." To read more about it and | | | | the founder and master instructor of Warrior |
| these important topics, just go here.Let's take a look | | | | Concepts International. A senior teacher in the |
| at each area to see what's really needed if you're | | | | Japanese warrior art of Ninjutsu, he specializes in |
| serious about getting control over this part of your | | | | teaching the ancient ways of self-protection and |
| life.Knowing What You NeedThis area requires that | | | | personal development lessons in a way that is easily |
| you direct your awareness at your community and | | | | understood and put to use by modern Western |
| the types of attacks that typically occur in your little | | | | students and corporate clients. Through their martial |
| corner of the world. Remember, you're probably not | | | | arts training, his students and clients learn proven, |
| going to be attacked by a kung-fu stylist launching a | | | | time-tested lessons designed to help them create the |
| crane fist. However, knowing that 98% of attackers | | | | life they've always dreamed of living, and the skills |
| in North America use a hooking or an uppercutting | | | | necessary for protecting that life from anything that |
| punch will take you a long way towards learning | | | | might threaten it. To learn more about sponsoring a |
| techniques and defenses that will actually | | | | seminar and other related subjects, visit his website. |