| For students who attend our regular classes the | | | | enable you to always have your body behind your |
| information below will be nothing new. Many have | | | | strikes so that when you strike your are able to do |
| heard me pontificate on these points at various | | | | so with power from any position.* Finally, it is the |
| times, however, I think it's important to share this | | | | proper mindset toward fighting (especially in your |
| information with others to hopefully help them focus | | | | training) that enables you to strike from virtually any |
| their training in order to improve upon the quality of | | | | position within your sphere of influence.My question, |
| their workouts especially when they train on their | | | | which only you can answer for yourself, is if you |
| own. This piece doesn't get into any specific training | | | | knew sometime today you were going to be in the |
| methods but merely highlights "philosophically" the | | | | fight of your life, how good would you want to be? |
| importance of practicing the exercises on your own. | | | | That is the mentality that you need to train with, |
| For a more detailed reading please refer to our book | | | | because in truth it very well could be today! I don't |
| Attack Proof.Like many of our students I've studied | | | | think there are too many homicide victims out there |
| many martial arts systems over the years and while | | | | who ever thought their time would be up the day |
| I was able to develop a degree of skill, like others I | | | | they passed on.Sowing the Good Harvest:Although I |
| often felt that while cool looking, many of the | | | | hate to use sports analogies when it comes to real |
| techniques would be useless in a real confrontation. | | | | fighting I also understand that the mindset required |
| This is because many of the skills taught in about | | | | for training is really no different. Imagine a sprinter or |
| 99% percent of the martial arts systems are based | | | | distance runner who never practices the foundational |
| on a reality and a dynamic of fighting that does not | | | | exercises on their own and just shows up to run only |
| exist in the real world.As we all know by now real | | | | during the meets. Failure is inevitable. Imagine a |
| fights are not "duels" like in the dojo and the speed | | | | power lifter who never practices his lifting technique? |
| and ferocity of real attacks are lightning fast and | | | | No matter how strong or naturally gifted he is, he will |
| drastically contrast with choreographed attacks, | | | | never achieve to a high level. The same is true for |
| which often resemble the types of attacks that only | | | | any sport. Imagine if in school you never did your |
| happen in bad low-budget "B" movie. Usually, (like | | | | homework, given the limited amount of time you |
| always) when a real attack goes down, the odds are | | | | have to absorb the information in class there is no |
| in favor of the attacker(s), and not by accident. | | | | way that one can develop even a modicum of |
| Criminals want to above all else, win, and are not | | | | proficiency. At best you'll be no more knowledgeable |
| bound to any rules or code of honor. I think | | | | than the last time you had class and the same is true |
| everyone on this reading list will agree with that | | | | for the martial arts.Nothing, no sport, no course at |
| statement.Respectful DisrespectWhat is meant by | | | | school, no job, no success to a high level is |
| "respectful disrespect" is that when you look at the | | | | achievable without working at it. Solo training is |
| movement of the masters within many systems and | | | | especially valuable in our art of Ki Chuan Do because |
| observe how they move, regardless of the system | | | | it stresses adaptibility and spontaneity. The art looks |
| they all share a few things in common. The masters | | | | different on different people and you must |
| all seem to be better balanced, more supple and | | | | experiment on your own with what works best with |
| relaxed in their movements, their timing is always | | | | your own unique physical attributes.Also it is equally |
| better and their coordination is generally far superior | | | | important to train properly and not just train for the |
| to that of their average students. Much of this as | | | | sake of training. Once again, much heartache can be |
| they will tell you is a byproduct of either practicing | | | | avoided if students would just follow the book and |
| the forms over-and-over or from performing the | | | | practice on their own. All of the exercises are clearly |
| striking drills until the point of physical exhaustion. | | | | outlined in Attack Proof as John Perkins has |
| However, if that were true then you should within | | | | developed them. As a corollary to this, while it is true |
| reason see the same thing in the majority of their | | | | that one can obtain some level of fighting skill |
| students but often just the opposite is true. In other | | | | through training in class alone, I have seen throughout |
| words what they're saying and what they're actually | | | | the years that those who rapidly achieve a high |
| doing are two different things.This is not to say that | | | | degree of skill are also the same individuals who |
| they do not train their butts off, because they do. | | | | practice the exercises on their own. Coincidence? I |
| Even in sport fighting, in order to perform the | | | | think not!Why Don't People Train On Their |
| moves, an incredible amount of hours are needed in | | | | Own?When you look at the martial arts world and |
| order to master the techniques, so do not | | | | you look at the styles that appear to have the most |
| misunderstand what I am saying here. However, | | | | popularity they all seem to have a few things in |
| because real fighting is such a different dynamic all | | | | common. They're either very cool looking, they |
| together, the skill needed to make such techniques | | | | promise "magic" or if they profess to be reality |
| work is at such a high level that very few people | | | | based they guarantee overnight results. They sell an |
| (including yours truly) could ever make them work | | | | illusion in the hopes that no one will pull back the |
| when the spit hits the fan. To put it another way, | | | | curtain only to see that there is no all powerful |
| there are many football players who have played the | | | | wizard at all. It's part of our culture and we can't |
| game but very, very few will ever play in the NFL. | | | | avoid it.Look at your average infomercial: they |
| Which brings me to my next point...There's something | | | | promise "six pack abs in 30 days," or the old Charles |
| to be Said for TalentLet's be honest: many martial | | | | Atlas comic strip ad "Muscles in Seven Days" and |
| arts masters, regardless of style, are very talented | | | | weight loss results in a time frame that most doctors |
| people both mentally and physically and would | | | | would consider dangerous at best. None the less, |
| probably be good at almost anything they decided to | | | | these products sell in the millions of dollars and the |
| put their minds to. They have therefore | | | | only ones who usually achieve success are the snake |
| subconsciously developed these skills and I believe | | | | oil salesmen who profit by peddling basic fitness tips |
| many are unaware that they are even doing it. So no | | | | as "revolutionary science" because they know that |
| matter what they say they are doing, their actual | | | | deep down the "get rich quick", "get in shape without |
| movements often reveal the truth as to what is | | | | exercising", "results overnight" mindset permeates our |
| really going on. And that is what you need to be | | | | culture and our base nature."You Don't Bend the |
| aware of.A Grand Master of Tae Kwon Do may be | | | | Spoon, the Spoon Bends You." |
| able to kick someone in the head in a real street | | | | --The MatrixThe other reason people don't train is |
| fight but for the average practitioner that action is | | | | just plain old stubbornness. When you look at the |
| not going to happen. So while there are things that | | | | exercises in the book, no matter how logical we |
| the master can do through physical ability and talent, | | | | present the information, there are many people who |
| the rest of us are going to have to figure out | | | | still don't believe that "it really is that simple" and until |
| something else.Their students try to mimic the | | | | you change the way you think about training in the |
| master based on what they "outwardly" observe, | | | | principles, those epiphanies that everyone looks for in |
| never realizing that until they develop the internal | | | | their martial training will never happen. Cecil B. DeMile |
| skills as explained in Attack Proof and various books | | | | used to have a saying about The Ten |
| on the internal arts, their physically ability will only | | | | Commandments,"Those who throw themselves |
| carry them but so far.This is what separates sport | | | | against The Law shall be |
| fighting from real principles of self defense. Sport | | | | broken by it."Since the principles are rooted in real |
| fighting, due to the rules, limits what one can do and | | | | things such as the laws of physics and human |
| as a result requires a higher degree of physical skill | | | | physiology and not hocus-pocus fantasy fighting, by |
| and talent in order the make the techniques work, | | | | practicing to develop these attributes you can't help |
| whereas real self-defense techniques, because they | | | | but get better. These "principles" are non-negotiable |
| rely on sound principles, are universally applicable | | | | and do not change, it is you and your mindset about |
| regardless of body type, which is why we focus | | | | training that must change. You can use the laws of |
| most of our effort on training in the PRINCIPLES | | | | physics to your advantage but you cannot change |
| rather than techniques that require great physical | | | | them. You must allow the spoon to bend you and |
| skill."The most well made tools are worthless in the | | | | not the other way around. If you continue to try to |
| hands of those who are unskilled in their use." | | | | bend the spoon or throw yourself against the law as |
| --Alexander The GreatThe quote given by | | | | they do in many fighting systems, when your world |
| Alexander The Great is just as true today as it was | | | | collides with reality you're going to meet with |
| then and no tool, no matter how well made, is of | | | | disastrous results.The Rest Is All MentalThe last point |
| any use unless you have some skill behind it. As I | | | | I'm going to make on this is that by training in the |
| always say, owning a hammer doesn't make you a | | | | principles to the "nth degree" eventually you begin to |
| carpenter. I want to turn out carpenters that can | | | | realize that because you don't have to think about |
| draw a tool from their bag of tricks and have the skill | | | | your balance or your body position, it leaves more |
| to use it. Since the fight is "what it is" you must be | | | | time for your brain on a subconscious level to |
| able to adapt as quickly as the fight can change. You | | | | process what it picks up through your senses and |
| must be able to deliver the chaos as well as control | | | | allows it to respond with what we call "Response - |
| it. Understand that we are "Brand X" martial arts so | | | | Ability". This is the ability to be able to respond to |
| we build the foundation rooted in principles of human | | | | stimuli based on what you actually feel as opposed |
| physiology and physics, we then hard wire in the skills | | | | to trying to guess what another person is going to |
| and then provide you with the tools so that any tool | | | | do, something I never, ever try to do especially since |
| that you place in your hand can be instantly applied | | | | I only get one chance to get it wrong. Because you |
| for whatever purpose at the time you need it.I once | | | | feel their intention, therefore it becomes. After a |
| asked Master Perkins (he hates it when I call him | | | | while, even the slightest movement on their part |
| that) about how Master Carron became so good. | | | | triggers a chain of events, which allows you not just |
| The answer was simple, he practiced everyday in the | | | | to match their movements but to get ahead of the |
| exercises and skills, sometimes for hours at a time. | | | | game, just like a chess match. The only difference |
| By the same token I'm often asked by students, | | | | being, that instead of relying on a series of moves to |
| "How can I improve my skills?" My usual answer is, | | | | make this happen, you are going for "check mate" |
| "Do you do the exercises?" I usually get either a | | | | right from the start in order to end the fight as |
| "no," or that "deer in the headlights" stare, which | | | | quickly as possible.You can "click" your glass slippers all |
| reveals the sin of omission in their training.I wish I | | | | you want but doing the exercises along with |
| could tell people something different but like anything | | | | establishing the proper mindset are the real secret to |
| in life whatever you put into something you generally | | | | attaining a high degree or martial prowess. By |
| reap what you have sown, and the ability to develop | | | | developing the base level attributes (balance, |
| the attributes needed for real fighting or at least to | | | | looseness, sensitivity and body unity) the tools of |
| deal with the kind of violence that visits people | | | | combat such as guns, knives, fist, feet etc... are but a |
| everyday on our streets is no different. While there's | | | | mere extension of not only your body but your |
| no substitute for training with another person, I've | | | | moral will. Anything in your hand can now become a |
| personally found that solo practice is equally | | | | weapon. Anything you touch with practice becomes |
| important and usually it is the missing piece of the | | | | an extension of your body. When you touch objects |
| puzzle in one's training.When you learn to punch and | | | | you begin to feel their dynamic and you are able to, |
| kick, what you are learning are not skills on how to | | | | within reason, manipulate whatever you come into |
| fight but developing tools. However, how you use | | | | contact with.By training in the principles, even your |
| the tools are entirely up to you. The trick is how do | | | | sense of visual perception or spatial awareness |
| you make the tools work when you need to make | | | | changes. You begin to perceive the density of other |
| them work? Will you choose the right tool for the | | | | objects (including people) even without physical |
| job? And, therein lies the rub...Solo practice resolves | | | | contact through what is known as "sub-cortical |
| this dilemma by allowing you to develop the | | | | vision."Your body unity increases to a point where |
| foundational skills to improve and without it I've seen | | | | your hands and feet are never out of position |
| that students and even instructors tend to "plateau" | | | | because your body is properly alignedin relation to |
| in their ability. So while one can improve through | | | | others. You are now not only able to control your |
| two-on-two practice to a point, without developing | | | | balance but manipulate theirs by feeling their center in |
| the foundational skills of balance, looseness, sensitivity | | | | relation to yours.Remember in a real fight there are |
| and body unity, no matter how physically gifted you | | | | no points for second place! |
| are, you can only improve but so far.* It is the | | | | Practice, Practice, Practice...Al Ridenhour is a |
| balance drills that enable you to step to a new root | | | | Lieutenent Colonel in the United States Marine Corps |
| point effortlessly at lightning speed and strike with | | | | Reserves, and is a veteran of the Persian Gulf |
| maximum power.* It is the looseness or pliability drills | | | | War-Operation Desert Storm, where he commanded |
| that not only allow you to avoid being penetrated as | | | | an infantry unit and served as an instructor in |
| you move but give you the ability to yield, align your | | | | unarmed combat for his Marine unit and for the |
| weapon with your body, cut off angles and strike | | | | battalion's Scout Sniper platoon. He has been training |
| with maximum power from virtually impossible looking | | | | in the martial arts since 1985 and is a sixth-degree |
| positions.* It is your sensitivity, both kinesthetic and | | | | black belt (Master) in Ki Chuan Do, the free-form |
| spatial, that allows you to know where the other | | | | internal art created by former forensic homicide |
| person(s) is in relation to your weapons allowing you | | | | investigator John Perkins. Ridenhour is also co-author |
| to seemingly always know what they are going to | | | | of Attack Proof: The Ultimate Guide to Personal |
| do before they do it.* It is the body unity drills that | | | | Protection. |