| If you want to learn to defend yourself, you join a | | | | against an enraged or demonic attacker bent on |
| karate school, right? After all, anyone who has a high | | | | getting more from you than a plaque or trophy. |
| ranking black belt and a slew of shiny trophies | | | | Maybe.Let me just finish by saying that, just as there |
| proudly displayed in their window should be able to | | | | are dozens of reasons why someone may take up |
| teach you how to survive one of the worst | | | | karate or martial arts training, there are dozens of |
| situations that could ever happen to a human being... | | | | benefits that one can derive from them as well. But, |
| Right?I think you and I are both old enough and | | | | and this is a big "but," if your goal is to learn how to |
| experienced enough in the world right now to know | | | | effectively, efficiently, and confidently defend |
| that appearances are often very deceiving. What | | | | yourself against a real life bad guy, it will take more |
| seems to be one thing is often something very | | | | than a piece of cloth that represents how much time |
| different. And, learning self-defense from a | | | | you've been practicing a set of punches, kicks, and |
| karate-expert, at least a modern-day one, is no | | | | blocks. It will take more than a big shiny trophy or |
| exception.How can I say this? What do I have | | | | two, unless of course you plan on using the trophies |
| against karate students, teachers, and black belts?I'll | | | | as weapons (I would...).In fact, it will take many of |
| start by saying that I have absolutely nothing against | | | | the same things that the street fighter brings to the |
| dedicated students and teachers of the martial arts - | | | | situation - things that I find to be seriously lacking in |
| regardless of rank or style. In fact, I commend and | | | | most of the conventional karate programs I've |
| respect them for their dedication, motivation, and | | | | witnessed being taught across North America. If |
| discipline toward attaining both skill and rank in their | | | | you're going to win against an assailant who has |
| chosen form.Why do I question their ability to defend | | | | nothing to lose and everything to gain, you're going |
| themselves, even in light of their having attained | | | | to have to make sure that you arm yourself with |
| black belt or been awarded trophies in one or more | | | | the same tools he's carrying in his arsenal. And, I'm |
| tournaments or competitions? One | | | | talking about guns, knives, or any other weapon of |
| word...Statistics.Crime reports and statistics are rife | | | | the sort. I'm talking about...A commitment to winning - |
| with accounts of people trained in the martial arts, | | | | no matter whatSurvival InstinctSuperior AttitudeA |
| many holding black belt rank, falling prey to the brutal | | | | Complete Disregard for "doing it right," and...No |
| attacks of common street thugs - fighters with no | | | | Delusional Belief about so-called "fair-play"Until karate |
| formal training in the martial or any other combat | | | | students can separate the traits developed for |
| arts.How can this be? After all, aren't these people | | | | sportsmanship and being a positive member of |
| learning how to deal with a violent attacker? Isn't | | | | society from those needed to survive in a dangerous |
| that what you learn in a karate class?To be honest | | | | and potentially life-threatening situation, I'm afraid the |
| with you, it's very difficult to go into all the reasons | | | | outcome will always be the same. And that is......he |
| that this logic falls through. If you want to really | | | | that is fighting to win - to survive - will always win |
| understand how and why this type of situation | | | | over those who are simply going through the |
| happens, and more often than you might think, you | | | | motions.Jeffrey M. Miller is the founder and master |
| really need to read the book, "The Karate-Myth: Why | | | | instructor of Warrior Concepts International. A senior |
| Most Martial Arts and Self-Defense Programs Are | | | | teacher in the Japanese warrior art of Ninjutsu, he |
| Wrong." This one powerful book, and it's supporting | | | | specializes in teaching the ancient ways of |
| materials, should be the first thing that anyone | | | | self-protection and personal development lessons in a |
| serious about learning to protect themselves reads | | | | way that is easily understood and put to use by |
| before taking a single step towards enrolling in a | | | | modern Western students and corporate clients. |
| class.For now, let's just explore the possibility that | | | | Through their martial arts training, his students and |
| maybe, just maybe, there's more to being able to | | | | clients learn proven, time-tested lessons designed to |
| defend yourself than merely learning a few cool | | | | help them create the life they've always dreamed of |
| moves. Maybe, just maybe, belt color or the size or | | | | living, and the skills necessary for protecting that life |
| number of trophies, tell us little to nothing about how | | | | from anything that might threaten it. |
| someone will fair in a real world self-defense situation | | | | |