| I just instructed a self defense seminar in | | | | Neither of these worlds accurately reflects |
| NYC and it was interesting to note certain | | | | the effective use of the tool of violence. |
| folk's response to being systematically shown | | | | Nor should they. It would defeat the purpose |
| how to use the tool of violence for survival. | | | | of the 2 mediums. |
| | | | |
| The instructors did a matter-of-fact job | | | | From an entertainment standpoint, real |
| picking various vulnerable areas of the human | | | | violence is hard to view, not because of the |
| body and showing how to injure those targets. | | | | violence but because it is relatively boring |
| We use a proprietary method that allows the | | | | since it's so one sided.In competition, using |
| student to learn how to injure the body in a | | | | real violence would leave many competitors |
| specific manner to yield the desired result. | | | | maimed, crippled, or killed. This would |
| | | | absolutely defeat the goal of the sporting |
| We then show them how to use that information | | | | event. |
| to cause serial injury on the human body | | | | |
| until the other guy is non-functional. This | | | | Where all this becomes a major problem is |
| method literally produces results in mere | | | | when someone attempts to use these mediums as |
| days that used to take us many months to | | | | a benchmark for 'fighting'. They expect to |
| achieve. | | | | see lots of 'give and take' when training. |
| | | | They have a hard time realizing that real |
| Clients rapidly get good at targeting, then | | | | injuries are not something that you can shake |
| injuring, the defined areas of weakness in | | | | off and 'keep fighting'. |
| another human.Don't get me wrong. It is not | | | | |
| necessarily a thing of beauty to watch. | | | | At a recent demonstration I did for a |
| Participants are often ugly in their 'look' | | | | business group at Harvard University I |
| but their effectiveness is without question. | | | | hammered this home by using some video clips |
| | | | of a martial artist showing a knife-fighting |
| What is funny to me is clients that have | | | | demo. |
| survived real violence get this approach to | | | | |
| self protection training right away. They | | | | He made some claims about the knife and how a |
| realize the methods and principles are sound | | | | good cut will shut a man down and send him |
| and they focus and develop intent during | | | | into shock. He then demonstrated his |
| those initial early day one sessions. | | | | assertion on a hanging piece of meat. It all |
| | | | looked very impressive and I could tell the |
| The clients that either have no experience | | | | class was mesmerized. |
| with violence or only have competative | | | | |
| martial arts or combat sport backgrounds | | | | Then I showed them grisly photos of prisoners |
| often spend these early sessions questioning | | | | in a fight who were cut numerous times, right |
| why we are doing what we do.They wrestle with | | | | down to the bone. These prisoners not only |
| the idea of violence being so one-sided. It | | | | survived the attacks -- they killed their |
| goes against everything they 'know' about | | | | 'attackers'.This totally went against the |
| 'real fights'. | | | | knife-fighting expert's claims. |
| | | | |
| Of course this knowledge they bring to the | | | | I then showed two other video clips, back to |
| course is from watching the media (films, TV, | | | | back, of prisoners 'shanking' (using an |
| Internet) or from participating in and | | | | improvised stabbing tool) another prisoner |
| watching combat sporting events. The main | | | | until they killed the victim. Again this |
| goal of media is entertainment. Producers | | | | looked nothing like the nice back-and-forth |
| want you to be involved in the plot and if | | | | technique the 'knife-fighter' showed in his |
| there is an action sequence they want it to | | | | impressive demo. |
| rivet you to your seat. | | | | |
| | | | When I was finished there was dead silence. I |
| The main goal of combat sports is to win by | | | | had made my point and the rest of the time we |
| bettering your opponent and scoring more | | | | had 100% complete focus. |
| points. Both can be very fun to watch. | | | | |
| | | | I wasn't able to show this recent class the |
| Both of these mediums have restrictions that | | | | videos and it showed. Some people didn't 'get |
| severely limit realistic use of the tool of | | | | it' until the last day when we do 'Grabs, |
| violence. A good movie has the restriction of | | | | Punches, Holds and Chokes'. |
| keeping you entertained so it needs to be | | | | |
| just that... entertaining. | | | | That's when they see how much simpler it is |
| | | | to use violence rather than try a 'give and |
| The competitors in a combat sports event are | | | | take' approach. |
| hampered by agreed upon rules. Therefore they | | | | |
| rely on developed athletic skills (being | | | | I'll make sure to always include the video |
| bigger, faster, stronger) in order to better | | | | upfront in future seminars. The old adage of |
| the other guy and win the competition. | | | | a picture being worth a thousand words is |
| | | | very true! |