| Far too many people who are training in the | | | | and attack-methods, you will actually be |
| martial arts or in a self-defense program - | | | | stringing several basic moves together in a |
| including police and security personnel | | | | moment-to-moment, spontaneous flow. The |
| by-the-way - take for granted that all they | | | | trick is to know your techniques so well that |
| have to do is learn a few tricks and that's | | | | you can do this in what appears to be an |
| it. When, according to the reality and | | | | effortless flow from one technqiue or skill |
| nature of self-defense, no technique that | | | | to the next. |
| you've learned in a martial arts or | | | | |
| self-defense class is perfect | | | | Just as I pointed out in "The Karate-Myth" |
| in-and-of-itself for the unique situation and | | | | there are certain critical pieces missing |
| circumstances that you will find yourself in | | | | from the vast majority of training programs. |
| when you need it. And... | | | | And, it is those key elements that MUST be |
| | | | managed during a physical altercation if you |
| ..that's okay. | | | | are to walk away with most of you intact. |
| | | | |
| What's important to learn is this... | | | | So, if you really want to be able to use what |
| | | | you've learned in a real-world self-defense |
| ..these techniques that everyone hold up as | | | | situation... |
| the "holy symbols of their style,"... | | | | |
| | | | ..then you must be able to give up your |
| ..were just passed down from past-generation | | | | attachment to your "perfect techniques." |
| masters as "examples" anyway! | | | | |
| | | | Remember: The only people who believe that |
| After you've been training for a significant | | | | any given technique or skill is "perfect" or |
| while with a focus on being able to handle a | | | | "unbeatable," has not been around long |
| real-world self-defense situation, rather | | | | enough, or... |
| than merely memorizing a preset string of | | | | |
| moves for your next belt, what you'll find is | | | | ..has deluded themselves into believing that |
| that... | | | | training in class, or competing in a |
| | | | tournament, is somehow equivelant to the |
| ..in your attempt to defend yourself in a | | | | all-out, adrenalin-triggering, overwhelm that |
| given situation and against a unique | | | | makes you feel like your heart will explode |
| assailant with his own 'favorite' techniques | | | | in your chest during the "real thing. |