In A Self-Defense Situation Control The Distance And You Control The Fight

One thing that becomes painfully evident to anyonedefault, regardless of the situation they're working
who has been studying the Ninja's warrior arts foron. Difficult, if not impossible to describe addequately
any length of time is...the shear impossibility of beingusing the written word, here are a few examples to
able to practice all that you've learned. After even aconvey this very powerful concept:1) A knife-wielding
short time in training, the number of skills, techniqueattacker will have a difficult time getting at me if I
models known as "kata," and weapons hits a pointstay farther away and out of his reach, however...2)
where, even if you wanted to, you could notAn assailant armed with a handgun will find it easier
consistantly practice everything in the same wayto shoot me at the same distance. Instead, he will
that, say, a practitioner of other arts might be ablehave increasing difficulty the closer I am to him and
to do so.However, in the martial art of Ninjutsu, youhis weapon.3) If a guy is trying to shoot at me with
don't have to. For the Ninja's perspective does nota high-powered rifle from a rooftop, I want to be
limit itself to the building blocks of the art in the samevisiting my friends in another town, but...4) If the
way that is seen in other conventional forms orsame lunatic has the trigger device for a nuclear
styles. Instead, the Ninja aspirant focuses not onweapon, unless he has a death wish, I want to be
technique but on principles and concepts. And, bystanding right next to him!Now, I know that those
concentrating on winning in combat from a higherlast two sound a bit far-fetched, but they illustrate
level or viewpoint - like a blimp overseeing a footballthe point. And that is that......distance is dictated, in
stadium - he or she is free to exchange techniques,large part, by your opponent or opponents, his or
skills, and weapons freely without ever changing thetheir tactics, and any weapons involved.Knowing and
focus of the lesson itself.Focusing On Concepts &understanding the concepts of ma-ai, or proper
Principles Instead of Step-By-Step TechniqueOnedistance, allows the Enlightened Warrior to step out
such concept or principle that forms part of the coreof the narrow, limiting "box" that knows only preset
of the Ninja student's training from the verytechniques. It allows him or her to adapt freely to the
beginning is that of distance. Also known in Japanesesituation - change as change is needed - and to
as ma-ai, distance is a crucial aspect within any givenalways be in the right place with the right defense to
encounter and varies according to such fight variablesovercome the adversary and......win.Jeffrey M. Miller is
as:size or height of each combatant, especially wherethe founder and master instructor of Warrior
there is any significant differenceConcepts International. A senior teacher in the
type and length or reach of any weaponsJapanese warrior art of Ninjutsu, he specializes in
involvednumber of combatants, includingteaching the ancient ways of self-protection and
multiple-attacker to single defender scenarios,personal development lessons in a way that is easily
and...environmental considerations or limitationsIn myunderstood and put to use by modern Western
seminars and classes, we have a saying..."He or shestudents and corporate clients. Through their martial
who controls the distance, controls the fight."And,arts training, his students and clients learn proven,
while this may sound obvious, it is often far from it.time-tested lessons designed to help them create the
What I and my instructors under me see time andlife they've always dreamed of living, and the skills
again, is the student's tendancy to learn one particularnecessary for protecting that life from anything that
distance and then attempt in vain to use that as theirmight threaten it.