| You never know for sure if your assailant has a | | | | When you're stressed you depend on your instinct. |
| weapon of not, unless they use the weapon to | | | | There's no time for thinking. You must react in a way |
| threaten you. (More on that later) | | | | that takes weapon and non-weapon scenarios into |
| In low light conditions, how do you know if it's a stab | | | | account. You want one reaction that covers both |
| or a punch? Some times it's too late. So you must | | | | empty hand and weapon attacks. |
| always assume he's armed! | | | | Fancy, flashy weapons defense may make you feel |
| Most martial arts and self defense systems teach | | | | good, but they do not work! Most of the weapons |
| you separate defenses for armed and unarmed | | | | defenses taught today come from Japanese Jujutsu |
| assailants. If you are practicing separate weapon and | | | | (I know, I am a 4th degree black belt). |
| empty hand techniques right now, you're adding | | | | These defenses are from a different time and |
| another difficult step to an already difficult situation | | | | culture and have no place in today's world (even |
| and increasing your chances of being severely injured | | | | back then they didn't work, they were used as a |
| or killed exponentially. | | | | means of practice, not meant to be taken literally as |
| For arguments sake, let's say you can identify he has | | | | defense). If you look at Hapkido, Brazilian Jujitsu Self |
| a weapon, your training tells you to react in a | | | | Defense and all forms of Self Defense they all come |
| completely different manner than you would against | | | | from Japanese Jujustu. There's evidence of this in |
| an empty hand attack. This is the major problem. | | | | the Judo katas (forms). Goshin jutsu kata and kime |
| Under the extreme stress of an assault, you can only | | | | no kata have the majority of these self defense |
| react one way. When your life is in danger your | | | | techniques in them. (I am a 2nd Degree Black Belt in |
| conscious mind is gone. Your ability to reason, even | | | | Judo also). |
| your ability to speak is all but eliminated. Hormone | | | | These old forms of defense have their place in |
| induced heart increase (FEAR) prepares your body | | | | practice and study, but not in self defense. Real Self |
| for fight or flight. So those complicated weapons | | | | Defense demands instinctive and convulsive technique |
| defenses you spent hours practicing are useless. | | | | to that can be applied to ANY situation. |
| What you can recall in life or death situations are | | | | Train Honestly, |
| gross motor skills that come naturally and don't | | | | PS. When it comes down to it, EVERYONE is armed |
| require any intricate movement or athletic ability. | | | | until proved otherwise. |