| Like many people over the Memorial Day weekend I | | | | killed combat? |
| took time out to remember our nation's fallen heroes, | | | | Where do combative sports fit in? |
| but afterwards I went to a friend's house to enjoy a | | | | And is it even worth your time to do these sports? |
| barbecue. | | | | Listen, if you train in combat sport, just realize that it is |
| The food was great and except for the whining of a | | | | not self defense training. |
| few liberals I had a great time. At one point a friend of | | | | Sure combat sports have striking, grappling, and |
| a friend came over to pick my brain about martial arts. | | | | weapon usage, but they are just the beginning of real |
| He wanted to improve his health and get back into | | | | close combat training. |
| shape without injuring his back again. | | | | But what is VITALLY important for even the most |
| He wanted to learn a good sport martial art that would | | | | die-hard self-defense or martial arts junkie is that it is |
| give him a workout, but also teach him self defense. | | | | ONLY combat sport that can provide the conditioning |
| He looked confused when I told him that he wouldn't | | | | for actual combat. |
| be learning self defense, and the best he could hope | | | | The two MUST fit hand in hand with one another; |
| for from most martial arts schools was a good | | | | otherwise both camps are kidding themselves. |
| workout. | | | | A chilling example of this principle involves the first |
| The fact is most people don't realize that sport | | | | family to fall victim to the BTK (Bind, Torture and Kill) |
| combatives like boxing, mixed martial arts, wrestling | | | | serial killer Dennis Rader. |
| and fencing are just sports. | | | | It was January 15, 1974 when 15-year-old Charlie Otero |
| I am not taking anything away from them by any | | | | came home and found his mother father and his |
| means. | | | | younger brother and sister dead at home. The victims |
| All take a lot of skill, training, and heart to compete in, | | | | had been tortured before being killed and the females |
| but at the end of the day they only simulate real life | | | | had been masturbated on by the killer. |
| combat. | | | | In the years to come this modus operandi would |
| In boxing for example, there are rules governing what | | | | become all too familiar to the police in and around |
| moves a fighter can and cannot use in a match. | | | | Wichita Kansas. |
| Head butts, elbows, and biting are all fouls that could | | | | As the police investigated the Otero family murders |
| end a boxing match, but are perfectly acceptable in a | | | | they found no reason for the murders, and the family |
| street fight for self defense. | | | | was by no means an easy target. Joseph Otero, 38, |
| In Kendo, a shinai (bamboo practice sword) can pass | | | | had been a career Air Force man and an excellent |
| across the neck and do no damage in a match, but in | | | | boxer. |
| real life it could sever an artery ending the fight. | | | | His wife Julie, 34, had extensive Judo training, and all |
| Sports are games and they are meant to be fun. And | | | | the children were known to be skilled in the sport as |
| no matter how competitive they might be, nobody is | | | | well. |
| ever supposed to get hurt or die. | | | | People that knew the family thought they were well |
| I had to laugh some weeks back when I saw a | | | | trained in self defense, but they weren't. They had no |
| website advertising deadly mixed martial arts (MMA) | | | | idea how to deal with a killer like Rader as they were |
| techniques that had been banned by Ultimate Fight | | | | conditioned to fight with rules, regulations, and etiquette. |
| Championships (UFC). | | | | Again, if interested, use combative sport training as a |
| Of course they had been banned from the UFC | | | | fun, entertaining way to get fit. But unless you plan on |
| because it is a sport. And as difficult as it is, as great | | | | bringing a referee to that critical moment when you will |
| as those athletes are, it is simply not kill or be killed | | | | be called upon to defend yourself and your family, I |
| combat. | | | | suggest tuning off the pay-per-view crap and investing |
| So what happens when things escalate to kill or be | | | | in some REAL self defense training. |