| I've never been one to enjoy performing hours and | | | | * Be able to protect my family |
| hours of kata. That doesn't mean I don't like to practice | | | | * Self Confidence |
| my martial arts moves, just that I prefer them to be | | | | * I don't want to be a victim |
| more active and realistic. | | | | * Easy to learn, easy to use, effective |
| Over the years, I have searched for an effective | | | | * Doesn't take years to learn |
| martial arts style that fits my stature and my mental | | | | * Can quickly takedown an opponent |
| outlook. I'm a small man 68 inches and 185 pounds. So I | | | | The great thing about the martial arts is that there is a |
| need a method of self defense that allows me to be | | | | style for every person. I am a great believer in |
| effective in any combat situation at any range. | | | | matching your style to your weapons. |
| As a small man or woman you can count on your | | | | For me, this turned out to be a combination of |
| bigger assailant attempting to control you with his size | | | | American Kickboxing and Brazilian Jui-Jitsu. The two |
| and strength. Often bigger attackers feel they can | | | | styles combine to allow me to defend myself across |
| take liberties because of their size. | | | | all zones of engagement. It also allows me to defend |
| In my youth I was involved in a fight almost daily, I just | | | | against all opponents of all sizes. |
| don't deal well with bullies. I decided early onthat the | | | | While the vast majority of people who have attacked |
| butt kicking I got for defending myself, wasn't any | | | | me have been larger than I am, it is the ones who are |
| worse than the butt kicking I got for not defending | | | | my same size who have given me the most trouble. |
| myself. | | | | So my style has to enable me to defend against the |
| The main difference is that by standing up for myself, I | | | | largest range of opponents. |
| only had to deal with the bully only once. By not | | | | No single style seemed to fit my need. Blending the |
| standing up for myself, I would have had to endure the | | | | styles of Brazilian Jui-Jitsu and Kickboxing has proven |
| bully over and over and over... | | | | an effective mix. In fact, it's really just a real world |
| Of course none of us really knew how to fight so no | | | | version of what you see in most Mixed Martial Arts |
| one got hurt, just embarrassed. As I got older, I began | | | | competitions. |
| learning how to defend myself by studying different | | | | The differences are that you aren't going for a tap out. |
| fighting styles. | | | | Letting an opponent out of an arm bar or choke to |
| It wasn't until I went to Fort Benning for Infantry Training | | | | start fighting you again is insanity. In a self defense |
| that I began to understand what it really means to fight. | | | | situation you need to do enough damage to stop your |
| The hardest part of learning a style is sorting out the | | | | attacker from continuing his attack. |
| advertising hype from the substance. Every style of | | | | Be careful though, in today's society going beyond this |
| martial arts can be an effective form of self defense, | | | | can get you into legal trouble. Even though you were |
| but not all schools or instructors live up to their hype. | | | | attacked and simply defended yourself you could be |
| The very first thing you need to do is put together a | | | | sued by your attacker for hurting him or you could be |
| list of your goals. Just make a short bullet list of what | | | | jailed for use of excessive force. |
| you want out of the martial arts. | | | | Thank you liberals! |
| My list might look like this. | | | | *** |
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| to my opponent | | | | and never be bothered by bullies again... |