SAN ANGELO, Texas — “Don’t let your guard down!”
This is a phrase any martial artist or fighter will hear ad nauseam throughout their entire career. For us, the consequence of letting our guard down in training is a slap on the back of our head that never fails to remind us of our fault. Unfortunately, those who let their guard down in the real world are not so fortunate. Letting your guard down in the real world could mean losing your life. Whether it is texting or talking on the phone, an mp3 player filling our ears with music or one of the millions of other distractions we are faced with every day, people spend their lives on autopilot. We must be alert to be safer.
I say this, not only as a black belt instructor, but as a citizen who tires of turning on the news at night or reading the newspaper to read that somebody has lost their life after being attacked.
Self-defense is defined as “overcoming an assailant to protect an individual, their interests or personal belongings by argument or by strategy.” Self-defense is not a privilege. It is a right. When I looked at the definition, I read it over multiple times. The portion that resonated with me was the part that states “by argument or by strategy.” This is a prime definition of what we martial arts instructors try to instill in every student that walks through the doors of a martial arts school. The argument part is simple. We must first try to talk ourselves out of any heated situation. It is the strategy part that keeps the doors of martial arts schools open. When talking just isn’t enough, we must resort to one of the oldest instincts in the book the fight or flight reflex.
Some will run away while others would do anything to avoid the problem such as an uncomfortable conversation to an assault on the street. People who avoid trouble every day could result in failure to rise above when it matters most. Those who do take problems in stride and deal with them are the ones who will more likely come out better when things become confrontational.
My instructor always told me “We train the way we fight, and we fight the way we train.”
We must prepare for what we hope will never happen mentally, physically and spiritually. We must all have the skills necessary to properly execute our universal right of self-defense.
If you wish to learn more about skills, come to the Karate and Dynamic Servitude Corporation’s third annual Self-Defense and Awareness Seminar from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, July 24 at St. Paul Presbyterian Church, 11 N. Park St.
I will leave you all with a closing thought. Our martial arts association makes every black belt take this simple creed that defines the black belt idea of self-defense and is one I believe all should read and come to understand.
“I believe the right of personal defense exists. If I am forced to defend myself or my loved ones, then I am prepared to utilize my natural weapons: the way of the foot and the way of the empty hand. Never doubt that I will use strength, knowledge, and experience without hesitation or reservation. This way, controlled by my mind and governed by spirit, is a skillful weapon that can subdue, overpower or destroy. I will aggressively react with speed and precision when peace cannot be achieved by any other means. I will win. Any way I can. This is our way, my way, the way.”
For more info about KIDS Corp., contact us at 325-212-1208.
