Deliberation

[Josann]

Got it, Thanks.

I have also seen him here...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EowbVGFHbPY

Most excellent advice.

Agree strongly. There are literally hours of his videos online. This one is worth listening to frequently to remind us of the martial in martial arts.

Lots to think about when he says "if you are defending, you are losing."

[Van Canna]

Lots to think about when he says "if you are defending, you are losing."

True, and he qualifies it by trying to make us understand when the fight has actually begun before waiting for the first attack, when we will find ourselves behind the reactionary curve.

Which brings up the subject of how we train and how we program our response actions.

[Van Canna]

As we train in effective forms of self defense, there is nothing more important than the ability to articulate why you needed to defend yourself.

Just because you identified the threat early, just because you got into the fight early, just because you used the most effective form of self defense that was available.....does not mean that you deserved to have your life ruined.

You must be able to articulate why you acted as you did.

[Van Canna]

So what is good articulation, in the sense we are speaking of? It is the ability, without lying, to describe the events that occurred in a manner that any reasonable person would agree that your decision to act was based on sound reasoning and the threat justified the level of your response.

It should enable them to vicariously experience what you did and reach the same conclusion you did for the necessity of your actions. It is not necessary that they would have taken the same action that you did, only that they consider your actions reasonable.

Training or the lack of, previous experiences and knowledge of similar events and their outcomes can all be useful in assisting you with your description of what happened, the criteria used to reach your decision to act and to determine the level of response required.

[Van Canna]

It has been often said that one should minimize their statements and seek an attorney when involved in self defense incidents of significant gravity. That is all well and good, but it does not eliminate your need for good articulation skills.

Should it be necessary for you take the stand in defense of your actions, your attorney will not be able to tell you what to answer to each question you may be asked.

It will be encumbent on you to articulate answers that pursuade the court and/or the jury of the reasonablness of your actions. A self written narrative of the details of the entire event can be a useful study guide to prevent eliminating pertinent details. Its use and/or disclosure would be a good subject for discussion with your attorney.

[Van Canna]

Words of wisdom

All that really matters on this planet is who and what you are right this very second. I mean this very second. You ready to throw down with whatever crosses your path? None of what we did 10, 20, 30 years ago means jack. It's all about the here and the now. Period

[jorvik]

The problem with that guy is he looks like a mugger The chinese say learn kung fu from a small weak woman, and I tend to agree with that, but let's be honest most of the people on forums are probably middle aged or getting there, so there are two things , one is when being interviewed act the part, a responsible, middle aged victim, don't think of yourself as a 25 year old firebrand. You get a lot of older people who talk tough yet train weak IMHO it should be the other ways around

[Josann]

The problem with that guy is he looks like a mugger The chinese say learn kung fu from a small weak woman, and I tend to agree with that, but let's be honest most of the people on forums are probably middle aged or getting there, so there are two things , one is when being interviewed act the part, a responsible, middle aged victim, don't think of yourself as a 25 year old firebrand. You get a lot of older people who talk tough yet train weak IMHO it should be the other ways around

Great post, especially the last line.

Also liked Lee Morrison's quote that under pressure fine motor skills are impeded while gross motor skills are enhanced. Focus more on hammerfist I guess. Sesan bunkai has a lot of gross motor skills techniques.

[jorvik]

Thanks.
I've done a variety of martial arts so I tend to mix them up a bit for different reasons and pick combinations that I think are workable.I don't believe particularly in a force continuum as such, but I do believe that you need a variety of techniques in your arsenal which are appropriate for the circumstance you may face you may get attacked by a kid and you don't really want to be too brutal in defending yourself, so I have simple boxing techniques, then a wing chun hand combination and an American Kenpo combination and stuff like bitch slaps and using the whole arm to strike
This is the kenpo drill that I practice on Bob

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXqqwGtp-C4

I recently ran into an old friend he was one of Harry Benfields students and years back he taught me Escima and how to box. He was going to train me in Uechi but he has had a heart problem and is still recovering.He gave me a good basis in weapons training and so I use a small flashlight or a dowling as a pocket stick, I also have a small knife which is a waved /spyderco delica that I can pull pretty fast. I also practice using them in conjunction with the combinations I mentioned above.hammer fists are great stand alone techniques, when I use them I like to bring both arms up with my elbows by my ears and just lash out, that way you are covered against returning blows. I love training on my own the most and though I don't use a great many techniques I enjoy it and get a good workout.

[Van Canna]

I have read opinions that the fact Lee Morrison looks like a mugger is precisely why people like him and listen to him, as the mind envisions a potential attacker to be something like him…thus subconsciously assimilating the confidence that his teachings infuse…visualizing what he teaches as becoming effective against someone like him.

An interesting way to look at it.

IMO…an effective teacher of battle concepts, embodying the most generally basics and effective survival response actions that will have a good percentage of working…is represented through the teacher's passion, dynamic movements and stage presence, all impacting subliminally on his students. And we see this reflected on the student's expressions in his seminars.

My first experience with these dynamics was during my bayonet training in 'advanced infantry' boot camp.

The chief D.I. was a Sgt. Macalino…a US Infantry …Korean war survivor decorated for bravery having killed a number of enemies in closed quarter battles with a bayoneted M-1 Garand.

It was precisely his simplicity of techniques he explained would work under a 'kill or be killed' moment… his over-whelming personal stage presence, and manner of presentation that riveted the soldiers fusing them with the effective, brutal techniques being taught. This manner of teaching also ferreted out the 'weak' grunts …sidelined for counseling.

TMA lore notwithstanding_ generally we as students subconsciously see the teaching of 'self defense' …in which the 'Teacher' IS the 'Teaching'…who also must look the part both physically and mentally.

This is 'teaching' infused with the stage presence of the teacher…something totally different than 'Swagger' that becomes fast evident.

Stage presence is what ‘pulls’ the student towards the teacher, an indispensible component of 'assimilation'_

[Van Canna]

That is a nice clip, Ray, and excellent from the standpoint of a 'need for speed' to be developed in training.

I teach similar patterns using Uechi techniques, but always in combination with low chopping shin kicks to an opponent's legs.

We heavily condition the shins in addition to forearms, which are really the body's natural baseball bats.

The low chopping kicks are usually invisible to someone not used to them...

Most people in fights will use their hands naturally and expect hands in return.

The low kicks, aimed anywhere to the legs, such as we practice in Uechi drills, are devastating.

Here's the great Uechi sensei Chip Quimby demonstrating a vicious low kick.

When this kick is performed at closer range and using the shin...it becomes an almost 'one shot stop' against an unwary opponent.

Here is Master Shinjio demonstrating Uechi conditioning...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0gZ1QAtt20

[jorvik]

Quote
"I have read opinions that the fact Lee Morrison looks like a mugger is precisely why people like him and listen to him, as the mind envisions a potential attacker to be something like him…thus subconsciously assimilating the confidence that his teachings infuse…visualizing what he teaches as becoming effective against someone like him.

An interesting way to look at it."

Perception over content..a problem I think. how do we know what is corrrect? somebody sounds interesting. how do we know their skills? and can we assimilate those skills?

[Van Canna]

True, there are no guarantees...but if the student is affected positively in a subliminal way by what he hears and sees, the numbers go up.

[jorvik]

Quote
"
I teach similar patterns using Uechi techniques, but always in combination with low chopping shin kicks to an opponent's legs.

We heavily condition the shins in addition to forearms, which are really the body's natural baseball bats.

The low chopping kicks are usually invisible to someone not used to them..."Unfortunately for me most kicks are out because of hip problems, I do them very occaisionally

This is one of the best clips that I have seen on low kicking ( unfortunately it's in Japanese)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... zvJf7tjri0

[Van Canna]

Very nice clip, Ray.

However, I personally do not teach the low kick to the opponent's lower leg using your instep [The arched middle part of the human foot between the toes and the ankle]_

It is 'generally' OK to use the instep to strike at the knee joint and outside and inside thigh of an opponent because there will be some 'flexion' of the target upon impact as opposed to more of a 'rigid' mass when slamming closer down to the ground against the legs of a heavy opponent.

I teach striking the opponent's lower leg using the shin bone above the ankle and up in a more distance committed attack.

Why?

The bones can be easily conditioned, the joints much less so.

If you break a bone, you will go into shock within seconds.

Striking with your instep against the 'planted' lower legs of a heavy opponent_will place lots of stress upon the ankle joint that can result in bad sprains or breaks...and your 'fight' is over.

If you watch a soccer game, you [said generally] will quickly realize that soccer players live in 'low kicks land' ...with extremely conditioned legs used to the constant impacts.

From my personal experience as a soccer player...I did develop very powerful legs...yet ankle sprains and near breaks were common.

See this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YQ7vjGKUHA