# Occasional self defense rants - #1 mouth and feet



## tellner (Apr 6, 2007)

When anyone asks questions about self defense techniques or weapons it follows as the night the day and the lawyers an ambulance that someone will say something like this...

"The best way to fight is by not fighting."
"My greatest (weapon|technique) is my (mind|mouth|running shoes|calmness|selective resemblance to a bull elephant)."
"Martial arts isn't just about fighting."
"De-escalation."

Those of us who've been at this game for a little while all know and understand these things. It's just a tool, you're the weapon. Don't get into any fights you don't have to. The man who fights and runs away lives to sneak up behind his enemies when they don't expect it and bushwack them another day. Those who haven't will not appreciate the pearls of wisdom. 

There's nothing wrong with a disclaimer or two. There's also nothing wrong with giving a straight answer to an honest question. You don't learn how to talk or emotionally de-escalate in almost any martial arts class. You don't practice running technique or E&E either. What people learn in martial arts classes is how to fight and how to deal with the aftermath of the fight if you have a particularly good teacher. So why do people insist on doing this? Because it's true, certainly. But some of it is a status game. The distributor of the rhetorical gems can feel superior to the newbie and make himself look wiser by making the other guy look naive. It's also a little insulting to tell someone "The question you asked isn't worth answering. I'll tell you what you should have asked." As Martha Stewart would say "And that's not a Good Thing."

If you rely on your jump spin triple somersault head-butt, say so. If the shillelagh is your pet weapon there's no reason to be ashamed of it. Nobody worth knowing is keeping score and thinking "Oooh, he didn't give an answer like an Enlightened Master would. Ten points off, and he can't be in The Club."


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## Shotgun Buddha (Apr 6, 2007)

Ive noticed that before, its not enough to answer a question, we have to pose for history as well


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## stone_dragone (Apr 6, 2007)

As I see it, the problem lies not in their elusive answer but in the false humility that is the source of that answer.  

There are schools that teach de-escalation tactics and things of that nature as part of their curriculuum, and they need to be praised.  Honestly, the first technique that I ever learned in class was the tactical retreat.  Everything else was in case that didn't work out so well.


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## JBrainard (Apr 6, 2007)

My teacher hasn't talked about de-escalation much at all, although he did show us a nice kick/step on the knee that flows right into running like hell.


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## Touch Of Death (Apr 6, 2007)

JBrainard said:


> My teacher hasn't talked about de-escalation much at all, although he did show us a nice kick/step on the knee that flows right into running like hell.


De escelation can occur simply by standing your ground, and I don't mean aggressivly. It all starts with attitude. I like to use the Chicken in the pen analogy. None of the chickens are really friends, but they will gang up on the weakest chicken. Part of you responsibility to your self is to not appear to be the weakest chicken. You need to keep you head and eyes up. Pay attention to your surroundings and be ready with a game plan. Then work on diplomacy.
sean


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## tellner (Apr 6, 2007)

Marc MacYoung has done some good stuff on the subject, particularly his _Professional's Guide to Ending Violence Quickly_. The police community seems to think highly of the Verbal Judo program.


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## Kenzan (Apr 6, 2007)

I think that it's possible that to many people, the Martial Arts _isn't _about fighting, and *is *all about development of the mind, as well as de-escalation. 
I know this because I try to live it myself.
Certainly we can talk about the specifics and weaponry of our chosen arts all day, but I've personally found that when all things are equal, (and also mostly when they are not equal,) the person who wins a fight for survival is the one that has the strongest mindful will to do so.
Therefore to me, what sort of weapon I use isn't as important as having a certain level of mental readiness which I find comfortable in any given situation.
Also, in my specific art, Kendo, it begins with 100% of the physical, but I'm finding out that it slowly graduates to almost an all mental game, which I feel makes sense. 

-That is, until the law allows me to drive a tank wherever I go.


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## Touch Of Death (Apr 6, 2007)

Kenzan said:


> I think that it's possible that to many people, the Martial Arts _isn't _about fighting, and *is *all about development of the mind, as well as de-escalation.
> I know this because I try to live it myself.
> Certainly we can talk about the specifics and weaponry of our chosen arts all day, but I've personally found that when all things are equal, (and also mostly when they are not equal,) the person who wins a fight for survival is the one that has the strongest mindful will to do so.
> Therefore to me, what sort of weapon I use isn't as important as having a certain level of mental readiness which I find comfortable in any given situation.
> ...


There is no such thing as 100% physical.
Sean


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## Kenzan (Apr 6, 2007)

Touch Of Death said:


> There is no such thing as 100% physical.
> Sean



I think you know what I meant  :jediduel:


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## tellner (Apr 7, 2007)

There's something that I used to think of as mysticall ******** until I realized that it was the simple truth. In the beginning the body trains the mind. At the end the mind directs the body. Insight and understanding are important, but it's learned best by starting with the physical. What the body does is remembered and has a profound effect on how the mind works. Later on when you have skills the mind can call on them at need. 

Another one of those woo-woo things that turns out to be G-d's own plain truth is that you can do it from the bottom up or the heart out but not from the head down. It starts with training the body which alters how you relate to your body, how you react and a thousand other things. Or you start with the heart. Someone who has good intention and motivation honestly doesn't need that much technique. It's just a matter of presenting tools that will help him or her carry out that will. Start with too much cogitating and analyzing and you'll get nowhere fast. Later on there's time to fight smarter and to get your strategies in line. The mind is important, but honestly in the three legged race of knowledge, skill and understanding it's more important to get the first two sets of ducks in a row before spending too much time on the last one. 

_Mu-shin_, theory, advanced strategy and clever tactics are all great. They're far behind having efficient motion, getting your intention set and keeping it where it needs to be and keeping your training. Once you've got those, and once they've guaranteed that you will spend your time in the real world instead of the world inside your head it's time to work on the whole mind thing and concentrate on directing the body with it.


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## Last Fearner (Apr 7, 2007)

tellner said:


> When anyone asks questions about self defense techniques or weapons it follows as the night the day and the lawyers an ambulance that someone will say something like this...
> 
> "The best way to fight is by not fighting."
> "My greatest (weapon|technique) is my (mind|mouth|running shoes|calmness|selective resemblance to a bull elephant)."
> ...


 
A man walked into a bar.  He asked the bar tender for a glass of water.  The bar tender reached beneath the counter, pulled out a gun, and pointed it at the man.  The man smiled, thanked the bar tender, and walked out of the bar.   

Why?


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## Touch Of Death (Apr 7, 2007)

Last Fearner said:


> A man walked into a bar. He asked the bar tender for a glass of water. The bar tender reached beneath the counter, pulled out a gun, and pointed it at the man. The man smiled, thanked the bar tender, and walked out of the bar.
> 
> Why?


Bartenders hate doing free things for people.
Sean


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## FearlessFreep (Apr 7, 2007)

_A man walked into a bar. He asked the bar tender for a glass of water. The bar tender reached beneath the counter, pulled out a gun, and pointed it at the man. The man smiled, thanked the bar tender, and walked out of the bar.   

Why?_

The man had the hiccups.


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## tellner (Apr 7, 2007)

Last, if you're going to hijack a thread at least try to be interesting and clever. That was just lame and stupid.


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## Touch Of Death (Apr 7, 2007)

tellner said:


> Last, if you're going to hijack a thread at least try to be interesting and clever. That was just lame and stupid.


And further more; I don't get it.
Sean


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## KenpoTex (Apr 7, 2007)

I have to agree with Tellner on this one. In fact, I was considering bringing up this very topic right before I saw this thread.

I get really tired of hearing this stuff every time someone asks a question. It's to the point where I watch the threads wondering how long it's going to be before we hear the "just run" or "just talk your way out" mantras. A good example would be the recent thread about your "preferred weapon."   

As has been stated. We should all be smart enough to figure out that if we can avoid a fight, we should do so. However, if every fight could be avoided by verbal de-escalation or by running away then we wouldn't need to train in self defense. We could all go buy a copy of Verbal Judo and a pair of running shoes and we'd be set.

AFAIC, we should "sticky" a disclaimer at the top of the forum that would included all this stuff. Then we could use the threads to discuss tactics and techniques without worrying about having them cluttered up with all these pointless "just run away" posts.


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## tradrockrat (Apr 7, 2007)

This is interesting because I was feeling like, "How many times can we all say just run away before everyone stops posting in the self defense thread?"

I know for a fact that I have said many times things like "I do A and B so that I can run away." or, "I would try to avoid / deescalate / etc. ..."

But eventually we all need to accept the fact that maybe - just maybe - the poster of the question knows this as well as we do and just accept the unspoken understanding that we've gone past deescalation and avoidance and are at that pioint where violence is unavoidable and answer the question in that light.

JMHO.


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## Last Fearner (Apr 10, 2007)

FearlessFreep said:


> _A man walked into a bar. He asked the bar tender for a glass of water. The bar tender reached beneath the counter, pulled out a gun, and pointed it at the man. The man smiled, thanked the bar tender, and walked out of the bar. _
> 
> _Why?_
> 
> The man had the hiccups.


 
Yes, FearlessFreep, you are correct.



tellner said:


> Last, if you're going to hijack a thread at least try to be interesting and clever. That was just lame and stupid.


 
tellner,  with all due respect to you sir, I was not hijacking this thread.  You asked a question, and I was answering it in my own way.  My response was neither lame nor stupid.  It was a philosophical riddle designed to promote the kind of thought provoking exchange that I find more beneficial to a student than to simply give them the answer.  Perhaps your Martial Art training does not work this way.  Perhaps your instructor(s) did not teach you by using this method, but you asked the question, "why" so there is my answer.

My explanation is this.  The man in the riddle asked for something.  The bartender knew what he wanted, had the item the man asked for, and could have simply given it to him.  However, the bartender was also insightful as to "why" the man wanted the water.  Not because he was thirsty, but because he had a problem he wanted resolved.  The bartender chose an alternative method, and ultimately gave the man the results he wanted.  For this, the man was grateful, smiled and left the bar contented.

While I would not recommend pulling a gun on someone to cure the hiccups, or to make a point, the lesson behind the riddle is valid, and specifically answers the question you posed when you first started this thread.  There are instructors whose priority it is to deal first and foremost with the student's mind.  Shape their character, and be sure that they are trustworthy enough to handle the knowledge and power of Martial Art fighting skills.

There are times when a student asks for something, but an insightful instructor knows that what the student really needs is the tools to discover the answer.  The student might be seeking something that is wrong for them, so the instructor will guide them to the right path.  The student might be barking up the wrong tree, so to speak.

A good instructor will know when to give a straight answer, and when to guide a student to wisdom of their own.  It's a process.  The problem is that many novice, and some internet gurus don't have this advanced training, and they are simply attempting to look "wise" by doing this at the wrong times, or far too often.  This is where many advanced practitioners here get annoyed because they read the same cliches over and over.

You asked why people do that, that is my answer.  If you don't care for how I presented my answer, I can appreciate that.  If you didn't understand why I presented that way, all you have to do is ask.  If you don't want me to reply to your questions or participate in your threads then just say so, and I will avoid them with pleasure, but please do not insult me.  I might might not be the kind of instructor you like, but there might be a pearl of wisdom or two that I can share with those who are interested in hearing my perspective.

Sorry to have disturbed your thread!  :asian: 
Peace!
CM D.J. Eisenhart


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## Marginal (Apr 10, 2007)

Is it a question of cliches, common knowledge that needs no repetition, or is it simply a case of the people saying "de-escalate/run away" are buzzkills?


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## tellner (Apr 10, 2007)

It's neither, really. There are certainly people who are too eager to fight. You need to get rid of them or slow them down a bit. Many of them are kids who don't have fully developed values or common sense. Saying "Your most important weapon is your mind," or "Think before talking, talk before running, run before fighting," are very appropriate for children or for adolescents who haven't completely weathered the hormone storm. But a thirty year old woman with two kids, a degree and a job? It's a tad insulting to tell it to her as if she didn't know.

It also plays into the cliches (and BS) about how "the True Warrior(tm) is a pacifist". It's also a great way of patting oneself on the back if one's **** is weak. The fact that it will show up in any thread about fighting, self defense, technique, martial skills or anything even remotely related is telling. 

The point remains - People know how to run. People who don't normally get in a lot of fights know how to de-escalate and back off. What they don't tend to know is how to fight scientifically. That's where martial arts teachers come in. 

While some very good teachers are trained in conflict resolution they are rarer than NRA members contributing to Chuck Schumer. Martial arts curricula simply do not specialize in this. If you can fight you can choose not to. If you can't you don't have the choice. One hopes that your training will be good enough to give you that choice.


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## Bill Bednarick (Apr 11, 2007)

The Mind is my weapon of choice.

No question about it for me.

I learned how manipulate situations to my advantage long before I received formal martial training and it is still the most used tool I have when faced with a conflict.

That's probably not what Lil' Johnny's  mom is looking for when she shops for martial arts classes for him but it's worked for me for 40 years so I'm sold.

I can see it now...

But Mom Guru Bill said you gotta know how to lie.

But that's real and it works.


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## Steel Tiger (Apr 11, 2007)

tellner said:


> When anyone asks questions about self defense techniques or weapons it follows as the night the day and the lawyers an ambulance that someone will say something like this...
> 
> "The best way to fight is by not fighting."
> "My greatest (weapon|technique) is my (mind|mouth|running shoes|calmness|selective resemblance to a bull elephant)."
> ...


 
Is it possible, just possible, mind, that the person who asks questions about self-defence or weapons is actually interested in knowing about self-defence and weapons?  Even if you do really think that you should think or run or whatever why not just answer the question?

Unfortunately, I think that a lot of martial artists have bought into the nonsense spouted by Hollywood about martial arts. "the True Warrior is a pacifist" Tellner wrote,  but look at the men who founded the various arts.  They were not pacifists!  The sought combat to test and hone their skills.  

The mind may well be the best weapon, but when someone asks about techniques just answer them.


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## KenpoTex (Apr 11, 2007)

Steel Tiger said:


> Is it possible, just possible, mind, that the person who asks questions about self-defence or weapons is actually interested in knowing about self-defence and weapons? Even if you do really think that you should think or run or whatever why not just answer the question?
> 
> Unfortunately, I think that a lot of martial artists have bought into the nonsense spouted by Hollywood about martial arts. "the True Warrior is a pacifist" Tellner wrote, but look at the men who founded the various arts. They were not pacifists! The sought combat to test and hone their skills.
> 
> The mind may well be the best weapon, but when someone asks about techniques just answer them.


umm...did you read the whole thread?  Tellner was/is the one griping about people that automatically respond with a "just run" (or whatever) answer.


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## Steel Tiger (Apr 11, 2007)

kenpotex said:


> umm...did you read the whole thread? Tellner was/is the one griping about people that automatically respond with a "just run" (or whatever) answer.


 
Yes I did read the whole thread.  I agree with what Tellner was saying, I may have worded things poorly.  The point I was trying to make there was that the people we admire in the world of martial arts were not pacifists and, sadly, as Tellner said, a lot of people buy into that and take it to heart.

The point I was trying to make, and clearly failing, (it has been a long day at work) is that we should be honest in answering questions about what we do because someone might genuinely be interested.


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## KenpoTex (Apr 12, 2007)

Steel Tiger said:


> Yes I did read the whole thread. I agree with what Tellner was saying, I may have worded things poorly. The point I was trying to make there was that the people we admire in the world of martial arts were not pacifists and, sadly, as Tellner said, a lot of people buy into that and take it to heart.
> 
> The point I was trying to make, and clearly failing, (it has been a long day at work) is that we should be honest in answering questions about what we do because someone might genuinely be interested.


Okay, gotcha...we're on the same page now


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## Steel Tiger (Apr 12, 2007)

kenpotex said:


> Okay, gotcha...we're on the same page now


 
Excellent.  Its good to know I can still make some sense after so much of the work day.


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## CoryKS (Apr 12, 2007)

The problem comes from not knowing what assumptions are made in the initial question.  If somebody asks a question about what to do when the SHTF, I don't respond with tips on avoidance or deescalation because my assumption is that the scenario has passed beyond that phase.  That the person has already done what he/she could to avoid the situation and, for whatever reason, failed.  We allow for that failure, otherwise we wouldn't train in MA.  We'd just practice evasion/avoidance drills.

Last Fearner made a good point with his riddle.  There's a flaw, though - the man with the hiccups may actually be _thirsty._  The bartender made an assumption about what the man wanted that could be incorrect.


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## Grenadier (Apr 20, 2007)

*Moderator's note:*

Posts were split into this thread.  Please continue any such discussions on that subject matter in that thread.  

-Ronald Shin
-MT Moderator


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## Xue Sheng (Apr 20, 2007)

tellner said:


> If you rely on your jump spin triple somersault head-butt, say so. If the shillelagh is your pet weapon there's no reason to be ashamed of it. Nobody worth knowing is keeping score and thinking "Oooh, he didn't give an answer like an Enlightened Master would. Ten points off, and he can't be in The Club."


 

DAMN... Now you tell me

And after I just told someone to hit back and hit back hard too..... 

And NOW I find I'm going to loose points.... SHEEESH!!!

You would THINK a fellow curmudgeon would have told me sooner....

Thanks tellner...THANKS A LOT.... and now HOW many points do I loose exactly

:uhyeah:

OK I will skulk back to my dark little corner of the world now.

*EDIT*

OK I lied I&#8217;m not going just yet

A fight is a serious thing not to be taken lightly but if it happens it happens. But there are times when people ask a leading question so they can justify going a beating the hell out of someone over what amounts to a load of ********. This is why I tend not to tell those I do not know or trust to go out and just punch someone in the head. And yes I did tell someone to hit back today&#8230;right here on MT. 

I will reference my Sanda Sifu&#8217;s attitude about training here. He does not say Sanda is the best, most dangerous or even that it will make you the baddest martial artist to walk the earth. What he does say it that if you train it is not all that hard to become effective fairly fast and it is that reason he will not teach anyone that he does not know and trust. He does not want to be responsible for someone going out and beat up or hurt people just cuz. 

It is this same reason I generally do not give direct answers to such questions.


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## zDom (Apr 20, 2007)

Xue, there is this one particular dogwood tree around here that has been giving me some pretty hard looks. Advice?

(G,D & R )


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## Sukerkin (Apr 20, 2007)

Just as an intriguing aside, how would you say a martial art such as the Katori Shinto ryu would fit into this?  They dedicate themselves to the study of the lethal side of martial arts and yet have the philosophic mindset that if you have any other choice then you eschew violence.

You can tell from my question that I have my own views on this subject {after all who doesn't :lol:}.  Just to be plain, I do not agree that martial arts training is primarily aimed at the projection of violence.  Self defence might be a better term I suppose.  

Regardless, tho' that might be what brings many people into the MA fold, the ability to open a can of whoopass on someone is not the whole story.  If responsibility is not taught along with combat then where you end up is a different place than if you learn that violence is not a first resort but rather a last.


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## MrE2Me2 (Apr 24, 2007)

Hello Tellner,

   You started this thread by posting, _There's nothing wrong with a disclaimer or two. There's also nothing wrong with giving a straight answer to an honest question._

  I would agree with a stipulation. Learning when and where to use each must be emphasized.

  For example; one of my instructors was a tough guy. Eventually, he burned out and left the martial arts. But before he did, he turned really mean. Wed be going half power and without warning hed tag us hard.

  Complaints were greeted with denial and indifference. He could get away with it, so he did.
   Finally, he tried it on someone who was ready for him. Worse, he did this in front of the man who has awarded him his black belt.

  Id like to say that he was the exception. But there were several students and teachers like him.
  When the changes finally occurred, it was a change towards strength governed by courtesy that did it. Until we all were both strong and courteous, there was a tendency to be too hard.

  Without a clear boundary on how bad violence can be, there can be a tendency towards brutality during training.

  Regards, MrE2Me2


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## Steel Tiger (Apr 25, 2007)

Sukerkin said:


> Just as an intriguing aside, how would you say a martial art such as the Katori Shinto ryu would fit into this? They dedicate themselves to the study of the lethal side of martial arts and yet have the philosophic mindset that if you have any other choice then you eschew violence.
> 
> You can tell from my question that I have my own views on this subject {after all who doesn't :lol:}. Just to be plain, I do not agree that martial arts training is primarily aimed at the projection of violence. Self defence might be a better term I suppose.
> 
> Regardless, tho' that might be what brings many people into the MA fold, the ability to open a can of whoopass on someone is not the whole story. If responsibility is not taught along with combat then where you end up is a different place than if you learn that violence is not a first resort but rather a last.


 
Discussing techniques and the philosophy associated with them is quite different to dodging the question with answers like, "the best technique is de-escalation" or " the mind is the greatest weapon".  In one case you are putting the techniques into perspective and trying to explain the why of the way things are done.  In the other, you are just dodging the question and building your own ego to boot.


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## Em MacIntosh (May 24, 2007)

You punch the guy out, how's that?


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## KenpoTex (Nov 15, 2007)

just bumping this one back to the top...

the "just run away"  or "just deescalate verbally" crap kinda died down after this thread but now it's starting up _yet again_.


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## thardey (Nov 16, 2007)

I've been asked to teach self-defense more and more at my school, and I'm really enjoying it.

But I agree with Tellner's rant, if the answer was to run away, then we all should buy running shoes and be done with it. Me, I know physically that I'm not likely to outrun someone who's likely to attack me.

So, in the self-defense stuff, say I'm teaching knife defense, I teach the technique, then, after everybody's feeling comfortable with it, I bring them in close and talk to them about it. I point out that if the guy responds this or that way, you're home free, _but!_ if he responds this way, you're in trouble. That said, this is not a 100% guaranteed technique. Use it at your own risk.

Since it is a gamble, it is better not to have to try it in the first place, but if your options are try it and maybe escape, maybe get killed, or don't try it, and probably get killed, here's the best way to try it.

The part that always worries me are the people who still believe that karate is some kind of "magic ability" that makes you invincible. You show them some tech, and are confident that it is a good tech, they take that "good" tech, and their imagination transforms it into a "undefeatable" tech.

Those are the people who are targeted by the new "up and coming" RBSD guys you see on YouTube. They take a "good" tech, then point out it's weakness, then declare it a "bad" tech because it has weaknesses. Buy their program and they will teach you the "real" tech that they say has no weaknesses.

People with that mentality need to be taught that every tech has a counter, and that every counter has a counter. Nothing is guaranteed.


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## Sukerkin (Nov 16, 2007)

Quite right, especially on that very important last sentence, *Thardey*.


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## Xue Sheng (Nov 16, 2007)

thardey said:


> The part that always worries me are the people who still believe that karate is some kind of "magic ability" that makes you invincible.


 
Well of course Karate does not give you "magic ability"... everyone knows that... for that you need CMA or SANDA :EG: :uhyeah:

My view on all of this simple

Run if you can, if you cant fight.

If it is at all possible avoid the confrontation and if that means running then run. But be very aware that I said "if at all possible" If it is not possible then you fight. 

But I do not need to stand there to prove anything to anybody by fighting and beating someone up or getting beat up so if I can avoid it by removing myself from the situation I will do just that.


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## thardey (Nov 16, 2007)

Xue Sheng said:


> Well of course Karate does not give you "magic ability"... everyone knows that... for that you need CMA or SANDA :EG: :uhyeah:
> 
> My view on all of this simple
> 
> ...



Very true, and I don't disagree in the slightest. I think the problem is when genuinely interested people ask, OK what if I can't run? How do I fight?

One common response to that question that I've run into while researching what I want to teach is (again, a good answer to a different question, but is now a cliche) "Don't get bogged down with the "what-if" monkeys. You're just trying to manufacture a situation where you want to prove you're a bad-***!"

That particular response to a legitimate question helps no one.


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## Xue Sheng (Nov 16, 2007)

I went to a Bagua seminar many years ago and the Sifu told us a story about his Sifu. I will keep it short, believe me it was a long story.

He asked his Sifu about fighting a local bully and his sifus response was always "dont fight". After multiple scenarios he hit on one that made his sifu say Then you fight but make sure you kill him or he may come back to get you later the sifu that was telling me this responded with I dont want to kill him... just teach him a lesson His sifu said oh and make sure you kill his entire family too or that may look for you to get revenge to which the response was I dont want to kill anyone and of course his Sifus response was again Then dont fight. 

OK that may or may not be a little extreme; frankly I think it make the seriousness of fighting and its consequences pretty clear. But my jujitsu sansei use to always tell us about the times he ran or the times he avoided fights not the fights he won. And he made sure we understood the seriousness and the consequences of fighting. But he also made sure that if we had no choice we could fight.


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## thardey (Nov 16, 2007)

Xue Sheng said:


> He asked his Sifu about fighting a local bully and his sifus response was always "dont fight". After multiple scenarios he hit on one that made his sifu say Then you fight but make sure you kill him or he may come back to get you later the sifu that was telling me this responded with I dont want to kill him... just teach him a lesson His sifu said oh and make sure you kill his entire family too or that may look for you to get revenge to which the response was I dont want to kill anyone and of course his Sifus response was again Then dont fight.



I like it.

"I just want to teach him a lesson." Is probably the hardest thing for people to get over. But that is what gets so many people in trouble.


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## Xue Sheng (Nov 16, 2007)

thardey said:


> I like it.
> 
> "I just want to teach him a lesson." Is probably the hardest thing for people to get over. But that is what gets so many people in trouble.


 
Agreed


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## theletch1 (Nov 16, 2007)

thardey said:


> I like it.
> 
> "I just want to teach him a lesson." Is probably the hardest thing for people to get over. But that is what gets so many people in trouble.


Almost.  Ego is the hardest thing for people to get over and it's the ego that drives you to want to "teach someone a lesson".  My opinion only, so take it for what it's worth...and with this head cold they're not worth much.


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## seasoned (Nov 16, 2007)

JBrainard said:


> My teacher hasn't talked about de-escalation much at all, although he did show us a nice kick/step on the knee that flows right into running like hell.


 


theletch1 said:


> Almost. Ego is the hardest thing for people to get over and it's the ego that drives you to want to "teach someone a lesson". My opinion only, so take it for what it's worth...and with this head cold they're not worth much.


 
In the good old days ego was the first enemy to conquer . It never made it to the street because any Sensei worth his salt beat it out of you or you quit the dojo.


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## seasoned (Nov 16, 2007)

JBrainard said:


> My teacher hasn't talked about de-escalation much at all, although he did show us a nice kick/step on the knee that flows right into running like hell.


 
Sorry jbrainard, I didn't mean to lump your post into above. It was a mistake. I did tho like what you posted and saw the humor.


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## Balrog (Nov 21, 2007)

tellner said:


> The man who fights and runs away lives to sneak up behind his enemies when they don't expect it and bushwack them another day.


 
ROTFLMAO!!!


Outstanding line - it has been stolen for future use!


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## KenpoTex (Apr 19, 2008)

*bump*


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## shesulsa (Nov 7, 2011)

Necroposting and I don't care. 

From a woman 20+ year victim of domestic violence, still in crisis: 

"I just don't want to hurt anybody."

*sigh*


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