The purpose of each workshop listed below is to reinforce logic, as it applies to self-defense. In other words, how do I know what action to take when I’m attacked? Which tactics are most useful to me at that moment? Which tactics are un-useful? Which ones are useless? For example; kicking is a common tactic used in fights. But is it a useful one? Only sometimes. Try kicking while standing in an icy parking lot and see what happens. Or try to kick while seated in a car, or in a crowded room, or on the slope of a hill. Tactics that can only be used some of the time are deemed ‘un-useful’, while tactics that never work are considered ‘useless’. The most ‘useful’ tactics are those which can be used most of the time.
• DEVELOP MARGIN FOR ERROR – Learn to put the odds in your favor. Experience and understand important concepts like: anchoring, controlling distance, stabilizing your base, having a back-up, etc. while working against all manners of attack.
• DEVELOP A BALANCE/POSTURE STRATEGY – You can severely limit your attacker’s ability to fight by changing his balance/posture. Learn how to win the fight by simply out-posturing your opponent.
• “WITH” – This logical concept can be thought of as martial arts multi-tasking. Instead of doing this, and then that, and then this, and then that --- do it all at once. Learn to apply defense with defense; defense with offense; offense with offense
• ANGLE OF DEVIATION – Learn to avoid being struck by moving off the line of attack. Refine this critical idea by simultaneously creating an angle of entry that enhances your ability to counter-attack and end the fight.
• OBSCURE ZONES – Taking advantage of obscure zones entails striking and/or manipulating in your opponent’s blind spots. The goal is to make sure your attacker feels your actions without first seeing them.
• TIME & ENVIRONMENT – Sometimes it’s simply not possible to step back or to the outside of an attack. When this occurs you have to be able to move forward and to the inside of the attack. Distance and timing are critical.
• LONG ARMS – One of the most common mistakes people make when fighting is they over-extend their arms. Arms that are too ‘long’ can be locked, sprained, broken, twisted, etc. Learn how to take full advantage of the ‘long arm’. .
