10 SELF-DEFENCE TIPS TO KEEP YOU SAFE THIS FESTIVE PEROD

The holiday season is upon us! For most people that have been working flat out during the year, this will be the time where you start winding down and taking it a bit easier. Gradually, as the schools begin to close and family's start heading off on their holidays, the roads in the once chaotic city hubs begin to thin out. However, this time of de-stressing  and relaxing, may be the time of the year where you are most vulnerable.

Here are 10 self-defence tips for all those who may be either taking a holiday to some exotic destination, staying at home, or could be working still during this holiday period.

If you are heading off on holiday somewhere, here are 3 quick tips:

1. Criminals go on holiday too - This doesn't mean they take a break from their vocation, it means that where ever you may go for your holiday, be aware that there are criminals there too. Whether it is to separate you from your hard-earned cash or possessions, to more serious crimes such as assault, rape or kidnappings, just be aware that there are criminals where you are heading too. This doesn't mean that you have to be paranoid about the destination that you are heading off to, but it does mean that you must not let your guard down completely.

2. Heading off to a foreign country? Have you learnt a couple of key phases in the main language of the country you are going to for those "just in case" moments? Personally, a key phrase that I would learn is, "please help me"! Sounds simple enough, but very often, if I see a person screaming in some foreign language, I would have no clue what to do other than assume he is upset with bad service, arguing with their  lover or spouse (or both), or just throwing a tantrum! By screaming a specific phrase in a native language, I reckon it would remove a lot of confusion and get some immediate attention should you require it.

3. Have you done your research? If you are traveling abroad, have you done your research to find out where the most crime hazardous places are and how you can avoid them? If you are like me and get bent on wanting to visit some places that are in a less-than-savvy part of town, make sure you take the necessary precautions such as arranging for a reliable means of transport to get you there and back.

If you are taking some leave away from work and will just be staying at home:

4. Touch base. As much as you want to just shut the world out and just "do your thang", keep abreast with local news to see what's happening out there.  Very often, just listening or reading the news once a day or every second day, is suffice. Keep in touch with some people out there to let them know you are ok. It's easy to let the holiday bug to kick in and become a hermit.

5.Pottering. If you going to be pottering in and around the house, still keep your guard up at all times. During these vulnerable states of relaxation, criminals will exploit whatever opportunities that they can find. Whether you leaving the back door open for fresh air, or if you're on the basement, attic or store room cleaning, keep your wits about you.

6. Home alone? Well, great time to audit your security systems - check that the parameter of your property is secure and that whatever security features you have installed are functioning 100% properly. Very often people confuse the need of a security system.  The primary reason is to secure yourself and your loved ones and the secondary reason is to secure your material possessions – not the other way around.

If you are one of the unlucky few that still has to work during this festive period:

7. Travelling back and forth between home and work will require you to be aware of those road users who might have had a little too much of the "festive spirit" still in them from that parties before. Also, not stopping at stop signs or traffic light seems to be the latest road trend lately. Unfortunately, with the winding down and de-stressing, many people seem to wind down their common sense too.

8. Company offices may be quieter than usual as many companies will only have a skeleton-staff on standby. This could include also the security staff. Unfortunately, this does leave the offices a bit more vulnerable to criminals who might decide to do a bit of Christmas shopping in your building. Notice any suspicious people and their behaviour and report it immediately. Don't assume that a person would just be wondering aimlessly in your work space. There is always a reason.

9. Retail workers get the worse of it this season. From irate customers and petty shoplifters, to the more serious organised crime syndicates, this is the season to be extra vigilant. It goes without saying that an irate customer just needs some understanding and firm handling. However, shop lifters can lead to more irrational decisions such as giving chase without regard to one’s personal safety. Organised crime syndicates are on the rise that can range from gang-shoplifting, to full-out assaults on retail stores with more high-value items. Both can be challenging, and all I can say is be aware of it and rather take some extra business insurance out - there is nothing else more valuable than preserving your own life or a customers' life. By the way, “extra business insurance” could range from higher premium stock-loss insurance packages, to actual extra security staff. Just do it. Don't be a cheap-skate!

And lastly,

10. You are on holiday! Don't forget that! As much as you are to be vigilant and situationally aware, still go out and have some fun! Party, drink, and dance! For some, this could be a short few days of relaxation that you have before you head back to the craziness of life. For others, you might be on a whirlwind, once-in-a-life time world touring experience! Whatever it is, have fun and enjoy it!  After all, self-defence skills (which range from mental situation preparedness to physical responses) are there to allow you to live and enjoy your life to the fullest, without the fears and frustrations of not knowing what to do in a harmful situation.

Get EDUCATED. Feel EMPOWERED. Live a happy and fully ENGAGED life! 

Training Kendo in Japan – The Kitamoto Experience

The 2014 Kitamoto Kendo Summer Camp for foreigners was held from 25 July to 1 August 2014 in Kitamoto, Japan, and was an event that I once again had the privilege to attend. It was a great reminder of why I started kendo a decade ago. In my quest for personal development, I wanted something that would cross geographical, religious, political and cultural borders. Kendo was one such martial art. 

Kenshi from 48 different countries descended upon the small town of Kitamoto, +-60 km outside of Tokyo, to participate in this week-long kendo seminar that focused more on the basics of kendo and the instruction thereof. We were also treated to an experience of Japanese culture and tradition, something that Kendo still prides itself in upholding, From the 3-times-a-day delicious meals, to just simple interactions with the Japanese sensei's and staff at the Gedatsu Renshin-kan Dojo and training centre, to the Japanese styled, open bath areas, all was a hint of the intricate Japanese culture and lifestyle. It was a rare opportunity to fully appreciate what life in Japan would be like. The training itself was not too bad. Being a past participant of the Kitamoto Camp some 6 years before, I was able to compare the training from then to what it is now. Furthermore, in speaking to my sensei's back home in SA, it would appear it has gotten a lot easier in the past 20 years. I discussed this with some of the past participants of Kitamoto too and it was in their opinion that the reason for this easing-up in training was largely due to the global rise in kendo standards. Gone are the days when the “gai-jin” (or foreigner) was an outsider and could not match the Japanese standard in kendo. Although not yet as good as them, many non-Japanese countries are catching up fast and adopting Japanese training methods to improve their Kendo. A good example would be from the 2008 World Kendo Championships in Sao Paulo, Brazil, where the USA beat the Japanese team in the semi-finals. In 2012, Novara, Italy, the Japanese team redeemed themselves and won the team event against the Koreans in the finals. However, the point is that the Americas, European and other Asian counties are starting to give the Japanese a good run for their money! The 2015 WKC in Tokyo, Japan will be an exciting event with many teams practising months, if not years before! South Africa will again be represented by the National Kendo Team, and it is my personal ambition to proudly represent my country one last time before I hang up my competition zekken (or name badge). A bit more about the Kitamoto camp - What can I say other than that this was probably the most enjoyable Kendo experience I have had in a long time. 

In my 1^st decade of kendo, I have been to a number of seminars and competitions around the world - Budapest & Debrechen (Hungary), Prague (Czech republic), London (UK), Helsinki (Finland), Sao Paulo (Brazil), Novora (Italy), Kitamoto (Japan). Most people say that I am really lucky to have been to so many different places, but honestly, most of the time, the time is so short and I mainly spend the time in the confines of the training area (dojo). This is why Kitamoto camp was so enjoyable - As much time I spent in training; I spend just as much time enjoying the Japanese culture and experiences. Furthermore, having 61 other participants from around the world doing the same camp, also made it more culturally diverse! My fellow roommates from Room 304 (Hoo-Ahh) hailed from Italy, Mexico, Uruguay, Columbia, Spain and (a fellow African) Mozambique. As much as we were different, we were all still the same in our passion for Kendo! Our room camaraderie superseded any past experience. I also had the “privilege” of being the group leader or manager (which I reluctantly accepted). However, with that said, the team spirit of Room 304, and the  brotherhood and camaraderie was so strong that at times, as a leader, I had very little to do other than to inform the members of the daily chores! I biggest and proudest task was perhaps coordinating the fighting line-ups in the inter-room shiai /competition (which we won)! A testament that with the correct mix of eager people, the right attitude, and a common objective, anything is possible! We did everything together from the daily chores, sitting together at every meal, and even the after-hours social activities! However, we also gave each other sufficient space to meet other people and do “other things” (……."what happens in 304, stays in 304"). I also had the privilege of meeting many other kenshi from other parts of the world: USA, Finland, Singapore, Indonesia, France, Sweden, Serbia, Brazil, Venezuela, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Australia,  Hong Kong, Macau, China, Taiwan, Poland, Germany, UK, Turkey, Iran, Hawaii. More on the kendo itself: I mentioned that it was easier that my first experience at Kitamoto 6 years before, however, it was by no means an easy camp. Training formally started promptly at 6:30am each morning; however, for some eager-beavers who wanted to get some extra sparring (Keiko) in before the start of the day, there was an hour of keiko from 5:30am to 6:30 am each day. I managed one of these 5:30am sessions only. Anyway, the morning session from 6:30am lasted till 7:30am. Training resumed again from 9:30am after breakfast till 1pm. The mid-day session resumed again after lunch from 2:30 to 5:30pm. Each day ended off with more keiko either with each other, or with the sensei's.  On most evenings, there were also evening session. These sessions were from 8-9:30pm and included things like bogu-repair lectures and sessions. In total, it resulted in about 8 hrs of training each day -  a long day by any standard. The first 3 days I suffered badly from the jet-lag, heat and humidity. I did not sleep at all for the first night arriving due to the hard tatami mats on the floor, the freezing cold air conditioning in the room and the bright light of that stupid exit sign on the door (that did not switch off, even though there was an off-cord on it)! For the next 2 days I had about 4hrs sleep in total. Also, at temperatures of 30-35 degrees Celsius and +- 80% humidity each day, it was really difficult to breathe and adjust to the Japanese climate, especially since coming from the dry Highveld air of South Africa. Anyway, I eventually climatized and was able to put 100% into my training. Most of the training focused on the basics (or kihon) of kendo; and the proper forms and use both a bokken (wooden sword) and shinai (bamboo sword). I had learnt a fair amount of new information from the kihon kata using bokken that I hope to share with my fellow kendoka back home in South Africa. (A lot of shiai-orientated wazzas (techniques) can be derived from these kihon kata, as it is these shiai wazza's that we lack in international competitions). There was also a day of kata practise that we used real swords (unsharpened, but still pretty dangerous). This reminded me of a quote a work colleague once said to me: "nothing focuses the mind like the sound of a guillotine". There might not have been a guillotine anywhere near by, but my mind was indeed focused! We also had a daily session of shimpan (referee) training that entailed both understanding the rules and actually watching and refereeing matches for each other. The one day we were very privileged to have been the shimpans for the young school children of Gedatsu Renshin-kan Dojo. All I can say is that these little fighting machines could probably whip anyone of us foreigners a$$e$ with the speed and attitude of their kendo! 

Our shimpan training was also put to good use at the inter-room shiai / competition, where each room was to compete with each other in a team competition. Our room (304) was initially pitted against room 201, one of the girls room. Now, we had gotten quote close to the girls on this camp, and it pained us to send them packing in the first round, but it had to be done. Our next fight was against the "Asian" room, room 305 (so named because most of the participants were from the Asian countries of Singapore, Malaysia, Macao, Chinese Taipei and China). We had a good match against them and took an early lead. My fight at the end was with a kenshi from Singapore, with whom I beat with a hikkimen and kote strike. The comment I got afterwards from one of the ladies was "wow, you can fight too!"-  I thought that was an interesting comment! Lastly, we were in the finals against the Room 302. We were lucky enough to get an early lead, a bit of a hiccup in the middle, and the eventual win at the end! The hiccup was my match against Mr Lee from New Zealand. I lost in 2 quick points (kote, men), even after being warned about them by my other more experienced team members (on a personal note, I am happy to say I lost to the only successful 6th dan candidate that passed the grading examination at the end of the camp). All in all, room 304, as loud and as boisterous as we were, were able to win a bag full of victory drinks (green tea) in good spirit! It was great fun and so many lessons can be taken from this experience that I can use for our South African kendo players back home. The only regret I have was that we didn't get to referee any other matches since we won all ours. 

Keiko (sparring) was also a much anticipated event after a hard days training as it allowed us to put into practise all that we had learnt from the sensei's. From applying the kihon wazza from the kata, to performing the proper yukododatsu (scoring point), it was time to apply all that we learnt. Admittedly, the 1st 3 days of jet-lag and non-climitisation left me rather lethargic and sluggish, but I gradually recovered my gusto by day 4. However, than was when injuries started to kick in, most painful was the skin on the soles of my feet. Being hot and humid, training bare-footed eventually left my feet riddles with blisters and split skin. I had to bind my feet most of the time with bandage and tape to secure my feet. One time I even tried to use a kendo sock, but since the floor was so slippery, I decided not to use it anymore (as I resembled a hamster on a wheel - I was moving my legs, but I wasn't going anywhere as I would just slide in the same position)! On the last few days, with painful split feet, I just said, "just get over it", took all the bandages off and just gave the hardest keiko I could against the sensei's. 

That is what kendo is about - pushing at your boundaries and when you feel you have had enough, to just keep on pushing harder. Kendo is about personal development and is by no means something that gives you a hard a fast rule as to how you go about developing yourself - It merely gives you the guidelines and parameters, The rest is up to you. Hard keiko taught me that - I had to face many of my own demons, which included my personal insecurities, laziness, unclear ambitions and fears of inadequacies. What I did learn was invaluable though for my own personal development - always try my hardest; give it my all; pain is just temporary; age is just an illusion; just keep on going; being a leader is a choice, but when I decide to do so, I must step up and take responsibility. 

In one of our sessions with the camp's head sensei, Sato sensei, he mentioned 5 characteristics of a great leader that he came across in some Italian literature: 1) Intelligence, 2) Power to persuade, 3) Healthy Body and Mind, 4) Self-Motivation 5)Self-Control. Apparently Julius Caesar was the only leader in history with all these qualities. 

Lastly, a special mention of our excursion Tokyo, and specifically to the Nippon Budokan (National Martial Arts Centre) to watch the national elementary school kaitai (competition). With 16 shiai-jo's in a hexagon-shaped building, I could not but be in awe of this massive arena and where the 16th World Kendo Championships will be held in 2015. For 2 days, over 4000 elementary school kids took part in this event. It was later explained to me by Chiba Sensei (one of the AJKF directors) is that children aged 7 to 10 years old did basic kirrikaiesh and judged based on their form and technique. The 11 and 12 year old did shiai. Unfortunately we were not able to stay to the end, but it was impressive to watch how the organization of over 2500 competitors for the day was conducted! Truly inspirational! 

All in all, the Kitamoto camp was a unique and wonderful experience. I would encourage any aspiring kendo players to attend the event at least once in their lifetime. However, as it is explicitly stated, this is a foreign leader’s camp, and the intension is that these leaders will take the teachings back with them and instruct the kendo community in their country in this age-old martial art's techniques and philosophy. I made that a very conscious decision when signing up for this camp this time round, and although I was steadfast in ensuring I was there for kendo exclusively, I met some wonderful people and shared with them some amazing experiences that have touched me deeply. For that, I am truly grateful and will cherish those memories for the rest of my life. Hoo-ahhh!   

How Are You Building Your Self-Defence Skills?

Self-defence training is a life-skill that is vital for any person to learn and practise continuously. Some might say that in this day and age of civilisation and technology, there is no longer a need for it. However, the reality is that we need it now more than ever. Never in the history of mankind have we been faced with the human threats that we have now. From terrorist organizations threatening global warfare;  to organised crimes such as shopping malls shootouts and cash-in-transit heists; to increases in home invasions, murders, rapes and other hideous and violent crimes. Combine this with the global recession that still looms in the air, forcing more and more once-decent people to descend to a more barbaric survival means of stealing and plundering, it only fuels this vicious circle of crime and fear.

Many people have also become frustrated of crime and have resorted to throwing their hands up in the air and remark that that their tax money is supposed to be paying those law enforcement official to protect them from criminal elements; or they have gone to the other extreme of becoming apathetic towards crime by just pretending that it does not matter anymore because there is nothing that can be done anyway and are just prepared to become victims.

The truth is, most victims of crime are victims because they let themselves to be. They have not prepared adequately or rely on others to protect them.  As a life-skill, self-defence educates the individual on how to minimise the possibility of an attack, as well as empower themselves with relevant and effective physical skills. Although the physical skills are important, they are but a mere drop in the ocean of mental skills and preparedness one must undergo - It is fundamentally about developing the correct self-defence attitude.

I read an enlightened quote recently that said, "Many victims are victims not because they lack the capacity to fight, but because they have never had any exposure to the violence, and training to deal with that violence". How true is that statement! In my many years of traditional martial arts training, nothing could have prepared me more than the combative training I have undergone. Some of the highlights include: being hit in the face, groins, legs, chest and arms, just to see what the most effective combinations would be to elicit an incapacitation; being shot at with paintballs, airsoft pellets, and blank bullets filled with play-dough, to feel the fear of when someone is shooting at me; having being stabbed at with FULL-FORCE with rubber knives, leaving behind bruised ribs, to see if I really could catch a knife that was moving at that speed and being wielded with that intent to stab me to death;  having had attack-dogs set on me, dealing with them, and still having to accessing my weapon to deal with another human opponent;  bare-knuckle sparring with bigger and stronger opponents who just want to knock-out the little Asian guy; grappling with someone twice my size to emulate what it would be like to ground-fight with someone who knew what they were doing and would be willing to choke me to death or break a few bones; to trying to free myself from my opponent’s grip, while being held under-water in the sea to see if I could still fight in this oxygen-deprived, fear-inducing environment.

I admit -  I do put myself through some rather extreme training methods.  And yes, some people might call me a sadist (as I do actually enjoy the training)! However, I will be the first one to admit that each time I do combative training, I am scared $h!tless! Not because of the training methods, but because of the pain that I might (and inevitably do) incur. It is this fear of pain that makes me train harder so that I can minimise the pain. This fear gives me the edge above many of my opponents, because I am willing to do WHATEVER it takes to not feel that pain. I manage that fear of pain by training as hard as I possibly can to ensure that I don't get hurt. This is my self-defence training.

To take it to a higher and broader level, there is also a greater pain than my own pain, which is the pain I will feel if anything bad were to ever happen to my loved ones. THAT alone makes me train even harder so that I, should I have the opportunity to, will be able to prevent those bad elements from reaching them. However, I do still insist that they also undergo some self-defence training. After all, there is only so much I can do.

At the end of the day, it’s all about the choices I make. As I have said to many of my students, there is no right or wrong choices when it comes to self-defence decisions. The only proviso is that you need to live with the consequences of those choices.

So let me ask you again, how are you building this essential life-skill?

Get EDUCATED and EMPOWERED. Live a positive and fully ENGAGED life. 

* Just random news clippings while paging through a newspaper yesterday.

Police Harassment – What To Do When The Protectors Becomes The Aggressors.

 A close friend of mine and his wife had an unfortunate incident with the SAPS (South African Police Service) last night.  

This is their story:

“I was returning home from a party last night when we got stopped by the SAPS on the freeway.  We were made to pull-off on the side of this busy freeway into the emergency lane. Two policemen then approached my car with loaded weapons and were extremely rude, screaming and shouting for me to get out of the car. My wife, who is 5 months pregnant and was sleeping at the time, was rudely woken up by their banging guns on the rear side windows. She was abruptly told to get out of the car too.

They then proceeded to search my wife’s vehicle’s boot and asked what the items in the boot were. This included my wife’s gym bag, some groceries we had purchased earlier, and the spare tire.

They also searched me. Before they did, I informed them that I carried a firearm for self-defence purposes and which I had a valid licence for. Upon searching me, he then pulled out my firearm from its holster, unloaded the firearm, and proceeded to dry-fire it at my feet!

He then asked why I carried hollow points as they were "illegal" - which I know isn't and I told him so. Furthermore, he also found my spare magazine and he asked why I had so many bullets, in which I replied, I can have up to 200 rounds of ammunition with me as a self-defence licence holder.

He then proceeded to ask me a series of sarcastic questions such as,  Why I was driving my wife's car? Why was my wife sleeping? Why is she tired (“uh...because she is pregnant”)? Why do I carry a weapon?  Why do I have groceries in my car? Why don't I protect my parents? (That last one caught me out of the blue).   

After about 20mins of this harassment, they eventually they let me leave, but I was extremely upset by the way they treated my wife and I. Unfortunately, I had tried to get some details from them at the end of the incident. When I asked for his name, he laughed at me and walked back to his car, muttering some inaudible grunt to me. Since I was on a busy freeway, and my wife was a bit traumatised, I just left it and headed off as soon as I could.

I am so pissed off right now, what could I have done better?"

My first response was that he did everything correctly. Being a hot-head normally, I was surprised by the way he kept himself contained for as long as he did. Using some personal contacts and various other means, I was able to quickly compile some further advice for my traumatised friends:

1. Remain calm and co-operative at all time.
2. Maintain constant dialogue in a respectful, non-sarcastic manner (even though you may be fuming on the inside).
3. Should you carry any firearm, inform the officer as such. BE SURE TO BE CARRYING BOTH YOUR DRIVER’S LICENCE and FIREARM LICENCE with you at all times when you are driving and/or carrying.
4. Keep your hands out of the pockets of jackets and jeans. It looks too suspicious.
5. Don’t make any sudden movements or gestures. REMEMBER, KEEP YOUR COOL!
6. When the officer is done, politely ask his name, station and the “CALL SIGN” of his vehicle.
7.  The CALL SIGN is marked on the side of the police vehicle and has 2 alpha letters & 2 numerals.  For example, “SD34”, indicates the station (SD = Sandton) and the vehicle number (34).  This CALL SIGN, together with the time of the incident, can be tracked on the AVL tracker system for future reference. It will also indicate the officers who were operating the vehicle at the time.
8. If you feel the incident was unjust or the service was not satisfactory, you can report the incident to the SAPS’s Centre for Service Excellence on the toll-free line, 0800 333 177 (refer to http://www.saps.gov.za/services/services.php).
9. Be sure to supply them with details of the incident, the CALL SIGN of the vehicle, the time of the incident, and the names of the officers and the station of where they are based (if you got them, else the call sign is suffice).  
10. Lastly, breathe and relax before heading back onto the road. Get your cool back before you get back on the road. You don’t want to be driving angry.

This is an unfortunate incident once again of our protectors abusing their powers.  It really makes my blood boil when I hear of such stories as I really do respect and admire the SAPS and its members for the good work they do in our country. Furthermore, having friends who are members of the SAPS, I understand the sacrifices they make to be able to protect us from the criminal elements out there and are truly grateful for them. However, it’s a few “bad apples” such as these two officers that really just tarnish the reputation of the SAPS, and undermine the good work they do.

Through my friends’ experience, I hope this EDUCATES and EMPOWERS you on how to handle such incidents in future, and to encourage you live a positive and fully-ENGAGED life.

Till next time. Be safe. Be vigilant. Just Be. 

PAIN is a great teacher: Kelly McCann’s “Kembativz” (Combatives)

The weekend of 12-14 Sep 2014 with Kelly McCann can only be expressed as a reality-check! In a nutshell, it was hard-hitting, simple, but brutal.   McCann is an ex-Marine, combat veteran, and just one hard-hitting Modder-Flugger! No excuses, just plain pain. And pain, is a great teacher. Do it right, or get killed. Aggression, explosive power and simplicity was the name of the game.

Michelle Washington was McCann’s training partner, and all I can say is this lady has my absolute respect! Besides taking McCann’s hard-hits the entire weekend, I could see the warrior-spirit in her eye that said, “mess with me at you own peril”. Beauty and brawn couldn’t come in a better package than Michelle. 

One of McCann’s stories during a break was about a question he was once asked about the techniques in combatives:  “What do you do once you've mastered all the moves? Simple. Just learn to hit harder”.  There is no need for more elaborate moves or techniques, just mastering the basics and learning to use them as effectively as possible. My assumption is that these are to then be done with more power, more times  and at the correct moments in combat.

Over the 3 days, we explored a variety of defensive and offensive strikes using the fist, arms, feet, knees and elbows. On their own, they would be definitely cause an opponent pain. However, in combination, with the correct combative mindset, they could be absolutely devastating. One of the nice quotes from McCann goes on to say, “Fighting is 90% mental and 10% technique”.  I couldn't agree more. In combatives, one has to cultivate the correct mindset. It is a very different mindset from that of martial artist. Quoting McCann, “Martial arts is what you do WITH someone. Combatives is what you do TO someone.” Now if that doesn't embody what combatives is, then I don’t know what would!

"Keep it simple, silly”, said McCann. Looking back at my own personal Taekwondo training and experience, I could never perform a 540 degree jumping kick. As beautiful and as athletic as this kick is, it is technically very difficult and I never mastered it.  As much as I wished I could then, I know now that it would be of little use to me now in combat - simplicity is key.  McCann emphasised keeping it simple and using gross motor skills (big motions). This way, it will be easily recalled and performed when under pressure. He further went on to say, “combatives is sloppy”.  From a personal development perspective, this correlates nicely with a quote on success– “Success is never graceful and exactly the way you want it. It gets messy, but the results are still a success.”

The training was brutal. There was the bare-knuckle sparring that resulted in lots of swelling, bruising and a fair amount of blood from a number of cut eyes, torn foreheads and ripped ears. Then there was the debilitating knees and kicks to the inside and outside of thighs that left even the most hard-core of fighter squirming like babies. Lastly, the mental toughening was probably the most exhausting as it pushed physical pain boundaries to new levels. All in all, the training was indeed more about cultivating the correct mindset rather than perfecting physical skill. What struck me most, was the sincerity and passion that McCann conveyed to his students throughout his instruction. Never once did I feel that this man was on an ego-trip, If anything, he was the most humble man there, who could probably flatten anyone of us without breaking a sweat! 

On a side note, it was interesting to note that on day 2, there was an attempted theft of one of the participants cars. He noticed this from the 2^nd floor of the building where we were training in and promptly notified us. Unfortunately for this this thief, he picked the wrong day and group of people to try and steal from. Besides being hard-core fighters, most of the participants were armed (being either safety-conscious citizens or law enforcement officers). About a dozen or so participants rushed out with fully-loaded weapons, and ready to take our combatives training to a new level! Fortunately for the thief-wannabe, he got away before being caught by any one of us.  McCann and Michelle must have thought this quite amusing. However, they did say that they felt that South Africa needed this kind of training to prepare it for the daily crime that we face. This incident was evident again of that need. 

To conclude, this was probably one of the hardest, most brutal, and most enjoyable weekend training sessions I have ever been on. McCann and Michelle, with their experience and skills, were the perfect teachers to instruct this type of course.  With their guidance, and the assistance of my fellow “blood ‘n sweat” -brothers and sisters, I was able to face my fears of pain and inadequacy, as I am sure, many other participants were able to do so too.  I am truly grateful for the knowledge and experience, and something that I will be incorporated into my toolbox and regular self-defence training.

McCann’s final words to us were: “Be good. Live a good life. We all eventually die… but not today...” (…"Memento mori…sed hodie non...”)

For more information on Kelly McCann’s combatives, refer to www.kembativz.com.

My 10 Steps For Success

Look back at one of your successes and try and recall HOW you accomplished that success. It might have been some life-changing steps that was challenging to adhere to. Else, it could have been some sacrifice in either time, money or health.  Perhaps still, it might have been something that required a tremendous effort of your behalf. It might have been an emotionally-charged goal that you had a deep desire to reach. It could have been losing those extra pounds/kilos to get to that ideal weight; obtaining that next black belt in a particular style of martial art; or that tender that was successfully closed to secure a multi-million dollar deal! Whatever it was, it is that end goal that we are after!

Then, there is the discipline and focus towards that goal. Discipline implies the absolute adherence to following those steps to success in a consistent and continual manner. Focus is what is needed to stay on that path and to not let anything detract you from accomplishing that goal.

Here is an account of one of my most recent success:

Although I always had aspirations to look like a warring-Spartan with a 6-pack for abs, it was never something I was emotionally-charged enough to actually do something about. It was one of those things that I had convinced myself that I had reached the 30's now, and society dictated that for over 30's it was hard to shed those rolls of fat we call love handles.  What led me to make up this 12-week challenge was this one picture that was taken with my wife while on a family holiday.

I posted it on Facebook, and all I could say was that I looked FAT! As a martial artist, active for at least 5 days a week doing some training or the other, I could not figure out why I was looking so “big”? I was training harder than ever, and I was eating reasonably healthy foods, so what was happening?

I was getting despondent and desperate. It was during one of these low moments that I remember coming across a group of people that had really impressed me with their weight-loss program and their ability to achieve results. I started to do some research and eventually found the details of this group, Kaizen Transformation. After going through their marketing material and looking at the results they had accomplished with their clients, I decided to sign up for the 12-week dieting and fitness program.

Without giving too many trade secrets away, let me condense my experience in a few bullet points below:

• I was training hard but only at the cardio-vascular section. I had little to no strength-training in my program. That was an essential component to build muscle and burn fay!

• My diet was ok, but not ideal for me. I was put on a strict diet that monitored everything that I ate and forced me to make my own food! Surprisingly, I quite enjoyed the cooking experience and feel I have now also accomplished a skill I had always wanted to learn. I am far from being the next Master Chef, however, I know I can whip up a reasonably healthy and nutritious meal (much to my wife's delight)!

• My stats and training program was constantly monitored by my diet and fitness coaches, who gave me feedback on my progress.

• Lastly, I had an emotionally-charged goal in mind: If I could be disciplined enough to stick to these 12 weeks and accomplish some visible improvements, I will have discipline to move onto my next goal in life - to leave my corporate job and peruse a business in something I am passionate about.  

And here is the results after 12 weeks:

Needless to say, I was pleased with my results, but I realise I still have some way to go still to obtain that Spartan 6-pack! However, it did convince me that I have the discipline and the focus to accomplish any goal I set my mind and emotions to. With that, I had handed in my resignation from my corporate job, and as from 1 September 2014, I will be pursuing my passion as a full-time venture, which is to educate and empower people who have crime-related fears and frustrations, so as to unlock their potential for greatness! Defence Unlimited is the embodiment of that goal.

In a round-about way, I have therefore discovered my 10-steps for success based on this experience:

1.  Have an emotionally-charged goal;
2.  Seek help from experts;
3. Have a clearly defined plan;
4. Do what the action plan defines;
5. Stay focused, disciplined and motivated; 
6. Be accountable. If not to myself, then to someone who will kick me up the a$$ if I mess up;
7. It's ok to mess up. Acknowledge it, make a conscious effort to not do it again; get over it and move forward;
8. Stay mentally strong by being conscious of what I think and plant into my subconscious; 
9. Just keep going, especially during the tough times;
10. Celebrate ALL successes, even before the goal is accomplished!

This may be a very generic model, but it worked for me. Please do share any other steps that you have experienced that should be included, removed, or improved.

Till next time.

Stay EDUCATED. Get EMPOWERED. ENGAGE positively.

 

Mandela Day 2014 - 67mins of Self Defence Empowerment

"Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu – it means you must serve your fellow man. You see? You must respect and serve your fellow man faithfully. That’s what, because without their support you can never progress. That’s what it means." ~ Nelson Mandela from a conversation with Richard Stengel, 29 April or 3 May 1993 #Time2Serve #MandelaDay 

It was a cold winter's evening at the Rivonia Sports Club in Johannesburg, that the 67mins Self- Defence Empowerment Class in honour of Mandela Day took place on Wednesday, 16 July 2014. The purpose of the free class was a means for me to contribute to what our late great leader, Nelson Mandela, subscribed to, namely, "Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu”, which is to serve my fellow man (and woman).

For the 67mins, the participants were treated to an initial AWARENESS discussion on self-defence empowerment and how the mind can harness happiness or fear by ones’ positive or negative attitude towards crime. A negative attitude results in fear or frustrations, and can create an internal nightmare for oneself. Although there are genuine threats out there in the "external world" that can be fearful, a lot of the time the fear is made even worse by what happens in our minds (or the internal world). For instance, a person who is afraid of getting hijacked and constantly worries and thinks about being hijacked, will eventually get hijacked! This is the one extreme of the spectrum which is fear-based and is that of being paranoid. On the other extreme, the person may want to lead a more confident and happy life, so he/she takes the necessary precautions to prevent being hijacked by becoming educated and empowered through anti-hijacking training and practice.

It is easy to be let the external world of physical reality, circumstances and situations to dictate your inner would of thoughts, feelings, attitudes and beliefs. However, there lies to key to living an empowered life - by being able to control your inner world first, your experience of the external world will be so much more positive!

The session continued with AVOIDANCE and ACTION techniques from the "Tri-Infinity System of Defence", which included a brief introduction on how to identify potential threats and thereafter, create a verbal and physical barrier to prevent these treats from harming you or your family. Lastly, physical ACTION techniques were demonstrated and practiced. It was stressed that sometime, the best ACTION in a situation is to just turn and run away - Not all self-defence situations need a physical response of kicking and punching. In actual fact, as a personal opinion, the best self-defence technique is one that will allow one to walk away unscathed both physically and mentally.

The evening concluded with a brief discussion on some tools that can be used for self-defence, and specifically how some of these tools can give one a false sense of security. The audience was made aware that some tools simply aren't worth using in a self-defence situation as it would cause them more harm than good!

Special mention must also be made to the Rivonia Sports Club who kindly donated the use of their venue for this event, and to Frans for arranging the hall for us. Thank you! 

The next FREE Self Defence Empowerment session will be in honour of South Africa's Women's Month (August), and will be on Wednesday, 20 August 2014.

The “Tri-Infinity System of Defence”, is a revolutionary way of thinking and doing self-defence that can be applied to all areas of life, not just personal safety! The crux of the system is based on principles, rather than techniques. However, practical techniques to handle self-defence situations, based on these principles, are incorporated into the Tri-Infinity System of Defence, making it one of the easiest and most effective systems of personal safety to learn! The “Tri-Infinity System of Defence” will make its debut soon!

Get EDUCATED. Become EMPOWERED. ENGAGE Positively. 

http://www.defence-unlimited.com/mandela-day

A treatise of Defence Unlimited's Vision of Education, Empowerment and Engagement

"I started Defence Unlimited in 2008 as a means to not only teach the martial arts and self defence skills, but to also empower the people of South Africa with potential crime-prevention solutions. I have made it my mission to educate and empower people and to unlock their potential by overcoming crime-related fears and frustrations, thereby allowing them to live a happier, fulfilled and engaged life!"

This is the brief biography that I have published on my various social media profiles. In this statement I had tried to put a large emphasis on the "happier, fulfilled and engaged" portion. 

In order to explain this further, I need to refer to "Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs", a model proposed by psychologist, Abraham Maslow, in his 1943 paper, "A Theory of Human Motivation", which attempted to explain the needs of people and how those needs would motivate them to take some action in order to obtain them.

To briefly describe this hierarchy, it is a pyramid with the largest, most fundamental levels of physiological needs at the bottom and the need self-actualization at the top (see the diagram below).

At the bottom is the 1^st  physiological need such as the need for air, water, food, sex, clothing and shelter. These are the basic needs that must at the very least be met. If this need becomes too great, there are some individual that may choose to obtain these needs by force, or illegally, thereby making that person a criminals.

The 2^nd need thereafter is one of safety, and includes personal safety, health and well-being. Financial safety is also classified under this need. A large portion of my efforts through Defence Unlimited is focused on addressing these personal safety and well-being needs.

The 3^rd level of human needs is interpersonal and involves feelings of love and belonging. A person who has a need to feel love and be loved, can draw on family and friends to fulfill this need. Then, on a deeper intimate level, the person will normally seek out a mate/partner/spouse to meet this intimate need. This is the normal path for most law-abiding people. However, again like the previous need of physiology, this need may become too much for the person and they resort to using less than legitimate ways in obtaining it. It is a fact that this need can override the fundamental physiology and safety need too. An example of this is in the case of children who will still cling onto abusive parents; or in the case of gang member participating in illegal and dangerous activity just to remain/belong to that peer group.

The 4^th need is that of esteem, and refers to an individuals need to have self-esteem and self-respect. Esteem also refers to the typical human desire to gain recognition and/or be accepted and valued by others, or to have a sense of contribution or value. However, again, like the other previous needs, a lack of this need can lead to an individual to perform criminal acts in obtaining this. Examples of this is rape that is motivated by the offenders need to feel dominant and in control.

The 5^th need is at the apex of the pyramid and is the need for self-actualization. This level of need refers to what a person's full potential is and the realization of that potential. Maslow describes this level as the desire to accomplish everything that one can, to become the most that one can be.

As mentioned, previously, my main focus is on addressing these personal safety and well-being needs. However, notice that that this need become under pressure from criminals’ need for all the other needs (barring the self-actualization need) - the physiology, safety, love & belonging and esteem needs. It is my vision to educate people in personal safety, self-defence and personal development. Furthermore, I wish to empower people with realistic personal protection and/or personal development skills. 

Once these fundamental needs are met, we can start striving towards the ultimate need, namely the self-actualization need. My personal opinion is that I could never make a person "self-actualize". It is something that the person will have to do by themselves (hence the "self" in "self-actualization"), however, what I can do is take them to the best level, namely assisting them in addressing the "esteem need". To accomplish this need, I have created a platform in which the person can accomplish this. I do this through getting people to engage in social-uplifting and environmental-awareness activities that actively contribute to building a harmonious global society.

I personally endorse the below initiatives  because they either are very close to my personal values, or are aligned with what I want to accomplish through Defence Unlimited - to educate and empower people to unlock their potential by overcoming crime-related fears and frustrations.

It is these three elements of education, empowerment and engagement that I truly believe will help to unlock a person's potential, allowing him/her to reach that apex of the pyramid!

With that said, the initiatives I endorse and recommend my students and associates to engage in are:

MANDELA DAY - "It is on your hands to create a betterworld for all who live in it." Nelson Mandela, 1983.

SLUTWALK JOHANNESBURG - Help raise awareness around a numberof sexual assault issues such as victim-blaming, corrective rape, genderviolence and questioning the acceptance of a "rape culture".

THE SANWILD RHINO SANCTUARY - "It is God's job to judgerhino poachers, it is our mission to arrange the meeting" - SRS CounterPoaching Units.

ARMING SISTERS DOCUMENTARY FILM - A documentary film following Patty Stonefish's quest to bring empowerment and self-defence training to indigenous women across America.

Please feel free to click on any of these initiatives to see how you can contribute!

Till next time. Get EDUCATED. Feel EMPOWERED. Positively ENGAGE.

Warren Ho

Founder of Defence Unlimited

It's Called A STOP Sign!

It was Tuesday night after work in Midrand, a northern suburb in Johannesburg, South Aftrica. I was driving to my regular Blade Fighting Class approximately 15 mins away. I stopped at a 4-way stop street and waited for my turn to turn into the right lane. When it was my turn, I pulled off, but luckily noticed a white BMW that just jumped the stop street, swerved far right, allowing him to narrowly miss me! We eventually both ended up at a red traffic light (or more commonly known as a “robot” in South Africa”). I rolled my window down and signalled to him to do the same. When he did, I politely told him that he had just jumped a stop street and he should be more careful in future.  He looked at me with a disinterested look, looked forward again and rolled his window back up. I again gestured him to open his window, and with a sterner tone of voice, said, “Did you notice the stop sign? It’s that big red sign that has the word “STOP” on it? It’s a few meters up the road that you just jumped and nearly hit me!”  Again he looked at me, but this time, said a very audible, “F*** you!” and drove off, jumping now the red traffic light! WTF!? Ok, so in my younger, hot-headed days, I would have perhaps given chase, get him to stop his car, and proceed to verbally evoke my version of an exorcism on him, filled with many Latin-sounding verbs and elaborate finger and hand gestures.  But times have changed. Besides getting older and (hopefully) wiser, I’ve realised there are more reckless drivers out there on the road. They seem to be fuelled by frustration, anger or just plain stupidity. There has been an increasing number of cases of reckless driving incidents that have resulted in deaths and injuries for not only the parties concerned, but also for any unfortunate pass-byers that may have gotten caught in these moments of recklessness.

In my Self Defence classes, I stress the importance of knowing what it is that you are willing to fight, die and kill for, and why (refer to the blog post, http://defence-unlimited.blogspot.com/2014/06/in-self-defence-only-question-you.html). 

In the case of Mr White Beemer, I had the very human reaction of feeling extremely angry when he initially jumped the stop sign, and I wanted justice to be done. Being a BMW driver (a relatively expensive car in South Africa and around the world), I assumed he was a reasonably sophisticated person who would listen to some polite reasoning – perhaps he genuinely did not see that stop street. However, the subsequent verbal faeces that came from his mouth and the jumping of the red traffic light convinced me otherwise. At that very moment, the emotions of anger and rage flooded my body!  My body responded by getting into a flight of fight situation – the adrenaline kicked in, my vision narrowed, my body gave a sudden flash of heat, and my palms went sweaty. I am human after all, and if I feel offended, these are very real and natural emotions and bodily reactions! However, thank goodness my training kicked in, and that question I kept drilling into my students popped into my head, “is this something I am willing to fight, die and kill for”? Thankfully, the answer was no, and I turned in the opposite direction and continued on my journey.  Don’t get me wrong, I was still very much pissed off, and I kept running different scenarios in my head – What if I just flashed him with my 200-lumen bright tactical flashlight? What if I had my pepper spray with me?  What if I just followed him and scared him off a bit? What if...What if...What if…??  Eventually, at training and after a few sparring rounds, I was able to rid myself of these self-defeating questions and pent up frustrations and rage.  I was then able to return home in a calm and serene state, with the evening’s earlier event reduced to nothing more than a distant memory. 

The point I am making is, it is easy to say, “Just forget it! He is not worth it”, but this is extremely hard to put it into practise. We are all, after all, just like any other animal in the wild that that uses its emotional responses to navigate around their environment. However, the one thing that sets us humans apart from all the other species is our unique ability to rationalise and make logical choices.  I am glad in this instance I let my rational side dominate. I can only hope is that my words got into Mr White Beemer driver’s head somewhere that elicited his verbal-barf.  Barfs I can handle. Road-kill I cannot.

To conclude, the lessons I learnt from this experience are as follows:

1. Remember always what it is that I am willing to fight, die and kill for, and why. 
2. I can try and change the world, but don’t expect the world to respond favourably to me.
3. My emotions are real and natural, but use my rational and logical mind to make the choice that will keep me safe.
4. Use my various outlets (e.g. physical training and sparring) to release my rage and frustrations effectively and healthily.
5. There are reckless drivers out there, so I have to be vigilant at all times. This is part of my self-defence!
6. Don’t be a reckless driver myself!

If you want some further convincing for point 6, take a look at this video link below – It will make you think twice about driving recklessly. It certainly did for me: http://youtu.be/a8QxZJZfU5Q.

Till next time, get educated, feel empowered, and ultimately, live a positive and engaged life!

Warren Ho

Founder of Defence Unlimited 

www.defence-unlimited.com

8 Reasons Why I Will Become A Victim Of Crime

1. I complain a lot

Out of the fear or frustration of crime, I complain to everyone that is willing to listen to me. They eventually tell me to change topics and this frustrates me even more so I go out and look for fresh ears to complain to. I let this fear and frustration consume my every though, each and every day. I actively contribute to other peoples' fears and frustrations and keep telling them about how bad things are; how no one does anything about it; how it used to be with the "other government"; that this country has gone to a ball of shyte, e-tolls this, and corruption that, etc.... It doesn't stop! As long as there is electricity (or not), it is an opportunity for me to complain! I fail to recognise that this constant negative consciousness - thinking, feeling, talking and doing of things negatively - will attract more of these negative elements in my life!

["This makes it better for the rest of us! The more negativity is attracted to you, the less will be attracted to me!"]

2. I don't take responsibility

Crime is not my problem! I pay my taxes (mostly) and I voted at the last elections, so it’s the government’s problem! The police and judicial system should handle it! I very rarely read, listen and comprehend the potential hazards that are around me, whether it's via the media, other people’s experienced, or through sources. I have more important things to do in my life, like earning a living, raising a family, and trying to achieve that next big house or car, or overseas trip! All these other aspirations are “more important” than the one thing that these aspirations are built upon - my own personal safety.

["With great power comes great responsibility. But I have the greatest power yet...I LIVE, hence I have the greatest responsibility to preserve it! Only once your own safety foundation is establish, can all other aspirations be accomplished.”]

                                      

3. I have become apathetic 

I don't care about the crime anymore. It is going to get us all anyway so why bother doing anything about it! Alternatively, I am so cocky enough to think, crime will never get me, I have become disconnected to the reality of the situation. Perhaps I have to disconnect so I don’t feel the fear or frustration anymore.  I am like a machine – cold and unemotional. Alternatively, I might have the "Ostrich syndrome" - if I ignore it, it will never get me. If it does find me, I will just use my natural skills to get me out of a situation (like using those ostrich wings to fly off or fend myself). My attitude is one where I don’t care or give a damm anymore.

["Evil will prevail unless good men and women stand up and fight against it."]

4. I am lazy

I don't take the necessary steps to become aware and avoid the potential criminal elements in my life. Furthermore, I don't believe in preparing adequately enough so I don't invest in effective security at my home or office, or personal security by training by body and mind for potentially life threatening situations. Besides, I carry a weapon - both a knife that I got as a gift at the last office party, which I occasionally whip out to cut biltong with, and I have a licensed firearm that I have stashed away in the safe for those just-in-case moments! I don't need to do any on-going training because I am just that kind of guy- I seen it once, and I can repeat it multiple times thereafter, word-for-word. Just don't ask me actually do it because its winter now and I have slacked off from the gym, dojo and shooting range for a bit because I'm cold, have a cold, or just warming up in front of the TV with a bag of crisps.

["There are enough couch-warriors in the world, willing to dish out their crisps of wisdom. We need REAL warriors!]

5. I already "know it all"

I have been to one 3-hour self defence course, a week-long of hardcore training course, and even used to train in the martial arts when I was younger! I have done it all before! As a matter of fact, I have done so much, I have the belts, certificates and photos to prove how much I have done in the past. I forgot to mention that I am a not as fit, young or handsome as I used to be. I even forgot to realise that criminals are getting smarter and more violent by the day and devising new ways to separate me from my hard-earned material possessions or my life!

["The fool laughed so loudly, that all the town-folk could not help but laugh at the fool who laughed so loudly!"]

6. I have an excuse (or two)

I don’t have the time to train. I can't even spare 30 mins a day to training in proper self defence training because it does not fit into my schedule. I am a busy person! Time is one of those things I have to reserve for my job, my family and my many social activities and hobbies! Furthermore, the venue is never ideal! It's too far and it takes time to travel to and from training several times a week. I don't have the money either because I spent in on physio fees from injuring myself the last time. Oh yes, and the injuries! I am not as young as I used to be and it just hurts opening up a tin of Pringles, which by the way, hurts my index finger. And now because I hurt my finger, I won't be able to make training for the next month or three. Also, did I mention it is winter? Winter is cold! I am sure the criminals will be keeping warm rather than attack me!

["There are excuses and there are results - It's mutually exclusive and can be applied in in all areas of life. Set your priorities, commit to them and stop making excuses!"]

7. I train incorrectly

I train, but my mind and heart isn't in it. I am still thinking of that last report I submitted to the manager and why the friggin project manager just can't cut through the bullshyt and get my project delivered on time! My body is doing the routine but really, I can multi-task and let my mind focus on something else. When I need to, I will switch on and train in some "activity" when I need to. 

["When you train, train like you mean it!"]

8.I forgot to enjoy life

I complain, worry, fear and get frustrated with all this crime around me. I take up training, not one or two various martial arts, combative arts, military warfare training and now I have become hyper-vigilant and extremely stressed out! I started off with the people around me, but have become so immersed in all the training I have actually become a fanatic and paranoid! I forgot what it feels like to relax and just spend time enjoying being with loved ones or doing the things that relax me. I spend so much time preparing for the worse in the future; I forgot to see the best that's happening right now in the present.

["Prepare for the worse, but not at the expense of your loved ones. After all, isn't that what we were prepared to protect in the first place?"]

These are my 8 reasons. What are yours? 

Till next time,  get EDUCATED, become EMPOWERED, and ultimately, live a positive and ENGAGED life...

WH

In self defence, the only question you should ask is…

“What am I willing to fight, die and kill for, and why?"

This is the one question I ask all every participant who has ever been on my “Introduction to Self Defence Workshop”. I further ask them to write the question down, and answer it when they have a few moments to spare at home. It's the one thing, above everything else I teach in my workshops that I emphasis they are to do, and consider very carefully what they decide is the answer. The reason for this importance is because all subsequent self defence tactics and techniques thereafter, will depend on what they are willing to fight, die and kill for.

Let’s explore this question a bit deeper:

What are you willing to fight for? Humans only fight for two reasons: Firstly, for the survival/protection of ourselves or our loved one(s). This survival mechanism stems back to prehistoric times, where we had to fight to survive the elements and the wilderness to which we inhabited. From a scientific perspective, this refers to the brain stem (old brain) that controls the survival mechanisms of flight or fight. For some, the reaction is to flee a potential hazard (flight), for other, the response is to fight (reason number 1). It is instinctual, and is connected to the way we react to danger. However, this instinct also gets triggered in another way - we have a perceived danger/threat confront us. Sometimes, the threat may be the passing of a sarcastic comment;  or a sudden lane-change into our lane by another car, or even by a snobbish glance or smirk in our direction by a ruffian at a bar. Whatever the perceived threat is, it is more the fight-reaction we get, not because it threatens our survival, but rather because it threatens our personal ego – this is reason number 2. In my opinion, the decision to fight in either of these circumstances is your choice to make, but you need to ask if it is a fight that you would really want to get involved in.

What are you willing to die for? This refers to self-sacrifice and the people and things that you would be willing to put your life at risk for. For some, when I said "things” in my previous sentence, it might have made you feel a bit unconformable, and you may even have shook your head in disagreement. Is there possibly any "thing" (in terms of material possession) that you would be willing to put your life on the line for? As horrific as this might sound, there are indeed some things that you may decide is worth sacrificing your life for. An example? How about an extreme one?  You are at home and there is a life support machine that sustains the life of your sick spouse. Would you be willing to lay your life down for that machine if something were to threaten it? Makes you think doesn’t it?  The point here is that there is no right or wrong answer. We all have the greatest gift that is often overlooked- the right to choose. With that said though, hospitals and cemeteries are filled with people that made bad choices, but the fact remains, it is/was within their right to choose what was right or wrong for them.

What are you willing to kill for?  This is the most consequential and controversial question to answer. Back in prehistoric times again, the cave man would kill their fellow kind for food, shelter and mates. Oh wait, that happens now too! However, with the advancement of human civilization, we have also begun to dictate that some pervious prehistoric methods are no longer favourable or even legal (although that does not stop the many criminal out there). What we are willing to kill for is again something that we have to decide upon, which has no right or wrong answer to the individual, but has more sever consequence to it. For instance, should you find yourself in a situation where you have to take another human being's life, there is what I call "surviving the SLY", as a reference to surviving the Situation, surviving the Law and surviving Yourself. Surviving the situation implies you need to survive the immediate treat that has come your way in the most effective and efficient manner you can, even if this means taking another’s life. Surviving the law pertains to the legal repercussions you will have to face after taking someone life. You will need to answer to the laws of your land for your actions and let them be the decider as to whether you had acted lawfully or not. Lastly, surviving yourself - you will have to live with the knowledge that you had killed someone. For good-fearing Christian, this might be seen as devastating since they would have to had had broken one the Ten Commandments as dictated by the Bible. For others, being labelled a killer may not be the most appealing, but it is something that will stick to you like a fly on a sticky-trap-rolls.

Then there is the WHY? For a long time this question eluded me. Then it dawned upon me through a flash-back session with one of my past coaches. "The quality of your answers lies in the quality of the questions you ask", he reminded me. The “why”, therefore,  is probably the biggest and most elusive one that many self defence courses have failed to ask. Why would you be willing to fight, die and kill for X (x being what you have just answered in the 3 questions above)? Why is it so important to you? Why would NOT fighingt for, or dying for or killing for X be so tragic for you?  It is a question that, if answered truthfully, will surprise or even shock you. The key here is to be absolutely truthful when answering this question. What you might conclude (as I had) is that the real reason why you are willing to do all these things for X, is because of how the loss of X will make YOU feel, and how it would affect YOUR life!

I stress again that there is no right or wrong to these questions.  It is more important that you make these the decision while you are in a rational and logical state of mind. Unfortunately, it is often those times that we let our emotional state at the heat-of-the-moment that makes us do irrational and possible life-debilitating choices.

So, take the time now, while you are sitting comfortably at your desk, in a secure and safe environment to answer these 4 questions. Decide what is it EXACTLY is it that you would be willing to fight, die and kill for, and why. Once done, make multiple copies of it and hang it around the areas that you will see it each and every day. Be constantly reminded as to what you had decided, and only get involved if something threatens the people and/or things you have put on this list.

Till next time. I hope this message educates and empowers you, allowing you to live a positive and engaged life!

Warren Ho

Founder of Defence Unlimited

www.defence-unlimited.com

"I know everything about you and you are my target..."

An interesting article by Rake Jeeves in December 2013 that illustrate the safety concern of these cute, family stickers that are placed on the rear of a car's window. It's the latest fad, but at what cost? Take a read below and you decide:

“

I have never met you and don't know your name and up until today I didn't know where you live

You passed me on the road and suddenly I knew everything about you:

You are a single mother with teenage daughter, no men in the house.

You are relatively well off and like playing tennis.

You don't have any big dogs, just one small dog that is no threat to me.

Judging by the car you drive you will have flat screen T.V's and because you have a teenage daughter there will be things like computers, tablets and smart phones in your house.

I decided to follow you home because you have shown me that you are a soft target.

When I invade your home with my gang I know there will be very little resistance, no men and no big dogs but plenty of expensive stuff for us to take.

How did I know all this information about you without having ever met you, spoken to you or seen your house?

By the little pictures of your family set up that you put on the back window of your car…

These pictures have made my job so much easier because they tell me nearly everything I need to know without having to drive around the neighbourhood spying on houses and sitting watching and gathering all this information.

It used to take me days of surveillance to get this information.

Thank you very much; I will be visiting you one of the evenings whilst you are watching TV.

I'm not a violent person but I can't say the same for my gang members.

Fortunately I'm not a violent criminal but because of my job I have to think like one and driving around checking out the little pictures on the back window of cars made me realize just how much information they give out about you, your family and to a large extent your wealth.

“

Take your personal safety seriously!

BE VIGILANT. BE SAFE.