Alex Ram

If your life was in jeopardy at knife point, would you know how to respond? What if your wife or child was being assaulted by multiple attackers right in front of you? It does not matter whether you like to fight or not. It is critical that you learn some basic martial art strategies in case you find yourself in a bad place at a bad time. It is important to learn how to move properly away from harm. Instead of relying on your hands to block and defend your body it is advantageous to train your feet to reflexively shift your body away from danger. If you learn good footwork you can teach yourself to evade and survive threats from weapons and even multiple attackers. The samurai utilized their martial art footwork to prevail against numerous armed opponents thousands of years ago and these strategies are still just as effective today. Developing sensitivity with your skin is critical for defending against weapons and multiple attackers. Your eyes typically serve as your primary sense when an encounter first begins. Once the gap is closed and the fight evolves to a mid to close range conflict your skin should take over as your primary sense. It is important to train blindfolded so your skin can become so sensitive that you learn to see and feel your opponent's movements and counters through your skin. It is crucial that you adapt your martial art to suit your personality and body type. If your training consists of mimicking someone else's movements who may be bigger or smaller, stronger or weaker, or more athletic, you could be setting yourself up for failure. Trying to fight as though you are big when you are actually a small person is a dangerous way to train. You are most effective when you learn to accentuate your strengths by personalizing your martial art. It is important to learn to recognize the nine angles of attack. Many martial art schools over complicate their teachings by having their students memorize hundreds of random techniques. If you can learn to spot the nine angles it makes no difference if an assailant comes at you with his right or left hand, a kick, a charge, a bat, a knife, a crowbar, or a machete. There are only nine angles that you may be attacked on and if you learn to recognize them you will always have an answer for surviving an encounter. It may go against your formal training, but save the high kicks for the movies and martial art tournaments. They can be extremely effective one on one, but in the street high kicks create too many openings and vulnerabilities against weapons and multiple attackers. In the street martial artists should rely on powerful low kicks to the shins, knees, and groin. It is also important not to rely on athletic movement in the street where you will probably be wearing restrictive clothing that will limit your moment. You must train your emotions and spirit to make your martial arts work on the street. Some people only focus on their physical training. That is important, but if you do not develop the emotional control of your fear and anger through breath work, meditation, and reality based training your physical techniques may not be enough to help you survive a highly stressful life and death encounter. The maxim of training mind, body, and spirit is as true today as it was thousands of years ago. Sensei David Weinberg is a 3rd Degree Black Belt and Instructor of Freedman's Method Ketsugo Jujutsu, a Reiki Master, a Certified Personal Trainer, and an Integrative Flexibility Specialist. To learn more about Freedman's Method, visit the official jujitsu nh site or the official jujutsu nh blog.