How do you break the trance of what is and what is not perceived as 21st century self-defence? As a teacher of both karate and military combative type training I know better than to take myself too seriously.
But I am very serious when I'm training myself or others to survive a vicious violent attack because that is the ultimate aim of self-defence, survival right? However, for most people outside the martial arts the name represents a great mysterious violent art that involves punching and kicking each other.
On the inside it is known as the ultimate way and for some the start of a great adventure along a lifelong path of hard work and dedication.
You see, by following the martial way you not only grow physically but also expand your mind as well.
It grows like a great tree from a tiny seed gradually drawing limitless energy and liberating all your strength.
Let me put it this way, if you were to visualise in your mind an event such as: a sudden vicious attack on your personin a way that it actually makes you believe it's happening and to do this you have to give yourself commands from deep inside the centre of your mind until you feel focused and powerful.
Yes, you do have to practise a few times to make it work sorry.
Then manifest it into realty by bringing it into your consciousness and the centre of your mind.
Actually see the person who wants to hurt you, the surroundings, the smells everything to make it seem real.
Then deal with the situation using techniques you have learned see a picture of yourself like a movie beating the attacker and then you walking away victorious.
What you have just done is taught yourself to visualise a situation or scenario and how to deal with it without making any actual physical body movement.
It's called visualisation.
Best of all, if you keep practising visualisation you'll become relaxed and harmonious master of your own mind in other words, become one both physically and mentally.
Remember this imagination is your best tool.
I know I've mentioned this before but believe me it works.
In short, the range of situations you can imagine yourself in is only governed by your own imagination not only that but it allows you to be able to train anywhere you like, your mind can find you in the street the dojo you can train even if your sick and lying in bed.
But you are not just going to learn to us e your mind for visualising your also going to find out exactly how you can use it in your daily 21st century life to become an urban warrior? You're going to discover about real self-defence and how by flowing and flying with its power you can go beyond mind imaging.
Over the last 40 years I have been extremely fortunate to study several different martial arts under some of the world's top people.
As a result I'm bursting with information I want to share with you so you operate with maximum effectiveness in this violent modern world.
A generation ago most of what you are learning today was kept absolutely secret and passed on strictly to the chosen few.
But know the time for security is past.
It's been no secret among experienced people involved in combat of any kind that simple techniques are the only ones that have any chance of working in a real fight.
By simple, I do mean basic gross motor moves no flashy Hollywood type actions at all.
Moreover, it's the same with your thoughts and actions simple works, reaction time is quicker when you have less choice.
For example, if you have only one way to walk from A to B you will do it much faster than if I gave you three different ways of doing the same thing.
Because your minds database will search for an answer thus, delaying your decision it will say OOh! Which way should I go this or that way this delay in combat can cost you dear.
With only one way to go you have no choice to make.
Get my point? If you combine this principle called Hicks law by way, with simple combative techniques then your whole body and mind will move and act as one unit mind, body and spirit making you utterly unstoppable.
Understand these principles of combat and you'll understand the basis of self-defence.
To emphasis my point, in combat what is the single most damaging and dangerous thing you can do? Hesitate.
As an urban warrior if attacked you must use your flinch reflexes and counter attack immediately in order to reverse the situation form prey to predator otherwise your demise end, may be closer than you think.
That's why I advocate using simple self-defence tactics so much.
Having 100s of different techniques in your database is not necessarily going to help you because as I have pointed out earlier it will actually slow your reaction time down as your mind trawls through to find the right response to the attack.
So if there is a secret to surviving a physical attack it is to learn only what you need to know to ward of trouble.
Briefly, when your mind is focused it becomes all-powerful allowing you to move easily and effortlessly and that's what works best in self-defence you'll feel invincible.
For the modern martial arts is synthesiser of east and west pre-modern and post-modern seemingly able to encompass strands of combative and martial knowledge but one thing they all agree on is this? Visualisation combined with the physical training is increasingly important in achieving combat success.
All this is provided with a guiding emphasis on visualisation and meditation which increasingly is being held by western psychology as the key to understanding the type of attacks being used and how the body reacts to fear of the same, adrenalin dump fight or flight syndrome to name just a few.
I use the above techniques and principles outlined in this article.
It's kept me safe and head level.
Now all you have to do is just close your eyes and connect with your inner Urban Warrior.
Stay safe.
Buzz Campion.