Please take a look at Articles on self-defense/conflict/violence for introductions to the references found in the bibliography page.

Please take a look at my bibliography if you do not see a proper reference to a post.

Please take a look at my Notable Quotes

Hey, Attention on Deck!

Hey, NOTHING here is PERSONAL, get over it - Teach Me and I will Learn!


When you begin to feel like you are a tough guy, a warrior, a master of the martial arts or that you have lived a tough life, just take a moment and get some perspective with the following:


I've stopped knives that were coming to disembowel me

I've clawed for my gun while bullets ripped past me

I've dodged as someone tried to put an ax in my skull

I've fought screaming steel and left rubber on the road to avoid death

I've clawed broken glass out of my body after their opening attack failed

I've spit blood and body parts and broke strangle holds before gouging eyes

I've charged into fires, fought through blizzards and run from tornados

I've survived being hunted by gangs, killers and contract killers

The streets were my home, I hunted in the night and was hunted in turn


Please don't brag to me that you're a survivor because someone hit you. And don't tell me how 'tough' you are because of your training. As much as I've been through I know people who have survived much, much worse. - Marc MacYoung

WARNING, CAVEAT AND NOTE

The postings on this blog are my interpretation of readings, studies and experiences therefore errors and omissions are mine and mine alone. The content surrounding the extracts of books, see bibliography on this blog site, are also mine and mine alone therefore errors and omissions are also mine and mine alone and therefore why I highly recommended one read, study, research and fact find the material for clarity. My effort here is self-clarity toward a fuller understanding of the subject matter. See the bibliography for information on the books. Please make note that this article/post is my personal analysis of the subject and the information used was chosen or picked by me. It is not an analysis piece because it lacks complete and comprehensive research, it was not adequately and completely investigated and it is not balanced, i.e., it is my personal view without the views of others including subject experts, etc. Look at this as “Infotainment rather then expert research.” This is an opinion/editorial article/post meant to persuade the reader to think, decide and accept or reject my premise. It is an attempt to cause change or reinforce attitudes, beliefs and values as they apply to martial arts and/or self-defense. It is merely a commentary on the subject in the particular article presented.


Note: I will endevor to provide a bibliography and italicize any direct quotes from the materials I use for this blog. If there are mistakes, errors, and/or omissions, I take full responsibility for them as they are mine and mine alone. If you find any mistakes, errors, and/or omissions please comment and let me know along with the correct information and/or sources.



“What you are reading right now is a blog. It’s written and posted by me, because I want to. I get no financial remuneration for writing it. I don’t have to meet anyone’s criteria in order to post it. Not only I don’t have an employer or publisher, but I’m not even constrained by having to please an audience. If people won’t like it, they won’t read it, but I won’t lose anything by it. Provided I don’t break any laws (libel, incitement to violence, etc.), I can post whatever I want. This means that I can write openly and honestly, however controversial my opinions may be. It also means that I could write total bullshit; there is no quality control. I could be biased. I could be insane. I could be trolling. … not all sources are equivalent, and all sources have their pros and cons. These needs to be taken into account when evaluating information, and all information should be evaluated.” - God’s Bastard, Sourcing Sources (this applies to this and other blogs by me as well; if you follow the idea's, advice or information you are on your own, don't come crying to me, it is all on you do do the work to make sure it works for you!)



“You should prepare yourself to dedicate at least five or six years to your training and practice to understand the philosophy and physiokinetics of martial arts and karate so that you can understand the true spirit of everything and dedicate your mind, body and spirit to the discipline of the art.” - cejames (note: you are on your own, make sure you get expert hands-on guidance in all things martial and self-defense)



“All I say is by way of discourse, and nothing by way of advice. I should not speak so boldly if it were my due to be believed.” - Montaigne


I am not a leading authority on any one discipline that I write about and teach, it is my hope and wish that with all the subjects I have studied it provides me an advantage point that I offer in as clear and cohesive writings as possible in introducing the matters in my materials. I hope to serve as one who inspires direction in the practitioner so they can go on to discover greater teachers and professionals that will build on this fundamental foundation. Find the authorities and synthesize a wholehearted and holistic concept, perception and belief that will not drive your practices but rather inspire them to evolve, grow and prosper. My efforts are born of those who are more experienced and knowledgable than I. I hope you find that path! See the bibliography I provide for an initial list of experts, professionals and masters of the subjects.

New Things: The First or Second Try


Human nature tends to disregard things that don't work on the first or second try. It is not an ancient thing but rather a new thing influenced greatly by, first the industrial revolution, second by the eRevolution, and third by human evolution toward a greater need for instant gratification. 

Nature has not released us from natural evolution. If nature allowed us to quickly evolve toward this type of living then it would not be such an issue. All this has created greater stress, greater distances between humans regardless of the so called social networks, and greater conflicts that at one time in history were fewer since tribes and distance kept such conflicts at a minimum. 

We tend to encounter many things in our martial arts training but our one great obstacle is our personal and dojo belief systems. We tend to allow ourselves to get connected both emotionally and mentally to such things as "this is the supreme system of self-defense," and so on. We get stuck in believing that because some wonderful master of yesteryear created this awesome and complete system that we must adhere to it strictly and without deviation to remain true to that system. Mistake.

We encounter someone's perception of a technique for defense and then we try it. We try it once, maybe twice and in very few cases several times BUT if we cannot make it work to our satisfaction we discard it as useless and then make the mistake of using that to qualify and quantify our system as the greatest thing since peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Mistake.

We must allow ourselves the latitude to achieve proficiency in all we encounter, all the new things. We have to give it due diligence and adequate time to vet it out properly and see if it will work. Not everything works for everyone. But, if we fail to give something the time, effort and diligence to work it out and see if thoroughly for what it truly is then we do ourselves a disservice by discarding it willy-nilly. 

Not everything works for every individual. What will work for this many on this side of the dojo may not work for just as many on that side of the dojo. It does not mean that this particular technique is either valid or invalid. It just means you can't make it work adequately for you. You are a unique individual, like no other human being so things will sometimes work for you and sometimes not. 

Allowing a technique to reach the junk pile, for you, without giving it a chance over time and with effort is a mistake. Personally and in the last decade I have found many things that I, at one time, felt were not beneficial to me and my system. Since I started to realize my mistake I have found many of the beliefs, thoughts and applications to be beneficial to one degree or the other. Some I ended up discarding and most not. I have to include this in my personal philosophy on martial arts and self-defense as well. 

When you encounter or are introduced to new things, don't just give it a try or two. Give it the allotted time and effort to find out if it truly works for YOU or not then either incorporate it or discard it. In truth, you might find it a boon in the dojo if you keep it all the same. After all, even if it does not work or fit your character and style it just might be the ticket for one of your practitioners who will be able to run with it. 
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