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.

Striking Opportunity

Blog Article/Post Caveat (Read First Please: Click the Link)

In some karate circles there are these terse teachings of the ken-po goku-i and one of those meme’s is, “The Time to strike is when the opportunity presents itself.” Good advice in the most general ways of things but warrants considerable study and understanding because without that effort many end up fighting and as we have come to know in modern society, “Fighting is illegal.” 

In a recent article the author created a quote that made me think of this meme, i.e., “ … You must be the one leading the dance, not the one following, so move first.” 

Granted, in certain specific situations you may have to resort to striking to achieve your self-fense goals. In just those particular spots the present those very opportunities you have failed self-fense already and are in the fight-zone. That is why I liked the second quote because regardless of the stage of conflict and violence if you move first, if you move earlier that your adversary or perceived threat you win. You are inside that persons loop and as long as you move quickly, change rapidly and vary the methods, etc., you are using you are going to overcome and find success. It is just a fact and proven by fire through the efforts of the loops creator.

If you take the lead you force others to follow or to miss the dance altogether. Your goal is to have them miss the dance by your moving first into avoidance mode along with escape and evasion. Finding those opportunities often presented long before conflict and violence manifest is actually striking, with a method of avoidance, escape and evasion (a part of avoidance), first but not with the fist or foot, with your mind, your mind-set and your mind-state. 

If you want to exploit all the opportunities that are presented along the way to conflict and violence you begin by exploiting those opportunities you have in training and practice to learn and understand all those factors of conflict and violence in yourself, your ego and how you act and do things in life, this is the early opportunity and to strike down those foibles in yourself goes a long way to leading the dance, your ego following the logical human mind-set you created and the staying inside your own loop of destructive behavior. 

If circumstances lose you that path then you will find, with this awareness, those other off ramps on the road to conflict and violence that you can take at the very first opportunity presented (cough cough, snicker snicker, you knew that was coming). 

It just goes to show that not everything is as plain as the nose on your face, that face covers up a mind that has many wonderful traits and aspects and personalities and character that when properly led tend to create a person of character and personality who takes the very first opportunities presented through the travels of life to include conflicts and violence of all levels and types so as to strike first for yourself toward those lofty, honorable and morally right goals you created. Ain’t life grand.

My dance card is full and I often work diligently to take the lead, create the opportunities before they are presented in other ways outside my purview and then apply them as best I can - ain’t life grand. 

Bibliography (Click the link)

Hat tip to <Sword and Circle> as the inspiration for this post.


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