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.

Head High Kicking

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

Even in my white belt days I never understood the attraction to kicking above the waist or what most do is kick to the head. It seemed soooooo dangerous and counterproductive especially in regard to self-protection. After all, it is the worst thing one can do out in the wild against a determined attack. 

Think fundamental principles like, "posture, alignment, structure, rooting, stabilization, and the ability to apply maximum effective forces in applying impacts, drives (pushes), pulls, twists, takedowns and throws and compressions" because all of those to apply force and power require movement of our mass and the ability to remain stable with structure, etc. and if that fails as it will when you remove one of your legs from the ground - on purpose - those principles and others go the way of the doh-doh bird. 

If you deliberately give away your balance, inhibit your movement of mass and the ability to position, angle and timing, rhythm, and control of your body you lose. Or, at the very least open up the probabilities that you will lose and give away the advantage to one who is attacking. 

Many will contest this and those many of the many will do so based on what they know and what they know most often is sport and possibly social violence both that are and can be controlled and avoided. In these two examples if you go to town with someone the chance of grave harm or death drops a lot, mostly achieved by accident. If you are exposed to asocial predatory process-resource attacks then the ball game changes from basketball to rugby.

If your choice of martial philosophy and practice is sport or self-improvement/help then don't worry about it but if it is self-protection for self-defense then consider a shaper focus on that intent. 

An argument was presented that one does this type of technique to challenge the mind and body, that is good except that when the rubber hits the road in a predatory attack, resource and/or process violence, you want as much of what you practice and train to either be exact or related closely so that when it happens you will not be forced to take a longer span of time in applying because the mind may become locked, the freeze, trying to choose, on the fly, an appropriate methodology to get-r-done. 

This lists can be long for both "for" and "against' (pros-n-cons) that would fill a volume or two on just this subject and in the end it is about one's "intent" in training and practice along with a focus and awareness during that training and practice on that which is most critically important. In my view, self-protection for self-defense, especially in the lower echelon of martial disciplines, so that intent is dominate in any adrenal stress-conditions of either sport or self-protection. You have to set, and let cure, all the basics and principles and methodologies you will need to self-protect for self-defense so that dabbling in the others will not detract, deter or undermine that intent - self-protection for self-defense through martial discipline training, practice and application. 

Personal Note: I would use all my skills to avoid violence but if I am forced to use force then I want all my faculties and physical skills available in their most efficient and effective form and function so I may protect and defend within the social and legal mandates of self-protection for self-defense. Both my legs, on the ground, maintaining my balance, structure and movement of mass so that I may stop the violence. 

For reference and sources and professionals go here: Bibliography (Click the link)

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