Getting Killed is Bad for Your Health

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1 The Way of Martial Arts MONTHLY INTERACTIVE LESSONS TO HELP IMPROVE YOUR DAILY LIFE B Y M A S T E R E R I C S B A R G E Lesson 16 Getting Killed is Bad for Your Health The famous tai chi master Cheng Man Ching, who was also a physician, was reportedly once asked which art is better for your health, tai chi or yoga. He replied that they re both great for your health, but since getting beat up or killed is bad for your health and yoga doesn t teach self-defense, clearly tai chi is better. I know some of our Peaceful Dragon students, especially among those who study tai chi but not Shaolin kung fu, are training primarily for health and well-being and not for self-defense skills. But god forbid you should need to physically defend yourself, it s good to know some key selfdefense tactics and strategies. In last month s lesson ( War is Bad for Your Health ) I discussed Sun Tzu and his classic of warfare. I suggested you think about how battlefield principles often are relevant for one-on-one combat encounters, but also how these principles can also help guide us through nonpugilistic conflicts or challenges at work or in personal relationships. This month I want to explore in more detail strategies and tactics for personal self-defense. While the focus will be on self-defense, recognize that as with Sun Tzu these combat strategies aren t limited to fisticuffs. They can often help you gain the upper hand in any situation of conflict or disagreement.

2 THE LADDER OF ASCENSION When it comes to self-defense, physically fighting is the last resort. If we think of a ladder, we ought to take many other steps first and the physical fight is the last step that we hope we never need to take. While it is at the top of our figurative ladder, physically fighting is the lowest form of arbitration. Too often unchecked emotions or egos lead to an altercation, when a cool head and clear mind could help you sidestep most conflicts. The reason we should avoid a physical altercation at all costs and first try every other step to resolve a situation, is because physical altercations really are extremely dangerous. You ve probably heard me repeat the old Chinese saying, When two tigers fight, one dies and the other gets hurt badly. In street self-defense, we become one of those tigers. We could get killed, we could get seriously hurt. If we don t get killed or hurt, we could kill or seriously hurt the opponent. Are we victorious with any of these outcomes? As Sun Tzu said, the best victory is the battle never fought. W A YS TO AV OID THE NEED TO PHYSICALLY YOURSELF DEFEND Diffusing confrontations before they get physical is admirable, but avoiding confrontations in the first place is ideal. To avoid confrontations, here are a few essential guidelines: a. Be aware of dangerous people, situations and areas and avoid them. b. Act kindly and lovingly to everyone. If you find it easy to make an enemy and hard to make a friend, change your behaviors. c. Follow the tai chi principle of yielding and surrendering to the moment when conflict appears. No need to surrender to the cause just to the moment until a clear path appears based on wisdom rather than emotion. d. You can often talk your way out of trouble if you remain calm, considerate and even empathetic towards the assailant. e. Don t act like a lamb in front of a wolf. If you exude confidence, bad -2-

3 people with questionable motives are more likely to skip over you and prey on someone who appears more vulnerable. If you don t have confidence, continually cultivate it through your martial arts training. f. Like wolves, be part of a pack. Maintain social connections via friends, family and coworkers. Not only are gregarious people usually more confident, but you ll be in fewer situations of isolation that predators look for. g. Cultivate positive virtues in your life and wean yourself of sinful or negative virtues. Lust, greed, envy, anger, covetousness, pride and arrogance naturally create disharmony and invite confrontations. Love, benevolence, humility, and generosity foster harmony and peace. COMBAT STRATEGIES IN THE EVENT A CONFLICT ESCALATES TO THE PHYSICAL LEVEL Most confrontations in life are with people you already know, and most assaults will come from people you know. Following the above guidelines will help keep most confrontations from escalating to the physical level. But sometimes we are randomly accosted by strangers and there isn t time to diffuse the situation with kind words or actions. Or we get attacked by people we know, maybe because we ve failed to fully develop the confidence or positive virtues that we re striving for. In these cases, physical selfdefense may be the only choice available. Here are some tips and guidelines if should you find yourself the victim of a physical assault or attack: a. Know ahead of time what you are willing to do to protect yourself. Are you comfortable tearing someone s eyes out if need be? Are you prepared to go to court if you hurt or kill someone, even if that person instigated it? As the expression goes, would you rather be tried by twelve or carried by six? The time to answer these questions isn t during an attack. And it s not for me or anyone else to answer these questions it s up to you. b. If a conflict starts with a verbal clash and you sense it could become physical, stand calmly and confidently with your body at a slight angle to the opponent and your hands held up in front of you as if to say, I don t want any trouble. The hands are thus in place ready for quick defense if need be, but you don t appear to be saying bring it on. -3-

4 c. Never tickle the tiger disable him. Don t use mild self-defense techniques that will only further anger the assailant. If you move, move to disable him. d. The best strategy to disable the aggressor is to take the vision, the wind, or the root. Strikes to the eyes, throat (windpipe) and kicks to the knees are the most direct tactics to accomplish this. If you break the opponent s arm, or tear off his lips, or crack his shoulder with a baseball bat that doesn t mean you will stop him. But the vision, wind or root will stop him. e. Try to stay on your feet. You are usually better prepared, as a Chinese martial arts stylist, for stand up fighting than ground fighting. And in case there are multiple opponents the ground becomes a trap for anyone. Staying on your feet allows you to fight better and flee more readily. f. Use any nearby object as an improvised weapon: Rocks, sticks, furnishings, a hair brush, a chair can all give you an edge. g. Speed is of the essence. As a result of your training you shouldn t have to stop and think. Move and strike with speed and purpose. h. Never telegraph any fighting skills that you have already developed. Surprise is your greatest ally. i. Assume the assailant has a hidden weapon and be prepared for it. j. Scream and make noise try to get other people s attention. k. Fight through any pain, injury or hardship. Your life may literally depend on your determination to keep going. l. Remember that the fight isn t over until it s over. Don t let down your guard until the assailant is unconscious, handcuffed or otherwise secured. m. Expect to be afraid, and welcome that fear. It is normal and natural, so don t try to make it go away. But don t demonstrate your fear instead channel it into a calm inner strength and determination. n. Prepare yourself in training by using visualization techniques. We can practice some of these strategies and tactics ahead of time with our training partners, but with limited training time and the need to keep our partners safe realistic practice is limited. However we can visualize attack scenarios and our reaction to these scenarios without limits. It s been proven that training for scenarios using visualization is nearly as beneficial as the real thing. -4-

5 Of course this list could go on and on, but this gives you a good starting point to understand how to better defend yourself. A word of caution: Just as it is foolhardy not to learn to protect yourself, it is equally foolish to go to the other extreme and fixate too much on self-defense scenarios. Our thoughts have an attraction quality if you think too much about problems or negative situations, your actions unconsciously reflect those thoughts and you inadvertently invite such negative situations. It s always better to keep your mind filled more with positive thoughts and scenarios. EXERCISE ONE Determine now your personal philosophy in responding to a violent attack or encounter. Ask yourself the following questions: Are you a pacifist at all costs, preferring to die or get injured before fighting to protect your life or the life of a loved one? What are you willing to fight for are your dignity, pride, wallet, purse or SUV worth fighting to protect? Are you willing to risk bodily harm to intervene on behalf of someone you don t know? What other questions do you think you should be asking yourself now so that you can react with clarity and determination in the event of an encounter? EXERCISE TWO Take time to visualize a variety of self-defense scenarios, and see yourself handling the confrontation successfully. One example: As you are getting into your car with shopping bags, a teenager with a knife demands your purse or wallet. You smile, hand him your wallet, and sincerely tell him you hope any money in the wallet is helpful to him. He gruffly thanks you and runs off. (Or) You deflect the knife inward with your shopping bag as you step sideways out of his range, break through his knee with a sidekick, then drive a quick panther fist strike into his neck. He drops the knife and falls to the ground. You quickly glance around to make sure he doesn t have any accomplices with him, and since it appears safe you place your foot across -5-

6 his neck just in case and start yelling for help. Both of these sample responses are viable, and each has its pros and cons. In the event this encounter really happens, you will likely choose the reaction that you have visualized. Visualize many different scenarios: * Your 300-pound, very strong neighbor barges through your front door and says he s going to kill your teenaged son for waking him up playing the drums so loud. * The nice guy you met at church finally asks you out, but after a few drinks he gets too loose and starts forcibly trying to kiss you in his car. * You re walking down a street at night and as you round a corner three young men are right in front of you beating up a woman. They stop and stare, then one starts walking towards you. And so on and so on. One final bit of advice for this lesson: Don t get cocky or over-confident. A beginner knows nothing and can do nothing; an intermediate student suddenly knows everything and can do everything; an advanced student realizes how much he doesn t know and can t do, and is therefore very careful. ASSIGNMENT In one or two paragraphs, describe your current philosophy regarding self-defense, as discussed in Exercise One above. Send your thoughts to Master Sbarge at lessons@thepeacefuldragon.com. Please put Lesson 16 in the subject line. RECOMMENDED READING Real World Self-Defense: A Guide To Staying Alive In Dangerous Times By Jerry Van Cook Written by an ex-undercover police officer, this book introduces practical strategies and fundamentals for street self-defense. He addresses the importance of attitude, discusses the psychological and physiological changes that -6-

7 occur during combat, and covers legal and political issues in the aftermath of a physical confrontation. SSSS Every month a book or article will be suggested by Master Sbarge. Reading about topics related to the arts you are training in will help you get the most out of your practice. Just remember that reading can never replace your practice! Each month s recommended reading is purely optional, though Master Sbarge may on rare occasion ask that you do read a particular book. For additional reading suggestions by Master Sbarge, go to For any book or other item you purchase through The Peaceful Dragon website s link to Amazon.com, a percentage is automatically sent to The Peaceful Dragon. We appreciate your support of our school. Note: All Peaceful Dragon students are urged to complete monthly assignments because they are important for you to fully benefit from your training. -7-