Teaching Philosophy

During your introduction and ongoing training as a student of the Martial Arts Center we would like to pass on our teaching philosophies and concepts of attack and defense.

"He who turns and runs away, may live to fight another day." --William Shakespeare

"The best way to win a knife fight is never to get into one" -- Kira Naris (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine)

"He who hesitates, meditates in a horizontal position." -- Ed Parker

"Necessity is the mother of Invention." -- Unknown

"You can't talk your way out of problems you behave yourself into." -- Stephen R. Covey

CONCEPTS OF ATTACK & DEFENSE

1. Critical Distance - The distance between you and your opponent where he can make contact with you.  The average persons Critical Distance is between 4 to 6 feet, a trained martial artist can have a Critical Distance exceeding 15 feet.  Keep this in mind when defending against an opponent who displays martial art physical tendencies during their attacks.
2. Distance Neutralization - This topic is based on the idea that a static distance between you and your opponent makes it difficult for him to do any sort of damage to you.  Allowing your opponent unrestricted access to your critical distance is a recipe for disaster.  Move side to side, backward, off angle or if necessary strike the opponent to prevent him from reaching your critical distance.
3. Angling or Zoning - This is the concept of moving off angle in order to keep yourself in a position to be able to counter attack your opponent during the attack.   Zoning is used to cut off other opponents or neutralizing other limbs of single opponents.
4. Basic Rules of Street Defense:
• Rule #1 - Be mentally and physically strong enough to survive your opponent's initial attack.  This is where most fights are lost.  If an opponent can trick you, distract you, scare you, or initially injure you, to the point where you won't be able to respond, you have been ill-prepared.  Preparation for immediate retaliation is essential to surviving a real street attack.
• Rule #2 - It doesn't matter what you hit your opponent with, or what target you hit him in.  What matters is that you don't stop striking him until he is finished. 
• Rule #3 - Don't try to fight more than one person at the same time.   Separate your opponents by movement, strikes or manipulation.  Don't re-enter the mass once you have broken free.  Look for the nearest exit before trouble begins and make a B-Line toward it.  Use distractions and disassociation to force your opponents into actions that they are unwilling to make on their own.
• Rule #4 - Begin most street confrontations with a low distracting strike.  This facilitates your ability to follow up using unfettered moves to a high open target.
5. Initial Attack - (Preemptive strike) - Waiting for your opponent to hit you before you retaliate is the worst form of defense.  It is easier to defend yourself during your opponent's beginning movements then when the attack is in full swing.   Use the 50-100-50 percent rule.  When an attack begins it contains 50% strength (good time to defend), during the height of the attack it contains 100% strength (more difficult to defend, but not impossible), at the end of the attack it returns to 50% (good time to defend again).
   
6. Triangle Theory - Imagine a triangle pointing at your stomach and jutting out away from your center at a 45 degree angle to the right and left.  This is your opponent's position of power.  Never step into this position during an attack unless you have no other choice.  It is easier to side step, backpedal or angle in order to defend yourself, and helps keep you away from your opponent's position of power.