I am interested in comments from women.
What is your reaction to this video?  Do you think you would (or should) do all the same things?

Check out THIS STORY when you are finished with my blog today!
It's about new studies that prove that even if you are among the "oldest old" exercise can lengthen your life.

It's just one more proof that it is never too late to start something for yourself!

The great news is that even taking a few 15 minute walks counts as exercise.

If you are concerned about personal defense, you should also be interested in personal fitness.  I offer you this article as inspiration to get out there and MOVE!

FYI - The old man in the picture is Helio Gracie - patriarch of the world famous Gracie Jiu Jitsu family - choking out a much younger Royce Gracie.  What's your excuse?

There is a story I picked up somewhere about a student of martial arts.  His master asked him one day how he would respond if he were attacked. 

No dummy, the student answered "Run away!".  After all, he had heard that in class often enough.

 "Really?" the master asked.  "OK - start running - and I better not catch you!"

Don't we all have special needs?  I have to wear glasses to drive.  Some people need wheelchairs to get around.  Some can't see at all, and some can't see at night.

The whole point of A Personal Defense is to provide YOU with the skills to defend yourself and your loved ones with what you have, where you are, today.  If you are stuck in a wheelchair, let's find out what your options are and work on strategies to make them work for you.  Have a bad knee?  Well, I probably wasn't going to have you jump kicking anyway.

What are your limitations?  What are your strengths?  Lets use those strengths to their greatest advantage to minimize the limitations.  The personal defense goals of people with "handicaps" are not well served by traditional martial arts.  Fortunately, that is not the end of the story.

Whatever your abilities, there is a way to maximize them.  You may never win a title belt or a trophy, but you can learn to make the most of what you have.  After all, it's not about doing fancy or difficult things.  It's about YOU!

This Video shows how effective one man with confidence and training can defend himself against many attackers.  There are other version of this video, but this is the most complete - showing the set up and some of the aftermath as well.

Where are the police?

I recently finished reading SPARK by John Ratey and it was really fascinating!  He cites several studies that show that physical exercise actually improves mental performance.  It even increases brain cells!  That's something they told me was impossible in school. 


 

It's time for "answer a question with a question"!  The answer to "Do Martial Arts REALLY work" is "Does football REALLY work?".
To paraphrase Bruce Lee, if you learn how to "do" football and you lose a game, it doesn't mean the plays were bad.  It doesn't mean the technique of throwing a pass is no good.  It means simply that you have not developed the attributes required to apply those skills against that particular opponent.

"I've Got a Secret"
Are there any words more enticing to the human mind?  We all want to learn the "secrets" to wealth, fitness, love, personal defense, whatever.

In the video here you see some people who have bought into the idea that there are secret methods that will make them safe - invincible, maybe.  You also see what happens when they meet people who don't share those beliefs.

     Martial arts seem to provide a never ending showcase for self-delusion.  It was only natural that fraudulent schools of "Kung Fu" would spring up across America when Bruce Lee made Chinese boxing famous in movies.  Likewise, in the 80s it was hard to walk down the street in any town without running into would - be "ninja".
     Frauds and cons have been with us always.  That is no surprise.  What IS  amazing to me is the number of people who manage to con themselves. 

Look at the video here.  Consider that somehow, this "master"'s students have become convinced that he has a mystical power to paralyze them with his Ki - the mystical "life force".
 

Look around you.  Do you see any weapons?  Is there anything nearby that could be used in your defense?

Weapons are easy.  Once you understand how they work, almost anything has some potential as a weapon.  Do you have a coffee mug or a stapler?  What about scissors?  Is there a magazine nearby?  What about a newspaper?  These can be quickly rolled into serviceable weapons.