Although the majority of us want to live peaceful lives in which we can enjoy life and achieve the aspirations that we have, there is a darker element in our world that live their lives by violence and this is often brought to bear on those of us that just want to live a quiet existence.

The sudden presence of a threat to our safety is a very traumatic experience that we are usually unprepared for and results in a confused state of mind that makes us very vulnerable to attack.

There are a huge number of self defense techniques available. Some are very efficient and deal very effectively with real street situations, such as “The No B.S. Street-fighting and Self Defense Guide”. However, many are very poor, usually based on pure classical martial arts systems, and often the techniques used restrict themselves by working within their systems philosophy and have little practical use when dealing with a real street attack

I must also emphasize that the techniques used are a small part of the self defense capability package. By themselves, no matter what the system (street effective or classical martial arts system), they are quite useless and must be supported with several underlying principles and concepts which I will briefly discuss in this article. This discussion is by no means exhaustive but covers the most crucial factors.

Awareness: Developing an awareness of potentially dangerous situations gives you the ability to avoid a confrontation or prepare a defensive response. You must cultivate an awareness of the environment and the potential assailants within it, together with their verbal and body language that will signal a potential threat. Learn to read your environment, situation and potential attacker’s intent.

Distance & positioning: Once the situation has reached a point that a physical confrontation is unavoidable it is absolutely critical that you establish and maintain a safe defensive distance and position that allows an effective response within the space available. This is probably the biggest mistake made by people when confronted by an assailant.

Commitment: Another major critical factor required for an effective self defense response is commitment. Particularly when faced by a determined attacker that has a history of violence. These assailants don’t think or operate the same as the majority of people who have no desire to enter into any conflict, particularly a physical one. When they have decided to attack someone they will attack and there is nothing that you can say that will stop them.
When you are faced with this situation you must develop a similar attitude and totally commit yourself to neutralizing the attacker. Cultivate a mind-set that clears your mind of interfering self-talk and self doubt. Learn to focus completely on dealing with the situation fast, efficiently and effectively.

Efficient Tactics: There are many ways to neutralize the various attacks that may occur in a physical confrontation. However, when seeking out techniques to train you must assess them for practicality in a real street situation. The techniques must be simple, fast and effective in dealing with attacks from bigger and stronger assailants. The more moves in a technique and the higher the complexity the greater the chance of something going wrong during their application particular in the chaotic conditions of a street confrontation.

Adrenal Stress Conditioning: A crucial factor in a self defense confrontation is the adrenal stress response, more commonly known as the fight/flight/freeze reflex. For most people a potential street confrontation is a traumatic experience resulting in an inability to recall or use any of the techniques that they have learned. Their minds shut down and they become easy targets for attack. This is probably the biggest problem with most self defense training and must be addressed so that the techniques taught can be used in a real self defense situation. Drills that use mental visualization techniques and physical surprise tactics that compromise the recipient’s ability to handle the situation will assist in providing conditioning to deal with the adrenal stress.

In summary, there are many self defense techniques taught in the various systems, some specific to so called street reality systems, others to the various martial arts systems.  However, there are several essential factors that must be addressed, when you learn self defense, if any of these techniques and tactics are to be of practical use in the street self defense situation. For a really great self defense guide developed from both martial arts and real street fighting experience check out “The No B.S. street-fighting and Self-defense Guide” by clicking here.

When we are in a competitive situation in which there are rules and a referee controlling the action we have several top positions that we can use, and transition between, to provide us with a number of attacks that can deal with the numerous situations that we may face and also allow us to work game plans that we favor.

However, in the street we have a major factor that limits our ground game; the likelihood of the adversary having accomplices. This clearly makes the use of guards a very dangerous proposition. However, we are also limited in our top game being far too vulnerable to attack while holding the back mount, side control, front control and even the top mount.

The main drawback of most of the ground positions, in fact the whole situation of going to ground is that it reduces our mobility. Not such a big deal in the competitive arena but very crucial in a street fight.

So why bother going to the ground or developing a ground game if you are interested in protecting yourself in the street?

One advantage of taking the fight to the ground, particularly in the street is that it levels the game a bit against faster, stronger and younger adversaries.

And of course sometimes – certainly if the statistics are to be believed – most street fights go to the ground anyway.

So it is definitely necessary to develop an effective ground game together with the ability to get back to your feet again and skills that can neutralize the adversary’s attempts at taking you to the ground.

Without doubt the best position for street confrontation is the knee-ride or knee on the belly position.

• This position gives great control on the ground while still providing excellent maneuverability to change position and stand up again. However, it does require training and drilling to develop efficient and competent control of the opponent.
• The knee ride transitions easily into arm locks, leg locks and chokes with or without the kimono and is excellent for striking the downed adversary.
• However, for the street, particular care must be taken in respect of the groin which is exposed to grabbing or striking, you must train the ability to control the near side arm by securing the tricep, above the elbow, so that the arm can be controlled sufficiently to prevent these attacks.
• Train the knee ride, for MMA and the street, by dropping the knee onto the ribs and sternum.
• Work the knee ride by changing sides and develop the ability to control the knee ride by placing the shin and knee in from the neck/collarbone region onto the sternum.
• In the event of the downed adversary having accomplices he/she can be positioned between you and them so that it provides an obstacle that interferes with their attacks.
• The fight against the downed opponent can be transitioned between striking from the knee ride to allowing the adversary to attempt standing and then attacking him/her during the recovery movement.

In summary, it is very advantageous if not necessary to develop a competent ground game or the ability to neutralize being taken to the ground. The most practical position to develop for the street fight situation is the knee ride. Learn and train the knee ride so that you control the adversary effectively, can strike effectively from it and transition between different positions should the situation allow for the application of finishing chokes or locks.

When contemplating this comment, it occurred to me that where some of the problem with this statement lies, is that people get the idea of a street fighter possessing some techniques that will defeat a trained martial artist.
I would suggest, from my observations, and experience, that it is not about the techniques, but rather about the tactics used and the conditions that the proponents are familiar with. The so-called street fighter relying on either the surprise attack, the “king hit” or a blitzing, frenzied attack that is intent on overwhelming the opponent.
Neither of these tactics separate the street fighter into any technical distinction, as far as fighting techniques go, as these are tactics that are readily adopted by a trained martial artist if he so wishes.

A major part of the problem appears to occur in how each of these types of fighters enters the potential fight, in respect of their attitude.
An experienced street fighter enters the impending battle with a clear intent to “take out” or “deal to the opponent”. He is fully committed to the end goal and will do what it takes to fulfill that end.
In addition, they are often thugs who are not newcomers to the prospect of incarceration and have little concern about facing an assault charge.
The psychological aspect of the game is well under control and this is a dominating factor in any endeavor. In addition he usually has a few techniques and tactics, he has used in past fights, that he is well practiced in and knows how to set up and use to best effect.

These techniques are no different to the martial artist’s techniques and may in fact be not as efficient, but they get the job done. The way that he sets up or applies the techniques will usually take advantage of the element of surprise or completely overwhelm the opponent who is not fully committed psychologically to the fight.
He is well versed in the importance of keeping and then quickly closing the distance between himself and the opponent. There is no trained ability to defend any attack from his opponent it is almost entirely about offense.

The stereo-typical martial artist, on the other hand, often fails to have this commitment to take the opponent out. They more often than not have a high moral regard for their fellow human beings and seldom go looking for trouble.
Often trained in defense and without real practical tactics to deal with the sudden onslaught they are caught of guard and can be quickly overwhelmed.
Most are used to sparring with an opponent who uses techniques and tactics that are the same or similar to what he uses. They respect each others techniques and fight by an agreed set of rules. There is no attempt at sneak attacks and there is always the knowledge that if the one or the other is overwhelmed then the dominant opponent will back off to allow his training opponent time to recover.

All of these conditions are not present in the street fight. This not only plays a major factor in the physical aspects of the game, but once the engagement is under way will have a dramatic effect on the trained martial artist who is caught in completely unfamiliar territory.
This will, at least momentarily, create a state of confusion and make him/her vulnerable to attack.

It is therefore important that if a martial artist wants to prepare himself/herself for dealing with a street-fighter then they need to develop a street-fight state of mind, that he/she can readily access when the situation calls for it, or else try to completely avoid potential street-fights.

For those martial artists who have never been exposed to the reality of a street-fight environment but wish to prepare themselves for the possibility, I suggest they spend some time in places where they can experience exposure to the street-fight environment. At first just observing at a distance and then increasing the degree of interaction, and thus risk of becoming actively engaged in a street-fight, so that they can become more aware of what the situation feels like and the way in which a typical street-fight unfolds.

This can then be used as the basis for developing a state of mind that can be anchored using visualization and the cognitive behavioral techniques of NLP/Neurosemantics and integrated into their training regimes. Note I am not promoting the idea of going out and getting into street-fights, but rather exposing themselves to what it is like so that they know what happens.

“By failing to prepare you are preparing to fail.”
Benjamin Fanklin

This attitude and mindset can be very inhibiting on the student’s progress and also the development of the entire group, because it tends to create thoughts in the other students minds that interfere with their learning.

Each student will learn the particular techniques, of a discipline, at their own pace which is to a large degree dependent on their commitment to learning and their understanding of the basic principles.

This latter factor, and the ability to learn the intricacies of the particular techniques, is also very dependent on the students willingness to learn the details that are essential for the efficient performance of the maneuver, that you are endeavoring to impart to them.

Those students that come with the “I know” attitude will often struggle to pick up the finer points, because their receptivity, and thus concentration on the details, is lacking.

Students being coached in Thai Boxing.

This mind-set is in great danger of manifesting itself into an attitude that, as the skill difficulty increases, they still know it all and they miss the points that are required to give true mastery of the complexity. And while this may have little effect in the competitions or challenges they face early on in their learning. As they encounter higher level competition, and greater challenges, their technical ability will be challenged.

In addition, if their goal is merely to excel in the competition aspect of a particular pursuit (I refer directly to the martial arts scene in particular, although this can also apply in other pursuits) then the attributes of strength, speed, fitness and having the time devoid of many other responsibilities, will give them a good degree of success without a high level of technical ability.

However, martial arts can provide so much more than the competitive challenge with subsequent “victory rush”.

Statistics on the reasons that people practice martial arts indicate that only about 5 % of practitioners learn martial arts for competition. The majority are learning as a way to develop confidence, get fit and as a means of self protection.

In addition, for those of us who find that we enjoy martial arts, it provides an element to our lives that contributes a great deal mentally, physically and spiritually to whatever age we wish to take it. It is when we continue our training and pursuit of the higher values that Martial arts offers, that we find the pursuit of higher technical ability of great value.

I would encourage you as a student to always keep your mind open and receptive to learning. This will greatly enhance your learning and enjoyment of the particular pursuit that you are engaged in.

It is the details that will increase your chances of success in anything that you practice. And it is the details that will help you on your way to mastery and give you the life enhancing benefits that will allow you to continue training and really enjoy life into your later years.

“To be conscious that you are ignorant is a great step to knowledge.” Benjamin Disraeli (1804 – 1881)

We see others doing seemingly effortless movements and techniques in a discipline, such as Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, MMA or Muay Thai, and we develop an interest and desire to learn.

However, once we begin to learn the discipline, and especially if we have never done anything like it before, we may well find that we just can’t seem to get it right.

To make things even more difficult, if our fitness is poor and the skills require a reasonable level of fitness we will undoubtedly find the skill acquisition even harder, particularly if the school that you attend puts a lot of emphasis on fitness; a trend found quite common these days with the franchised martial arts program schools that have limited technique knowledge.

You must look for a martial arts school that has an organized skill learning curriculum and that teaches the techniques in a progressive manner that builds a strong foundation, with the basic maneuvers, and then progressively increases the level of complexity and difficulty.

The fitness levels should be built progressively alongside this skill acquisition program so that a good average, and readily maintainable, level of fitness can be acquired that will complement the skill learning program.

We must come to terms with the fact that learning anything takes time, repetition and an acceptance that we must start from the beginning again, and build a strong foundation, before we can expect to be able to develop a high level of competency. This is especially true of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, MMA and Muay Thai, all of which are rich in technically complex movements that require a high degree of unconscious competence to become proficient in.

One absolutely necessary mind-set, that we must have, is that “there is no such thing as failure, only feedback”. When learning something new we are going make mistakes as we pick up the skill. Rather than seeing these as failures to learn, develop the attitude that you just found a way, or used a way, that does not work.

Take this feedback of the incorrect method and analyze it to see what you did incorrectly. Ask yourself what can you learn from it, what is it teaching you?

Make the correction and perform the new method. If you can’t work it out for yourself, ask someone who can help.

The value of a good coach, in martial arts, is indispensable.

A coach is able to see what is happening from the 2nd and 3rd position point of view. A good coach has a wealth of learned knowledge and experience of those that have gone before and have, by trial and error, learned the best ways of doing something.

They have made the same mistakes that you are making now and overcome them. It is far quicker to learn from those that have gone before, than redo everything again.

That is a characteristic that has enabled humans to not only survive from our beginnings on the plains of Africa but to reach the incredible levels of technological development we have today.

Many of us, and in particular many high achievers, can be very hard on ourselves and, after a period of frustration in training and not making any progress, will eventually quit.

It more often than not, depends on our resilience and stubbornness as to whether we continue to pursue the mastery of a discipline. There is no substitute for persistence and all champions and those who have achieved mastery demonstrate tireless persistence in achieving their goal of mastery.

Having a real passion for the discipline that you are training in, together with persistence, will increase your chances of success many fold.

During training, and in particular martial arts, all of us go through periods in which progress stalls; we make big advances at the beginnings of our learning but ultimately this slows and can go for a long time without seemingly make any progress. Then all of sudden we encounter another burst of progress.

Often what moves us is a sudden realization of the block that is stopping our progress or, we change our approach to how we train or perform something. This can result in a rapid jump forward. Again a good martial arts coach will make this process a lot quicker.

In summary, when we train and in particular, in martial arts training we will encounter periods of slow progress, technique acquisition difficulty and frustration.

Develop an attitude of looking at your mistakes as feedback.

Try a new approach to your training.

Ask your coach, who is an invaluable tool, for assistance.

Remember nothing can beat persistence and passion, in achieving a goal.

One extra little tip: Sometimes even a short rest can make all the difference.

Above enjoy your training and the pursuit of excellence in martial arts.

In addition don’t forget to check out my Online Thai Boxing Course at http://www.muaythaitrainingsite.com/ and my No Bullshit Guide To Street Fighting & Self Defense Ebook here http://www.learnselfdefenseprograms.com/

Hematomas’, strained muscles, torn ligaments and tendons, and even broken bones are typical of the injuries that we encounter.

Given time and correct treatment the majority of these injuries repair, and cause little, if any, further problems.

Most of us experienced athletes understand what treatment is required for these injuries and we either put ourselves through the necessary regime or consult a health professional for the more severe injuries.

The I.C.E. (Ice, Compression and Elevation) protocol is our standard treatment, at first, followed by resting, together with light stretching over a period of about 3 weeks. This protocol is successful for the majority of muscle and ligament strains, and hematomas that we get in martial arts training.

When we get a more severe ligament, tendon or muscle tear, or a bone fracture, the injury will require a longer time and will usually require the assistance of a professional.

However, there is one crucial factor which, as athletes, many of us struggle with; the necessity for patience and rest to enable the recovery process to complete its work.

However, many times we ignore our own advice and adopt an attitude that we’ll train through the injury and the body will adapt, and sometimes we get away with it.

Many of us, who love our martial arts training, find it extremely difficult to give it up for a few days let alone 3 weeks, but if we want to give ourselves the best chance of recovery we have to.

And while taking some time out to heal might seem, to most of us, a completely understandable undertaking, hardly requiring any further mention, many of us, the writer included, totally ignore advice and continue to train, exacerbating an already badly compromised physiology.

While in my 37 years of martial arts training I have incurred many injuries and flouted this requirement for rest and patience and got away with it, recently I severely damaged a shoulder that did not respond so quickly to recovery.

Following surgery I was back weight training and grappling on the mat within 4 weeks, as usual, ignoring the advice that I was given by my surgeon because previous experience had demonstrated that I could push myself a little harder than was prescribed.

Everything appeared to be under control, as I was building everything up slowly.

Unfortunately, my unwillingness to take time out to allow the process to fully heal the shoulder ultimately cost me.

Martial arts injury

After a week of particularly aggressive MMA grappling and a “black swan” event (an extremely violent 6.8 earthquake that tore my home city apart)in which I stressed the ligaments and muscles beyond what they could withstand, in their weakened state, my shoulder and bicep tendon became so badly damaged I could hardly lift my arm under its own power.

This was devastating, both physically and mentally as I just could not perform any form of upper body BJJ, MMA grappling, or weight training movement. In addition it was my left arm and so I was unable to execute a Jab or left hook, or hold pads for Muay Thai training.

As an instructor and fully active BJJ, MMA and Muay Thai practitioner I was forced to come to the realization that if I did not rest and take time out I might never be able to train in martial arts again. One doctor even said that, given my age, perhaps I should consider giving it away and going onto other things. Fortunately he was not my usual physician and I had little time for such opinions that are based on average, usually quite senescent, people.

However, I was also aware that I was not a good patient and I had better get someone to guide me in the recovery and caution me on being too aggressive.

I therefore consulted my physiotherapist who I had known for over 20 years and he told me that, yes, it was repairable but it was going to take time; a lot of time, over 6 months of careful work .

It was tough, watching my upper body atrophy and my weight drop by 5 kgs (that was lost muscle, as I don’t have a lot of body fat) and watching my students train and not being able to hit pads or grapple with them.

I was doing negative curls with 2.5 kg dumbbells and performing negative, lateral raises with only my own arm weight.

During this time I hit my legs, lower back and abdominals really hard which gave me some satisfaction.

Mentally it was tough as I had deep doubts about ever being able to grapple, fight or lift weights at the level that I was used to.

However, finally after 3 months I was starting to lift heavier weights and doing light, controlled BJJ and MMA grappling. Now, 5 months later, I am coming back to full strength, grappling, and working the Muay Thai pads again. My Jab is almost back fully and my upper body musculature returning.

This has been a severe lesson to me and one that I am still coming to terms with as I must continue to restrain myself and just let the healing process complete itself, otherwise I will be right back where I started.

I felt that I must write this as a reminder to myself and also a lesson to my students when they incur an injury.

I know that many of us dedicated athletes continually struggle with the healing process and find it hard to just rest and give ourselves a chance to recover.

Many times all we have to do is give an injury time and it will come right, our bodies have an incredible capacity to heal they just need time and rest.

In addition don’t forget to check out my Online Thai Boxing Course at http://www.muaythaitrainingsite.com/ and my No Bullshit Guide To Street Fighting & Self Defense Ebook here http://www.learnselfdefenseprograms.com/

Image: graur razvan ionut / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

This is the most important tool, together with footwork, in your Muay Thai technique arsenal.

This applies both, when on the offensive and the defensive.

If you have not got a Jab, then you had better spend the time and effort to develop one, as its versatility is unmatched by any other strike in martial arts fighting systems. This is something I discuss in detail in my Online Thai Boxing Course which can be found here.

With that point made, I would like to make the point that a single jab, used as the set up strike in a combination, is of very limited value.

I would like you to think for a moment about how many single jabs have you ever landed, as an attack and particularly as the set up strike of a combination.

One instance, in which a single jab does work well, is when it is used as a stop hit which interrupts the opponent’s movement forward and/or committed attack.

When setting up an opponent with a jab, as the opening strike of a Boxing or Muay Thai combination, or using the Jab to interrupt the opponent’s attack, and then setting up a counter-attack; using a single Jab will usually result in the opponent moving back or stopping at a range, that an immediate follow-up strike will require another set-up strike

In order to make this a fluid part of your fight game you need to drill multiple Jabs.

The Jab

Here are some tips on developing more successful setups with your jab:

• When training your combinations, work them with multiple jabs and fluid footwork.
• Train them to flow from the jab/ footwork setup.
• Practice varying the speed, length and tempo of the jab, so that it is difficult for the opponent to time it.
• Certainly, when first learning and developing your combination repertoire, train the combination with it’s basic sequence.
• Then, once the combination is learned and you can perform it fluidly, add multiple jabs, with footwork, to improve your setup execution and consequent success.
• Utilize the jab both on the set up and during the recovery, once the attack has been completed; this is where the retreating Jab is of value.
• Spend a lot of time honing the timing, speed, precision and fluidity of your Jab.
• Develop the ability to use it, while moving in any direction.
• Train it so that your body maintains a well balanced posture, that will allow you to immediately follow up with a combination, if the set up is successful and puts the opponent in a vulnerable position, or allows you to retreat or move on an angle should the opponent counterattack and force you on to the defense.

In summary:

If you want a complete fight game in whatever striking martial art you practice then you must develop a good jab.

Single jabs have limited value except as a stop hit to interrupt an opponent with a committed intent to attack and/or move forward.

Train your jabs with footwork moving, forward, back and sideways.

Throw multiple jabs and train to vary the speed, rhythm and length as they are thrown.

For a detailed breakdown of the jab and for the best online Thai boxing instruction available check out my Online Thai Boxing Course at http://www.muaythaitrainingsite.com/

One of the main problems many aspiring Muay Thai and MMA fighters have is keeping their focus on the development of the basic elements of their various techniques.

When the technique is first learned it is novel and drilling to develop a level of efficacy, which will allow them to use it against opponents who are unfamiliar with the technique or who do not have a high level of skill, is not too difficult.

They will get away with making small mistakes in the execution of the maneuvers and settle for a less than optimal execution.

As the level of competition gets harder, and more experienced opponents are encountered, the techniques that have not been drilled with a focus on the essential elements of execution will fail.

I recently noted such an error with one of my MMA fighters and his shooting technique during his last match.

In my match analysis and debriefing I pointed this out – that we had to work on improving his entry and execution of the shoot for his takedowns – and that we would address this in the upcoming MMA fighter’s classes.

I was alarmed when, a couple of days later, he told me that the way to get his takedowns better was to spar rounds to the takedown, then start again.

While this is certainly true, if you have your shooting and takedown technique correct, it is not the case if there are flaws in your basic technique, which was the case here.

Skill development in any discipline, not only martial arts, requires a breakdown of the technique into its basic elements and drilling of each of those elements; then bringing those elements together, at a progressively increasing rate and degree of complexity.

Then the technique is drilled with a cooperative opponent, at first, who then gradually increases the level of trying to stop the technique.

Finally, the technique is put into the sparring situation – this is the final step, not the first step in correcting a basic flaw.

Research has found that when we learn a technique the motor neuron pathways are set up and are set. The more we drill the technique the stronger the connections in the pathway become.

The only way we can do the technique differently is by learning it again in the correct manner. Then reinforce that pathway so that it dominates the execution of the intended technique. In time the old way of doing the technique fades.

Again research suggests that it takes 10,0000 hours  of training and practice to master a discipline.

What is often missed, when contemplating this finding, is that it is 10,00 hours of quality training and practice to master the technique.

If we have a basic flaw, in our MMA or Muay Thai technique’s execution, all that we are going to do is reinforce and master poor execution.

The message is simple; slow down, take your time and work at drilling a little at a time until you have mastered it to a level that you can perform it well. Then proceed to add another technique, increasing your available techniques a little at a time.

Focus on a few elements at a time, not a large number.

The road to mastery is a slow step by step procedure, drilling with repetition, in a manner that progressively increases the complexity, speed and level of risk.

It is a combined mental and physical effort and must involve both working together at a pace that allows you to develop the correct technique. The brain requires time to process the incredibly complex muscle firing patterns that are required for complex technique. This is especially true with martial arts techniques in MMA and Muay Thai used in real fighting as the components of timing and distance must be integrated at a high level when fighting a skilled opponent.

An Olympic gymnast does not work on the whole routine if they have a flaw in one maneuver. They work on improving that maneuver with a series of drills to get it right.

A sprinter will spend hours just developing the take-off from the blocks without running any more steps, other than what is required to slow down.

A boxer will spend many hours just perfecting each punch before using them in sparring, if there is a fault.

Summary:

Take your time, make every practice count, and you will benefit in the long run.

Perfect practice = perfect performance.

Chunk the technique down and develop drills for each chunk.

Then fit them all together in a progressive manner.

The more advanced that you are in your development, provided that you have learned the technique correctly, it is more likely that it is only a part of your technique that is flawed, not the whole thing. However, that flaw is upsetting your whole technique.

Just training the end goal of the particular technique, whether in martial arts or any other discipline, will not correct this flaw. It will just exacerbate it and make it more difficult to correct in the long term.

We are told by the proponents of the classical martial arts, particularly the so-called internal arts, that it is the basis of their incredible powers; powers that, after 37 years of martial arts experience, I am yet to witness.

I have seen many stunts that supposedly require Chi or Ki but have not witnessed one that cannot be explained with science or performed with adequate physical training and the belief that it can be done.

The use of Chi power to break tiles and bricks are merely acts that a trained martial artist, who has learned the correct body biomechanics and has toughened his/ body so that the strikes can be delivered correctly, can perform.

Pushing cars with poles or spears pressed to the throat, having blocks broken on them with sledge hammers while lying on a bed of nails and a favorite not only of martial artists but also of the self help gurus, walking on a bed of hot coals are all acts readily explained by science.

Whenever, I come upon these claims of mystical forces I am reminded of a quote from the late Carl Sagan, “Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence”.  The force of Chi or KI is another example of how some things get accepted as fact by people who fail to question what they are being told and just accept what is being said by their guru. The existence of Chi or Ki as a mystical force drawn from the universe fits in the same class as Astrology, Clairvoyance and the current big “Law of Attraction” scam, to name a few.

I had for some time been trying to locate a place that could do what I consider the ultimate in dispelling the Chi myth, walk on hot coals without any regard to any form of meditative or mystical preparation and to have others, like me, do the same.

I could travel overseas and pay some “guru” several thousand dollars to do it but it was still tied in with all the mystical rubbish.

After inquiring locally to the skeptics’ society I found some local people who had performed the fire-walk several times and were prepared to set the fire pit up for me and in November  of last year I organized the event for the end of year barbeque of my martial arts school.

The pit was prepared and the wood, good quality Blue Gum, was obtained and burned down. The people who prepared the coals for us said that this was a very good wood for these events and burns to produce very hot coals.

At last another of my major life goals was to be attained; to walk on a bed of hot coals.

It wasn’t just about another myth of supposed mystical phenomena, I had a second more meaningful reason for my doing it and that was to face the fear. This is no easy act for any creature particularly a human who has felt fire and knows that it is not something to be played around with, and to step foot on glowing embers from which you could still feel the intense heat rising, was an incredible act of courage and trust in science.

Stepping out onto that bed was the most amazing and uplifting experience I have ever done. I went first after the man who had prepared it for us went to demonstrate how to walk it. I was joined by many of my friends and fellow students including several young children, one only 5 years old.

Many of us went several times to reinforce the feelings and the action of doing it. Some of us got a few small blisters from getting used to the correct pace and also from doing it so many times but nothing severe. There was no mystical, metaphysical Chi force at work here it was just a physical phenomena.

Your mastery of any pursuit whether it be martial arts, gymnastics or playing Chess is a consequence of the amount of quality training spent developing the skills of a discipline, together with a mind that is focused on the event that you are involved in; what we westerners call “being in the zone”.

If you want to attain true mastery of your martial arts then train hard and consistently and you will reach your goal.

“Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence”

“You can’t convince a believer of anything; for their belief is not based on evidence, it’s based on a deep seated need to believe”

Dr. Carl Sagan (American Astronomer, Writer and Scientist, 1934-1996).

It is in times of adversity that we often come to realize the value of things that we have come to just accept as part of our lives.

My city has suffered incredible damage from recent earthquakes and is very slowly recovering. I was very fortunate to come though reasonably unscathed.

However, my apartment block was red stickered (entry prevented due to safety concerns) and I still have been unable to get back into it.

The academy survived, once again, with minimal damage and was up and running within a week. It was really fantastic to see the students coming back to get into their training with comments like: thanks for getting things going again as we just wanted somewhere to come and see people we know and have a good training session.

And especially the young children, who must have found the events of the earth quake very traumatic. It was great to see their smiling faces and listen to them just being happy kids again.

As the weeks go by now, more and more of the students are returning which gives me the feeling that what we are doing is worthwhile and goes way beyond just providing a place to learn martial arts.

The environment we create is so important, as It provides so much to people when they need it; a friendly face, someone to have a joke with, a means to share in a common interest and a great confidence booster.

The city will come back and there will be so many opportunities, for those who have stayed, to really make something of themselves and help build a great city, because we are survivors and have now faced a very traumatic time for a developed, western civilized city.

One thing that this experience has brought to my mind is to value everything that I have learned and experienced for it enables us to overcome the toughest of times.

There is nothing we can do with past history but learn from it. We must live in the present and embrace every moment of it, and as we do, we should prepare ourselves for the future, whatever it may be.