Experiments and adaptations : Perpendicular and line of fire. We play with the concept of perpendicular, understanding the lines (strong versus weak) in a controlled manner, working of getting off the line of fire.

There is more than one way to move off the line of fire. A lot of people teach you a specific method and most take it as gospel. For example, some people teach you some fancy footwork, some teach you how to stand firm and just block whatever comes at you with your arms. However, this is a typical case where the cart comes before the horse. The most important thing is to understand WHAT you must accomplish and then determine if that HOW is the best way to get the job done. As an example, some fancy footwork without moving your head and chest won’t help you avoid a simple straight punch to the head.

Common mistakes to avoid: Looking away from the attacker, staying alert and taking more steps if necessary, body stiff throughout the steps, stop at some unstable position, only portion of the body moved away from line of fire.

Scenario – wrist grab (crossover center line grab e.g. right to right low grab with thumbs up)

Explained the reasons why this works nicely

• It does works even when your opponent is bigger than you are. Instead of tension, you relax instead.
• the technique does not involve violence at all and therefore most suitable in situations where escalation is not appropriate. e.g. care home, as a teacher helping autistic kids, little kids rough housing, handling a drunk boss, etc.
• After freeing your wrist, it is important to move to non-confrontational and less vulnerable position.
• Explained the use of words, smile and redirection without giving up strategic position

Common mistakes to avoid: fighting or lift from the point of contact, tension, staying in confrontational stance,

EXERCISES – calf and butt muscles – a lot of seniors do daily walks anyways. This “emphasis on pushing thru the toe” walk intends to improve on the quality of the walks to gain better balance and longer steps without needing to improve the pace.

Discussion: Martial arts and self-defense can feel like a lonely journey if you don’t have supportive partners. However, this is a two-way street—you must also be generous and provide the same support to your peers. A good training partner understands both the goal of the drill and their partner’s individual needs. For example, always start slow and gentle, gradually increasing intensity as your partner becomes more comfortable and confident in their technique. Remember, what works for one person may not work for another.

During the learning process, don’t focus on winning or losing. What truly matters is not the outcome, but whether you’ve made progress and improved.