DISCUSSION

The Role of Relaxation in Self-Defense:

Relaxation is a crucial and often counterintuitive principle. Excessive tension restricts movement and telegraphs intent, whereas relaxation allows you to move fluidly, exploit openings, detect weaknesses in grips, and act without prematurely triggering defensive reactions. It also enhances range of motion, efficiency, and unpredictability.

Principle of Perpendicular Impact:

Maximize striking effectiveness by delivering force perpendicular to the target surface. Glancing blows dissipate energy, whereas perpendicular strikes transfer force more efficiently. Adjust your angle according to the target’s orientation for both hand strikes and kicks.

Need to be fast

Speed doesn’t always have to be raw speed. The slowest component of the entire response chain are:

• Decision-making takes time. Most people need several minutes just to choose what to order from a menu; in a dynamic situation, that delay is a liability.
• Memory recall can also be too slow. Effective responses should be nearly automatic, which only comes from consistent and deliberate repetition.
• Another bottleneck occurs when body parts “wait” for one another instead of moving within the same time frame. This reflects a need for better coordination, clear understanding of the mechanics, and, again, extensive repetition.

SCENARIOS

Random grabs within 5 different grabs with follow through strikes

The 5 different grabs in focus are:

• Handshake-style low grab across the center line
• Palm-down low grab across the center line
• Same-side low grab
• High grab across the center line
• High same-side grab

Within these five, it was observed that some escape variations appear identical. When generalized, they can be grouped into three distinct methods:

• Trace the fingertip over the wrist
• Pry open using the forearm
• Point to the forearm and wipe the thumb

Common mistakes on the linkage into the “follow-through strikes” portion of the skill:

• Hesitation in pulling direction: When pulling the arm, draw it across your body so you move toward the attacker’s backside rather than staying directly in front.
• Neglecting the spare hand: The free hand is often forgotten. As soon as you initiate movement, the free hand should engage simultaneously with the step and arm action.
• Pulling with the hands only: Relying solely on the arms reduces effectiveness. Instead, integrate stepping, body alignment, and whole-body movement to control and pull more efficiently.

EXERCISES

Continue with all the physical conditioning as well as solo strike practices

ANNOUCEMENTS

Registration for the Spring session begins on March 2, 2026 in Burnaby. I hope all of you will register again if you enjoyed the current session. Sixty years of training cannot be condensed into 10+ classes — what you have learned so far is only the beginning.

I also strongly recommend that everyone take Martial Gym – Functional Fitness if they have not already done so.

There is a FF class offered at Christine Sinclair Community Centre from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon, following the Self-Defense class at Bonsor. I consider it a foundational layer for self-defense as well as for other physical activities. It also teaches you how to fall with minimal injury.