DISCUSSION

Knowing is not enough

Look at kids practicing table tennis at a competitive level. They repeat the simplest movements over and over again. Watch the video above.

Self-defense is not a sport—but doesn’t that make it even more important to invest time in repetition, so that your trained responses become automatic?

I want you to stay curious, to enjoy the process of practice, and to notice the improvements that come over time.

Our method of self-defense may seem simple and logical. However, it is not how you have been operating for most of your life. As we age together, we need to do things differently and learn to compensate for the changes in our bodies.

Using an Opponent’s Reflexes

Exploit natural reactions to trap or control an opponent. Create scenarios where their instincts, such as tightening a grip or pulling back when pushed, work in your favor. When done correctly, their response helps complete the technique, allowing you to use less effort and achieve greater control.

Common mistakes of stick maneuvers

• Wrist flipping – Flipping the wrist during a strike can misalign the weapon. If the stick were a blade, you would be cutting with the back edge instead of the edge itself. Maintain proper alignment throughout the strike.
• Dropping the arms too low – This is a very common mistake. As your arms drop, you lose reach and structural integrity. Instead of lowering your arms, lower your body by bending at the knees and hips.
• Failing to “park” the stick after a strike – Recovery is critical. If the stick is not properly controlled after impact, you can easily lose structure—or even strike yourself. Build the habit of returning the stick to a controlled, ready position after every action.
• Remaining stationary during strikes and defenses – Keeping the body and footwork static limits both power and safety. Movement is essential—not only to generate force, but also to reposition yourself and avoid becoming a stationary target.

SCENARIOS

Review of the escapes from the 5 basic grips

It is important to remember the five basic grips, as most other techniques are simply extensions of them. At this stage, many of you still hesitate when being grabbed. In addition, it often takes more than one attempt before you can recall and apply all the key points correctly.

This is a natural part of the learning process. You simply need enough repetitions to truly own the technique. It is also important to train with different partners, each with different body types, timing, and reactions.

Do not be afraid, frustrated or embarrassed. It can be solved. Arrive a bit earlier if possible to experiment, and ask questions whenever needed.

Extending What Was Learned into Different Situations

The five basic grips provide the foundation for handling a wide range of other grip variations. From there, we experimented with the following scenarios:

• Two-arm grip from the opponent with their arms crossed
• Two-arm low grip on both wrists in a natural grip
• High two-arm grip against both wrists with upward pressure
• Face-to-face position with an elbow grip
• Side-by-side position with a wrist grip

While these situations may feel new, the solutions are based on the same concepts you learned from the five basic grips. Try to determine the appropriate response by recalling those principles and applying the underlying mechanics from the other techniques.

EXERCISES

All exercises taught, whether using body weight or a stick, should be practiced to improve strength and stamina. Everyday tasks often require only specific parts of the body to move and over time, this becomes a habit. We frequently rely on just our arms to lift heavy objects, which is why workplace safety guidelines (such as those from WCB) emphasize using the legs instead. Once you are used to the new way, it becomes your new habit.

Similarly, when pushing a person or resisting force, many people rely primarily on their arms instead of driving power through the legs and body into the arms. To change these habits, these mechanics must be trained as life skills—not just as a Thursday class exercise.

SIDE NOTES

T-shirts should be ready coming Thursday. If everyone is there, we should take a group picture!