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Self-Defense Within
Martial Arts Training Demands a Real-World Perspective
Far too many martial arts students are attempting to learn
self-defense without knowing what they will need to be able to
handle a real-world situation. They are attempting to learn from
instructors who are teaching without this perspective. In this case
study, you'll see how a very personal real-life account proves that
sometime, two-plus-two can equal disaster if you're not properly
prepared.
This story is being offered in response to a request made by my
teacher, Soke (Grand Master) Masaaki Hatsumi, during a recent
training visit to Japan. During one of the training sessions, Soke
was suggesting that everyone, regardless of rank, should make it a
point to talk to those with actual combat experience and to learn
from these people. The point was, if you do not know what a real
fight is like, you will not be able to train properly for an
authentic situation.
I was asked to share some of my experience in dealing with an attack
and the following story came to mind. Though I have much experience
with dealing with danger and dangerous people, this particular
situation stands out as both a successful outcome where I was able
to use some of my ninpo-taijutsu martial arts training, and a
learning experience where I was actually able to control both my
awareness and response, instead of mentally shutting down and
"hoping" for the best.
*************
The incident occurred many years ago while I was stationed in, what
was then, West Germany. I was serving with the United States Army
Military Police Corps. My partner and I were called to respond to a
unit where a serviceman was assaulting others, including the
officer-in-charge.
When we arrived at, what we thought was, the location of the
incident, there was no one but the Charge of Quarters present. He
had no idea about the incident. What none of us knew was that the
'problem' was occurring next door and moving in our direction.
While my partner and I were confirming the call with our superiors,
the attacker entered the building where we were. He was obviously
intoxicated and shouting racial insults and demanding satisfaction
before he started a 'real war.' By the smell of him, he had been
drinking heavily and primarily whiskey. His clothes showed signs of
a struggle and at this point I wasn't sure if I was facing an
attacker or the victim of an assault.
I immediately tried to calm the individual and find out what the
problem was. As I was doing this, several other soldiers, including
the command duty officer entered the building and became involved.
The belligerent soldier was going on with his racial attacks and how
he was attacked by what he thought were his friends. It was then
that he turned his attention to me and began implying that he had
martial arts experience and "didn't have to prove himself to
anyone."
During this, and later after interviewing witnesses, we found that
the individual had tested for his black belt in another martial art
earlier that day and was out 'celebrating' with his friends.
Witnesses testified that the more intoxicated he became, the more he
started "showing off" to his friends which involved hitting and
kicking. Eventually, his friends had had enough and then attempted
to stop his obnoxious behavior by pushing him away and leaving him
behind. This only made him more "playful" at which time he jumped on
his friends resulting in them throwing him down on the ground. It
was this that finally enraged him enough to chase them to the
barracks and begin attacking others.
As he was telling me that he didn't <I>have</I> to prove himself, he
also made statements that I only thought that I was tougher than him
because I carried a gun, a nightstick and wore an MP helmet. I
responded by removing my helmet and handing my night stick to my
partner in an attempt to neutralize any perceived threat that I
might be projecting and bring the soldier's anxiety level down. I
informed him that the gun stayed where it was but that we needed to
talk like civilized men so we could solve whatever problem was going
on.
The soldier continued on with the "I'm a black belt and don't need
to prove how tough I am" speech when he closed the distance and,
from about an inch from my face, stated that, "I'm going to show you
how tough you're not."
I ordered the soldier back and before I knew what was happening, I
sensed his fist coming up between our bodies toward my jaw. I rode
off the strike which landed before I could evade and then backed out
as he began to flail widely with both arms at my head and body. I
remember taking up a hoko-like position (a guarding posture in
ninjutsu designed to create a protective 'bubble' that is difficult
for the attacker to get through) to cover against the incoming
attacks and having to simultaneously deal with an officer who
thought that I was the one doing the attacking!
At one point, I realized that his right arm had wrapped around my
left forearm and that a 'musha-dori-like thing' (uplifting elbow -
shoulder dislocating technique) was happening. I remember moving to
capture his balance and laid him down when suddenly his feet went
out from under him. Later I found out that, in an attempt to help,
my partner chose that moment to sweep my assailant's legs out from
under him. I felt the soldier's shoulder give way as I applied the
lock and took him down. This didn't help with the anxiety and
emotional pressure I was dealing with as I was now worried about a
possible 'police brutality' charge for excessive force.
This injury didn't deter his aggression though as he continued to
fight against our restraint. We were finally able to subdue him and
get him onto his stomach to be handcuffed when his wife and young
child entered the building. I don't know how they found out about
the situation but there they were. I felt sad for them and was only
able to give a look of apology for having to do this. Again, more
stress was added in that I didn't want to have to physically hurt
this man in front of his family.
Unfortunately, their presence only served to escalate the problem.
When the soldier became aware of his wife and child, he blamed my
partner and I for his "embarrassment" and began to fight against his
restraint again. I am not a big man and this soldier's build was
easily 150% of my own size and weight, so holding him was a serious
problem. Having to improvise and immobilize the man, I placed my
night stick between the handcuff chain and his back and applied
leverage against his spine which created a situation where he would
only hurt himself with his continued resistance. This was only
necessary for a moment or two, as he passes out from his exertion.
*************
As I related during my initial telling of the story at the <I>Hombu
Dojo</I> ('main training hall'0 in Noda-city, Japan, my legs begin
to shake and I can feel my breathing change as I recall this
situation and many others like it. It does not control me or the way
I go through my life in the ordinary sense that I am not afraid to
associate with people or the like. What it has done is imprinted on
me much more than just a step-by-step memory of the events, and I'm
sure that my recollection of these is less than accurate because the
experience was much more emotional and from what Soke has called "budo-nerves"
orientation or perspective than from any sort of memorized technique
string.
I will simply end this by saying that, this situation is one that
has forever changed my perspective on how I should train, and as a
teacher, how I should train my students. It has taught me that kata-like,
step-by-step training is only a piece of the training puzzle but,
anyone who believes that they will fight this way is deluding
themselves. Conversely, it has also taught me that training that is
just henka-based, where the basics like cover, distance and the like
are not drilled until they become second-nature and the student just
"does whatever" in an attempt to imitate (his or her teacher) is
also deluded. This type of practice is necessary but, again, only a
piece.
I am in complete agreement with Soke when he points out that it is
the ability to go between the animal instinct response required for
surviving an attack and returning to the civilized state to live a
happy life, unstained by fear, defensiveness or antisocial behavior
because of the attack that should be the goal.
Let me also say that, I respect Soke and the Shihan master
instructors that I train with. But, not simply because they are Soke
and the Shihan. I respect these people and continue to train in this
art precisely because my own experience with having to handle danger
tells me that what they have to offer is authentic and "on the mark"
with that experience. Because I know that should I ever be attacked
again, it will be the lessons that I have learned from them and not
my admiration of them or their abilities that will help to insure
that my family gets to have me around a little while longer. In a
world filled with martial artists and instructors who want trophies,
admiration and to 'look good,' it is comforting to know that there
are still those who have what the true warrior needs to create a
life worth living and the power to protect that life from whatever
might harm it.
Jeffrey M. Miller is the founder and master instructor of Warrior
Concepts International. A senior teacher in the Japanese warrior art
of Ninjutsu, he specializes in teaching the ancient ways of
self-protection and personal development lessons in a way that is
easily understood and put to use by modern Western students and
corporate clients. Through their martial arts training, his students
and clients learn proven, time-tested lessons designed to help them
create the life they've always dreamed of living, and the skills
necessary for protecting that life from anything that might threaten
it. To learn more about this and other subjects related to the
martial arts, self-defense, personal development & self-improvement,
visit his website at
www.warrior-concepts-online.com.
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