What is Your Self Defense Commitment?
I often get email letters asking me if what I teach is better than
(shoot-fighting, shaolin kung fu, Brazilian Jujutsu, etc, etc.)
The question I always ask myself is I wonder what level this person
is willing to commit to their self defense training.
What I mean by this is do they want a quick fix? Something that
will give them the best chance possible in most situations without
spending a lifetime of self defense study.
Some are ready and willing to commit two or three days a week for
several hours at a time. They are willing to be physically banged
around, stressing their bodies to the max. They are willing to do
this for five, eight, ten years or more.
Additionally they want to study striking, grappling, throwing and
pressure point fighting. Closing the gap, distance fighting, mid
range and close range. Fighting from the ground with a standing
opponent. Defending against an array of weapons from knives, sticks,
clubs, bats, guns both from the standing position as well as the
ground. Grappling on the ground as well as standing.
So the question is my style of self
defense going to work against someone with this kind of training
and years of hard work and experience? It depends.
Probably not if the highly trained person was willing and able
to stay involved long enough to master all of these arts and techniques.
But what are the chances of coming up against someone with this
type of all encompassing martial arts training? More than likely
someone with this type of commitment, self discipline and character
would not be the street thug, looking for a free lunch!
Too often the person looking to be all things ends up being the
perverbial jack of all trades and master of none. When under the
duress of a real attack, often they freeze up because their head
is full of so many techniques and options they have difficulty pulling
the trigger at all.
Most of my students, especially the video based students, want
to learn something that will give them a good chance of survival
on the street without them having to invest a good part of their
life learning and studying as I have.
Shihan Michael Pace
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