Self Defense

 "Let us set for ourselves a standard so high that it will be a glory to live up to it, and then let us live up to it and add a new laurel to the crown of America."

Woodrow Wilson

If you are not thinking, acting and training like a warrior you are setting yourself up for failure! One of the most important and fundamental elements to survival is not being acknowledged or practiced by the majority of citizens today. It surrounds living Self Defense the life of a warrior and embracing the warrior spirit that is present within all of us. This is a difficult challenge in today's fast paced world when we consider the demands of the job and the ever increasing pace of our personal lives. Often we do not wake up to the importance of thinking, acting and training like a warrior until a life altering event happens to us or someone close to us. If we do not acknowledge this fact we are setting ourselves up for failure. Our culture must acknowledge this fact.

The evidence surrounding our waning warrior spirit is demonstrated every day. It is evident in our complacency. It is evident in the lack of focus, discipline and proper attitude to challenge ourselves with fitness and combat training. It is evident in the shocking amount of people who are unfit and obese. The tragedy is many people, even those who call themselves warriors, don't give this much thought until they are facing a focused opponent who wants to take their life. Do not wait for disaster to strike. Make up your mind right here and now to embrace your warrior spirit!

Have you heard of the 5% rule? This reference is directed toward the estimated five percent of people who walk the warrior's path, people who actually embrace their warrior spirit. These are the warriors who seek additional training, who constantly work on honing their skills and who immerse themselves in all aspects of warrior science. These focused warriors never let their guard down and they have made up their mind to survive no matter what they face. Think about the people in your life who typify this spirit, who have distinguished themselves as warriors, and I know at least a few faces will come to your mind...a few.

Let's look at this from another perspective. If 5% of our population embraces their warrior spirit, then we can surmise that 95% of the warriors in this country have either outright denied or only minimally embraced this lifesaving mind-set. In my experience, even those who have chosen the path of a warrior are often hoping for the best while only grudgingly doing the minimum to prepare for the worst. For most, combat training like martial arts is simply a hobby, not a lifestyle.

As a police use of force instructor and martial artist, I have seen this lack of motivation with the vast majority of warriors who come to training. While trainers can provide a dynamic atmosphere in their training environment that supports the learner's motivation, the truth is motivation must come from within; it must come from the heart. More importantly, this motivation to cultivate the warrior spirit must become a part of our country's culture.

Years ago I trained with a Kung Fu Grand Master who would go to China every year to continue to develop his martial arts skills. He once told me about a friend he had in China who was a police officer. As part of this officer's daily required departmental training, the first hour of his shift was spent doing bodyweight calisthenics and conditioning exercises, much like how the prisoners in our country exercise every day. The second hour of his shift was spent practicing a department sanctioned martial art. After this daily training the officer would then hit the street focused, alert and ready to face any challenge!

Now that is a great example of a police culture that has embraced the warrior spirit. In China, a majority of its citizens also train in the martial arts and other health improving, warrior oriented disciplines. These are people who are able to take care of themselves and are not likely to whine when trouble comes. This level of training has become an accepted and expected part of their culture. The expectation is that you will be fit and able to defend yourself. Sounds reasonable to me! Imagine an elite core of fit warriors and expert martial artists throughout our entire country! Imagine how this could benefit our ability to deal with whatever crisis or natural disaster that comes along, not to mention the other life altering benefits that this lifestyle would bring.

Does the training taking place in China sound extreme to you? If so, welcome to denial. I hate to be the one to tell you what should be obvious, but the training program my teacher outlined is the bar we should be setting for our warriors in this country. The United States should set an example for the rest of the world to follow.

I have a close friend who is a defensive tactics instructor for a police. He wrote me recently and had this to say after a defensive tactics orientation training session with a group of new police warriors;

"I was teaching the new group of people today, doing my best to instill in these people that they are no longer civilians, and the 1% of bad guys out there will do everything they can to kill you, so prepare for that fight, not the other 99% who just want to get away. I saw understanding in a few faces, a few. Fear in others. Hopefully that is enough to start. But I realized long ago that there are few very precious souls out there who understand battle like I do, who wish and desire to be cold blooded when need be, merciful when called upon, and absolutely willing to do what ever it takes to win the fight."

Do you hear these words? Can you hear the total conviction and absolute belief of not just surviving but winning the fight? That is the warrior spirit. That is the attitude we all need to cultivate and embrace. That's what makes this man one of the 5%. Most of us push the harsh reality of how dangerous life can be can be from our minds. Most of us live in denial. It's time for some honest introspection.

Where would you rank yourself? Are you truly one of the 5%, constantly striving to improve yourself through mental and physical training? Could you be doing more? Are you somewhere in the middle, or are you one of the 95% who muddle along hoping for the best?

The fact of the matter is each of us has a tremendous opportunity and responsibility to change the culture of our country right now. You have the ability to become a leader, a role model for others, by changing your own behavior. It is up to you. Make a vow right now to begin to work toward this ideal. Take the first steps toward becoming a mentor and an example for others to follow. It is a matter of shifting your priorities.

So where can you begin? My advice is to start slow and set reasonable goals. Here are just a few examples of how you can start to travel the path of a warrior.

The next time you attend any training attend it with total focus and complete intensity. Try your best at everything you attempt. Learn from your mistakes and strive to challenge yourself!

Meet with people who instruct others in the warrior sciences. Tell them your concerns. Ask them where you can improve. I guarantee if they are good trainers they will be excited to help you get started. Join a gym, begin a fitness program. Hire a personal trainer to get you started, they are worth the money. Read books on survival and tactics and apply them to your personal life. Practice mental conditioning to prepare your mind in times of crisis. Take up a martial art. Every city has a variety of arts to choose from. Find one that suits your needs.

Acknowledge you are a warrior and embrace this with all your spirit!

This list is only limited by your imagination. The trick is to acknowledge that making any changes is up to you. No one is going to do this for you. Make the commitment and watch how your ability to change yourself inspires others to follow in your steps! This is a tremendous opportunity because by changing your own behavior you will empower others to change as well. Can you imagine a greater reward?

For those of you who already count yourselves among those 5% of dedicated warriors who have completely embraced their warrior spirit, you have an increased obligation. It is your responsibility to work toward changing the culture of our country today. You must be ever vigilant in this struggle. The resistance you will meet can be staggering. The temptation will be to forget everyone else and only worry about you. The challenge will be to rise above that limiting attitude and to continue working toward motivating others to improve and embrace their warrior spirit. It is possible. It can be done. It is paramount to the continuing development, growth and survival of this great country!