| Are you looking to learn real street self defense, | | | | your training in the only place that matters. I |
| or do you just want to master some cool looking | | | | recommend doing some research and first |
| moves? I know this sounds like a strange | | | | learning what the most common attacks are that |
| question, but your answer might make all the | | | | you'll have to deal with. |
| difference in whether or not you ever learn what | | | | There's nothing wrong with learning classical |
| you need to survive a real-world street attack! | | | | martial arts. I teach ninjutsu - the art of Japan's |
| You know, almost regularly, I read in the "letters" | | | | ancient Ninja families. You don't get more classical |
| section of this or that martial art magazine, a | | | | than that. |
| question sent in by some confused soul. These | | | | However, I don't have my beginner students |
| letters, while worded differently, pretty much all | | | | defending against a so-called "traditional" or |
| sound the same. They go something like this: | | | | "classical" tsuki (pronounced more like: 'ski). Why? |
| "My friend has been training in (name conventional | | | | Because 98% of the attackers who might ever |
| martial art of choice) for over (12) years. He's a | | | | throw a punch at you - at least here in the |
| (Nth degree) black belt and I thought he was | | | | West...will be throwing a right cross! |
| really awesome in the demos and competitions he | | | | Does that mean that I don't teach traditional |
| was in. In fact, he never lost a fight. | | | | Ninjutsu? |
| But, last week, my friend got jumped by a street | | | | Absolutely not! |
| fighter and was left beaten and broken in an ally. I | | | | It means that I teach the techniques, tactics, and |
| don't understand how this happened. I mean, my | | | | strategies that have worked for centuries in |
| friend has been training for over ten years and | | | | ways that allow them to work against a 21st |
| the guy who attacked him has never had any | | | | century mugger, or bar brawler! Because, unless |
| training. And my friend got the $&!% kicked | | | | you've got a time machine that I don't know |
| out of him. | | | | about, your likelihood of having to defend against |
| How did this happen?" | | | | someone who's really devastating with a 16th |
| And, as much as the editor tries to answer these | | | | century punch, is slim to none! |
| sincere questions - and I've seen answers that | | | | Do I know anyone who can punch like that with |
| range from "...I don't know what to tell you," to | | | | power and devastating results? You bet. |
| "...your friend trained for respect and honor, while | | | | But, you know what? |
| the street fighter will do whatever it takes to | | | | I'm friends will all of them! |
| win" - the real problem is never addressed. | | | | Regardless of whether you're looking for a |
| And that problem is this: | | | | classical answer to modern self defense or you |
| Most classical, and sport martial art systems do | | | | want to learn a non-martial art defensive |
| not prepare students for what it's like inside of a | | | | system...you still need to begin at the same place. |
| real-world street attack! In fact, many of Today's | | | | You need to know what you're greatest threats |
| students engage in little more than organized | | | | are - what types of attacks and attack-scenarios |
| aerobics and fitness classes using martial arts | | | | you're most likely to find yourself in. |
| movements and skills as the exercises - more | | | | Then, armed with this critical, life-saving |
| than they are learning anything about defending | | | | knowledge, find someone who can show you how |
| against a brutal attacker who learned his skills on | | | | to defend against and survive these attacks in a |
| the street - in the "school of hard-knocks!" | | | | way that gives you the greatest advantage and |
| If you're really serious about learning real-world | | | | requires the least amount of wear-and-tear on |
| self defense skills, then I suggest that you begin | | | | you in the process! |