Beginners Self Defense Women – "Kick Me Where It Counts" – A Critical Mistake in Martial Arts and Self-Defense Training

During my recent visit to Japan for training, there was one overriding thing that I noticed about most of the black belts that I worked with. Now, if they were just having fun and aren’t really looking to be able to defend themselves against a determined attacker should they ever face one, then okay. But, if they really are looking to be proficient and have the ability to control a situation, then they probably shouldn’t be sending a clear and dangerous message to their attacker.

Before I tell you what debilitating flaw many of my fellow black belts were making, let me just say that, to watch Hatsumi-Sensei or any of the other Shihan “master instructors,” one might very easily overlook this problem. They might overlook it because, well, it appears that the Masters are doing it too! And yet…

…they’re not!

What many students, both Bujinkan and others, see when they train in Japan, is the teachers moving in such a way as to expose vital targets – targets that could be exploited by an experienced opponent. The attacker punches, kicks, or grabs, and the teacher drifts back with an extended arm as if to block. But, instead of taking up a structurally sound kamae, or position of safety, as depicted in books, videos, and the ancient texts, the teachers are in a posture that is way too square to provide any cover against follow up attacks.

And so, seeing this, students with no actual combat experience…

…copy it.

Now, copying the teacher’s technique would not be bad, normally…

…if the student knew what they were looking at.

Instead, students simply watch the teacher move and take stock of the step-by-step pieces, with little-to-no-regard for important details that will determine whether or not that technique will work against an enraged attacker trying to hurt you. They forget that their training partner probably lacks not only the same combat experience they do, but also lacks the intention to actually hurt them if they make a mistake. After all…

…everyone is just there to have fun and earn some rank, right?

What is it that could be so deadly a sin that it would warrant an article? What could be so bad that, if left unchecked, could breed a sense of false security in one’s technique and ability that will only be seen when a determined attacker takes advantage of it?

Before I answer that, let me ask you a question. The question might seem to be directed only at the guys but, I assure you, is just as relevant to women. The question is simple and straightforward. There is no trick answer or need to second-guess what I’m asking.

Ready?

“Would you knowingly and willingly stand close enough to your assailant, and in a convenient position, so as to allow him or her to kick you in the groin?” Or, as many of my friends and students might say, “…to kick you right where it counts?”

I didn’t think so. And yet, time after time, I had to remind black belts – people that should know better or have been taught better – to reposition themselves because they were lined-up for me to do just that. And, if I saw that fatal flaw, you can bet that any opponent looking for a quick and easy win, would catch it too.

“But you’re supposed to punch me next,” was the answer I heard more often than not. “We’re working on such-and-such a kata (“form” or “example”) and I don’t have to worry about that.”

To which my reply was, “I don’t care what form we’re working on.” Cold, I know. But the fact that you’re working on a particular example, does not mean that you forget all of the essential lessons for staying safe. One kata does not contradict the need for proper positioning, distancing, and angling for safety against your attacker’s next move.

“But he (the teacher) did it this way.” To which I would have to admit, “kind of.”

What the student sees is often only a close approximation of what the teacher is actually doing. That’s why it’s necessary to go through the class, learn the lesson, and then spend the next several days, weeks, or months, trying to figure it out. And this is no exception.

What the students were seeing was the teacher’s body position. What they were missing was…

…the teacher’s body position RELATIVE to the attacker. In short, they were missing the all-important element of proper distance.

It’s true that the teachers were positioning themselves in, what beginner students are told are “sloppy kamae.” But, at their level, they don’t need “correct kamae” as taught to beginners, because they know how far to position themselves away from the assailant so that he or she can’t easily reach them with their next attack.

So, where my training partners were exposing a vital target, the teachers were well out of range for such an attack. Same body position, vastly different results.

The point here is that, if you’re training just to have fun and experience a taste of ancient warriorship, great. But, if you’re looking to learn the lessons for survival from ancient warriors – lessons designed to save your life if you ever need them…

…then you MUST be critical in your examination of the lessons themselves.

You must get over your need to be right, or to look cool, or to show off what you’ve learned and make sure that you are focusing on what matters. Often that means that you find a training partner who wants to help you get better. He or she knows that doing that means not stroking your ego, but instead pointing out when you’ve left yourself open to an easy follow-up.

Because, if you don’t, you just might find that the message you’re sending to your attacker is…

“Hey! Kick me right where it counts!”

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Simple Womens Self Defense Moves Revealed Once And For All!

In a previous article I discussed the value of eye gouging your opponent. Now in today’s womens self defense article I would like to share some more valid tips for women especially when being attacked by a mugger or rapist. Now the eye gouge is an essential move. Simply because if the bad guy can’t see you, he’s pretty useless right?

This featured womens self defense move is pretty similar and should be used to shock your attacker so you can run to safety or apply other techniques after using this womens self defense move. This technique is what I call the, “face claw.” Basically, since you are already prepared for battle anywhere, a good weapon to have is long nails. They don’t have to be super long, but long enough to easily scratch to use this technique.

With the face claw, you slide your hand up your attackers face and claw down, sliding your hand down his face while digging your fingers into it. A main target will be the eyes of course, but try to do as much damage as possible. Don’t just do it once either, follow through with as much as you can, while punching him, biting him, eye gouging him, elbowing him, kicking his groin etc.

The key to surviving an attack is to use simple womens self defense moves. Like the techniques I mentioned above. There is no one move way to escape an attacker. You have to go all out inflicting as much injury and pain on the bad guy as you can and then escaping to get help.

If you’re not a woman it doesn’t matter.

This self defense move works great on stunning your attacker. So start growing out your finger nails, but not so long that they are dirty and unattractive. You only need an 1/6th of an inch of fingernail to slash up someone’s face. This move won’t disable an attacker but it will shock him, and clawing his eyes will give you some time to escape, run for help, or finish him off with other womens self defense moves.

By: Steve Gibb

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Health And Wellness Products – How To Make Your Own
 by: Olga Graham

Health and wellness will mean very different things to different people.

Wellness can be defined as ‘the pursuit of a healthy, balanced lifestyle. For the benefit
of this article, wellness products are being looked at in the context of ‘over the counter drugs, health supplements and health remedies.

While for some people, wellness products might
be viewed as an aid to recovery from illness,
for others it might be a means of further enhancing some aspect of their current health.

The variety of and uses for such products are
as numerous as are the the definitions of
wellness products or wellness programs,
depending of course upon who is promoting them
at any given time.

Whatever your reasons for pursuing alternative care health or health and wellness products, a common goal is to achieve optimised health and well-being.

There are powerful media images hailing the benefits and safety of many over the counter drugs, supplements and health and wellness products, every where you turn these days.
They have equally strong claims of being the
one and only miracle cure or solution for one ailment or another. How accurate are these
claims though, and what are the real costs to
you in monetary and health risk terms?

Immediately after reading this article, go
take a look and do a quick add-up of the
total cost of all the health and wellness
products you currently have in stock. I’m sure
the figure will surprise you just as much as learning about the very real and harmful side effects which can be caused by some of these
drugs or supplements that are supposed to be
contributing to your overall state of wellness.

You may also be surprised to know that many of the ‘over the counter drugs you buy on a
regular basis, simply treat the symptoms and
not the real health issue. Needless to say,
this approach of focusing on the symptom,
side-steps the crucial requirement of getting
to the root cause of your condition or
whatever it is that ails you.

You’re most likely to pursue a wellness
product either because you are becoming wary
of the adverse effects of chemically
produced drugs or because you’re keen to
recover from ill-health and improve a
specific health condition. In some instances
it might be that you just want to optimise
your current state of good health.

While some health and wellness products can
be an effective measure toward improving your health, you should note that long-term use of
certain over the counter drugs and some supplements can cause you more harm than good, with the long-term implications far
outweighing any short-term benefits. You may
well find that you are paying far too high a
price on the basis of a mere quick fix
promise.

For thousands of years, people in lands far
and wide have used natural homemade remedies
to manage their health conditions and
wellness needs, without manufactured health
and wellness products, that can be
detrimental to health. They have purely
relied upon attaining or maintaining health
by plants or by other natural means. It
could be argued that with the emergence of chemical and pharmacological methods, many
forms of this natural means to health and
wellness have declined. In fact, even by
today’s standards, there are many so-called
under-developed countries where inhabitants’
rely on nothing more than homemade health
and wellness products, gained via natural
methods of plants or plant-based extracts.

While conventional medicine relies on scientifically backed research to
substantiate effectiveness and safety. In contrast, similar cannot be said about some alternative medicines or health and wellness
products. There is no such requirement but
their promotion as regard effectiveness are
deemed sufficient in themselves as support
for therapeutic or wellness claims.

Herbal remedies in general are harmless,
however, certain claims being made by some
health and wellness products promoters,
(under the banner of being ‘natural’) can insinuate their health and fitness products
being the exclusive answer to your health condition or wellness questions, thus
putting you at great risk. Secondly, how
open are they being about what’s really
inside? You should always consult your
physician over any health concerns, as well
as discussing with him/her your intention
or choice of alternative means for treatment
with any health and wellness product or
remedy.

Multi-billion-dollar industries have long
wealed their power by way of lobbying to
gain exemption from FDA regulation. This has
been exactly the case, according to the
Skeptical Inquirer, who, on commenting on
the ‘dietary supplement industry, back in
1994, states – “Since then, these products
have flooded the market, subject only to the scruples of their manufacturers”.

The above point is an important one to note
in that, while health and wellness products manufacturers may list ingredients and
quantities being used in specific health and
wellness products, there has been no real
pressure on them to do so, or to do so accurately. Furthermore, neither has there
been any watchdog body to ensure they are penalised for this failing.

So, what are the alternatives open to you? Increasingly, more and more people are
turning to do-it-yourself health and
wellness homemade herbal remedies. The
distinct difference being that in making your
own health and wellness products, you are in
the driving seat. Not only do you have a
full awareness of exactly what the
ingredients are and the true quantities, but
with the appropriate level of guidance from
a reputable practitioner, you’re more
conversant with any health implications, if
any.

With the right know-how, you too can draw on
the old-fashioned yet effective sources to
greatly improve your health. For instance,
using naturally prepared herbs, vitamins,
minerals and nutritional supplements,
essential oils and flower essences to create
real healing solutions that deal with
particular health conditions rather than just
the symptoms.

It is in the interest of a health and
wellness product manufacturers to promote
their products as being the only option open
to you. They don’t want you to know about
the abundant natural resources and health-
giving potent attributes of herbs and home remedies which have been used effectively
for thousands of years. You see, these
remedies cannot be patented because you can
make them yourself and at a fraction of the
cost.

Whether your goal is to overcome illness,
drugs intolerance, allergies or just to
optimise your already good health, with a
little know-how, you can start making your
own health and wellness products and
remedies, using nothing more than the
readily available natural resources in your
home and garden. Not only will you save
your hard earned cash, you also alleviate
the risk of serious or harmful additives
and side effects.

Are you interested in learning more about
how you can treat numerous common ailments
without the harsh side effects, using
nothing but natural herbs, vitamins and
nutrients you prepare yourself at home? For instance, did you know that placing yogurt
on your face help to bring water from the
deeper layers of your skin to the surface, moisturizing your skin for the rest of the
day and hiding wrinkles?

Here are just a few more of the many quick and effective remedies
you can learn to make:

1. Natural laxatives

2. Beauty recipes

3. Skin care and cleansing preparations such as acne treatment

4. Herbal shampoos as well as how to treat hair loss,

5. Dermatitis

6. Menstrual Pain and PMS Symptoms

About The Author

Olga Graham is a qualified social care practitioner, life coach and founder of:
http://www.health-womens-healthy-living-goals.com A health and Personal Development website for
women, that provides free guidance and goalsetting
tools, enabling women to set and achieve all
aspects of their health goals.

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