Last night, a fellow student at my dojo told a story. It’s rare for Sifu to invite a student to speak at length during a normal class, so the air filled with tension as he came forward and sat in seiza before us.
The student is one of our most senior students and has practiced over a decade. He is very intense, very dedicated to practice, and is incredibly challenging to work with (in a good way). He comes across as extremely hard to beginners, and when I was new I dreaded when he was teaching a class. After a bit of time, you realize he’s actually a very warm person who is simply pushing you harder than you thought you could go. He’s certainly one of my favorites.
As he sat, he apologized and wondered if he would make it thru what he had to say. He was straining to hold back the emotion welling up in his eyes.
A few nights prior, he entered the stairwell of a parking garage near his office. It wasn’t late. He heard footsteps approaching behind him which struck him as odd because the stairwell had been empty when he entered. As he turned, an attacker thrust a knife at him. He pivoted, and grabbed the arm. They struggled back and forth, onto the ground, then back up again. Finally he broke the attacker’s arm, and the attacker fled, dropping his knife. He picked up the knife and a second attacker appeared, saw the knife, and likewise fled. He ran to his car. It probably lasted less than 60 seconds.
He called his wife, then found Sifu to work thru what had happened. He still wasn’t exactly sure, but walked us thru what he believe occurred during the struggle. Clearly, the muscle memory of practice had saved his life in a moment when there was no time to think.
Several things struck me about this.
After practicing martial arts for several years, you start to have some confidence in your abilities. You think, if it came down to it, you’d be OK if you got attacked. Stories like this are a wakeup call from that sort of complacency. It would not be OK. This was a highly trained, dedicated martial artist who can run circles around me in the dojo and he came so close to getting stabbed there was a hole in his fitted shirt afterward and his ribs were bruised by the attacker’s knuckles.
It also struck me that there was no revenge. He broke the attacker’s arm, yes, but then he let him go. He didn’t go after the second attacker at all. He ran. He gave the knife to Sifu. He went home and held his child. This is why we practice meditation of course, but it was still powerful to see it work.
Self-defense is not enough reason to practice the art for decades, but the effectiveness of the training saved the life of one of my favorite people, a husband and a father. Maybe it saved the attacker’s life too.
Thank you for sharing Lincoln. :3
A friend of mine who has trained in martial arts for years and is an expert, had told me that the more he learned and the better the got at it, the more he understood that he shouldn't use it. I asked if he was being threaten or robbed, would he then use his martial arts skill to defend himself. He said no, he would rather run away.
I wouldnt bother with a rape alarm - noone responds to them - I hope youre never attacked but if you are youre better off shouting "Fire" - people respond to that more often...
Mixed martial arts are the best - I would recommend some form of cage fighting all in type form... you should practice boxing style punching, jujitsu grappling, taichi movement and groundwork for a minimum 2 years (once a week formal and 4 times a week additional home training on your own or with friend etc for 30 mins minimum) - once you reach that point then start something like Aikido as that will build on your foundation - the problem with 'traditional' martial arts is that you have to undergo years of pointless form and subservience before they teach you an effective technique... better to start with a mixed martial arts as they substitute tradition for pragmatism and once you understand how your body works more you will be able to pick up a more traditional style and incorporate it to your needs...
In a way, I find this thread a relief from the gun threads, where many people believe the solution to violence is to carry a gun. I notice no one here is saying they need to get a gun. Some aren't even talking about the need to buff up their skills, but about avoiding violence entirely, and taking evasive action. This is a welcome tonic from the "more guns = more safety" view.
Good thread. :)
Lincoln, what martial art do you/he practice?
Brazilian jujitsu has become very popular now, but in the case of a guy with a knife, I would think it's a liability (at least in its pure form)-- clenching is second nature to these guys and that can quickly get you stabbed.
I remember watching an episode of "Human Weapon" where they went to the Philippines and trained in knife fighting. The MMA/jujitsu guy kept clenching his opponent, who promptly stabbed him in the side, repeatedly.
In any case, nice to see that your friend is healthy.
@buddhajunkie It won't get you stabbed if what you lock up is the arm with the weapon :) I actually think the Aikido techniques that would be most useful here, but I'm speculating as I have no experience outside my current practice.
I know there are techniques in Aikido that can disarm the person and restrain them, or at least a technique that can disable them for a couple of seconds, which is enough to run away. I have never been a fighter, but I will defend myself and others mindfully.
Our backgrounds may be different though... how long have you been training and where are you at?
Thus far I have trained in Kyokushinkaikan (3rd Dan black belt), taekwondo (2nd dan), Wadu-Ryu (1st dan), Judo (2nd dan), Jujitsu (1st dan), kung fu toa (black sash), yang cheng fu tai chi and I've been boxing for about 18 years...
I am usually training people for very highly violent situations such as security work, close protection and door work - the levels of violence we're talking about are staggering and the stakes are very high as usually the attacker is aiming to injure rather than for example to steal (with injury being a by product) so perhaps I am looking at it from not an everyday perspective...
As for a knife attack, while I'm sure highly trained Aikido guys could defend well, I think it's too high risk for most people who are even reasonably trained. Against a person with a knife I think a kick to the groin and eye strike should be the default option (combined with a block, if necessary). Of course, even these moves must be practiced til they are second nature.
And bigger picture, of course we have to end capitalism, do paradise engineering, and mentor kids in the meantime.
I think it would be ideal if we could all carry some ayahuasca spray or blow darts, as that would be more likely to teach a lesson than pepper spray or maiming or running away.