Decide not to be a victim.

I've taught karate and self defense on and off for many years now. I started training in martial arts seriously when I was about 23 and never needed it since. Not once. Naturally, I sometimes wonder if I’m actually capable of defending myself should the need arise, but then I realize it already has, many times over.

One of the questions I often get is, "What if you're walking down a dark alley and-” I stop them right there. If you’re walking down a dark alley in the middle of the night you deserve whatever happens to you, doubly so if you’re intoxicated. I don’t care about “how nice” the neighborhood is supposed to be, criminals and ne’er-do-wells chose those spots because they make it easy for them to take advantage of their victims.

A friend of mine was telling me about something his flight instructor stressed when teaching him to fly. He said it was all about good decision making. The more I go through life, the more I believe that’s true for all aspects, not just flying a plane. And like I said in my previous blag post, the results of those decisions may take a while to manifest.

Having made decisions beforehand can help your self-defense situation tremendously. You’ll be able to act without thinking “Do I want to this?” or “Can I do this?” Since all physical interpersonal conflicts can result in someone’s death (worst case scenario) you’ll want to answer at least some of the following questions in advance:

Is it worth risking death for my wallet, car or other personal effects? Is it worth risking death for a stranger? Is it worth risking death for another member of my family? If a crazy man comes into my school/work and is just shooting people, am I going to go out cowering under my desk or should I try and stop him?

Making good decisions and being aware of your surroundings are the keys to self defense. Most importantly, it’s deciding not to be a victim and that your own life is valuable and worth defending. Making good choices will keep you from unwanted confrontation at least 95% of the time. Stay safe out there people!