While this piece was written directed at parents of youth members, adult students should keep all of the relevant safety points in mind. Remember: Safety and vigilance are not 'things' to do. They are constant states of mind.

We accept the need for medical insurance but most people never give a thought to adding self-defense to their personal wellness program. But, if you do not know what a real fight is like, how will you be able to train properly for an real-life situation?

Often parents of children in martial arts, or other educational activities, experience resistence from their child that may appear as though the child doesn't want to do it anymore. The parent's frustration turns to confusion as the child's resistence turns to excitement when they're actual in class. Why is this?

I once had a talk with a student who pointed out the almost insane notion that anyone could think that they could use a preset string of moves (known as a kata, pronounced kah-tah) to handle something as chaotic as a fight.

A major pivoting point in my ninjutsu martial arts learning process happened when I realized that there was something more going on than just the punching, kicking, and what-not, that makes up conventional martial arts and self-defense training. In fact...

"Flexibility is the Key to Longevity." Think about that statement for a moment. "Do you understand what that means?"

You know, when I first started learning how to protect myself through the martial arts, the training was almost entirely focused on the memorization and performance of the technique...But, that performance was tied more to duplicating a string of "moves" than it was on...the successful resolution of the situation

Imagine, if you will... A woman walking across a dark parking lot late at night - perhaps on her way to meet her date. The lot, apparently occupied only by the vehicles parked there and the occasional cat hunting for an evening snack. Then, as if from out of nowhere, she feels the hard, meaty arm slam into her throat...

When discussing self-defense training, we really need to be discussing more than just learning some tricks and techniques for dodging punches or escaping locks and holds. Why then, are most instructors content with stopping at, and most students satisfied with learning, self-defense in a vaccuum?

Weapons should be a part of any sound self-defense and martial arts program, training, and strategy. However, far too many people rely on a quick-fix. The false assumption by many well-inentioned people concerned about self-defense issues is that there is a "best" weapon that will make up for not having self-defense skills in the first place.