Punching on the Street

Many of you may know this; many of you may not. Here's the secret: don't punch with a first on the street.

Why? I once met a man. He told me about how he got into a fight. He punched a guy, knocked him out, but fractured his hand in the process. Yes, he won that fight. But, although he has one fight, he may not win the many more yet to come if he keeps fracturing his fist like that.

If punches don't work, what does? Well, you could always use open palm strikes. Ridgehand or backfist strikes may work. You can always use elbows, knees, and kicks.

Basically, my point is, if you have to use your fist, then use it. If you can spare your fist, then do so. In the end, it does not matter as long as you are safe.

No Headphones Allowed

I believe that people should not wear headphones or put in earbuds when out on the street or on a train or walking to get lunch. When one has something covering your ear hole, they cannot hear things clearly. What if a car was honking at you to get out of the way? What if someone was calling for help? What if someone was following you with a grunting sound? You wouldn't hear that sound if you were blasting music in your ears.

Being able to hear clearly is one of the easiest things for self-defence. By knowing your surroundings, you can win a fight 100% of the time by simply avoiding the situation in the first place.

Nothing Gets Past Our Eyes Part 2

There are some obvious ways to detect threats. If someone has a weapon in their hands, and they are smiling at you, chances are, you are their target. What about cases where the clues aren't so obvious?

One important clue to identifying danger is eye contact. People who have no interest in you will not look at you for more than a split second. Those who keep eyeing you have something on their minds. Be careful of people who eye you. Do not eye them back because that may cause confrontation. Instead, stay calm. Use mirrors or reflections to keep an eye on those people. Maneuver yourself accordingly if they try to approach you. If they do approach, stay square to them and ensure you are not backed into anything. Scream and run if you need to. Do everything to protect yourself.

You may also want to consider the environment. If you are walking through a back alley at night, chances are the people you meet will not be the nicest people. Avoid these dangerous places at all costs. Take a taxi if you must. Call a friend or relative and have them accompany you if possible. If you are walking at night on a street with people, chances are the people there won't hurt you. But beware the eye contact.

Nothing Gets Past Our Eyes Part 1

One day, around 9 pm, I was taking the train home. I had my earphones in, listening to my music. Suddenly, somebody screams. I jump in fright. My heart was beating. My lungs gasping for air. I took my earphones out and looked around. The screaming was from a woman. She was screaming because she was happy to see someone who she hadn't saw for while. From that day on, I never put on my earphones while waiting for the train. Even if it was in the morning.

I believe the most important thing in both self-defence and sparring is to open our eyes. Scan the area. On the streets, scan the view in front of you. Is there someone looking at you suspiciously? Are there teenagers running at each other? How about behind you? This is no different than training at a gym. Observe your opponent. Are they going to punch me? Are they leaving areas exposed for attack?

Basically, my point is to look at your surroundings. Identify the dangers. In the next post, we will look at ways to identify threats and quick clues that are useful for high stress situations.

What is Tactical Offence?

I have been training in martial arts since the age 15. My background was Shotokan. One day, before class started, a senior black belt student was practicing his kumite (sparring) techniques. I did not understand what he was doing. He took a step with his lead leg and punched with his lead hand at the same time. Then he retracted his hand and leg in unison back into his fighting stance. Later that night, I decided researched some Shotokan kumite techniques. One thing did not seem right.

I was watching a video of a Shotokan instructor teaching his student a sweeping technique. Could this exact move be replicated on the streets? Could this technique help me against a bigger and taller aggressor? These questions made me rethink my martial arts journey. What techniques would work just as well in kumite as it would on the streets? More specifically, I asked myself, "Could I develop my own system that could teach people in a way such that they would learn self-defence and sparring at the same time?"

This is what lead me to develop my own system called Tactical Offence. I am nowhere near creating something in which one could be a master in both self-defence and sparring. I am always on the lookout for my techniques to add to my arsenal. I hope you will journey with me as we live, breathe, and sleep martial arts.