(Pre-Blog note from the author: I wrote this blog from the perspective of a martial arts instructor, or which I was one for several years. I hold black belts in two different disciplines of Tae Kwon Do: Chang Moo Kwan and Chung Do Kwan.)
Grasshopper (hoping you recall Kwai Chang Caine from the TV series "Kung Fu")*,
The concept of self defense utilized by a martial artist against a physical foe runs very parallel to the self defense techniques we utilize against our mental and spiritual foes.
The self defense moves of the martial arts disciplines use a combination of physical, mental and spiritual techniques to control and overcome the enemy, whom in your mind's eye is already vanquished and bested. For instance, in developing the skills to break and escape the holds of an attacker, the student is confronted with these important questions: What is an effort to successfully break a hold without knowledge? What is knowledge to break a hold without determination and heart and commitment? What is determination, heart and commitment to break a hold without practice? What is practice to break a hold without CONFIDENCE...Knowing the battle is won before it even begins?
Here's what I mean: In teaching you how to break a wrist hold, I will first introduce the idea of escaping an attacker's grasp by repeatedly demonstrating to you how it is done (knowledge). Then, I have you try it; does it work for you the first or second, or even the third time when you then try using the technique? Probably not! But as I work with you on things like how to get your wrist bone "just so" against the weak spot of the attacker's hold and how to leverage your body position to give you just the right application of speed and power to escape the hold and you did the maneuver over and over again (practice) so that muscle memory kicked in and you didn't have to think about doing it...you just do it; and as I begin to emphasize over and over how you need to be mentally and spiritually calm and focused so you can ignore the fear that is trying to grip your soul like the attacker is gripping your wrist and be able to explode with the right amount of knowledge, technique, heart and determination to not only escape your predicament, but also to carry through with additional techniques to prevent recapture (determination, heart and commitment), you get the idea, and it works every time, no matter how powerful the attacker. Then, an awesome thing happens: One of the most important elements of a warrior's, and a winner's, being - CONFIDENCE - kicks in, and you realize that no one will ever be able to grasp and hold your wrist against your will again! How many peoples lives could be saved if they knew and understood this one little technique of self defense?
Have you ever done a word search on the word "confidence" in your Bible? It's loaded with some good results, but the one I like the best is found in 1 John 5:14-15 of the NIV: "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: That if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us - whatever we ask - we know that we have what we asked of him."
You see, Grasshopper, the complete Believer, just like the complete martial artist, is one in body, mind and spirit, so that an attack against any one part is an attack against all three; likewise, the self defense against that attack involves the concerted effort of all three. Therefore, the method for dealing with an attack in any one realm is the same as for all three. In addition, the Believer has more than just his inner strength or some mystical force to call upon in responding to adversity...He has the almighty power of God dwelling in him. In fact, his "Sensei" (Instructor) actually dwells within him, providing knowledge of the attackers' weaknesses through prayer and His word, while bolstering his determination, heart and commitment though His indwelling Holy Spirit, and helping His student build confidence through providing daily "opportunities" to practice his "self defense" in preparation for the "real" (or major) attacks.
So head to your dojo (term for "martial arts studio") and practice those routines and techniques... They're guaranteed to break "icy grips"!
