The original meaning of the word “surprise” is to attack or capture suddenly. So, a surprise attack is really an “attack attack” or double attack. I learned to respect the power of a double attack the hard way. When I started in Tae Kwon Do, I wasn’t a true beginner as I had already been training…
Category: SELF DEFENSE
Self-Defense techniques for women and men, plus concepts for protecting your mind and spirit from anything that would cause them harm.
Make Peace with Violence
Bombings. School shootings. Genocide. Over and over, the headlines tell the story of violence. And with each incident, there is a wave of shock, grief, and outrage. It can be overwhelming. But it shouldn’t be. Not if you want to maximize your happiness in this world. To do that, you need to find a way…
The Myth of Women’s Self-Defense
I admit it. I’ve taught seminars billed as “Women’s Self-Defense”. But I’ve never been comfortable with that title. Here’s why— I have come to believe there should be no distinction between women’s self-defense classes and self-defense classes for men. None whatsoever. Doing so just over-complicates what is really a very straight-forward goal—preparing good guys to…
Sting Like a Bee: Tips for the Little Guy
Muhammad Ali described his boxing style with the famous phrase: “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.” Did you ever wonder why a heavyweight boxer would compare himself to a tiny bumblebee? The average bumblebee weighs about five hundredths of a gram. They say a queen bumblebee weighs almost a full gram, but no one’s…
Your Right to Fight: Stop Being So Nice!
Has anyone ever told you that you have a right to fight back against bullies and bad guys? Have you ever said it to yourself? Probably not! Even in the martial arts, most of the people I meet are nice, kind-hearted people who seem uncomfortable with the idea of using violence as a means to…
Sucker Punched By Life
The first time I was sucker punched, I was in first grade. It was recess. I was standing in a field of grass. POW! Okay, now I’m lying on my back. I’m staring up at the sky. There’s a third grader sitting on my chest. He looks angry. And the only thought in my head…
Are You a Fighter?
When I started Kung Fu, my teacher asked me a simple question: “Are you a fighter?” I answered immediately, “No.” A strange response from someone who had already earned a black belt in Tae Kwon Do and had been studying martial arts for several years. But the way I was raised, being called a fighter…