Self-Defense Within Martial Arts Training Demands a Real-World
Perspective
This story is being offered in response to a request made by my
teacher, Soke (Grand Master) Masaaki Hatsumi, during a recent
training visit to Japan. During one of the training sessions,
Soke was suggesting that everyone, regardless of rank, should
make it a point to talk to those with actual combat experience
and to learn from these people. The point was, if you do not
know what a real fight is like, you will not be able to train
properly for an authentic situation.
I was asked to share some of my experience in dealing with an
attack and the following story came to mind. Though I have much
experience with dealing with danger and dangerous people, this
particular situation stands out as both a successful outcome
where I was able to use some of my ninpo-taijutsu martial arts
training, and a learning experience where I was actually able to
control both my awareness and response, instead of mentally
shutting down and "hoping" for the best.
***
The incident occurred many years ago while I was stationed in,
what was then, West Germany. I was serving with the United
States Army Military Police Corps. My partner and I were called
to respond to a unit where a serviceman was assaulting others,
including the officer-in-charge.
When we arrived at, what we thought was, the location of the
incident, there was no one but the Charge of Quarters present.
He had no idea about the incident. What none of us knew was that
the 'problem' was occurring next door and moving in our
direction.
While my partner and I were confirming the call with our
superiors, the attacker entered the building where we were. He
was obviously intoxicated and shouting racial insults and
demanding satisfaction before he started a 'real war.' By the
smell of him, he had been drinking heavily and primarily
whiskey. His clothes showed signs of a struggle and at this
point I wasn't sure if I was facing an attacker or the victim of
an assault.
I immediately tried to calm the individual and find out what the
problem was. As I was doing this, several other soldiers,
including the command duty officer entered the building and
became involved. The belligerent soldier was going on with his
racial attacks and how he was attacked by what he thought were
his friends. It was then that he turned his attention to me and
began implying that he had martial arts experience and "didn't
have to prove himself to anyone."
During this, and later after interviewing witnesses, we found
that the individual had tested for his black belt in another
martial art earlier that day and was out 'celebrating' with his
friends. Witnesses testified that the more intoxicated he
became, the more he started "showing off" to his friends which
involved hitting and kicking. Eventually, his friends had had
enough and then attempted to stop his obnoxious behavior by
pushing him away and leaving him behind. This only made him more
"playful" at which time he jumped on his friends resulting in
them throwing him down on the ground. It was this that finally
enraged him enough to chase them to the barracks and begin
attacking others.
As he was telling me that he didn't have to prove
himself, he also made statements that I only thought that I was
tougher than him because I carried a gun, a nightstick and wore
an MP helmet. I responded by removing my helmet and handing my
night stick to my partner in an attempt to neutralize any
perceived threat that I might be projecting and bring the
soldier's anxiety level down. I informed him that the gun stayed
where it was but that we needed to talk like civilized men so we
could solve whatever problem was going on.
The soldier continued on with the "I'm a black belt and don't
need to prove how tough I am" speech when he closed the distance
and, from about an inch from my face, stated that, "I'm going to
show you how tough you're not."
I ordered the soldier back and before I knew what was happening,
I sensed his fist coming up between our bodies toward my jaw. I
rode off the strike which landed before I could evade and then
backed out as he began to flail widely with both arms at my head
and body. I remember taking up a hoko-like position (a guarding
posture in ninjutsu designed to create a protective 'bubble'
that is difficult for the attacker to get through) to cover
against the incoming attacks and having to simultaneously deal
with an officer who thought that I was the one doing the
attacking!
At one point, I realized that his right arm had wrapped around
my left forearm and that a 'musha-dori-like thing' (uplifting
elbow - shoulder dislocating technique) was happening. I
remember moving to capture his balance and laid him down when
suddenly his feet went out from under him. Later I found out
that, in an attempt to help, my partner chose that moment to
sweep my assailant's legs out from under him. I felt the
soldier's shoulder give way as I applied the lock and took him
down. This didn't help with the anxiety and emotional pressure I
was dealing with as I was now worried about a possible 'police
brutality' charge for excessive force.
This injury didn't deter his aggression though as he continued
to fight against our restraint. We were finally able to subdue
him and get him onto his stomach to be handcuffed when his wife
and young child entered the building. I don't know how they
found out about the situation but there they were. I felt sad
for them and was only able to give a look of apology for having
to do this. Again, more stress was added in that I didn't want
to have to physically hurt this man in front of his family.
Unfortunately, their presence only served to escalate the
problem. When the soldier became aware of his wife and child, he
blamed my partner and I for his "embarrassment" and began to
fight against his restraint again. I am not a big man and this
soldier's build was easily 150% of my own size and weight, so
holding him was a serious problem. Having to improvise and
immobilize the man, I placed my night stick between the handcuff
chain and his back and applied leverage against his spine which
created a situation where he would only hurt himself with his
continued resistance. This was only necessary for a moment or
two, as he passes out from his exertion.
*************
As I related during my initial telling of the story at the
Hombu Dojo ('main training hall'0 in Noda-city, Japan, my
legs begin to shake and I can feel my breathing change as I
recall this situation and many others like it. It does not
control me or the way I go through my life in the ordinary sense
that I am not afraid to associate with people or the like. What
it has done is imprinted on me much more than just a
step-by-step memory of the events, and I'm sure that my
recollection of these is less than accurate because the
experience was much more emotional and from what Soke has called
"budo-nerves" orientation or perspective than from any sort of
memorized technique string.
I will simply end this by saying that, this situation is one
that has forever changed my perspective on how I should train,
and as a teacher, how I should train my students. It has taught
me that kata-like, step-by-step training is only a piece of the
training puzzle but, anyone who believes that they will fight
this way is deluding themselves. Conversely, it has also taught
me that training that is just henka-based, where the basics like
cover, distance and the like are not drilled until they become
second-nature and the student just "does whatever" in an attempt
to imitate (his or her teacher) is also deluded. This type of
practice is necessary but, again, only a piece.
I am in complete agreement with Soke when he points out that it
is the ability to go between the animal instinct response
required for surviving an attack and returning to the civilized
state to live a happy life, unstained by fear, defensiveness or
antisocial behavior because of the attack that should be the
goal.
Let me also say that, I respect Soke and the Shihan master
instructors that I train with. But, not simply because they are
Soke and the Shihan. I respect these people and continue to
train in this art precisely because my own experience with
having to handle danger tells me that what they have to offer is
authentic and "on the mark" with that experience. Because I know
that should I ever be attacked again, it will be the lessons
that I have learned from them and not my admiration of them or
their abilities that will help to insure that my family gets to
have me around a little while longer. In a world filled with
martial artists and instructors who want trophies, admiration
and to 'look good,' it is comforting to know that there are
still those who have what the true warrior needs to create a
life worth living and the power to protect that life from
whatever might harm it.