| "There Are No Superior Martial Arts,
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| | Knuckle Effect (Cognitive Clarity)Imagine
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| Only Superior Martial Artists"I've read,
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| | you knew you were about to be attacked by
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| heard, repeated and written that phrase
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| | a large, strong, psychopathic assailant.
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| so often I can't even remember where it
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| | There is no way of avoiding the fight.
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| came from. The reason I like it so much
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| | Let's say your self-defense system
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| is because it's true!This article is not
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| | consists of 20 different techniques. In
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| another effort to debate the merits of
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| | the stressful moments preceding the
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| one self-defense system over another.
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| | encounter your mind is reeling; trying to
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| Nor is it to argue about which style will
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| | figure out the most appropriate course of
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| or won't work "on the street." All
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| | action.Keep in mind that your cognitive
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| martial arts have components within them
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| | abilities are impaired by stress.
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| that are powerful fighting techniques.
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| | Stress-related "brain damage" prevents
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| It's important to know which ones they
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| | you from forming a logical or creative
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| are!Self-Defense Systems Differ,
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| | solution to your predicament. What will
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| But Self-Defense Principles Don'tOn the
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| | you do?Seeing your dilemma, a good friend
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| surface, martial arts and self-defense
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| | (if he wasn't before he is now!)
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| systems seem different. However, if they
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| | discretely passes you a set of brass
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| are legitimate and effective, the
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| | knuckles. What do you suppose has just
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| principles underlying them are the
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| | happened to your thought process?I'll
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| same.Principles are the rules about the
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| | hazard a guess that the mental fog begins
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| way things are. They are inarguable,
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| | to lift, your stress decreases and your
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| non-negotiable and unchanging. They have
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| | objective becomes clear. It's now a
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| nothing to do with the way we think
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| | simple matter of taking those brass
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| things are or the way we want them to be.
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| | knuckles and slamming them repeatedly
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| Like the laws of physics, they just
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| | into vulnerable parts of your opponent's
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| are.As "Martial Scientists," our goal is
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| | anatomy. Seems simple now doesn't it?The
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| to explore, discover, test and confirm
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| | potential of you winning the encounter
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| the operative principles that define and
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| | has been significantly enhanced. That
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| influence the reality of combat. Your
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| | same affect can be achieved without the
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| ability to produce a desired result, in
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| | brass knuckles by sticking to a limited,
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| this case to effectively defend yourself,
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| | yet adaptable, inventory of dependable
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| is a direct result of how well you
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| | fighting skills.THE SCIENCE OF STRESS
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| understand and apply the principles of
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| | POINTS TO THE NEED TO SPECIALIZEVirtually
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| combat and human performance.What Do You
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| | all accomplished fighters are known for
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| Know About
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| | specific techniques that they excel at.
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| Performance Under Pressure?This article
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| | However, if you ignore their "bread &
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| is about how fear and stress affect
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| | butter" techniques, most of them would be
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| fighting performance. Whether you
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| | considered "average." Those fighters
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| consider yourself a seasoned martial
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| | excel because of their ability to
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| artist, a self-defense enthusiast, or a
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| | simplify their system and build on their
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| self-taught "ham & egger" who just wants
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| | superior techniques.Knowing what you now
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| to stay in shape and boost your
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| | know about technique selection and stress
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| confidence, this information is important
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| | performance, what do you think about the
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| to know. If you are training for
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| | merits of "specializing" in a core set of
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| self-defense, you need to select and
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| | fighting skills? Here's how to get
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| develop skills that will be effective in
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| | started.Explore Your StrengthsDon't just
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| the chaos of a violent conflict. This
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| | latch onto a fighting tactic arbitrarily.
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| article will help you in that
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| | Evaluate your existing skills and select
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| process.FEAR, STRESS AND
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| | a strike, a kick, or a finishing hold
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| SELF-DEFENSEStress Is Good, But Only If
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| | that seems like a "good fit" for you.
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| It
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| | What technique to you consistently land
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| Works For And Not Against YouStress is
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| | or apply when sparring? What is your
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| our response to a real or perceived
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| | best or favorite technique? What
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| threat that we inherited from our
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| | technique do you feel you would resort to
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| ancestors. It was, and is, essential for
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| | under pressure? Answering these questions
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| our survival as a species. That survival
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| | will get you started with the
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| mechanism, often called the "Fight or
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| | specialization process.AdaptabilityHaving
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| Flight Response," is a good thing. If
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| | as few techniques as possible doesn't
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| properly managed, it can be a powerful
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| | mean that you limit your ability to
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| force in fighting off (fight) or escaping
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| | respond to a wide variety of situations.
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| from (flight) a violent assailant.
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| | The idea is to take that specialty
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| However, if ignored or misunderstood,
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| | strike, kick, joint lock or choke and
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| stress can impair our mental and physical
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| | train it in as many different ways as
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| performance and compromise our
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| | possible. Learn to apply those basic
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| effectiveness in a fight.What Is
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| | skills at different ranges (striking,
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| "Self-Defense Stress?"Stress, as it
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| | clinching or on the ground), against
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| relates to violence, is the response to a
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| | different partners, against different
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| perceived discrepancy between a threat
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| | apparatus and in as many drills as you
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| and your ability to control it under
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| | can think of. Learn how to set them up
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| conditions where the outcome has the
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| | and follow them up. Strive to learn a
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| potential for death, injury or physical
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| | lot about a little, not vice versa.Train
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| degradation.The Symptoms Of StressStress
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| | to Momentary ExhaustionA good way to see
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| causes a variety of psychological and
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| | how well a technique holds up under
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| physiological changes. Without getting
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| | stress is to train it to extreme fatigue.
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| into the specifics of those changes, the
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| | You can bring on the physiology of
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| affects of intense stress on performance
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| | intense stress by exerting yourself. I
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| fall into three categories:1. Perceptual
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| | call this "blitz training" in the heavy
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| Distortion - loss of peripheral vision
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| | bag article: "There's nothing like a
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| and depth perception, hearing may be
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| | swift kick to the bag." on my site at:
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| impaired, changes in pain sensitivity,
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| | out a technique or combination repeatedly
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| etc.2. Cognitive Impairment - the
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| | for a specified duration or until you
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| emotional centers in the brain become
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| | can't do it any more. I can guarantee
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| predominant and creative or logical
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| | that gross motor skills will be the only
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| thinking is impaired.3. Motor Skill
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| | ones conducive to this type of
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| Deterioration - the ability to perform
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| | training.Keep in mind that you wouldn't
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| certain physical actions is impaired by
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| | do this training all of the time. You
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| stress. However, other actions can
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| | need time to recover between intense
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| actually be enhanced by stress.Each of
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| | workouts like this.Obviously you must be
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| these categories could form an article
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| | healthy and in good physical shape to do
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| (or book) of their own. However, for the
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| | in this training. Refer to my disclaimer
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| purposes of this article, I'll confine
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| | page for precautions before following
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| myself to information pertaining to the
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| | this advice. Is Not InflexibilityA final
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| selection and performance of physical
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| | note in keeping things simple is that the
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| skills.THE KYSS! PRINCIPLE (Keep Your
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| | process of specialization doesn't mean
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| System Simple!)Why Do Black Belts Get
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| | that you stop learning, experimenting or
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| Beat Up?Why is it that so many martial
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| | that you abandon your existing training
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| artists get beat up? I'm sorry to burst
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| | program in lieu of a "bare-bones"
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| your bubble if you thought otherwise but
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| | self-defense program.If you are proud of
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| the fact is that many people, even after
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| | your traditional martial arts system
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| years of training, have been thumped by
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| | stick with it. If you love to jump up,
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| "unskilled," intoxicated adversaries. How
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| | spin around and kick things, then by all
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| can that be?Often people train with a
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| | means, go for it! Just don't confuse
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| distorted mental map of what it's like to
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| | techniques that will work in a street
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| be in a real, knockdown, drag-out,
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| | fight with those that won't. Apply the
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| anything-goes street-fight. They confuse
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| | science of stress performance by adding
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| sparring with fighting and find
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| | specialty training to the degree that you
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| themselves hesitant, overwhelmed by fear
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| | want to develop practical self-defense
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| or attempting techniques that just don't
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| | skills.SO WHAT? HOW TO USE THIS
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| work.The more clearly you understand the
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| | INFORMATIONUsing The "KYSS! Principle"
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| realities of a "fight" and the affects of
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| | To Evaluate A Potential Specialty
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| being in one, the better you can prepare
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| | TechniqueNow its time to put this stuff
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| yourself for the chaos of personal
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| | into practice: Based on the priority you
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| combat.Motor Skills ClassificationMotor
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| | place on "fighting skill." (there are
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| Skills is a fancy name for physical
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| | several other benefits and reasons to
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| actions or techniques. They can be
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| | train) Take a good, hard look at the
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| divided into three categories:1. Fine
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| | skills you have in your inventory and the
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| Motor Skills - are actions involving
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| | amount of time you plan to invest in
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| small muscles, dexterity and eye-hand
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| | training.Decide on what proportion of
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| coordination. The ability to perform fine
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| | your training you want to dedicate to
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| motor skills deteriorates at low to
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| | self-defense. Design your system based
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| moderate levels of stress.2. Complex
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| | on the following "KYSS Criteria."=> is
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| Motor Skills - are actions that link
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| | the technique a "gross motor skill?"=> do
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| three or more components in a sequence
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| | you have confidence in your ability to
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| that requires timing and coordination.
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| | perform the skill under pressure?=> What
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| At moderate to high levels of stress, the
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| | technique is most successful for you in
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| ability to perform these skills is also
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| | training sparring or competition?
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| impaired. Many martial arts techniques
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| | (however don't confuse those activities
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| are complex motor skills. This explains
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| | with fighting)=> Is the technique
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| why techniques that may work fine in
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| | applicable in a wide variety of
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| low-stress training fail in a high-stress
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| | situations, at different ranges, in
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| street-fight.3. Gross motor skills - are
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| | different environments, ring clothing
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| simple, large-muscle group actions like a
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| | that you were during your day-to-day
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| squats, pushups and push/pull-type
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| | activities?=> Are you able to construct
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| movements. This includes basic fighting
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| | a wide variety of training drills to
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| skills like a straight punch, a hook
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| | build adaptability and flexibility in
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| punch or a Thai boxer's knee strike for
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| | your chosen techniques?=> Are there
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| example. Unlike fine and complex motor
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| | techniques that you've selected that are
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| skills, gross motor skills DO NOT
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| | redundant?=> Do you understand the
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| deteriorate under stress. In fact, they
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| | underlying principles and biomechanics of
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| are enhanced by the affects of fear and
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| | performing and applying the skill with
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| stress.Obviously we want to rely
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| | optimal efficiency?CONCLUSIONStress in a
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| predominantly on gross motor skills when
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| | combative situation is a given. Expect
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| designing a self-defense response
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| | it. It's going to be there. Your
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| system.The "Less-Is-Best" TheorySome
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| | performance is the result of how
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| self-defense and martial arts instructors
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| | confident and well prepared you are in
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| believe in the "More-Is-Better"
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| | addition to how well designed your
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| philosophy. They think that learning a
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| | self-defense response system is. Attack
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| high number of techniques will increase
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| | the problem of stress performance this
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| the ability to respond effectively to a
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| | way:=> Simplify your system through
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| wider variety of situations; that the
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| | specializing in a handful of effective
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| more elaborate the fighting system the
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| | and adaptable techniques.=> Artificially
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| more adaptable it becomes.If you hold
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| | create stress in your training sessions
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| this philosophy yourself, please forgive
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| | to inoculate yourself to it to some
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| my bluntness but...YOU'RE WRONG!!! The
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| | degree (more on this in future articles)
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| More-Is-Better approach does not
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| | and...=> Select gross motor skills that
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| withstand scientific scrutiny. Complex or
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| | will be efficient under stress.Knowing
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| elaborate techniques don't work in a real
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| | what you now know about stress
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| fight. It's as simple as that.In
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| | performance isn't it obvious that the
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| contrast, the "Less-Is-Best" approach is
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| | "KYSS! (Keep Your System Simple!)
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| more practical, realistic and consistent
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| | Principle" is worth incorporating into
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| with what science tells us about the way
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| | your training? Scrutinize and evaluate
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| we perform under stress. Here are a few
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| | your inventory of fighting skills and
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| of the benefits of keeping the number of
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| | select those that meet the KYSS criteria
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| techniques to a minimum.Faster Reaction
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| | and you will improve your performance in
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| TimeAs far back as the 1800's,
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| | a combative situation dramatically. The
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| researchers knew that the more responses
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| | bottom line of what I want you to take
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| you have to a stimulus, the longer it
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| | away from this article is that if you are
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| takes react. In 1952, a researcher named
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| | training for self-defense Keep Your
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| Hicks confirmed that for every response
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| | System Simple!Take care, train smart and
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| choice added, the amount of time required
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| | stay safe,Randy LaHaie
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| to react doubles! This is widely known
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| | Protective Strategies==============
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| as "Hicks Law," and has been repeatedly
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| | Self-Defense Quote
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| confirmed by subsequent research. In a
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| | ================="There are no superior
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| self-defense situation, the longer you
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| | or inferior martial arts, there are only
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| take to respond to a threatening action,
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| | warriors and non-warriors""Each martial
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| the more likely you will be injured and
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| | art is based on doctrine, a set of broad
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| defeated.Fast Results With Minimal
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| | and general beliefs. People who study a
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| TrainingAnother issue that supports the
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| | single doctrine tend to shut out ideas
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| idea of keeping your inventory of
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| | from other sources and convince
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| techniques to a minimum is the amount of
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| | themselves that their's is the one true
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| time you have to practice and the time it
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| | way of fighting. They become slaves to
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| takes to build technique competence.
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| | the very doctrines they profess."Forrest
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| (remember: competence builds confidence
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| | E. Morgan, Maj. USAF
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| which reduces stress!)Imagine you work on
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| | Living The Martial Way
|
| 20 techniques and you train for an hour
| |
| | A Manual For The Way A Modern Warrior
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| per session. That means you have 3
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| | Should Think
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| minutes to invest on each technique. If
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| |
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| however, you reduce the number of
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| | =========================================
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| self-defense techniques to three (just an
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| | =======================Randy LaHaie is
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| arbitrary number), you invest 20 minutes
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| | the president of Protective
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| on each technique, conceivably investing
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| | Strategies and has been teaching
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| 600% more time and repetition on each
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| | reality-based
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| one. What technique wouldn't be improved
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| | self-defense for over 30 years.
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| by six times more training?The Brass
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| |
|
