Do you not know that I kill at will?

The Baht Jahm Do is the last and most advanced skill set learned in the Ving Tsun Kung Fu system. The Ving Tsun practitioner’s hands become ten times more deadly as his hands have now become blades. When learning to use these weapons one must also learn to consider and incorporate a certain state of mind. A state of mind that will allow you to do what is necessary in a life or death situation even if it involves killing. This is a lot to consider and should not be taken lightly. One has to ask themselves the following questions, are my skills sharp enough that I could kill if necessary. Do I possess the mental fortitude necessary to kill if needed? Under what circumstances would I be willing to take a life? Under what circumstances is a lethal response legally justifiable? This is not our natural state, in our everyday lives we do not contemplate killing on a regular basis, but it is important to have the ability to instantly access this frame of mind if the need arises.

We are not speaking of a psychopathic mindset, more akin to resolute single-mindedness; being fully in the present moment and 100% committed to doing what must be done. It is not rooted in emotions like anger or fear, it is rooted in awareness and clarity. As regular people living our everyday day lives we rarely if ever encounter a set of circumstances that would make this state of mind necessary. However it is important to know what your mental, physical, and spiritual limitations are and to be able act fully and efficiently within those parameters. Spend some time with these ideas and take an honest assessment of yourself, better now than in a moment of crisis.

 

Elements of engagement

1.       Get off the line of attack
 As your opponent initiates his attack, get out of the way. Do your best to get off of the line of attack. The manner in which you do this is very important it is not a dodge or a retreat. You should move just enough so that you do not get hit and there should be a forward component to your movement but we’ll get into that more a little later.

 

2.       Occupy Centerline
As you are moving in reference to your adversary you must forcefully occupy your centerline. Punches, kicks, and deflections must be employed with energy and commitment as you break critical distance. Halfhearted attempts will cause you to lose the opportunity to gain superior position and put you in danger.

 

3.       Move Forward
There are only four ways you can be physically attacked with a punch or kick as defined by the type of energy being used in the attack (long or short) and the path that the attack takes through space (linear or circular). For linear attacks you want to move ever so slightly off the line and then move forward while occupying centerline. For circular attacks you can move outside the arc of the attack and deflect it or move inside the arc of the attack to receive and dissipate it. In either case it is important to create the opportunity to move forward to engage and land a finishing blow. Use your sensitivity to problem solve if your attempts to strike are thwarted. Engage, bridge, and finish as quickly as possible. The longer you take the higher the probability something can go wrong.

Five Martial Arts Misconceptions

1.       It’s all Karate

      Many people use the term Karate as a generic term for martial arts. This is incorrect, Karate is a specific term for a specific martial art. Karate is a Japanese form of unarmed combat specializing in various punches and kicks. There are also several different styles of Karate each with unique methods and tactics. It really irritates serious martial artist when Karate is used as a generic term for all martial arts, so try not to do that.

2.       You have to register your hands as deadly weapons

There is a very popular urban legend that trained fighters must register their hands as deadly weapons. This is not true in any way shape or form. However a trained fighter does have to consider any legal ramifications if he uses his training on the street. Any use of force that is greater than what would be necessary to neutralize a perceived threat could be grounds for prosecution.

       3.       It’s just for kids

When many people think about martial arts they think of it as character building and exercise for young children. As if there aren’t adults that could use some exercise and character building. Seriously speaking, martial arts practice is a worthy pursuit for anyone from age 8 to 80. There are hundreds if not thousands of different martial arts that one could learn. All you have to do is find something that suits your physicality, level of fitness, and your personality and then get started. It is by no means just for kids!

4.        I want to learn the ultimate martial art

There is no one martial art that rules them all. There is no one system that you can learn that will make you invincible. The effectiveness of any given martial arts depends a great deal on the individual practitioner. There are some people who are so talented they can make something that seems totally impractical work every time. There are people who are so challenged that even the simplest most straight forward technique may not work for them.

       5.       UFC/MMA is like street fighting

MMA is a wonderful sport that requires talent, skill, dedication and many many hours of training. MMA has rules and regulations meant to insure the safety of its participants and give them the opportunity to showcase their very impressive skills. It is in no way nor does it intend to be an approximation of a street fight. Street fights have no rules, no rounds, often there are no winners, and many losers. Street fighting is not fair, it is often not one on one mutual combat and very likely involves weapons. If your primary interest in martial arts is to become a successful street fighter then there are some other issues you may want to address prior to beginning your martial arts study.

This movie had nothing to do with Karate...