It’s been in the news. Kids of all ages, even the recent Rutgers story of two college freshman. Bullies have a negative impact on all school kids. I get asked the ‘what do about a a school bully’ question at least once a month by concerned parents, whose children train at my martial arts school.  The experience kids and parents face today is that most schools do not handle the bully complaint. They talk to the bully, and hope it gets better, but it only gets worse for the child whose bullied. Bullying can lead to many social problems, including suicide, violence, ect. We’ve all read the papers. We’ve seen the news reports. Today even girls bully each other. I provide the answer to the bullying question. Here are the things I consider when I answer the bullying question:

What  steps the parents have taken thus far.

I consider whether those steps have been effective.

I consider whether school officials have been notified and what was the result.

I consider the martial art skill and confidence of the student being bullied.

I ask what the parents want to achieve.

I ask the bullied student what he/she would like to achieve.

I ask what the result be if said bullied student slugged the bully in the nose.

I take all of these things and make a conclusion. Usually, by the time a parent comes to me they’ve tried to handle it by speaking to the parents of the bully and or speaking to the school system, and the situation has not improved, or possibly may have gotten worse.

When this is the case, usually said parents are ready for their child to stand up for themselves, and if that leads to a fight then so be it. Again, I only offer this solution when the parent request this solution.  If the victim of a bully shows the bully that he/she is not afraid and quite willing to go the distance, most bullies, being cowardly, will not engage in a fight, and will stop the bullying behavior. Bottom line- the bullying probably will not stop until his/her victim shows them that said victim is perfectly willing and capable of sending the bully home crying.

Generally, speaking we are a wussified society. Back in my day, schools did not handle bully complaints. So, you either dealt with it or you stood up for yourself. Fighting lead to a three day school suspension, but it was better than years of emotional and social torment. We didn’t have to worry about legal action or lawsuits back in the 80’s and 90’s. Today, it is a consideration. I do know this- the bully will not stop tormenting unless someone makes it very clear he/she should stop. If the school and or the bullies’ parents cannot make the bully stop then the victim must take the situation into his/her own hands.  Most bullies are weak and cowardly. They have a mean bark, but lack inner strength and fighting knowledge. So, a trained martial artists should have the upper hand in a physical confrontation. Do not use this blog entry as a right to go and smash people at school. If you have a situation always speak to me first. I must evaluate your scenario before I give you the ‘stand up for yourself’ mantra.

Cheers,

Jett Garner Martial Arts

We had an outstanding self defense seminar  for women. A special thanks to those who attended, and a special mention of Vitalik Artur, who donned the man suit and took a beating from said women. Enjoy the pics!!!!

If you take the time to search youtube for martial arts defense against knives and guns, you will notice many styles offering complex bloated defenses against these weapons. The weakness in most of these styles and their defenses against weapons is that they were not found on the battlefield, nor tested in real life and death situations. If a self defense tactic forces you to think while applying said defense, then it is not a good defense. Self defense against weapons, chokes, ect… should be based on your natural instincts to particular threats. Most martial arts programs develop their weapons defenses from their own system, within the kata/forms of said system.

Krav Maga separates itself from most martial arts programs because every defense against weapons, or chokes was tried and tested in actual battles for life and death. Every defense is based on one’s natural reaction to specific threats. Krav Maga builds the defenses around one’s natural instincts. Defenses against guns and knives are kept simple. The over all philosophy against an attacker with a knife is run when possible. If that option is not  available then Krav Maga builds the actual defenses against the knife attacks around the 360 philosophy which is also utilized in defending against punches. The 360 defenses allow one to memorize and practice one set of defenses against both punches and knife attacks. Granted there are exceptions, but generally speaking the 360 defenses cover both bases quite well.

Is the self defense system in Krav Maga perfect? No it is not. There are several defenses that I criticize in my mind as not being easy enough for the novice person. But, I have to go back to the principal that I have been practicing martial arts for thirteen years and can sometimes be a little too critical. That being said, I must also remember that Krav Maga has been tested time and time again in very real situations where life and death are very much at stake.  No system offers the total answer versus all types of attacks. I know the leadership of Krav Maga.  I understand Krav’s history, Krav’s place in war, and it’s perpetual evolution. Krav Maga offers the most complete, simple, and battle tested self defense system in the world. This doesn’t mean to suggest other styles are worthless and poor. This simply means in my opinion when looking at the self defense side of martial arts, defenses against weapons, chokes, bearhugs, headlocks, ect., Krav Maga offers a simple system based on life and death situations and your natural insticts.

Back to the original point of the entry. Gun versus knife. When approached with a knife wielding attacker run when you can. If not execute the defense as quickly as possible. Knife attacks are very dangerous, extremely deadly, and can last less than thirty seconds. When approached with a gun as long as the barrel is not pointed at you it poses no threat. Krav Maga has a whole host of defenses against the gun (long and short) and the various angles and circumstances of each threat.

Cheers,
Jett

Jeff began training in our adult Krav Maga program in May of this year.  Below is his written testimonial. Many thanks to Jeff for training hard and allowing the program to work for him.  This story reinforces my thoughts about martial arts. One learns to punch, kick, and defend. The added value to acquiring this skill set is a healthier body and stronger mind. Keep punching and kicking Jeff! His diet and plan are listed below.

From Jeff:

Exercise: Krav Maga 3 times per week, occasional swimming, running, hiking

Diet: Cut out refined sugar and flour.  Replaced with more vegetables and lots of water.

Since May of this year I’ve lost 40 lbs, 2 pant sizes, very close to wearing XL shirts instead of 2XL.  My cardio-vascular health is way up.  I have a ton more energy and do more outdoor activities like swimming, running, and hiking.  My overall body strength is better than it’s ever been.  My confidence has gone up and my stress-level (especially in large crowds) has decreased.  My wife, co-workers, and friends all notice a big difference.  I still have a way to go to get where I want to be, but this is a huge step forward.  Thanks for your help.

September has begun with a bang. Krav Maga and Karate are enrolling students left and right.  So much so, that we’ve already added two more traditional karate classes- a class on Monday and Wednesday. Both classes are for kids ages 4-9, and occur prior to the adult Krav Maga classes. The interesting aspect to our growth right now is the types of students that we’re receiving. All of the students whom have signed up in the last few months are extremely passionate about training and martial arts.   The newer students in both programs have supportive families, which is the key to a long term martial arts pursuit. Whether, it be an adult or child the family has to sacrifice in terms of opportunity costs, transportation, budget, ect.. We’ve always been blessed with excellent members. But, we’ve never had this many. The growth we’re experiencing now is excellent and challenging. We have and will continue to experience growing pains. Large classes means that I must work harder to maintain the culture of the class and that I give every student my time for critique, encouragement, ect. I cannot allow quality to suffer due to quantity. These are the challenges that lie ahead. This is the obstacle that keeps me motivated and focused. I refuse to allow the quality of our classes, the quality of student growth, the quality of the programs we teach, or the quality of the atmosphere to suffer under the quantity we have. I will continue to strive for the excellence I have preached and taught for six years. This is my challenge. This is our challenge- to maintain our pursuit of perfection knowing we will not achieve perfection.

Cheers,
Jett

I began my traditional martial arts training in September of 1997. My Sensei’s school was located in Alexandria, Indiana. For me, martial arts was the right fit from the very first punch. It wasn’t long until I was training at his school four days per week. I eventually ended up with a key to his school, where I would meet other students on Fridays or Saturdays for additional training and sparring. In addition, I purchased a heavy bag for my home and a stretching machine to gain better flexibility. So basically, I trained every free minute I owned, whether it was during regular class time, or working out at home. Additionally, I spent a great deal of ‘me time’ practicing forms/kata. I became a full time martial arts student. My Sensei, Mr. Davenport has had a training center for nearly thirty years now. He has promoted around fifty people to rank of shodan/black belt. I proudly state that I broke and still hold his record for fastest to achieve black belt, as it took me three years and three months. The reason I was able to reach black belt so quickly in his tough dojo was because I put at least twenty hours per week into training. Granted, I did not have kids during this period, nor did I have any other after work hobbies or obligations. That’s because martial arts was my hobby and obligation. The point to this entry is to state that not everyone can nor will follow the same path I did/do with training. Not everyone has that kind of time. I don’t either anymore, however I still manage four to five tough workouts per week. My major point is that we have two quickly growing programs, and within the programs we have a large amount of new yet passionate students. Some students learn every new technique/drill/form quite easily, while others might struggle with new material. Regardless, if you truly want to maximize your training and your skill level, you must spend a few hours per week  training yourself through the curriculum. This is the truth path of any martial artist. That he/she takes the guidance of a martial arts teacher and puts that guidance to use in the classroom and within their own training time. Again, martial arts has become my livelihood and my life. All of my students either have professions or go to school. Their time is limited. But, ten to fifteen minutes a day practicing kata, practicing round house kicks, punches, ect… will go a long way in any students growth. It’s also important to mentally think about your training, setting goals, and meditating about the art.

Cheers,

Jett

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