Are you teaching lies or truths?
Last Monday I received an email from a parent who’s son was taught self-defense (this is becoming more common) from his martial arts instructor a few months ago. Last week her son used what was taught in his self-defense class and this resulted in serous bodily injury to the student and his alleged attacker. During a school assembly her son was approached by another student who has bullied him in the past during their school year (. This bullying consisted of being shoved, spit on and called named) – as this student approached him calling him names again, the martial arts student executed a single leg take down which resulted in fracturing the student’s collar bone, wrist and shoulder and gave a neck line fracture, some broken teeth, sever bruising to his coccyx (tailbone) to the approaching bully. Both students were taken to the hospital and a few days afterward the incident her son the student was released however only a few days ago ( 3 weeks afterwards ) the bully was released and the parents of the student are being sued and just yesterday the martial arts student is being charged with assault and battery. After seeing her lawyer to address the charges since her son attacked the other student without being in harms for a simple legal reason. Wow, should the patents sue the martial arts instructor? What responsibility does the instructor have for their students actions? Is this when the credibility of the instructor, training and certifications come into play? All questions like this are typically answered when the legalities of these actions occur. Many times when this occurs it is either an business ending event or a life changing incident. Defending yourself is based on the fact you are in physical danger, you are either unable to escape, physically injured to defend yourself or feel that your life is in immediate danger and then be able to provide it;. Then the physical response you choose must match the physical threat you are presented with. In their case none of that was present. He wasn’t in immediate danger; he was injured, he was able to escape and he didn’t try to leave – he was the one who advanced. In many self-defense and defensive tactics programs these facts are not part of the training either lack of experience and training from the instructor or the material used is inadequate and without them make the training ineffective. In any case everyone loses. You don’t attack a person because you think you are going to be attacked, or because of past experiences especially if the words being used are not life threatening. Name calling no matter how hurtful, degrading or humiliating they may be alone doesn’t justify a single leg take down. We are not living in any other country but America! That is important to remember. Curriculum without research or references are nothing more than organized ideas. Curriculum with without learning objectives and lesson plans are nothing more than attempts to organize games. Curriculum being taught without field proven facts are accidents just waiting to happen how to find chiropractor in scottsdale. Make sure the curriculum you are using is factual ( not just because you say it but you can prove it in court) practical and proven ( means relevant and field proven) because if it isn’t your not only lying to yourself but selling lies that will eventual get others hurt or killed! For the ones who do not teach self-defense this is a not issue for you but to the ones who do teach self-defense what are your thoughts on this?