DEFEND YOURSELF. Sean Ramey

self-defense.

      If after you read this, you start scanning your surroundings, locking your doors immediately upon entering your vehicle, and in general find yourself walking through the world with a greater air of confidence, then I have succeeded.

      Allow me to be perfectly clear: You will not be anything remotely close to a martial arts expert when you finish this book. You will not be physically tougher. You will not be able to break boards or bricks after you complete the last page. However, if you keep an open mind and know that at any moment an act of violence could happen to you or your loved ones, then this book could potentially save your life.

      As a practicing martial artist for over 28 years, I learned from an early age that only two things happen in life: you are either growing or dying. You are either up on your toes and leaning into life or back on your heels. What I’d like to have come from this book is that you are the former and not the latter.

      I believe that just as it is the duty for all spiritual disciples to spread the word of their beliefs, it is our duty as martial artists to spread the word of the benefits and importance of self-defense. It is our job to create a more peaceful world, not a more violent one. It is my particular conviction that achieving this requires us to keep self-defense as simple as possible.

      If the techniques presented in this book appear overly elementary, then I have achieved my goal. I will be providing you with techniques that are both easy to learn and battle-tested. They are not biased toward those with flexibility or muscularity.

      That which is simple is easily repeated. Jack Nicklaus’ golf swing was simple — for him. Kobe Bryant’s shooting form is simple — to him. This system will be simple—for you. At the same time, it is important that you keep things simple. Don’t add or complicate the situation or scenarios. If you are thinking that maybe you should read as many books as possible to gain as many techniques as possible, you are dead wrong. Bruce Lee said, “Fear not the man who practices 10,000 kicks once. Fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.”

      It baffles me when I see self-defense instructors teaching men and women, most of whom will never step onto a mat ever again, an array of complicated holds, joint locks and blocking-striking combinations. If people don’t feel comfortable and understand a move completely, they will not use it in a dynamic situation.

      For the average person, simply knowing a few “go-to” moves is far better than knowing multiple techniques. Fewer is better for the person who isn’t interested or doesn’t have the means to practice martial arts several times a week. I say this because there is a theory called the Paradox of Choice. When a person is presented with multiple choices, they often become indecisive for fear of selecting the wrong option. This indecision can definitely lead to disaster in a threatening situation.

      My black belt means everything to me. It represents almost 30 years of hard work, discipline, blood, sweat and tears. Without a doubt, I will absolutely make my daughter achieve her black belt. The understanding I will arm her with — as I have thousands of students before her — is that a black belt is just that: a belt. Her real weapon is knowledge. This includes the tips and techniques that can be effective; the discipline and focus that could become useful; the conditioning, both mental and physical, that may propel her to be the victor in an altercation.

      My aim with this book is not to arm you with the necessary weapons to be a champion in the ring, but rather to arm you with a handful of weapons, which in certain situations could allow you to survive when your life is in danger. As you read, please keep in mind that I’m not trying to make you a champion in the ring. I am trying to make you a champion in life.

      I just ask that you remember one thing: safety is a choice. It is proactive, not reactive. The fact that you’re reading this book tells me you might already know this.

      As I said before, please don’t worry if you’re not young, strong, tall or fast. None of that matters here. What matters is that you’re here, and you’ve brought an open mind and an appreciation for simplicity. If you can absorb the basic steps outlined on the pages that follow, regardless of your shape or size, you will definitely have the knowledge needed to be the victor in a violent situation and not the victim.