Principles Vs Techniques

[sharky]

Un petit texte avec une anecdote intéressante racontée par Tim Larkin, créateur de http://www.targetfocustraining.com/.
Histoire de reparler des fameux 12 ninjas

                             How Getting Stabbed
                   Taught Him The Key To Survival

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'Never does nature say one thing and wisdom another.'

                                           -Juvenal
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An email came in a while ago from a client who had bought our
TFT 'XXX' package. In it this client talked about
how he loved the information, then he went on to say how he
'...finally understood our approach to self-defense.'

He said it was the best 'stuff' he'd ever seen and explained how
he now really knew the role of knives, clubs, and firearms in
the world of asocial violence.

He told me he now felt so much safer, and was amazed how we
were able to break down information on this intimidating
subject and make it so clear and understandable.

Then he asked...

'OK, so I get this TFT stuff. It really works great but what'll
I do if I get carjacked? Do you have a video on that?'

'Here we go again,' I thought.

I shouldn't be surprised. We get emails like this on a regular
basis from those buying one or two of our information products.
If this had been from an attendee at one of our live training
sessions... then I'd really be bummed. They know better!

See, I created TFT to educate clients on the PRINCIPLES for
using the tool of violence.

When you are versed in principles, you're prepared for ANY
scenario.

It's different from most approaches to 'self defense' and
'reality' training that use TECHNIQUES to respond to staged
attacks.

Now, don't get me wrong... other 'self defense' instructors
using this approach are very well meaning... it's just that
their attempt to predict how asocial criminal violence will
happen... is seriously flawed!

That's because... violence is RANDOM. And to attempt to CONTROL
random situations is very dangerous.

One of our instructor staff likes to drive this home by sharing
a story of an attack he survived on the streets of Bogot�ff¡,
Colombia.

I'll paraphrase his experience:

'I'd been in country for a couple of weeks and knew I needed to
be aware of the potential of being targeted for asocial
violence. I found myself attempting to imagine how I'd handle
different scenarios as I walked the streets.

'If they come at me this way, I'll respond like this, or... if I
am attacked from this direction, I'll do this.

'This went on in my mind during my travels in the city. It got
to a point where I felt I was 'covered' for any eventuality.

'Until it happened...

'I heard the sound and felt the vibration of the attackers' feet
as they ran up on me but never suspected a thing until I felt
the strike high on my back.

'Then I was in action. I whipped around to see three attackers
and I began striking targets. I had the first two down when the
third helped the first one up and they all took off.

'I pursued them like a maniac but couldn't catch up. It was only
as I ran after them that I felt the warm wetness under my
jacket.

'When I saw blood on my hand as I pulled it from under my coat I
realized... I'd been stabbed.'
......

I share this story with you because it hammers home to our live
training clients how the attack he survived was unlike ANY
scenario he had PREPARED for in his mind.

None of the 'techniques' he 'created' for these scenarios would
have 'worked' on the RANDOM violence that he had survived.

What saved his life... and allowed him to survive that attack...
were the PRINCIPLES he KNEW!

The cops told him the attackers were definitely out to murder
him and take what they wanted.

The cops made it clear... had he responded ANY other way... he
would've been gutted on the streets of Bogot�ff¡ like so many other
nameless victims of street violence in that country.

The fact that his first response was to find a target and cause
an injury on the other guy SAVED his life.

He didn't waste time thinking about what 'technique' he needed
to use when being struck from behind on his upper left torso.

He didn't worry about whether they had 'weapons.'

He didn't consider using a 'multi-attacker technique' because
there was more than one of them.

He simply applied the PRINCIPLES he knew for using the tool of
violence to survive a violent confrontation.

He used his training... and it saved his life.

I don't sell you techniques... I educate... with principles!

Because we at TFT know you can never predict how violence will
enter your life.

If you get our TFT Seminar tapes, Nuclear Weapons package, Joint
Breaking, or our upcoming Striking products, you will be
educated not 'trained.'

Each product instructs you on the principles of the specific
subject matter and NEVER strays from incorporating this new
knowledge on top of what you already know about using the tool
of violence for ANY event.

Does this mean I'll never create a 'TFT Car Jacking' DVD?

Nope, not at all. But I'll use that type of product to answer
once and for all the 'scenario' question... and drive home the
REAL answer to dealing with violence under ANY scenario!

Yeah, I know... I'm a sneaky bastard!

Until next time,

Tim Larkin 
Master Close-Combat Instructor, 
Creator of Target-Focus(TM) Training