techniques it chooses to employ it is mostly defined by the attitude to them by its student.
A good Motto that I very much like is ... Si vis pacem, para
bellum is a Latin adage translated as, "If you seek peace,
prepare for war". The source of this adage remains unknown;[1]
however, it is universally believed, rightly or wrongly, to be
based on a quotation from Roman military writer Publius Flavius
Vegetius Renatus: Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet
bellum.[2] The saying is one of many from or based on his work,
Epitoma rei militaris, possibly written around the year 390 AD.
I like to use this story, and discuss implications with my
older students. In the mid eighties a leading sports presenter on
American TV was interviewing a group of the up and coming Tennis
Pro’s and asked them how come Bjorn Borg was considered head
and shoulders above them all and could still run rings around
them at his age. Its easy, they said. “We are playing tennis.
He is playing ‘something else!”
Good story. And I make the same point about SDTS.
We are not looking for a fair fight and a decent exchange of
blows with the attacker.
I emphasize that key distinction in everything I teach. They can
play tennis – we can play what the hell we want. Turn up to the
tennis match with a baseball bat and have fun. Take a gun to the
knife fight but when fighting in a phone box, maybe a grenade is
not the best tool.
SDTS starts with thinking different all the time. It will shape
your practice and performance and outcome.
Important when explaining SDTS to others. - The SDTS is NOT just
a subsystem or ‘style’ or Martial Art. Not a hybrid. It is a
very different way of viewing the whole arena of self protection.
It cant be defined purely by its ‘moves’.
It is to be considered as an Algorithm of combat. A Skill. A
solution to a situation. – (Someone kicks off, you apply the
skill on them, end of situation. Simple as. )
In mathematics, computing, linguistics, and related disciplines,
an algorithm is a definite list of well-defined instructions for
completing a task; that given an initial state, will proceed
through a well-defined series of successive states, eventually
terminating in an end-state.
For me the SDTS is: The art of not getting caught between the dog
and the lamppost.
It is an ‘anti virus’ programme for life. It is as neutral
and emotive as that.
Think of it that way and ‘run the programme’ and trust in the
programme when you press that button. No emotion involved like
when you purge the computer. Its nothing personal.
Consider the difference the expression difference created between
getting pawed by a cat or Clawed BY A BIG CAT. Different picture,
different feeling.
Thoughts become things. Utilizing Transformational linguistics
while teaching and talking about SDTS. (Especially when talking
to yourself when practicing)
We don’t ‘block’ a strike. We ‘CUT INTO’ a strike or
attacking limb.
We don’t arm or wrist ‘lock. We arm CRUSH or wrist or neck
CRUSH.
We also SMOTHER, tear and render limbs. We don’t pat we slap.We
BURN through. We don’t jab or poke. We DESTROY or BLAST or
STAB.
We don’t ‘step on’ a foot. We SPIKE or SPEAR a foot etc.
In the end, Bad people do bad things.
Below is a video we posted up on Youtube a couple of years ago, it already has over 28,000 hits.
Have a look, and if you want to be part of the new intake later this month who will learn the skills from the SDTS, you can request your registration form from me now by email stephend@theselfdefenseco.com
