How much time is your safety worth?

Concealed carry weapons class in Nevada takes about 10 hours. 

Hunter’s safety class is 6 to 8 hours. 

For Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training, 17.5 hours

Law enforcement have to have 480 hours of training at the academy.

Safety, the practice and implementation of it, is an issue to be taken seriously. It takes time to cover, comprehend and understand the material, it is truly a myriad if vital information.

Yet, when it comes to personal defense people want to learn it all in just 2 hours. “Two hours to the ultimate self defense move!” 

There is no ultimate move. 

No “just” and no “always” solutions. 

As in ‘just’ knee them in the groin and they’ll ‘always’ double over in pain.

Critical elements of self defense cannot be covered in a 2 hour time frame. Just as other  ‘safety’ courses take a day or longer, so would a quality personal defense education course. 

The dimensions of personal safety is vast. A woman’s perspective is different than a man’s, and none of it has cookie-cutter solutions. What may have worked for one incident probably won’t work for the next. When it comes to violence, denial is not the best option, yet it is the one that most often applied. 

Anyone who teaches ‘self’ defense, needs to understand how important accurate and factual information. An instructor who is aware of the depth involved with defending, will illuminate students about all the profound aspects of defending. This cannot be done in two hours. 

So, when it comes to time frame, preparing to defend yourself involves much more than physical moves. Just like the requirements to carry a concealed weapon involves more than just putting bullets in the gun and pulling the trigger.

It is an important educational process, because of the choices made have deadly force possibilities. 

What is your goal? Is it to  practice a couple of times a week and, learn cool stuff and become confident and adroit in physical skills? Indeed, these are productive qualities to strive for, being physically fit is an advantage.

If you goal is to understand the emotional, ethical, and legal implications of having to use physical force in defense of your life, all while you are in pain, shock and terrified, then there is much more to your education than block, punch, and kick. 

How much time, is your safety worth?

Quality Training

So many changes and challenges this year. The blog just got put on the back burner... way back. But it is a grand avenue to promote an upcoming event. It is one of those things that I have been wanting to do for quite some time and this summer it is finally going to materialize!

Saturday, July 21. 8 hours jam-packed with information, a seminar you won't want to miss! Rory Miller, author of Facing Violence and Force Decisions will be leading the seminar. It starts at 9am!

This is a big endeavor for me.. another one of those 'bucket list' items. Needless to say, I am a bit anxious. Living up to the statement I made at WHS Graduation this year..."step out of your comfort zone and do that which scares you." 

I met Rory a couple of years ago. After reading his book Meditations on Violence, I wrote and asked if I could use some of his stuff in my teaching. He said I could and that he would also inform me of any of seminars in my area. A few months later I found myself traveling to Billings, Montana. 

I have since gone to Denver, San Francisco, and Reno just to train with this guy. Because I live in the middle of nowhere, finding quality training that I know is of distinct excellence is rather challenging. This guy delivers. 

It is my hope that people will take advantage of this incredible opportunity and come to train with us July 21st. EVERYONE, no matter their background, no matter their training, and especially if they have no training, will benefit from Rory's knowledge.

If you are interested, please go to Subtle Warrior's Facebook page and keep informed of details!

Visit Rory's website and check out his blog as well. 

Happy New Year. Welcome 2012.

I for one, enjoy this holiday most of all. Not one to go out, have only been 'out' to celebrate a couple of times, I'd rather stay home. Sometimes I stay up, most of the time I turn in later than usual, but well before midnight.
The reason I like this day, is because it is a time of reflection and of possibilities. We are who we become by way of all beings we come in contact with. Those that cross our path influence us beyond comprehension. And just like any web, those influences and meetings will open doors to other opportunities.
I just returned from a quick trip down to Las Vegas to catch up with friends, training buddies, & teachers that I met through my training at Modern Warrior. A school clear across the country that came into my life precisely when I needed to learn in depth about self defense. To me, the chances of meeting these people in my lifetime, to help me become a better more informed instructor just blows my mind. Talk about grateful.
Traveling is always a time for reminiscing and planning. I enjoy the long drives I take to train or to visit with dear friends. This recent drive brought reminiscing of 2011. Training with Rory enough times to really begin to see the various dimensions of violence. Traveling to Milwaukee to attend a baptism of a very special baby, and seeing dear friends. A year of intense leading and coaching young women in my favorite sport and infusing my principles every step of the way. Taking a stand when against all wishes. No negotiations.
2011 brought the loss of my grandmother, just shy of 95. Can you imagine living 95 years, and witnessing the changes of the world and society she saw? It makes me wonder about the changes we will be witness to? I know she knew I taught. But I don't think she really grasped the topic and importance of what I did.
2011 was a tough one for the community I live in. Good people have passed away. One so tragically it is still incomprehensible. It will be forever a sadness for many, many of us. It also gave  a wake up call to each of us to cherish the moments we have with those we love. Life changes on a dime. This too, for those who have had to endure the murder of loved ones this past year in this county. More murders than ever before.
What does 2012 hold for each of us? Life is what we make it, and no matter the challenges, I am looking forward to facing them. I am looking forward to see how the whole 12/12 thing is propagandized to feed the populaces' fears of the 'end of the world'. Again. It should be even better that the Y2K frenzy.
2012 will bring one more thing checked off my bucket list. To be a speaker at a graduation has been a secret want of mine for some time. This is the year. Very exciting. Who knows what else is in store. Setting goals to educate more women in personal defense, and improving my teaching is always on the top of the to do lists every year. This year I plan on bringing Rory in to do a seminar and critique my own program. This will be scary exciting!
I know that the year will be exciting, enticing, thrilling and draining for each of us at some point of time, one way or another. That is what life is. Climb in. Buckle up and Hang on.
Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee