Cheers to 40 years

This month - January marks 40 years since signing up and stepping onto the dojo floor. 

Holy Shit!

No ones does anything for 40 years and not grow, learn, adapt and adjust. When I started way back in the day, there were many eager to join because of the whole ‘karate is bad ass’ attitude. Watching martial arts movies and Jackie Chan made us want to be able to do what they could. One of the unsung reasons to learn martial arts was to learn self defense. At that time, karate was self defense. 

Forty years ago there were very few female instructors. I was always told that no one else does what I do. My instructor would tell me I was unique,  there were no other women karate-ka in the area. Just because we never saw one didn't mean that others were not out there. I didn't do many tournaments. We were located in a small town in a remote rural area of the state, of course we hadn’t heard of any other women martial artists. 

I don't consider myself as a martial artist; but rather, as someone who did the martial arts. I am not sure what that means. Other than one means to create and the other is one to just do. There were lots of things I enjoyed about the traditional arts. The work out, the people, the having to dig deep, the successes, all the physical and mental demands. 

Switching to women’s self defense from traditional martial arts was a blind leap of faith. Martial arts and self defense are not the same thing. Being physically capable of fighting in training doesn't mean one would have the capacity to do so in a sudden attack of violence. Also training doesn't cover the awareness to deal with specific circumstances woman will face more ofen. Going into the self defense realm was kinda an uphill battle. Convincing people that they need to learn more than just kicking, hitting and blocking is difficult.  

At that time martial art/karate were mutually known as self defense. And self defense experts were law enforcement, tactical military, or high ranked multi-belted martial arts champion. The ladies who were leaders in the self defense industry at that time were also martial arts fighters and karate champions. They got their foot in the ‘self defense’ door because of their accomplishments in the ring. They knew the tribulations women have in a man’s world. They also knew that the physical skills of defending were the last line of defense. It was the subtle skills of avoiding, escape, evasion and deflecting were the skills practiced more. Judging not only when to act, but how to react because retaliation was always on the table. That retaliation could take on many forms. 

Training for the physical matches is very empowering. As arduous and agonizing as it could be, it was much more enjoyable and easier than the bobbing and weaving of avoiding, escaping, evading and deflecting of unwanted advances, touching, or intrusive intimacy. Then there’s the aftermath of retaliation. Those who have gone before had to deal with the same things we are still dealing with, but I think we are now finally making ground with the shit we have to deal with sometimes. Shit like why it's a problem, how it sincerely affect us, and that it is not nothing. 

Starting in the martial arts January 1982, fast-forwarding to 2022 is an entire lifetime for some. The knowledge and skills gained from the traditional martial arts propelled me into this, what I do now. Although anyone who grew up in the 70’s rough and tumble age certainly has aches and pains today that constantly remind us of the good ol’ days. My goal is to educate others about keeping themselves safe. At least understand that they already have skills to keep safe because we use subtle skills and instinct or intuition everyday to keep safe. Physical skills are good to have, too but not necessarily skills in fighting. Rather skills in mobility, strength, movement, structure, dexterity, flexibility and reflex. Being able to use your body, the body you have, to move and react in ways that are necessary to keep safe. 

Keeping safe can mean anything from dodging an unobservant pedestrian, to getting under a table to hide, or jump up and run out the escape route at the back of the store. If you are mobile, can get up or down from  the ground, move swiftly, and think calmly then you’re off to a good start. I have aged to a point where I have to recalibrate how I do some things, but working constantly to keep my mobility is an every day goal.