Successful self-defence stories
We live in a very safe city. Most people will never become a victim of physical violence. But we still have to ask ourselves how we’d react if we did find ourselves in such a situation.
Some of our members have been in violent situations. Fortunately, their jiu-jitsu training helped them emerge safe and unhurt. Here are some of their stories.
Attacked out of the blue
Nathan stepped out of a cafe in Northbridge, straight into the path of an angry and incoherent stranger.
Nathan was immediately grabbed, screamed at, punched and dragged to the ground.
Fortunately Nathan’s reflexes took over and he was able to defend himself and restrain his attacker.
After the attack, Nathan realised that even though he’d been practising striking and kicking for over a decade, it was jiu-jitsu that came out when he needed it.
We train against resisting partners every time we go to jiu-jitsu. We’re internalising how to react under pressure. If we’re unexpectedly thrown into a violent altercation, our brain can freeze and our body takes over. We end up fighting how we train, so it’s important our training prepares us for this.
How do you explain your side of the story?
Gavin was at a petrol station when someone tried to steal his car.
When confronted, the would-be thief attacked.
Gavin was able to take him down to the ground and restrain him until the police arrived.
Even though he defended himself, Gavin was worried about getting in trouble.
The police viewed the surveillance footage and told Gavin that everything was fine, “You did nothing wrong, you didn’t even throw a punch”.
There isn’t always a camera around to support your side of the story. If you’ve defended yourself after being attacked, what do you say when the police arrive? What happens if the gathering crowd thinks that you’re the aggressor and calls the police on you? There is more to self defence than just the physical aspect. Is your self defence training teaching you this?
Don’t disrespect me
One of my students sheepishly admitted to me that before jiu-jitsu, every weekend he would get into a fight.
After several months of training, something had changed inside him and he no longer felt the need to fight.
Guys often get into fights over perceived slights or feelings of being disrespected. Jiu-jitsu helps calm the ego. As you gain skill, bravado is replaced with real confidence, and you no longer feel the need to prove yourself to strangers.
Bully-proof kids
Adrian’s friend was being bullied at school.
Adrian was able to protect his friend by putting the bully on the ground, holding him down and telling him to “Stop being mean”.
We want our children to be strong. Strong enough that they can protect themselves and their friends.
Bullying is, unfortunately, a part of school life. Jiu-jitsu lets a child physically defend themselves without fighting, punching or hurting their attacker. This is especially important in today’s zero-tolerance environments.
How prepared are you?
If a stranger were to jump out of a dark alleyway and attack us, we wouldn’t feel any qualms about defending ourselves as viciously as possible. But many times, violence is inflicted on us by someone we know. While we can imagine ourselves sticking our car keys into the flesh of a stranger, would we be willing to do the same to a drunken relative or work colleague?
Jiu-jitsu gives you the skills to physically control situations without having to resort to injuring anyone. This could be defending yourself against an unknown mugger, but it could also be having to control a distraught family member at the side of a busy road, or having to restrain a drunken teenager that insists he’s okay to drive.