Life Defense: Recent Episodes
Allen Hughes
This week in Life Defense, we’re talking about focus. Specifically the FOCUS that comes from an arm bar.
The technique executed from a standing position after an attempt at a choke, leaves the defender’s throat exposed. The arm is hooked with both hands, stepping forward with maximum weight and pressure to release the arm, and extend the arm, applying pressure to the elbow with the shoulder. This pressure is called an arm bar.
This technique will probably not break the elbow joint, however, the focused pressure applied to the elbow through the shoulder all the way to the hand to straighten the arm might be enough for an attacker to tap out, give up, or strain the arm enough to temporarily distract the attacker and escape.
The reason an arm bar works in any position, whether standing, on the ground, on your back, or any other position it can be applied from, is the FOCUSED tension put on a joint that is not designed to twist in that particular direction. The tendons and ligaments, being stressed send a signal through pain receptors to the brain that communicates whatever is causing this must stop immediately before further damage occurs
Interestingly enough, the escape from the pain is an acceptance of the pain. Getting through the pain to the other side where your mind is not manipulated by the pain is where release occurs. Although counterintuitive as most Hapkido techniques are, the FOCUS facilitates the release.
Although FOCUS alone will not stop a spiral break, the release requires FOCUS. In this case, reaching up and grabbing the elbow being stressed, at the point of pain, and pulling down releases the arm bar.
In life and Life Defense, FOCUSING on the pain point, and manipulating a release at the pain point is a real thing. Instead of panic, screaming and dancing around it, FOCUS on the pain point, and do something about it. FOCUS…
allenhughes #lifedefense #focus
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Some self-defense scenarios require more than ourselves to actually complete. To be effective in a situation where someone has gotten out of control, you both have fallen onto the ground, and you're holding them down to keep them from hurting you themselves, or other people, mount posting is a solution.
One of the common things that happen at social events, especially when alcohol is involved, is protecting a person from breaking things, hurting themselves, or hurting other people. Although they may not be a lethal threat, keeping your uncle Fred from smashing wedding cakes, ripping bridal gowns, or pushing someone's face into the punch ball is a real possibility.
From this mount position, you will look like the aggressor, and he will inevitably be struggling with all his alcohol induced might to turn you over get on top, perhaps to show you who’s boss, or at least continue his aberrant behavior.
Atop the fallen aggressor you EXPAND, or reach out with arms and legs leveraging the ground to keep them from getting up. As they turn one way, you focus your posted arm and leg out to the opposite side to keep them from turning you over, getting up, and wreaking more havoc.
It always appears to the common onlooker that you are the aggressor. After all, aunt Susan turned around and saw uncle Fred on the bottom, struggling to get up, being controlled by you, with you on top of him, and the her first inclination might be to grab a folding chair and smash you over the back of the head, to save uncle Fred.
...EXPANDING by reaching out to leverage the ground with your arms and legs back-and-forth each time the actual aggressor attempts to turn you over and get up, that you speak to them, “Hey uncle Fred calm down. I gotcha, no problem I'll let you up in a minute. Just calm down, shhh it’s okay big fella.”
It is also advisable to simultaneously address gathering crowd, “Somebody get some help. Somebody help me. I just wanna make sure he doesn't hurt himself. Can somebody please help me?”
EXPANDING out with more than your hands, and using your voice, then becomes paramount. EXPANDING out to communicate what is actually going on, the struggle that is actually happening, and what you'd like to do to resolve it, is powerful communication.
In life, and Life Defense, the act of EXPANDING beyond your own reach, and beyond what actually you can control, or do requires others to assist, and be part of the solution. In saving life, EXPANSION gives you ultimately all the power and abilities you need to do anything. Without EXPANDING, however, there is a good chance aunt Susan will take a folding chair to the back of your head.
We all from time to time fail to communicate in life what is actually going on with us, the struggles we are having, and ask for the assistance required to resolve issues in our life, and our jobs, in the projects that we have at hand, including but not limited to our children. How many times have we wished for more assistance when it comes to our children thinking perhaps we are the only ones doing this, no one understands, and no one is coming to help. When in fact, many people are standing around, confused, and bewildered about how, who, or when to help.
In my life I’m as much at fault as anyone. Being a man, I have trouble asking directions when my GPS goes bonkers, let alone asking for help in a personal situation, getting assistance in a conflict, or asking for understanding when dealing with a wayward child. Writing and producing this podcast is always a humbling experience for me as I am the one that gets the most from each episode.
It is therefore my resolution to EXPAND my reach, not just before being taken out by a folding chair welded by aunt Susan. Rather long before, when the struggle is just starting, that I might be understood, assisted, and survive….
allenhughes #expand #lifedefense
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In self-defense we must always consider that an attacker is larger, faster, more skilled, and more aggressive than the defender. This week in Life Defense, and in our self-defense programs, we are studying the attack from a tackle. This attack when applied by someone who possesses these attributes can be devastating for a smaller, lighter, less skilled defender. Unless, they understand the simple principle of ALLOWING.
Many of the defenses we use are counterintuitive. This is one of them. The first inclination of a defender who is untrained defending against a larger, more powerful opponent is to stop them. Meaning, blocking their pathway in the case of say a full frontal football, or wrestling style tackle. This almost inevitably goes poorly for the defender. Caught off guard, and back on their heels by a larger attacker thrusting forward intent on driving them to the ground.
The counter intuitive defense that we suggest from a front tackle is to ALLOW the attackers energy to come forward, while pushing their legs back, removing the targeted legs and pressing weight on the head, neck and upper back of the attacker. This simple motion drives the attacker downward by using all of their body weight to drive the attacker face first to the ground as the motion of the tackle proceeds forward.
In self-defense, and Life Defense, we call this principle ALLOWING. This counter intuitive technique ALLOWS the attacker to drive forward with all their might, all their speed, and all their weight. This utilizes their attack against themselves, typically driving their face to the ground with the defender’s weight reinforcing that motion.
In Life Defense, we can see this demonstrated as people drive forward in an all out attack on our belief systems, our political stance, or anything we hold dear. The intuitive reaction to a direct attack is to stop the attack, push back from the attack, or fight off the attack. We see this every day in social media, in public forums, and legacy media.
As the attacker drives in full force attacking what they believe are the core values of their intended victim, prepared with every counter argument that could arise, the defenders are caught back on their heels, and off balanced. As the verbally skilled, powerful attacker drives forward with their arguments, the defender loses balance, loses the ability to react, and just like a physical tackle is driven to the proverbial concrete, where their head bounces off the sidewalk, and unable to respond, are left defeated, and demoralized.
The ALLOWING that happens in Life Defense might be a question rather than a response, a curiosity rather than a defense, or a pause, rather than an immediate knee-jerk response. These techniques allow for time, space, and contemplation, and require the attacker to actually defend their position over and over again. This over extension is not unlike the overextension of a body as it drives towards its intended target, overextended, and off-balance.
It is not hard to see how this overextended off balanced attacker may end up face into the proverbial concrete as an overextended attack often does. All of this, because the defender was able to ALLOW the attacker to overextend themselves, to shoot all of their bullets at once, and become off-balanced.
In life, and Life Defense, I choose to allow, and overaggressive attacker to overextend themselves, to drive forward with as much speed and aggression as possible, allowing them to seal their own fate, rather than fight, or attempt to stop their advance. In essence, when confronted on the field of battle, consider “stop, stopping and just ALLOW…”
allenhughes #allow #lifedefense
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RE-PLACE with Truth
In self-defense we learn of, and train in RE-PLACING energy of an attack with our “center.” This RE-PLACEMENT, like the technique of an arm drag, allows a push to have little or no effect and redistributes our momentum, and balance into our control.
It is this RE-PLACEMENT of “center” that puts our life back into our realm of beliefs, values, and purpose. Without RE-PLACEMENT not only do we lose balance, we also lose the bearing of our life.
In life and Life Defense RE-PLACEMENT is the way we take back our balance and bearing. To me this means who we believe we truly are, where we believe we’ve come from, and where we are going. Balance without bearing is an uprighted ship in the storm of life without rudder, un-steerable.
In self-defense this could mean death. In life, the longer we wait to RE-PLACE our center where it belongs, steering our ship, to our destination, the more “life” according to our definition is lost.
How many years, and how many people been driven by false narratives, by people who do not believe the way they might? Taking our center means disruption that off balances us, from our center. This is an assault, make no mistake.
No matter what your belief, if someone intentionally takes your center, it is an attack. Perhaps the deadliest kind. This attack may affect generations of both the living and unborn. Beliefs your ancestors may have died for are disrupted as your center is taken in the context of a more enlightened view.
Agreed, we might never stop learning, growing, and developing as humans, and some of this learning, growing and developing moves us forward as people. Much does not. Especially when core beliefs are ridiculed, and truth becomes whimsical and unimportant.
As a true warrior of life consider your center to be yours, and be willing to look at new ideas and concepts from your center, not for the off balancing effect of a popular agenda. When attacked RE-PLACE your center first, and then look at who, what and why someone is trying to RE-PLACE it. Then RE-PLACE it with your center, and your truth.
Learning is always best accomplished from center. RE-PLACE…
allenhughes #replace #lifedefense
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“Life ELEVATED” is the Utah brand/ tag line, so I might be in some sort of copyright issue, and what the heck…ELEVATE Life, specifically, “your life” is the topic of this week’s Life Defense.
I’m not a native of Utah, and I’ve lived here for almost 25 years. That might mean I’ve got altitude sickness, and eaten way too much green Jello. Both of those terminologies and my fascination with fry sauce may identify me as a Utahn and so I’m going to borrow it anyway.
ELEVATION has everything to do with perspective right? A catsup bottle might look like a skyscraper to and ant and a condiment to a human. In our self-defense training this week were defending from a kick with a body block, and immediate leg dump. The leg dump technique is basically catching their leg and ELEVATING it while stepping into their center to throw the would be attacker. This technique works best against mid to high kicks.
I was training some people earlier today and asked them about kicks. We talked about the difference between a highly unlikely, flashy head kick, and a lackluster low, practical kick to the knee which might work most of the time.
The head kick, popularized in Hollywood, is where the agile, fit, hot actress or actor does some CG spinning head kick and knocks their opponent out immediately, does a variation of this to few more bad guys, mixed with neck breaking head twists, before defusing the bomb. I can never remember, is it the red or blue wire you’re supposed to cut with the mandatory 1 second left on the clock?
In the case of jump spinning head kicks, and all else that follows, it’s fake, most people with sense know it, and the few with actual training for sure know it. Which part is fake you ask…? All of it. That’s why they call it acting. Interesting fact, the word origin for actor is “liar.”
What does this have to do with ELEVATED Life? Everything.
We are living in a Hollywood movie! That’s why our perspective is all screwed up. The amount of pure fiction we consume each, and every day of our life is staggering. It’s a wonder we survive at all.
What if, in life we consider the precious few truths, and stop sweating the jump spinning head kicks? They hardly ever land on target anyway.
I think of all the fake news, fake social media and fake pop culture, that I can live without. In fact, I can live much longer and better without all that stuff!
For me, I’m going to focus on the truth, and sort of ignore most of the rest. How about you? After all, it’s all in your perspective anyway…
allenhughes #elevate #lifedefense
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CONTROL of who, or what is our PRINCIPLE topic of conversation today. “Get control, keep control, control yourself, control your thoughts, control the meeting, control the situation, whatever you do it seems that this topic of control is way out of…CONTROL!
It seems humans want to control everything. And yet, what do we really control?
In our self-defense course this week we are studying upper body defenses. In this study, the very first technique is a “CONTROLLING” move based on a boxing clench. The idea of a boxing clench is that the attacker is a striker, comes in punching at your face and head with his fists, and your reaction is to grab a hold of the attacker’s arms in a sort of controlling hug to keep them from hitting your face, breaking your nose, blackening your eyes, or damaging your brain. It's what you see in boxing rings when a fighter is tired, or doesn't want to be punched anymore, and wants to gain CONTROL of the situation.
Recently we noticed that smaller defenders have difficulty clenching, or CONTROLLING, effectively larger attackers. On the other hand, if the defender CONTROLS, only their own body weight by hanging on the arms of the attacker and making the attacker, hold them up, they succeed.
Additionally, asymmetrically focusing/ CONTROLLING their weight on one arm, or the other in a given instance tips the larger attacker off-balance, and makes striking effectively difficult. Even lifting their arms enough to get a swing at the defender is nearly impossible.
In essence, the much smaller defender CONTROLS their own weight, and body positioning, and affects the much larger opponent. In a word, the defender controls themselves, and affects the much larger opponents, balance, and ability to attack.
In life and Life Defense, the control we talk about most is the control of self. Really, do we have control of anything else? I can request that a tree grows rapidly, I can exert pressure for a child to not touch a hot stove, I can will my friends and relatives to agree with me on political issues, and still they have their choice, and I CONTROL them not at all.
This month we are studying the book The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk. Van der Kolk is an expert, and leading authority on trauma. At the very most base level, a defender who has been violently attacked seeks to control their experience. They may shut down, they may go into flight or fight, and whatever they do a loss or sense of loss of CONTROL of the situation affects them drastically.
In years that follow, these survivors make sense of their world through reenactments, dangerous activities, or by shutting down. Clearly, they are CONTROLLING the only thing they can CONTROL over and over again. Themselves.
I am not a psychologist, this is Life Defense and observations we've made in self-defense situation's that pertain to life. In the end either before, during, or after an attack successful defense requires taking CONTROL of self. This CONTROL of ourselves is key.
We cannot control a dangerous situation, and we might control where we go, and who goes with us. We cannot stop someone from attacking us, and we may be able to control our awareness of dangerous threats in our environment. We cannot control the ultimate outcome of a confrontation, and we can control how we train for that outcome. We cannot control damage form a violent attack, and we can control what it means to us, and what we do, or do not do to resolve and heal.
Coming back from trauma land into most peoples existence, we see through these extreme cases how much we actually CONTROL. How much? Ultimately, we control only ourselves, and ironically, consider that that may be enough…
allenhughes #control #lifedefense
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In self-defense we speak of healing often. Just today I was coaching a friend of mine on how to keep his hands up when someone comes after him fists violently launched at his head.
My friend is special. Although he’s an adult he is socially different. This has him in a program with other adults with similar conditions.
As he looked up at me timidly, through very thick glasses, I could still see the yellow, brown and black hematomas surrounding both eyes. He was healing from an attack just 2 weeks earlier.
We see a lot of healing from the physical and emotional attacks our participants go through, some decades prior to us knowing us. The one thing that I have noticed that PREVENTS healing, is us.
To be more specific, it’s our faith, or lack thereof that gets in the way. Whether you have religious faith, faith in humanity, or some other belief, faith is a real thing.
In the Bible Jesus heals people and almost always qualifies that because of their faith they are healed. Science actually proves this concept again and again. Each time they do a study of a new life saving wonder drug they have a control group that receives a placebo. Time and time again a very measurable portion of this control group is healed.
Although this phenomenon may frustrate some scientists, and pharmaceutical companies , the real science is that faith heals. However, faith is a two way street, and the belief side is up to us.
Test subjects must believe that they got the wonder drug, and when they do, many are healed. I would call this faith.
If this is true, then the inverse is also true. If we don’t believe, or have faith, we PREVENT our healing.
To take it one step further, without faith we PREVENT more than healing, we PREVENT life and living. If we do not have faith that we can defend ourselves the next time we are violently attacked, we won’t. If we lack faith about getting and keeping that next job, we won’t even try. If asking someone out is done without faith…well I wouldn’t bet on it!
In life and Life Defense faith could be the key to healing, opportunity, and creating our life day to day. Why are video games, role playing, and movies so entrancing and addictive?
Consider that these popular forms of entertainment are based on weak faith. Meaning just enough faith to believe that a fantasy world exists out there, and we can live vicariously in it. There is a chance at failure, however, the failure is momentary in games, and non-existent in movies.
Faith is as real as anything you can imagine. I have a favorite saying, “Placebo is the ultimate reality.” In fact the measure of all accomplishment from our first step, to our final breath is a exercise in faith.
Looking into my special friends eyes as his sidewards glances, hopeful smile and nodding head conveyed his faith in an alternate reality, I reflected that he was healing. Faith will heal him.
Fact, faith heals. Whether it’s your belief in God, humanity, the universe, science, or just Life Defense, consider that you may be the only obstacle to your healing, and if so perhaps it is just you that is PREVENTING your healing, and ultimately everything in your life…
allenhughes #prevent #lifedefense
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This week the principle of POSITION is demonstrated in the world of WONJIN Hapkido from a “Guard Position.” The Guard is a seemingly weak position as the person doing it is laying on their back, legs apart, while the attacker is either attempting to “pass the defender’s Guard” by fully straddling them, or the defender finds themselves in a typical position of sexual assault.
Most of the world prior to Brazilian Jiujitsu saw this POSITION as submissive, and weak. Even in wrestling holding, or Judo throwing, an opponent to their back is counted as an immediate win.
Our Brazilian counterparts took it upon themselves to make this position strong, and in fact, in certain circumstances deadly. Although traditional Jiujitsu Masters obviously knew how to use this technique, it has been most successfully implemented by Brazilian Jiujitsu Professors, and fighters.
Treating the Guard position as being an advantage was perhaps one of the most enlightening events in self-defense history. They obviously saw the isolation of their opponents lower body, and control of their opponent’s center as powerful, and became extremely comfortable fighting from that POSITION. Additionally, they considered this common defensive POSITION as powerful, as they were able to isolate 70% of their attackers weapons, feet and hands, from this unassuming POSITION.
That brings us to our Life Defense moment. In this case, the PRINCIPLE of POSITION is a matter of perspective. In self-defense we may find ourselves in less desirable POSITIONS, and our defense is all based on that presentment or POSITION.
Example, we find ourselves flat on our back, with a much stronger attacker aggressively moving in. In this case our POSITION is strong, and with the right perspective our POSITION is powerful.
Armed with training to fight from the Guard, you relax and neutralize the threat. As you leave the scene, with the unconscious attacker slowly reviving as you drive off, and dial 911, you might think, “That’s wasn’t so bad…That guy is lucky, and will live his next few years in prison, thinking about turning his life around, instead of six feet underground.
In life, how many times do we bemoan our POSITION. “If only I was richer, had a better job, didn’t have to put up with my jerk of a coworker, won the lottery, or weighed 30 pounds less.”POSITION is just a moment in time. What you do with that moment makes all the difference.
Consider all the advantage you have in your life now, at this time in history, and relax. You’ve got this. POSITION…
allenhughes #position #lifedefense
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This week our PRINCIPLE of Life Defense is UNIFY. The technique we will be practicing with participants from the Black Sea, to South America, Asia, and the US is defending from an opponent’s rear grab.
If you watch the video you’ll see how defenders grabbed from behind step out, in one swift and powerful motion. They become one, dropping their entire body weight 6-8” essentially UNIFYING themselves with the earth through gravity. Gravity is a real thing, and is inescapable. So is the fact that the largest body on the earth is “the earth.”
Additionally, it’s easy to explain to even the most casual observer how this technique works, and anyone who’s attempted to lift a small child that doesn’t want to be lifted will understand. UNIFICATION to the earth is powerful.
When you think of this basic PRINCIPLE of life it’s self explanatory, UNIFYING forces with someone or something more powerful than yourself allows us to borrow their mass, weight, strength, in essence their energy, to save our life. This is literal.
Last night I attended an AA meeting in support of an adult son who is turning his life around from addiction like others at the meeting. Their stories shared were inspirational and authentic.
If you ever want to experience truth, raw honesty and courage walk in, and sit down in an AA meeting. To me it’s humbling. Every one of these people has experienced life in a way we may never know. During each of my visits I’ve learned of one overarching theme. Connection, or UNIFICATION with a higher power.
Each participant shares their personal story of failure, success and living, attributing their very survival to God, or this higher power. Although Alcoholics Anonymous is not religious, their acute awareness to UNIFICATION with someone or something bigger than themselves has been proven in the battlefield of life.
The success of Alcoholics Anonymous is well documented with millions of lives saved. Fact, there is no program, rehab, therapy, drug or treatment with was much success as AA, and AA recognizes UNIFICATION with a higher power.
In life if all else fails, or even before failure, consider that the PRINCIPLE of UNIFICATION to something greater than yourself works. We, the warriors of self, and Life Defense always refer to what actually works. We are ever searching for a better technique, because better techniques save life.
In my battle life, I will always UNIFY with a greater power. Why? Because it works…
allenhughes #unify #lifedefense
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In life and in self-defense we’ve found SYNERGY to be so obvious, and essential a PRINCIPLE, and at the same time overused in the world of business coaching and pop psychology. We will not attempt to explain the overuse and of the word. Needless to say, the world has enough “falling backward team trust demonstrations” and leadership development ropes courses to provide its own level of amusement and discussion. Instead, we’ll focus on why, and more importantly how SYNERGY works.
SYNERGY of power seems logical right? The more and better we SYNERGIZE with team mates, loved ones, and good friends the more, and the easier it becomes to accomplish anything. After all 2 heads are better than 1 right?
Yet, especially in the US we view our world through the eyes of rugged individualistic, pioneer spirit. We have countless examples of those that obviously went it alone, braving the wind, sleet and snow to build their dreams all on their own. Or did they?
Where would Apple Computer be today without both Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak? It turns out probably no where. At our very core even being born is done with two parents. No one accomplished anything without SYNERGY.
After all SYNERGY defined is:
The interaction or cooperation of two or more organizations, substances, or other agents to produce a combined effect greater than the sum of their separate effects. Google
Today, let’s look at SYNERGY applied from attacks of aggressive outside forces. This week we are studying defense from a front grab. Realize first, no one grabs without force either to slam their opponent into a wall or drag them into a van. Assuming the attacker is almost always stronger, and larger, “resistance is futile.” However, unlike the Borg from Star Trek, the outcome is not usually gradual assimilation. Rather, violence within the conflict.
We easily experience at least as much opportunity for conflict, as we do cooperative SYNERGY each and every day. This “conflict SYNERGY” ironically is as beneficial to us as “cooperative SYNERGY.”
As in the case of the grab, the opponent pushes or pulls, and the defender “goes with” the energy given, and in doing so multiplies the energy of their attacker with their own. Although this SYNERGY is counter intuitive both in self defense and life, what if we could “go with” the energy of conflict, allow the giver of the energy to gift their energy to us and spend less time struggling in conversations, business interactions and political discussions?
For me, this “gifting of energy” is at least worth consideration, and perhaps SYNERGY will be discovered in the process…
allenhughes #synergy #lifedefense
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“I can’t believe this is happening to me again. This always happens to me. They always do this to me. Of course things never work out. Again?” These phrases seemed all too common and repeated themselves throughout my life. That was until I realized I was living in my past. It was like relieving Ground Hog Day. You you know the movie where the guy relives one day over and over again?
In self defense we look forward by being present in the moment. The past is gone, the future is yet to be determined, and the thing that determines the future is the moment we live in now. However, I like many of you, may have spent a good portion of my life anticipating the future based on a past. My past.
In relationships of domestic violence, intense altercations, and even ongoing emotional trauma, we see repetitions of the same actions people experience over and over again. Why? They are re-living or re-running their past and bringing that past into the present moment, and even their future.
In self-defense practice we see many people emotionally upset at some point in their training. This emotional upset comes about mostly in the middle of “randori,” or simulated fight training. Tears appear, quivering lips, red faces, and cracks in voice, and even leaving the floor to compose themselves are common reactions to this emotional upset.
It may occur from fear, however mostly it comes from an experience of the past. Either the past that they've experienced, someone close them has experienced, or even an experience they have heard about during their life. The realism with which we train may bring about these emotions.
However, these are experiences of the past. We all may ANTICIPATE a future that includes all too familiar issues of the past, and do on a regular basis. After all, if it happened once why wouldn't it happen again? It is however to this end that we train. It is true self-defense experts train for the future in ANTICIPATION of what might happen. Let’s look.
There is a difference in a self-defense mindset as it pertains to ANTICIPATION, and the world of helpless upset that occurs in most people predicting, and actually creating their world. In ANTICIPATION that an event will happen again because it happened before the untrained person fears, and may even create an opportunity to fulfill the outcome. This is unintentional of course, and still may happen as an all too familiar, and comfortable situation arises.
Our world then becomes our greatest fear as we create that future in ANTICIPATION based on our past experiences. We can see it almost every day in some small way. “I never get the best parking spot,” is mumbled under our breath as we actually look for how full a parking lot is compared to looking for the empty spaces available to us. We are comfortable in this world, and seek a parking space further from the store to affirm our fear.
Consider stepping out of the world of reruns, and writing a new script ANTICIPATING a great life filled with amazing parking spots…
allenhughes #anticipate #lifedefense
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In my life I’ve had several encounters with mortality. In 2016 I had the opportunity of surviving an aortic dissection, a couple years ago pulmonary embolisms, and recently mini strokes.
The PRINCIPLE of REFLECT in self-defense has brought light to these events. Although life threatening, they are rather experiences of living. In this light, creation of my world transforms into a world full of possibilities, crystal clear, living in the moment, and powerful created.
I find myself inspired by those who’ve gone before as warriors of life.
Much like the survivor of a vicious attack, I now REFLECT back and have gratitude not necessarily for living another few days or few years, rather extreme gratitude in unlimited possibilities of what I will create now in this world today, and in this moment!
I can remember waking after a 7 hour thoracic surgery, and a day, or so reviving from a medically induced coma to my family kneeling at my bedside smiling and my daughter playing the guitar, singing a song I had written for her as a little girl. Thoughts that came to mind in the next few days after massive amounts of tubes were disconnected and I was discharged as a miracle survivor to walk the earth a little longer. The thoughts? Life is short, really short and I wanted to make my life meaningful.
The temptation to live my past, and limit my future is no longer a consideration. Although for the first year I was in a drug induced haze, ashen for weeks like death warmed over, and would a couple years later, survive pulmonary embolisms, a hip replacement from an old throwing accident in training, and most recently mini strokes.
To me now, REFLECTION is present in the moment. Like in self-defense where being present is where outcome is creation of the future and the past serves no beneficial purpose in the moment, except learning from the experience itself.
In self-defense it is reflexive, REFLECTION from years of drilling defenses over and over again, improving on techniques through experiencing attacks at different speeds, different angles, different combinations and different attackers. The REFLECTION then is purposeful, and not pulling back to a life threatening event and reliving the pain, emotions and helplessness. It’s learning what works and what doesn’t.
Although some may experience ongoing trauma, and we do not condemn those who do. Those that REFLECT their past as experience, and work through whatever it takes as just part of their life, seem to move into a different way of living. They are more powerful, resilient and grateful for each day given them.
Limiting their future because of a loss of motion, an eye, a leg, or their ability to speak in full sentences is not an option. The REFLECTION is learning and experience. What might have come from that experience pertains to their future. To me, people that have experienced way more than I are the real super heroes of the world.
Consider that “the only easy day was yesterday,” a Navy SEAL mantra, and life lived no matter what happens is the blessing of life…
warriorway #lifedefense # allenhughes #reflect
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In the world of self-defense we are all familiar with the “ground and pound.” It’s one of the common danger positions bullies might take, jumping atop their victim, straddling their waist while raining down punches to their face over and over again.
We’ve all seen it at some point in our lives usually early in our grade school career, or in an MMA match. In either case it’s dangerous. In martial arts it’s called “the mount,” and aside from rear mount, is one of the most compromised positions one could find themselves in.
Once mounted, a defender’s first priority is to SHIELD. All else is secondary as fists and elbows fly at their face because without first SHIELDING, they most certainly will be knocked unconscious. Bad things happen after that.
To begin with, not being in the mount position is vital. After that, SHIELDING is all we can do. In life we find ourselves in compromising situations because of poor choices on our part, or for no fault of our own. This place might be in an online interaction, a phone call, a PTA meeting, or at a church event.
Instead of retaliatory come backs, over-talking, or even shouting we can just SHIELD. In self-defense this amounts to getting your hands up to block incoming fists. However, even this SHIELD is supported with “off-balancing” the mounted attacker so the strikes are way less damaging, than fully supported, and balanced punches.
In life, this “off-balancing” part of the SHIELD might be a distraction, changing subjects, or even an abrupt exit. “Hey, did you say your kids are in the talent show Friday?” Or, “Oh wow, what time is it? Really, I gotta go! Talk to you later?” Even, “Just spilled my coffee, lol, chat later…”Once again, what we do subtly in SHIELDING is what makes the next move, the “escape” so much easier.
The next time you find yourself in someone’s “mount position” SHIELD, off-balance, and escape ASAP. Do not under any circumstance take pushes to your face, verbally, emotionally, or sonically. Just SHIELD and live to fight another day! SHIELD…
warriorway #lifedefense # allenhughes #shield
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In self-defense one great example of DISSIPATING a life threatening attack is a dropping sprawl from a tackle. As we look together let’s see how and what you might DISSIPATE that threatens your life.
It was 3 or 4 years ago and we were holding our instructor semi annual certifications. Some may call them Black Belt tests. That being said, unlike any Black Belt testing I’ve ever seen, and I have been invited to officiate at many throughout my 38 years of training, this was different.
Our demonstrations are completely based on defense, and frequently a large opponent or attacker is paired with a much smaller defender. This emphasizes the DNA of our system.
The idea is that unlike MMA, boxing or wrestling matches where fighters are matched with opponents weighing in within a few pounds of one another, we might match a 250 pound opponent with a 160 pound defender.
The purpose is not to prove fighting prowess, rather defensive skill. It was here that I watched a much larger attacker lunge at the smaller defender to tackle her to the ground. As the attacker lunged at her mid to lower torso she shot her legs back to sprawl out of his reach and simultaneously dropped all her weight on his head, neck and upper back.
Within a couple feet of me I saw her little body propelled backwards like a doll. Yet her weight was enough to drop her attacker face first into the mat as she landed atop this head and shoulders with all her weight.
Thud, as he hit the ground, which for all intensive purposes might have been the sidewalk, we called for them to stop.
Her DISSIPATION was an effective defense of a life threatening attack in real life. DISSIPATING her much larger attacker was perhaps all she would need as his face met concrete with 150 pounds of dynamic force.
In your life do you seek to overwhelm, beat or dominate threats? If so, by definition you probably need to be stronger, faster and more agile to succeed. Would you consider that this almost never succeeds? In fact, it is a lie promoted over and over again in movies.
If smaller, weaker opponents could fight toe to toe with much larger opponents and win they would match them in cage fights on a regular basis. They don’t.
However, the ability to DISSIPATE life’s attacks might be all that’s required to escape, and live another day…
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What, or who lives, survives and thrives? In self-defense and life itself, it’s always the one that ADAPTS.
Some might point to evolution, for our conversation we will not debate this controversial theory of species jumping, Big Bang or Creationism. That being said, it is obvious that ADAPTATION is a PRINCIPLE of survival.
Yesterday after a 30 minute drive to a specialty supply house, I found myself sitting in the parking lot staring at the blank screen of my phone that had failed to charge.
With no list, and no phone numbers that I’d never bothered to memorize, my dependency on technology had me stranded. I started the car and drove away to reunite with my computer and get connected once again. I literally was a technology addict looking for a fix.
I have ADAPTED and now rely on technology. Although in this instance technology dependence proved a sobering failing, without my ADAPTATION to it I would find myself back in a paper driven world where my only resource would be static hard copy and memorization.
Although my reliance on my mini super computer was crippling, non-ADAPTATION would reduce my ability to detail the parts, find alternatives, communicate with others, access hundreds of reviews, look for alternate locations, and play videos of different applications and installations of my parts list.
Just a few hundred years earlier I would not have books printed with movable type capturing the world of knowledge, and before paper I might be limited to cave drawings and verbal communication.
The ADAPTATION of everything from plants and animals to humans reaching the outer parts of our universe is a real thing. In self-defense ADAPTATION become a matter of survival.
In your daily life what have you ADAPTED to? What has been the effect either as an improvement or not in your life?
As you look at your highly ADAPTIVE world will you consider both and ask why? Why ADAPT to this new gadget, theory, or thought process being adopted by the masses?
Does this ADAPTATION serve me well? Does this new occurrence of life move humanity toward better and more life?
For me I might not bring a note pad the next time I drive to the next town for parts, however I may memorize a few key phone numbers and make sure my phone is charged.
One valuable lesson I will however consider is why, and how I ADAPT to my world each day. Because attacks come in many forms and why, how, what I ADAPT to makes a difference.
From now on I will ask if the newest evolution of thought or technology furthers life and decide…
lifedefense #adapt #allenhughes
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In self-defense we use the term OFFLINE to describe our defensive body position from an attack. An example of this would be an angled stepping toward, or away from a kick. We also diminish space and create space to put us either too close or too far from the most powerful arch of the kick.
Much like getting off the railroad tracks when facing a speeding locomotive, we take ourselves OFFLINE to avoid the impact of a powerful kick as the angle, or triangulation naturally lessens potential harm. Even if the kick lands the force is greatly reduced. Powerful kickers know this and are constantly adjusting their position for maximum distance, and effect.
In life, or Life Defense, OFF-LINING has the same effect. If the attacker is your moody teenage daughter, an over angry coworker, or looming project deadline, stepping OFFLINE will take you out of harms reach.
The physical, and emotional body position you take by not standing toe to toe with people in upset, will have the same effect. Even looming project deadlines are better handled this way. That’s right, in the scheme of your entire life, and what you hold most dear, any given project would be handled best by employing the OFFLINE PRINCIPLE rather than facing your Goliath toe to toe.
Yes, I did just reference the Bible…David’s strategy was not to go toe to toe with the giant. Instead, he used his skill and distance to OFFLINE and win the day.
Consider that it’s never a good idea to go toe to toe fighting anyone, or anything. A far better way to deal with people in conflict is OFF-LINING. Be like David and OFFLINE to defeat your giants…
lifedefense #offline #allenhughes
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In this world of distractions is anyone DEVOTED? Is modern society counter DEVOTION? Why? To what purpose?
Does modern society celebrate DISTRACTION vs DEVOTION? In self-defense we begin each year with Defensive Stance symbolizing the DNA of WONJIN HAPKIDO, defense. Life Defense practitioners are DEVOTED to PRINCIPLES of Life.
Although Hapkido uses all the same techniques found in MMA, a fighting sport, and other fighting arts like Boxing, Wrestling, and Kickboxing, Hapkido’s philosophy is based on Relational Harmony in which we find all things that live, grow, expand and are ultimately successful.
We are DEVOTED to “not fighting,” and in possible outcomes that support life.
Yet, how can this be as Hapkido incorporates devastatingly debilitating strikes, brutal throws and life threatening strangulations? It is in the PRINCIPLE and philosophy of life. DEVOTION is inherently essential in self-defense, and every day life, or what we call Life Defense. Without a level of DEVOTION life does not exist.
However, does our ever increasingly complex world seemingly exist and drive conflict and with it the opposite, or death? If so, to what are we DEVOTED?
As we begin this year I am personally examining to where my attention is drawn, where my time is taken and to what I am DEVOTED to. I will DEVOTE myself to living and life…
lifedefense #devoted #allenhughes
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Why Life Defense? You may ask, Is Life Defense some sort of a self-defense program, a be all you can be life coaching system, or just another pop psychology platform? Maybe it's another jump up and down, hands in the air shouting out your newly discovered purpose in life seminar? Perhaps it’s a spiritual journey of enlightenment where hours of sitting in lotus position, and humming mantras will give you inner enlightenment, or maybe even the newest fad cult where close cut hair styles and pony tails are all the rage.
Although many good people find great skill, tools, and insight pursuing some of the above. No, Life Defense isn’t that. Let's look.
Life Defense is the conversation of, “Life Conflict,” and the PRINCIPLES used to successfully survive and thrive in this essential environment of conflict. Simple.
Life Defense recognizes that in fact nothing is accomplished without an environment of opposition or conflict. Try walking without pushing against the earth and gravity. Try breathing without struggling against the outside pressure. Try accomplishing anything in sports, music, dance, business, or family without an element of conflict. Impossible.
Yet, conflict is what humans tend to avoid, push off, ignore, and run from. Life Defense answers the simplest of questions, “If all motion, and accomplishment is achieved in this environment of conflict, why not study the PRINCIPLES in which all success resides?”
The very survival of our species, and your ability to sit and read this book, or listen, proves that your ancestors used these principles to bring you to this moment. You are the perfect evidence of Life Defense.
From the time of spears, stones, and bows and arrows your ancestors used these principles to survive, thrive, and multiply eventually bringing you into this existence. Agreed, the PRINCIPLES they used were applied in the realm of self-defense, and battle by defending their homes and villages against invading armies, marauding hoards and even mother nature herself in the form of floods, earth quakes and tsunamis. However those same PRINCIPLES apply today in every interaction of life.
You perhaps instinctively know that CREATING SPACE from an oncoming car will preserve your life. You may also know that DISRUPTING an unwanted flirtation by firmly saying, “No means no,” might dissuade the wrong person from getting the wrong idea about your relationship. It may even occur to you that REDIRECTING a conversation with a team member will get you back on track to accomplish your shared objective.
However, consider that knowing never made a difference in life. Knowing is not enough, doing is where life is lived. It is in the doing that everything actually happens, and the better we do the more we accomplish, the happier we are, and the more successful we are at life.
In your study of Life Defense you may take a passive role. You may acknowledge that the PRINCIPLES of Life Defense are at least good common sense. You may even believe that knowing these PRINCIPLES is key to your success in life.
Although somewhat true that knowing is better than not knowing, doing is best. So in this upcoming year plan on “doing” Life Defense. Meaning applying PRINCIPLES perfected throughout all civilizations on all continents that SAVE LIFE over millions of years.
Travis the Director of HR at a top notch University in the West told me today that Life Defense had given him “longevity in his position.” We refer to this as SAVING LIFE. Much like the LIFE SAVED over millennia that brought us all to this point, PRINCIPLES of CONFLICT will add “longevity” to your existence.
If you take nothing else from this today, remember…Life Defense Saves Life…
lifedefense #lifedefense #allenhughes
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In the world of self-defense we speak at length about, and practice PRESENTMENT. Basically, it’s a simple law of nature. The animal that PRESENTS itself as strong, powerful, connected and purposeful lives, the one who presents itself as weak, powerless, disconnected, and without purpose gets eaten.
As we close this year let’s look at PRESENTING, REPRESENTING, AND RE-PRESENTING. All 3 are based on how others see us, or how we actually occur in the world, and have a direct effect on how successful we are in life, how much we make, and our overall mental, physical and emotional health.
How we occur to others will effect how they treat us, and how likely we are to have a beneficial relationship of existence together. Good relationships save life.
Consider, what we create, and what we are to others is who we are. What will you PRESENT, REPRESENT, AND RE-PRESENT in the New Year?
PRESENTMENT is how we appear to others, or the way we walk, talk, and act. We REPRESENT where we come from, our families, friends, cultures, and organizations to which we belong. Both PRESENTMENT, and who we REPRESENT are vital in self-defense, Life Defense, interactions and relationships of life.
However, RE-PRESENTMENT is what we are standing for anew. A lot of people create New Year's goals at this time of the year. They might sound something like, “I'm going to lose 20 pounds,” or “This year I'm getting that promotion.” RE-PRESENTMENT is not that.
In contrast, you create your RE-PRESENTMENT deliberately, and RE-PRESENTMENT represents what you stand for, and consequently how you occur to others. Again, you create this new way of being. “How do we do that?” Let’s look…
The mind is a powerful thing, and so first we create our battle plan. However we know that the best battle plans fail at first encounter with the enemy. So to begin with we state our plan powerfully, as our way of being. Instead of, “I’m going to lose 20 pounds, and get a promotion..” Declare, “I am a lean, powerful, athlete that wins at life!”
Next we act, we do not wait, anything that is powerfully spoken to others exists in the world. However, it is short-lived at best, and dies without action. It is the action that we take that abundantly, expansively sustains our declaration of life!
And so we do the runs, eat the foods, get the sleep, and lift the weights as lean, powerful, athletes that win at life do. We are now in the process of “doing” which translates to the process of “being.”
In essence we have RE-PRESENTED ourselves to the world, to the people around us, and thus our PRESENTATION is transformed, what we REPRESENT is transformed, and we have RE-PRESENTED ourselves newly to the world.
People now interact with us as a lean, powerful athlete that wins at life! We are that to them, and more importantly to us. In the end, did you lose 20 pounds? Probably. Did you get that promotion? More than likely. However, does it really matter?
Maybe you didn't lose 20 pounds, rather your body composition completely transformed. Perhaps you didn't get the promotion however new opportunities showed up, and you were offered a new position at a new start up that gave you more pay, more freedom, and stock options!
In the coming year, consider not setting goals, rather start by looking at how you occur to others, what you really stand for in life, and RE-PRESENT who you really are to the world! Don’t fall prey to the hungry lion. RE-PRESENT…
allenhughes #re-present #lifedefense
Allen Hughes Life Defense
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It is at this time of year that we look at RESOLVING our lives. That is why today in Life Defense, we will examine the similarities between physical fights, and arguments. We will contrast them with RESOLVING, or “RE-SOLVING” life relationships, and consider life-saving outcomes through RESOLVING life.
A physical fight, is a type of argument, and is mostly a losing proposition. From the world of self-defense we know that winning a fight is a fallacy.
When two people square off to physically fight, the outcome is mostly decided from the onset. Not who will win necessarily, or who will lose, rather that both will end up mostly broken in the end. It is here that life is lost.
Consider that in self-defense we are talking about physical confrontation where bones are broken, bleeding, bumps and contusions occur. Is a verbal or written argument so dissimilar?
The argument in comparison to the fight has direct relatedness. No noses may be broken, no bleeding may occur, and no trips to the ER may be necessary. However, emotional disruption, energy bled, and relationships broken are the result.
If the argument was with a stranger, chances are it will not end in friendship. If the argument was with an acquaintance, the relationship stands a really good chance of being broken, most likely beyond repair. If the argument is with a close friend, or family member the relationship might still be broken, to be possibly mended at some future point. However, arguments are not likely mended in the immediate time frame. Mental and emotional disruption or injury, not unlike physical injury takes time to heal.
Even the closest relationships ending without RESOLUTION will more than likely create scars. Scars that may carry on for years, scars that fragment families, and friendships for the rest of our lives. This is life lost.
In these last few moments of the year as you consider how much weight you will lose, how much money you will make, of how many miles you will run, consider RESOLVING, or “RE-SOLVING” in many ways is superior to fighting and argument. To “RE-SOLVE” a mathematic equation using a different variable changes everything! Consider changing on thing and RE-SOLVE your life….
lifedefense #resolve #allenhughes
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As a self-defense instructor, and Life Defense coach, we see many options to CREATE in direct conflict. Take any circumstance of attack and an infinite number of actions CREATE how the scenario plays out.
Example, someone comes up behind you, and slips their arm around your neck. Without thinking, your self-defense instinct kicks in and you do a Reactive Hip Out circling behind the assumed attacker’s grasp, and just before you break their knee with a powerful Muy Thai style kick, you recognize it’s your old Uncle Fred giving you an arm around the shoulder friendly greeting. As we enter the holidays people do this sort of thing…
In an instant we go from CREATING a life saving self-defense encounter to apologizing to poor Uncle Fred as you see the terror in his eyes after you retract your shin from his knee. Now you’ll spend the next few hours listening to your uncle’s near death encounter.
As anyone can see, the outcomes of this event could have been quite different if we had followed through, and broke poor Uncle Fred’s knee. We CREATED a safe outcome from what we had previously thought an attack.
In self-defense there are countless options, and outcomes for every type of attack. Life also gives us countless options to every encounter imaginable, and many unexpected as well. We train our bodies, and our minds to react to certain stimuli constantly each and every day, and yet there are possibly infinite ways of dealing with the multiple scenarios of life.
It is this time of year that we encourage our participants to visualize what they want to CREATE for the expected and unexpected events in their upcoming year. True that an “Uncle Fred” may surprise you, and you may want to adjust your reaction when that happens. Yet, as you CREATE your life with each interaction consider thoughtfully, intentionally CREATING what you want your life to be.
You see, life is a CREATION, although people interact in that CREATION, you still get to CREATE outcomes, and meaning. Don’t wait till 11:59pm December 31st to CREATE your life. Consider doing it now, because you are in charge, you CREATE meaning, and you CREATE your life. CREATE!
lifedefense #create #allenhughes
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In the world of self-defense we often talk about a feeling, a voice or a premonition that says something like, “Something is not right, do not go down there, or this person is not being truthful!” In police work at the highest levels, CIA, FBI, DEA operatives talk about their “weirdo meter.” And when that voice speaks, they LISTEN.
You may have guessed that in Life Defense we again draw a parallel to their world and recommend LISTENING to the voice. It is at this point that some may feel an overwhelming urge to turn off this podcast, shut down their screen and label me a crazy man. However, before you do, consider that the “little voice” is a real thing, it works and has saved countless lives both in law enforcement, and probably in your own life.
Whether you're a believer in spiritual things, or somehow scientifically link it up to your reticular activating system, LISTEN. In the real sense of what is there is a little voice that warns you, and if you will LISTEN, of danger, liars, and deceptions, and it will save your life!
The key that I have found is first to LISTEN, then to act. When we act we see immediate or long term results from our action, and our LISTENING gets more acute. Just like anything we do, practice and see…LISTEN.
lifedefense #listen #allenhughes
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In the study of Life Defense the PRINCIPLE of RELEASE is vital. Coming from the world of self-defense, this basic skill of survival actually has application in our everyday life.
In self-defense, held by potentially deadly opponents our life hangs in the balance. In life, those most deadly opponents, may hold us in our past, and never allow us to move forward. They stop us, slow us, and hold us back from our dreams, accomplishments, and life itself.
Consider for a moment that the deadliest of these vicious, violent, killers of life attackers could be you. What you don’t RELEASE by definition hinders you, and affects your ability to function, and in fact live. “What do you mean?” says the majority of listeners. Let’s look.
In the simplest definition, a hold requires RELEASE to be free, and live. The act of holding is a hard stop of motion, a slowing, and or limiting of ability. In the case of holding on to your past, anything you hold on to identifies you as the attacker, albeit an attacker of self.
As this attacker, you attack the person closest to you. You, and your hold can either stop your motion completely, slow you down, or limit your ability to live. In the end life is lost.
Contrast this with a TRUE WARRIOR of LIFE. They speak of battles lost as an active observer, creating new strategies to implement in the next battle. They know a battle is just an instant in the war, or beautiful chaos of conflict we call life.
Likewise, a SURVIVOR of an assault by definition defines themselves a TRUE WARRIOR by RELEASING the past as an emotional barrier and embracing the past event as a battle scar realizing those beautiful strokes of blade against skin mark another victory of living, never to be a victim as long as they draw breath.
The choice in this battle is clear. Will you hold on to past battles lost, and allow them to take control of your future? Or will you RELEASE the past, embrace the outcomes, and bear scars as beautiful symbols of life? For me, and those powerful WARRIORS of LIFE I’ve coached, the breath we draw, and scars we carry count us forever among the living! RELEASE and live…
lifedefense #release #allenhughes
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She had argued with him before, and was now AWARE that with each subsequent conversation he’d gotten a little louder, and a little more forceful. Since taking her self-defense course she’d noticed also a controlling element attempting to take hold of her freedom.
It was in fact a determining factor in her decision to leave him. Mary was now surer than she’d ever been. This could not continue, she would never abandon her core beliefs, and values Max valued no more. Mary, a Christian now prayed daily for him, and most recently had prayed for strength to leave.
As if on cue Mary’s AWARENESS was at a heightened level, as was Max’s shouting. Max reached out with his large forearms and powerful grip to grab her and shove her up against the refrigerator. She’d done this before in her training sessions, however recalling it later she just acted instinctively.
Stepping back as Max drove forward, offline and deflecting his powerful hands before they could take hold not only propelled his forward motion it also gave her the opening she needed as she bolted out the door.
Mary would come back the next day with a squad car in the street to pick up here stuff, and never return.
When I talk to people leaving for a trip, whether out of state or out of country, among my last words to them is always, “Be AWARE.” This word’s roots are obviously tied in English to “beware,” and is one of most important self-defense and Life Defense techniques we employ.
The world is not getting kinder, gentler, or safer. In life, or Life Defense, consider that to the degree you are AWARE will be your degree of safety, and life. Whether you're talking, in online social situations, on the street, or listening to political agendas and narratives. Be AWARE.
Is the person, or message getting louder, more aggressive or controlling? If so, it may be time to step off line, and get out, opt out, or get to safety. When? Now! Why? because to “being AWARE” is a vital step to maintaining your freedom and life. Be AWARE or “beware” of anything, or anyone who might take life from you…
lifedefense #aware #allenhughes
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The train subway platform was all but empty. Master Lee’s Hapkido session, and meetings with his top instructors had gone longer than expected. Lee was getting on in age, and yet a formidable expert from years of training in Hapkido, a form of self-defense, he originally learned in South Korea as a young boy training with Choi, Yong Sool, the founder.
He couldn’t help it, his mind immediately went to techniques, and situational awareness. Today he was contemplating what he would do if attacked right there on the platform by a rear naked choke. Several of his favorite techniques came to mind, and his most favorite, a simple circling move from a “turtling” position came top of mind. Lee smiled.
“DISCERN, I would first DISCERN the situation and move to a better defensible position, then I would not even need the circling turtle technique.” He chuckled to himself and said, “However, before that I would leave earlier to avoid any sketchy situations. Ha! Better yet!” His last few words echoed off the concrete of the station platform.
As he looked further he thought of his senior instructors, and their life struggles. His mind then went directly to Life Defense, a concept he learned through years of training that employed simple PRINCIPLES of self-defense in life.
DISCERNING what in their lives is choking them out before life’s chokes actually tighten, and their dreams die might be helpful. Even before that, he would first council them to dream, and not in some ethereal realm. Rather make a concrete list of 25 dreams they wanted for their lives, and write them down. Because, without DISCERNING what it is they actually want first, what is most important to them, and what makes life worth living, they would have nothing to defend and fight for.
As he boarded safely on his way home he determined to re-ignite each instructor to write their dreams in his next meeting. Then he would teach them to use Life Defense PRINCIPLES to DISCERN dangers to those dreams before they are attacked, that their dreams may live! First, as he sat down on the smooth fiberglass subway bench the old teacher would write his own dreams. “So much to dream. Where to start…?”
In life, how often do we DISCERN what it is we actually are here for, what we want, and then defend those dreams as if our lives depended on them? Because they do. Consider, DISCERNING first what you are defending, then employ Life Defense and live…
lifedefense #discern #allenhughes
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In HAPKIDO self defense training we’ve been using a double arm elbow lock, and off-lining to take advantage of the pushing motion of an attacker in a front choke. Picture an attacker pushing you up against a wall with two hands on your neck… (See the video example).
This was a definite improvement on a static position where we just dropped our weight to break the hold. However, some of the smaller defenders were still not able to make it work according to our 90% RULE.. more on the 90% RULE in another episode. In short, our goals is that our self defense techniques must work at least 90% of the time to be viable.
As some of our lighter women attempted, they weren’t able to break the chokehold 90% of the time. We are always looking for improvements, and a few of our instructors took it on themselves to find a better way for this technique to work for even the smallest defender.
After analyzing this over and over again, Micheal one of our Master level instructors, suggested CONNECTING to one arm, instead of both of the attackers arms, with the defender using both of their arms. It worked!
It turns out the correct CONNECTION made all the difference. The correct CONNECTION in this case, was to pinpoint twice as much power, strength, effort, and weight to one specific point of CONNECTION instead of two. Picture a muscle bound man holding a 16 year old teenage girl while she hangs on his one arm extended. Eventually, even the strongest arm gives out.
In life and Life Defense less CONNECTIONS can be more effective. Or said in a different way, the right CONNECTION can make all the difference.
Consider that 10,000 “friends” on social media are not as effective as CONNECTION to a few close friends. Greg Roche. author of “The Fast and Easy Networking Guide for Introverts,” in one our recent conversations spoke of this as being your “personal community.”
In simple terms the people that know you, care about you, and are interested in your success are your “personal community.” These “personal community” CONNECTIONS actually require less energy than online social communities to accomplish outcomes.
Example: You get a flat tire at 3am in the middle of no where. Quick, post to Facebook or Instagram and see what happens…? Or, call your closest 3 friends? Although a late night gamer may like, or even share your post, chances are better at least one of your three closest friends will pick up and get you assistance as soon as possible.
In life, the use of fewer close CONNECTIONS is more powerful than 10,000 distant CONNECTIONS. 10,000 or 1 million followers are not as powerful was a few close friends…
lifedefense #connect #allenhughes
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It was another domestic call, and officer Patti Smith was headed to the incident on her own. Domestic disturbances can turn ugly pretty quick, and she was the closest unit responding. That would mean she alone would deal with whatever was happening by herself before any back up arrived.
As she stepped out of her squad car she saw what looked like a couple, standing few feet apart, screaming mostly obscenities at each other. A crowd had gathered, some young guy was shooting the next YouTube viral phone cam video, and things looked to go south really fast if she didn’t gain control of the situation right away.
Just as soon as her foot hit the hot blacktop some presumably engaged onlooker yelled, “Hey lady cop, why don’t you jump back in your car, do us favor, and go do a donut run. We got this!” Officer Smith knew at once she was being challenged, and dismissed before she could even get started.
With big smile she looked straight at the large man and said, “Just ate half a box, my personal trainer is going to kill me during my session, you know how leg days are. I’ll be lucky to keep anything down without puking my guts out tomorrow.” The heckler was immediately DEFLECTED, the crowd, including the couple went silent, and someone chuckled. “Now I’m going to need y’all to take about 10 steps back to that curb while we get this sorted out…Thank you.” Immediately, her DEFLECTION turned into a direct, and powerful request, as she took control.
In self-defense we DEFLECT kicks, punches, pushes and grabs. The science behind a deflection is asymmetrical triangulation, resulting in non-linear interaction. Officer Smith was out numbered, and force was directed at her through a direct challenge to her authority, and her ability to take control. Her verbal self defense training kicked in and she DEFLECTED
Direct confrontation in self-defense, team interaction, or an angry teenager’s exchange almost always ends badly. This is due to the fact that either one gets pummeled into submission, gives up and “looses face,” or both parties receive damage and nothing is resolved.
Who wins in a fight? No one. That’s why asymmetrical DEFLECTION is a great place to start when attacked head on. So consider DEFECTION when you are confronted first. The damage will almost always be lessened without a fight, life will most likely be saved, the relationship will probably improve, a fight is less likely, and most importantly you may survive…
lifedefense #deflect #allenhughes
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Sydney was walking into the Utah grocery store when a friendly woman’s voice came at her from the side. She had previously been looking into her phone, and answering a quick text as she walked across the parking lot. The friendly lady was asking directions with a smile.
Because she was focusing, and not in her phone at that particular moment, she realized something was off with the woman’s greeting and question, and shook her head no while quickening her pace UN-DIVERTED from her task at hand. Surprisingly, the once friendly person just strode off, seemingly unaffected by Sydney’s focused response.
While exiting the store, in what typically is not an area known for crime, Sydney noticed the lady climbing into a van, watching from a distance she couldn’t help but notice the van was driven by a man, with another man in the passenger seat, had no windows, and was running out of state plates.
Although Sydney was unable to get the plates written down in time, she called 911 and waited for the police. It turned out that a similar method was being used to abduct young women for sex trafficking.
In similar cases, witnesses had said they’d noticed the ones targeted seemed to be unaware, and looking into their phone. The friendly woman would approach, and DIVERT their attention. Swiftly the van would pull up, open the cargo door and easily push the unknowing young lady in.
Being DIVERTED in self defense can create dangerous outcomes, and life threatening consequences. In life, and Life Defense, to be DIVERTED can also equate to a loss of life. This loss can be caused by DIVERTING attention, time, or focus.
What, or who DIVERTS you from your focus? Consider taking time each day and count the times you are DIVERTED. You may be surprised to see how much life is actually lost…
lifedefense #divert #allenhughes
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Tommy stood facing Bobby on the sidelines of the football field. Some comment was made that got everything started and a small crowd formed around them. Tommy was a full head shorter than Bobby, and Bobby was stepping toward him quickly.
Tommy knew instinctively from his Hapkido training that he couldn’t withstand the frontal attack that seemed imminent, and stepped one foot back in a defensive stance, hands up saying, “Hey Bobby, slow down I don’t want any trouble.” Bobby seemed to ignore his words, and several beers that Tommy smelled on Bobby’s breath told him he might not be hearing them anyway.
All at once Bobby’s hands went really wide in a huge gesture, “Common you F%^$ing punk!” And with that lounged to push Tommy violently. Tommy stepped quickly in a semi-circle back again and SYNCHRONIZED with Bobby’s push, allowing all his energy to stumble easily past. No matter how much Bobby pushed, or wildly swung Tommy just SYNCHRONIZED with his motion like an experienced matador, allowing a 3000 lb. bull to brush harmlessly past him time and time again.
After what seemed like an eternity, and was maybe only 40 seconds, the conflict was over. Bobby had finally tripped, and fallen to the ground cursing and spitting out the dust he’d swallowed, and refusing assistance from his friends to gain his feet, and continue.
In the world of self-defense, SYNCHRONIZING with a larger, more powerful opponent is a principle that works. Just as the matador can SYNCHRONIZE with the bull, SYNCHRONIZING with your opponent is a PRINCIPLE that defenders wisely incorporate against larger, more powerful opponents.
In Life Defense, and in life, standing toe to toe with a larger more powerful force is ineffective. When faced with a more powerful force SYNCHRONIZE with the project, co-worker, or opposition and live just long enough to succeed. At some point either the force will tire of being oppositional, or your SYNCHRONIZATION will turn into a desired outcome. SYNCHRONIZE…
lifedefense #synchronize #allenhughes
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The crowd was gathering and forming lines. This politically charged environment had met, as if agreed in prior negotiations, to meet on the field of battle prior to this date and each had brought their posters, signs, banners and flags.
As if on cue the event started with the gathering of each side simultaneously marching toward one another. As they met a line formed with arms linked together as if to stop one side form reaching the other side where a stage and PA system blared out loud music drowning out all conversational talk.
No one would dare breach this human wall as ranks closed and even a wheel chair bound protestor was challenged with angry faces, and blocked from further progress as she pushed, or rather was pushed through the line. As I CIRCLED around the confrontation I found a small break in the line.
Without confrontation, my only objective was to take pictures, video and interview people on both sides. CIRCLING to the side of a couple of “line holders” I asked calmly, while standing next to them if he could get through, and walked without confrontation to the stage, interviewing band members, and generally unchallenged.
Having studied Hapkido self-defense, I had learned that a direct confrontation didn’t end well. Instead I chose to CIRCLE, take a defensive position instead of direct confrontation.
In life, and Life Defense, CIRCLING to another’s perspective creates a new view point, a non-confrontational position, and is defensible. By CIRCLING around the human blockade, by not standing in opposition, rather in harmony with the people, and generally being interested in them provided new opportunities of interaction with little resistance.
Consider the CIRCLE, one of the shapes of motion in arts like Jiujitsu, Judo, Wushu, Aikido, and Hapkido, to be powerful and able to redirect opposition and accomplish mush more that clashing, in toe to toe confrontation. When confronted CIRCLE.
lifedefense #circle #allenhughes
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A TRAINER is a person uniquely qualified through actual experience to coach others. Think of Rocky’s trainer Mickey, Daniel San’s trainer Mr. Myagi, and Vince Lombardi. They coached on screen, and real life champions to reach past their “Great White” fears and attain something greater than anyone thought possible. How did they do it?
TRAINERS know how to prepare others to take ACTION, and develop them into, TRUE WARRIORS OF LIFE in endeavors ranging from pro-football stars, and top sales professionals, to playing1st chair violin in the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra!
Where ACTION removes FEAR, TRAINERS know the ACTIONS to take that actually develop normal people into superstars!
Back to sharks. Since the writing of this last episode my free diving, shark loving son went on another dive in Hawaii. This time, under the guidance of his Dive Master, was told all the little sharks that were swimming away from them because they knew there was a larger predator approaching…
Most people would take this as a cue to exit the deep blue water immediately. However, his Dive Master/ TRAINER said they’d be fine and it was probably only a tiger shark, like the one the movie “Soul Surfer” was based on. You know, the one where the surfer girl gets her arm bitten off by a tiger shark?
Sure enough, within a short while there she was, They called her “Roxy” and she was easily 12’ in length. The TRAINER said to face her and push her on the nose if she got too close. How did he know to give that TRAINING tip? He is a TRAINER!
TRAINERS have seen enough, experienced enough, and failed enough to know what’s coming and how to deal with it. Their legendary vision is the thing that creates champions.
Consider when you are faced with your “Great Whites” and the “Moment of Consideration,” whether it’s free diving in Maui or grappling class, to ACT and take that step, make that call, or step up on stage, and if you can’t, getting a TRAINER might be your first ACTION to eliminate fear, and succeed in every endeavor of life…
lifedefense #themomentofconsideration #allenhughes
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The MOMENT OF CONSIDERATION (MOC) without exception saves life, yet that same MOC obviously costs life in a real sense. The MOC loss of life is far more common than preservation in modern society.
Think about lost opportunities for relationships, experience, and adventure as today we consider almost everything the least bit challenging as a great white lurking in the deep ready to devour people foolish enough to take ACTION whole, leaving any stray limbs to wash up on shore days later. A warning to all those who dare take ACTION! Have you guessed what actually gets in the way of taking ACTION?
What gets in the way of taking ACTION every time is FEAR. So if ACTION removes FEAR and FEAR stands in the way of taking said ACTION… What can we do as TRUE WARRIORS OF LIFE destined to survive, evolve, and win for generations to come? TRAIN!
TRAINING, is the experience of taking ACTION over and over again, and makes even the most intimidating situations seem normal. If I asked the common person on the street to join us in self-defense practice Tuesday, and told them we would be “choking each other out” to the point of near unconsciousness, their autonomic systems would probably start ramping up right there on the sidewalk. Warning them of imitate danger, their mind, and flush of hormones would be telling them, “No, do not go, danger, danger, run away now!”
Strange as it may sound, most people don’t think of strangulations as normal.
However, since everyone that practices self-defense and TRAINS on a regular basis, knows the first Tuesday of this month is strangulation practice, there would be almost no FEAR, no matter the size, or strength of the self-defense practitioner. Why? because they TRAIN, and TRAINING is taking ACTION over, and over again. Additionally, there is a multiplier in this equation. The TRAINER.
More on TRAINERS in our next episode…
lifedefense #themomentofconsideration #allenhughes
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Today our “MOMENT of CONSIDERATION” looks like this, “Oh no, I will not get up on stage and sing, dance, act or speak.” Or, “Hell no, she’s way out of my league, I’ll settle for a sure thing, a safe thing, someone who will say yes for sure.” Or, “Nope, too many sales call rejections today, had my share of ‘No’s, ‘and I’m outta here!”
CONSIDERATION, developed as a basic survival skill, has been misapplied to a modern world where there are far less great whites, and there is far more potential opportunity from taking action.
Really, what’s the worst thing that can happen when you get up on stage? Perhaps you fumble for words, loose your place, people laugh at you, your belt comes undone, and you’re suddenly standing there in your underwear. Maybe you don’t get applause, that next promotion, or people laugh at you.
What about that special someone you ask out? Maybe the girl of your dreams says, “No, I would never go out with you in a million years.” Or you make that next call, and someones shouts at you describing your mother in very unkind and surprisingly graphic terminologies.
None of these responses comes close to your body being ripped in half by Jaws, while your screams muffle as you’re swallowed you whole by our favorite 20 foot, 5000 lb. movie star! Not even close. All of the afore mentioned are minor scrapes, bumps and bruises we all acquire throughout our lives, and yet, our autonomic responses make them seem life threatening.
Just as likely a scenario is that your speech goes fine, the girl says yes, and you make the sale of a lifetime. In most case scenarios, you mess up a little on your speech, the girl says maybe, and you make a mediocre sale. However, compared to Jaws swallowing you whole, the risk is always worth it. Always.
Recognizing that all opportunity, and in fact everything that happens, happens in an environment of ACTION is the key to all success. That’s right, not some success, all of it comes from A-C-T-I-O-N! ACTION is the key to fame, fortune, and the relationship of your dreams. So why do so few people take action that results in all that? In short having it all. The answer is FEAR.
Modern humans are letting one emotion stand in the way of having it all. FEAR.
More on eliminating 90% of all FEAR in our next episode…
lifedefense #themomentofconsideration #allenhughes
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There is a simple formula that creates access to all success, riches, relationships and opportunity. The formula is ACTION = PERFORMANCE! That being said, there is really only one thing that gets in the way of our dream life every time. CONSIDERATION. More specifically, “THE MOMENT of CONSIDERATION.” In that one single moment, your life either moves forward or doesn’t.
“There’s a 10’ hammerhead right there where you were free-diving.” Dane turned around, and sure enough there it was a beautiful 10’ hammerhead shark right where had been just seconds before. “I want to jump back in!” He said, still wet from his dive.
What my son was experiencing was what we all experience. “THE MOMENT of CONSIDERATION.” In that “MOMENT of CONSIDERATION for all of us, the question is, will we jump or won’t we?
We all consider almost everything before we act. It’s a preservation tool humans develop over time and through experiences we’ve had, or others have related to us through experiences they’ve had.
Consideration in this circumstance might look like, “Cool a hammerhead! Humm…10’ is just a little bigger than me, although a classified ‘man-eater’ maybe not big enough to go after me. I’m in!” The next thing that might have happened might be Dane eagerly jumping back in.
However, “THE MOMENT OF CONSIDERATION,” and preservation, might look quite different if, after climbing onto the boat someone said, “Oh my gosh, do you see that? It’s a 20’ great white! You are so lucky man, and right where you were just diving!” That’s where “THE MOMENT OF CONSIDERATION,” preservation kicks in, and Dane opts out of another free dive with Jaws, and lives.
In the case of Jaws suddenly showing up, “THE MOMENT of CONSIDERATION” would be a culmination of everything Dane had seen on Shark Week over the past 34 years of life, and his “CONSIDERATION” might sound like, “Do not, under any circumstances jump back into that water!”
A cocktail rush of hormones would shoot up his spine, and warm his body from head to toe, as his near death experience would be lived as if he had, in his “MOMENT of CONSIDERATION,” in fact jumped back in, and encountered his 5000 lb. hungry new friend.
The “MOMENT of CONSIDERATION” has saved us countless times over the course of our lives, and arguably arises in us each and every day. That being said, our evolutionary skill has also limited modern people from huge opportunities, amazingly powerful relationships, fame and fortune.
More on “great whites, and mastering the “MOMENT of CONSIDERATION” in part 2…
lifedefense #themomentofconsideration #allenhughes
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His large forearm came across Lizzy’s throat all too fast. It was the last thing she expected to happen at the senior picnic. She had been a little less aware of what was behind her, and more aware of the playful rough, and tumble water fight that had broken out on the lawn just a few feet in front of her. Bobby, her attacker, was a big football player, harmless, yet way too strong and a little drunk from the beer he shotgunned 30 minutes before.
Lizzy’s first reaction was to bring her hands up to her neck to protect from the choke, however, her reaction was a little too slow and Bobby’s arm was already around her throat. Upon realizing she could be choked out, Lizzy dropped her weight and drove her hips back full strength into is goin pushing him off balance and extending his arms from danger. Without a second thought she DROPPED herself to the ground between Bobby’s legs, and the huge off-balanced lineman was thrown powerfully to the ground.
Gasping for air, Bobby was in a dazed panic, so Lizzy stepped behind him lifting his arms until he could breath again. Soon everyone was laughing as Bobby shook his head and hugged his little friend, profusely apologizing over, and over again.
DROPPING in self-defense connects us to the largest body on the planet, “the planet.” DROPPING in Life Defense might look like DROPPING volume and tones to connect to a team, or emphasis a point. Having trained dogs competitively, I know when a dog is at its most dangerous. When? When it DROPS its volume to a quiet, deep growl. It’s then that the snaring dog gets all my attention.
The DROP in Lizzy’s throw connected her to something much larger than herself, and larger than even Bobby the lineman. DROPPING is a reaction to an attack, and just as easily a verbal aggression, a hostile action, or just to get someone’s attention, and connect powerfully.
Consider DROPPING the next time things are getting of out of hand. DROP…
Allen Hughes Life Defense Coach
lifedefense #drop #allenhughes
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Jumping out of the car, just off “The Strip” in Vegas, and running up to a stranger because your GPS is taking you in circles isn’t a good idea. However, that’s exactly what my wife did saying something like, “It’s okay, he works here!”
It turned out he didn’t work there, and he was on drugs, and in her rush she disappeared out of line of sight for a long 3 minutes. Not a good self-defense tactic from a 22 year veteran of HAPKIDO. However, sometimes even the best of us make mistakes.
Luckily, Carrie returned safe, and sound and we sped off. However, just as likely a scenario might have included a direct attack, and ultimately injury to either the assailant, Carrie, or myself if I could have even gotten there in time.
Sure, if the drug addict lunged at Carrie, pushing her to the brick wall in a front choke, she probably would have struggled a little then stepped back offline. VARYING her presentment, twisting her torso, and reaching for his one hand, she then could have powerfully VARIED her stance back the other direction, using all her weight against the elbow of his outstretched arm, delivering a punishing blow to break his grip, which likely would have shattered his elbow in the process.
Pretty detailed for a “what if” scenario. But since we went there, let’s take the technique apart, and the PRINCIPLE behind it…
The power from this technique comes not from resistance, rather from PRINCIPLE of VARIANCE to the force. Since the person is pushing, in the case of a choke, no resistance is offered, just an offline motion. This allows the “twisting” motion of her body. After the attacker pushes past his balance is compromised, and his arm is overextended. All that is needed is VARYING back the other way to multiply his force with her own force, and body weight, and “pop” broken grip, broken elbow. VARYING is the key.
Almost to a person, we struggle at first when attacked. In life and Life Defense, it’s the same. When an unruly teen puts up a fight, breaks a rule, or invariably, outright refuses common sense advise the parent has a choice. Resist, by digging in and forcing an outcome, or VARYING their approach.
The outcome might still be the same, however, the VARIANCE in approach between, “I’ve told you a million times to clean your room! You're definitely, not going to your fiends tonight!” and “Interesting choice you’re making about tonight…” and the teen says, “What?” and the parent says, “Nothing really, I’ll love spending time with you this evening. I’ve got a movie I’ve been wanting you to see. It’ll be perfect…”
Instead of fighting, and meeting force with force, VARYING approach uses the energy of the other person to accomplish your success. When meeting resistance, VARY your approach. When something doesn’t work, try something else… They’ll never see it coming…
Allen Hughes Life Defense Coach
lifedefense #vary #allenhughes
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“Secondary location” in self-defense terminology refers to leaving the initial location of encounter with a possible assailant, either by force, or under threat of violence to you or another. Chances of survival are possibly 5-10%, although no one really knows because people, including children go missing, rapes go unreported and no one knows how many “runaways” were taken to secondary locations never to be seen again.
In self defense “secondary location” is one of the most unsurvivable situations. Therefore, we have the PRINCIPLE of NEUTRALIZATION. Which is by definition rendering an attacker harmless, or NEUTRAL. Resisting, or escaping secondary location using possibly deadly force
In Life Defense we find its equivalent also. When a person is attacking you, your project, your freedom, or even your time you can either allow the threat to force you into an inescapable position or NEUTRALIZE the threat.
Compared to Silence of the Lambs, stealing your time might seem harmless. However, 30 minutes a day adds up over months and years. Your wasted time is life lost.
Although NEUTRALIZATION of a serial killer uses deadly force, the Life Defense equivalent might look like. “No, I will not go with you to lunch today.” When inside what you are saying is, “No, means no! Back away from me now! I will not spend another hour abducted to a secondary location of binge food eating, ear drum burning, tyrannical gossip session! I am not your hostage, leave now!”
When there is a loss of life whether immediately terminal, or incremental, life lost can never be replaced. NEUTRALIZE your opponent, and never go to secondary location to become a statistic of lost life….
Allen Hughes Life Defense Coach
lifedefense #neutralize #allenhughes
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Eddie was not in the popular crowd. As far as he knew he was not in the popular universe. Everyone else at this party seemed not only taller than him, they were also drunker than him.
About the time things seemed to be getting weirder, he’d decided to leave. Eddie heard a shout from across the room,“Little Eddie! Where are you going?”
Eddie turned just in time to see Ken approaching quickly to head him off. Eddie stopped in his tracks. After Ken had made the football team, and Eddie hadn’t, Ken had stopped being any kind of friend, and had made fun of Eddie’s wrestling just about every time they met. Even after Eddie had won his weight class at State, it was always the same insults about wresting around with a bunch of sweaty guys on a sweaty mat.
Eddie RESPONDED, “Just headed home. Got early church tomorrow man.” Ken’s slurred speech gave his drunkenness away, “You can pray tomorrow, but you ain’t going nowhere tonight.” Eddie RESPONDED, “Sorry to disappoint you. Gotta go.” Just then Ken launched himself at Eddie’s midsection in a full tackle.
Eddie RESPONDED immediately by dropping into a standing sprawl, controlling any tackle from occurring by keeping Ken’s hands and arms at bay. However Ken was bigger and continued to push. Eddie knew he’s have to move Ken around and control his ability to push him over.
Eddie dropped his head and pushed the hard part of his skull as if he had horns into Ken’s eye socket, temple and nose. “Ouch!” Ken said, and released rubbing his bloody nose and blackening eye. Dropping his hands to his knees and breathing hard. Ken spat out.“We’ll go then you little…!”
Eddie tapped Ken on the shoulder, “Sleep it off my friend. I’ll tell Reverend Mike you said, hey.” Ken went home soon after, and did sleep it off. Eddie called to see how he was doing after church the next day, and Ken apologized. From that day they were back to being friends.
Eddie thought many times over their lifetime about that night, and how grateful he was for his RESPONSE. Both Ken and Eddie never made college teams, however, their years of friendship were long, and their children’s children grew up like family together for holidays, blessings, baptisms and weddings.
Eddie’s RESPONSE in self-defense changed his life forever. Eddie could have easily taken Ken out, however, he didn’t.
We all have the ability to create our world in each RESPONSE we have each and every day. Remember it’s not what happens to us that makes the difference, it’s how we RESPOND that creates our future.
Life is full of conflict. In fact everything in life has an element of conflict. How will you RESPOND? Because how you RESPOND is what you will create in your next conflict, and life. RESPOND…
Allen Hughes Life Defense Coach
lifedefense #respond #allenhughes
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In self-defense we CLEAR hands that are reaching out to grab, push or choke. Until we CLEAR those hands out of our space we are dealing with them. In life, and LIFE DEFENSE, it's the same. If we don't CLEAR things out of our space we loose life.
This happens in many ways including mental, emotional and physical CLEARING. Until we are CLEAR we loose performance, and basic abilities to do anything at work, with our families and in every part of life. In short, we loose life.
CLEAR those things that cause you to loose life first and SAVE LIFE!
allenhughes #clear #lifedefense
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For those of you old enough to remember the original Top Gun, the final dog fight battle scene has Maverick (Tom Cruise) flying into a dog fight to assist his fellow aviator Iceman (Val Kilmer) out at sea. Launched from the flight deck of an aircraft carrier into a contentious airspace, Maverick is Iceman’s only hope of survival.
Coming from the recent loss of his co-pilot, and close personal friend call sign “Goose,” Maverick has lost his nerve. Iceman says,“Maverick…Where in the hell are you? Maverick! How about some help? ENGAGE…!” Maverick, talking to himself, “It’s no good, talk to me Goose…” Iceman is heard over the radio, “Maverick…Maverick…!” Finally, Maverick recovers, and ENGAGES! From the control center on the carrier they report, “Maverick is ENGAGING sir!”
In the end Maverick saves Iceman, himself, and the whole aircraft carrier. Cheers erupt as the remaining enemy jets bug out.
In self-defense, we do everything we can to prepare, train, drill and condition for defending our lives, including deescalation, and getting the heck out of Dodge. However, there comes a time when it’s appropriate, and necessary for the defender to ENGAGE. In this scenario, without ENGAGEMENT we put ourselves, and others at peril.
By definition, without full ENGAGEMENT there is no life. The young lovers fully “ENGAGE” to create a life together. The very act of human creation happens through “ENGAGEMENT.”
In life and Life Defense how often do we loose our nerve, and won’t ENGAGE in the conflict of life itself? Remembering that there is no life without conflict, and our participation in life requires ENGAGING in that conflict each and every day.
If life is important to you, ENGAGE. Really, said another way, ENGAGE or die! Because there are many ways to die, yet only one way to truly live. ENGAGE…
Allen Hughes Life Defense Coach
lifedefense #engage #allenhughes
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Mohammad Ali’s famous for the saying “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee!” and in his early years he did just that. However, facing 25 year old George Foreman in the Rumble in the Jungle in 1974, Ali came in as a 4-1 underdog against the younger more powerful heavy weight champ.
It was then that Ali introduced the now legendary Rope-a Dope. His strategy was to BLOCK, bob and weave supported by the ring ropes while his younger, stronger opponent “punched himself out.”
In the now legendary fight, Foreman swung away wildly, as Ali BLOCKED, Foreman over extended his arms, missing Ali, or landing punches on Ali’s powerful forearms harmlessly. The tactic worked, and in the 8th round Ali knocked Foreman out, standing defiantly over his younger opponent regaining the title to once again become the heavy weight champ.
This event was watched by millions of boxing enthusiasts around the world, grossing $100 million in revenues, and the BLOCKING, bobbing and weaving “Rope-a Dope” became history.
Ali was not stronger, or faster. However the aging boxer was smarter. In self-defense we BLOCK, bob and weave to evade, allowing a stronger, faster opponent to effectively, “punch themselves out” until the opening is right for a counter punch.
In life, when we believe we are overmatched, and out gunned, we can choose to BLOCK, bob and weave until the time is right to make our move. Remember, a smart defense isn’t always going “toe to toe”in battle, in business, or team projects. Sometimes we BLOCK and wait for the right opening to strike.
Champions know how to win, and when appropriate, when to BLOCK, bob and weave…
Allen Hughes Life Defense Coach
lifedefense #block #allenhughes
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Breanne and Yoko were evenly matched. To a novice Judoka (Judo player), or spectator, there was nothing going on. Breanne would go in for a hip throw and Yoko would tie her up, negating the throw. The same would happen when Yoko attempted a head and arm throw. Breanne would close the SPACE, and tie her opponent up, neutralizing all chance for a throw or takedown.
The match was tied, all at once the horn sounded and the match went into a sudden death. Although Breanne eventually prevailed, as she was leaving the mat Yoko whispered into Breanne’s ear, “You totally controlled the SPACE, and the match.” They hugged, exchanged social media info, and that was that.
Both Breanne and Yoko knew this essential element of conflict, “The one that controls the SPACE, by definition, controls the outcome.” Conflict is relational. We live and and die, according to our relationships.
The PRINCIPLE of controlling SPACE is vital, yet misunderstood in every day life. It was “closing” the SPACE between them that won the match. The “tie-up” is a closeness thing.
How much SPACE exists between you, your family, your friends, and your business associates, or team members? It’s all about understanding that SPACE, and when appropriate, closing it. How much would your relationship transform if you “closed” that SPACE…?
Allen Hughes Life Defense Coach
lifedefense #space #allenhughes
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Bobby was a State Wrestling Champ, and Deborah was his friend. After the water balloon fight in the hot park he said, “Hey Deb why don’t you show me some of that Jiujitsu stuff? Deborah was 110 lb. dripping wet and declined. At that, all of their friends started egging her on, but to no avail. All at once Bobby tackled her playfully in a very over exaggerated, theatrical motion. What happened next surprised the little cheering crowd of onlookers.
To be fair Bobby’s tackle was gentle, however Deborah’s response wasn’t. On her back was a familiar place to be in this situation, and as Bobby landed, she wrapped her legs around his waist to stop his advance, and then around his arm, LEVERAGING her strongest assist, her lower body strength, against the ground. Deborah then LEVERAGED the planet by pushing up, engaging her hips, and straining her attacker’s elbow joint.
Within 5 seconds Bobby was tapping, “Okay, you got me, ouch…” Deborah playfully let go, and pushed him off with her legs, and laughed. As Bobby lay back, in the wet grass, he began rubbing his elbow. Standing, and brushing the grass from her jeans Deborah had a smile that said it all, “Don’t mess with me.”
The LEVERAGE we use in self-defense is powerful and life saving. In Deborah’s case her LEVERAGE was literally the planet. Our lives are the same. When we are on our backs, in the fight for our lives, in relationship conflict, business conflict, or even conflict with a teen gone suddenly off track, we have LEVERAGE all around us that we can use to save life. That life saved might be ours, our business, or our precious child’s.
LEVERAGE is how we accomplish greater things than we can ever imagine. LEVERAGE powerfully, and save life!
Allen Hughes Life Defense Coach
lifedefense #leverage #allenhughes
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The Judo match was close and yet Kim was behind at least in her mind due to Kyoku’s superior strength. In a very fast, and devastating move, Kyoku’s arm came speeding around Kim’s head for what could have been the Ippon (winning point by throw), however Kim saw it coming, spinning to the inside Kim REINFORCED Kyoku’s speed and power and spiraled her opponent to the ground in a Scarf Hold, cradling her head and arm tightly for control. Immediately the time clock started counting down from 20…19…18…17…however “non-flashy” the technique, all she had to do was hold her opponent for 20 seconds for the win.
Although Kyoku’s strength, weight and size was far greater than her’s, being matched for the overall Grand Champion in all weight classes, Kim’s REINFORCED hold was extremely effective, and her position kept the powerful Kyoku struggling to no avail. 3…2…1 Ippon! Kim jumped up and the crowd cheered.
Afterward, Kyoku stood, towering above Kim shook hands, bowed and the both embraced. Kyoku whispered, “I can’t believe you held me down so easily! Congratulations.”
In self-defense, REINFORCING a good position especially in holding, requires weight placement, and REINFORCEMENT of pivotal points. Actually very little effort, or strength is exerted. It is all about the position, and REINFORCING that position in just the right way.
When “winning” in life, consider using the Life Defense principle of REINFORCING a good position, rather than fighting from a bad one, to obtain the win…! You can and will prevail when pitted against much stronger and more powerful opponents than you’d ever imagine…
Allen Hughes Life Defense Coach
lifedefense #reinforce #allenhughes
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The black van pulled up to the middle school slowly, passing the big crowds of tweens, and was leaving the far edge of school property when the door opened, and a man jumped out. Thirteen year old Tina was walking alone excited, and a little distracted because today was her birthday, and the girls now running to catch their buses would be at her home in an hour for her party.
She didn’t notice the man as he ran quietly up behind her until it was too late. All of a sudden her world was turned upside down as she felt herself being lifted, arms pinned to her sides, his arms wrapped fully around her waist tightly.
Her screams caught the attention of a few students within her vicinity, however, the van was only 20 or 30 feet away, and their attempts to get the attention of anyone that could help would be wasted as she would inevitably be thrown in through the big door, as her abductors sped off. This would have been fatal for our birthday girl. Luckily her second reaction which followed, had a far different effect…
After her initial, reactionary scream Tina did not give up, not only did she scream even louder, attracting the attention of a bus driver, and yard duty teacher, STRESSING her assailants eardrums, she wrapped her legs in a vice grip around one of his, legs, and shooting her arms up further STRESSING his ability to hold her and walk. Although he was bigger, and stronger Tina’s abduction training in her HAPKIDO class was paying off big time.
The slow progress, the screams, and his ability to even hold her as she slowly slipped through his arms was too much. All at once he dropped her and ran, diving into the van as the burly buss driver caught up to Tina, and the van sped away.
STRESS gets a bad wrap, and is seen as negative. When in life STRESSING something, someone, or some situation may be our path to freedom. When a project, or person is “dragging you away,” to a place you don’t want to go, STRESS becomes a way of slowing actions down, making them think twice, or just abandoning their efforts and choosing a different approach. When you find yourself loosing freedom, STRESS can be your friend. STRESS…
Allen Hughes Life Defense Coach
lifedefense #stress #allenhughes
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The blue and red lights came on and I pulled over. Although the cop eventually saw that I had a passenger laying back in the passenger seat, while speeding down the commuter lane, his friendly warning about my speed cost us precious minutes, and we would be late for our committee session at the Capital.
I sent a quick text to notify my people that we would be late, and pulled carefully back into traffic. As we walked into the large granite building we were quickly guided into the committee room, and took a seat on the front row just a few feet from where the legislators were sitting.
Looking around I was relieved that the meeting had not yet started, turned to ask an older gentleman seated behind us and found out the committee didn’t have a quorum yet and we would be waiting till they did. Once the meeting came to order, and the agenda read in, ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) was added, as our intel had conveyed, and we were off and running.
You may believe in government monitoring corporations impact environmentally, and socially, determining a score which directly effects their credit and investment risk or not. That is not the point. The point is, we were there along with 20 or 30 others to listen, comment, and get the Chairman’s gavel pounded in response to our clapping, and comments. We were there to meet face to face with the legislators that decide whether, or not our state would accept laws that effect us directly.
DIMINISHING space cost me half of my day, and a possible speeding ticket, yet put me front row (literally), and face to face with those people that make the decisions. Speaking with many of them after the session, they now know us as constituents that will hold them accountable for their actions both now and in the future.
Compared with the alternative of waiting for them to pass a law I may not agree with, complain to my buddies about it, and vote them out office at a later date, DIMINISHING the actual space between us was way more effective. DIMINISHED space in self defense puts us in control, and at times makes us far more effective when being attacked, and DIMINISHED space put us in control that day also.
Where in your life do you have “space” that could be DIMINISHED in a conflict that will make a difference, the difference that potentially will change everything. When key decisions matter, we loose, or save life, depending on the closeness, or DIMINISHED space we control, or do not control.
DIMINISHED space, increases connection, and results changing everything. DIMINISH space and increase your power to save life. DIMINISH…
Allen Hughes Life Defense Coach
lifedefense #diminishspace #allenhughes
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The street was crowded, people moving rapidly to their destinations, looking straight ahead, some talking on phones, some looking at their phone screens, and some busily talking to their friends. Almost all of them FOCUSED on something else seemingly more important than what was going on around them. Of course, when crossing a busy intersection most would glance up to see if there was any oncoming traffic, yet even this for the most part was cursory.
Sancho was one of them, and yet not…Sancho had been distracted, as the majority of commuters that day, and caught himself. “FOCUS,” he said out loud to himself, “FOCUS!” Sancho had learned in his HAPKIDO training session this week how unaware and vulnerable most people were when surrounded by literal strangers in public each day, and how this lack of FOCUS was what got people killed, assaulted, and taken advantage of.
All at once Sancho felt something weird, and then he felt an arm come around his neck. He reacted to it immediately, circled and “turtled” his head into his shoulders, raising his hands to protect from the choke. As he turned, he saw his friend from class laughing and shaking his head affirming, “Good job man! Looks like you learned something after all!” Within seconds they were high five-ing, and man hugging, slapping each other’s backs loud and hard.
Sancho’s attack wasn’t life threatening, yet his defense if it had been, was life saving. In life, how often are we caught unaware, and vulnerable to attack, lacking FOCUS? Today we are actually rewarded on social media for being on top of responses to posts, messages, and other meaningless activities that take our FOCUS.
Mainstream media feeds us mostly useless, narrative driven sound bites to distract us from what’s really going on in the world around us. Just like commuters all around Sancho were unaware, and vulnerable, these distractions take our FOCUS from what is most important, that which saves our life.
FOCUS saves life. Remember, life is full of distractions, that are designed to take our FOCUS, and if we are caught unaware, takes our life a little everyday. Save life and FOCUS!
Allen Hughes Life Defense Coach
lifedefense #focus #allenhughes
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The seemingly nice, albeit shabby dressed young man was boldly asking for gas money in the Walmart parking lot. Clarissa said no, and was caught off guard when he started to rant and raise his arms above his head. She pushed her daughter back, and away from them both, however the street thug stepped toward her, all at once closing the gap, and put both of his hands on her throat.
Clarissa CONNECTED with both her arms, trapping his forearms to herself, and stepped quickly back toward the wall. His initial motion carried him rapidly into that same wall. As luck would have it, he stubbled, and his head hit solidly with a thump.
Clarissa had practiced this move with partners in her Hapkido sessions many times. However, the wall was padded, and her training partners knew how to protect their heads as they slammed into the pad over and over again. This time it was different.
As he regained his senses, his blurred vision saw Clarissa rapidly CONNECTING to the small crowd that had formed, and just as he stood he could see the lights of a patrol car speeding toward them and ran.
Clarissa, and her daughter were safe, the young man was not found, and her training had paid off big time.
In this word of Internet, social media, and text, CONNECTION seems to be everywhere, and yet how meaningful are our CONNECTIONS? How much do your CONNECTIONS effect your life? Sure many of us have 1000 followers on this platform or that. However, how close, and meaningful are they really?
Clarissa would perhaps argue that those same 1000 friends really didn’t make that much difference that day. In fact they were worthless. Still, her brief encounter with a total stranger was intimate, powerful and life threatening. Even the bystanders were more help than her bestie who later “liked” and shared Clarissa’s experience from the parking lot that day.
Life is about CONNECTIONS. None of us would even be here without CONNECTION, and our survival each day depends on it.
That being said, how meaningful are our CONNECTIONS? In self defense Clarissa’s CONNECTION was meaningful, and powerful. Powerful enough to save her life, and the life of her daughter. However brief her encounter, the “double elbow trap” required her focused CONNECTION, and nothing less would have worked.
How often do we focus and CONNECT deeply with someone? A few deep, intimate, and powerful CONNECTIONS in life and Life Defense can transform everything. CONNECT…
Allen Hughes Life Defense Coach
lifedefense #connect #allenhughes
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Jared noticed his Uncle Bob from the corner of his eye. He had come late to the wedding obviously intoxicated, again, and after some uncomfortable exchanges with the bridesmaids was now kicking over a folding chair, and heading for the main table. One of the young groomsmen had attempted to stop him, and was shoved off into the crowd.
Jared quickly reacted and was now standing in front of Uncle Bob, and the wedding cake. Uncle Bob took a wild swing, and Jared took him down. Uncle Bob struggled to get up, amidst profanity exceeding the PA’s volume of the wedding singer. Jared had achieved a mount position, and was EXPANDING his hands and feet by posting, and using his body weight to keep him down.
Calmly Jared said, “I got you Uncle Bob, it’s okay just settle down…Can someone get Uncle Bob some coffee?” After a few short moments Uncle Bob was fully out of breath and Jared, with his EXPANDED group of helpers helped him up, and into a chair away from the crowd, in the far corner of the yard.
Jared, and two other guys he had enlisted, listened to him cry his eyes out about how unfair life had been for him, and how sorry he was for disrupting his nephew’s wedding. All was good, and within the hour Uncle Bob was drinking coffee and toasting the newlyweds with the crowd.
EXPANDING in self-defense looks just like this. First Jared’s EXPANDED vision had seen what was happening. The EXPANDING of Jared’s arms and legs kept Uncle Bob safe, and others safe from his angry actions. Jared EXPANDED by reaching out to others to assist him also. In the end, very little force was exerted because Jared could see beyond the angry drunk, and his EXPANDED vision for a peaceful outcome had saved the day for Uncle Bob, his nephew, his bride, and the wedding party as a whole.
In life when conflict happens, there are many degrees of EXPANSION that are possible. We don’t always see them, and yet they are there. Using an EXPANDED vision of what might be creates new realms of possibility in life. When life seems like an unreasonable, mean drunk that could ruin everything in one moment, EXPAND…
Allen Hughes Life Defense Coach
lifedefense #expand #allenhughes
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Dana was known as a bully in the school, and Riley knew it. However, she was in the middle of science class. Maybe it was the noise and confusion around the room, or maybe the teacher was preoccupied. Either way, Dana had set her sights on Riley, and was ready to put her in her place.
As Dana’s words brought Riley’s attention to the danger as she turned, and stood facing Dana just as the attempted tackle was in full motion. Riley was surprisingly unafraid, and shot her legs back, while dropping her forearms on Dana’s shoulders, ALLOWING her forward momentum to dissipate. Try as she might, Dana could not grab hold of her legs, or waist to complete her tackle, and the weight of Riley’s body pushed down on her back, neutralizing her forward motion.
Backing off, Dana smirked and visibly was considering a second attack. Riley’s response was calm and non-threatening, “Are you sure you want to do this?” Dana laughed it off and went back to her table. Although the scrimmage was brief, and probably non-lethal, still Riley’s response of ALLOWING and controlling damage was highly effective.
So many times in life we respond with force against force, the very definition of fighting. Fights cause damage, pain, and loss of energy. The PRINCIPLE of ALLOWING and controlling the damage, or potential harm, is powerful. However, “no response” in a conflict is by definition a response. ALLOWING someone’s actions, or words to occur, without direct confrontation, and controlling the damage that they can do is powerful.
ALLOWING is not actually giving up, or giving in. Instead, non resistance, and damage control actually directs the outcome of most the situations. Fighting mostly leads to more fighting, creating enemies and battles in the future.
ALLOWING is a strategy of motion and energy to control the outcome through controlling what really needs to be controlled. The outcome.
In life and Life Defense learn to control what needs control and ALLOW all that doesn’t. ALLOW…
Allen Hughes Life Defense Coach
lifedefense #allow #allenhughes
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The “face-off” was happening, and even though George didn’t want anything to do with Doug he was right there all of a sudden in his space, standing almost nose to nose. “Did his breath always smell this bad or was it just today?” Then it happened. Doug brought his arms out wide and away from his body, half shouted and half spit out the words, “common you f*g…!” and all at once Doug went for the shove.
George had been waiting for this typical macho display, and expected a shove before anything actually happened. From the shove, George stepped off-line, hooked Doug’s elbow and REPLACED Doug’s center and momentum for where he’d just been standing, looking like some sort of powerful square dance move. George had been a wrestler since he could remember, and the ‘arm drag’ was just something he did, and had done thousands of times.
With Doug helplessly past him, George circled around, locked Doug’s arms, and REPLACED his center of balance with his own, basically sitting down backwards, and driving Doug’s face into the grass.
Within a few seconds, security had been alerted and George just held Doug in place, face down until they came. Of course the campus police were confused and cuffed them both till it was all sorted out.
REPLACING center, balance, and position is common in wrestling, judo and jujitsu. In life, and Life Defense, the PRINCIPLE of REPLACE also applies. When there is conflict, pressure, or force being exerted, and we REPLACE, balance in motion is established by REPLACING the “nothing” with something.
In life there are no vacuums. Emptiness is filled. A “bad habit” eliminated is REPLACED by something. A harmful relationship is eliminated only to be REPLACED by another of a similar kind if nothing else REPLACES it.
Just as the wrestler must REPLACE the position, weight and balance of their opponent to maintain control of themselves, so it occurs in life. Always.
When something, someone or some activity in a conflict threatens, REPLACE it with something that works, otherwise it will be replaced with something… REPLACE!
Allen Hughes Life Defense Coach
lifedefense #replace #allenhughes
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You might think being from Utah that we totally hijacked this title from the license plates “Life Elevated” logo, or the Christian concept of “Elevated Life” from it being Easter week, and either way you might be right…However, the PRINCIPLE of ELEVATE may inherently reside within both these concepts. Let’s see!
Taekwondo is known for its kicking beauty, speed and athleticism. This match was definitively all of the above. However Melody was tired of this back and forth display of flexibility and speed and wanted the match to end. This time when her opponent threw a perfect round kick to her hogu (chest protector) Melody stepped in to it, circled with all its power and ELEVATED it slightly, throwing her opponent to the ground. Su Lin lay there gasping for air and unable to continue.
Melody knew this throw was illegal, and cost her the match, she also knew that the back and forth dance of kicks was going nowhere, and her Hapkido instinct took over. Melody’s opponent, Su Lin, eventually came to and they hugged as she exited the platform with her default silver medal, and a very happy Su Lin with her gold, this year’s grand champion!
Sometimes we find ourselves, in the fight, trading blows back and forth, never losing and yet never winning. In our daily fight for success, do we consider the meaning we are attributing to it?
Sometimes, an ELEVATED view, or higher viewpoint might be in order. Looking at struggle from an ELEVATED view, or even implementing an ELEVATED way of doing, learning, or being, is like beginning again. Within the experience the feeling of so new, so fresh and so alive the words “born again” easily come to mind.
One might even say that ELEVATING thoughts, actions and being is like letting go of an old life, and experiencing a new life altogether….ELEVATE Life!
Allen Hughes Life Defense Coach
lifedefense #elevate #allenhughes
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Today is a little different…The story I tell is about me.
Tomorrow I go in for surgery. It’s a routine hip replacement, and from what I’ve heard, is streamlined, and has a high rate of success.
Being very active in self-defense throughout the years I have sustained many bumps, bruises, dislocations, abrasions and bleeding, so this is just another one of those. I was thrown, “judo style” 20 years ago, and took a bad fall. Several months ago, my slight discomfort turned into a limp, and very suddenly my hip literally blew up.
Don’t get me wrong, I am excited and look forward to this long awaited surgery after hobbling around for 9 months. However, after my track record of having an aortic dissection 6 years ago, and a pulmonary embolism just a few years ago, and then surviving COVID twice… this surgery has me thinking.
How much CONTROL do we have? In essence I CONTROL me and nothing else, and that may be enough.
In recent attempts Marxists, Globalists, and even our own government, seems to have CONTROL at their center purpose. They have, and will continue to fail. No one CONTROLS you! Even in the most severe circumstances ultimately we have CONTROL over ourselves, nothing more, and nothing less.
Examples abound in both recent and ancient history from people such as Nelson Mandela, Corrie Ten Boom, Galileo Galilei, Rosa Louise McCauley, William Wallace, Joan of Arc, and Jesus the Christ, all had forces, and people that attempted to COTROL them, and yet in the end they CONTROLLED their destiny.
This surgery is relatively minor, it’s still surgery. Therefore, I have been meeting with many of my loved ones and expressing my love for them. Just in case…
A few years ago, maybe 13 to be more precise, a woman came to my office. She sat down, went through the usual courtesies, and then related that she would be going through surgery next week. Brain surgery.
Although a minor operation, I actually don’t know how minor any brain surgery could be, but she wanted to make sure her teen age son would continue to train, and eventually have an opportunity to earn his black belt. She was positive, upbeat and I was confident in her survival. She died on the operating table that following week.
She CONTROLLED her life. She stood for her family, and her son did in fact earn his black belt the following year. Powerful!
In life, and LIFE DEFENSE know this, “You CONTROL you, nothing more, and nothing less.” What happens to us, happens for us, and we choose what that means to us. We are in CONTROL. Never consider anything else, because nothing else matters…
Allen Hughes Life Defense Coach
lifedefense #control #allenhughes
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The floor was alive this evening as the instructor finished assisting a couple of the older youth in his Judo class. Calling a stop to the moderate level throwing randori (sparing practice), he noticed from the corner of his eye two of the younger ones in what seemed a death grip, white knuckle match, and neither one was stopping after the whistle.
The experienced instructor knew this scene all too well and rush over immediately breaking the two up. Red faced the two boys looked as though they were ready to go at it again, as he held each one by the shoulder and knelt between them.
“PREVENTION is the first step in surviving a conflict, “ he began. “When did this start?” Tommy looked like he would cry as he said, “Jojo wouldn’t stop and…” Jojo jumped in, “Na ah Tommy…” The instructor broke in, “That’s not what I asked.” Both boys looked into his eyes. “I said, when did this start?”
Through a carefully guided conversation and questions their experienced instructor brought out their continuing feud that had started about a week before. Further investigation found that Tommy’s dog had died last week, and he was upset, really upset about it.
Jojo had actually been Tommy’s first encounter at school and had asked him what was wrong. Tommy lashed out at Jojo to cover his embarrassment at being found out. No matter what Jojo said, it only made Tommy more upset, and it came up in today’s randori.
After Tommy apologized, Jojo told him he was sorry that his dog had died, and they shook hands and gave each other the traditional Judo hug with backslaps so loud everyone in the school chuckled.
Tommy and Jojo have a story that is all too familiar in many of our lives. PREVENTION of conflict is best handled at the first sign of conflict, before further damage is done.
We can PREVENT the escalation of conflict by being proactive, and not avoiding conflict when it first starts. Think about it, long before conflict grows into a “death grip, white knuckle death match it’s just a word, glance or thought.
Most people when asked say they don’t like conflict, avoid conflict, and ignore conflict. How is that really working for them? In my experience not well. PREVENTION of conflict’s ever increasing nature stops misunderstandings, that turn into battles, that turn into wars. PREVENT….
Allen Hughes Life Defense Coach
lifedefense #prevent #allenhughes
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He fell hard, and tripped backwards to the grass. Brian was a former latchkey kid and had spent the better part of his grade school years at a local Jiujitsu school on the mat, just a couple of blocks from his dad’s apartment. His dad almost always worked late, and ever since his mother had died, his default caregiver was the Jiujitsu school. As he looked up at Jerome rushing in he decided to stay there, on his back, and in his current POSITION, on the cool grass feeling very comfortable on his back. Brian wasn’t afraid, in fact he was calm and almost whimsical. In a word he was safe. Jerome was surprised that he didn’t jump up right away. In fact, Brian just stayed there on the cool, wet grass as Jerome shouted insults and rushed around him obviously trying to jump on him, and pound him into submission. To maintain his POSITION, which was unusually comfortable, and familiar, Brian just lazily lifted a foot and blocked Jerome over and over again, spinning to thwart Jerome’s attempts at circumvention as he busily ran around this way and that. Simply put, Brian had what appeared to be a superior POSITION and was content right where he was at the moment. Frustrated, Jerome kept at it and Brian just held his POSITION. This just frustrated Jerome more. Eventually Jerome could see he wasn’t getting anywhere and muttered another insult under his breath as he walked off. In self-defense, POSITION could be viewed as one of the great advantages. In life and Life Defense it is the same. POSITION allows different leverage points, different perspective and different advantage, or disadvantage. What is your POSITION in any conflict? Are you comfortable, relaxed and calm? Is your perspective and POSITION leveraged? If not, consider changing your POSITION. POSITION…
Allen Hughes Life Defense
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Grappling night was always fun for Jane. It was a good chance to work on her escapes and submissions. She love “rolling’ with everyone and tapping out, or escaping from the big guys was her personal challenge. As she hit the mat Jane found herself being pulled into Davey’s guard. Even though he was on his back, he was strong, and she felt his legs closing tight around her waist.
As Davey attempted a head and arm hold Jane verbally said, “Nope not tonight buddy!” and all at once smashed her knee into his tail bone, and straightened her back releasing his grip as he tried to pull her back into his weakened position. In one swift move Jane REMOVED her center, by breaking his ankles he was attempting to lock around her, and pulling back, popping his knees with the palms of her hands as she quickly stood up, avoiding a kick to her pretty face.
She was laughing with giddiness at her success, and Davey’s frustrated scowl. The instructor blew her whistle to signal the end of the session as Jane gloated in her success.
In life, as in grappling, control of “center,” meaning the place where power is generated for all human motion, is key. Maintaining “control of center” is essential. When we find ourselves loosing control of center, we also find our motion stopped, and manipulated by outside forces. When we REMOVE our center from the control, and motion and balance is regained.
As we are always in the chaos of conflict maintaining or regaining “center” is powerful and may save our life. When you find yourself loosing center REMOVE yourself from whatever, or whoever is controlling your center before it’s too late. REMOVE yourself to protect your center. REMOVE…
Allen Hughes Life Defense Coach
lifedefense #remove #allenhughes
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It was getting late and the people at the party were getting a little too drunk, a little too touchy, and a little too temperamental in that weird party way that Sarah had seen all too often. That’s when she decided to go.
Sarah was saying her goodbyes to her more sober friends when she sensed someone was coming up behind her. Maybe it was the way her friend’s eyes darted up from contact during conversation, or the smell of him, and it was all of a sudden too late. His massive arms wrapped around her body, encompassing her arms. That’s when she made her move.
Luckily her self defense instructor had drilled, and drilled this response into her hundreds of times, “Drop, circle and UNIFY!” Sarah stepped out, dropped her level and raised her arms simultaneously, while yelling, “I don’t think so!”
Sarah was out in a second, and every eye was on them, followed by tirades of reprimands in the form of expletives, the room was suddenly turned on her attacker.
Perhaps a joke, maybe harmless, whatever the case a couple of guys grabbed him and threw him out.
UNITY of Sarah’s body with the earth, generated through her “dropping” her weight all at once freed her. Without that extreme use of UNITY who knows what would have happened.
UNITY is the use of the many, compared to the strength of the few. In life and Life Defense there is overwhelming, multiple examples of humans UNIFYING and accomplishing seemingly impossible tasks.
The question is, “Will you UNIFY your life?” Whether it’s UNIFICATION of yourself, or UNIFICATION with others, UNITY transforms everything. UNIFY!
allenhughes #unify #lifedefense
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SYNERGIZE!
She came out of nowhere screaming something incoherent and Anna could feel the larger woman’s momentum as she rushed into her grabbing with both hands at her blouse. Anna had luckily done this before in her HAPKIDO training. She audibly said, “SYNERGIZE ,” as she moved with her new friend in what might have appeared to be a new age dance move.
The motion itself was enough, and her new found “dance partner from hell” swung right past her. Perhaps she was less upset than she thought, she recognized her mistake, or maybe knew instinctually that Anna was not someone to mess with as she calmed down almost immediately.
Within seconds Anna was actually consoling the obviously upset woman with her soothing voice, as the distraught woman sobbed into her hands, and the world was right again.
SYNERGY is sometimes overused as a pop, business success, team term. You know, the kind of stuff you hear just before your business team does the “fall back and trust catch” exercise.
In self-defense and in life, or Life Defense, SYNERGY is a very real thing. In fact if you don’t SYNERGIZE with a larger, stronger, or faster opponent, you’ll probably suffer assault, injury and perhaps death.
Energy is just energy. In the simplest of HAPKIDO and Aikido terms, “Use the energy that is given you.” In life look for ways to use even the energy of your opponent, or opposition to multiply your power and improve your outcome…. Allen Hughes #synergize #lifedefense
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Mike sat down on the floor of the crowded gymnasium. He was preparing for his wrestling match and running through his regular warmups and stretches. Then he saw them, Phil and Bobby coming up between the mats straight toward him. Rivals since grade school, these two were his nemesis. They had tormented him at every match their rival school attended. Along with being formidable opponents, their comments, and gestures could be ANTICIPATED, and always upset their rivals.
Mike ANTICIPATED their particular brand of insults most days. However, today was special, it was the high school state finals, there were some scouts there from a couple of top universities, and Phil, the best in his class, was matched ironically with Mike to wrestle within the hour.
Phil started with his “red head” insults, and worked his way right to his infamous“yo mama” routine, rounding out his verbal barrage with the intent of getting into Mike’s head. Afterward he continued with a “top 10 list” of why Mike shouldn’t be in the same building as him.
Mike’s ANTICIPATION might have worked him up to counter with insults, gestures and rebuttals. Instead Mike just smiled and used a humor redirection to lighten the mood by saying, “Yea, my dog would say the same thing if he could talk. Of course if he could talk I’d be rich, and in another state wrestling someone else today. Guess it’s your lucky day…”
Phil and Bobby were caught off balance and muttered something rude as they pushed past. Phil said, “ See you in the ring we’ll settle this there.”
By the time Phil entered the ring he was visibly wound as tight as a clock spring. Mike on the other hand just smiled and offered his hand in the traditional hand shake gesture before the match started. Phil knocked his hand out of the way, and the referee immediately signaled to start.
Mike ANTICIPATED almost everything including Phil’s over confident attack. With a single leg inside rip Phil hit the mat hard, and Mike was on him for the pin. The crowd went wild. Winner!
In life how often do we know what might be coming? Yet how often do we use our super powers of ANTICIPATION to calm ourselves, and get in our “good place,” powerfully prepared to win, calmly, peacefully, and easily.
Next time you face an ANTICIPATED conflict consider using the time to wind down, not wind up, and center yourself for winning the conflict before it starts…
Allen Hughes Life Defense Coach
lifedefense #anticipate #allenhughes
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As Kara did her mirror work she noticed how her REFLECTION in the mirror was an exact “mirror” of her body’s motions. Thousands of hours of head butts, knees, elbows and strikes, and yet it had never occurred to her that no matter how much she sped up, or “tricked” her motions, she could never beat the girl in the mirror. It was just a fact, she was seeing what really is, and that was perfection.
All at once she sat down on the mat and gazed at her reflection. Her muscular body was one of thousands of hours, diet, and workout in her MMA gym. She scrunched her nose, “Was it cute?” Kara’s face had a couple of scars where her opponents had cut her face over her career. She thought she would like to grow her hair out someday, “Maybe after she retired next year…Yes next year she’d let it grow!” She made crazy faces, and after a while just stared.
Then she started to laugh…shutting out the background noise of fighters, just like her, pounding heavy bags, jumping jump ropes, striking speed bags, and falling on the mat as bodies were constantly being thrown into the fight. She was just who she was in that mirror, nothing more, nothing less. REFLECTION all of a sudden took on a new meaning.
As she sat down sweat rolled slowly down her cheek, and hit the training mat everything was now in focus, maybe for the first time in her life. She was who she was at that moment, and that was perfect. This new found clarity gave her what she was looking for…Perfection.
The following week, Kara defeated her opponent, winning a regional title in her weight class and retired.
Just like Kara, are we “trying” to be someone we aren’t? Are we obsessed with how we look, our performance, or social standing? REFLECTION in the training mirror is exact in a sense. What we see is what is. How often in life do we not accept what is as perfect?
After all true REFLECTION gives us a picture, a perfect picture, and yet are we able to accept ourselves as perfect at any given moment? If not, what are we waiting for? Who are we waiting for to show up? My challenge to all warriors of life, “Take off the Instagram filters and just be.” Be what you may ask? Be perfect.
Because when we REFLECT real life, all there is is perfection. REFLECT, and see what there is to see, and see you are perfect…
Allen Hughes Life Defense Coach
lifedefense #reflect #allenhughes
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As Nico SHIELDED the blows reigning down toward his face with his forearms, he simultaneously bucked his hips up to disrupt the much larger 8th grader to upset his balance and thus neutralize his powerful blows. Nico, a 6th grader, thought for just a moment what pains he would be in if his HAPKIDO instructor hadn’t shown him the SHIELDING technique for when a larger opponent was on top attempting to knock him senseless.
Still SHIELDING hurt, he couldn’t deny it, and now he was ready for a change of scenery. All at once Nico bucked his opponent’s balance forward, hooked his arm and leg and reversed his position, escaping easily.
Although mostly unharmed, Nico’s long walk home was one of reflection. His forearms hurt, his pride was hurt, and he’d probably have to deal with this school yard bully again. His eyes welled up in pain
How many times must we SHIELD from deadly blows, harmful attacks and vicious assaults? We save ourselves from harm through SHIELDING, blacking, or escape, and yet we still feel the pain, carry the bruises on the outside as well as the inside.
Just because we survive ultimately doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt. It’s okay, feel it, all of it, and don’t resist it. You survived and even though you SHIELDED, that’s what Warriors of Life do, you still feel the pain…
Allen Hughes Life Defense Coach
lifedefense #shield #allenhughes
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Jerri looked at her opponent’s intent as he all at once drove straight for a hard tackle after she’d made a less than polite response to his rude comment. Jerri had a couple of older brothers of her own and both were wrestlers so she’d seen it coming. As the much larger boy dropped his level Jerri carefully timed his tackle and fell her full body weight on his advancing head and mid back. Her graceful DISSIPATION to all his speed and power sent him face first into the grass between them. Thunk! By the time her aggressor had shaken off the stunning blow and he’d spat out the grass lodged in his teeth Jerri was on to the next class no worse for the wear. This is what DISSIPATION looks like in self defense. DISSIPATION happens subtly in conversation as well when someone aggressively states an opinion and the receiver chooses to DISSIPATE through humor, silence or changing the subject. Just like in self defense the response is everything. DISSIPATION lessens the energy and allows it to “go to ground.” No energy is added and in fact any effort to increase response is DISSIPATED to zero. Such an effective way to deal with a headlong attack…So powerful! What will you DISSIPATE today? DISSIPATE! Allen Hughes Life Defense Coach
lifedefense #dissipate #allenhughes
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Be like the cat be like the dog… ADAPT!
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Officer Sarah Jones just froze. The masked woman was in her face screaming obscenities and leaning in, obviously attempting to elicit a response from the young officer. She could almost feel the spit coming through the lady’s black bloc.
Sarah’s supervising officer quickly stepped between her, and her assailant to attract attention away from Sarah. This gave the young officer an opportunity to create space and gather herself.
Officer Cruise, Sarah’s supervisor, immediately took control and firmly said, “I’m going to need you to back away mam.” As she said those words she stepped OFFLINE slightly, stepping her leg back in a slight semi circle, hands up and open, the universal sign for stop.
Just then the woman lunged forward, because officer Cruise was OFFLINE she was not taken off balance, and easily redirected the assailant to the ground where she proceeded to cuff her and read her her rights. Sarah was surprised at the calm, and speed with which she accomplished this.
Back at the station there was just one thing Sarah heard, “Sarah, when something like this happens you’ve got to get OFFLINE, just don’t stand there!” Sarah shook her head in agreement, and bit her lip. “Yes mam.”
In self-defense we always get OFFLINE. When the attacker gets big, raising arms and gets loud, the defender steps OFFLINE. A skilled defender, or fighter never voluntarily stands with feet parallel, in full presentment. This position makes the defender vulnerable and weak, subject to multiple attacks with almost no defense.
In life, and as a Life Defense, when things get intense get OFFLINE, just don’t stand there. Take a moment, clear your schedule, allow another person to assist in your project, or take a day off. Remember to get OFFLINE, don’t just stand there.
lifedefense #offline #allenhughes
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In the early evening Sami heard him come through the door. What would her evening be like? Lately Bob had been argumentative, short tempered and aggressive. As he came through the door his tone set the stage for what in a few minutes would turn into confrontation.
Bob’s tones got louder, and Sami put her hands up and circled offline firmly saying, “Whoa slow down I don’t want to fight.” This was a technique she had learned in her HAPKIDO training, and it worked. Jasper, their Golden Retriever cocked his head and for a moment both Bob, and Jasper were riveted. Sami had managed to slow the escalation of Bob’s anger, and stop his advance, doing it firmly standing her ground, and not backing down.
Bob broke into tears all at once as he related to Sami that he was an ass, and had been having an affair over the past few months. Sami relaxed her hands and just listened. Although she loved him, she explained that he would have to leave, and they would meet next week to determine what would happen next.
Bob started to make excuses and Sami reiterated, “I need you to leave. Now!” Her firm tone showed FEARLESS DEVOTION, not anger. Interestingly enough, Sami was unafraid, and at that moment actually saw Bob as small, and weak. Sami was DEVOTED to the truth, a peaceful outcome, and she would no longer accept his behavior, his infidelity, or this way of life.
In self-defense our DEVOTION is to the out come. Instead of arguing, escalating, or attacking, her Sabum (Korean for Sensei) had taught her to look beyond her natural response and be DEVOTED FEARLESSLY to her future. This same scenario happens in domestic disputes on a regular basis, and with emotional escalation, ends many times in injury, property damage, or death.
As WARRIORS of LIFE we choose to set aside our emotional responses, when appropriate, and look toward the future, and the big picture of life. Be DEVOTED to life! FEARLESSLY DEVOTED to life. All life…
lifedefense #devote #allenhughes
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The attacker seemed to come from nowhere. Deborah was standing in the parking lot of the ski lodge when this guy came rushing toward her. His hands were reaching out in a full force frontal attack. Just as quickly Deborah prevented the full force crash by connecting to her aggressive new acquaintance, allowing his force to propel himself over the top of her circling body and RESOLVING the conflict in one simple, elegant COORDINATION of POWER!
As his body literally flew over her she was all at once calm and RESOLVED to the outcome. He had done what he did and she had chosen to do what she did. She was fully committed to the outcome and in perfect harmony with her opponent, his choice and the outcome with no regrets.
As the security people turned her interesting opponent over to the police she wondered if he would be okay, and RESOLVED her response, and outcome as part of her life. There were no regrets. She had chosen and RESOLVED.
As we come to the close of another year we have done what we did, and not done what we didn’t do, said what we said and didn’t say what we didn’t. In the real sense of the word we can RESOLVE or RE-SOLVE our past year.
Those that choose to RE-SOLVE may spend a lifetime figuring out what they did, what things they could have done or maybe what they think the should’ve done RE-SOLVING their life over and over again. For me I will RESOVE the past and live into the future that I create.
What will you choose? RESOLVE…
lifedefense #resolve #allenhughes
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Micah saw the man’s big hand reach out to grab his. Instinctively the 10 year old boy circled his hand and shouted, “Hey, what are you doing!” And stepped away a few steps MAINTAINING his freedom.
The man at the gas station that was perhaps looking for an easy target had not found one in Micah, and all the surrounding bystanders were now looking as the man walked quickly away.
Micah had practiced his HAPKIDO online with his cousins who now live in California, and hand redirections were more than a game they played in training sessions. They were in this case, life saving.
In self-defense we practice MAINTAINING our freedom before solid grips take hold from a usually more powerful opponent. It takes far less energy to MAINTAIN freedom than it does to obtain freedom once powerful holds are locked in place.
In LIFE DEFENSE we use PRINCIPLES like this to save our own life. Think about it…The more we MAINTAIN freedom the less energy it takes. Energy is saved and literally life is saved through this simple PRINCIPLE.
What is at this moment “reaching out to grab you?” How will you react, and more importantly, when will you act? MAINTAINING your freedom saves life. Your life…
MAINTAIN your freedom when? Now, and save more life!
Allen Hughes
Warrior Way Life Defense
lifedefense #maintain #allenhughes.
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Sitting at his desk Fernando thought back on his failed printing business and sighed. Was everything in his life like this? Having an alcoholic, and abusive step father had once defined his life. Now, still in his mid thirties he had spent some of the previous years of his life blaming everything on the circumstance this man had obviously put him in.
As a teenager he’d taken up skateboarding, a good excuse to get away from the house and even better for explaining bruises that showed up every couple weeks at this man’s hands. However, when he turned 18, and was on his own, skateboarding, at least in this town, put him into a culture of drugs and illegal activity that all too much reminded him of his step dad. Fernando chose instead to pour himself into his job at a small town paper.
It was weird that this little paper still even existed as most news was now found on social media and You Tube. However, his tiny town was generally older, and the old folks still picked up the “free rag” supported by local business ads at the local market, gas station and pizza joint.
When Mr Smith asked him if he’d like to take it over when he was retired last year, Fernando jumped at the chance! You see Fernando had long since CREATED that his step dad wouldn’t determine his future, and he would CREATE himself as a resilient, powerful man. He would CREATE his future, and would never again let what happened in his past determine his was and would become.
It was right then that it hit him. He would RE-CREATE the failing paper into a printing business. However, with the population quickly turning younger, and with influx of “20 something” Californians the paper would soon no longer be viable. It was in this CREATION that he came up with a thought. Many of these young people had been moving out of California’s Silicon Valley. They had left the crazy, bloated, over-priced culture, and were looking for a new home. It was then that Fernando’s CREATION came into it’s own…
He sold the old broken down printing presses, gutted the huge industrial space, and with favored “grandfathered zoning” CREATED small apartments up stairs and work spaces downstairs. He marketed quickly to the young “Silicon Valley immigrants” a place to live, and CREATE their own future. After all the local Internet provider had just installed high speed in his block with a super fast T-1 line.
Rent would be a base rate and office space would be offered at a reduced rate for a small founder’s stake in the budding software companies. Within a week 3 apartment work spaces were rented, and by the end of the month friends of friends were piling in tables and chairs, white boards, computers and the building was lit 24/7.
We CREATE everything! Many people spend their time CREATING from their past. It sounds something like, “Because this happened to me, I am now…” Fernando did something different, he CREATED himself into the future as a resilient, powerful man. He had tapped into something truly transformative. He CREATED his future!
As self-defense experts we often find ourselves COACHING survivors. They are powerful people that have survived sometimes the most violent pasts you can imagine. However, after emotions of the past are expressed they all end up choosing. They choose to CREATE from their past, or their future.
The future is undetermined. We get to CREATE who we are, and what that means. As Life Defense Warriors of Life, what will we CREATE, and just as importantly, where will we CREATE it from?
Allen Hughes
Warrior Way Life Defense
lifedefense #create #allenhughes.
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“You’re holding too tight…Ouch let go of me!” Sandra was starting to panic as her date’s short squeeze had turned into a way too tight bear hug.
“LET GO OF ME!’ Sandra said in a commanding tone, and just like her self defense instructor Jess had taught her, Sandra drove her hips back into his center, smashed her knuckles into the back of his hand, and drove forward with her hips breaking his hold. “I said no, and no means no!” Her startled date turned bright red, quickly apologized and drove her home, accompanied by her friend.
RELEASE what doesn’t work. In life how many times do we either accept being held by someone, or something that doesn’t work, or hold on to something that isn’t working far too long? It’s like the proverbial monkey trap. Monkey seen banana in jar, monkey inserts hand, grabs banana and refuses to let go. Monkey hunter easily collects monkey to live out the rest of his days in captivity.
When we don’t let go, or RELEASE ourselves from things that don’t work, we loose life. In the monkey’s case, all of it.
In self defense we know that immediate reaction is superior to delayed reaction. That’s why we practice getting attacked, and reaction to certain attacks over, and over to essentially learn RELEASING in what students of HAPKIDO call Randori or Kyrogi, or practice sparring.
When’s the best time to RELEASE? Before it happens. The next best time is as soon as you sense something, or someone you don’t approve of start to take hold. Or something that isn’t working begins to take hold.
The worst time is when you’re in a locked down, locked in, taken to the ground situation. Then it takes far more energy and precious time to RELEASE.
Sounds simple right? Then why don’t you do it…? If something isn’t working for you RELEASE! When? Immediately, because the longer you’re trapped, the more life is lost…RELEASE now! RELEASE.
Allen Hughes
Warrior Way Life Defense
lifedefense #release #allenhughes.
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PIVOTAL-POINTS: How things move!
Kim was a little surprised when Su grabbed her sweater and pushed hard toward the locker room wall. However, her reaction was immediate and effective. Just as Su pushed, even before her hand could get a solid grip, Kim moved gracefully accommodating her energy, exerted on the PIVOTAL-POINT of her shoulder, and propelled Su in a tight circle, gently guiding her to the ground with the aide of Su’s PIVOTAL-POINTS located in her shoulder, elbow and wrist.
Kim was all at once calm, and grateful for motion she’d learned at her dojang in Taejon South Korea. This motion was called HAPKIDO, or “The Way of Coordinated Power.” Confidently she had guided Su’s PIVOTAL-POINTS to a neutral position, her firm and non-threatening voice simultaneously saying, “It’s okay, I’ve got you…someone get a teacher, just calm down and I’ll let you up.”
PIVOTAL-POINTS like shoulders, hips, knees and wrist joints are how we move as humans. In self-defense we know that if we want something to move, or not move, we must use these motion accommodating PIVOTAL-POINTS.
In life there are always PIVOTAL-POINTS. They may be a person, conversation, or meeting. It is here where all motion happens. The definition of “pivotal point” according to Google is: “A pivotal role, point, or figure in something…that is very important and affects the success of that thing.” Our definition of PIVOTAL-POINT is where potential movement exists.
Think about it..In life, or even business, if we have the wrong people in the right meeting, or the right people in the wrong meeting, nothing has potential to move. There is no PIVOTAL-POINT present, and without extreme pressure, or breaking nothing will move.
In contrast, having the right people, in the right meeting, and having the conversation allows things to move with more ease and less resistance. PIVOTAL-POINTS accomplish great things with less energy.
Look for PIVOTAL-POINTS in everything you do and see. PIVOTAL-POINTS are where everything moves. PIVOTAL-POINTS.
Allen Hughes
Warrior Way Life Defense
lifedefense #pivotalpoint #allenhughes.
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Jack said he’d lost track of how many towns he’d lived in over his 16 years of life. However, he knew it was 5. His dad was career Navy, and since his last transfer, found himself off the ships and serving as a Hospital Corpsman in South Korea.
Seoul South Korea? Enough was enough. Jack had spent the last 4 years of his life studying HAPKIDO, a Korean self defense system, and His Kwanjang (school owner) had actually trained in Kuri-Shi, not too far from where he was staying.
Jack’s dad was pulling a double shift, so he hoped a subway, stumbled through signs, mostly in English, and read the Hangul (Korean writing). Kuri-shi, that’s it! That’s the small town inside Seoul that his Kwanjang said his master’s Dojang (dojo) was located.
It was getting late and as Jack left the subway station he was immediately met by a group of tough looking boys about 17 or 18 years of age. There was 3 of them, and they immediately walked up, and greeted him, “Hi, my name is Han!” What’s your name? He answered back, “I’m Jack.” As the subway train pulled away Jack DISCERNED he was alone, and something told him he shouldn’t be there.
All at once he was shoved from behind, and then a hard push to his shoulder threw him off balance. Jack knew he had only one chance…As he stumbled sideways the one called Han threw a really fast roundhouse kick to his ribs. He DISCERNED right away these guys were up to no good, he was in trouble, and Han was a Taekwondo fighter!
Immediately Jack blocked the kick, caught his leg, painfully aware how powerful this guy kicked, and pushed him backward on the cement. Just as quickly he saw the taller one throw a huge axe kick coming straight down towards his head, Jack stepped slightly in came up under his fully extended leg and thew him backwards almost off the loading area.
The third one sort of froze saying, “ani, ani, ani-yo!” which ends “no” in Korean. Just then the next train was pulling up on the other side of the platform, and Jack hurriedly stepped aboard. He was happy to see them not bothering to follow.
After getting his bearings straight Jack arrived in time for the sparing session. Each time he was up to fight his opponents smiled, and were more than happy to take selfies and exchange numbers at the end of class.
In self defense DISCERNMENT is essential! Had Jack not DISCERNED the intent of his attackers he might not have made it home. By the same token, his DISCERNMENT had him laughing and playing with his new found buddies even through the sparing resembled his subway encounter just 30 minutes before.
In life, we are always DISCERNING everything. It’s a function of being human. Unfortunately our DISCERNMENT skills seem weakened. Maybe it’s the screen time, or lack of direct encounters. Maybe it’s in person practice we are missing from isolation, or all the masks…In any case, human interaction is changing very rapidly, and millions of years of direct, interaction based evolution has made us who we are today.
The answer is not simple, and communication methods are following Moore’s Law these days, which translates to human evolution vs microprocessor evolution. In order to survive we must learn to do something microprocessors can’t do…DISCERN.
Our very lives depend on DISCERNING what is being communicated and reacting to it powerfully. “What is that person saying?” Listen deeply to what is really being communicated, and DISCERN…. Become a WARRIOR of LIFE and DISCERN!
Allen Hughes
Warrior Way Life Defense
lifedefense #discern #allenhughes.
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She pulled hard against his grip, Jill then began to panic. “This guy is way too strong, and in order to break free I’ll need to VARY my defense, and do something else.” The large attacker was either drunk, or strung out, but following her into the restroom was not normal even for this club. A coupe of women hurried out, and yet neither one appeared interested in helping her. At least that’s how it seemed. “Maybe they think he’s with me,” Jill thought. “Either way this was not going well.” Jill’s voice got suddenly commanding and very loud, “Let go of me. Now!” His hands went for her throat, and as he pushed her up against the wall she brought her hands up to her head, releasing his grip by using the hard part of her head against the inside of his wrist. His violent forward leaning push, and the sudden release of his hands off her throat made him stumble forward into her eagerly awaiting strikes and knee dropping him to the tiled floor. Within the hour cops were escorting Mr. Not-So-Very-Nice-Guy out the door. What worked was Jill’s ability to VARY from one technique to the next. When her pulling away was ignored, and her strength was insufficient, she released his hands, and neutralized his unwelcome advances perhaps saving her own life in the process. In self-defense scenarios we practice VARIED techniques over and over again. A common complaint of a novice student is, “This technique doesn’t work. I tried it like three times!” The predictable response form a master instructor is to apply another technique, or the same one again, in a different way, or to a different target, until something does work. Everything makes a difference! VARYING, attacks, speed, size difference, angles and strength require VARIANCE with every situation. Some techniques work better for some people, and others work better for others. Period. Conflict VARIANCE parallels life. In LIFE DEFENSE we see that in everyday life. The tendency is at the first sight of failure, we get stuck. “My teen just did ABC and you told me to just do XYZ, and it didn’t work! See, now I’m stuck, I suck at parenting, and my teen is for sure going to end up strung out on drugs, pregnant, and on the streets. I told you so!” Once again the experienced master parent who’s raised several children to adulthood might say, “Apply another technique, or the same one again in a different way.” The calming voice of the experienced mentor assures you, and you VARY, and VARY again until something works. The lesson is, to never give up. Because failure only comes when we give up….VARY! Allen Hughes Warrior Way Life Defense
lifedefense #vary #allenhughes.
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Travis was alternating between viscous fists aimed at Rory’s head, and getting him in a last minute chokehold to even the score card in the last few seconds of the middle weight, mixed martial arts, headliner fight. Rory however, had different plans. Each time Travis reared back he would buck his hips against Travis’ mount position, knocking him off balance, and each time Travis would reach out for the choke, Rory would guard his neck using small DEFLECTIONS by making little circles with his hands. Travis all at once got really anxious as he glanced up at the timer, and saw he only had a few seconds left. He knew he was behind in points, and that’s when it happened. Rory DEFLECTED Travis’ hand away, bucked him up really hard, and escaped. Ding, ding, ding! That was it. The round, and match was over and Travis knew he’d lost. Standing in center ring the referee took them both by one hand, and Travis heard the score, confirming what he already knew. He’d lost. Rory’s hand shot up, assisted by the referee, as the winner. Travis had actually been way more aggressive than Rory, and had still managed to loose. Truth be told Rory was just really good at defense, and had been especially successful at DEFLECTING everything Travis could throw at him. In self-defense, and even in cage fighting, if strength, and speed cannot be overcome, a really great defense like DEFLECTING may be enough. Rory had been in just that position. Not as fast, now quite as strong, Rory had relied on his DEFLECTIONS to keepTravis’ gloves off of him. In life, we might find ourselves not fast enough to respond with much else, and yet DEFECTIONS of comments, like DEFLECTION of fists, might be enough. The key here is that DEFLECTIONS in self-defense work against chokes, and other DEFLECTING techniques against fists that are too powerful, too fast and too overwhelming to deal with. In life it’s much the same. Perhaps a colleague shoots off a verbal insult, not good natured, not well timed, just rude. As with all forms of bullying you can’t just ignore bullies in hopes that if you ignore them they will go away. Studies show they won’t. In fact bullies become more, and more emboldened at the first signs of weakness, and the situation accelerates, and intensifies. This leaves us with either the standard, “Just ignore him and he’ll go away,” the all too favorite solution of grade school teachers, throw out a quick comeback to start an inevitable fight, or files appeals to HR. Although HR should always be an option, still the comment might not be inappropriate, racial or anything really. Just rude. The next time you find yourself in a fast, furious, flurry of verbal, or emotional fists or chokeholds consider DEFLECTING. DEFLECT! Allen Hughes Warrior Way Life Defense
lifedefense #deflect #allenhughes.
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The woman walked up boldly to Mary in an attempt to intimidate the young mother of 3 after the community meeting. She stepped rapidly toward her with raised hands, gesturing in a threatening manner, and ear pricing screams to match. Mary had been willing to discuss, debate and listen to what she had to say inside, even after she was shouted down on the steps of her own city hall on the way out. Suddenly she was a little surprised by all the strange faces that were out on the streets of her town tonight.
Mary’s 3 little girls were at home with their father, and she was thankful for that. Mary was also thankful for her Hapkido/self-defense classes and really wasn’t intimidated by this strange woman’s shout downs, wild accusations and threats.
All at once the woman’s arms went wide, and her head dropped low as she rushed the final few steps toward her target. Mary had never turned her back, and saw the attack coming from small visual clues the larger woman had given seconds before the attack was initiated.
As initial contact was made, intent on driving Mary to the lawn, she embraced her attacker’s head and arm and DIVERTED all the woman’s forward tackling motion by turning in a half circle, with her attacker’s head and arm in tow, at the last moment to face the exact direction this strangely aggressive woman was facing. All at once she saw what her attacker saw, and what was directly behind her only seconds before. More strangers, and angry signs. They had been slowly closing in and were now stepping back as the larger woman’s body hit city hall’s lawn with a dull thud, silencing the threats immediately as her attacker gasped for air.
The small crowd of strangers seemed confused and angry all at the same time. Suddenly it all made sense. Her attacker’s emboldened actions were part of a larger group of strangers and their agenda. Her attention in fact had been DIVERTED, and Mary hadn’t seen this attack as part of the larger group and their agenda...
...In our LIFE DEFENSE scenario Mary had indeed DIVERTED the tackle of her attacker. However, if she hadn’t turned fully in the direction of her attacker’s vision, she wouldn’t have seen the DIVERSION being created directly in her blind spot, or recognized the larger DIVERSION that was happening right in her own little town.
In this scenario DIVERTING an attacker requires “shared vision.” Until Mary turned and “shared vision” with her attacker she truly didn’t see.
To DIVERT energy, self- defense experts turn fully, engaging their whole being, mind body and energy to “see what their attacker’s see!” This simple concept is where the positioning for powerful throws actually happen.
What are you missing by not “sharing vision,” even with people, or persons you identify as opponents? The buzz word, “shared-vision” is used a lot in business, teams and partnerships. However, sharing an attacker, or opponents vision requires looking to really see what they see, and then see DIVERSIONS as what they are. DIVERSIONS.
Look for “shared vision,” from teams you trust, and people you don’t trust. It is only then that you will truly “share vision,” and if you must, DIVERT any and all harm from your life. DIVERT, is a shared vision. DIVERT!
Allen Hughes
Warrior Way Life Defense
lifedefense #divert #allenhughes.
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The football player started at the snap just as he’d been coached and drove forward with his powerful legs. His offensive counterpart also dug in deep lurching forward, his job was to overpower his defensive opponent, and block him from getting through the offensive line, and sacking the primary offensive keystone on his team, his quarterback.
However, just as their powerful bodies met over the line of scrimmage the defensive player SYNCHRONIZED with the offensive player’s powerful blocking push, and slipped past him easily. Within 3 seconds the whistle was blown, and the offensive lineman’s quarterback was gasping for air from the hard tackle his defensive counterpart had inflicted on him.
A large smile beamed from the defensive lineman as he past, not so much in gloating as in saying, “No hard feelings… and I’ve got a secret…
His secret was his long hours of practice at a local dojang (Korean for dojo), and practicing SYNCHRONIZING techniques he’d learned in his Hapkido class. His instructor had taught him that to push against force was fighting, and the fight not only wastes time, and energy, it’s not as effective as SYNCHRONIZING. So when the ball was snapped, his main objective was not to fight, and dig his feet in, going muscle and bone against muscle and bone. His objective was instead was to “be the empty jacket.” A term and technique taught by Aikido’s founder Morihei Ueshiba.
By “being the empty jacket,”and SYNCHRONIZING, all his opponent’s power was rendered useless. All his long hours of pushing, blocking and going toe to toe were at once neutralized through SYNCHRONIZATION.
How often in life do we believe we must go toe to toe, overpower and crush our opponent? How well does better, faster, stronger actually work? And what happens when we are completely confronted with an obstacle too powerful, too fast and too overwhelming to overcome? We get crushed, we loose energy, and possibly lose the battle. Because there is always someone better, faster, or stronger.
What if however, you didn’t need to be better, faster or stronger? What if you could be the proverbial “empty jacket,” and allow your opponent to pass by you unharmed, and in fact leaving you in a better strategic position?
For those of you who love to waste energy and effort to prove you are in fact better, faster or stronger…keep training, for someday you will find yourself out matched, and laying on the ground, blurry eyed, and unconscious..
For the rest of us…”Be the empty jacket!” and SYNCHRONIZE power, not just with people you agree with, also SYNCHRONIZE power with people that oppose you directly, and you will most likely win. SYNCHRONIZE power!
Allen Hughes
Warrior Way Life Defense
lifedefense #synchronize #allenhughes.
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The man yelled something from across the dark street as I was leaving the bar in an older area of downtown Columbus Georgia. As the interim CEO/ consultant for a multi million dollar property company, I had just inspected the business, and met with the bar’s owner, and it was later than I had thought evidenced by the almost empty, dark street.
As I stepped off the curb toward my parked car a stranger yelled some friendly greeting obviously meant to get my attention from across the street. At the same time coincidentally another man slowly circled just inside my peripheral vision around toward my rear, essentially flanking me quietly.
My mind went to all the possibilities and immediately my self-defense instincts kicked in. These guys were planning on confronting me, cutting me off from the safety of the crowded bar and possibly assaulting, robbing or harassing me, and that was not going to happen.
I could fight them, and probably survive, after all they had vastly underestimated my background and training. However, tonight that wouldn’t be my choice.
I turned back on my heels, retracing my steps, and re-entered the bar to wait them out. Like clockwork they came in looking for me, hung around for a few minutes, and after they saw I was settled in for as long as it took, left soon after.
Being AWARE had saved me, and evaded a possibly violent encounter, bumps, bruises contusions, and injury, or death at least for someone.
Reviewing back to my probable violent encounter what actually happened? After taking visual assessment my heart started pounding, my breath was deep, my vision focused and fight or flight chemicals flowed into my blood stream. In short, I was preparing for battle. This preparation cleared my mind and resulted in a plan of safety to preserve my life.
Just as easily, I can look back, and just as easily list the above mental, emotional and body reactions, and label it “anxiety.” Some would. The reality is that people interpret the physiological, and psychological events differently according to their perception, experience and training.
Think about it… If you’ve ever paid to ride a roller-coaster, hang-glided, or watched a thriller movie you probably experienced the same. Fully AWARE that your heart will pound, your sensations will become intensified, and you will love it!
Being AWARE that these sensations are natural and work to benefit us is a distinct advantage in life, and Life Defense. Since the days our ancestors fled from sabertooth tigers, killed grizzlies for food, or defended their villages, we have had these same physiological and psychological reactions.
The difference is AWARENESS. What if our AWARENESS can be turned to our advantage, and create something different? Consider that the next time you are asked to give a presentation, lead a discussion, go somewhere new and unfamiliar or take on a task where you are in the spotlight.
AWARENESS that these responses work for us to make us better, faster, stronger and more focused, allows us to set aside the narrative that stress and conflict is bad and must be avoided. Rather embrace the experience, and enjoy all the added energy, given off naturally, to benefit your life fully and powerfully AWARE! Be AWARE.
Allen Hughes
Warrior Way Life Defense
lifedefense #aware #allenhughes
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The young man slowly CIRCLED, surveying the battlefield where seconds earlier he had successfully derailed the attack of a school yard bully. Mikey, and a couple of his gang stopped Steven on his way home from school, and the huge “haymaker punch” Mikey threw was with knockout intention, however Steven was used to that move and had practiced it over and over again in his HAPKIDO sessions lately.
As Mikey’s CIRCULAR “cowboy style punch” swung wide, Steven stepped inside and hooked Mikey’s head and elbow to tie him up. Mikey’s frustration was evident as he cursed, struggled and cursed some more, and attempted follow up strikes to no avail.
Steven’s head was close, and tight to Mikey’s, putting added pressure on his head and back as he said firmly, “I don’t want to fight, calm down…” The weight of Steven’s body took its toll, and Mikey finally stopped, more from the exhaustion of holding Steven’s relentlessly CIRCLING weight on his head, neck and back than anything else.
Pulling away, Mikey cursed, red faced, stomping away with his buddies in tow, humiliated, as he kicked an imaginary stone and promised, “This wasn’t over.” However, for now it was over, and they both knew it…
CIRCLING in self-defense extenuates over extension, overcommitment, and when coordinated in a hold, or throw neutralizes the attack. In our example Steven also CIRCLED to clear his area of other possible threats, coming from emboldened members of Mikey’s crew. Additionally, Steven had been taught to CIRCLE and RE-CENTER after a conflict was over.
In life this might look like CIRCLING to clear your head after a heated project meeting, conversation with your teen about appropriate curfews, or an impromptu political debate online.
CIRCLING not only checks an area for other threats, it also serves as a mental and emotional RE-CENTERING of your mental, emotional and physical self.
People might not always agree with you. However, knockout punches might be best dealt with by CIRCLING to neutralize the threat first, and RE-CENTERING to bring you back to where you are RE-CENTERED on what is important to you, and the stand that you are in the world. CIRCLE, RE-CENTER and RE-SET!
Allen Hughes
Warrior Way Life Defense
lifedefense #circle #allenhughes
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The hulking attacker stepped aggressively toward Sue. He had a threatening grimace on his face as he bellowed out profanities describing what he was planning on doing to her in the next few moments.
A well practiced Judo enthusiast, Sue had one goal in mind, to throw this guy on his head. However, in order to get him to move she knew there was one thing she had to do first… OFF-BALANCE him!
His step was deep and aggressive, just what she needed, as Sue side stepped she could feel his over commitment and stepping behind the over committed leg she brought her hand to his throat.
As she swept his foot he was totally OFF-BALANCED, and with her full weight behind this simple technique her OFF-BALANCING of this the very large, and very angry attacker threw him straight to the ground head first. As his head bounced off the sidewalk, the last thing he saw was the blue sky at the end of a beautiful Summer day suddenly turn black. The next thing he saw was the inside of the ambulance as he felt his arms and legs strapped to a gurney.
OFF-BALANCING is where everything starts. Without OFF-BALANCING nothing moves. This OFF-BALANCING term was coined by Jigoro Kano the founder of Judo in 1882. The story is Professor Kano held an exhibition for a large group of Jiujitsu Masters stating he that he could throw them all, and he did. The “secret” of his throwing was Kazushi or BREAKING-BALANCE, and Judo was born.
Professor Kano’s secret was actually applicable in all motion. You see, without OFF-BALANCING, nothing moves. In fact all motion starts with OFF-BALANCING. Even the very act of walking uses OFF-BALANCING to propel us forward.
In life it is the same. Without OFF-BALANCING nothing moves. Want a project to start? It starts with a push and suddenly… it’s moving. You want you kid to do chores? Unplug the video game and see what happens. OFF-BALANCING is the genesis of all motion!
We hear all too often that “balance” is the key to life. “Get your life in balance…Life is a balancing act…” Our premise is in fact, that perfect balance is found only within motion. Nothing can stand still, and in fact there is a term for living things that don’t move. It’s called dead.
So let’s let go of our obsession to “balance” everything, and instead embrace the “beautiful chaos of life” by OFF-BALANCING, and being comfortable with the motion that follows.
It could be said that the only true balance is OFF-BALANCE because OFF-BALANCING is what we all need to get moving. How OFF-BALANCED are you…?
Allen Hughes
Warrior Way Life Defense
lifedefense #offbalance #allenhughes
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The man was feeling a little too comfortable with his reluctant date as he pulled her into the couch. Michelle however, was very familiar with this situation from her grappling class and instead of resisting the momentum of the pull went with it, and slammed her knee into his goin/ tailbone, instantaneously landing with both elbows to his solar plexus full force, assisted in part from his powerful pulling motion. Both of these strikes were directed to his VITAL-POINTS and they worked!
The dull thud and deep groan was gratifying to her in a weird sort of way. He gasped to regain his breath, and she smiled as she backed out of his clutches, grabbed her stuff and jetted out the door. Next stop was home for a shower, and unfriending this guy from her dating app. A responsible self-defense practitioner, she would also warn off everyone she knew about his overaggressive tendencies.
VITAL-POINTS are “release buttons” in self-defense consisting of vital organs, sensitive nerve centers and tender, vulnerable spots on the human body. Applying pressure or deliberate striking to these points can be very disruptive, and life saving at times.
Whether a knee to the groin, an elbow to the throat, or gouge to the eye when someone, anyone experiences these VITAL-POINT attacks they respond to the immediate pain, or loss of nerve function, becoming stunned, incapacitated, or instinctively disconnect or discontinue the action. That’s why we use them!
The question is therefore, what are the VITAL-POINTS in your life? Defending these important points in self-defense is life saving, just as defending them in life “saves life…”
VITAL-POINT attacks are so named for their “vital nature” to our mind, body, or spirit. When someone gouges an attacker’s eye, unless that attacker is on mind numbing drugs, they will react. In self-defense and in life, there are very few things that effect us so quickly and deeply.
Really, think about it…When someone trolls you on social media it is painful, and yet probably not vital. However, losing of a child, or life companion to suicide changes everything and could considered a VITAL- POINT attack.
VITAL-POINTS usually happen unexpectedly, maybe because if they were predictable we might avoid them, or if protectable we might be able to protect against them. Although we might be able to stop a possible suicide we can’t always, and sometimes these VITAL-POINT attacks come as a compete surprise to us.
Just like a VITAL-POINT attack is useful in self-defense it can also be very disruptive when applied to us, and our VITAL-POINTS in life. Therefore we protect, avoid and survive these attacks when we become the recipient of them. In business, school, or other projects understand they exist, are mostly temporary, and often survivable when unaccompanied by other attacks.
People can, and do fight their way free from an eye gouge, throat strike, or knee to the groin. Painful yes, disruptive yes, and yet survivable. VITAL-POINTS disrupt life either way. Use them, and be aware of them as great self-defense techniques, and realize VITAL-POINT attacks can be survivable in your life. VITAL-POINTS!
Allen Hughes
Warrior Way Life Defense
lifedefense #vital-points #allenhughes
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...UTILIZING time as a weapon of self-defense is a new concept to most. The reality is that time arguably doesn’t exist, and is a construct invented by our emerging country the 1800’s, to standardize arrivals and departures at America’s new railway stations. Before this, time was more or less relative. Time varied from town to town, county to county, and country to country, and was more general, more fluid, less exact, and less exacting.
Consider that time has been used UTILIZED as a weapon against us for years, controlling our lives hour by hour, and minute by minute each day. It is omni-present in everything that we do. The seemingly harmless clock and calendar on our parent’s, or grandparent’s walls that tracked general time for special events like birthdays and holidays has been fully weaponized using smart phones and calendars that drive our day complete with alarms, minute by minute digital phone calendars, and schedules of meetings that populate literally into eternity, and now zooms potentially enslaving us and every aspect of our lives 24 hours per day, and 365 1/4 days per year forever!
However, when we recognize that time is a weapon, our UTILIZATION of it makes perfect sense. In self-defense we consider weapons as extensions of our body that assist us in saving life. To clarify, any weapon can be used to take, or save life. The study of Life Defense is all about “saving life.”
Ever watch the fluid motion of a true master of anything? They might play the piano, hit a tennis ball, or run through a self-defense drill, and they all have one thing in common…There is no rush, there is no hesitancy, there is no wasted motion and “time” seems to stand still.
For masters of any endeavor, true mastery is all about practice. Life Defense participants know that breathing, efficient motion, and PRINCIPLES of Life Defense all exist to “save life” as a quantity, and recognize that time is a weapon, and that weapons both take life and save life.
However, knowing something has never made any difference. It is in the “doing” that everything occurs. Mastering the UTILIZATION of time as a graceful and powerful weapon will save life and starts first by “doing” or practice!
The result of practice you’ve seen before in Hollywood fight scenes, and you’ve actually experienced it yourself in very stressful events like slipping and falling, car wrecks, or snatching your child from the street just as an approaching car swooshed by. Everything just slowed down, it seemed like and eternity, and at that moment time didn’t exist, or didn’t exist in the same way it did just seconds before.
If you’re like most people, you just shrugged it off and thought, “That was cool,” as you continued on your way. That being said, exactly what happened? Your mind, and body UTILIZED your past training, or experience and anticipated what was going to happen before it happened. Truth is you may have you forgotten those specific events. Until now!
Practice UtILIZING time as your personal self-defense weapon instead of fighting it off every day. Navy SEALS say, “Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast.” So practice slowing down, and UTILIZE time as your Life Defense weapon to “save your life” each and every day.
One thing is for sure…Time isn’t what we think it is. Because in reality, you have all the time in the world.
Allen Hughes
Warrior Way Life Defense
lifedefense #utilize #allenhughes
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How COMMITTED are You?
After her long run in the park Sarah stopped to catch her breath. It was a little later then she liked to run, and the early Fall had branches from the tall trees casting shadows across the running path. Along with the quickly dimming sky, she was a little troubled. Must start earlier she gasped. All at once she felt a strong pull on her hoodie, and simultaneously felt a powerful hand grabbing her pony tail, yanking her head back violently, and propelling her rearwards.
Sarah COMMITTED instinctively by stepping with the motion, a little offline, and circling her arms around the surprised attackers elbows, locking his grip. Little did he know that Sarah was a 3rd Degree Black Belt in the little known art of HAPKIDO. Even worse, that this special forces style emphasized defense from common attacks, and that the word HAPKIDO itself means,“Coordinated Power Way!”
Instead of a weak, futile resistance from the attack Sarah had automatically coordinated her motion with his powerful pull and her total COMMITMENT to the battle found him off balance, both arms trapped deeply to his elbows and feeling the blunt open handed palm of this beautiful defender deadening his senses quickly.
The last thing he could remember was losing consciousness, and the next thing was a horse, that’s right, “A horse?” He said out loud, looking sideways from the wet grass, spitting out a mouthful of leaves, and sod as the mounted police officer was cuffing him and reading him his rights.
Sarah COMMITTED fully to the energy of the attack, fully stepping with the pull, and fully COMMITTED to restrain her attackers arms, locking both his elbows, as she fully COMMITTED to delivering multiple blows to his jaw, with much the same effect as a knockout punch from a bantamweight boxer.
In self-defense a half hearted technique only serves to infuriate an attacker at best, and is highly ineffective in accomplishing the goal, the only goal of self-defense, staying alive!
In life how often to we lack COMMITMENT to something we feel powerful about. For that matter how often to we COMMIT to anything at all. I can say, “I am COMMITTED to ending world hunger,” and many people do. However, what do I do about it? How effective am I at accomplishing that? Are my words just words that make me “feel good?”
Action is the only arena where things actually move. Although we’d like to think our way to ending world hunger, in the world of reality, until we COMMIT by taking action, deeply COMMITTED action, nothing occurs. Nothing, nada, zip, null set…nothing!
COMMITMENT sadly is becoming all too rare a commodity. Why? Perhaps it takes too much effort, or our neck is too much on the line, or we fear that we could be wrong, or someone will say we are wrong. Agreed, it is much easier to not COMMIT, and yet someday, somewhere, someone will end world hunger…It might just be you!
COMMIT to something, anything deeply today. COMMIT!
Allen Hughes
Warrior Way Life Defense
lifedefense #commit #allenhughes
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As Frank, the older classmate, reached to grab Johnny, the much smaller Johnny felt Frank’s large hands just barely beginning to attach to his blue hoodie, intent on driving him backwards into the lockers as he had done so many times before. All at once Johnny had a calm fall over him, and heard a voice in his head… COORDINATE, COORDINATE, just COORDINATE!
Everything seemed in slow motion, just as his instructor had told him it would. Johnny had been training all summer for something just like this and all the painful, sweaty, repetitions of his HAPKIDO classes were about to pay off. Something about practicing and creating myelin on his neural pathways over the last few months… whatever it was by the time Frank started to push Johnny was already in motion.
Stepping backwards and bringing his fists between Frank’s larger arms was easy as Frank had provided all the energy Johnny would ever need. Just as Frank’s momentum pushed past Johnny’s fists were slamming into the pivotal points of his wrists and Frank’s hands released as he slammed headlong into to the lockers.
Bam! The resounding, and somewhat satisfying sound of his head and shoulder into the metal locker was almost as loud as Johnny’s kihap (energy yell) which got the attention of the nearby security officer.
Surprised, Johnny actually heard himself say, “Geez, this COORDINATED power sh..stuff actually works!” Red faced, Frank turned just in time to hear the hallway fill with laughter and feel the powerful grip of the security officer on his arm. As Frank was guided to the office his colorful threats echoed quieter and quieter, sealing his fate.
COORDINATED power is how much smaller, weaker defenders “use the energy” of much larger opponents. The PRINCIPLE is simple. COORDINATION is more powerful than fighting. Period.
Think about it, Johnny could have resisted, and Frank would still drive him into the lockers. Frank’s 65 pound advantage means Johnny would have to be not only 65 lbs heavier, he would have to be faster, and stronger to even start to compete with that much force.
In life how often do we resist, fight and not consider the unused power of everything and everyone around us? Johnny used Frank’s energy as a gift, to preserve his own health.
Mostly we consider first what we can do before we ever get started with anything. A much later though is bringing in help, usually when we have failed, or begun to fail in our performance. More often than not our COORDINATION of power is too late.
When do we COORDINATE power? Consider it’s now, right away, or before we even start. Why not? COORDINATION of power is always more powerful than anything we can do alone. COORDINATE!
Allen Hughes
Warrior Way Life Defense
lifedefense #coordinate #allenhughes
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The dark corner seemed extra dark tonight as the moon was new and the sky very, very cloudy. It didn’t help to have the overhead street light burned out as well. “Great,” the middle aged executive muttered under his breath as he approached his hotel. Reaching out to swipe his room key into the after hours, rear hallway door, Mickey suddenly felt weird, like someone was watching, and so he hurried to slide it and get safely inside.
His intuition was spot on, someone had been watching from just around the corner and was approaching rapidly, and just as he pulled on the door handle he felt it…Too close, too fast…DANGER! Suddenly it was too late. The arm circled around the right side of his neck in attempt to choke him out. However, as suddenly as it did his hands instinctively came up to protect his throat, cupping his nose, thumbs tight to his now “turtling” head, DROPPING so quickly it threw the assailant over his shoulder and into the glass. Thump! The tell tale sound of a skull hitting the thick, tempered glass, as Mickey’s head circled under the offending arm, and his footwork moved him out of death’s grip and safely inside.
He could hear the man cursing as he dialed 911, and saw the now would-be attacker running off. Feeling all to lucky, and thankful for taking his weekly Hapkido training, Mickey silently said a prayer, “Thank you God from Sabumnim Kim,” and “They’re never going to believe this back at the dojang…”
Along with a few great moves, even this “past prime” middle-aged man had connected to something really, really powerful when he DROPPED ever so slightly by bending his knees and guess what…It worked! …
DROPPING obviously works in self-defense and in fact multiple sports use DROPPING as a power enhancing PRINCIPLE to multiply power by connecting to the largest, most powerful body on Earth. The Earth!
In life, and in Life Defense how often do we connect powerfully with anything or anyone? Could we be mostly too loud, too opinionated, or just don’t listen, or really get what the other person is actually saying?
Through connection everything is possible. We are just a simple DROP from connecting. Think about it…when we DROP our volume we hear, when we DROP our agenda we listen, when we DROP our tone we harmonize more often, and much faster. DROP, and connect not some day, rather today, immediately because we are much more powerful when we DROP! DROP.
Allen Hughes
Warrior Way Life Defense
lifedefense #drop #allenhughes
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It was 12:20pm as Bobby, an 8 year old boy at Cherry Hill Elementary, peered through the glass at the clock on the wall. Could he avoid humiliation and pain 10 more minutes by hiding from Victor and his gang until the bell that signaled the end of lunch break?
Then all at once it was too late, “Hey Bobby! We’ve been looking for you everywhere…. Where’s that money you promised me? Don’t tell me you spent it on lunch. You don’t need lunch. You’re too fat anyway. Fatty!”
As Bobby turned to the sound of his #1 nemesis, and his all too familiar mocking tone, he realized it was too late. Victor’s hands were heading straight for his throat, aggressively moving forward with the obvious intent of shoving him against the lockers directly behind him.
Just as quickly Bobby’s body went into motion. It was totally reactionary as he had practiced this reflective footwork all last week in his Hapkido class. Stepping back with no resistance Bobby’s body turned 180 degrees and Victor slammed face first into the lockers with a loud bang. Fully DISRUPTED, Victor turned and Bobby almost regretted his instincts as he saw his attacker turn toward him red faced, and cursing. At that moment he saw Ms. Jones stepping in and grabbing Victor hurrying him toward the Principals office in a tirade of, “This is the last time, you’ve had warnings before and you will be expelled from this school forever young man! No bullying means NO…!”
Bobby instinctively DISRUPTED Victor, and Ms. Jones DISRUPTED the retaliation. Within a few moments the principal would DISRUPT Victor’s bullying career, and DISRUPT his gang breaking them up forever, by expelling Victor from public education.
Fast forward12 years, Victor had graduated high in his class from the military school his parents were encouraged to register him in. Victor’s military career of discipline and future successful completion of B.U.D.S. (Basic Underwater Demolition/ SEAL training) was completed a few years later. Victor ended up saving hostages in the Middle East and raising a great family.
Bobby pursued the high tech industry and became a very wealthy, very well adjusted father and husband. You may not know about his success, or even understand what his technology does. However, his surveillance tech made Bobby’s rescue of the hostages possible. Unlikely yes, and still this series of DISRUPTIONS changed everything.
In your life what is it that you will DISRUPT? Consider that unless sufficient DISRUPTION happens, nothing moves. DISRUPTION is the impetus of all motion in self-defense, in life or Life Defense, and in fact all motion of the universe.
If you want something to change in your world… DISRUPT it!
Allen Hughes
Warrior Way Life Defense
lifedefense #disrupt #allenhughes
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NEUTRALIZE Life Threats
The young woman had been taken to a secondary location by the would-be killer intent on her torture, and pre-planned death. Opening the trunk of the car parked in a desolate area miles from any help he pulled her up to carry her down to the basement of the old abandoned house.
Unexpectedly she used his force to propel her upward and outward as she swung the rusty tire iron squarely across his head knocking him backwards as she landed atop his massive body. Still conscious he reached up to pull her down into his massive bear hug and subdue her.
Using the power generated by his tree trunk sized arms she swung the heavy tool again and again till he lay silent his body limp and lifeless. The survivor rolled away and seeing no motion, backed carefully to the driver’s door, saw the keys still in the ignition, jumped in and sped off.
Later police and ambulance came as she directed to where the alleged, possible serial killer still lay NEUTRALIZED from the powerful blows. The coroner pronounced his findings, and later the court dismissed the case as purely self-defense.
A solemn victory for sure. A man is dead, would she ever be able to accept her actions, in the heat of battle fighting for her life? Was NEUTRALIZATION her best choice? If she had to do it again would she?
NEUTRALIZATION is a PRINCIPLE of self-defense and when used in life a PRINCIPE of Life Defense….
NEUTRALIZATION is simply: to make (something) ineffective; counteract; or nullify: dictionary.com
In life we may believe that NEUTRALIZATION has no practical application. However, what in our lives, and yes even who in our lives, might be killing off our future, and all of our possibilities…?
Let’s look at those things in our life that threaten our existence and our future POSSIBILITIES. These would-be “attackers” could be “things” not people and might not be as obvious as our potential serial killer. And yet, they may be just as deadly in stealing “life” day in and day out.
Whether it’s a quick and painless death, or a long and painful one, or anything in between… when it comes to life, life is life and when we are not living life to its fullest, enjoying every moment it is not life. That’s right, I am saying it! When you are not living the life you love you are not really living.
Attackers could be the way we eat, sleep, or, play. They could be the substances we consume, the friends we hang with, or what we choose for entertainment. Let’s take a look…
Is “life” actually pain, torture, frustration and stagnation or is “life” truly living the life you love in every moment, in every way, in pure joy? If the later is so what will you NEUTRALIZE with the efficiency and accuracy of a trained sniper, taking the threat out swiftly and without hesitation?
If you are not prepared to NEUTRALIZE those “life” killers, when will you…? The longer you wait the more “life” is lost. How much life are you willing to waste before taking action?
Remember, you may have second thoughts about NEUTRALIZING your next binge watching event, and for a second you may regret it, if even for a minute. If you do, just look at what the cost has been and what it could have been in the future and NEUTRALIZE “life-killers” on the spot!
Allen Hughes
Warrior Way Life Defense
lifedefense #neutralize #allenhughes
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The man was standing in line at the stadium to get a hot dog, and a cold beverage. The younger man approached, drunk and aggressive. For whatever reason he came in hard and strong for a tackle at waist level.
The older defender reacted from his wrestling days by RESPONDING with a sprawl feet and legs shooting back out of reach as his forearms shoved hard against shoulders of the younger attacker stopping his intended progression. Surprised the drunk attacker struggled to keep his balance and could nether progress by reaching the defender’s legs for a tackle or even stand straight back up as his older, more sober, intended victim held him there calling out for security, which arrived 3- 5 minutes later to find an exhausted, young man drunk and throwing up into the bleachers…
RESPONSE is what we train for in self-defense and in life, or Life Defense. How will we RESPOND? Will we be successful or not? Who knows, however RESPONSE in self-defense training is a practiced art.
What happens in a tackle? What if the attacker comes high, shoots low or just grabs around your waist in attempt to tackle? Practice, practice, practice…RESPONSES to different self-defense scenarios are usually practiced. This practice, if done right can mean the difference between life and death, injury or safety, or just protection from bruised egos.
In life there are many, nay infinite, RESPONSES to any given scenario, and some are better than others. It could be said that the same RESPONSE practiced in Life Defense could also save your life, your job, your family or your relationship with your kid.
In Life Defense we speak of PRINCIPLES, and in fact RESPONSE is a PRINCIPLE of Life Defense. Just the thought that PRINCIPLES like RESPONSE, and the practice of these life saving PRINCIPLES might be a good thing is enough for me.
Think about it…What if you could say, not memorize but rather RESPOND with ease and comfort to any situation at work, home, or on the job? How much easier, safer, and productive life would become…
It’s time we RESPOND, and remember, no RESPONSE is a RESPONSE, and any way you show up is a great start! RESPOND.
Allen Hughes
Warrior Way Life Defense
lifedefense #respond #allenhughes
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Think about it…Unless there is a CLEARING for life there will always be something in the way of living a life you love!
In self-defense we CLEAR hands out of the way to accomplish strikes, we CLEAR rooms, levels and whole buildings of bad actors to preserve safety for our critical missions. CLEARING away dangerous “stuff” is a major component of self-defense!
In life we do the same thing. Until we CLEAR there is always something in the way of accomplishing what we are out to accomplish…
The man was throwing his arms in large circles, his voice agitated and intense, making himself appear larger like a great ape establishing dominance and mating rights as he faced off against the defender standing calmly in the crowded concert venue.
As the crowd parted in anticipation of the emanate confrontation, the defender stepped forward with one foot, slightly off line and raised his open hands in a gesture of non-violence calmly asserting, “Hey man I don’t want to fight…” his calming tone was non-threatening yet unwavering and focused.
Then all at once the attacker lounged with both hands to push his assumed victim off balance, planning a follow through hay maker to the side of the defender’s head.
Stepping off line the defender CLEARED one of the arms away from his chest and allowed the ape like attacker the space to stumble past harmlessly as he landed a combination of devastating strikes to vital points to the now exposed body parts of his large attacker, neutralizing the threat.
It was like magic. One moment the defender looked non threatening, and almost confidently apologetic and harmless, and the next, the victor easily CLEARING his path to victory as the crowd gasped and went silent.
CLEARING the way for he and his date to leave calmly and walking past security as they rushed to drag his overconfident opponent out the door the possibility of a great end to a not so great beginning was shaping up nicely.
The CLEARING in our self-defender’s story was simple and elegant. Without CLEARING himself out of the way, and CLEARING the push the defender would be sprawled across the floor and laying in a pool of his own blood.
In life how often do we allow “stuff” to get in our way, cluttering up our thoughts and space, and pushing and pummeling us over and over again?
Without CLEARING and creating a space there is no room for success and no possibility to create anything. The space is way too crowded with mental, emotional and even physical stuff to accomplish anything of value.
Time to get stuff out of the way, CLEAR and focus on what we may have forgotten is important in our lives. Without that CLEARING all we end up doing is fighting and mostly taking punches. CLEAR your life. CLEAR!
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ENGAGE Yourself in Life
To ENGAGE is to live in self-defense and Life Defense. In a real sense of the word ENGAGEMENT is commitment to live. By ENGAGING we say that we are here, and we are relevant, and we are not going away. In the struggle for life in a self-defense scenarios the very act of ENGAGEMENT says this. In life and Life Defense the same is true…
The kick boxer moves in for the attack, as he kicks his hips turn powerfully in an attempt to break the balance and damage the opponents ability to stand. His kick rises up gaining speed, and devastating force from the ground. The defender ENGAGES by clenching the attacker’s head, and parries the leg with his own in a circular motion that renders it harmless. Where a second before his position, balance, and leg itself was in jeopardy he is now safe.
In life we see this all the time. What are you committed to and willing to ENGAGE in, sometimes to the point of being uncomfortable, in order to live. Face it, we are either ENGAGED in life or not. Disengagement to the nth degree is however a death sentence. Those that ENGAGE are alive, committing to the uncomfortable, and the difficult, and even sometimes seemingly impossible. ENGAGEMENT is where life happens.
How do we begin? Speak it! Without speaking things are not created, and have no ability to come into being. Then act on it, without action nothing happens, and the creation dies. This action is ENGAGEMENT, and is access to joy, sorrow, pleasure, pain and by definition life.
ENGAGE in life and live. ENGAGE!
Allen Hughes
Warrior Way Life Defense
lifedefense #warriorway # engage
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Consider that looking for a GLOBAL MINDSET is achieved through looking at common PRINCIPLES that we as humans share. Many would label this an impossible task referencing PRINCIPLES as subjective and culturally specific.
Our premise is that certain PRINCIPLES are shared and are not subjective. This common ground actually is the genesis of creating a GLOBAL MINDSET.
One PRINCIPLE borrowed from physics is the PRINCIPLE of GRAVITY.
GRAVITY is the force that attracts a body toward the center of the earth, or toward any other physical body having mass. Google
Defy gravity at 50,000.’ By jumping out of an airplane without a parachute we see that all people everywhere would have a similar experience. GRAVITY is a shared PRINCIPLE.
A GLOBAL MINDSET starting with what we share in common is powerful and can build an understanding that we are in fact very much alike in more ways than we are different. Yet, how? Where can we look for anything similar that we can start from? The answer to bringing us together we propose might be found inside the world of conflict, struggle and even battle!
Successful Warriors share a GLOBAL MINDSET. Application in battle either works or it doesn’t. Success is accomplished in any conflict through application of PRINCIPLES, and we are living proof that these PRINCIPLES work. Think about it…If we are living and breathing on this earth today it’s because our ancestors survived long enough to have offspring and in turn they had children and so on. Our skills at dealing with conflict in the real, physical world are proof the PRINCIPLES our ancestors used worked. Period.
The word PRINCIPLE may conjure up visions of morality, viewpoints of differing cultures, or even spiritual beliefs of what is good and what is bad. To have a GLOBAL MINDSET using PRINCIPLES is to recognize that shared PRINCIPLES of dealing with conflict do in fact exist, and have nothing to do with subjective viewpoints. Therefore, by their very nature these PRINCIPLES are GLOBAL...
What if I said you could live an extra 10 years of life by learning how to escape a choke hold? What we are saying is exactly that. The time available to be saved is real. The time wasted in conflict is real and each moment we use the PRINCIPLES of Life Defense we add minutes, hours and days to our lives !
This is a GLOBAL MINDSET that actually works in the real world saving life each day!
In closing, we acknowledge that we are all different in many ways, and might never understand each other fully. However, a GLOBAL MINDSET based on PRINCIPLES of conflict and a common language of Life Defense creates the possibility of everything. Including life!
Allen Hughes
lifedefense #warriorway #globalmindset
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BLOCKING in self-defense is the world of NOT letting things into your space that are harmful. In Life Defense BLOCKING serves the same purpose. Let’s see how…
The kickboxer was in his last round. Pummeled all night long by punishing fists meant to knock him out. The last round was starting to get to him, yet remarkably he was not winded, and still strong on his feet. His younger opponent was starting to tire however from the massive amount of energy expended in delivering powerful knock out punches over and over again to the older fighter’s massive forearms.
That’s right! The older more experienced fighter had been waiting, leaning into the ropes to absorb the devastating strikes of his younger opponent. BLOCKING with his powerful forearms, he covered and redirected each strike with slight moves of his torso so as to not to allow any blow to land with much force. The payoff was here, with a slip of the last punch the older fighter came to life and spun out of the corner ducking under the powerful haymaker his tired opponent threw wildly in the air.
With superior timing, and preserved energy, he landed a punch to the lower abdomen of the younger fighter, doubling him over to set up the second fist slamming down with all his full force, weight and power to the young man’s jaw dropping him to the canvas. 1-2-3…the count started, the older fighter backed up into a neutral corner…, 4-5-6… the crowd came alive realizing the fight might be over, 7-8-9… and by 10 bells rang, and the crowd was cheering wildly. You’re out…and victory was his!
Basically, the older, more experienced fighter had BLOKED his way to victory. In self-defense, or in the ring, BLOCKING out unwanted knockout blows to the head is always a great idea!
In life how often are we attacked by unwanted blows to the head from schedules, work, commitments, family demands and traffic jams, and how do we keep on our feet, and not go down with the count? BLOCK!
In Life Defense we would say simply BLOCK. A BLOCK allows us time to process, recover, and most of all not take blows to the head. A BLOCK may look like turning off the noise for 1 hour a day and getting out of the office, or house to take a walk. It might look like stepping quickly out of a meeting, or shuttering the ZOOM session before the complaint session gains steam. Or maybe is just going home at your appointed time and hanging with the family at the park for an impromptu game of “chase my dog that stole my frisbee!”
Any way you look at it BLOCKING gives us time, and space and preserves our brains to be used for something better than a punching bag. So practice BLOCKING! Great fighters do…They practice anything that preserves them for another round.
In Life Defense this might be BLOCKING your calendar once a week. This BLOCKING should include down time, play time and “me-time!” BLOCKING is effective when it BLOCKS anything that potentially could take you out!
So BLOCK and practice BLOCKING. Remember it’s never too late to BLOCK…BLOCK!
Allen Hughes Life Defense
lifedefense #warriorway #block
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SPACE, Your SPACE
A young girl no more than 12 years of age is alone in a park starring dreamily at the dimming sky as the sun sets. She has remained a few minutes longer than her friends, fixated on the beautiful sunset. Suddenly she senses the predator’s gaze, and before he can approach CREATES SPACE, a PRINCIPLE of self-defense and Life Defense, by running across the street into a cell phone store, alerting the staff and borrowing a phone to call her parents…
In Life Defense we are a little obsessed with SPACE, creating it, diminishing it and management it…Obviously, we have a thing about SPACE!
In life what is killing you, disrupting you, or choking you out? Consider that you control SPACE. “All right Allen, so what about my 2 year old throwing a major tantrum? How do I CREATE SPACE when I’ve got to be there watching him? I cannot escape his tantrums, he screams so loud until I give him what he wants, a toy, a treat, a video…”
In life and Life Defense you control SPACE. Two year old, or 13 year old. It’s your SPACE and what will you do with it? When I married my current wife she had 4 kids. They were all pre-teen or teen aged, and hadn’t had a dad for 12 years. The three redheaded boys, that’s right, you can’t make this stuff up, were loud, opinionated and full of energy. I’d seen them run circles around other adults playing off each other in variations of fighting, joking, manipulating and defiance.
One evening the teen aged girl spent the entire night in a room next to ours pounding on the wall in response to some perceived unfair treatment over something…She pounded a hour after hour on our adjacent wall through the night.
We chose to turn on a movie and enjoy the added sound effects. In the early morning the pounding was gone. We controlled the SPACE.
Agreed that ignoring the incessant wall pounding wouldn’t work in every circumstance. It’s really more about the meaning we gave it, we didn’t get upset, and we slept (eventually). What it really came down to for us was what it meant and how would we respond to it?
CREATE SPACE or just control it. At some level, your SPACE is yours and even in extreme abuse and assault all there is sometimes is your ability to control your space and survive.
Allen Hughes Life Defense
lifedefense #warriorway #createspace
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LEVERAGE is all about, maintaining position, of vital points to move virtual mountains in self-defense and life or Life Defense…
The attacker circled round and round looking for an opportunity to pounce and drive fists into the defenders head. Then all at once the defender allows him into his guard, and just when the attacker thinks he will dominate the conflict, he is completely controlled and becomes harmless.
How? The attacker misunderstood the LEVERAGE that the ground is, while the defender understood the LEVERAGE afforded by position, and vital-points of contact.
In life how often do we find ourselves on our back thinking we have lost, and submit all too quickly? This position in the world of self-defense is called the guard, and ground fighters sometimes prefer it to standing toe to toe.
The distinct advantage is legendary and yet most people prefer standing toe to toe in battles full of jumping kicks and showy spinning techniques. Especially in the movies. We do not.
Think of the surprise one might have when they literally “jump into the arms of a controlling
technique, “screaming in pain as their shoulder is stressed to the point of breaking. And yet, LEVERAGE is always available with the right positioning in every situation with the right mindset.
In our self-defense example the planet is our LEVERAGE! In life the LEVERAGE is also the planet, meaning everyone and everything in the right position, even a person with malice in mind can become the ultimate LEVERAGE themselves.
In life it might look like, “I don’t have enough time in the day, people I can count on, or money!” What’s missing…? LEVERAGE. There is always enough time with people that are willing to assist you. There are always people you can count on when you are that person, and there is always enough money when enough people coordinate their power together. All these and hundreds more are examples of LEVERAGE!
So look around, and see that LEVERAGE is a Life Defense tool just waiting to be used. LEVERAGE your life… LEVERAGE!
Allen Hughes - Warrior Way Life Defense
warriorway #lifedefense #allenhughes #leverage
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REINFORCE Your Life!
In the world of Self Defense we multiply our power by connecting or REINFORCING our hands to ourselves, or to the opponent. Often we REINFORCE our efforts using multiple techniques, and PRINCIPLES simultaneously. We purposefully gather other people to our cause REINFORCING our efforts in defending our lives.
In life we do this by sheer chance sometimes, REINFORCING things that make our lives work better, or to be more productive, and yet, the PRINCIPLE of Life Defense gains its power from purposeful training and implementation…
The attacker throws a hay maker punch toward the jaw of the unsuspecting young woman’s head with a quick knock out in mind. As the powerful fist comes round it gains speed toward the smaller defender. The young woman moves slightly to the inside, removing herself from the trajectory, utilizing every once of his speed, and power creating a new opportunity, by REINFORCING. The dynamic momentum results in throwing the attacker easily to the ground in a head and arm “scarf hold.”
Her hands REINFORCE his motion, connecting to pivotal points, and suddenly she is safe. Onlookers gasp in amazement that she avoided the ferocious impact, and actually took control. Someone in the crowd shouts that they are dialing 911 obviously to REINFORCE her defensive position.
In life, training in self-defense is a distinct advantage first by even understanding PRINCIPLES of self-defense. After all, most of us might never be attacked by a raging lunatic. Hence, most people don’t train. Secondly, knowing what to do if an attack actually happens by training for even the most unlikely conflict. It stands to reason, just like in self-defense, those that actually train do much better than those that don’t. Period.
The same is true in life. In life, conflict happens on almost a daily basis in one form, or another and those that train in Life Defense are far better prepared when it does. To be a top performer in any realm of life you’ve got to train to deal with that conflict before it happens.
Perhaps you might not run out and register the first Krav Maga class in your area. Yet, some form of conflict is all around us, all the time. Although it’s not always immediately fatal, it will take your life in small bits and pieces for sure. A lost opportunity here, a lost friendship there, not to mention the lost time, and effort when any small conflict happens.
It’s time to REINFORCE what you already know about life, conflict happens, and prepare for what certainly will occur in your life. REINFORCE by training in Life Defense!
Allen Hughes
lifedefense #stressredirection #reinforce
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Nothing is accomplished without STRESS! Ask anyone, on any day of the week, and they might say STRESS is bad, must be avoided or managed and they get STRESSED out. And yet, ask them what STRESS is and they will most likely go off on a tangent of all the things they are doing, and what’s happening in their lives. In fact mostly they will say almost nothing of what STRESS actually is. Instead, they will talk “about it.”
This black box of STRESS is a poison, and even further this drama that surrounds it is created and simply not true. The main contributor and default inventor of STRESS is Hans Selye, and was based on extreme lab experiments on rats in 1929. We will go no further in this discussion on this line topic. However, his experiments were funded by the tobacco industry and virtually invented the smoke break.
Instead we will state simple facts. STRESS is how everything is accomplished, STRESS is necessary, and is the load or energy that makes everything possible in Life and Life Defense!
In self-defense STRESS is access to accomplishing anything and everything. First physically nothing can be accomplished without STRESSING a muscle, joint, or bone. Additionally, the act of learning requires this also.
STRESS is a “load or energy” and how it is applied, how we deal with it and what is accomplished by it is all there really is. In fact it is our “relationship” with STRESS that makes all the difference. STRESS does not have the ability of being bad or good. It is just STRESS and how we deal with that “load or energy” determines the effect it has on our lives.
This outcome is by far positive and in fact negative experiences of STRESS really have to do with perceived not real outcome. What something means to us will determine if sore muscles are a bad thing or a good thing. STRESS!
allenhughes #lifedefense #stress
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DIMINISH SPACE
In the world of Self-Defense DIMINISHING SPACE, as in holds, connects your power to to an attacker’s. This extremely close relationship creates a multitude of powerful options from holds and joint locks, to neutralizations in deadly situations.
In Life Defense today our conversation is centered around the relationship of DIMINISHED SPACE and how getting really close, maintaining contact, and even tightening bonds or existing contacts brings body, mind and heart together to effect great transformation of lives.
Think about your relationships. Are they close or distant? And if they are close, are they truly close enough to affect a transformation to the next level of project, marriage, career or humanitarian effort?
As stated earlier in previous episodes, and in different ways, “we are connected.” In fact, we don’t have a choice, yet the quality of our connection makes all the difference.
In a typical self-defense session we walk around and adjust the grip of the hands, the twist of the wrists and the connection of the body. This is to ensure everything is close, or in other words, the space between attacker and defender is DIMINISHED enough to make the technique work, and transform danger and harm into safety that saves life.
In life are we taking the time, and getting the coaching necessary to insure we are connected well enough, close enough, and powerfully enough to actually affect transformation? Maybe not, and if so what will you do today to DIMINISH SPACE in your relationships?
If connection is the way of being then the better that connection is the more powerful our lives become. In Life Defense the whole goal is to save life. Understanding DIMINISHED SPACE in the context of connection saves life!
Remember it is together that we move the planet… DIMINISH SPACE!
allenhughes #lifedefense #diminish
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FOCUS Your Life!
In the world of self-defense we talk about FOCUS, and especially the different kinds of FOCUS. In Life Defense those different FOCUSES powerfully effect our lives!
The sniper is stationed rooftop eyes looking for hours on a small pinpointed spot between two tall buildings. This will be where his people will be most vulnerable, and his job is to protect them. NARROW FOCUS.
The tourist enters the crowded plaza just at dusk. She has lost her tour group somehow, and scans the crowd of strange faces till all at once she sees a familiar face, and smiling gestures from a group at the far end of the square. WIDE FOCUS.
Something just doesn’t seem right. The concert has been over for an hour and people are mostly out of the venue. The two tweens see a group of men standing at one of the exits. Something doesn’t seem right and they turn around and head to a busier exit away from the men’s gaze. EMOTIONAL FOCUS or “weirdo meter.”
These FOCUSES save our lives, the lives of others, and are recognized as viable self-defense techniques. However, SAVING LIFE is not theoretical. It’s measurable and tangible as the hand in front of your face. Life Defense training is the skill set to do just that.
In life, how often do we ignore that conflict exists? After all it’s how everything is accomplished. NARROW, WIDE and EMOTIONAL FOCUS can actually be used all the time, and just like most conflict based PRINCIPLES is available to us in every part of our life with training.
Although we may claim to use these naturally. What really occurs most to the time, in the beautiful chaos of life, is emergency centric, corrections, and triage.
The more we are present to the conflict around us the higher level of performance is available in our lives. What is your FOCUS today? FOCUS.
Allen Hughes Life Defense
allenhughes #lifedefense #focus
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CONNECT is a powerful PRINCIPLE of self-defense and Life Defense…
Out of the dark the attacker comes with threatening gestures and angry tones. His arms fly out from his body demonstrating his intent of violence. All of a sudden he grabs the defender by the throat and shoves her hard toward the red brick, graffiti laden wall just 3 steps to her rear.
With ease the young woman steps backward, and with one graceful motion, CONNECTS her forearms over the top of the attackers hands, pinning his wrists to her upper chest. The attacker’s aggressive, forward shove creates momentum and his posture drops from her body weight as all 120 pounds of her small, yet agile frame CONNECTS on his pinned wrists, hurling himself headlong into the brick wall.
In self-defense CONNECTION is literally power. In application, or Life Defense the same PRINCIPLE of CONNECTION is true in every conflict and every action of life.
What, and with whom will you CONNECT? The answer may be a question… “How much power do you really want in your life?”
Everyone, and everything is CONNECTED…and the only difference is some recognize CONNECTION and learn to use it in every part of their life, and others don’t.
Even when people are trying to kill them, self-defense experts know their best chance at survival is to CONNECT to that energy and use it! The 120 lb. woman stood very little chance of survival alone, however with CONNECTION to her attackers weight, strength and momentum was able to harness his force and use it to perhaps throw him off balance, slam his face into the red brick wall and escape.
CONNECTION is access to unlimited power and it’s all around us. That’s right, unlimited power is all around us! It’s really very simple, some recognize it, CONNECT to it, and use it. Others don’t. Period.
Think about it…the very company you work for has learned to CONNECT enough people and resources together and that CONNECTION makes millions or billions through those vast CONNECTIONS.
CONNECT and power up your life. CONNECT!
Allen Hughes Life Defense
allenhughes #lifedefense #connect
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EXPAND, and Take Control of Your Life!
In the world of self-defense we use the PRINCIPLE of EXPAND when holding someone down in a MOUNT position. We like to reference a “drunk uncle” showing up at your daughter’s wedding reception and knocking over the punch bowl, insulting the guests and maybe taking a swing at the best man.
Although most likely not a tremendous threat, he might appear greatly menacing to your friends, neighbors, and Aunt Martha, and could actually hurt himself or others in his altered state. Consequently, perhaps you struggle with him, taking him to the ground and end up holding him, while calling for assistance.
As he turns this way and that in an attempt to overturn you, and once again gain access to the wedding party, you EXPAND arms and legs out on either side and whisper something like, “Whoa big fella, I got you, just settle down, it’s okay…”
In the world of Life Defense true, powerful control of your life might call for EXPANSION. In place of legs and arms “posting” from side to side,” EXPANSION of relationships, skills and coaching might be called for.
After all, there is a direct correlation between success, failure and coaching. In fact in the world of success, a common theme or mantra might sound something like, “Every top performer has a coach, mentor or life-improvement program going on at any given time. So invest in yourself. “ In fact the more successful one is the more likely it is that they had help getting there.
EXPANDING in the context of Life Defense then is essential. Reach out and take control of life. Your life. EXPAND.
Allen Hughes Life Defense
allenhughes #lifedefense #expand
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ALLOW Powerfully!
ALLOW is by default a type of permission. In self-defense ALLOW has a physical aspect of ALLOWING an attackers energy to continue, without impeding. This simple non-resistance may prove to overextend an attack and create an off-balancing effect as in a push, or painful consequence as in ALLOWING in response to a tackle, slamming the attacker to the ground face first.
Today in our discussion of Life Defense we will examine how the PRINCIPLE of ALLOWING is a powerful choice in both deed and discussion. Let’s look...
What actually happens when a person, with differing opinions is freely ALLOWED to voice them unrestrained, and offered no resistance? In a seemingly endless tirade, the angry, accusatory, even violent tones and volumes may eventually soften, spoken to a confident, listening ear, reason begins to turn as no commentary of resistance is present.
Perhaps your own opposing view point might begin to emerge spoken from their own lips, as the aggressor offers supposed counter points when none are offered. Eventually, they may either walk off in feigned disgust, or begin to quiet, and even ask your thoughts.
You see ALLOWING is just that, ALLOWING an attacker’s energy to do all the work. Without resistance, aggression tends to eventually fall on its face, as long as ALLOWING is accomplished in the powerful silence of listening as an opening. This is contrary to non-response which may seem passively aggressive.
Remember, just because someone is attacking doesn’t mean anything is required until it is required. The PRINCIPLE here is that ALLOWING dissipates energy, and ALLOWING what needs to be said, said. It is when people do not feel heard that situations escalate.
Morihei Ueshiba was known as the master of the “empty jacket.” ALLOWING is like that. Someone pulls and pushes and the empty jacket ALLOWS the defender to succeed through non-resistance.
We must note that in some cases mobs support an attack offering echoed counterpoint as an accelerated frenzy to act, emboldened by their own chants and purposeful agenda. Mob scenarios therefore require an alternate solution and the defender must adapt.
However, by nature a single angry individual needs resistance to justify continuation of forward motion. Resistance breeds more aggression while ALLOWING not running, becomes a powerful force for transformation!
In life look at what you might ALLOW today, and powerfully, actively, quietly observe the outcome offering no resistance until powerful action is required. ALLOW.
Allen Hughes Life Defense
allenhughes #lifedefense #allow
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REPLACE is a PRINCIPLE of Self-Defense and Life Defense. Today in our discussion of Life Defense we speak of REPLACING weakness with power, to accomplish anything!
In Self-Defense, REPLACING an attacker’s lethal center and power is highly effective in throws and grappling. Additionally our very motion is most powerful when replacing the strength of our arms and shoulders with that of our center and legs. An example would be driving a strike all the way from mother earth, through your, legs and center delivered by your fist, vs relying on what can be generated by the arm alone…
REPLACE as a PRINCIPLE of Life Defense REPLACES the weak, unsupported, lethal excuses of life with being a series of powerful, connected, decisions, actions and results. On the mat of life, bad things do not happen seemingly “to us,” rather we choose our actions and take responsibility for all results as part of our experience of life itself.
Take for instance an obsession that I and my wife have for watching Netflix series, snacking, or the weight gain and lack of fitness that comes as a result from both. Yes, we both know that up to 2 hours a day of watching and snacking could be REPLACED by something powerful in our life that promotes strength, agility and overall health. However, until we actually go into action, just talking about it will not make a difference.
REPLACEMENT is an action. When we actually choose this action, powerfully many things in our lives can and probably would be replaced with something eminently more productive.
For me I am taking responsibility for my actions and I am REPLACING at least one weak, unproductive, or unhealthy thing a day to empower my life. When will I start? Today! And you…?
REPLACE weakness with POWER! REPLACE!
Allen Hughes Life Defense
allenhughes #lifedefense #replace
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In self-defense an ELEVATION of level, as in a throw, changes an opponents attack from a grounded, powerful push, pull or grab into a compromised, unstable and fully redirected catapult of the attacker’s body to the hard earth.
Additionally in battle, ELEVATION gives high ground perspective in a firefight putting lower level opponents at a severe disadvantage as ELEVATED positions of shooters have access to rein down deadly accurate shots on unprotected positions.
Today in our examination of Life Defense we will see how ELEVATION of thought gives defenders an extreme advantage in the battle of life.
Perspective can make all the difference. When I only see tall buildings or rocky cliffs around me, the danger crouched atop these positions can end in deadly, unprotected chaos.
However, switch the position either physically, or in my mind and this ELEVATED position reverses the outcome.
When I spend my days wrapped in what the media tells me to believe, or social media friends directed by that media, filtered by the platform management, and fueled by unseen agendas tells me to believe, I have no ELEVATED vision and my perspective is compromised.
I am at risk. When distracted by my work, my family issues, or life itself, I loose the high ground I cannot hope to see the ambush awaiting me from above.
It is at this time that an ELEVATED perspective refocuses my vision and I oversee the true battle laid out before me.
How do I attain and maintain this position? First I must disrupt my thinking, take a cold shower, fast for a day or change my environment. Then look, listen and feel what is actually happening and immediately put myself into action.
Truth be told there is an extreme pull toward not seeing and maintaining a simple lower level perspective. It takes effort to climb up the rock face, and wait, and more effort to maintain that vantage point.
However, it’s worth it! ELEVATE!
Allen Hughes Life Defense
lifedefense #warriorway #elevate
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In the world of self-defense CONTROL is a central, powerful PRINCIPLE. CONTROLLING environments, fear, exposures, and even attackers themselves results in success to live another day. In Life Defense the same is true in every part of life.
We talk a lot about environments, exposures and others when discussing potential conflicts that might need CONTROLLING. However today we will focus on ourselves.
In self-defense the fear that escalates to nearly incapacitating levels is a real thing. Many of my participants have related to being forced, or assaulted physically, emotionally or mentally in different situations.
Although on the mat we simulate this by bringing ourselves to physical, heart pounding stress and sparing, at less than full contact levels, we never really achieve the complete fear that permeates a truly violent attack. I can remember my short lived experiences in full contact fighting and although there was an anticipation, there was very little fear. As I put on protective gear, and learned the rules that govern all full contact fighting, in one arena or another, what little fear existed disappeared. In the end the “full contact” experience had very little actual fear involved with it.
I can remember one sparing match where my opponent was a really fast kicker. Time and time again he landed kicks to my head, and blurred my vision putting me in a fog wondering how he could kick so fast. However, was I in fear? No, if anything I was a little irritated, and in a different time and place would have easily taken him down to the mat.
Fear then is something that is created by us and therefore can be CONTROLLED by us. In Life Defense as we go through a job interview, a potential loss in the stock market, or a near brush with death accident, we experience this fear. What then is the difference between my sparing match and a job interview or even near brush with death?
Rewinding my sparing and event fighting experiences I knew the rules, I knew there was protective gear in place and a referee. It was to a certain extent “knowable.” Job interviews, and subsequent outcomes might not be. Or even more extreme, a sudden brush with death isn’t as knowable.
Since I have experienced both I can honestly say that the more I trained for an event, practiced a scenario and walked through the possible outcomes the less fear was actually involved.The difference in our participants of Life Defense that actually step on the matt, and those that don’t is knowing and knowing comes through training or practice.
How do I train for things that happen once every 5 years or maybe once in a lifetime in the case of death…? The answer is the same as preparing for a full contact event. Practice, walk though, visualize and “know” the possible outcomes.
Life Defense is about training. There are no secrets. If you seek to CONTROL your fear…Train!
Allen Hughes Life Defense
allenhughes #lifedefense #control
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A mantra of Life Defense is, “What we PREVENT never happens…” We will explore PREVENT in the world of self-defense and Life Defense this week and how this simple yet effective PRINCIPLE of Life Defense works.
In self-defense much is said and trained as PREVENTION. In fact, one of the most effective techniques of self-defense is to PREVENT something before it happens. Hence the saying, “What we PREVENT never happens.” If you stay close to well lit, well patrolled areas of town, hanging with sober, long time, trusted friends, in groups, returning home before 10pm, to sleep behind dead-bolted doors, in a security enhanced neighborhood, activating your alarm system before retiring to bed with Rover (a 130 lb. Rottweiler) sleeping at your side you may have PREVENTED much of what could happen in the way of attack. And sweet dreams of choke holds you will be working on in Jiujitsu class in the morning flood your peaceful dreams to wake another day.
This all makes sense right? However, in this segment of Life Defense we will address the other side of PREVENTION. What do we PREVENT form happening that enhances our life? “I can’t do X, I’m never going to try Y and Z is something I’ve always wanted to learn but…”
In a life full of possibility what do you PREVENT, that you actually desire, from ever happening? The first words that come out of your mouth may be, “I would but…” In these 3 fatal words possibility comes to a screeching stop and life is lost.
We actually first create our future by speaking it into existence. “I’ve always wanted to play the guitar, but I don’t have the time, money or a guitar to even start.”
When I hear that I hand my trusty six string to the unsuspecting PREVENTION machine and say, “Strum… run your hands across the stings and strum!” Once they get past about 10 more objections they finally relent and “K-BONG!” they are playing. Now, I say to the unsuspecting future guitar hero, all you need to do is practice!
In life we speak, or don’t speak everything into existence. So speak, and do. It’s truly that simple. Say “Yes” much more than “No” and then act, do and be. Because what we PREVENT in life never happens. PREVENT.
Allen Hughes Life Defense
allenhughes #lifedefense #position
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POSITION really has everything to do with success vs failure, leverage vs non-leveraged and life vs death. In this installation of Life Defense we will look at POSITION making all the difference in self-defense, and life, or Life Defense.
Many years ago, my wife told me about our son running away from her too fast, and too young to have any sense. This little runner was maybe 3 years old and an escape artist. Anthony had learned to work the latch of the backyard gate, and was headed at a full run for the busy road when his mother lurched out of the house door and saw him defiantly laughing and daring her to take another step forward. His mother had to restrain herself as she saw a huge truck approaching his curbside position. One more step and he would be lost.
As she stood her ground the huge truck sped only a few inches from him. I’m sure she prayed he would freeze because one more step would have meant certain death. As the truck roared on by his hair flew up from the warm breeze and he froze and cried. This little boy’s POSITION saved his life. Now Anthony’s a grown up with four of his own, a beautiful wife, a PhD. He brings joy to all of us each day.
In retrospect the little boy held his position, and mom held her POSITION. Their relationship continued even though even slight adjustment would have been fatal.
POSITION determines outcomes in war, business and all relationships. In fact the very word relationship defines a POSITION.
In self-defense we speak of triangulation, off-lining and dropping our position exhaustively. Why? Because modifying POSITION works, just a little different angle on a hold in self-defense puts enormous pressure in just the right place to cause compliance.
In Life Defense of course the same is true. Let’s look at POSITION in the realm of problem solving. Head on a task may seem impossible yet even in math, a subject I am not fond of, solving for “X” is always related to “Y," and changing variables makes all the difference. Change the the number ever so slightly and a new solution applies. A fraction off and a moon shot is missed by thousands of miles.
Then why in life do we see problems as straight on, limited, or no variables as options. We easily adopt terms like “black or white, there is only one way…my way…”
In a self-defense scenario the survivor is the one that sees possibilities and takes them. If we perhaps would take from this podcast just on thing, it might be that there is always unlimited choice. Now that’s a POSITION I can live with. POSITION.
Allen Hughes Life Defense
allenhughes #lifedefense #position
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What happens when you find yourself grabbed, controlled or restrained? In self-defense an attacker will grab you and pull you into what might be a struggle for life itself. Let’s look at how REMOVING this death grip both in self-defense and in life or Life Defense is the key to living another day!
In self-defense REMOVAL from a grab is essential and is practiced over and over again. The attacker grabs the wrist of a weaker defender, as in abduction, and pulls them away as the defender typically fights against the much stronger attacker in vain. This struggle is short lived as force meets force, and when force is applied to force the strong prevails.
However, years of training pay off and instead of resisting the “would be victim” moves in harmony with the pull thereby multiplying the power of the attacker with their own power, while circling their much stronger arm against the attacker’s thumb. The thumb, being the weakest point, allows the defender to REMOVE themselves from potential harm.
This REMOVING technique is based on a couple of PRINCIPLES and works quite well as demonstrated by some of our young participants using it against their parents. For example, not wanting to accompany mom home from the playground. This sometimes gets us into trouble, and consequently we end up having discussions about using their super powers against their parents. Yet, there is a smile of satisfaction on parents faces as they realize their kid is no easy target for a would be kidnapper.
The same is true in life. When someone, or something grabs you and pulls you in like a harmful substance, a bad relationship, or binge-watching season after season of some knock off vampire show, it’s time to REMOVE yourself by not resisting, rather looking at where you are actually at, using the energy that is pulling you toward dark holes to catapult you to safety, while circle your focus, activities or attention on the weakest point that holds you while vocalizing, “You’re not good to consume, you’re not the one for me, or this show will just leave me 10 lb. heavier, depressed and steal a week of my life never to be raised from the dead!
Life Defense is about REMOVING yourself, your mind and your spirit to a better place, or circumstance of life! REMOVE when? ASAP! Why? Because you know certain situations will not end well…REMOVE!
Allen Hughes Life Defense
allenhughes #lifedefense #remove
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The Beatles classic song “Come Together” ends in a refrain of “come together” repeated over and over again. I remember listening to the warm crackle of the needle on vinyl…Ahh such sweet sounds…and why shouldn’t they emphasis this PRINCIPLE of Life Defense. It works!
…today in this cool, almost Spring morning we will be looking at the PRINCIPLE of UNIFY in self-defense and in Life, or Life Defense and how it works in your life.
UNIFY in self-defense is sometimes applied against a rear bear hug. The attacker comes from behind wraps his arms around his unsuspecting potential victim’s arms, and waist, and lifts. In abduction of a child, or weaker smaller person this could be the last time they are ever heard from again as the child is carried to a car and sped off to almost certain death.
In case of assaults on adults the same attacker drives the defender to the ground head first, arms trapped, slamming their head and neck into the road or sidewalk. Ouch!
In either case, the defense is to first UNIFY, by dropping all your weight down toward mother earth, while UNIFYING your arms up against the attackers arms, and yelling. In the case of a child they would also, UNIFY or hook their legs around the attacker’s legs, while screaming as the attacker hobbles, limping one legged, slowly to his car, attracting attention, as onlookers alerted begin responding.
In either case it’s the UNIFICATION that brings release and safety. Why? The magic is in the UNIFICATION of self and attacker. That’s right. We not only UNIFY our body’s strength, timing and focus, in the case of the child hooking legs we UNIFY with the attacker, and the onlookers!
UNIFICATION, works in self-defense and in life, or Life Defense. When we UNIFY with the earth, or the attacker, we are gaining their mass and strength by UNIFYING, or joining it to ours. We are now one, if only for a brief moment, and as one we are ultimately more powerful.
What, or who are you UNIFYING with at work, or at home? If UNIFICATION works one on one, what does it look like to UNIFY with “many to the many?” What can be accomplished?
Look around you. You are either UNIFYING, or not, and the potential, and reality of connectedness exits whether we recognize it or not. Those that see it, and UNIFTY in thought, action or purpose accomplish everything.
It’s not actually that we are disconnected. Everyone and everything is connected. It is rather that we don’t recognize the real connection that already exists, and we don’t do it well. The end result is that we waste energy, or power and are weaker by definition.
So the day to day secret of success, and survival itself is UNIFICATION! Those that recognize that we are connected, and UNIFY, succeed. UNIFY!
Allen Hughes Life Defense
allenhughes #lifedefense #unify
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SYNERGY is a common term used in self-defense and Life Defense. Basically SYNERGY becomes available as soon as we stop fighting and start using the potential, great multiplier. Every time we work together in any fashion with something, or someone else, we have potential SYNERGY.
Described in self-defense it might look like an attacker pushing a smaller defender, when at the last moment the defender SYNERGIZES motion with the much larger, stronger attacker and the attacker in essence stumbles on by. Perhaps the attacker then decides to laugh at themselves and they both go on their way chuckling about the situation… Think of all that potential power…
In the world of Life Defense we might consider all energy a gift just waiting to be unwrapped like a box of chocolates. Think about it…even an attacker has a gift for us. Recognizing this “gift” might be all that is needed.
In fact, ultimate SYNERGY could be the solution to many of the world’s problems. In fact with SYNERGY all around us, why wouldn’t it be the solution to all the world’s problems?
Did you know two oxen pull more weight together than each can pull alone? Also, 2 2X4 boards together are stronger than each separately. SYNERGY!
What if you could look at any person, situation or even conflict and see a multiple of potential power. Why wouldn’t you SYNERGIZE?
Allen Hughes Life Defense
allenhughes #lifedefense #synergy
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In the world of self-defense we constantly look at, or ANTICIPATE potential threats, create training scenarios, and make future decisions based on this ANTICIPATION. Let’s look at the comparison between how we ANTICIPATE conflict, in self-defense to create a safe outcome, and how we might ANTICIPATE creating productive outcomes in every part of our life using Life Defense.
The attacker rushes toward you lunging with a huge push meant to off-balance, surprise and intimidate you with almost certain fists to follow. Yet you have ANTICIPATED this common attack many, many times before and practiced this thousands of times in slow motion, building the myelin sheath around nerves that have increased your speed in response 500 times to that of an untrained defender.
Time slows down, calm, even, conflict breathing kicks in, and you step aside moving offline as the attacker stumbles headlong into a brick wall raising alarm as your voice alerts a group of onlookers who simultaneously start video and calling 911. As the attacker regains his balance he notices several of the crowd moving in behind you and scurries off to find an easier target to assault.
In essence the ANTICIPATION, followed by training has created an outcome of safety. What you ANTICIPATED, and then put you into action, created your future.
In life we too may ANTICIPATE scenarios such as the loss of a job, the death of a loved one, or a career path opportunity that may come available. However, ANTICIPATION is just that, ANTICIPATION.
Without the action, or training, there is predictable outcome also. It works both ways…Just like our defender we can predict, or ANTICIPATE the future outcome by the training focus or lack thereof.
We create our future. ANTICIPATION, with the action of training, is where we decide what that future will be.
ANTICIPATE, and train!
Allen Hughes Life Defense
allenhughes #lifedefense
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REFLECT in self-defense has to do with mirroring the motions, extremities or speed of an attacker. In the case of a front choke the defender mirrors or matches the hands of the attacker to easily push them harmlessly out of the way while escaping.
There is also the REFLECTIVE listening and response a defender uses in LEAPS L.E.A.P.S. an acronym for the technique of “Listening, Empathizing, Asking Questions, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing police officers are trained in, and to use when talking down aggressive persons in volatile situations.
In Life Defense we can easily see it is this REFLECTION to any situation that gives us an advantage when dealing with conflict. “Bob, I hear what you are saying…do you mind me asking…? So what you want is….and if we can accomplish XYZ that might work for you?
In Life we might also REFLECT ourselves and what we actually want to create in our lives, relationships, or businesses. If we can create new outcomes in battle scenarios with aggressive attackers, what is possible in our own lives?
Remember to Listen, Empathize, Ask Questions, Paraphrase, Summarize, and most of all, in life, REFLECT.
Allen Hughes Life Defense
allenhughes #lifedefense
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In the world of self-defense we learn to SHIELD, block, or protect in some manner as potentially harmful blows rein down on us. A scenario of an attacker in full mount position, legs straddling a defender is a dangerous and deadly scenario if the defender does not know how to SHIELD.
In self-defense this is usually done with the hands and arms connected to the head SHIELDING powerful blows as the attacker, with extreme leverage strikes over and over again. To the lay-person watching this may seem brutal and scary. When in fact, there is much, much more at play here…
Let’s take a short trip back in time to 1974, Mohammed Ali, and his famous “rope-a-dope,” technique that regained his title as heavyweight champion of the word! So famous is this technique or strategy that I found it in the dictionary:
“Noun: A method of tiring out a boxing opponent by pretending to be trapped on the ropes while the opponent expends energy on punches that are blocked.”
Ali made this SHIELDING technique famous in the “Rumble in the Jungle” heavyweight championship in 1974 coming in as the former heavyweight champion and beating George Forman in the eighth round by knock out. Touted as perhaps one of the greatest athletic events of all time Ali showed the power of SHIELDING.
Even the aging, former heavyweight champion of the world knew that to survive the 25 year old Forman in this fight, the 32 year old Ali would have to survive long enough against his arguably stronger, younger opponent.
In Life Defense we can see this as attacks come from stronger, younger and more technically enabled opponents every day. I am not necessarily speaking of the greying 50 something year old manager, and the 25 year old graduate entering the professional world of increasingly powerful IT. I am also referring to the 25 year old watching their younger brother or sister skillfully adapt as “native” abilities of technology become part of who they are.
As our world changes and evolves more rapidly this quote seems apt:
A hero is no braver than an ordinary man, but he is brave five minute longer.
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
SHIELD!
Allen Hughes Life Defense
allenhughes #lifedefense
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In this discussion we will consider DISSIPATION as a Life Defense PRINCIPLE to be used in lessening the effects of an attack in self-defense, and inevitable, daily attacks in Life using Life Defense.
First let’s look at a self-defense example. In self-defense when one person attacks with a tackle they are charging at the defender, wrapping their arms around their waist or legs, and driving them to the ground.
One of the most effective self-defenses against a tackle is to block the charge by placing forearms on either side of the attackers shoulders, while “sprawling” (driving your legs backward out of arms reach). This DISSIPATES the forward charge using body weight, and gravity. The result is either DISSIPATING their charge, or slamming them to the pavement face first. Either way, attack DISSIPATED.
In self-defense the attack is fully committed and meant to take someone down as in an assault. In Life Defense daily attacks may come from co-workers, competitors or nowadays even friends in the form of comments made or actions taken that are meant to “take you out” in one form or another.
A common battle ground is social media. Recently a “friend” on Facebook made a political comment to a post I had made on Facebook censoring. I said something like, “If Facebook censors us why are we still here?” His response, and others responses to the question began to escalate and each post in turn was more aggressive.
My post, meant as a discussion, was now a full out battle and since I wasn’t checking into my posts often, when I came back to it my face flushed, my emotions flared, and I began constructing counter attacks in response. However, my the Life Defense training kicked in and I instead began to DISSIPATE the conversation. I asked questions, made simple concise statements of belief and DISSIPATED the situation. Eventually everyone went back to their corners with no one to fight.
The opposite of DISSIPATE is to accelerate, or to intensify a situation. Seldom in self-defense, or life, does acceleration or intensification have a positive outcome. DISSIPATION slows responses, deescalates and makes discussion more available.
Consider DISSIPATION, and who knows maybe you’ll keep more friends and have more constructive discussions on what you care about most.
Allen Hughes Life Defense
allenhughes #lifedefense
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FREEDOM is seen, experienced or “EVIDENT” in each person. The test, or “EVIDENCE” of FREEDOM might be diminished to what they say, what political party they represent, or even particular individual branding. Each of these may scream FREEDOM and yet it’s not that.
FREEDOM is EVIDENT in what people do. In the US we have people that speak of civil rights, the ability for people to vote in a FREE election, or stand in front of 100s of flags taking oaths to defend our Constitution and yet their actions may or may not reflect their commitment to FREEDOM.
Over the past almost 250 years we have had people lead our nation from local state government to legislatures, even to the highest office in the land, and looking back their commitment to FREEDOM is not in what they said, rather in what they did that made the difference in maintaining, and growing FREEDOM in our country.
It is seen in the US with the Founding Fathers and signatures that signed not only the Declaration of Independence it also signed warrants for their execution as traitors if they failed. It can be seen in Mahatma Gandhi and his stand to FREE a nation through peaceful resistance. It can be seen in Mother Teresa in her personal actions for humanity, in Nelson Mandela as a South African anti-apartheid revolutionary, Harriet Tubman who was enslaved, escaped, and set others FREE as a “conductor" of the Underground Railroad, and in Jesus who led believers and non-believers to an understanding of FREEDOM through ultimate sacrifice, and love.
All of these people and many more had words we can read that convey and express FREEDOM. However, in the end it is what they did that mattered.
Today is Inauguration Day in the US and as I write these words for others to read it will be only my commitment to FREEDOM and what I do that gives EVIDENCE . The same is true as one president leaves office this morning. What did he do during his term to promote FREEDOM? Did he do as he said he would do? The answer is yes! Was he a perfect man? This answer is simple. No man is perfect save one. However, was FREEDOM EVIDENT? I believe history will say of this outsider, “Yes.”
As another takes solemn oaths of office this morning history stands waiting to determine if FREEDOM was EVIDENT with this man. What is said is empty if the actions taken are not EVIDENT of FREEDOM.
That being said, in the end it really matters very little what leaders do and say if we do not show EVIDENCE through our actions of FREEDOM. What I do is EVIDENCE of FREEDOM! What will I do and what will you do today?
Allen Hughes Life Defense
REAL FREEDOM!
allenhughes #realfreedom #lifedefense
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All life ADAPTS. In self-defense and in Life Defense ADAPTATION defines who lives and who dies.
In self-defense if one defense doesn’t work we move to a different one. Example: someone grabs us in a bear hug from behind. We drop our weight and begin unifying our body. This usually will break us free from the hold as we move through our hips and circle out.
However, if the attacker is much larger as in a man kidnapping a youth, and begins to lift the child off the ground, they must ADAPT, or be taken to a secondary location where the chance of survival is very, very low.
An ADAPTATION could be made by trapping one leg with both of the youth’s legs, shrugging their shoulders, like when they don’t want to go home after playing with friends and throw a fit, screaming, "Your not my daddy…help, or fire!” This makes the kidnapping more difficult as the attacker limps slowly with one leg obstructed, loosing grip as the child slides through his arms. This all happens as nearby spectators are alerted to intervene, videos start rolling, and people are calling for help.
ADAPTATION in this case defines the defenders ability to live. Since one defense didn’t work ADAPTATION made survival possible.
ADAPTATION in animals is another example of Life Defense. Certain species of wolves are endangered and will not long be roaming free, however dogs are everywhere. Long ago, perhaps by chance, dogs became “our best friend” and now unlike their ancestor they are coddled, fed and bred to assure survival seemingly forever.
In life we find ourselves in changing circumstances of survival always. How will you survive? ADAPT!
Allen Hughes Life Defense
allenhughes #lifedefense
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In self-defense we use the PRINCIPLE of getting OFF-LINE from an attack. This is in contrast to fighting toe to toe, or taking an attack directly, straight on. This allows a much smaller, weaker defender an advantage in any conflict.
Recently FREEDOM of speech in the US, and around the world has been denied to many people. As the rush of powerful platforms, and governments seek to eliminate this basic human right the response of some living in the US has been to virtually “step OFF-LINE” and move to other platforms. This is OFF-LINING.
The end result of OFF-LINING will eventually move FREEDOM seeking people to a safe platform where censoring does not exist, or they will create one that allows them the FREE speech they desire. Simple.
Fighting is not as powerful as coordinated OFF-LINING. Ask the bull.
Allen Hughes Life Defense
REAL FREEDOM!
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In life the very definition of money in its most simple state represents LIFE FORCE. It is what you give your life or time for in exchange for payment. Whether by the hour, project or salary, when LIFE FORCE is given we are compensated by money which we exchange for others LIFE FORCE for food, clothes and a place to live.
This LIFE FORCE is also given in a free society as taxes for which we approve through our voice, debate and eventually law that we agree to abide by.
When our voice, or our freedom of speech, debate and eventual law is taken from us we, by definition are not free. We are slaves and what we are allowed to say, debate and reason, including laws, no longer is a consideration in policies or laws we must live under.
In LIFE DEFENSE then free speech is essential to FREEDOM. Even if we do not agree as a people, this debate effects our LIFE FORCE and FREEDOM. The Forefathers had it right. We must speak to be free.
Control of speech controls conversation, debate and eventually leads to the loss of our LIFE FORCE or enslavement. Restricting free speech is an attack on FREEDOM.
All people need to speak. I will preserve this right for all my brothers and sisters even if I do not agree with them.
Allen Hughes Life Defense
LIVE FREE! STAY FREE!
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OFFLINE is a little different word for most of us. OFFLINE in regular terms might mean to shut off a computer and hit the hay.
OFFLINE in a real sense is super powerful and even by the foregoing definition is a redirection of power and a TRIANGULATION that creates new possibilities. You see even when a switch is switched off on your computer the power is actually diverted back to the grid and becomes available for a light or mixer to be used.
When we “hit the hay” we are actually redirecting our body and functions to rest and rejuvenate ourselves which makes that power available for use not only to heal during our sleep it makes it available for use the next day. OFFLINING is powerful!
In self-defense when an attacker comes straight in for a strike, push, grab or kick smart defenders step OFFLINE so the energy is not absorbed directly and is redirected into a throw or take down. However, there is another perspective that immediately becomes available through TRIANGULATION.
As we OFFLINE we not only get out of the way of an oncoming force we gain an advantage in position to the attacker as they step by and expose their vulnerable vital points. What fractions of a second ago were fists, yells and feet are now kidneys, spine and neck all exposed. These are superior targets and have powerful consequences when made available to the defender.
In Life Defense the same is true both in OFFLINING forceful energy that comes rushing toward us and TRIANGULATING after the vital points are exposed. In both self-defense and Life Defense getting offline preserves a weaker, smaller defender from the raging bull style attack, it also exposes vital points that can be exploited into victory and another day of living.
What will you OFFLINE today?
Allen Hughes Life Defense
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LOVE is powerful and consequently HATE is weak. Jesus said, ...Love your enemies... Matthew 5:44
Whether you believe Him to be the literal Son of God or not doesn’t really matter. His words themselves are powerful. In self-defense we see first in purpose then in application this to be true.
In self-defense LOVING your enemy or attacker vs HATING is also known to be more powerful. When a defender allows HATE to consume them they physically, mentally and emotionally “give away” or waste energy.
Muscles tense, strategies and defensive techniques go out the window and blind furry steps in. The literal loss of energy is a disadvantage. Therefore HATE weakens us. While being at peace through LOVE relaxes muscles, clams breathing and literally makes us faster, focused and more powerful.
In The World of FREEDOM, LOVE is more powerful than HATE!
Allen Hughes Life Defense
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LIVE FREEDOM! STAY FREE!
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In times of trouble, in times of concern, in times of chaos, TRUE WARRIORS of FREEDOM PRAY.
Throughout time Children of God from all beliefs and corners of the planet have called on God by many names, in their own way, and in their own language. Some kneel, some stand, some PRAYERS are aloud, and some are silent. However, the PRINCIPLE is the same. We PRAY.
Consider that every word we speak echos into the ether forever… Even without a belief in God your words have power, more power than a million friends or likes could ever have. In this you cannot be silenced. So PRAY.
I promise to PRAY for my family, brothers and sisters, neighbors, and yes even those that disagree with my beliefs. PRAYER cannot be taken from us. PRAY for FREEDOM!
Allen Hughes Life Defense
The Civil War for FREEDOM
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There is no conflict without HEALING. Let’s define HEALING..."To correct or put right an undesirable situation..."
In self-defense an injury can mean death to a defender if they cannot or do not defend. Period.
Defense then becomes the number one concern for a defender. Defense is essential to keep breathing long enough to HEAL.
I promise to defend all my brothers and sisters rights to FREEDOM and look forward to a day when the attacks subside and we can truly HEAL as a nation.
Allen Hughes Life Defense
The Civil War for FREEDOM
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That’s right! We needed to stop the steal of any election and this one was no different. It is not a matter of who won the election, it is a matter of election integrity.
Everyone should be up in arms about the obvious steal of the 2020 presidential election. That’s right, it is overwhelming that the 2020 US election has been stolen.
Yesterday, I attended one of the 50 or more rallies around the country to stop election fraud. Why should anyone care? Everyone should should recognize that without a free and fair election our country is doomed to live under tyranny in one sense or another.
I promise to never give up on the FREEDOM our country was founded on. I promise to stand for all my brothers and sister’s right to FREEDOM based on TRUE PRINCIPLES and work with other TRUE WARRIORS that stand for FREEDOM till the day I die.
Allen Hughes Life Defense
The Civil War for FREEDOM
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The movement to destroy FAMILY from our central way of life is evident in media, and government and as an agenda of weakening the very thing that we as humans are. FAMILY.
We are being brainwashed that FAMILY as a way of life is an outdated, cumbersome and even stupid, and definitely an un-enlightened way of being.
The commitment to FAMILY worldwide has seen drastic drops in popularity and even the size of FAMILY has been under attack from governments like China.
Millions of babies each year are killed in the name of personal rights. However, the right to not wear a mask is now a crime in some places.
The ability for us as humans to have FAMILIES, and protection of that right is also being undermined. My immediate family alone may break some “gathering restrictions” under the guise of a health concern, let alone our rights as a FAMILY to attend church.
The media rarely portrays FAMILY values as legitimate outside comedic portrayal. While portraying alternative life styles (this term is now forbidden) on a regular basis to represent the “real America.”
The reality is that FAMILY is not only important. It is essential. Period.
I promise to recognize FAMILY as the center of American culture and life. I will speak up when someone refers to FAMILY in derogatory terms or places other agendas ahead of the one institution that is central to America and Life. Family
Allen hughes Life Defense
The Civil War for FEEDOM #lifedefense #allenhughes # civil war freedom
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There’s been a movement to take God from our country. They labeled it “separation of church and state" years ago, and I believe has been misused ever since.
Thomas Jefferson was one of the greatest advocates of religious FREEDOM. His“Act for Establishing Religious Freedom” in 1779 became law Jan. 16, 1786. The bill was a milestone in religious liberty and church-state separation.
Note that the “separation of church and state” and “religious FREEDOM” are used together frequently when referencing this subject. Religious FREEDOM and rights to worship how where and who we may, or to not worship at all, is the obvious intent of these words.
America and is a land of believers, where all believers were given the right to worship how, where, and what they may. Our FREEDOM to believe and worship is one of our greatest founding principles and must be honored.
I promise to honor others beliefs and allow them their right to practice that belief as a citizen of this great land. I will bring God back into my words and actions when speaking, never to be censored, and exercise this right allowing others to do the same.
Allen Hughes Life Defense
The Civil War for FREEDOM
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Could it be said that America is a WARRIOR culture and what does that mean? Born of revolution from England, one of the most powerful nations on the planet at the time, and defined as a central government through the civil war that took 620,000 lives, the foundation of America as a nation was born. American WARRIORS have been at war since our inception for maybe 30 something years all totaled, including two World Wars. All for what? FREEDOM.
Once again, we are not perfect and politics has led us perhaps away at times from this cause, however at the heart and soul of America beats the heart of a TRUE WARRIOR who stands for and maintains FREEDOM at all costs! It’s always been that way.
I promise to stand for our great land as a TRUE WARRIOR not unlike mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers that have stood both on the battlefield and at home for FREEDOM, including in this civil war in which we are now engaged.
Allen Hughes Life Defense
The Civil War for FREEDOM
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DEVOTE yourself to something! In self-defense we literally DEVOTE to a technique, motion or counter, and if we half-heartedly do it any other way the chances of failure go exponentially up. DEVOTION to training also cannot be overemphasized.
In Life Defense a TRUE WARRIOR’S DEVOTION means “mat time” there’s no getting around it, and that might look like training, education, business experience or just fighting your way to the top of the game by learning all there is to know about the particular “game” you hope to win.
Either way DEVOTION plays a part. So if more than a mediocre, mid-level position with sick days and a health plan is what you are looking for, DEVOTE the “mat time,” to master the moves of your particular game, earn the belts and take the bumps and bruises that come along in daily sparring matches to learn DEVOTION! Because anything worth having requires it. DEVOTE!
Allen Hughes Life Defense
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What do you STAND or KNEEL for? In the world of FREEDOM both STANDING and KNEELING have direct reference to the DEVOTION you have in your beliefs and what can be accomplished or what you are willing to give yourself over to. Let’s take a look.
Our DEVOTION to the STAND we take, and the STANDING up we are willing to do has made all the difference in the formation and longevity of our great nation. STANDING for FREEDOM has never been easy. Yet TRUE WARRIORS have stood in the past and will STAND in the future for TRUTH!
This week I STAND for all my brothers and sisters in support of the integrity of our electoral process. This STAND is not about an election outcome, this is about STANDING for our FREEDOMS and never KNEELING in acceptance, or giving my rights over to anything less. Ever.
This day I promise to STAND up and STAND in the battle for FREEDOM in what I say, the things I do and the people I STAND with. I choose to kneel in DEVOTION to my God, beliefs, and family, and support any government that honors this choice!
Allen Hughes Life Defense
The Civil War for FREEDOM
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The fate of a nation, our nation, has always been in our hands. We must as FREEDOM SEEKING TRUE WARRIORS accept this to be a fact. If we abandon this gift it is because of our acts. No other country can have power over us unless we give up.
DEVOTION is a PRINCIPLE of Life Defense. Without DEVOTION to TRUTH we become a nation of lies. We start fresh today and have an opportunity to DEVOTE ourselves and right this country once again, or not. It is up to us. We create our future.
I promise to treasure each moment of FREEDOM and DEVOTE each moment I live to TRUTH. I will treat FREEDOM as precious not wasting minutes as they turn to hours, days, and years in standing for it!
Allen Hughes Life Defense
The Civil War for FREEDOM!
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Those that have lived through 2020 may feel like it is the worst year ever, yet compared to concentration camps, world wars, genocide and mass starvation throughout history we can honestly say we’ve seen things like this before.
Yet, we find ourselves in a civil war and perhaps the next world war brewing going into 2021. What should we do? What if I told you that it’s not what happens to us, it is what we do with it that matters!
The year 2021 marks only the continuation of our CIVIL WAR for FREEDOM. We will not find mainstream media more fair, social media less censoring, pandemic manipulations less intrusive or the swamp completely drained in 2021. So the only question is what will we do? Because the only way we loose is to give up…
As I prepare for the new year, I promise to consider what can be done, and work together with other FREEDOM SEEKING TRUE WARRIORS in new tactics, new strategies and to never, never give up!
Allen Hughes Life Defense
Welcome to 2021 and the continued Civil War for FREEDOM!
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It’s really up to us! We create our lives and reality we are totally responsible for what that is…
As TRUE WARRIORS of America head into 2021 let us not forget. We are a country born of FREEDOM seeking TRUE WARRIORS who are willing to put it all on the line for what we believe, and not compromise our FREEDOM to foreign influence or enemies both inside and outside our country. We stand for our Declaration, Constitution, Bill of Rights and Amendments.
I am proud to be an American, and I promise to stand for our Constitution and our originating documents that made America great for almost 250 years. I promise to defend my rights and my brothers and sisters rights as citizens of the United States of America in the True Spirit of FREEDOM until the day I die and leave a legacy for others that follow of FREEDOM and the American way.
Allen Hughes Life Defense
Welcome to the Civil War for FREEDOM!
lifedefense #allenhughes #civilwarfreedom
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It's time to stop listening to RE-EDUCATION. When discussion, conversation and debate are no longer present what's left is RE-EDUCATION...
I will shut off the media, pull my kids out of schools and leave platforms that do not hold my values and do not promote FREEDOM!
Allen Hughes Life Defense
Welcome to the Civil War for FREEDOM!
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You will know them by their fruits…every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit...
Opportunity is FREEDOM and has proved its “fruits” to be abundantly good. The US is the most successful country of all time and proves that a free country is the only way to accomplish this magnitude of innovation, business, prosperity and abundance.
I will stand with TRUE WARRIORS in defense of FREEDOM, and look to the fruits of FREEDOM as proof that FREEDOM works! Period.
Allen Hughes Life Defense
Welcome to the Civil War for FREEDOM!
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TRUE WARRIOR: Fear is the Enemy D15 CH15
“Today is a good day to die!” Crazy Horses’ battle cry at the Little Big Horn is not only historic, it turns out fearlessly being prepared to die is also a good way to live!
Sun Tzu wrote in the Art of War, “Put them on dying ground that they may live.” In other words if there is no retreat soldiers will fight for their life and live.
In this time where we are threatened with restrictions and ordinances, political agendas and pandemic manipulations know this, they are all based on fear, and it is this fear that is killing us.
I promise to recognize FEAR for what it is, a weapon used against us, and be fearless and willing to die for our FREEDOM rather live under tyranny!
Allen Hughes Life Defense
Welcome to the Civil War for FREEDOM!
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Do you feel UNCOMFORTABLE yet? Do you just want things to be nice once again? Do you long for the days when people were nice and didn’t disagree much, or if they did we just all agreed to not talk about certain things like politics or religion at family get togethers?
...It’s time to reject the lies, reject the platforms, and causes you don’t believe in. It’s time to BE COMFORTABLE BEING UNCOMFORTABLE. Nice and submissive will get you killed. You cannot be nice to thugs. Period. Stand for FREEDOM!
I will speak up and say my beliefs in all places and all times. I will BE COMFORTABLE BEING UNCOMFORTABLE!
Allen Hughes Life Defense
Welcome to the Civil War for FREEDOM!
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TRUE WARRIORS LOVE: DAY 13/ 40 DAYS for FREEDOM!
TRUE WARRIORS of FREEDOM LOVE! A wise man once said the greatest of all commandments is to LOVE God. He followed up that the second was to LOVE each other.
LOVE is such a misunderstood word. In modern times it sometimes takes on interesting meanings in music, and media that confuse the term.
I promise to LOVE my brothers and sisters and will take actions that protect all our FREEDOMS to LIVE. No matter the cost.
I’m Allen Hughes Life Defense
Welcome to the CIVIL WAR for FREEDOM!
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Merry Christmas Eve Eve! That’s what I say every year and this silly play on words expresses my belief and excited anticipation of this holiday I hold dear. I also say Joyous Christmas, and I’ve been known to say Happy Holidays. Additionally, if I know someone is say Jewish I might say, Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukah! I really don’t know the greeting for my Buddhist friends and so I just say, Merry Christmas!
I promise to uphold beliefs of all Americans to worship how, where and what they may as long as their beliefs do not take FREEDOM of others to do the same.
God Bless America!
Allen Hughes Life Defense Evangelist
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The cause of Life and ultimately FREEDOM is a TRUE CAUSE fought by TRUE WARRIORS. This is a war for our families, homes and beliefs. Freedom is Life, and we are in the battle for our lives.
The simple PRINCIPLE here is that first before being an American we are fathers and mothers, sisters and brothers. Government was formed to protect our rights. When it fails at this most basic level it no longer represents our families, and is no longer a government for and by the people. It is instead tyranny.
I promise to:
Recognize that I our government represents more than my rights and beliefs. It stands for FREEDOM SEEKERS everywhere, and loosing our FREEDOM will diminish hope around the world.
Therefore, I will battle tyranny in every place it exists and I will do it for me, my family, my brothers and sisters, my country and the world!
God Bless America!
lifedefense #allenhughes #civilwarfreedom
Allen Hughes Life Defense Evangelist
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Here’s my promise today:
“I promise to create my future by learning from the past, not as some made up version that never was, rather how it really was. I promise to learn from past struggles and battles and honor the future by practicing skills of a TRUE WARRIOR each day and live the Truth of FREEDOM defending it for all!”
God Bless America!
Allen Hughes Life Defense Evangelist
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Went to my first political rally and there was almost nobody there...
Without consensus or agreement, FREEDOM will be lost. We must not allow this to happen. It is with this in mind I make the following promise:
“I will not accept the results of any election that is in question until all questions of a legal and fair election have been solved. Period! I will stand for, write, protest and never be silenced until it is clear these measures have been met beyond reasonable doubt.”
God Save America!
Allen Hughes Life Defense Evangelist
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PROMISE:
“I will not accept the results of any election that is in question until all questions of a legal and fair election have been solved. Period! I will stand for, write, protest and never be silenced until it is clear these measures have been met beyond reasonable doubt.”
God Save America!
Allen Hughes Life Defense Evangelist
lifedefense.net
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Using the PRINCIPLE of DISRUPTION is different than disagreement, argument, or making people wrong. DISRUPTION is a PRINCIPLE of Life Defense. In self-defense this would be either a strike, kick, push, or bump to breaking balance.
DISRUPTION immediately causes off-balancing, refocusing and clarity. If you want to get someone’s attention you punch them in the nose (DISRUPTION), and immediately they are off-balanced, forced to re-focus and gain clarity!
Instead of punching someone in the nose, in Life Defense a simple word can DISRUPT people enough to create results. Since everything is created in word, we will change our words....
It is simple, people that act like terrorists should be called terrorists. This is not a derogatory term, it just is what they are. If they steal FREEDOM, burn flags, use forceful violence with no regard for human life to accomplish their desires they are terrorists. Simple.
We might also DISRUPT the term for media. Media carries a neutral, or even official context, and legitimizes organizations that have obviously been compromised. Opinion is one thing, presenting only one side as news is not.
President Trump has been using DISRUPTION for years. He uses DISRUPTIONS all the time. Some may say he is the master. Recognizing that the media has been compromised he popularized the term fake news. They have hated him for it, yet it accomplished a DISRUPTION that almost everyone recognizes today!
Our point is to understand that organizations that act a certain way should be called out. If the swamp is a good description of old time politicians serving their own interests call them on it.
The point here is DISRUPTIONS off-balance, force refocus, and bring clarity.
One last thought…with the recent discovery of Russia hacking our defense system, Chinese troops training on the US/ Canadian border, and a candidate that hopes to take office compromised to foreign powers, perhaps we are not in a CIVIL WAR now…Instead, could we actually be in WWIII and not even know it!
More on that. For now:
“Today I promise to stop legitimizing media, news and social media platforms and persons, by calling them what they actually are, and if something, or someone acts like a terrorist that’s what I will call them until they change, fire their corrupt leadership, or until they go out of business.”
Allen Hughes Life Defense Evangelist
lifedefense.net
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When will I do this? TODAY!
“I commit to PROTECT my right to free speech by REDIRECTING all my friends and followers to platforms that honor my beliefs!”
If you agree I encourage you to take action today and PROTECT your rights to free speech today by taking action and leaving a comment here today!
Allen Hughes Life Defense Evangelist
lifedefense.net
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Chapter 5 Day 5
CIVIL WAR! What’s Your Plan?
“No battle plan survives contact with the enemy.” This quote by Helmuth von Moltke the Elder, Cheif of Staff of the Prussian army before WWII, sums up where FREEDOM SEEKERS may find themselves today.
Look to your left, and look to your right, not politically rather actually, and this group of 3 will make a difference. The difference in this civil war could be made by not doing anything. No-action has made the difference as many times as action in the world we live in today.
Let’s begin with a simple premise. All the big changes in the world have been made by small groups of people. We sometimes believe that there are huge numbers of people that all agree, think exactly one way, and act in some sort of Star Trekkie version of the Borg. Some younger people may not be familiar with Star Trek or know that the Borg,
“…are cybernetic organisms linked in a hive mind called "the Collective". The Borg co-opt the technology and knowledge of other alien species to the Collective through the process of "assimilation": forcibly transforming individual beings into "drones" by injecting nanoprobes into their bodies and surgically augmenting them with cybernetic components.” Wikipedia
Although we would love to attribute that characteristic to some groups of people today, in this discussion, for now, we’ll call it fiction. No one really believes exactly the same way and therefore this effect for the most part does not exist.
What happens with humans is sort of the opposite. A few thought leaders enroll a small group of people that believe in a similar way and they create plans, work together and move society, governments and transform the world for good, or not so good.
This civil war would be the same. Thought leaders on both sides are planning, enrolling and moving larger groups of people with their ultimate goal in mind. Again, one side is interested in taking freedom, promising to get stuff from the ones that have stuff, or are in the process of getting stuff, and giving it to “the people that want it.” Simple.
What we need is a simple actionable plan and take action. Although our plan will not survive first contact with the enemy, we still need a starting place and then take action. That’s where PRINCIPLES come into usefulness. Tomorrow we will get back to applying PRINCIPLES of Life Defense!
Allen Hughes Life Defense Evangelist
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Questions to ask, and answer yourself...
- What is Life Defense?
We say, "Life Defense is the self-defense for life…"
-
What does that mean?
-
What or what attacks you?
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How does that effect your life?
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Is there ever a time that you are not in opposition, stress, challenge, growth, work, achievement, pleasure or even fun without opposition or conflict, and why?
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Can you achieve anything without opposition or conflict, and if you could, would you want it?
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How much then is opposition or conflict worth to you in you life?
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What happens when you fail?
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What happens when you succeed?
Last week we discussed RE-SOLVING 2020, or your life. This week we ask what are you willing to create for 2021 and the rest of your life and ask...
- Will opposition or conflict be a key factor in the creating and realization of it?
Our premise is that: Everyone lives and dies by PRINCIPLES, and it’s only the WARRIORS that actually prepare for and train in the PRINCIPLES of conflict. By definition that’s what a TRUE WARRIOR does. After all returning from the battle is the only way to measure living PRINCIPLES of Life Defense.
- Will you take on the being of a TRUE WARRIOR by training in PRINCIPLES of opposition or conflict?
Allen Hughes Life Defense Evangelist
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How to Defend Freedom Using TRUE PRINCIPLES!
We are in CIVIL WAR and it’s a different kind of war. At this time, thankfully, we are not shooting muskets in the streets, for the most part. That being said, the conflict is just as real and to win and preserve FREEDOM the conflict must be:
- Fought with the end goal of maintaining FREEDOM for all in mind.
- Fought by TRUE WARRIORS that defend the rights and FREEDOMS of us all.
- Fought using TRUE PRINCIPLES of Life Defense.
PRINCIPLES in this case do not refer to good or bad ways of being. PRINCIPLES have to do with winning. Because in the end, PRINCIPLES win! Conflict and the PRINCIPLES of dealing with conflict never change. They just are.
We have a saying, “Rules were meant to be broken, and PRINCIPLES never change.” You might say, “Allen, how can you say that?” My PRINCIPLES might be different than yours, and nothing is 100% effective, and we must always follow rules, and obey the law!”
My answer is a simple story, I have a friend. His wife was 9 months pregnant and she went into labor. As they drove off from their house to the hospital she informed my friend that she wouldn’t make it to the hospital and the baby was coming NOW! They live in a mountainous area in Utah and my friend put pedal to metal and sped his way to the hospital. The baby was derived in the parking lot and all was well.
Analysis: My friend broke the law speeding his wife to the hospital, and the PRINCIPLE was to PRESERVE the LIFE of his wife and unborn child. PRINCIPLES just are, rules were meant to be broken. PRESERVING LIFE is a basic PRINCIPLE of life!
Since we have some who will give odd, outlying examples of how PRINCIPLES don’t work we will use this simple rule, It’s called the 90% RULE: “PRINCIPLES are things that apply and work 90% of the time, in 90% of circumstances, for 90% of the people, when applied to 90% of conflicts.” Simple.
All Life Defense PRINCIPLES are based on PRINCIPLES of conflict as practiced, and proven in self-defense. The following is an example:
If a 390 pound MMA fighter is running straight toward you, and you brace all 165 pounds of your full frame against his impact by standing your ground. What will happen? You will be knocked to the ground, your head will bounce off the sidewalk and if you are still conscious, he will jump on top of you, in full mount position, and precede to ground and pound your face until you do lose consciousness.
In this example the PRINCIPLE of OFF-LINING becomes very useful. What if instead of bracing and hoping for the best as this highly trained, powerful force of nature is charging like a freight train toward you. Why not step back, circling OFF-LINE and allow the 390 pound MMA fighter to pass on by? For the moment, you’re safe. All his force and mass pass on by by simply “stepping OFF-LINE.
You may say, “Allen, that doesn’t work, prove it!” If you miss the significance of this PRINCIPLE picture instead a matador and a 2000 pound bull with 3 ft horns instead. I was recently in Spain and it looked as though the bull fights were not being held. However, in the days of active bull fighting this maneuver happened all the time and in the end most of the time the poor bull’s life was ended. The scene was an unscathed matador and a frustrated, exhausted, foam soaked, powerful beast being ended by the matador, after all matador translated means “killer.” The scene was the same almost every time as the matador got OFF-LINE over and over again with each charge weakening the powerful beast until he couldn’t go on…
We must learn, and employ these PRINCIPLES of conflict, or Life Defense to win, and winning this CIVIL WAR for FREEDOM is essential. Because without FREEDOM there is no America, and frankly there is no other place to go. America is the FREE world.
Allen Hughes Life Defense Evangelist
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Chapter 3 Day 3
The Two Sides of the Battle! Which Side Are You On?
As we discussed before most battles are based on someone wanting what another has and deciding to take it. Our premise is simple, people on one side of our country say the others side has what they want, and they want to take it.
One example might be pointing a finger at the 1% and saying, ‘They have stuff I don’t have and I want it.” Although overly simplistic, this easily illustrates the point.
It goes something like this, “All of our issues can be solved by those rich people giving me their stuff. This is where clever catch phrases are used like “inequality of wealth distribution, white privilege, or historical, systematic, racism” to justify storming up the hill and taking it from them. Some might say, “After all, they don’t deserve it…I do!”
Don’t be fooled, this is a very sexy argument, and on one side of the battle they use it over and over again. “It’s obvious, if I don’t have what they have, it can’t be my fault, it’s got to be theirs. If I put this person in office they said they’d give it to me. I voting for that person!”
It shows up in many ways from entitlement programs, to taxes, to full out reparations.
In short this amounts to bribery. “We will take from the rich and give to the poor. After all, they obviously have somehow stolen it from us.”
The only problem with this argument is that it never was theirs. The wealthy for the most part in this country are first generation and a large percentage are immigrants that worked really hard to earn it. Although this narrative does not serve their purpose of pointing to generations of wealth gathered from enslaving the masses.
People on the other side of the battle believe you get to keep what you make, and you decide what to do with it. Freedom.
This discussion can go round and round, I rely and very intelligent people like Ben Shapiro, and Candace Owens to explain this further. That is what they do best. For now we will leave this discussion as you have by this point determined which side of the battle you are on.
Don’t get me wrong, as an American I believe in your FREEDOM to believe the way you believe, and I will defend your right to it as long as it doesn’t take FREEDOMS from others.
Our discussion is just that. Defending the FREEDOMS of people as long as they do not take FREEDOM from others. FREEDOM is what our country was founded on and FREEDOM, although messy and imperfect at times, is true and comes from God.
Our country the Constitution, Bill of Rights and Constitutional Amendments were meant to do just that. Preserve FREEDOM! The point is, even if we all don’t agree, as Americans we do agree to protect each other’s FREEDOMS!
Tomorrow we will discuss how to take action and defend all our FREEDOMS. Because none of us are FREE unless all of us are FREE!
Allen Hughes Life Defense Evangelist
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In this podcast Allen Hughes presents what actually is occurring and why we are truly in a civil war. Consider that:
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Equally divided as to political ideologies.
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Those two ideologies are quite different.
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Supposedly we have hundreds of thousands dead and no politician could have prevented that. Pointing fingers has never saved a life.
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Foreign entities are taking sides.
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Large companies are supporting political agendas.
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Media is polarized and has not only swayed the outcome has done so with special considerations and will drive future outcomes.
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Family is against family and friend against friend in furious debate and fear of reprisal.
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The overthrow of the Constitution i being supported from the inside of the government.
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Citizens freedoms have been taken away.
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Deployment has been initiated against citizens while standing down, at times nothing has been done in regards to rioting, burning and killing in the streets.
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Legal recourse is politically driven.
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Local government is not protecting local citizens and has not listened to church leaders, conservative organizations and businesses.
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State governments have not accepted assistance from the Federal Government at the cost of life, property in intimidation.
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Local Government has circumvented the Constitution.
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Being born American has become a crime.
Allen Hughes Life Defense Evangelist
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The concept of battle is not a new concept, and in fact it most battles happen for the same reasons since in the beginning of time. Someone has something someone else wants and decides to take it.
Our current civil war, and I will attempt to enroll you that that is exactly what this is, is no different. Americans have freedom and about half of us would like to keep it and the other half would like to take it away. We will let you decide on which side is which.
However, this is not a diatribe on who is right, and who is wrong. Throughout this book we will focus on what is actually happening based on the principles of FREEDOM this Country was founded on and let the reader decide.
In the first section we will look at what is going on, and let you see if we are truly in civil war, or just a national difference of opinion. We will refer to communities of people, political organizations and actions on both sides and let you judge for yourself if we are truly in The Civil War for FREEDOM!
In the second section of this book we will focus on what you might do to take peaceful action to maintain your FREEDOM. That’s right, because we will focus on the defensive aspects of battle that maintain life, family and inherent rights as humans to survive and maintain this FREEDOM that has made America so great.
Throughout this book we will inject Life Defense PRINCIPLES and how reality based strategies of battle proven over millennia, not in theory, rather in actual combat with your very existence as proof that they work. We will give strategies you can implement today that will Save Life, your life and maybe your FREEDOM today.
Another thing that makes this book highly applicable to the current situation we are experiencing in the US, and around the world, is that it is being written in real time. This book is not only based on what is happening now, it is happening in real time!
You, are a part of history and we want your input! You will receive overviews, ideas and full chapters as they are produced each day and discussion about how they effect your life at that moment and how Life Defense may be applied in the moment, discussed, criticized, scrutinized, blocked and “fact checked” to death all the way along. How you ask…?
Because we will release this book one chapter each day to the public for consumption and gut wrenching critique though a blog, vlog, podcast and posts. So feel free to like it, hate it, disagree with it and rip it to shreds. Because all the way along it will keep improving through your input to be published on January 20th, 2021. Thats right US Presidential Inauguration Day!
Yes! This book will discuss the real time Civil War for FREEDOM in the USA, and how each one of us we fought to keep it within 40 days! It will be accompanied by the “40 Day and 40 Night Challenge” Do something to keep your FREEDOM in AMERICA today!
Who am I and what are my lengthy credentials to write this book? How many PhDs to I hold? What special government office have I held? How many books have I published…?
My credentials are that I am an American, a father, a grandfather, a believer in God, and have had 36 years of experience teaching people how to defend themselves. I believe in TRUE PRINCIPLES and believe that we are what makes America great! Period.
If this is the last thing I do I pray that God finds this book we write together worthy, and if we save just one life, it will make my life worth being lived!
Allen A Hughes Life Defense Evangelist 12.11.20
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RESOLVE or RE-SOLVE could easily be separated into RE-SOLVE. RE as in redo, re wind, re figure means to do again.
SOLVE is to find an answer to, explanation for, or means of effectively dealing with (a problem or mystery).
In self-defense we RE-SOLVE, and in fact our complete purpose and industry is all about RE-SOLVING, by effectively dealing with problems. The problem being someone attacking us and our RE-SOLVE is by definition how we deal with the obvious problem of flying fists, choke holds, knives and guns.
In my life I’ve had countless RE-SOLVING moments. In most people’s lives, daily conflicts, dealing with this deadline, that manager, the kids, and of course COVID is obvious. In fact our minds are constantly RESOLVING issues in navigating traffic, walking across icy surfaces, and even getting out of bed upright and maintaining balance throughout the day. All essential, and all RE-SOLVING.
RESOLVING my life is another matter. Now there is a problem or mystery. Personally, being adopted which meant changing mothers at 18 months, riding the train across the country from California to Virginia and being given a new set of parents and a new way of life. RESOLVING my rebellious teen years, raising 4 kids and RESOLVING a divorce only to raise 4 more step kids and RE-SOLVE another marriage and several business failures, a near death aortic dissection, 2 suicide attempts by family with one success, and now 19 grandkids at 61 years old in December!
What’s next? RESOLVING this upcoming year. Just as warriors gain experience from each battle, improve their skills and pass them to the next generation, we too as Life Defense WARRIORS must RESOLVE our lives after countless battles of life. As does each human on planet earth.
However, the real difference between regular people and TRUE WARRIORS is their commitment to train, to enter the battle again and be unafraid of injury or even death in the face of challenges and battles yet to fight. This is where we make our plans, and determine how we will be victorious in 2021. However, “No plan survives first contact with the enemy.” Nineteenth-century Prussian military commander Helmuth van Moltke
Still, in 2021 you have training, training brought about by life itself, and additional training in Life Defense. So make plans, and they might succeed, or they may fail. Fight battles and you may win, or not. To me, both are possible and prerequisite to life.
It them is the RESOLVE you have that makes all the difference. RESOLVE to train, practice, fail and do it all again. As you enter 2021 RESOLVE to always RE-SOLVE your life. RESOLVE.
Allen Hughes Life Defense Coach
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MAINTAIN in self-defense is all about MAINTAINING position, balance, safety, and center.
When someone attacks us what we MAINTAIN is what we keep. We keep our position and the rushing attacker cannot take us down. We MAINTAIN our balance and we do not trip or fall. We MAINTAIN our safety and bad stuff doesn’t happen to us. We MAINTAIN our center and we can move powerfully!
MAINTAIN in Life Defense is the same:
What we MAINTAIN we keep. MAINTAINING our position can be translated to MAINTAINING our rights as citizens, community members or even our voice through freedom of speech.
We can MAINTAIN our balance as changes in government positioning of agendas and changes in policy effect our personal lives.
MAINTAINING our safety can be as simple as preparation for changing times, and anticipating shortages, restrictions, lockdowns etc…and
MAINTAINING our center in the middle of global change, travel restrictions and policies so that our “movement” is powerful and remains intact amidst social differences and change.
FREEDOM is MAINTAINED by us personally, not given to us, and not granted to us. Viktor Frankl a survivor of the holocaust, and author wrote in Man’s Search for Meaning, “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way.”
If this is the ultimate FREEDOM, then we MAINTAIN it, it is ours. FREEDOM is ours to MAINTAIN. If we lose it, it is ours to lose.
Allen Hughes Life Defense Coach
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CREATE in self-defense is always actively happening. In the first place, we create our environment by the choices we make. If one chooses to go into a risky environment, staying out late at night, attending parties where people are possibly under the influence, venturing there alone, without telling anyone where they’ve gone and when to expect to return, that person has literally CREATED an environment that includes the possibility of danger, injury and even death.
Aside from the environment we are CREATING at any given moment we also CREATE what an attack means. Meaning a defender doesn’t choose to be attacked most of the time. However, the defender does get to choose what it means to them. Do they CREATE fault or blame and do they CREATE themselves as a victim, or powerful survivor? What we CREATE is always 100% our own choice and that is the most powerful choice of all.
In Life Defense we CREATE also. What environment do we choose to enter? Do we CREATE a team huddle, or zoom as we are now accustomed, into a complaint gauntlet, or a Monday morning drudgery even before it starts? For that matter do we CREATE the people with which we interact as competent team members with super powers, or slackers and gossips?
In the realms of self-defense, and Life Defense, it is pristinely obvious that we not only CREATE outcomes through choices and set up survival possibilities through those choices, we also CREATE the ultimate outcomes by CREATING meaning after an event has occurred. Always!
This ream of CREATION is powerfully, misunderstood and seldom implemented. Consider this, if we took on the CREATION of every environment we entered, CREATED the meaning actively, and CREATED the people we interact with in every situation, what would our life look like? Perhaps our life would look more intentional, more productive, and possibly occurring with more ease.
It’s time to view our lives as a CREATION we decide on, and CREATE our lives each day. CREATE.
Allen Hughes Life Defense Coach
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RELEASE in self-defense falls squarely as one of the most important things that can be learned, especially as a weaker or smaller defender, to defend and preserve life. The ability to release in some arts such as Hapkido may contain upwards of 100 variations just for wrist RELEASE alone.
RELEASES may come in many forms, and use many principles of self-defense such as circling, dropping, and either expanding or contracting movements. Example: a man grabs a woman around the waist in a park to abduct her and transport her to a secondary location. This is a very serious scenario due to the fact that only a small percentage of abducted individuals ever survive secondary locations.
The woman drops her much smaller frame and weight, unifying speed accelerated through gravity with the earth, driving her hands upward to stress the large man’s arms as her body commits every last pound of weight downward. Simultaneously she screams and alerts near by picnickers that start yelling and moving to see what’s going on. As she breaks from almost certain death she takes her new “lease” on life and runs toward freedom. The outnumbered assailant turns, jumps into his van and speeds off.
In Life Defense we might draw many comparisons to this scenario. There is probably nothing to be gained from a violent relationship, or a relationship that is going somewhere you don’t want to go. The RELEASE then is an escape from death, injury and trauma.
How soon should a defender act? As soon as possible! You see if our defender would have waited, hesitated or went along with small complaints never RELEASING, she would more than likely be dead. Period.
RELEASE then is a clean break, there is no time to wonder. The time for wondering is gone. RELEASE in self-defense is a decision made long ago. If this happens… I will do this. RELEASE occurs as a function of practice based on principles of defense and preservation of life practiced thousands of times.
Why then in life are we caught off guard, responding slowly or not at all when principles of life are threatened? Bad projects turn to nightmares, violent relationships into ongoing abuse and circumstances normally unacceptable are accepted and continue on.
In Life Defense as in self-defense the best, most effective, and most efficient time to RELEASE is immediately, in the moment, practiced through an understanding of principles of conflict.
If a principle is being ignored…RELEASE yourself from that activity! If a wrong is being done…RELEASE from it immediately! If something just isn’t based on true principles it may be time to RELEASE it.
I like to think of the world RE-LEASE…Meaning RELEASING early gives us a RE-LEASE on life!
Allen Hughes Life Defense Evangelist
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Google says, PIVOTAL-POINT is something “of crucial importance in relation to the development or success of something else: the alliance that played a pivotal role in the revolution.”
In self-defense PIVOTAL-POINTS are found to be just that. In relation to the whole body a hip joint, an elbow, or a shoulder joint can move a much larger opponent exponentially compared to the same force used in a general chest, leg or body area.
We learn very quickly that all parts of an opponents body are NOT created equally. Applying pressure to certain areas of the body “hinges” the motion due to the fact that that point is PIVOTAL in moving the body in normal operation. If you are wondering if this is true, wonder no longer, and look no further, as a Jiujitsu Kimora or Americana is applied to the shoulder and elbow joint of a would be attacker. Not only does the arm move relatively easily, or PIVOTALLY into position, the pressure applied to those joints causes extreme pain. Soon the attacker is tapping or screaming for relief even from a much smaller, weaker defender.
In Life Defense we see this as well. In my life I’ve seen how some PIVOTAL POINTS move larger projects, people and initiatives much easier than others.
Today is Election Day in the US, and this time around we have perhaps the most contested election in modern history. Which ever side you choose there will be a consequence. Never the less, which ever side of the fence you might fall, there is a PIVOTAL-POINT the whole world is observing as the most powerful nation in the world is split almost down the middle.
Still, the power that comes from being a voice, a vote or a conversation has driven us to this outcome. Perhaps the PIVOTAL-POINT was made months ago in cafes across the country pre-COVID, or years ago in “liking or not liking” a particular candidate for the way they talk or the style of their hair. When ever this happened in our lives it was PIVOTAL and now with voting happening tomorrow it will make a difference.
Our conversations each day make a difference in PIVOTAL-POINTS of decision. None of these world changing decisions will be made made just today, tomorrow or whenever the post marked ballot says. They were made each year, month, day, hour and second along the way. The question is if these decisions were made from principles of truth or whims conjured up in the moment of passion.
As self-defense people we take on what works. Period. Does this technique work 90% of the time or not? We may execute a jump spinning, 360 degree hook kick as our technique of choice. Although beautiful we may fall on our butt and suffer brutal defeat. On the other hand, just stepping back and allowing the person to trip on past us might gain our escape to live another day. Either way we choose PIVOTALLY each day and in fact each moment.
The question we should ask is are we choosing by principles in the moment of conflict or using something else to make our PIVOTAL choice. Choose well each moment, and see because as you choose moment to moment, hour to hour, day to day those PIVOTAL-POINTS determine our outcome. Because we choose PIVOTALLY, always!
Allen Hughes Life Deense Evangelist
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DISCERN in self-defense comes in many forms. We DISCERN a circumstance when an attack is imminent, such as a sideways glance and aggressive movement. We DISCERN when, and how we need to react when someone else is being attacked. We DISCERN when our weirdo meter goes off and when someone, or something just doesn’t seem right.
DISCERN can be a life saver in almost any situation of self-defense and it has of course a parallel application in LIFE DEFENSE. How do we DISCEN between a joke and harassment? What is the difference between a well meaning suggestion and dark criticism? Who is out to get you and who can be trusted? Our mind does weird stuff conjuring up outside demons lurking in the shadows and yet perhaps it is the things we do, the choices we make, and the lack of DISCERNMENT we actually incorporate in our lives that make the biggest difference. That’s right, we can be our own worst enemy and many times we are!
Who I am as a person and what my life experience is for the most part determined by me. “But Allen, what about all the bad people who are out to do me wrong?” Yes people do bad things, we grow up in less than desirable circumstances, we are attacked, harassed, cheated and ridiculed by others form time to time, as any kid will tell you. Just he act of growing up can be tough, and still we create our world every minute of everyday.
So it is this DISCERNMENT that makes the biggest difference. What we choose to think about ourselves, our life and our circumstance will always be the biggest factor, not what others say, or do to us.
Therefore we must always choose, or DISCERN what things mean to us! What does it mean when my boss smiles in a funny way? Is he getting ready to fire me, could it be true he just doesn’t like me, or does he just have gas? All of the above fall in the realm of DISCERNMENT.
So maybe, it would be better to observe what our boss and people around us are actually doing before taking them down in and arm lock, and slamming their face into the sidewalk. DISCERNMENT should not be confused with what we think someone is thinking, rather observation of what they are actually doing, before acting.
DISCERNMENT is ours alone and exists in our mind. DISCERNMENT is our choice, and responsibility. When it comes to our life, DISCERNMENT creates the reality we live into. DISCERN!
Allen Hughes Life Defense Evangelist
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RECOVER in self-defense is essential in several different ways. The deliberate act of RECOVERING is obvious to anyone who has been through a physical attack. Boxers, and MMA fighters take weeks off to recover in between fights.
RECOVERING within the conflict/ battle is also highly important. A Jiujitsu fighter will sometimes seem as if they are resting for long periods of time when pinning, or maintaining position in a match. They are. The great Brazilian professors teach this easy, relaxed pace to their students for that very purpose.
RECOVERING in Life Defense of course parallels these situations in everyday life. Without rest and deliberate disengagement from the battle, the average person will “tap out” to the constant pressure of daily life, let alone major projects and tasks.
I myself am working on a presentation right at this moment. My eyes keep blurring, my yuans come frequently, and I am ready for a power nap. Why? Am I just Old? Maybe, hang on I’ll be back in 20 minutes…
That’s better! Why? Because I was up at 5:45am following several hours of coaching last night, and I needed to RECOVER!
When we work or play to the point of exhaustion it might be too late….RECOVER before, during and after the battle. Without RECOVERY we waste time and effort, we do things over multiple times, we make mistakes, and it actually takes us much longer to do what we need to do, so nothing is gained by working to exhaustion.
Think of the fighters. To be at top level of performance is so important that without it they might not only loose their title to a much more rested opponent, they could die.
So isn’t this the point? We work so hard to create a safe, profitable life and yet it is all on the line when we don’t give ourselves time to RECOVER.
Plan your RECOVERY to be before, during and after the battle and…RECOVER!
Allen Hughes
Life Defense Evangelist
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DEFLECTION in self-defense is actually to avert something from happening. If a fist swings wildly toward your head the DEFLECTION keeps it from landing. This term is a synonym of DIVERT and yet has a slightly different meaning.
DEFLECTION redirects, and yet in the sense of useable energy the redirected threat may not be practically reclaimed. An example that comes to mind is a bullet. Yes the bullet is “redirected” by the steel barrier yet it actually occurs as a DEFLECTION.
This DEFLECTION in Life Defense may be mental, emotional, or verbal bullets headed for vital organs of your time or goals , and the damage that results is lost time, lost focus, lost productivity in things that really matter in life.
If DEFLECTION is then a matter of DEFLECTING the dangerous or even unnecessary in life then it follows advise given from icons such as Steve Jobs, or Bruce Lee. Bruce Lee said, “It is not daily increase but daily decrease, hack away the unessential. The closer to the source, the less wastage there is.” In our definition it could also be said as the “DEFLECTION of the unessential.”
A Life Defense mantra then would be to DEFLECT those things that could damage us like deadly penetrating “bullets,” aimed at vital points of our body. DEFLECTING those little daily bullets, keeps us on track in life!
These distractions may come dressed in the innocent garb of doing good by attending a benefit event, watching the well deserved entire season of Game of Thrones, or allowing a friend to vent their frustrations at the current policies or actions of the media or government for hours on end.
This is where you must decide. What do you really stand for and what needs to be DEFLECTED. DEFLECT!
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In self-defense DIVERTING an attack away from being overwhelmed, protecting vital points, and redirecting sheer force and energy is essential.
Additionally, DIVERTING can take the form of escape, dissipation, redirection into a throw, disruption and more. For our discussion today we will discuss its energy DIVERTING characteristics as attacks and defenses.
When an attacker intends to tackle or takedown an opponent a skilled wrestler will DIVERT the force of the tackle by sprawling legs back, exerting pressure on the head, neck and shoulders, and effectively driving the energy of the attacker down to the ground.
In reality the force is merely being DIVERTED. The attacker provides ALL the energy and the defender redirects that energy to the ground. Wrestling mats are padded for a reason, the DIVERTED energy is so powerful, and the would-be attacker is driven down with such force, the DIVERSION many times smashes their head into the mat, and causes a stunned submission as the defender adds insult to injury falling full force on the back of their head.
A throw is similar. In effect, the attacker provides all the energy and BOOM! The would-be attacker sees stars for a week.
In Life-Defense we see many examples of DIVERTING energy in our daily life. Social media comes to mind.
To DIVERT is to turn something from it’s course. What in life is DIVERTING you? Is it Netflix, video games, football, or food? Whatever your chosen vise that takes you off your stated course of success and happiness is just that shinny object DIVERSION once again!.
The reality is that very little force moves huge objects, objectives and wins major battles. How? DIVERSION!
In my life, in the past, it took very little to DIVERT me from the most important tasks. A good movie, chocolate cake or a pretty smile and swoosh, I found myself flat on my back, with a big old headache and way off course.
The opposite is also true. It takes very little effort to DIVERT people from what’s important in life and in business, and those DIVERSIONS change the course of history. Consider that media is by definition a DIVERSION, mostly not reporting, designed to redirect our course.
DIVERT or be DIVERTED it all ends up the same. Understanding DIVERSION is the key. On a different path, trajectory or on your back? You choose!
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Be AWARE or Beware of Your Focus
Be AWARE that your focus is, by definition, and for the most part all you can see. I am an aortic dissection survivor. After countless interviews with other survivors I have found an extreme AWARENESS, or focus on survival following this life threatening event.
Our stories are very similar. Most of us are very lucky to be alive, and by some miraculous experience we still are! For that reason alone we seem to have an AWARENESS of death, dying and life that others may never quite understand, and with it, a laser focus on survival.
In combat this focus is essential for some positions, like snipers. The sniper must focus on their target and nothing else, sometimes for days on end. The precision with which they focus defines their success.
Although perfect for initial healing and concentrated recovery, this pinpoint laser focus may be all we see. In self-defense we also need a “big picture” AWARENESS, or wide focus to determine what is happening on a busy city street, or dark parking lot. Being AWARE is the number one priority in self-defense. This big picture AWARENESS will save your life.
In Life Defense we draw from principles found in self-defense. Why? Because principles of conflict never change. Being AWARE is a good example.
Surviving death long enough to write or speak these words took extreme laser focus. Without laser focus you wouldn’t be reading or hearing any of this. And, to live on I’ve got to focus on the things that have gotten me this far.
However, if I remain laser focused on my near death experience staring at my little brown bottle of little white pills, or find myself telling “that story” several times a day, am I truly living? For me, it was deciding to live my life and not my disease that changed everything!
I am AWARE now of the big picture of life and living! Do I still think about it? Yes. Do I still wonder when I’m going to die? Not as much these days. I had to Be AWARE of my focus. The kicker for all of this, and the single best cure for all of it was assisting others to do the same, meaning to “live their life and not their disease!”
The simple truth is that no one knows how long they have to live. So, here’s my new AWARENESS and focus…”Every moment not living is a waste of time. I vow to live as long as I live, as BIG as I can, and save the dying for later!”
Allen Hughes
Life Defense Evangelist
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SYNCHRONIZE in self-defense is the actual physical coordination of power that facilitates a smaller, weaker defender to defend against a much larger, stronger opponent.
In any self-defense or fighting match common reason would say that the larger, and stronger opponent wins hands down, and in most scenarios this is absolutely true. Yet time and time again we see numerous YouTube videos where a seemingly outmatched defender defeats these Goliaths in short order.
Magic? No. Smoke and mirrors? No. Superior skill? Possibly, and yet the number one factor is SYNCHRONIZATION. Those that master this principle gain an incredible advantage actually as a gift from their attackers.
Unbelievable? Let’s look at a simple example of man versus machine. What if an average man or woman faces off against a car, standing in the middle of the road, feet squared and immovable as the car drives full speed into them. Even the strongest strongman in the world would be killed or at least hospitalized correct…? Not if they step out of the way…SYNCHRONIZE!
Additionally, SYNCHRONIZATION has proved itself in the bull ring (when they used to have bull fights). The matador would SYNCHRONIZE their motion with a bull weighing as much as a ton. The tiny little matador would in essence borrow the energy of the much larger, much stronger bull, and use this energy to the point of exhausting the ferocious beast, and well, “matador” means “killer” so you figure it out…
This SYNCHRONIZATION is the great equalizer. Actually the more SYNCHRONIZED any motion is the more powerful it becomes. It literally uses the motion, strength and power from the opposing force and “blends” it with the motion, multiplying the defender’s power exponentially.
In Life we SYNCHRONIZE all the time. We wouldn’t be alive if we didn’t. That being said, it’s by degrees and most of us prefer to fight. You see fighting is the opposite of SYNCHRONIZATION. “Not fighting” is the way we actually multiply power. Fighting decreases power. Always.
The other day my son was really upset about something his mom wasn’t saying to the neighbor. Turns out her cherry bush had been picked clean. My son thought it was her grandkids that did it. He was upset, she was upset, and he wanted someone to face off and tell them off. Fight on!
It was up to me to SYNCHRONIZE this fight ready tension by having an enrolling discussion with them both. My wife went over, had a conversation, and before you knew it the neighbor was over visiting and bringing treats. Power, cooperation and friendship maintained? Yes!
So the next time you really want to “power up” in any situation, think about SYNCHRONIZING. Do it first, do it fast and see. SYNCHRONIZE, is the power accelerator! SYNCHRONIZE!
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AWARE is so important in Self-Defense. AWARENESS of surroundings, circumstances, friends and even some relatives can save your life.
Just the act of being AWARE is arguably one of the top items on any good self-defense top 10 list. Those that are AWARE survive because they see, hear, smell, touch and sense things that others do not.
In a world of “screen time” we see potential victims everywhere, faces in phones, giggling about the newest YouTube fail video, social media trend, TicToc, or just playing games. Whether running into poles, walking into traffic or getting stalked, these would-be targets are always in the world of UN-AWARE.
In Life Defense we see it too. The media has 24/7/365 1/4 day access to our attention, if we let it, and therefore has the largest sway on our purchases, attention, and opinions. In so many ways, media keeps us so UN-AWARE that we are UN-AWARE that we are UN-AWARE.
In previous centuries being UN-AWARE would get us eaten by a tiger, killed by ambushing marauders, or captured and sold into slavery. It is time we open our eyes, ears, and senses wider. There are tigers all around us and we just don’t know it.
The very essence of the two word warning is “BE AWARE” and its counter part of course is BEWARE. So…
Beware AND Be AWARE!
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CIRCLE is a fascinating principle of Life Defense! In self-defense no motion occurs without it. The very way we move our joints requires CIRCLING. In fact, it could be argued no linear motion occurs without CIRCLES.
CIRCLES allow us to get out of the way of an oncoming attack and puts us into a superior position as we CIRCLE around an opponent to neutralize a fist, kick or body coming toward us.
In Life Defense the same is true. Head on conflict resolution always, always gives away energy and sometimes causes harm to the defender. Imagine going straight into flying fists or not stepping offline and CIRCLING as an oncoming strike heads for your nose.
In self- defense if an initial large CIRCLE doesn’t work a series of small ones effects great change. It is truly these small things that make a difference. Consider, great change then is brought about by small CIRCULAR motions repeated again and again.
In the application of CIRCLING we also include more than one dimensional flat CIRCLES. The term CIRCLE also evolves into expansive spheres and spirals giving infinite dimension and possibility. The wedding ring is a forever symbol as is the infinity sign to represent ongoing relationship. This Eternal aspect brings us into application in Life.
Where in self-defense we CIRCLE to infinite possibility of motion. In Life Defense the very nature of our lives is represented and lived in CIRCULAR learning, viewing new perspectives and insight from each interaction of conflict.
In life we experience disease, limited health, loss of income or even other people attacking us straight on more and more everyday. Consider, instead of going toe to toe, CIRCLING takes us out of dangerous paths and into another position and another point of view.
In my life I’ve had a serious near death health condition hit me straight on. I found myself in an ICU recovering and thinking there is no way to power though, there is nothing to meet head on, I am here after the battle with a 12 inch scar down my chest and barely able to stay conscious. Time to CIRCLE and CIRCLE I did.
I had to learn how to stay awake, focus and consider what my life would be like from that point on. For a year or so I couldn’t even do things I had previously done. Being a Life Defense expert was all of a sudden, different! The doctor said, no more 350 lb. guys jumping on my chest. CrossFit was probably out, and all self-defense programs would have to start over again.
Turns out I had to CIRCLE get out of the way of the oncoming attack, and look at it from another angle. You see when you CIRCLE an opponent or in this case my life threatening condition, a new angle emerges from the new viewpoint and the possibilities are endless. Looking at it from this new viewpoint brought me to the conclusion what I was experiencing was battle. I had gotten bludgeoned by a 350 lb. MMA monster, so to speak and I was still alive!
When you have a 350 lb. attacker running straight for you, it’s not brave to stand toe to toe, it’s just stupid.
Instead, CIRCLE, which takes you out of the way, and get a new perspective, a new angle, a new vision for how to deal with any monster that comes running toward you in life.
In my life, that’s actually where Life Defense came from. CIRCLING…
Every circle has a beginning and the end brings us around to discover another perspective of truth, living, learning and the CIRCLE of life again!
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OFF-BALANCE is the way redirection happens, motion happens, and new possibilities arise!
OFF-BALANCE in self-defense is the way throws are accomplished.
Professor Jigoro Kano the founder of Judo sometimes is best known for the colored belt system in martial arts. He also is known for his demonstrations of Kazushi or breaking balance, to accomplish the powerful throws found in Judo. He taught that literal OFF-BALANCING of an opponent creates motion and allows for redirection or throws.
This is done by pushing, pulling, bumping or using a small circular motion to achieve a step, or OFF-BALANCING motion to redirect or throw an opponent. After OFF-BALANCING, a larger circular body motion takes control of the opponents center and down they go!
This principle of OFF-BALANCING relates to Newton's third law of motion which states, An object in motion tends to stay in motion, and an object at rest tends to stay at rest, unless acted on by an unbalanced force. This simple scientific law has Life Defense application too.
In life if I do not OFF-BALANCE or break balance I cannot move an opinion, a goal, or an unproductive habit or way of being in myself or others. OFF-BALANCING then becomes the genesis of change and transformation in others, and in self.
In the world right now we see OFF-BALANCING in the form of riots, political stratification, pandemic response, and the very way we interact and live our lives.
This is OFF-BALANCING is deliberate and will cause redirection into a new existence. Don’t be fooled, OFF-BALANCING is always present. When we notice our balance being broken, it is already too late. It is literally the throw we are sensing and as our world is redirected we are actually being thrown into another existence.
As an example of application, in my life if I really want to change my mindset from victim to warrior I’ve got to OFF-BALANCE something in my life. Whether that is shocking myself with a cold shower at 5am, putting myself into a rigorous coaching program, or creating a non-profit to end world hunger. I’ve got to OFF-BALANCE to redirect and throw myself into a new existence.
Remember, without OFF-BALANCING nothing really moves. Even the steps we take to walk across the lawn require us to literally loose our balance as weight is transferred into falling forward, or what we call walking.
Some say the only constant is change. Change is the result of OFF-BALANCING. The question is what new existence are you being thrown into today?
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VITAL-POINT is where the least amount of energy makes the biggest difference in a VITAL way.
In self-defense VITAL-POINTs are where we strike and effects us as either a switch or timer. Meaning they either immediately make a drastic effect, like a switch, or over a short or longer period of time, they slow and eventually stop the attackers ability to attack, like a timer.
An example would be the throat, heart, hamstring, or solar plexus as a VITAL-POINT switch. When disruption occurs at these points immediate reaction, like a switch happens. The threat is neutralized in some fashion and the defender can break free or escape.
In Life Defense a VITAL -POINT in some cases may be the Internet cord or the wall power source. If gaming is threatening someones ability to live a functional life, or pornography is attacking their ability to move on with essential family living, disconnection of a cord is a VITAL-POINT disruption.
We spend a lot of time determining what is best to do. Focusing on VITAL-POINTS in any endeavor whether it’s deciding to live, how to interact with family, friends, coworkers or a person on the street… Even if nothing is said, understanding and listening from a VITAL-POINT position can turn a hostile circumstance into something else. What is that person actually saying, or meaning in the way they are acting? Getting to the VITAL-POINT of what they actually stand for is VITAL.
In life if you find yourself laying in bed because you choose to stay there, not because of physical limitations, and it is effecting your ability to live, get up, and walk out and don’t stop walking, moving or doing until it’s time for legitimate rest or being there.
A VITAL-POINT switch might be to leave the room and ask someone to lock the door, or open the windows and let the cold breeze blow right on the bed. This VITAL-POINT disruption or switch may be all that is needed to save your life.
But Allen, what about health issues and bed rest as a requirement? If bed rest is essential to living, stay in bed! That is not the VITAL-POINT that needs disruption at this time. However, a slow death of being alive, and not living might need a VITAL-POINT disruption.
In that case, stimulation of your mind, studying, calling friends and family, taking an online courses, or starting a non-profit to stop sex trafficking might be just the VITAL-POINT disruption or switch you need! Think of all that Stephen Hawking added to science by teaching us about Black Hole from his wheel chair!
VITAL-POINTS are what will effect your life immediately to bring about immediate transformation. In self-defense we can spend a lot of time punching some 350 lb. guy in the arm and NOT make much of a difference…However, a swift knee to the goin, or strike to an attacker's Adam’s Apple may be far more effective.
Go to the VITAL-POINT to effect transformation in all life circumstances. VITAL-POINTS make transformation available…. like a switch!
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UTILIZE in the self defense realm brings to mind pictures of Jason Bourne in the classic Bourne Identity movie series using everything around him including towels, chairs, other bad guys, and even a pencil stabbed into the back of some bad guy’s hand as a weapon.
UTILIZE in self defense may be using the surrounding cars as a shield, passers by to assist, and even deceit. That’s right, to a little girl evading abduction anything is fair even pretending some nice man standing nearby is your daddy even if he's not.
In Life Defense we are sometimes blind to the things that exist in our lives that may easily assist us. If we are suffering at times we choose to suffer alone and not UTILIZE others interaction.
At other times we UTILIZE people, places and things around us in an inefficient way. It’s like using a cell phone by throwing it at attacker after it’s too late, instead of calling 911 at the first sign of something going down.
As self-defense practitioners we must look at everything around us as something to be UTILIZED. In Life Defense it is the same. Everything has a primary use, UTILIZING is the creative aspect of using everything at your disposal to create the outcome you are looking for. UTILIZE!
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COMMITMENT is the way anything is accomplished. Very few things of worth are accomplished without COMMITMENT! COMMITMENT is spoken, COMMITMENT is a promise, COMMITMENT is action.
COMMITMENT in self-defense is to yourself and others. The “self” in self-defense is where it all starts. We cannot protect others without a COMMITMENT to self. Flight attendants will tell you first put the oxygen mask on and then assist your children. We cannot save another drowning without COMMITMENT to learning to swim ourselves first.
COMMITMENT is sometimes hedged with, “I’ll try...” Just "try and do anything..." You cannot. Yoda said, “Do. Or do not. There is no try.” Yoda totally hijacked this Zen concept., however, it make it no less true.
COMMITMENT in self defense is how complete motion occurs, it is COMMITMENT that first responders have that has them run into a burning building to save a life at their own jeopardy because they have COMMITTED to something other than themselves even if that COMMITMENT belongs to a total stranger.
In modern society COMMITMENT by definition may be failing. Marriages are down, and divorce is a 50% venture, families are broken because of what...? A lack of COMMITMENT! The very nature of society is COMMITMENT. When I think of breaking bricks and all the trys never broke anything. The bricks only break with COMMITMENT!
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COORDINATION is how everything is accomplished. We either accept, learn, apply and practice this, and do it better or we don't. In Martial arts systems we learn about the mind, body and spirit connection. This eludes to the self being somehow separate and complete. It is and...nothing is accomplished, even the being of self without relationship to everything else, other people, places, things and even energy. We are always COORDINATING. It is just whether we do it well that makes the difference.
We see this in action in self-defense. If we COORDINATE our training, and our practice we might not get stabbed, shot or punched in the face. If we don't COORDINATE training and practice we might get stabbed, shot or punched in the face. Simple. Was that too harsh? Maybe, however, consider it to be somewhat exact. Without training we cannot foresee an attack to avoid it, and without application and practice we might not have the skills needed to survive intact.
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In this episode Allen Hughes talks about the transformational quality of DROPPING. In self-defense when we DROP our level, weight, or position the relationship is transformed immediately. DROPPING is not a gradual thing, it happens all at once. That is why it is so powerful!
In the case of a rear bear hug the defender drops all their weight, all at once, and that 150-200 pound weight transformation is profound in the relationship. Now the attacker is off balance, could be thrown, and immediately struggles to hold on.
In Life Defense we DROP our level, listen and immediately the discussion has changed from disconnected and contentious to powerful listening of each other by connecting immediately to that listening space. This transformation can make all things possible. The relationship is altered and will never be the same.
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VARYING is the principle of motion and progression! No initial or continual motion occurs without VARYING weight, balance, technique, muscles groups, and strategies. To progress we need to VARY. The goal may remain the same however the path is a path of progression and that requires us to VARY.
In self-defense when we are stuck, meaning someone has us in a hold, delivering a barrage of strikes, or attempts to throw us we must VARY our position, weight, balance, or technique to survive. If they move to throw us one way, we move the other, if they go high we go low, if they speed up we slow down. Everything in life that has motion must VARY to continually move, or progress.
The name CrossFit has created a whole industry around VARYING muscle groups, speed, and stress of its workouts to produce arguably to fittest people on the planet.
In Life Defense even things that work over long periods of time VARY eventually to keep up with technology, market trends and competition. When business does not VARY, it dies. Computing, once thought to be only useful for science and defense has now VARIED in its use to be worn on the wrist, play music, and make social connections.
The distinction of VARY is essential to survival and progress. In my life, I had an aortic dissection. Now I VARY my life style accordingly. With this attitude of VARYING people without legs run races, without arms or legs climb Mt Kilimanjaro, the blind see with their hands, speak with their hands and achieve things others only dream of accomplishing.
Stop being stuck and VARY to progress, and move to accomplish everything in life!
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NEUTRALIZATION in Life Defense is actually more likely to save your life than self-defense. That's right, the likelihood of being killed by an assailant, terrorist, or war is about 10Xs less likely than heart issues. Said a different way, it takes 10 years of conflicts like, war, assault and terrorism to amount to one year of deaths caused by heart conditions.
The principle of NEUTRALIZE used in Life Defense then actually has a better chance of saving your life than self-defense! Allen Hughes talks about his favorite subject of Life Defense and how just NEUTRALIZING simple things like computers and media, sleep depravation or triggers can save your life!
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We live in the beautiful chaos of life. Millions of bits of information are interacting with us every day. We choose CLARITY within the chaos first by declaring it. In self-defense even in the middle of being chocked out we can still declare our will to live by recognizing that even within the recognization we are actually living, and declaring it.
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Allen Hughes takes a look at ENGAGEMENT and what it really means. In Life Defense, and in self-defense, ENGAGEMENT becomes an entry point into commitment and Being or Love. The question then is...How ENGAGED are you?
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Have you ever wanted to get something done with the least amount of effort and have the greatest result? If so, you are powerfully lazy! Allen Hughes defines this LEVERAGE as the proven, easiest way to accomplish more almost every time, and is the most powerful world to live in.
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STRESS is the essential journey to success. It is “the point.” The end, or goal is never as important as the journey. Even though we say things like this all the time, see them written on beautiful calendars and in our hearts know this to be true, we spend our life avoiding exactly what gives our life experience and meaning. STRESS!
In self-defense we know that it is only through practice of ever increasing intensity, speed and power with another opponent that we ever gain enough skill, experience and confidence to defend ourselves. Yet, we sometimes short circuit this for our children, our teams and ourselves in favor of a "less STRESSFUL" environment when it is precisely that experience that matters in the end. In fact, no success ever happens without STRESS. Period.
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“In life we spend way too much time in the danger zone.” In this early morning episode Allen Hughes talks about the medium distance in self-defense being the fight area and how DIMINISHING space in some relationships may create safety and opportunity.
Where are you spending your time? If you are not fully engaged with relationships you are interested in, whether it's work, friends, or love you might find yourself in the danger zone. This is the area that you can be hurt because of your lack of engagement. In Life Defense, just like in self defense, this is the danger zone!
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There are many ways to die. Violent, and deadly deaths come in many shapes and sizes. A car wreck, a terrorist attack, and a life threatening disease are all deadly. And yet, so are distractions. A distraction can kill your dreams easily by just taking you away from the things that give your life meaning. Beware of the deadly distractions...FOCUS!
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Allen Hughes talks about the parallel universe of self-defense, specifically grappling, and how close CONNECTIONS, to pivotal points, reinforce and increase our power and control over an opponent.
Life Defense translates easily to life! Make CONNECTIONS, to pivotal people, reinforce those relationships and increase power and control over stress, conflict and life!
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Allen Hughes talks about the powerful elements of wind and water and their ALLOWING nature. “Be like water!”
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Allen Hughes describes EXPANSION of close relationships of trust as being a self-defense as well as a Life Defense principle.
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In life things that are EXPANDING are growing and creating new freedom and life. If they are decreasing they are dying. Allen Hughes talks about the parallel between self-defense and Life Defense and asks the question are you living and dying?
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REPLACE broken or workability is Allen Hughes’ topic for this evening. It’s really easy to see what doesn’t work in real life self-defense. Likewise, Life Defense mirrors the same philosophy. What’s not working in your life? REPLACE it for something that does. Simple.
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Stop blindness! In addition to seeing, hearing, smelling, touching and feeling there are at least 3 different "types of vision." Focused vision, wide vision and feeling vision." In this episode Allen Hughes will discuss how self-defense vision directly transfers to Life Defense vision. Open your eyes and let's get started!
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REPLACE Routine with Adaptability is all about survival. Currently in pandemic we need to be flexible, like Gumby. Hence the Navy Seal variation on the Marine Semper Fi (always loyal), Semper Gumby or "always flexible." Adapt or go extinct!
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RELATIONSHIPS of TRUTH are found in the Principles of Life Defense and are evident in self-defense.
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Rules were meant to be broken. In this episode Allen Hughes discusses our RELATIONSHIP with rules and with principles. Life Defense is based on PRINCIPLES!
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Throwing off your funk is about breaking balance, and disrupting your connection to disempowering conversations in your brain, then ELEVATING your thoughts. Become a world class Life Defense Judo Champion and throw off your funk!
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Take CONTROL! In this podcast Allen Hughes discusses how CONTROL is something that is given. Regardless of title, rank, or seniority true commitment happens when a group chooses their leader and the leader serves.
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Allen talks about taking responsibility to gain control in his life. Things like being adopted or even attacked have an impact on life. However, we choose before, during or after any event how we deal with it, and that gives us CONTROL.
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Albert Einstein said, “Order is needed by the ignorant but it takes a genius to master chaos.” Life is chaos, ever changing and unpredictable. The ability to CONTROL just one pivotal point can make anything possible!
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PREVENT in self-defense creates the future of safety from not allowing anything to start. Hear how PREVENT in Life Defense works.
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In this episode Allen talks about the Life Defense principle of REMOVE, and how we sometimes add to an already VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex with ambiguity) environment. Instead of adding stress, by adding danger, we should practice REMOVING elements, like controlled substances, uncertain dating situations... from our lives.
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Life Defense is the self defense of life. In this episode Allen Hughes talks about UNIFY and how it empowers people. Experience UNIFY through the eyes of a self defense expert. Life Defense is the self defense of life!
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Conflict, whether in battle, or in our lives occurs the same way and the principles of defense are effective against an attacker as well as a project at work, a conflict at home, or even with our health. Learn these principles and become a True Warrior of Life!
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