The Way of Least Resistance

Many of my recent articles have concerned the topic of defence : why it is important, and how it is to be used - together with a connected, appropriate counter . Well I recently came across an example of "textbook" defence: a response that typifies everything I've been writing about. To some readers it might seem odd that it concerns firearms and not "hand to hand combat".  I don't find it odd at all: the principles of effective defence are universally applicable.  They are part of the Daoist concept of wu-wei . Consider this video: In it, you'll see a store clerk being held-up by a man armed with a handgun: only the robber doesn't realise he's up against a highly trained, combat-experienced Iraq war veteran . It doesn't go well for the robber.  You can read a detailed textual account here . What's the first thing you notice from the video?  Fantastic situational reflex by the veteran: As the robber starts to bring...

The issue Last time I promised to explain exactly why  "blocks" comprise just one movement and not two. But before I do that, I must first set out what is meant by "one movement" and "two movements" in this context. First, I want to make it clear that I'm not talking about two different arms moving (which I covered in my article " Two for the price of one: more about karate blocks ").  Rather, I'm talking about two movements off one arm , intended to deflect or otherwise stop an incoming attack. In a previous article I related this anecdote: I recall as a young martial arts teacher being confronted with this issue when a rank beginner asked me: "What stops me from just hitting you as your arm goes to the side?" The beginner in this instance was talking about the chudan uke or "chest level block" but he might as well have been talking about many of the others.  I recall he smirked as he demons...