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Saturday, June 12, 2004 

Theory pieces

Despite a derth of entries, the Weapon Project is still alive and well. I've just decided to make reports on the physical training every other week. Expect one tomorrow on the last two weeks.

Following - at least chonologically - this entry will be the first in a series of entries that will center on, for lack of a better term, theory. In these, I will look at a number of different topics having to do with self defense.

Unless I say otherwise, the content will be generated out of memory of both my training and of my extensive reading on the subject. All of which dates back to before I went to University.

A word on the training. My first sensei owned and operated a karate school that was ranked #21 in the world for self defense instruction. My second sensei trained American special forces and law enforcement personnel. My third sensei could trace his instruction lineage back through three instructors directly to the man credited with bringing Japanese martial arts to Canada. I earned my first degree black belt and taught for over a year.

As for the reading, I've read texts by masters like Sun Tzu, Miyamoto Musashi and Bruce Lee. I've read books and self defense guides written by soldiers and cops. For two years I read every issue of Black Belt Magazine cover to cover.

While I'm no expert - and the true experts out there scare the shit out of me - I do know a fair bit. Unfortunately, five years away from the dojo have left those memory files a random jumble of useful information.

These theory pieces are my attempt to organize and streamline my knowledge. And to bring it back to the surface. And to share it with you.

Other martial artists or self defense instructors may offer different advice based on their respective theories of self defense. All I can say is that what I write is the synthesis of many of the useful bits of what I learned a while ago.

Read them if they interest you. It doesn't really matter to me one way or another.