Feeling Safe vs. Being Safe
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Washington
Posts: 456
Feeling Safe vs. Being Safe
I saw an ad the other day for personal self-defense classes at the community center.
When I was in high school I used to assist teaching these with my karate instructor. We taught very remedial moves that could at least instill some confidence and self-esteem into people but they were likely mostly useless should one ever need to fend off a real attack.
I see so many people get into recovery with this "community education" expectation - even I did it many times. The belief that all you need to do is show up and the work will be done for you is very common.. I've been thinking about this a lot lately as I've watched numerous people in my AA groups that show up, struggle for a while, and finally go back to drinking.
To me, recovery is a matter of life and death and I knew I had to take a cage fighter's approach. My opponent is very real, very strong, very smart, and very patient. I need some real training in defense and offense. I need to be able to strike first and disable or be able to block and evade just to wait for the bell. I never know if the fight is going to be on my feet or on the mat. I need to spend time learning, while making myself stronger, more flexible, more aware, and prepared for an opponent that I fear and respect. I have to listen to those around me that have won a few rounds. If I drop my guard for a moment I could find myself in a submission hold and that's the end for me.
I've had a good couple of rounds so far, but my opponent isn't even winded yet.
-SPG
When I was in high school I used to assist teaching these with my karate instructor. We taught very remedial moves that could at least instill some confidence and self-esteem into people but they were likely mostly useless should one ever need to fend off a real attack.
I see so many people get into recovery with this "community education" expectation - even I did it many times. The belief that all you need to do is show up and the work will be done for you is very common.. I've been thinking about this a lot lately as I've watched numerous people in my AA groups that show up, struggle for a while, and finally go back to drinking.
To me, recovery is a matter of life and death and I knew I had to take a cage fighter's approach. My opponent is very real, very strong, very smart, and very patient. I need some real training in defense and offense. I need to be able to strike first and disable or be able to block and evade just to wait for the bell. I never know if the fight is going to be on my feet or on the mat. I need to spend time learning, while making myself stronger, more flexible, more aware, and prepared for an opponent that I fear and respect. I have to listen to those around me that have won a few rounds. If I drop my guard for a moment I could find myself in a submission hold and that's the end for me.
I've had a good couple of rounds so far, but my opponent isn't even winded yet.
-SPG
Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Newburgh
Posts: 868
Great post. Grease your arse, lol!
Wouldn't it be nice if all we had to do was go sit in a meeting for an hour a day and do nothing else and be magically cured? I found out the hard way that doesn't work. Nor would I appreciate my sobriety if I didn't have to work so hard for it.
God bless.
Wouldn't it be nice if all we had to do was go sit in a meeting for an hour a day and do nothing else and be magically cured? I found out the hard way that doesn't work. Nor would I appreciate my sobriety if I didn't have to work so hard for it.
God bless.
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