Looking Out for Number One

I was recently recertified in First Aid through a training session by the Red Cross. One of the first questions the trainer asked us was “Whose safety is the most important?” I got the question right when I said “Me!” The point was that if we – those trained in first aid and trying to help other people – were not able to remain safe, how would we help others? Every time we hear the emergency procedures explained on an airplane, they tell us that if the oxygen masks are to be used, we adults should secure our own masks on ourselves before aiding a child. This is for the same reason.

That being said, I am sure I am not the only parent who would say I would die to make sure my child survives. If an angry mob were to attack me and my family, would I worry most about my own safety?  No. I would probably end up taking some blows to shield them. But I would do so strategically. I would worry about both myself and the others that are with me. I would want to do my best to ensure my own survival/consciousness, so I could best continue to defend the others.

The self-defense training involved in traditional martial arts is generally geared toward one-on-one combat. Sometimes we practice with two-on-one defense or sometimes dealing with several attackers. One thing I have done that is rarely done elsewhere is to work on a scenario where one person is defending another person against one or more attackers. I think that any parent could benefit from this sort of training. While the chances of such things playing out in real-life are unlikely, it is certainly a possibility (a man tried to grab an 8 year old girl in Lafayette just prior to me writing this, for example…).

In traditional Karate (and some other martial arts), we have pre-arranged sets of movements, called “kata.” In these sets (usually between 20-60 moves), we imagine attackers coming from various angles with different techniques. We practice different strategies of blocking, punching, striking, kicking and grappling. Sometimes the attack is coming from the front; sometimes the side; sometimes the back. And sometimes we may imagine that we are defending someone else.

We should always be watching out for ourselves. But sometimes – especially for us parents – we should also be watching out for someone else. When watching out for someone else, though, we should ensure our own safety, just as the first-responder in a medical situation should make sure the scene is clear before administering CPR, etc.  I implore readers to consider taking classes in self-defense and also, if you are interested in taking it a step further, working with experienced self-defense instructors on developing strategies to protect others.