Part 2: The 5 Pillars of Safety & Self-Preservation

Welcome back, I hope you have been looking forward to the second installment of The Five Pillars of Safety and Self-Preservation series. In this installment I will discuss strength and conditioning and empty hand combatives.

1. Strength & Conditioning

If you are not in shape, get in shape. This is not a mere suggestion, it is imperative and please understand – strong things are hard to kill. I am partial to kettlebells, bodyweight exercises, plyometrics and running. For the record, I hate running and usually break my run into ¼ mile intervals with multiple exercises at each stop. This model helps me to accomplish multi-mile runs both further and faster. Injecting a variety of conditioning exercises based on different terrain also helps break up monotony and routine.

2. Empty Hand Combatives

Pick one! Any one! But, I recommend pursuing a multi-disciplinary approach that includes striking and grappling. I am partial to boxing, American-style Kickboxing and Street Jits. (I also coach children in Folk and Free style wrestling, which provides a tremendous athletic base for young people.) I encourage you to spar and free roll in these disciplines as technical sport may be fun, but the street is a cruel mistress to the security of a gym mat.  Evil men do not follow sport rules!
 
Next week I will begin to discuss the Third and Fourth Pillars of the Five Pillars of Safety and Self-Preservation.

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