Situational Awareness
This is a vast topic, and probably the most essential element of self defense. Being "Situationally Aware" will, most of the time, keep you from getting into a bind in the first place. But what is "Situational Awareness?" "Situational awareness or situation awareness (SA) is the perception of environmental elements and events with respect to time or space, the comprehension of their meaning, and the projection of their status after some variable has changed, such as time, or some other variable, such as a predetermined event. It is also a field of study concerned with understanding of the environment critical to decision-makers in complex, dynamic areas from aviation, air traffic control, ship navigation, power plant operations, military command and control, and emergency services such as fire fighting and policing; to more ordinary but nevertheless complex tasks such as driving an automobile or riding a bicycle." (Wikipedia; Situational Awareness Definition, first paragraph of page) "Who would be after ME?" So, in essence, Situational Awareness encompasses pretty much everything you do. But there are times when you are tired, distracted, busy, or complacent when you can be taken unaware, and that is what a potential assailant is looking for. You may say; "Who would even consider ME? Why would anyone think to rob (rape, assault, murder) ME?" Well, it is not about you, necessarily. Most crimes that are committed person-to person, the criminal does not know the victim. The criminal simply saw a target of opportunity. It is about opportunity. I has nothing to do with you, personally. In cases where the assailant knows the attacker, situational awareness is still a key component in keeping you safe from assault. And there is a large element of opportunity for the criminal involved. But how do you achieve the omni-potent status of being "SITUATIOANLLY AWARE." You need to focus on your surroundings and be effective at understanding what is a threat and what is not. It is perfectly alright to live a normal life. You do not need to go out armed to the teeth, guns drawn and wearing your black belt to show all that you are ready (and willing) to destroy all potential threats. There is quite a difference in being a paranoid and being a competent, normal individual (that is more than capable of avoiding bad situations, and God forbid, defending yourself if you get in a bad situation). But how do you achieve the omni-potent status of being "SITUATIOANLLY AWARE." The simple answer is that you already are. Refer to the definition (courtesy of Wikipedia) above. You have to be at least somewhat aware of your surroundings and what is going on to function. So the trick is to train yourself to heighten that awareness. On the "Internets" there is a wealth of information. Pretty much ANY topic you can think of, anything at all. If you plug your question into the search engine of your choosing, you will get literally hundreds of millions of results relating to said question. Situational Awareness is not any different. I simply typed "Situational Awareness" into the Google Search Bar and this was the result: About 2,970,000 results (0.71 seconds). There are training courses, schools, online free training, articles (probably not as good as this one), and on and on. A couple of Tips........ Here are a few tricks that you can do to begin training yourself to automatically heighten your awareness. First thing.........PAUSE. That's it. Pause. Take a moment. Stop fiddling with your keys, texting, playing Pokemon Go, or whatever. Look around. Assess the situation: Is it dark, and if so, is the area you are in illuminated by street/parking lot lights? Are there people in the area? If so, are these people rightfully in the area (coming form the movie theater, bar, shopping mall), or are they just hanging out and looking around (maybe for a target of opportunity)? What next? You have PAUSED, you have LOOKED AROUND to identify potential threats. So, now what?? That depends. If all seems safe, or if you can avoid potential problem areas and still get to your destination safely, then you would obviously proceed. If there is a reason to not proceed, for even the simple fact that you do not feel safe for any reason, get the onsite Security (if that is an option) to escort you, or call the police and explain that you are alone in a dark area and you do not feel safe going to your car. In most cases, they will send an officer to ensure that you get to your car, into your house, etc., safely. Do not be afraid to ask for help. It is better to ask for the escort than to have to call the police after the worst has happened so they can investigate the crime. Lets Wrap This Up! So. We PAUSED. We LOOKED AROUND to identify any potential threats, and we have DECIDED a safe course of action. That is the basics of becoming more proficient at being Situationally Aware, and thus, being better able to protect yourself. It is now up to you to refine this, and have it become second nature for you. Look into getting enrolled in a training course, or research the topic more online. Be vigilant about training. Complacency will get you in trouble.
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Tournament Review At Coquille Martial Arts, 14 March 2014Patterson's Martial Arts went to a tournament hosted by Coquille Martial Arts, in Coquille, Oregon, on March 15th 2014. We competed in multiple venues including Kata, Weapons and Sparring. All-in-all, our School placed very well in this Competition. This was our 1st Competition that we have been involved in. We were a bit out of our comfort zone, but the Students adapted very well.
Our Students Placed as Follows: Samuel Herberger, Advanced Blue Belt/Assistant Instructor: 1st in Point Sparring, 1st in Kata for the Advanced Belt, 13 years to 17 years old bracket. Ryan Woolard, Advanced Blue Belt/Assistant Instructor: 1st in Point Sparring, 3 in Kata for 11 year old Advanced Belt Bracket. Jimmy Hubbell, Yellow Belt: 2nd in Weapons, 3rd in Kata, 3rd in Point Sparring for the 9 to 11 year old Beginners Belt Bracket. J.D. Lane, Orange Belt: 1st in Point Sparring, 2nd in Kata for the 6 to 7 year old Beginner Belt Bracket. Airain Hascup, Orange Belt: 2nd In Point Sparring, 3rd in Kata for the 8 to 10 year old Beginning Belt Bracket. Vanetia Leachman, White/Orange Belt: 2nd in Flag Sparring. Great Job to all of our Competitors! Everyone did a fantastic job! We had a great Family of Supporters for our Dojo as well. We hat 3 times as many folks cheering on our Students than we had Competitors entered in the Competition!! Thank you to all of the Families that came to support our little School! Se you all at the next Competition! Women’s Self Defense Course:
After Action Review By: Andrew L. Patterson Patterson’s Martial Arts held a Women’s Self Defense Course on January 18th and 19th, and then again on the 26th. This was an 8 hour course designed specifically for women to heighten their awareness level, and train them in a few basic self-defense concepts and techniques. The goal here was not to create expert Martial Artists. Our goal was to increase the self-confidence of these women, give them effective options in case of an attack, and to teach them how to be vigilant. Overall, this course was extremely successful. The Instructors sustained bloody noses, a good bruise or three, and had a great time teaching the Ladies. The Ladies had a blast. We started the course with a “Risk Self-Assessment.” This is a 25 point questionnaire which walks one through possible risk behavior. After the completion of the questionnaire, there was a discussion on what behavior was likely to increase their risk profile, and what could be done to shrink that profile. After the Risk Self-Assessment, we went over the Crime Statistics for Medford, and Jackson County. We discussed how someone could research actual crime facts, rather than rely on the news media. Everyone in the class was excited to learn that they could go to a web-site, or the courthouse and find out what our crime rate was in any given area. It seemed to personalize the curriculum to their needs. After a brief arm-up and stretch, we began with actual Martial Arts Training. The Instructors began teaching the ladies how to punch correctly, and gave specific instruction on where to punch. We covered many different applications of the punch, kick, elbow and palm-strike. This was all applied on the punching bags. The real fun began when we (the Instructors) put the pads on. Basically, on the 18thand 19th, we (the Instructors) got abused. We went step by step through basic attacks that they could perform in especially vulnerable areas of the male anatomy. As the training progressed, so did the level of intensity. There came a time when the ladies being attacked (and I mean we were going after them!) responded so quickly and violently that the instructor attacking could not continue. Nor did he generally want to. We varied our attacks and made it random, and for the most part, the ladies responded very brutally. It was great! On the 26th of January, we reconvened the class for the final 4 hours of training. We began with our warm-ups and stretching, and then moved into a re-cap of the entire curriculum we had previously covered. After an hour or so of taking abuse, we moved to take even more abuse. Wrist turns and leverage based strikes and breaks are a great tool for women. Typically, women are smaller and not as physically strong as their attacker. We covered this by informing them that a criminal is going to be bigger, stronger, and get you at a time when you would least expect it. This is why vigilance and awareness are two absolute keys in protecting yourself! But since your attacker is going to be larger and stronger, leverage is a great tool to use. Thus, we were thrown hither and yon, our wrists were torqued, and our joints were pressurized into submission. We covered 8 hours of improvised weapons, Taser use, pepper spray usage, use of force laws, and use of deadly force laws. This course really stressed that confidence and awareness are going to be your best tools in defending yourself. We stressed primary goals (create distance and alert people), how to lessen your risk profile and how to be the most effective with your striking if you had to. We wanted to ensure that all because you take a course, or were enrolled in Martial Arts, does not mean that you can be successful in defending yourself. It is a step in the right direction, however, to reduce your chances of being attacked, and to increase your chances of being successful in your defense. If you have any questions, please contact us for details! We are located at 352 Second Avenue, Gold Hill, Oregon-97525. PATTERSON’S MARTIAL ARTS
PRESENTS: Women’s Self Defense Class January 18th and 19th, and January 25th and 26th 11:oo a.m. until 1:00p.m. (Each Class)<Times subject to change> COST: $13.00 per person for the ENTIRE COURSE (pre-registration) OR: $26.00 at the door (Group Rates Available) DESCRIPTION: This is an eight hour course, divided into four, two-hour classes. We will start the course with a “Self Assessment of Risk Factors” which affect you. We will address these risk factors with practical discussion identifying mitigating factors to help protect YOU. Our Instructors are experienced and have valuable knowledge which they will readily pass on to you! We will teach you how to practically and effectively defend yourself in real world situations, using basic Martial Arts Techniques. We will then finish the course with a test and a post assessment questionnaire. If you pass this course, you will be presented with a Certificate of Completion! There will be refreshments available. We hope to see you here! For more information, please contact us! Patterson’s Martial Arts 352 Second Avenue, Gold Hill, Oregon-97525 541-292-9784 Email: [email protected] Website: http://PattersonsMartialArts.weebly.com Is “Women’s Self-Defense” Necessary?
Andrew L. Patterson Godan/Head Instructor-Patterson’s Martial Arts I will be conducting a Women’s Self Defense Class in January. This is a class designed to help Women become aware of their surrounding, gain knowledge of weapons improvisation, and take some skills home that they can practice to become proficient in self defense. It is not a cure all, NOT a class to guarantee success in defending oneself. It is known by my Students, and will be made known to any future Students, be it in my Women’s Self Defense Class or in regular Karate Classes that Martial Arts takes a LONG time to become proficient in, and all because one knows Martial Arts, that does not mean that they can effectively defend themselves, or win in a hand to hand combat situation. Martial Arts training provides the person defending themselves with Martial Training, and thus a distinct advantage against the person being the aggressor. These things are apparent to myself and my Students. The question remains, however; is Women’s Self Defense even necessary, relevant, worth-while? The short answer is yes. Women’s Self Defense is important, relevant, and effective for the target audience- Women. Women and men, for the most part, differ in strength and physical ability. Women’s Self Defense Classes should, first and foremost, identify that, and work with the perceived disability of the female in a physical confrontation with a male, or even a larger female. In our classes, we first identify what risks may be in the Lady’s daily routine. We provide a written Threat Assessment Form that each Student fills out, then we discuss identified habits and behavior that the Student may be doing, and ways to become more aware of the situation, and ways to lessen their daily risks. Our Instructors then train the Student in Basic Self Defense Techniques. Then we get right into the Student beating the Instructors, using proscribed, basic self defense techniques. The point is to practically apply these few techniques, to the (well padded) Instructor. This will help the Student feel what it is like to use these techniques and how effective they can be in an intense situation. Other topics we cover is improvised weapons, safe use of non-lethal/less-lethal weapons, “What-if” situations, and escape and evasion. This is all catered for women. Still, some people are of the opinion that providing training specifically geared for women is useless, even dangerous. I completely disagree. Providing a Self Defense Class especially for women is important because there is a special need, and abilities which women have that men do not, and these abilities need to be capitalized upon! I think that providing Women’s Self Defense Courses to first help specifically women become aware and more able to defend themselves, and also generalized Martial Arts Instruction to a mixed Student Body to help all people become better individuals is absolutely necessary. I think that neglecting either of these aspects of Martial Training is dangerous and even irresponsible. The point of Martial Arts is to live better through Martial Arts. Not having to ever defend oneself, but having enjoyed the healthy benefits of Martial Arts is my goal as a Kenpo Karate Instructor for my Students. I never want to hear of, or see a fellow person being hurt in an assault. But if a person is assaulted unjustly, I simply LOVE to hear that they successfully defended themselves using Martial Arts and “sent the assailant home with a rupture”. I have this habit. I get on YouTube and surf Kenpo Videos, Karate Videos, Martial Arts Videos, etc. I love to watch them. I compare and critique myself to these videos. I try to learn something from them. I like some, but mostly I just watch and appreciate that the person or school has taken the time to put the video up for others, like me, to enjoy. What I have noticed is the CONSTANT stream of people speaking horribly about the practitioners in the video, disliking their efforts, and generally NOT being a good practioner of Martial Arts. I am guilty of this too. There are a few Martial Arts Videos which I have disliked, or posted negatively about. What I am realizing is that even if I disagree with the instructor, or the style, those instructors and his or her Students worked hard. I now just say nothing if I don't like the video. Why criticize someone else in such a harsh and counter productive manner? I try to open dialogue with questioning, if I do anything. I see the threats, the "you aren't even a black belt" stuff, or my favorite "kenpo is just a slap art". Why do people feel the need to do this? Why not appreciate the fact that people are sharing their Martial Arts? Who cares about where they came from, who they know, or what style they are practicing? If it works for them, let them be! I had to learn that lesson when I commented on a Goerge Dillman video. I believe that his no touch knockouts are not real. I posted as much, but I did it in a negative and condescending manner. What made me learn was that I was doing the same thing all these others were doing. I was speaking badly of not only a person I did not personally know, but his Students, and their efforts. What right did I have to do that, and how would I feel if others did that to me? Hell, others do, do that to me and my School. And it pisses me off. They don't know me or what I teach. They are just spewing nonsense. That humble pie I tasted when I realized I had just done the same as the naysayers tasted like CRAP!! So I figured to write about it. I guess the journey of my life is a continued learning experience, one in which I frequently screw up. I would hope that people take this lesson and learn from it. I would like to see objective debate as to the validity of a technique, form, style, etc. We should avoid the ridicule, threats, and so on. Who cares where that style came from. Does it work? Could it work? Who cares if the person teaching carries a Black Belt Rank, is he or she good? Do they teach effectively? Where did the original Black Belts get theirs from? Who decided? If that person teaches crap, that style wont be around long. Leave people to their innovations and creativity. Ask Nature has this funny way of sorting out the things that work and the things tht do not!
Sensei Andrew
Patterson Most Martial Artists are not aware of who Andrew Patterson is, but they should be. Andrew Patterson is a former member of neo-Nazi National Socialist Movement, and a convicted felon. Andrew Patterson is also living example of how martial arts can help a person turn their life around. Sensei Patterson was kind enough to spare some of his time to answer questions for us, so we can learn from his experiences, both good and bad. I first learned about Sensei Patterson from a news article (Found Here) and wanted to learn more about this man who had seen the dark side of living, and came back from it stronger. Stay strong my friend. How long have you been training in Martial Arts? Well, I started when I was five years old, in Judo and Kenpo Karate. It was Tracy Kenpo. I do not remember the Judo, as I did not stay involved with it for very long. I am now 32, almost 33, so that makes it about 27, almost 28 years. I have been steadily and seriously training since the age of 10, so we can safely say 17 years. What got you interested in Martial Arts? Well, at the time I started, probably movies. What has kept me interested in it is what I can do with my mind and body so coordinated together. The discipline of it and the art of it as well. I am not nearly as physically fit as I used to be, but that is not anyone’s fault but my own. If I was to pay attention more to my physical fitness through Martial Arts Training, I would be WAY better off. What is your personal greatest achievement in Martial Arts? My Students and this School. Hands down. Teaching others is the greatest reward, and achievement for me. What is the most rewarding experience in the arts for you? As said above, my Students and this School. Being able to positively influence people here and help to make a good difference in people’s lives is the best. I have been involved with so many negative things, that this has and is the greatest thing for me, personally, to help others. It is beyond humbling that people would want to learn from me and that people can have respect for me regardless of my past. Martial Arts has been pivotal in changing my life. I guess you can say that I have not really put Martial Arts to its true use until about three years ago. What lead you down the road to prison? I imagine it was a feeling of invincibility that youth maintains, for one. Anger at the social decay of the Community, and then a sense of righteousness at what we were doing. I had an absolute conviction that I was doing the right thing, that it was not only my duty as a Soldier, but my duty as a Skinhead to beat the scum out of our town. We did not target anyone who maintained a job and a positive role in society. We targeted homeless, drug dealers, and gang bangers. What we did not realize was that it was wrong, and the media would use that to make EVERYONE feel threatened. Not only that, but the people whom we targeted would ultimately self destruct with no help from us. Martial Arts was pivotal in me realizing what I was doing was completely idiotic. It took me a LONG time to finally pay attention to what Martial Arts actually taught. Instead of using it to hurt, I began using Martial Arts to heal. Not only myself, but the others around me. And I started to teach so as to help those in my Community. It has been the most rewarding thing I have done, besides being a Father to my Son. The qualities we emphasize are in our Tenets: Respect, Sincerity, Honesty, Humbleness, Loyalty. How did you get involved in the skin head movement? Life got me involved with Skinheads. Gangs, racially motivated attacks on Whites, being White not being “cool”. The racial double standard, and A LOT of events in my life. What got me into the Skinhead Movement at the time was Camaraderie, a Racial and Cultural identity, and the circumstances which I was involved in during my younger life. Gang problems, being targeted by gangs due to being White, and the free rides that non-whites got because of their Race. I was angry about that. I read a lot about National Socialism, Skinheads, etc., and I deeply identified with that. Thus, I became a Skinhead. I was not introduced, or asked, nor did I just simply start claiming that. I sought it out. I got myself involved due to the community decay, violence, angst, rebellion, etc. What was the turning point in your life when you realized you were on a path to destruction, and how did you turn it around? The major turning point in my life was when my best friend shot himself with my gun. Then shortly after, prison. I realized then that I needed to cut out the violence. Violence is rarely the answer to one’s problems. I still identified with the NSM and Skinheads, however, I chose to go about that set of politics in a different way. I turned myself away from violence simply by making a choice. I chose not to participate in it unless necessary. In prison it is quite a necessary disposition. Outside of prison, it is not. Criminality, in general, has not ever been part of my make-up. I have not done very many drugs, I don’t drink, I don’t abuse people, look for victims, etc. I was just a violent person in my younger years, and that landed me in prison. I had to change that myself. I made that decision to leave that direction. I hope that I can continue to better myself and my community. That I can steer youth in the direction of humbleness and respect. Have you had the chance to reach out to other people on the same road you were once on? No. I tend to stay out of all of the political stuff now. If someone came to me wanting support to move on, then I would not hesitate to give it. Just, usually people in the Skinhead Movement don’t get out, or they move to the “anti-racist” side of it, and that is just as violent and hateful in my experience. I am looking to be out of politics altogether. I want to live in peace, teach Martial Arts, and help those who can and want to be helped. I will help my Community and be remembered as a person who tried to help and was good to people. I do not want to be tagged with some overbearing political agenda. What advice would you give someone who is on a similar road that you were once on, and wants to escape it? I don’t know that I am qualified to offer any advice for someone going down that path. Or that anyone travelling that direction would listen to me, or anyone else for that matter. I know I would not at that point in my life. All I could say is that if you are going to attach yourself to gangs, racial groups, violence, or what have you, think of the consequences of such an action. Not only think about the consequences for yourself, but who you are going to affect with such actions and attachments. I had ruined my life, my Family’s reputation, and hurt any number of people. Not only that, but I have placed a black mark on the honor and dignity of my small Community here. Still, After all of the time which I have been trying to do right, my past actions continue to wreck my own future. I doubt that anyone going down that road cares about their future in that respect. The perceived goal of someone in that frame of mind is to do exactly to their future which their present actions are going to do. And that is to be thought of as a “Bad Ass”, a person that can’t be messed with, and a person remembered for how mean and brutal they were. A person remembered with fear and a lack of respect. What the individual does not realize is that the true measure of a person is not how many people fear them or abhor what they have done, but rather to be remembered and thought of as someone who tried to do good and right in their lifetimes. The true measure of a person is their compassion and discipline. I am not saying that I will ever be remembered this way, and by that I mean remembered as a compassionate and disciplined person. I will likely be remembered as a person who was a Skinhead and very mean. And that is my own fault. I accept that. What I am doing is trying to change that. I hope that someone would look at the foolishness which I have been a part of, and change their path. If I had to say something to someone, I doubt seriously they would listen. Only those that truly seek help and change will. Sensei Andrew Patterson teaches Patterson Kenpo in Gold Hill, Oregeon Well, we are cleaning up after our Potluck. This was our 1 year Anniversary. We have had some rough times, but all in all, we have steadily grown, and steadily improved our methods of instruction. We have always maintained our Family atmosphere! Our plans are BIG!!! We have cemented our agreement with Knoxx Fitness and Training, we have added multiple Instructors, most recently, we have enetered into negotions to add two Instructors from the Judo/JiuJitsu Style!! This is EXCITING! Now that we have gotten past that first year, we are ready to grow even BIGGER!!! Our focus is on making Patterson Kenpo Karate the NAME in Martial Arts. The Place To Be. We hope that all of you are a part of that, and we hope that you are here to help us grow beyond all expectations. Thank you to all of our loyal Students, our Community, and the New Students
We are moving forward with the expansion of our School. I have been working on a deal with Ft. Knoxx Gym and Fitness, and it looks like we will be making signifigant additions here in the next couple of weeks. Not only that but I am working with Mr. Hicks on our Distance Education Program. We are going to be offering White through Black Belt Training via DVD's. The package will be a DVD and a manual for each Belt. We are going to be offering an affordable way for people to experience our style of Kenpo WORLDWIDE! We are going to offer a valuable alternative to the "Belt Factories" and "Degree Mills" out there. I think that people are going to flock to our Distance Education, as it will be cheaper, and will offer more for their money! The way one would test is through video. They would videotape themselves, send that data to us, we would grade it and either pass, or fail them. If they are to pass, we would list their names and rank on our site and send them a Certificate of Promotion. I think that there will be a TON of interest in this!
I have been hearing alot about this topic. So which IS better? Who knows? I think that the Martial Art you choose and practice is the BEST one. The one (or many) that work for you. But I do see a lot of media on JiuJitsu beating any number of Hard and Soft Style Martial Arts. And surely it will. If I was to go into an Olympic Style Event, and be playing by Olympic Style TaeKwonDo Rules, as a Kenpo Practitioner, I would be demolished! Similarly, were I to go into a JiuJitsu, or MMA Event, and play by those rules as a strictly Kenpo practitioner, I would likely lose. See I am putting myself in an environment which has a playbook that I am only vaguely familiar with. So when I see a "Kenpo Instructor" who takes on a JiuJitsu Fighter in a JiuJitsu School or Event, and this same "Kenpo Instructor" is playing the game of JiuJitsu, I am not surprised to see the loss. When I see a no-holds-barred, no pads, no rules street fight of two relatively evenly matched opponents squarring off with one another, one with a heavy background in Kenpo, one with another style, I see the Kenpo Practitioner dominating the other. This is because Kenpo does not fight with rules. Kenpo is innovative and unrestricted. Kenpo takes the brakes of control off of its actions when in actual combat, and not a competition of combat with rules and decisions for a winner and loser. Kenpo is geared for Street Battle, Practical Application, and it evolves and adapts as times change. There have been successful Kenpo Practitioners whom have made HUGE names for themselves in the MMA World. And there have been Kenpo Teachers who have made successful businesses in teaching Kenpo. It is an effective Street Practical Martial Art and I would be weary of attacking a person who has had any real training in Kenpo, with the ability to use Kenpo to Defend themselves!
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AuthorMy name is Andrew Patterson. I compiled the curriculum for Patterson's Kenpo Karate, and am the Head Instructor and Owner of Patterson's Martial Arts. I am also theState Representative for the International Kenpo Karate Academies. 541-292-9784 Archives
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