October Is Domestic Violence Month

Last Thursday, I was invited by my friends at WLTX TV to come onto their morning show and talk about the free self defense workshop I was doing in honor of Domestic Violence month.

You can see a video of the segments below:

Thanks again to WLTX for being such a gracious host.


Sensei Chris Feldt
Samurai Karate Studio
Columbia, SC 29229
803-462-9425
samuraikaratestudio@gmail.com

Halloween Safety Tips

Our martial arts school is asking parents, homeowners and drivers throughout our community to join with us to make Halloween safer with these safety tips.

Parents

· Make your child eat dinner before trick-or-treating.

· Children should carry quarters, so they can call home.

· An adult should accompany young children.

· If your children go on their own, be sure they wear watches, preferably those that can be read in the dark.

· Buy or make costumes with flame-retardant material.

· Older children should know where to reach you and when to return home.

· You should know your children’s route for the evening.

· Although tampering is rare, tell your children to bring their candy home to be inspected before consuming anything.

· Look at the wrapping carefully and toss out anything that looks suspect.

Homeowners

· Buy candy that is individually wrapped.

· Consider healthier alternatives for treats: juice boxes, packages of low-fat crackers with cheese or peanut butter filling, single-serve boxes of cereal, packaged fruit rolls, mini-boxes of raisins, packaged granola bars, and wrapped single-serving packages of microwaveable popcorn that can be popped later.

· Consider non-edible treats for children: pencils, erasers, plastic rings or coins.

· Clear your yard of debris, ladders, dog leashes, flowerpots, etc.

· Make sure your home and yard is well lit.

· Make sure your jack-o-lanterns are away from the path where trick-or-treaters will be walking. Battery-powered jack-o-lantern candles are preferred to real candles.

· Ensure that any decorations can’t be blown into the jack-o-lantern and catch on fire.

· Make sure that your pets are secure for the evening.

· Do not invite any children to come into your home. Prop the door open while handing out candy, never ask them to stand in the doorway.

· If a child needs assistance, ask them for their parent’s phone number and offer to call them.

· If you think a child is in danger, call 911 and stay outside with the child.

Drivers

· Drive carefully over hills, around curves and approaching stop signs or cross walks.

· Enter and exit driveways with caution.

· Watch for children walking in the street in neighborhoods without sidewalks.

Sensei Chris Feldt
Samurai Karate Studio 
2000 Clemson Road
Suite # 9
Columbia, SC 29229
803-462-9425
samuraikaratestudio@gmail.com

One Day!

 

There is so much conflict in the world!  

From the Middle East to Afghanistan to Iraq.

From the Arab Spring which has resulted in regime change and the loss of thousands of lives.

From the economic crisis in America and Europe, with the near collapse of our banking system, that is slowly reaching into Asia.

From the Tea Party rally's to the Wall Street demonstrations.

From the high unemployment rate with millions without a job, to a growing homeless population.

 

The left is attacking the right and vice-versa.

 

Washington has mastered the art of the "blame game" with neither party accepting responsibility for what is going on.

 

One Day!

 

I am confident that one day, we will be part of a kinder, gentler world, because of the work we are doing!  As school owners, we have audience to a large sphere of influence if we make the most of it.  

 

Our curriculum touches on all things human -- strong and vibrant as well as frail and compassionate.  

We have the power to CHANGE the world; one student, one parent, one community at a time!

 

One Day!

 

  

 

This blog post is a part of The Ultimate Black Belt Test (ultimateblackbelttest.com), an undertaking of The 100 (the100.us), and a part of Samurai Karate Studio (samuraikaratestudio.net).

 

 

The Power of One

Sunday, October 2 marks both the United Nations' International Day of Non-Violence and the birthday of one of its biggest proponents: Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. This video pays tribute to the concept and the man and is called the "Power of One."

Here at SKS, we honor the values and practice of the nonviolent civil actions that changed a nation -- and indeed, the world.

Video from KarmaTube

Sensei Chris Feldt

Samurai Karate Studio

Columbia, SC 29229

803-462-9425

samuraikaratestudio@gmail.com

Gardening At Home

This past summer, I participated in a home gardening experiment, working with several containers of vegetables. This was just one of several Ultimate Black Belt Test challenges I gave myself.

Why?

I want to better understand our food supply and the use of pesticides, growing organic food naturally, the economic foot print of shipping food halfway around the world, so that we could have certain vegetables that were out of season.

I had only moderate success, as my "no pesticides" pledge made it very difficult to deal with bugs that constantly were eating my plants or the vegetables themselves.

I plan on doing a lot more research over the winter to prepare for next season. In the mean time, I found a website with a detailed process for growing container fruits and vegetables and I love the work they have done.

Here is a video that explains their process:



Pretty neat process that I am going to try and model next year. I will update everyone to let you know how it works.

In the mean time, if you would like more information, please visit Global Buckets.


Sensei Chris Feldt
Samurai Karate Studio
Columbia, SC 29229
803-462-9425

samuraikaratestudio@gmail.com

The Healing Arts

One of my goals this year was to begin the process of understanding Kyusho, an ancient art that focuses on pressure points on the body and manipulating them through striking, rubbing, and pressure; to increase the amount of pain that is felt or to get the body to react in a certain way that will help facilitate a defense or take down.

There are a lot of points to memorize, but when used correctly, they sure do HURT and are a wonderful addition to my self defense training.

While I have enjoyed learning about these points, I have also become aware of how useful they are inHEALING.  Whether treating my ankle with acupuncture or getting a therapeutic massage, both treatments focus on using meridian points to heal my ankle and help nourish the surrounding tissue. 

How cool is that?

There are points on the body that can be used to destroy your attacker, or heal your best friend!  It's pretty amazing!  

Coach Tom talks all the time about continuing our training as master instructors.  Before the UBBT, I was putting very little time into my personal training, focusing almost exclusively on my school and classes.

As a result of starting Ju Jutsu training as a requirement on team 6, I am now training in karate, a combatives style of Ju Jutsu, Kyusho and now the healing arts.  

Gosh, there is so much to learn that I wish I got involved in the martial arts at an earlier age, however, I see many opportunities in the next 50 years ahead for me!

Thanks to Master Dave McNeil, not only for his advice on dealing with my ankle, but also opening my eyes to another wonderful element of the martial arts.

"If you want to be an average martial artist, learn how to be the best fighter.  If you want to be a great martial artist, learn how to be a healer!"  Shihan Tom Ryan

This blog post is a part of The Ultimate Black Belt Test (ultimateblackbelttest.com), an undertaking of The 100 (the100.us), and a part of Samurai Karate Studio (samuraikaratestudio.net).




Sensei Chris Feldt
Samurai Karate Studio
Columbia, SC 29229
803-462-9425
samuraikaratestudio@gmail.com

9-11 Tribute

I visited Ground Zero 3 months after the attack on the twin towers and the emotion was just as raw then as it was today, watching the memorials on television.  I had friends who had loved ones that perished that day. It's so hard to imagine the horror of it all and the pain of the survivors and their family's.

And we can not forget the magnificent men and women in our military who work hard every day to keep us safe and especially, those fallen soldiers that made the ultimate sacrifice in protecting our freedom.

This is a very powerful tribute to the victims of the 9-11 attack.

Let us celebrate the memories of their lives and continue the good work that we are all capable of!







Sensei Chris Feldt
Samurai Karate Studio
Columbia, SC 29229
803-462-9425
samuraikaratestudio@gmail.com

Domestic Violence Statistics

People ask me all the time, why do I talk about domestic violence as part of my self defense workshops or classes?

It's simple really!

Because South Carolina ranks 6th in the nation in domestic violence and is currently 10th on the list for domestic violence murders!

While I love South Carolina, the cold hard truth is women in this state are more likely to be attacked by someone they know, then a complete stranger.

As such, here are some statistics that I pulled a couple of years ago, that haven't changed much since then:

Domestic Violence Statistics

Sex of Victim
Male 24.0%
Female 76.0%

Relationships
Ex-spouse 2.5%
Family 31.5%
Romantic 28.3%
Marital 37.7%

Substance Use
Alcohol 23.6%
Drugs .7%
Drugs & alcohol 1.2%
No substance 74.5%

Offenses
Homicide .2%
Sexual violence 2.6%
Robbery .3%
Aggravated assault 21.1%
Simple assault 65.4%

Weapons
Blunt objects 18.8%
Firearms 12.2%
Knives 20.0%
Motor vehicles 3.2%
Other 5.7%

Victims Age
<4 1.1%
5-9 1.6%
10-14 3.4%
15-17 4.9%
18-24 22.4%
25-34 31.5%
35-44 22.5%
45-54 8.3%
55-64 2.8%
>65 1.5%

Injuries
Broken bones 1.0%
Death .5%
Internal injuries .9%
Knocked unconscious .3%
Loss of teeth .3%
Major injury 5.2%
Minor injury 83.4%
Severe laceration 8.5%

Location
Bar/Nightclub .9%
Commercial/office 2.4%
Convenience store .6%
Educational institution .4%
Highway/roads 5.6%
Hotel/motel 1.1%
Other 1.8%
Parking lot 1.1%
Private residence 86.1%

Day of the Week
Sunday 17.0%
Monday 12.7%
Tuesday 12.7%
Wednesday 12.2%
Thursday 12.5%
Friday 14.0%
Saturday 18.9%

Factors Contributing to Domestic Violence

Unfortunately, there is no one single factor that explains why men and women assault or abuse their spouses. Based on my research, there is a general consensus that you will find one or many of the traits listed below of abusers:

• Relative young age 18-30 years old (lack of maturity)
• Low income
• Growing up in a violent or abusive family
• Alcohol or substance abuse
• Unemployment
• Sexual difficulties
• Low job satisfaction
• Problem with anger management
• Most offenders tend to have an anti-social personality
• Impaired ability to feel guilt, remorse or anxiety

If you, or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, please seek help from either me, one of your other professors, your family, your church or a local domestic organization like Sister Care, which does tremendous work in the Columbia area.

If you would like additional resources, please visit on online resource website that has lots of information on it about domestic violence, including a resources tab at Everything Self Defense.

 

Sensei Chris Feldt

Samurai karate Studio

Columbia, SC 29229

803-462-9425

3 Reasons Why Women Get Assaulted

As part of my beginner karate class at USC, I take 5-10 minute of every class and share topics that are related to assault that I want my students to understand.

There are many reasons why women get assaulted, however, most studies show that a woman gets targeted for assault for 3 MAIN reasons.  You might be surprised with the answers.  No, it doesn't have to do with how HOT the women looks or how SEXY she might be dressed.

AND yes, nearly 25% of all assault is female on man, so these rules apply to both sexes.


Reason # 1


Research shows the number one reason women get assaulted is due to poor body language.  In other words, how you walk, how you carry yourself when you are out in public is a large factor in determining if you get targeted.

Do you recognize yourself in this description?

Do you walk with your head down, your shoulders slumped, your chest in?  Do you generally keep your hands in your pockets? Do you walk with purpose or just shuffle along at a slow pace?  Do you make any eye contact?

Some people are under the impression, if they appear small, no one will notice them.  Well, they are wrong and potentially inviting trouble!

Attackers are looking for people they believe will give them little or no resistance.  The attacker wants to get in quickly, strike and take his victim to a secondary location without being seen or heard.  They are looking for someone who appears to be weak, afraid or timid.  Attackers are basically cowards and they don't want to attack anyone that they can't control easily!  So, if you look like you might put up a fight, there is a good chance the attacker will pass on you.

Why do you think the elderly get attacked so often?  Because a 90 year old is not expected to put up much of a fight if confronted!  It's a miracle that they can even walk, right?

So, I want YOU to start today, changing how you walk!  I want you to walk with a purposeful stride, like you know where you are going and what you want.  I want you to walk with your head up, shoulders back and chest pumped out!  You are walking with some "attitude" and your body language is communicating CONFIDENCE!  You want to allow your arms to swing with each stride, as psychologically, this makes you appear to be larger than you really are.  Plus, having your arms free allows you to react quicker if attacked.

Yes, I want you to make EYE CONTACT! The kind that says "I know you are there and I am making sure you know I know....and by the way, I am not afraid of you" kind of eye contact.

Need more convincing?  Just take a look around you and watch people walking in the grocery store or in the parking lot.  I am pretty certain you will be able to spot the people who are confident and portray a very strong body language and the ones who don't.

One last note about body language.  One of the most important aspects of walking with a strong body image is having your head up.  This gives your eyes the ability to remain vigilant, constantly looking for potential danger.

Reason # 2

The second most common reason women get assaulted is lack of awareness.

Are you the type that turns their back to the crowd when answering your cell phone?  I know you are trying to be polite and make the conversation quiet and private, however, you are creating a perfect opportunity to strike.

Are you someone who likes to carry a big pocket book?  I remember my mother carried this huge bag around that I could get lost in when I was a young child.  Trying to find the car keys sometimes took days!

Well, I might be exaggerating, but you get my point.  When you become focused on a singular task, that is the time that attackers like to strike.

How about sitting in your car texting or maybe updating your check book since you were shopping and purchased some items?  Another big NO, NO!

Walking into the rest room without checking to see if anyone was following you?  Looking for something in the trunk of your car?  Running the neighborhood with your Ipod at full blast and your earphones on both ears?

We live in a society filled with so many distractions every day, however, we MUST do all we can to be alert and aware when we are out somewhere and potentially vulnerable!

Reason # 3

Being in the wrong place at the wrong time!

We can't always control this, but we need to be aware and try to avoid places that could potentially be dangerous.  For example, the roof of the parking garage at the mall late at night, say during the Christmas holidays, when the stores stay open late.  Conversely, parking in the basement of a downtown parking garage.  Parking far away from the football stadium in a poorly lit parking lot.  Leaving your place of work by yourself late at night.

If you live in a city, walking down a dark alley!

Hopefully you get the picture.

I feel like you can't always prevent this, because sometimes there are circumstances beyond your control (getting a flat tire on a country road or highway); however, be mindful of potential areas that you would be vulnerable in and avoid them to the best of your ability.  Try to leave work with a friend or make arrangements to have someone pick you up.  Be patient and search for another parking spot that isn't so far away or in an area that has better security.  Don't try to change that car tire.  Call a family member or friend for help.

The Big Three

Attackers pick their victims for lots of reasons and there is NO way to predict with 100% accuracy how to avoid an attack.  However, research has shown the above reasons to be the 3 most consistent reasons given  by attackers that were caught.

If you work on creating a confident and strong body language, maintain a high alert level at all times and  avoid areas that could represent trouble for you, then you will go a long way towards helping yourself stay safe!

Sensei Chris Feldt

Samurai Karate Studio

2000 Clemson Road

Suite # 9

Columbia, SC 29229

803-462-9425

samuraikarate@bellsouth.net

Habit Versus Fear - Home Invasion

This is a guest post, from Anne Jacoby, an expert in personal safety and a domestic violence survivor....                                                                                                                                                                                                              

At ten o’clock that night, Lindsay had checked that her doors were locked, as usual, before shutting the lights off and going to bed. She assumed she was safe within the protection of her apartment walls. A typical night coupled with a typical attitude. At four o’clock in the morning, Lindsay’s night drastically changed. Her worst fear had crept out of her nightmares and forced its way into her bedroom.


“Don’t make a sound or I’ll kill you…just do exactly what I say” — a ruthless command and a lethal threat on an innocent human being.  This was not a practical joke carried out by a friend.  It was real and it was happening to Lindsay — a tall, think, ultra-feminine woman who had always thought with confidence, “It (rape) won’t happen to me.” But there he was and there she was.


While Lindsay slept a man had broken into her locked apartment and moved silently into her bedroom.  He woke her from a peaceful sleep with the forceful words, “Don’t make a sound, don’t move.”  That statement would repeat over and over in her mind for years to come.
As this angry man, a man that she had never seen before in her life — stood over her in her bedroom; made one last reminder for her not to do anything.  Lindsay’s mind raced back to her self-defense workshop that she had taken, she was reminded of the emphasis placed on fighting back in order to surprise the attacker.

• Don’t think of anything other than survival.
• Look for your window of opportunity – it may be as little as five seconds – when he is vulnerable and to use it to your advantage.
• Fight back.

And that is what she did.  She knew she needed to remain calm, assess the best time for defense, and strike.


Lindsay did just that.  As she watched his body fly across the room, Lindsay was amazed to see the shock on his face.  He was caught physically and mentally off-guard by her blow that she landed him in the chest with both of her feet, using all the force she could gather.  Lindsay had enough time to escape.  As she ran out of her apartment to get help, he ran too…not after her, but away from her.


Lindsay experienced a life-threatening situation.  It is our responsibility to ensure our own safety.  You may be wondering why Lindsay didn’t hear her intruder as there were no noises of a break-in; the man had a key from the previous tenant who lived in the apartment….previous to Lindsay. 


The landlord never changed the locks when Lindsay moved in!


Personal safety is a habit not a fear. I’ve had students tell me that their family members think that they are scared or paranoid because they lock doors even when they are home; when they go out to walk the dog and in their car.  I’ve heard many parents say that having your children’s carton images with their age and name on your vehicle window was not dangerous.  All of us in the personal safety arena agree, IT IS DANGEROUS! Ask any pedophile who wants an easy target.


The fact is, paranoia will freeze you with fear and fear is the most dangerous mindset of all.

• Trust your gut feelings, your instincts, intuition
• Be aware of your surroundings
• Establish and enforce your personal boundaries
• Exhibit confident body language
• Incorporate safety tips into your daily routine and life

The benefits of personal safety impact your entire life in a positive manner.  “An ounce of prevention is a pound of cure.”—-Benjamin Franklin


The people who tell you or call you paranoid for being aware and safe are O-B-L-I-V-I-O-U-S!
The impact of being oblivious and not facing the fact that all type of crimes and assaults are happening on a daily basis is an individual with blinders on.  Electing not be educated or taught how to be safe is just downright ludacris.

ob·liv·i·ous = unmindful; unconscious; unaware


Synonym – absent-minded (so lost in thought that one does not realize what one is doing, what is happening, etc.; preoccupied to the extent of being unaware of one’s immediate surroundings)

There is nothing wrong with being the brightest light bulb in the room!

What do you think?

About Anny
Anny is a Survivor of Domestic Violence with many years as a Certified Advocate. She firmly believes that EVERY female has the absolute right to protect and defend herself mentally, emotionally, spiritually and ultimately physically.

Anny received her PDR (Personal Defense Readiness) Instructor Certification in 2008. Anny is also a Steward's of Children Authorized Facilitator and Prevention Specialist who trains adults to prevent, recognize and react responsibly to child sexual abuse through Darkness to Light's certification programs.

www.annyjacoby.com

www.realisticfemaleselfdefense.com

www.projectsafegirls.com

anny@annyjacoby.com

Sensei Chris Feldt

Samurai karate Studio

Columbia, SC 29229

State Parks Are Threatened

 

Despite all the doom and gloom you hear about in Washington, with regards to our debt ceiling and our bloated budget, I can't say there has been a dramatic impact on me or most people I know in my state.  However, for the first time I can ever recall, our state park system is under attack across the US, with many states considering closing their parks in order to save money.

While I certainly sympathize with the states, as the current economy is one of the worst in decades, and Washington really hasn't been able to get it's house in order to help the states, it seems to me, closing the parks is just a quick and easy fix and doesn't really address the state's long term fiscal problems.

At a time when many families are struggling, our state parks provide an outlet for family fun that is low cost and encourages healthy activities like walking, biking, canoeing and hiking.

I also believe there is a bigger issue with closing these parks.  For the first time, our current geneartion is growing up without any exposure to the outdoors.  Parents are terrified of letting their children play outside, for fear their child might be abducted or molested. 

However, as author Richard Louv points out in his book, Last Child In The Woods, there is a growing nature deficit,  "As the nature deficit grows, new studies demonstrate just how important direct contact with the outdoors is to healthy human development. Most of the new evidence that connects nature to well-being and restoration has focused on adults, but during the past decade, scientists have begun to study the impact of nearby nature on child development. Environmental psychologists reported in 2003 that that nature in or around the home, or simply a room with a view of a natural landscape, helped protect the psychological well-being of the children."

Closing these state parks will only compound the nature deficit that many of our children are already experiencing!

I hope the states can figure something out and keep the parks open.  

To me, this is good self defense!

If you would like to find out what parks your state are considering for closure, please visit the link here: Tree Hugger.

"There are no words that can tell the hidden spirit of the wilderness, that can reveal its mystery, its melancholy, and its charm."  Teddy Roosevelt

 

This blog post is a part of The Ultimate Black Belt Test (ultimateblackbelttest.com), an undertaking ofThe 100 (the100.us), and a part of Samurai Karate Studio (samuraikaratestudio.net)

The 4 Levels of Mastery Training

This past week during my Bujutsu training, my instructor took a few minutes during our training to talk about what he believed were the 4 levels of training mastery. I have thought about what he said and wanted to share them with you. The reality is, you can probably apply these same concepts to most anything you do in life.

1. Unconscious Incompetence


This is when you first start out in your training and you have no idea what you are doing and more importantly, why you are doing it. You are going through the motions with little regard for stances, balance, power, form or speed. This is most definitely a white belt, or beginner student.

2. Conscious Incompetence


This best describes the student who is advancing from beginner to intermediate. The student has begun to understand many of the principles involved in training, but doesn't have the experience to execute the majority of them. Techniques are beginning to form and the student tends to be less awkward.

3. Conscious Competence


As many of us progress into the more advanced stages (black belt level) of our training, this is where most of us stay. We can execute most techniques at a high level, understanding most of the principles involved in footwork, balance, power, and speed. We can look at a form or kata and break it down into little pieces and translate the basic blocks, strikes and kicks. This is considered a high level of training.

4. Unconscious Competence


This is what my instructor characterized as the highest level of training; a level that we should all aspire to train at. This is for the advanced student who has trained for many years and through repetition, acts on instinct, without really needing to think about what to do.

I thought this was a great way to talk about our (your) training and a depending on what your goals are, something to shoot for. Level 4 is much like master. Something we are always striving for and within reach, but never quite grasping.
What level are you at?

I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times. Bruce Lee

Sensei Chris Feldt

Samurai Karate Studio

Columbia, SC 29229
803-462-9425
samuraikaratestudio@gmail.com