© Richard Andrew King & Kiado-Ryu Martial Arts™ When we think of self-defense, it is fair to say that the most common perception is of an assailant attacking us as we defend ourselves with our martial arts skills. Such a scenario comes within the milieu of external self-defense. However, how often do we consider defending ourselves from ourselves? Answer: not often, if ever. Yet, defending ourselves from our own selves via bad judgement and foolish behaviors can, arguably, be the most critical application of self-defense.

© Richard Andrew King – Published 30 April 2018 There are warriors, and then there are warriors with a glove. There are athletes, and then there are athletes with grace. Kylee Perez, star second baseman and undisputed Senior leader of the historically vaunted UCLA Bruins Women’s Softball team, is both a warrior with a glove and an athlete with grace. For Kylee Perez, glove and grace go hand in hand.

General George Patton was one of the most iconic military leaders in history. And what do “White Tie and Tails” have to do with this vaunted martial leader? Patton states: I always believe in being prepared, even when I’m dressed in white tie and tails. In other words, “No matter where I am or how I’m dressed, I’m always prepared to fight.” From a personal standpoint, are we prepared to such a level?

During its highly successful competitive era, Kiado-Ryu Martial Arts and the Karate Institute of America utilized the following mantra for motivation. It certainly worked. The KIA was so successful that a mother, whose children studied in another karate system, stopped Ken “Ramjet” Rogers (now Anderson) as he walked through the tournament crowd. She said, quite frankly, “You’re going to win.” Ramjet asked why. She retorted, “Because people with that patch always win!

One doesn’t normally think of Buddha in a martial arts manner. Yet, his following quote harmonizes perfectly with the heart of martial arts philosophy, which is ultimately not about beating up other people but conquering oneself.

William Shakespeare is regarded as the greatest dramatist of the English language and the most quoted author of all time. His “This Above All” quotation from Hamlet (Act 1, scene 3, lines 78-82) gives great advice regarding one’s character and wholeness, i.e., being true to one’s self, for if we are true to ourselves we can never be false, fake or phony to anyone. As martial artists, not just people, we must learn to be true to who we are.