Let’s face it, most men in our day and age have never been in a physical altercation no less actually thrown a punch with the intent to harm. For the most part many of us rely on the protection of our governing bodies that are designed to protect and defend us. We are very fortunate in this country to have the protections and liberties afford to us through our local police force. If push comes to shove we can call the police to do the shoving for us, which in many ways is a good thing. But what happens when you find yourself directly in harm’s way? When there is no way to avoid the impending conflict in front of you? Will you run afraid, or will you stand and defend yourself?
This is a question that many men aren’t prepared to answer, for most men are unfamiliar with their own machinery. The truth is, many of us spend the majority of our days staring at a computer, living in a virtual reality of sorts and we almost forget that we have this whole body connected to our mind that is capable of incredible violence. While violence in itself seems almost a pejorative term it is a force that can be used for both good and evil and it is up to the individual to decide to best wield its power. So what happens when you find yourself face to face with someone who seems to have the desire and intent to inflict violence upon you? Will you meekly back down under the guide of humility and moral superiority? Will you allow this individual to impose their will upon you while you hope they go away and move on with their day? Or will you stand up and defend yourself?
We’ve all been in those moments where we hesitate, where we are in the face of belligerence and unprovoked anger and you wish you had the training and discipline of how to defend yourself in a fight that would give you the courage to stand up and stand against the bullies of the world. However, it can be scary, very scary indeed, at the thought of confronting a bully, especially if you have no idea how things could play out or what could happen. This is where Lightning Kicks comes in, where Master Amir Khillah has dedicated his life to teaching his students how to empower themselves to take on the bullies of the world and to not back down in the face of conflict, pressure, or the fear of pain. Through the various martial arts and self-defense classes that he offers at Lightning Kicks Amir helps each student answer for themselves how things will play out in a conflict. By introducing each student to the concept of self-defense, martial arts, and how to use their own body as a weapon when needed Amir empowers each and every one of us to answer that question.
It is through the consistent discipline of martial arts and self defense training that we discover how we will respond in a moment of crisis. Whether it be Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, MMA, Muay Thai, or self-defense classes each student is given the tools and, more importantly, the confidence to know that they can be a truly violent force for the good of mankind. While we all strive for peace the truth is that we will always live in a world of bullies. We will continue to meet people who take pleasure in hurting other people or perhaps just don’t have the impulse control or social awareness to know they are hurting those around them. The question we must all answer is, what are you going to do about it? Will you stand up and fight? Will you face your bullies, stare them down without flinching? Or will you let them walk over you?
If you’re like me you’ve reflected on your life and the moments where you faced bullies of various forms and you wished you had the courage to stand up and face them. I must confess that there are moments in my life where I acted the coward and allowed others to bully me around. However, my training at Lightning Kicks has given me the skills and confidence to change that. If you are someone in the Kalamazoo or Portage area and are seeking how to defend yourself in a fight, we would love to help you and fight alongside you.