Copyright © 2023 by Jeth Randolph
All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the author.
Definition
First let me start by saying that I feel little connection to the term “self defence” or indeed, “self protection” although for the better part, I’m stuck with them, especially the first.
I have adopted the term “survival fighting” for what I practice myself and have the good fortune to share with others.
It’s not martial arts, “combatives” or sport - all of these as I have encountered them seem to have set contextual criteria for their use which I feel do not apply well to my chosen field of study.
I may reference all three (and indeed, anything else I feel the need to) as I have studied and trained in them in the past and indeed very much continue to study certain examples of them, but for carefully considered reasons, I do not identify with them as labels.
Life, research, training.
What I do share with others is based on three things:
A) My own life experience
B) My own research
C) The physical training I have undertaken over the years with Hock Hochheim as well as others both in the UK and ongoing training with key people abroad.
I have also trained with many other individuals and purported “self defence” systems but chose not to pursue those solely for the reason that they didn’t provide the freedom or suitability that I was looking for and found in (C).
The first (A) was the catalyst in abandoning the idea of defining myself by the martial arts training that I had obsessively pursued to black belt level in the early 00’s. So, I started on my own path from scratch as ultimately, an individual’s own experiences must dictate the direction of study or they are simply not being true to themselves or others and it’s that path that I have been travelling ever since.
The second (B) is a seeking out and analysis of applicable real examples to further the course of training and thought.
The third (C) is simply a logical result of the first two.
The imposition of the will
Survival fighting, it’s required skills and thinking for me personally, represent the capability of resisting the will of someone or something else being imposed on you without your consent.
This concept is huge in scope across a full spectrum of aggression, whether interpersonal or larger in implication but this idea for me, is at the centre of thinking for any serious follower of this path.
Whether physical, psychological, emotional, way of life or spiritual:
You will force nothing on me without my consent.
Whatever the fight, I may well lose to you if you push me to act, but be assured, I will be the best second you’ve ever seen.
Further more, I leave nothing off the table in terms of countering you as I expect, not a fair fight but… a fight.
The heart of the matter
The capability to resist for an individual in terms of the physical aggression part ( and arguably for the other areas too), rests upon a simple foundational question:
Can you fight?
This is the core of the matter in terms of considering resistance.
It’s not about “empowerment”, endless discussions about identity politics, projecting personal issues, “healing”, seeking personal gain or perhaps peddling some kind of tricks like a snake oil salesman to the naïve .
These side issues for some are simply distractions from or excuses for not solving the problem at hand. They are superficialities, the concerns of fools and they will be torn instantly from importance at the first encounter with fist or blade.
A mask for liars
They also allow a small industry of charlatans, who lack the life experience of being on the receiving end of real threat and aggression as a member of the public with extremely limited agency, to line their pockets.
Can you fight?
This most basic of self questions is where sport combat disciplines excel - no one will progress in them without the ability and willingness to fight.
In the survival context, sure, no one wants to be in violent situations if they’re mentally normal, but it’s the “One In One” statistical moment.
Whoever, wherever, whenever you are and whatever you were doing, the moment you trained for, but hoped would never arrive is upon you right now.
There’s no longer any ambiguity or debate about the “How?” or “Why?”.
This is happening.
This is happening to YOU.
Can you fight?
A trap
To those reading this, I’m aware that I am, so to speak, preaching to the choir .
I know that you are not one of those that will fall into the trap of thinking like some others, that what they believe to be superior intellect (a massive trap in it’s own right) will enable them to intellectualise, reason or “sociology” their way out of a violent encounter that has decided already without their input that it will not be “de-escalated” or avoided.
It takes aggression and the willingness to fight and then the ABILITY to do so.
If need be, to physically impose your own will on someone/ something(1) else if they/ it(2) pose a threat to you.
Unlike some others, you don’t practice self deception and you know there are times just before or during an assault when, put simply:
It’s them or you.
Want a guarantee? Buy a toaster.
There are simply no guarantees to you prevailing whether you train or not, but if you are neglecting the physical aspects of survival fighting - you will be almost guaranteed to offer little resistance to determined aggression if tested.
Do what you can with what you have.
Survival fighting is a serious undertaking and needs considerable thought put into what should and shouldn’t be in your preparation for the possibility of ever having to experience it, but do not delude yourself or worse, others.
Just as purely physically oriented preparation wit no thought given to real world complexity is dumb, so is it’s opposite counterpart: intellectualising to ultimately mask the inability to back it up.
This Journal
I started the journal as a way of sharing my personal views, discoveries and thoughts on what I study with those that share the training space with me as well as with readers who are out of my area and further afield in other countries who might possibly find it useful in some way to their own training, whatever form that takes.
As well as a place for me to filter my own life, work and ideas, I hope the journal provides a space for readers to consider concepts related to the physical workshops I run and that it will continue to do this.
The journal is meant to be a place to expand on ideas that will start to form as a result of physical training and is not in any way a replacement for it.
So, think, consider, share, understand, perhaps change your opinion on something, maybe not, but never lose sight of the very core.
Learn to fight.
“Forget the politics, it’s rock n roll!”
Jeth / Aug ‘23
Notes:
(1) & (2) - and no, these are not pronouns. This is deliberately open in scope so that the reader can read between lines or interpret my meaning as they wish.
Got a comment or question?
Feel free to get in touch. You don’t need to create public accounts, just drop me an email at info(at)forcenecessary(dot)co(dot)uk
Anything I answer here for you and other readers will be anonymised.
Thanks, Jeth