Learn About the Hoshin Dojo and Traditional Martial Arts

This technique is the preferred starting position when in Phase I of Self-Defense.  You will not see this position in every technique that is shown in this book as throwing techniques are not often the first technique used in a physical altercation.  Instead, striking techniques often occur first.  However, the non-apparent fighting stance is still covered in this book as it is an instrumental part of any physical altercation.

The purpose of the non-apparent fighting stance is to prevent a situation from escalating further while putting you in a position that prepares you for a physical altercation.  This stance is intended to look non-threatening but does not have to be submissive.  By keeping your hands up and in front of your body, you are in a position to block any attack that an assailant may initiate. 

This course explores methods of engaging in a physical altercation with a youth assailant.  A misguided teenager, who attacks an adult authority figure, can cause devastating damage.  Though their judgement may not be fully developed, they often have enough strength and stamina to use deadly force.  When in a physical altercation with a youth assailant, there are several concepts to keep in mind and techniques to avoid.  Our goal is to restrain or detain the youth assailant without causing lifelong injuries as a result.

This course is the online counterpart to an in-person seminar taught on the subject.  Before exposing yourself to a potentially dangerous situation, it is necessary to be familiar with such topics as situational awareness and the three phases of self-defense.

The target audience for this course includes security personnel, police, teachers, social workers, and anyone else who is exposed to troubled adolescents.

This course is strictly informational and does not reflect the local laws in your jurisdiction.  It is important to familiarize yourself with your local laws.

No striking with closed fists - Avoid striking a youth assailant if possible.  It is always advisable to use an open palm when blocking or engaging a youth assailant in any way.  Using a closed fist runs the risk of injuring the youth assailant and gives the impression that excessive force has been used.

No vital point striking - The use of vital point striking is a key element in most traditional martial arts.  While these techniques are extremely effective, they are often lethal or can cause permanent damage to an assailant.  Special consideration has to be given to youth assailants as their bodies are not fully developed and they are more susceptible to the effects of vital point striking.

No heavy throws - It is often necessary to take down an assailant in order to effectively detain them and control the situation.  Knowing this, takedown techniques are included in this book.  These techniques are extremely effective.  However, it is necessary to keep the size difference in mind.  Youth assailants tend to be smaller than a fully grown adult.  Care must be taken to not use too much force when taking a youth assailant to the ground.

No joint locks if the assailant may be under the age of 14 - Joint locks are highly effective when restraining an assailant.  Despite their effectiveness, it is important not to use joint locks on youth assailants who are under the age of 14.  Younger than 14, a youth’s joints are not fully developed.  Damaging a joint at this young age can lead to permanent damage.

Takedown techniques are among the most effective techniques for detaining an assailant.  This holds true for engaging with a youth assailant.  Takedowns allow you to close the distance, prevent additional attacks, and take control of the assailant.  As a special consideration, we must remember that youth assailants are likely to be physically small compared to a fully grown adult.  As such, special care must be taken when using these techniques so that we do not slam the youth assailant to the ground causing unnecessary injury.

When restraining a youth assailant, it is important to position yourself where you are safe from being struck.  Though youth assailants are not fully developed, they have enough strength to be damaging if they strike you in a vital spot (i.e. groin or eyes).  Do not underestimate any assailant and take the appropriate actions to safely take control of the situation.

Vital Point Striking

When dealing with an attacker, it is easy to become physically exhausted. Exhaustion is caused by attempting to overpower a stronger opponent. Instead, it is necessary to get the maximum effect with the minimum effort. This can be accomplished through vital point striking.

There are countless vital points, nerves, and pressure points that you can strike. However, many of them are difficult to execute without copious amounts of training. Instead, we offer six basic vital point targets that are all located on the front of your attacker’s body.

Just as there are countless vital points to strike, there are countless ways to strike them. Instead of attempting to cover each striking method, we offer a single, easy to execute technique for each vital point.

Remember that vital points are effective because of the ease in which they can stagger or disable an attacker. Use these techniques to stun the attacker enough to stagger them, then use the opportunity to escape the altercation and seek the appropriate help. Appropriate help often constitutes contacting the authorities.