Everything Self Defense Columbia, South Carolina

Over the weekend, I watched some mixed martial art's matches on Showtime. Gosh, these athletes are really good. I love it when the fighters break to the ground and work feverishly on submitting one another. Because of the popularity of the UFC and other MMA groups, I do get students from time to time that want to do nothing but grapple. And while grappling is an excellent way to get in shape and learn how to submit your attacker, I don't believe it is the ONLY way to learn how to defend yourself. Take for example the video below.   Warning , it is pretty graphic and the language is very offensive. However, it offers a quick illustration of what can and typically does happen in an altercation: Protecting yourself on the street involves more than just dropping to the ground and rolling with your attacker. Having the ability to stand up and strike; or in this instance, even to block, is very important. I love the Gracie family and what they have done for the ...

Your car is not always the safest place to be in, particularly, depending on the neighborhood you are driving through. But, following these tips, while in the car, will help keep you safer.

Check out the most recent episode of Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution   Mr. Oliver has become passionate about the state of kids’ nutrition, especially in public schools. His fight to be recognized in the LA area makes for a good story, but the information he brings — and his techniques for informing kids about the consequences of what they eat — really make this worth the watch. He’s not teaching kicks and punches, but this information is far more likely to save some lives. Sensei Chris Feldt Samurai Karate Studio Columbia, SC 29229 803-462-9425

The following article appeared on NPR, by Vanessa Romo This spring and summer, scantily-clad women, and some men, are taking to the streets in what are called "SlutWalks." They say they're protesting a culture in which the victim of a sexual assault is blamed, rather than the perpetrator. Hundreds of women in skimpy outfits — plunging necklines and the shortest of shorts — disregarded the overcast 60-degree weather and marched down the streets of Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood last weekend. Protester Monica Thomas explained why she came out for the walk. "I don't believe that how a woman dresses dictates whether or not a woman wants to be raped. No one wants to be raped. And no one deserves to be treated like that," she said. SlutWalks began in April when a Toronto police officer suggested women should "avoid dressing like sluts in order to not be victimized." He was talking to a small group of law students, but that comment i...

According to the Safe Horizon's website, the following are the latest facts on domestic violence:   Domestic violence (also known as intimate partner violence) can happen to anyone, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, orientation, socio-economic status, or other factors. The Victims One in 4 women will experience domestic violence during her lifetime.  Women experience more than 4 million physical assaults and rapes because of their partners, and men are victims of nearly 3 million physical assaults. Women are more likely to be killed by an intimate partner (30%) than men (5%). Women ages 20 to 24 are at greatest risk of becoming victims of domestic violence. Every year, 1 in 3 women who is a victim of homicide is murdered by her partner. The Families Every year, more than 3 million children witness domestic violence in their homes. Children who live in homes where there is domestic violence are also victims o...

The following links provide up to date statistics on domestic violence and are highly recommended if you are looking for more information on domestic violence: Bureau of Justice Statistics, Office of Justice Programs. Intimate Partner Violence in the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Injury Prevention and Control: Violence Prevention. National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Fact Sheets National Criminal Justice Reference Service, Family Violence – Facts and Figures Sensei Chris Feldt Samurai Karate Studio Columbia, SC 29229 803-462-9425

Rape and Sexual Assault Statistics (From Bureau of Justice Statistics, Criminal Victimization, 2009, National Crime Victimization Survey: http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/index.cfm?ty=pbdetail&iid=2217) In 2009, there were 125,910 reports of rape and/or sexual assault. More than half of rape and sexual assault crimes take place between 6pm and 6am. Females are more likely to be victims of rape or sexual assault than males. Most victims of rape or sexual assault are females younger than 24 years of age. Most rapes committed against women are committed by an intimate partner (spouse, boyfriend/girlfriend) or someone else they know (friend, family member, acquaintance). Sensei Chris Feldt Samurai Karate Studio Columbia, SC 29229 803-462-9425

It starts with the words, “I love you,” and it ends with a punch in the face. It starts with the line, “It’s us against the world,” and it ends with her against the wall in tears. It starts with the suggestion of what to wear, and it ends with him saying, “I tear you down to build you up. You are mine.” I have heard the stories. I have seen the pain. So let’s look at the warning signs that every teen needs to know as well as parents. Yes, it’s a “family problem”, however with education and the ability to be proactive every teen has the opportunity to escape the wrath of an abuser – safely. Please do not ignore the following information. See the rest of the article HERE . About the Author.... Anne Jacoby 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 mentality, emotionally, spiritually and ultimately physically. Anny received her PDR (Personal Defense...

F rom Me to My Friends… On April 7, 2011, I will join between 50 and 100 martial arts master teachers and their students in the small southern town of Greensboro, Alabama. We will put on our work boots and gloves, and begin building a home for an elderly woman in need. I am going to Greensboro because Martin Luther King traveled through there just weeks before his death. I am going there because teacher-architect Samuel “Sambo” Mockbee co-founded the famous Rural Studio in nearby Newbern. I am going there because of the classic book Let Us Now Praise Famous Men ; because James Agee wrote about the people of Hale County and because Walker Evans carried his camera down Greensboro’s Main Street. My friends and I are going there because community activist Pam Dorr lives there and heads The Hale Empowerment and Revitalization Organization (HERO) . We are a group of karate, kung fu, aikido, taekwondo, tang soo do and jiu-jitsu teachers from New Jersey, Hawaii, California, South Carol...

By Gayle Crabtree Could someone please tell me what an alleged reporter was thinking when he wrote the piece called Vicious Assault Shakes Texas Town . In this article, the NY Times reporter James C. McKinley, JR writes about how the rape of an 11 year old is reverberating through a town. What he doesn’t write about is how the rape is reverberating through the child’s life and the life of her family. Beginning with the title, the article takes the fast track downhill. You bet the town is shaken. It should be. The reported gang rape of an 11 year old should shake any town to the core! Rape should never be condoned. Further, there is no excuse for an article to even suggest that a child (or adult) is to blame. The problem is that the tone of this article seems to side with the alleged perpetrators. (I say alleged because everyone is innocent until proven guilty under the law.) I’d like to know who told the reporter that it’s ok to quote comments about the way a child dresses. In the ar...

BY SANDY THORN CLARK Mar 15, 2011 Breaking the silence associated with domestic violence — and giving a voice to its victims — is one of the major goals of Connections for Abused Women and their Children (CAWC), a 30-year Chicago organization committed to ending the crime. It’s why “Sounds of Silence” was chosen as the theme for CAWC’s 25th Annual Spring Gala Saturday night at the Hyatt Regency Chicago. The shame and guilt associated with being a victim are the top contributors to the silence, according to Stephanie Love-Patterson, associate director of CAWC. The organization offers: a 24-hour hotline; Greenhouse Shelter, a shelter for battered women; an outreach services program for the Humboldt Park area; a Hospital Crisis Intervention Project at Stroger Hospital, and domestic violence education at Haymarket Center, the third largest center in Illinois for alcohol and substance addictions. Read the rest of the article HERE . Sensei Chris Feldt Samurai Karate Studio Columbia, SC ...

Watch this powerful video to understand that what we say, everyday, has the power to change people! Who's inspired? Sensei Chris Feldt Samurai Karate Studio Columbia, SC 29229 803-462-9425

By Beth Karcher Bellmore Patch It is a hard concept for kids to understand when we tell them not to talk to strangers. They see us speaking to them at the checkout line at the grocery store, the bagel store, etc. They may think that if we talk to someone once, then he is not a stranger. Positive Parenting 123: What should I tell my kids about talking to strangers? It is a hard concept for kids to understand when we tell them not to talk to strangers. They see us speaking to strangers at the checkout line at the grocery store, the bagel store, etc. They may think if we talk to someone once, then he is not a stranger. In addition, they may feel it is ok for them to talk to strangers since they have seen us do it. Talk to your children about “stranger danger” and develop safety rules for your family. Tell your children that they won’t have to worry about strangers if they follow your safety rules. Tell them that you believe most people are good, therefore most strangers are good. However...

This video was produced by Committee For Children.

  Everybody knew the graphic new cigarette labels the Food and Drug Administration would be disturbing. But the nine selected by the agency may still startle you. The whole idea is that the labels will grab people by the lapels and be the visual equivalent of someone yelling: "Stop smoking!" And, for the most part, the labels unveiled by the agency today live up to the advanced billing. Check out the ravaged teeth and damaged lip in the label on the left for starters. Beginning in Sept. 2012, cigarette makers will have to give up the top half on their packages to display the nine images in rotation. In ads, 20 percent of the real estate at the top of the ads will have to be devoted to a graphic warning. You can see the rest of the article, HERE . Sensei Chris Feldt Samurai Karate Studio Columbia, SC 29229 803-462-9425

What does dietary self defense have to do with karate? Well, everything! If you attend any of my self defense workshops, you know one of the things I preach about self defense, is having a fit body, that relies on healthy food to fuel it. While it certainly would be nice for everyone to be "model" thin, the reality is we are not, but that doesn't mean we can't work on our fitness and be conscious of what we eat. As per of my instructor training with the UBBT, dietary self defense is a big part of our test. And not just the types of food we eat, but where it comes from and how it is produced. Like many of you, I never really gave much thought to where our food came from; I just bought my groceries at the local supermarket like everyone else. But, because of my UBBT training, I have started to take a serious look at our food supply and I am not liking what I see. For example, here is a video from the Humane Society that calls attention to how pigs are ra...

Below are two sites that offer statistics on bullying and cyber bullying! Facts about Bullying Facts about Cyber Bullying Sensei Chris Feldt Samurai Karate Studio 803-462-9425

The below tips are designed to help today's parents get more involved in their children's "CYBER" life. Know who, what, where and when your children are on the computer and be assertive in understanding the culture of the internet. Learn. Unannounced, sit down with your children and say, "Teach me something." Gauge their reaction. Go through your computer's web history every other day. Establish consequences for your children if they clear the history so that you can't see what they have been searching. Read their text messages/e-mails. You will likely receive resistance from this, but Driscoll says that this is where you need to be less of a buddy and more of a parent. Remind your kids about stranger danger; they don't need to accept every friend request they get on their social networking sites. Know any and all of your kids' usernames and passwords. Follow your kids' posts (Facebook) /tweets (Twitter). Keep the computer in a com...

Visit these sites for helpful information and tips for parents who have a child that is being bullied. Why You Shouldn’t Say “Just Walk Away” How to Inspire Your Kid to be a Leader in a Positive Way How to Help Your Child Advocate for Him or Herself with the School Counselor NBC- Dateline: My Kid Would Never Bully Sensei Chris Feldt Samurai Karate Studio Columbia, SC 29229 803-462-9425

Look at the latest facts concerning bullying. Scary! According to the U.S. Department of Education: 8 out of 10 students report being bullied during their school days. 160,000 students miss school every day due to fear of being picked on or beaten up by a bully. Approximately 2 out of 10 students are scared throughout the school day. 58% have not told their parents about an online bullying incident. 56% of students have personally witnessed some type of bullying at school. 42% of students have bullied online; 1 in 4 had it happen more than once. 21% of students received mean or threatening e-mail or other messages. We ALL need to take responsibility and report bullying when we see it or communicate to school administrators and teachers.

June is Internet Safey Month, a great time to hold a Delete Day with your students or plan one for back-to-school. What is Delete Day? It's a campaign devoted to ending digital abuse and creating a culture of respect and community on the Web. And it's the brainchild of students from The Mary Louis Academy , a high school in Queens, NY, which held the first Delete Day on May 6. How Delete Day Works Students gather together in a computer lab or classroom to do the following: Delete Formspring pages Delete inappropriate pictures or comments from Facebook pages Delete "friends" who are unknown Delete personal information that is dangerous Delete groups that may be hurtful or offensive Create an email address that is appropriate for formal correspondence Internet Safety "Delete Day Program"