Podcasts about life defense

This week in Life Defense, we're talking about focus. Specifically the FOCUS that comes from an arm bar.  The technique executed from a standing position after an attempt at a choke, leaves the defender's throat exposed. The arm is hooked with both hands, stepping forward with maximum weight and pressure to release the arm, and extend the arm, applying pressure to the elbow with the shoulder. This pressure is called an arm bar.  This technique will probably not break the elbow joint, however, the focused pressure applied to the elbow through the shoulder all the way to the hand to straighten the arm might be enough for an attacker to tap out, give up, or strain the arm enough to temporarily distract the attacker and escape.  The reason an arm bar works in any position, whether standing, on the ground, on your back, or any other position it can be applied from, is the FOCUSED tension put on a joint that is not designed to twist in that particular direction. The tendons and ligaments, being stressed send a signal through pain receptors to the brain that communicates whatever is causing this must stop immediately before further damage occurs Interestingly enough, the escape from the pain is an acceptance of the pain. Getting through the pain to the other side where your mind is not manipulated by the pain is where release occurs. Although counterintuitive as most Hapkido techniques are, the FOCUS facilitates the release.  Although FOCUS alone will not stop a spiral break, the release requires FOCUS. In this case, reaching up and grabbing the elbow being stressed, at the point of pain, and pulling down releases the arm bar.  In life and Life Defense, FOCUSING on the pain point, and manipulating a release at the pain point is a real thing. Instead of panic, screaming and dancing around it, FOCUS on the pain point, and do something about it. FOCUS… #allenhughes #lifedefense #focus Photo by Bahaa A. Shawqi: https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-s-face-583437/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/allen-hughes/message

Some self-defense scenarios require more than ourselves to actually complete. To be effective in a situation where someone has gotten out of control, you both have fallen onto the ground, and you're holding them down to keep them from hurting you themselves, or other people, mount posting is a solution. One of the common things that happen at social events, especially when alcohol is involved, is protecting a person from breaking things, hurting themselves, or hurting other people. Although they may not be a lethal threat, keeping your uncle Fred from smashing wedding cakes, ripping bridal gowns, or pushing someone's face into the punch ball is a real possibility. From this mount position, you will look like the aggressor, and he will inevitably be struggling with all his alcohol induced might to turn you over get on top, perhaps  to show you who's boss, or at least continue his aberrant behavior. Atop the fallen aggressor you EXPAND, or reach out with arms and legs leveraging the ground to keep them from getting up. As they turn one way, you focus your posted arm and leg out to the opposite side to keep them from turning you over, getting up, and wreaking more havoc. It always appears to the common onlooker that you are the aggressor. After all, aunt Susan turned around and saw uncle Fred on the bottom, struggling to get up, being controlled by you, with you on top of him, and the her first inclination might be to grab a folding chair and smash you over the back of the head, to save uncle Fred. ...EXPANDING by reaching out to leverage the ground with your arms and legs back-and-forth each time the actual aggressor attempts to turn you over and get up, that you speak to them, “Hey uncle Fred calm down. I gotcha, no problem I'll let you up in a minute. Just calm down, shhh it's okay big fella.” It  is also advisable to simultaneously address gathering crowd, “Somebody get some help. Somebody help me. I just wanna make sure he doesn't hurt himself. Can somebody please help me?” EXPANDING out with more than your hands, and using your voice, then becomes paramount. EXPANDING out to communicate what is actually going on, the struggle that is actually happening, and what you'd like to do to resolve it, is powerful communication. In life, and Life Defense, the act of EXPANDING beyond your own reach, and beyond what actually you can control, or do requires others to assist, and be part of the solution. In saving life, EXPANSION gives you ultimately all the power and abilities you need to do anything. Without EXPANDING, however, there is a good chance aunt Susan will take a folding chair to the back of your head. We all from time to time fail to communicate in life what is actually going on with us, the struggles we are having, and ask for the assistance required to resolve issues in our life, and our jobs, in the projects that we have at hand, including but not limited to our children. How many times have we wished for more assistance when it comes to our children thinking perhaps we are the only ones doing this, no one understands, and no one is coming to help. When in fact, many people are standing around, confused, and bewildered about how, who, or when to help.  In my life I'm as much at fault as anyone. Being a man, I have trouble asking directions when my GPS goes bonkers, let alone asking for help in a personal situation, getting assistance in a conflict, or asking for understanding when dealing with a wayward child.  Writing and producing this podcast is always a humbling experience for me as I am the one that gets the most from each episode.  It is therefore my resolution to EXPAND my reach, not just before being taken out by a folding chair welded by aunt Susan. Rather long before, when the struggle is just starting, that I might be understood, assisted, and survive…. #allenhughes #expand #lifedefense Photo by Julia Larson : https://www.pexels.com/photo/black-coach-reaching-hand-to-woman-6456303/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/allen-hughes/message

In self-defense we must always consider that an attacker is larger, faster, more skilled, and more aggressive than the defender. This week in Life Defense, and in our self-defense programs, we are studying the attack from a tackle. This attack when applied by someone who possesses these attributes can be devastating for a smaller, lighter, less skilled defender. Unless, they understand the simple principle of ALLOWING.  Many of the defenses we use are counterintuitive. This is one of them. The first inclination of a defender who is untrained defending against a larger, more powerful opponent is to stop them. Meaning, blocking their pathway in the case of say a full frontal football, or wrestling style tackle. This almost inevitably goes poorly for the defender. Caught off guard, and back on their heels by a larger attacker thrusting forward intent on driving them to the ground.  The counter intuitive defense that we suggest from a front tackle is to ALLOW the attackers energy to come forward, while pushing their legs back, removing the targeted legs and pressing weight on the head, neck and upper back of the attacker. This simple motion drives the attacker downward by using all of their body weight to drive the attacker face first to the ground as the motion of the tackle proceeds forward.  In self-defense, and Life Defense, we call this principle ALLOWING. This counter intuitive technique ALLOWS the attacker to drive forward with all their might, all their speed, and all their weight. This utilizes their attack against themselves, typically driving their face to the ground with the defender's weight reinforcing that motion. In Life Defense, we can see this demonstrated as people drive forward in an all out attack on our belief systems, our political stance, or anything we hold dear. The intuitive reaction to a direct attack is to stop the attack, push back from the attack, or fight off the attack. We see this every day in social media, in public forums, and legacy media. As the attacker drives in full force attacking what they believe are the core values of their intended victim, prepared with every counter argument that could arise, the defenders are caught back on their heels, and off balanced. As the verbally skilled, powerful attacker drives forward with their arguments, the defender loses balance, loses the ability to react, and just like a physical tackle is driven to the proverbial concrete, where their head bounces off the sidewalk, and unable to respond, are left defeated, and demoralized.  The ALLOWING that happens in Life Defense might be a question rather than a response, a curiosity rather than a defense, or a pause, rather than an immediate knee-jerk response. These techniques allow for time, space, and contemplation, and require the attacker to actually defend their position over and over again. This over extension is not unlike the overextension of a body as it drives towards its intended target, overextended, and off-balance. It is not hard to see how this overextended off balanced attacker may end up face into the proverbial concrete as an overextended attack often does. All of this, because the defender was able to ALLOW the attacker to overextend themselves, to shoot all of their bullets at once, and  become off-balanced.  In life, and Life Defense, I choose to allow, and overaggressive attacker to overextend themselves, to drive forward with as much speed and aggression as possible, allowing them to seal their own fate, rather than fight, or attempt to stop their advance. In essence, when confronted on the field of battle, consider “stop, stopping and just ALLOW…” #allenhughes #allow #lifedefense Photo by Andrea Piacquadio: https://www.pexels.com/photo/mad-formal-executive-man-yelling-at-camera-3760790/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/allen-hughes/message

“Life ELEVATED” is the Utah brand/ tag line, so I might be in some sort of copyright issue, and what the heck…ELEVATE Life, specifically, “your life” is the topic of this week's Life Defense.  I'm not a native of Utah, and I've lived here for almost 25 years. That might mean I've got altitude sickness, and eaten way too much green Jello. Both of those terminologies and my fascination with fry sauce may identify me as a Utahn and so I'm going to borrow it anyway. ELEVATION has everything to do with perspective right? A catsup bottle might look like a skyscraper to and ant and a condiment to a human. In our self-defense training this week were defending from a kick with a body block, and immediate leg dump. The leg dump technique is basically catching their leg and ELEVATING it while stepping into their center to throw the would be attacker. This technique works best against mid to high kicks. I was training some people earlier today and asked them about kicks. We talked about the difference between a highly unlikely, flashy head kick, and a lackluster low, practical  kick to the knee which might work most of the time.  The head kick, popularized in Hollywood, is where the agile, fit, hot actress or actor does some CG spinning head kick and knocks their opponent out immediately, does a variation of this to few more bad guys, mixed with neck breaking head twists, before defusing the bomb. I can never remember, is it the red or blue wire you're supposed to cut with the mandatory 1 second left on the clock?  In the case of jump spinning head kicks, and all else that follows, it's fake, most people with sense know it, and the few with actual training for sure know it. Which part is fake you ask…? All of it. That's why they call it acting. Interesting fact, the word origin for actor is “liar.” What does this have to do with ELEVATED Life? Everything. We are living in a Hollywood movie! That's why our perspective is all screwed up. The amount of pure fiction we consume each, and every day of our life is staggering. It's a wonder we survive at all.  What if, in life we consider the precious few truths, and stop sweating the jump spinning head kicks? They hardly ever land on target anyway.  I think of all the fake news, fake social media and fake pop culture, that I can live without. In fact, I can live much longer and better without all that stuff! For me, I'm going to focus on the truth, and sort of ignore most of the rest. How about you? After all, it's all in your perspective anyway… #allenhughes #elevate #lifedefense Photo by Paul Deetman: https://www.pexels.com/photo/hollywood-sign-2695679/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/allen-hughes/message

CONTROL of who, or what is our PRINCIPLE topic of conversation today. “Get control, keep control, control yourself, control your thoughts, control the meeting, control the situation, whatever you do it seems that this topic of control is way out of…CONTROL! It seems humans want to control everything. And yet, what do we really control?  In our self-defense course this week we are studying upper body defenses. In this study, the very first technique is a “CONTROLLING” move based on a boxing clench. The idea of a boxing clench is that the attacker is a striker, comes in punching at your face and head with his fists, and your reaction is to grab a hold of the attacker's arms in a sort of controlling hug to keep them from hitting your face, breaking your nose, blackening your eyes, or damaging your brain. It's what you see in boxing rings when a fighter is tired, or doesn't want to be punched anymore, and wants to gain CONTROL of the situation. Recently we noticed that smaller defenders have difficulty clenching, or CONTROLLING, effectively larger attackers. On the other hand, if the defender CONTROLS, only their own body weight by hanging on the arms of the attacker and making the attacker, hold them up, they succeed.  Additionally, asymmetrically focusing/ CONTROLLING their weight on one arm, or the other in a given instance tips the larger attacker off-balance, and makes striking effectively difficult. Even lifting their arms enough to get a swing at the defender is nearly impossible.  In essence, the much smaller defender CONTROLS their own weight, and body positioning, and affects the much larger opponent. In a word, the defender controls themselves, and affects the much larger opponents, balance, and ability to attack. In life and Life Defense, the control we talk about most is the control of self. Really, do we have control of anything else? I can request that a tree grows rapidly, I can exert pressure for a child to not touch a hot stove, I can will my friends and relatives to agree with me on political issues, and still they have their choice, and I CONTROL them not at all.  This month we are studying the book The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk. Van der Kolk is an expert, and leading authority on trauma. At the very most base level, a defender who has been violently attacked seeks to control their experience. They may shut down, they may go into flight or fight, and whatever they do a loss or sense of loss of CONTROL of the situation affects them drastically. In years that follow, these survivors make sense of their world through reenactments, dangerous activities, or by shutting down. Clearly, they are CONTROLLING the only thing they can CONTROL over and over again. Themselves. I am not a psychologist, this is Life Defense and observations we've made in self-defense situation's that pertain to life. In the end either before, during, or after an attack successful defense requires taking CONTROL of self. This CONTROL of ourselves is key. We cannot control a dangerous situation, and we might control where we go, and who goes with us. We cannot stop someone from attacking us, and we may be able to control our awareness of dangerous threats in our environment. We cannot control the ultimate outcome of a confrontation, and we can control how we train for that outcome. We cannot control damage form a violent attack, and we can control what it means to us, and what we do, or do not do to resolve and heal. Coming back from trauma land into most peoples existence, we see through these extreme cases how much we actually CONTROL. How much? Ultimately, we control only ourselves, and ironically, consider that that may be enough…  #allenhughes #control #lifedefense --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/allen-hughes/message

This is an EXTRA HOUR of the John & Heidi Show. These breaks are only heard on the flagship station for The John And Heidi Show, Sunny 93.3 fm in Sioux Falls, SD. (and now www.SiouxFallsNewsRadio.com) This rest of this show is syndicated on over 297 stations, to hear these breaks, you can listen to Sunny 93.3 from 5am to 10am or hear the podcast version at the bottom of the page at JohnAndHeidiShow.com (click AUDIO ARCHIVES)

In self-defense we speak of healing often. Just today I was coaching a friend of mine on how to keep his hands up when someone comes after him fists violently launched at his head. My friend is special. Although he's an adult he is socially different. This has him in a program with other adults with similar conditions. As he looked up at me timidly, through very thick glasses, I could still see the yellow, brown and black hematomas surrounding both eyes. He was healing from an attack just 2 weeks earlier. We see a lot of healing from the physical and emotional attacks our participants go through, some decades prior to us knowing us. The one thing that I have noticed that PREVENTS healing, is us.  To be more specific, it's our faith, or lack thereof that gets in the way. Whether you have religious faith, faith in humanity, or some other belief, faith is a real thing. In the Bible Jesus heals people and almost always qualifies that because of their faith they are healed. Science actually proves this concept again and again. Each time they do a study of a new life saving wonder drug they have a control group that receives a placebo. Time and time again a very measurable portion of this control group is healed.  Although this phenomenon may frustrate some scientists, and pharmaceutical companies , the real science is that faith heals. However, faith is a two way street, and the belief side is up to us. Test subjects must believe that they got the wonder drug, and when they do,  many are healed. I would call this faith.  If this is true, then the inverse is also true. If we don't believe, or have faith, we PREVENT our healing.  To take it one step further, without faith we PREVENT more than healing, we PREVENT life and living. If we do not have faith that we can defend ourselves the next time we are violently attacked, we won't. If we lack faith about getting and keeping that next job, we won't even try. If asking someone out is done without faith…well I wouldn't bet on it! In life and Life Defense faith could be the key to healing, opportunity, and creating our life day to day. Why are video games, role playing, and movies so entrancing and addictive?  Consider that these popular forms of entertainment are based on weak faith. Meaning just enough faith to believe that a fantasy world exists out there, and we can live vicariously in it. There is a chance at failure, however, the failure is momentary in games, and non-existent in movies.  Faith is as real as anything you can imagine. I have a favorite saying, “Placebo is the ultimate reality.” In fact the measure of all accomplishment from our first step, to our final breath is a exercise in faith.   Looking into my special friends eyes as his sidewards glances, hopeful smile and nodding head conveyed his faith in an alternate reality, I reflected that he was healing. Faith will heal him. Fact, faith heals. Whether it's your belief in God, humanity, the universe, science, or just Life Defense, consider that you may be the only obstacle to your healing, and if so perhaps it is just you that is PREVENTING your healing, and ultimately everything in your life… #allenhughes #prevent #lifedefense --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/allen-hughes/message

This week the principle of POSITION is demonstrated in the world of WONJIN Hapkido from a “Guard Position.” The Guard is a seemingly weak position as the person doing it is laying on their back, legs apart, while the attacker is either attempting to “pass the defender's Guard” by fully straddling them, or the defender finds themselves in a typical position of sexual assault. Most of the world prior to Brazilian Jiujitsu saw this POSITION as submissive, and weak. Even in wrestling holding, or Judo throwing, an opponent to their back is counted as an immediate win. Our Brazilian counterparts took it upon themselves to make this position strong, and in fact, in certain circumstances deadly. Although traditional Jiujitsu Masters obviously knew how to use this technique, it has been most successfully implemented by Brazilian Jiujitsu Professors, and fighters. Treating the Guard position as being an advantage was perhaps one of the most enlightening events in self-defense history. They obviously saw the isolation of their opponents lower body, and control of their opponent's center as powerful, and became extremely comfortable fighting from that POSITION. Additionally, they considered this common defensive POSITION as powerful, as they were able to isolate 70% of their attackers weapons, feet and hands, from this unassuming POSITION. That brings us to our Life Defense moment. In this case, the PRINCIPLE of POSITION is a matter of perspective. In self-defense we may find ourselves in less desirable POSITIONS, and our defense is all based on that presentment or POSITION. Example, we find ourselves flat on our back, with a much stronger attacker aggressively moving in. In this case our POSITION is strong, and with the right perspective our POSITION is powerful. Armed with training to fight from the Guard, you relax and neutralize the threat. As you leave the scene, with the unconscious attacker slowly reviving as you drive off, and dial 911, you might think, “That's wasn't so bad…That guy is lucky, and will live his next few years in prison, thinking about turning his life around, instead of six feet underground. In life, how many times do we bemoan our POSITION. “If only I was richer, had a better job, didn't have to put up with my jerk of a coworker, won the lottery, or weighed 30 pounds less.”POSITION is just a moment in time. What you do with that moment makes all the difference. Consider all the advantage you have in your life now, at this time in history, and relax. You've got this. POSITION… #allenhughes #position #lifedefense Photo by SHVETS production: https://www.pexels.com/photo/smiling-black-man-balancing-on-leg-in-studio-6974955/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/allen-hughes/message

This week our PRINCIPLE of Life Defense is UNIFY. The technique we will be practicing with participants from the Black Sea, to South America, Asia, and the US is defending from an opponent's rear grab. If you watch the video you'll see how defenders grabbed from behind step out, in one swift and powerful motion. They become one, dropping their entire body weight 6-8” essentially UNIFYING themselves with the earth through gravity. Gravity is a real thing, and is inescapable. So is the fact that the largest body on the earth is “the earth.” Additionally, it's easy to explain to even the most casual observer how this technique works, and anyone who's attempted to lift a small child that doesn't want to be lifted will understand. UNIFICATION to the earth is powerful. When you think of this basic PRINCIPLE of life it's self explanatory, UNIFYING forces with someone or something more powerful than yourself allows us to borrow their mass, weight, strength, in essence their energy, to save our life. This is literal. Last night I attended an AA meeting in support of an adult son who is turning his life around from addiction like others at the meeting. Their stories shared were inspirational and authentic. If you ever want to experience truth, raw honesty and courage walk in, and sit down in an AA meeting. To me it's humbling. Every one of these people has experienced life in a way we may never know. During each of my visits I've learned of one overarching theme. Connection, or UNIFICATION with a higher power. Each participant shares their personal story of failure, success and living, attributing their very survival to God, or this higher power. Although Alcoholics Anonymous is not religious, their acute awareness to UNIFICATION with someone or something bigger than themselves has been proven in the battlefield of life. The success of Alcoholics Anonymous is well documented with millions of lives saved. Fact, there is no program, rehab, therapy, drug or treatment with was much success as AA, and AA recognizes UNIFICATION with a higher power. In life if all else fails, or even before failure, consider that the PRINCIPLE of UNIFICATION to something greater than yourself works. We, the warriors of self, and Life Defense always refer to what actually works. We are ever searching for a better technique, because better techniques save life. In my battle life, I will always UNIFY with a greater power. Why? Because it works… #allenhughes #unify #lifedefense --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/allen-hughes/message

In self-defense we use the term OFFLINE to describe our defensive body position from an attack. An example of this would be an angled stepping toward, or away from a kick. We also diminish space and create space to put us either too close or too far from the most powerful arch of the kick. Much like getting off the railroad tracks when facing a speeding locomotive, we take ourselves OFFLINE to avoid the impact of a powerful kick as the angle, or triangulation naturally lessens potential harm. Even if the kick lands the force is greatly reduced. Powerful kickers know this and are constantly adjusting their position for maximum distance, and effect. In life, or Life Defense, OFF-LINING has the same effect. If the attacker is your moody teenage daughter, an over angry coworker, or looming project deadline, stepping OFFLINE will take you out of harms reach. The physical, and emotional body position you take by not standing toe to toe with people in upset, will have the same effect. Even looming project deadlines are better handled this way. That's right, in the scheme of your entire life, and what you hold most dear, any given project would be handled best by employing the OFFLINE PRINCIPLE rather than facing your Goliath toe to toe. Yes, I did just reference the Bible…David's strategy was not to go toe to toe with the giant. Instead, he used his skill and distance to OFFLINE and win the day. Consider that it's never a good idea to go toe to toe fighting anyone, or anything. A far better way to deal with people in conflict is OFF-LINING. Be like David and OFFLINE to defeat your giants… #lifedefense #offline #allenhughes https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/EEOAXRLjswb --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

In this world of distractions is anyone DEVOTED? Is modern society counter DEVOTION? Why? To what purpose? Does modern society celebrate DISTRACTION vs DEVOTION? In self-defense we begin each year with Defensive Stance symbolizing the DNA of WONJIN HAPKIDO, defense. Life Defense practitioners are DEVOTED to PRINCIPLES of Life. Although Hapkido uses all the same techniques found in MMA, a fighting sport, and other fighting arts like Boxing, Wrestling, and Kickboxing, Hapkido's philosophy is based on Relational Harmony in which we find all things that live, grow, expand and are ultimately successful. We are DEVOTED to “not fighting,” and in possible outcomes that support life. Yet, how can this be as Hapkido incorporates devastatingly debilitating strikes, brutal throws and life threatening strangulations? It is in the PRINCIPLE and philosophy of life. DEVOTION is inherently essential in self-defense, and every day life, or what we call Life Defense. Without a level of DEVOTION life does not exist. However, does our ever increasingly complex world seemingly exist and drive conflict and with it the opposite, or death? If so, to what are we DEVOTED? As we begin this year I am personally examining to where my attention is drawn, where my time is taken and to what I am DEVOTED to. I will DEVOTE myself to living and life… #lifedefense #devoted #allenhughes Photo by RODNAE Productions: https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-girl-talking-to-the-busy-woman-working-8489390/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

Why Life Defense? You may ask, Is Life Defense some sort of a self-defense program, a be all you can be life coaching system, or just another pop psychology platform? Maybe it's another jump up and down, hands in the air shouting out your newly discovered purpose in life seminar? Perhaps it's a spiritual journey of enlightenment where hours of sitting in lotus position, and humming mantras will give you inner enlightenment, or maybe even the newest fad cult where close cut hair styles and pony tails are all the rage. Although many good people find great skill, tools, and insight pursuing some of the above. No, Life Defense isn't that. Let's look. Life Defense is the conversation of, “Life Conflict,” and the PRINCIPLES used to successfully survive and thrive in this essential environment of conflict. Simple. Life Defense recognizes that in fact nothing is accomplished without an environment of opposition or conflict. Try walking without pushing against the earth and gravity. Try breathing without struggling against the outside pressure. Try accomplishing anything in sports, music, dance, business, or family without an element of conflict. Impossible. Yet, conflict is what humans tend to avoid, push off, ignore, and run from. Life Defense answers the simplest of questions, “If all motion, and accomplishment is achieved in this environment of conflict, why not study the PRINCIPLES in which all success resides?” The very survival of our species, and your ability to sit and read this book, or listen, proves that your ancestors used these principles to bring you to this moment. You are the perfect evidence of Life Defense. From the time of spears, stones, and bows and arrows your ancestors used these principles to survive, thrive, and multiply eventually bringing you into this existence. Agreed, the PRINCIPLES they used were applied in the realm of self-defense, and battle by defending their homes and villages against invading armies, marauding hoards and even mother nature herself in the form of floods, earth quakes and tsunamis. However those same PRINCIPLES apply today in every interaction of life. You perhaps instinctively know that CREATING SPACE from an oncoming car will preserve your life. You may also know that DISRUPTING an unwanted flirtation by firmly saying, “No means no,” might dissuade the wrong person from getting the wrong idea about your relationship. It may even occur to you that REDIRECTING a conversation with a team member will get you back on track to accomplish your shared objective. However, consider that knowing never made a difference in life. Knowing is not enough, doing is where life is lived. It is in the doing that everything actually happens, and the better we do the more we accomplish, the happier we are, and the more successful we are at life. In your study of Life Defense you may take a passive role. You may acknowledge that the PRINCIPLES of Life Defense are at least good common sense. You may even believe that knowing these PRINCIPLES is key to your success in life. Although somewhat true that knowing is better than not knowing, doing is best. So in this upcoming year plan on “doing” Life Defense. Meaning applying PRINCIPLES perfected throughout all civilizations on all continents that SAVE LIFE over millions of years. Travis the Director of HR at a top notch University in the West told me today that Life Defense had given him “longevity in his position.” We refer to this as SAVING LIFE. Much like the LIFE SAVED over millennia that brought us all to this point, PRINCIPLES of CONFLICT will add “longevity” to your existence. If you take nothing else from this today, remember…Life Defense Saves Life… #lifedefense #lifedefense #allenhughes Photo by Pixabay: https://www.pexels.com/photo/question-mark-on-chalk-board-356079/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

In the world of self-defense we speak at length about, and practice PRESENTMENT. Basically, it's a simple law of nature. The animal that PRESENTS itself as strong, powerful, connected and purposeful lives, the one who presents itself as weak, powerless, disconnected, and without purpose gets eaten. As we close this year let's look at PRESENTING, REPRESENTING, AND RE-PRESENTING. All 3 are based on how others see us, or how we actually occur in the world, and have a direct effect on how successful we are in life, how much we make, and our overall mental, physical and emotional health. How we occur to others will effect how they treat us, and how likely we are to have a beneficial relationship of existence together. Good relationships save life. Consider, what we create, and what we are to others is who we are. What will you PRESENT, REPRESENT, AND RE-PRESENT in the New Year? PRESENTMENT is how we appear to others, or the way we walk, talk, and act. We REPRESENT where we come from, our families, friends, cultures, and organizations to which we belong. Both PRESENTMENT, and who we REPRESENT are vital in self-defense, Life Defense, interactions and relationships of life. However, RE-PRESENTMENT is what we are standing for anew. A lot of people create New Year's goals at this time of the year. They might sound something like, “I'm going to lose 20 pounds,” or “This year I'm getting that promotion.” RE-PRESENTMENT is not that. In contrast, you create your RE-PRESENTMENT deliberately, and RE-PRESENTMENT represents what you stand for, and consequently how you occur to others. Again, you create this new way of being. “How do we do that?” Let's look… The mind is a powerful thing, and so first we create our battle plan. However we know that the best battle plans fail at first encounter with the enemy. So to begin with we state our plan powerfully, as our way of being. Instead of, “I'm going to lose 20 pounds, and get a promotion..” Declare, “I am a lean, powerful, athlete that wins at life!” Next we act, we do not wait, anything that is powerfully spoken to others exists in the world. However, it is short-lived at best, and dies without action. It is the action that we take that abundantly, expansively sustains our declaration of life! And so we do the runs, eat the foods, get the sleep, and lift the weights as lean, powerful, athletes that win at life do. We are now in the process of “doing” which translates to the process of “being.” In essence we have RE-PRESENTED ourselves to the world, to the people around us, and thus our PRESENTATION is transformed, what we REPRESENT is transformed, and we have RE-PRESENTED ourselves newly to the world. People now interact with us as a lean, powerful athlete that wins at life! We are that to them, and more importantly to us. In the end, did you lose 20 pounds? Probably. Did you get that promotion? More than likely. However, does it really matter? Maybe you didn't lose 20 pounds, rather your body composition completely transformed. Perhaps you didn't get the promotion however new opportunities showed up, and you were offered a new position at a new start up that gave you more pay, more freedom, and stock options! In the coming year, consider not setting goals, rather start by looking at how you occur to others, what you really stand for in life, and RE-PRESENT who you really are to the world! Don't fall prey to the hungry lion. RE-PRESENT… #allenhughes #re-present #lifedefense Allen Hughes Life Defense --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

It is at this time of year that we look at RESOLVING our lives. That is why today in Life Defense, we will examine the similarities between physical fights, and arguments. We will contrast them with RESOLVING, or “RE-SOLVING” life relationships, and consider life-saving outcomes through RESOLVING life. A physical fight, is a type of argument, and is mostly a losing proposition. From the world of self-defense we know that winning a fight is a fallacy. When two people square off to physically fight, the outcome is mostly decided from the onset. Not who will win necessarily, or who will lose, rather that both will end up mostly broken in the end. It is here that life is lost. Consider that in self-defense we are talking about physical confrontation where bones are broken, bleeding, bumps and contusions occur. Is a verbal or written argument so dissimilar? The argument in comparison to the fight has direct relatedness. No noses may be broken, no bleeding may occur, and no trips to the ER may be necessary. However, emotional disruption, energy bled, and relationships broken are the result. If the argument was with a stranger, chances are it will not end in friendship. If the argument was with an acquaintance, the relationship stands a really good chance of being broken, most likely beyond repair. If the argument is with a close friend, or family member the relationship might still be broken, to be possibly mended at some future point. However, arguments are not likely mended in the immediate time frame. Mental and emotional disruption or injury, not unlike physical injury takes time to heal. Even the closest relationships ending without RESOLUTION will more than likely create scars. Scars that may carry on for years, scars that fragment families, and friendships for the rest of our lives. This is life lost. In these last few moments of the year as you consider how much weight you will lose, how much money you will make, of how many miles you will run, consider RESOLVING, or “RE-SOLVING” in many ways is superior to fighting and argument. To “RE-SOLVE” a mathematic equation using a different variable changes everything! Consider changing on thing and RE-SOLVE your life…. #lifedefense #resolve #allenhughes --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

As a self-defense instructor, and Life Defense coach, we see many options to CREATE in direct conflict. Take any circumstance of attack and an infinite number of actions CREATE how the scenario plays out. Example, someone comes up behind you, and slips their arm around your neck. Without thinking, your self-defense instinct kicks in and you do a Reactive Hip Out circling behind the assumed attacker's grasp, and just before you break their knee with a powerful Muy Thai style kick, you recognize it's your old Uncle Fred giving you an arm around the shoulder friendly greeting. As we enter the holidays people do this sort of thing… In an instant we go from CREATING a life saving self-defense encounter to apologizing to poor Uncle Fred as you see the terror in his eyes after you retract your shin from his knee. Now you'll spend the next few hours listening to your uncle's near death encounter. As anyone can see, the outcomes of this event could have been quite different if we had followed through, and broke poor Uncle Fred's knee. We CREATED a safe outcome from what we had previously thought an attack. In self-defense there are countless options, and outcomes for every type of attack. Life also gives us countless options to every encounter imaginable, and many unexpected as well. We train our bodies, and our minds to react to certain stimuli constantly each and every day, and yet there are possibly infinite ways of dealing with the multiple scenarios of life. It is this time of year that we encourage our participants to visualize what they want to CREATE for the expected and unexpected events in their upcoming year. True that an “Uncle Fred” may surprise you, and you may want to adjust your reaction when that happens. Yet, as you CREATE your life with each interaction consider thoughtfully, intentionally CREATING what you want your life to be. You see, life is a CREATION, although people interact in that CREATION, you still get to CREATE outcomes, and meaning. Don't wait till 11:59pm December 31st to CREATE your life. Consider doing it now, because you are in charge, you CREATE meaning, and you CREATE your life. CREATE! #lifedefense #create #allenhughes Photo by Em Hopper: https://www.pexels.com/photo/shallow-photography-of-brushes-on-jar-1084406/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

In the world of self-defense we often talk about a feeling, a voice or a premonition that says something like, “Something is not right, do not go down there, or this person is not being truthful!” In police work at the highest levels, CIA, FBI, DEA operatives talk about their “weirdo meter.” And when that voice speaks, they LISTEN. You may have guessed that in Life Defense we again draw a parallel to their world and recommend LISTENING to the voice. It is at this point that some may feel an overwhelming urge to turn off this podcast, shut down their screen and label me a crazy man. However, before you do, consider that the “little voice” is a real thing, it works and has saved countless lives both in law enforcement, and probably in your own life. Whether you're a believer in spiritual things, or somehow scientifically link it up to your reticular activating system, LISTEN. In the real sense of what is there is a little voice that warns you, and if you will LISTEN, of danger, liars, and deceptions, and it will save your life! The key that I have found is first to LISTEN, then to act. When we act we see immediate or long term results from our action, and our LISTENING gets more acute. Just like anything we do, practice and see…LISTEN. #lifedefense #listen #allenhughes Photo by Andrea Piacquadio: https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-in-red-polo-shirt-sitting-near-chalkboard-3779448/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

In the study of Life Defense the PRINCIPLE of RELEASE is vital. Coming from the world of self-defense, this basic skill of survival actually has application in our everyday life. In self-defense, held by potentially deadly opponents our life hangs in the balance. In life, those most deadly opponents, may hold us in our past, and never allow us to move forward. They stop us, slow us, and hold us back from our dreams, accomplishments, and life itself. Consider for a moment that the deadliest of these vicious, violent, killers of life attackers could be you. What you don't RELEASE by definition hinders you, and affects your ability to function, and in fact live. “What do you mean?” says the majority of listeners. Let's look. In the simplest definition, a hold requires RELEASE to be free, and live. The act of holding is a hard stop of motion, a slowing, and or limiting of ability. In the case of holding on to your past, anything you hold on to identifies you as the attacker, albeit an attacker of self. As this attacker, you attack the person closest to you. You, and your hold can either stop your motion completely, slow you down, or limit your ability to live. In the end life is lost. Contrast this with a TRUE WARRIOR of LIFE. They speak of battles lost as an active observer, creating new strategies to implement in the next battle. They know a battle is just an instant in the war, or beautiful chaos of conflict we call life. Likewise, a SURVIVOR of an assault by definition defines themselves a TRUE WARRIOR by RELEASING the past as an emotional barrier and embracing the past event as a battle scar realizing those beautiful strokes of blade against skin mark another victory of living, never to be a victim as long as they draw breath. The choice in this battle is clear. Will you hold on to past battles lost, and allow them to take control of your future? Or will you RELEASE the past, embrace the outcomes, and bear scars as beautiful symbols of life? For me, and those powerful WARRIORS of LIFE I've coached, the breath we draw, and scars we carry count us forever among the living! RELEASE and live… #lifedefense #release #allenhughes --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

She had argued with him before, and was now AWARE that with each subsequent conversation he'd gotten a little louder, and a little more forceful. Since taking her self-defense course she'd noticed also a controlling element attempting to take hold of her freedom. It was in fact a determining factor in her decision to leave him. Mary was now surer than she'd ever been. This could not continue, she would never abandon her core beliefs, and values Max valued no more. Mary, a Christian now prayed daily for him, and most recently had prayed for strength to leave. As if on cue Mary's AWARENESS was at a heightened level, as was Max's shouting. Max reached out with his large forearms and powerful grip to grab her and shove her up against the refrigerator. She'd done this before in her training sessions, however recalling it later she just acted instinctively. Stepping back as Max drove forward, offline and deflecting his powerful hands before they could take hold not only propelled his forward motion it also gave her the opening she needed as she bolted out the door. Mary would come back the next day with a squad car in the street to pick up here stuff, and never return. When I talk to people leaving for a trip, whether out of state or out of country, among my last words to them is always, “Be AWARE.” This word's roots are obviously tied in English to “beware,” and is one of most important self-defense and Life Defense techniques we employ. The world is not getting kinder, gentler, or safer. In life, or Life Defense, consider that to the degree you are AWARE will be your degree of safety, and life. Whether you're talking, in online social situations, on the street, or listening to political agendas and narratives. Be AWARE. Is the person, or message getting louder, more aggressive or controlling? If so, it may be time to step off line, and get out, opt out, or get to safety. When? Now! Why? because to “being AWARE” is a vital step to maintaining your freedom and life. Be AWARE or “beware” of anything, or anyone who might take life from you… #lifedefense #aware #allenhughes Photo by Haley Black: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-taking-pictures-of-ruins-2087391/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

The train subway platform was all but empty. Master Lee's Hapkido session, and meetings with his top instructors had gone longer than expected. Lee was getting on in age, and yet a formidable expert from years of training in Hapkido, a form of self-defense, he originally learned in South Korea as a young boy training with Choi, Yong Sool, the founder. He couldn't help it, his mind immediately went to techniques, and situational awareness. Today he was contemplating what he would do if attacked right there on the platform by a rear naked choke. Several of his favorite techniques came to mind, and his most favorite, a simple circling move from a “turtling” position came top of mind. Lee smiled. “DISCERN, I would first DISCERN the situation and move to a better defensible position, then I would not even need the circling turtle technique.” He chuckled to himself and said, “However, before that I would leave earlier to avoid any sketchy situations. Ha! Better yet!” His last few words echoed off the concrete of the station platform. As he looked further he thought of his senior instructors, and their life struggles. His mind then went directly to Life Defense, a concept he learned through years of training that employed simple PRINCIPLES of self-defense in life. DISCERNING what in their lives is choking them out before life's chokes actually tighten, and their dreams die might be helpful. Even before that, he would first council them to dream, and not in some ethereal realm. Rather make a concrete list of 25 dreams they wanted for their lives, and write them down. Because, without DISCERNING what it is they actually want first, what is most important to them, and what makes life worth living, they would have nothing to defend and fight for. As he boarded safely on his way home he determined to re-ignite each instructor to write their dreams in his next meeting. Then he would teach them to use Life Defense PRINCIPLES to DISCERN dangers to those dreams before they are attacked, that their dreams may live! First, as he sat down on the smooth fiberglass subway bench the old teacher would write his own dreams. “So much to dream. Where to start…?” In life, how often do we DISCERN what it is we actually are here for, what we want, and then defend those dreams as if our lives depended on them? Because they do. Consider, DISCERNING first what you are defending, then employ Life Defense and live… #lifedefense #discern #allenhughes Photo by Oleksandr Pidvalnyi: https://www.pexels.com/photo/silhouette-photo-of-man-standing-near-the-edge-of-concrete-pavement-1060492/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

In HAPKIDO self defense training we've been using a double arm elbow lock, and off-lining to take advantage of the pushing motion of an attacker in a front choke. Picture an attacker pushing you up against a wall with two hands on your neck… (See the video example). This was a definite improvement on a static position where we just dropped our weight to break the hold. However, some of the smaller defenders were still not able to make it work according to our 90% RULE.. more on the 90% RULE in another episode. In short, our goals is that our self defense techniques must work at least 90% of the time to be viable. As some of our lighter women attempted, they weren't able to break the chokehold 90% of the time. We are always looking for improvements, and a few of our instructors took it on themselves to find a better way for this technique to work for even the smallest defender. After analyzing this over and over again, Micheal one of our Master level instructors, suggested CONNECTING to one arm, instead of both of the attackers arms, with the defender using both of their arms. It worked! It turns out the correct CONNECTION made all the difference. The correct CONNECTION in this case, was to pinpoint twice as much power, strength, effort, and weight to one specific point of CONNECTION instead of two. Picture a muscle bound man holding a 16 year old teenage girl while she hangs on his one arm extended. Eventually, even the strongest arm gives out. In life and Life Defense less CONNECTIONS can be more effective. Or said in a different way, the right CONNECTION can make all the difference. Consider that 10,000 “friends” on social media are not as effective as CONNECTION to a few close friends. Greg Roche. author of “The Fast and Easy Networking Guide for Introverts,” in one our recent conversations spoke of this as being your “personal community.” In simple terms the people that know you, care about you, and are interested in your success are your “personal community.” These “personal community” CONNECTIONS actually require less energy than online social communities to accomplish outcomes. Example: You get a flat tire at 3am in the middle of no where. Quick, post to Facebook or Instagram and see what happens…? Or, call your closest 3 friends? Although a late night gamer may like, or even share your post, chances are better at least one of your three closest friends will pick up and get you assistance as soon as possible. In life, the use of fewer close CONNECTIONS is more powerful than 10,000 distant CONNECTIONS. 10,000 or 1 million followers are not as powerful was a few close friends… #lifedefense #connect #allenhughes --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

Sydney was walking into the Utah grocery store when a friendly woman's voice came at her from the side. She had previously been looking into her phone, and answering a quick text as she walked across the parking lot. The friendly lady was asking directions with a smile. Because she was focusing, and not in her phone at that particular moment, she realized something was off with the woman's greeting and question, and shook her head no while quickening her pace UN-DIVERTED from her task at hand. Surprisingly, the once friendly person just strode off, seemingly unaffected by Sydney's focused response. While exiting the store, in what typically is not an area known for crime, Sydney noticed the lady climbing into a van, watching from a distance she couldn't help but notice the van was driven by a man, with another man in the passenger seat, had no windows, and was running out of state plates. Although Sydney was unable to get the plates written down in time, she called 911 and waited for the police. It turned out that a similar method was being used to abduct young women for sex trafficking. In similar cases, witnesses had said they'd noticed the ones targeted seemed to be unaware, and looking into their phone. The friendly woman would approach, and DIVERT their attention. Swiftly the van would pull up, open the cargo door and easily push the unknowing young lady in. Being DIVERTED in self defense can create dangerous outcomes, and life threatening consequences. In life, and Life Defense, to be DIVERTED can also equate to a loss of life. This loss can be caused by DIVERTING attention, time, or focus. What, or who DIVERTS you from your focus? Consider taking time each day and count the times you are DIVERTED. You may be surprised to see how much life is actually lost… #lifedefense #divert #allenhughes Photo by PhotoMIX Company: https://www.pexels.com/photo/traffic-lights-with-red-light-on-190448/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

The crowd was gathering and forming lines. This politically charged environment had met, as if agreed in prior negotiations, to meet on the field of battle prior to this date and each had brought their posters, signs, banners and flags. As if on cue the event started with the gathering of each side simultaneously marching toward one another. As they met a line formed with arms linked together as if to stop one side form reaching the other side where a stage and PA system blared out loud music drowning out all conversational talk. No one would dare breach this human wall as ranks closed and even a wheel chair bound protestor was challenged with angry faces, and blocked from further progress as she pushed, or rather was pushed through the line. As I CIRCLED around the confrontation I found a small break in the line. Without confrontation, my only objective was to take pictures, video and interview people on both sides. CIRCLING to the side of a couple of “line holders” I asked calmly, while standing next to them if he could get through, and walked without confrontation to the stage, interviewing band members, and generally unchallenged. Having studied Hapkido self-defense, I had learned that a direct confrontation didn't end well. Instead I chose to CIRCLE, take a defensive position instead of direct confrontation. In life, and Life Defense, CIRCLING to another's perspective creates a new view point, a non-confrontational position, and is defensible. By CIRCLING around the human blockade, by not standing in opposition, rather in harmony with the people, and generally being interested in them provided new opportunities of interaction with little resistance. Consider the CIRCLE, one of the shapes of motion in arts like Jiujitsu, Judo, Wushu, Aikido, and Hapkido, to be powerful and able to redirect opposition and accomplish mush more that clashing, in toe to toe confrontation. When confronted CIRCLE. #lifedefense #circle #allenhughes --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

His large forearm came across Lizzy's throat all too fast. It was the last thing she expected to happen at the senior picnic. She had been a little less aware of what was behind her, and more aware of the playful rough, and tumble water fight that had broken out on the lawn just a few feet in front of her. Bobby, her attacker, was a big football player, harmless, yet way too strong and a little drunk from the beer he shotgunned 30 minutes before. Lizzy's first reaction was to bring her hands up to her neck to protect from the choke, however, her reaction was a little too slow and Bobby's arm was already around her throat. Upon realizing she could be choked out, Lizzy dropped her weight and drove her hips back full strength into is goin pushing him off balance and extending his arms from danger. Without a second thought she DROPPED herself to the ground between Bobby's legs, and the huge off-balanced lineman was thrown powerfully to the ground. Gasping for air, Bobby was in a dazed panic, so Lizzy stepped behind him lifting his arms until he could breath again. Soon everyone was laughing as Bobby shook his head and hugged his little friend, profusely apologizing over, and over again. DROPPING in self-defense connects us to the largest body on the planet, “the planet.” DROPPING in Life Defense might look like DROPPING volume and tones to connect to a team, or emphasis a point. Having trained dogs competitively, I know when a dog is at its most dangerous. When? When it DROPS its volume to a quiet, deep growl. It's then that the snaring dog gets all my attention. The DROP in Lizzy's throw connected her to something much larger than herself, and larger than even Bobby the lineman. DROPPING is a reaction to an attack, and just as easily a verbal aggression, a hostile action, or just to get someone's attention, and connect powerfully. Consider DROPPING the next time things are getting of out of hand. DROP… Allen Hughes Life Defense Coach #lifedefense #drop #allenhughes --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

Jumping out of the car, just off “The Strip” in Vegas, and running up to a stranger because your GPS is taking you in circles isn't a good idea. However, that's exactly what my wife did saying something like, “It's okay, he works here!” It turned out he didn't work there, and he was on drugs, and in her rush she disappeared out of line of sight for a long 3 minutes. Not a good self-defense tactic from a 22 year veteran of HAPKIDO. However, sometimes even the best of us make mistakes. Luckily, Carrie returned safe, and sound and we sped off. However, just as likely a scenario might have included a direct attack, and ultimately injury to either the assailant, Carrie, or myself if I could have even gotten there in time. Sure, if the drug addict lunged at Carrie, pushing her to the brick wall in a front choke, she probably would have struggled a little then stepped back offline. VARYING her presentment, twisting her torso, and reaching for his one hand, she then could have powerfully VARIED her stance back the other direction, using all her weight against the elbow of his outstretched arm, delivering a punishing blow to break his grip, which likely would have shattered his elbow in the process. Pretty detailed for a “what if” scenario. But since we went there, let's take the technique apart, and the PRINCIPLE behind it… The power from this technique comes not from resistance, rather from PRINCIPLE of VARIANCE to the force. Since the person is pushing, in the case of a choke, no resistance is offered, just an offline motion. This allows the “twisting” motion of her body. After the attacker pushes past his balance is compromised, and his arm is overextended. All that is needed is VARYING back the other way to multiply his force with her own force, and body weight, and “pop” broken grip, broken elbow. VARYING is the key. Almost to a person, we struggle at first when attacked. In life and Life Defense, it's the same. When an unruly teen puts up a fight, breaks a rule, or invariably, outright refuses common sense advise the parent has a choice. Resist, by digging in and forcing an outcome, or VARYING their approach. The outcome might still be the same, however, the VARIANCE in approach between, “I've told you a million times to clean your room! You're definitely, not going to your fiends tonight!” and “Interesting choice you're making about tonight…” and the teen says, “What?” and the parent says, “Nothing really, I'll love spending time with you this evening. I've got a movie I've been wanting you to see. It'll be perfect…” Instead of fighting, and meeting force with force, VARYING approach uses the energy of the other person to accomplish your success. When meeting resistance, VARY your approach. When something doesn't work, try something else… They'll never see it coming… Allen Hughes Life Defense Coach #lifedefense #vary #allenhughes --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

“Secondary location” in self-defense terminology refers to leaving the initial location of encounter with a possible assailant, either by force, or under threat of violence to you or another. Chances of survival are possibly 5-10%, although no one really knows because people, including children go missing, rapes go unreported and no one knows how many “runaways” were taken to secondary locations never to be seen again. In self defense “secondary location” is one of the most unsurvivable situations. Therefore, we have the PRINCIPLE of NEUTRALIZATION. Which is by definition rendering an attacker harmless, or NEUTRAL. Resisting, or escaping secondary location using possibly deadly force In Life Defense we find its equivalent also. When a person is attacking you, your project, your freedom, or even your time you can either allow the threat to force you into an inescapable position or NEUTRALIZE the threat. Compared to Silence of the Lambs, stealing your time might seem harmless. However, 30 minutes a day adds up over months and years. Your wasted time is life lost. Although NEUTRALIZATION of a serial killer uses deadly force, the Life Defense equivalent might look like. “No, I will not go with you to lunch today.” When inside what you are saying is, “No, means no! Back away from me now! I will not spend another hour abducted to a secondary location of binge food eating, ear drum burning, tyrannical gossip session! I am not your hostage, leave now!” When there is a loss of life whether immediately terminal, or incremental, life lost can never be replaced. NEUTRALIZE your opponent, and never go to secondary location to become a statistic of lost life…. Allen Hughes Life Defense Coach #lifedefense #neutralize #allenhughes --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

In self-defense we CLEAR hands that are reaching out to grab, push or choke. Until we CLEAR those hands out of our space we are dealing with them. In life, and LIFE DEFENSE, it's the same. If we don't CLEAR things out of our space we loose life. This happens in many ways including mental, emotional and physical CLEARING. Until we are CLEAR we loose performance, and basic abilities to do anything at work, with our families and in every part of life. In short, we loose life. CLEAR those things that cause you to loose life first and SAVE LIFE! #allenhughes #clear #lifedefense --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

For those of you old enough to remember the original Top Gun, the final dog fight battle scene has Maverick (Tom Cruise) flying into a dog fight to assist his fellow aviator Iceman (Val Kilmer) out at sea. Launched from the flight deck of an aircraft carrier into a contentious airspace, Maverick is Iceman's only hope of survival. Coming from the recent loss of his co-pilot, and close personal friend call sign “Goose,” Maverick has lost his nerve. Iceman says,“Maverick…Where in the hell are you? Maverick! How about some help? ENGAGE…!” Maverick, talking to himself, “It's no good, talk to me Goose…” Iceman is heard over the radio, “Maverick…Maverick…!” Finally, Maverick recovers, and ENGAGES! From the control center on the carrier they report, “Maverick is ENGAGING sir!” In the end Maverick saves Iceman, himself, and the whole aircraft carrier. Cheers erupt as the remaining enemy jets bug out. In self-defense, we do everything we can to prepare, train, drill and condition for defending our lives, including deescalation, and getting the heck out of Dodge. However, there comes a time when it's appropriate, and necessary for the defender to ENGAGE. In this scenario, without ENGAGEMENT we put ourselves, and others at peril. By definition, without full ENGAGEMENT there is no life. The young lovers fully “ENGAGE” to create a life together. The very act of human creation happens through “ENGAGEMENT.” In life and Life Defense how often do we loose our nerve, and won't ENGAGE in the conflict of life itself? Remembering that there is no life without conflict, and our participation in life requires ENGAGING in that conflict each and every day. If life is important to you, ENGAGE. Really, said another way, ENGAGE or die! Because there are many ways to die, yet only one way to truly live. ENGAGE… Allen Hughes Life Defense Coach #lifedefense #engage #allenhughes --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

The Judo match was close and yet Kim was behind at least in her mind due to Kyoku's superior strength. In a very fast, and devastating move, Kyoku's arm came speeding around Kim's head for what could have been the Ippon (winning point by throw), however Kim saw it coming, spinning to the inside Kim REINFORCED Kyoku's speed and power and spiraled her opponent to the ground in a Scarf Hold, cradling her head and arm tightly for control. Immediately the time clock started counting down from 20…19…18…17…however “non-flashy” the technique, all she had to do was hold her opponent for 20 seconds for the win. Although Kyoku's strength, weight and size was far greater than her's, being matched for the overall Grand Champion in all weight classes, Kim's REINFORCED hold was extremely effective, and her position kept the powerful Kyoku struggling to no avail. 3…2…1 Ippon! Kim jumped up and the crowd cheered. Afterward, Kyoku stood, towering above Kim shook hands, bowed and the both embraced. Kyoku whispered, “I can't believe you held me down so easily! Congratulations.” In self-defense, REINFORCING a good position especially in holding, requires weight placement, and REINFORCEMENT of pivotal points. Actually very little effort, or strength is exerted. It is all about the position, and REINFORCING that position in just the right way. When “winning” in life, consider using the Life Defense principle of REINFORCING a good position, rather than fighting from a bad one, to obtain the win…! You can and will prevail when pitted against much stronger and more powerful opponents than you'd ever imagine… Allen Hughes Life Defense Coach #lifedefense #reinforce #allenhughes --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

The seemingly nice, albeit shabby dressed young man was boldly asking for gas money in the Walmart parking lot. Clarissa said no, and was caught off guard when he started to rant and raise his arms above his head. She pushed her daughter back, and away from them both, however the street thug stepped toward her, all at once closing the gap, and put both of his hands on her throat. Clarissa CONNECTED with both her arms, trapping his forearms to herself, and stepped quickly back toward the wall. His initial motion carried him rapidly into that same wall. As luck would have it, he stubbled, and his head hit solidly with a thump. Clarissa had practiced this move with partners in her Hapkido sessions many times. However, the wall was padded, and her training partners knew how to protect their heads as they slammed into the pad over and over again. This time it was different. As he regained his senses, his blurred vision saw Clarissa rapidly CONNECTING to the small crowd that had formed, and just as he stood he could see the lights of a patrol car speeding toward them and ran. Clarissa, and her daughter were safe, the young man was not found, and her training had paid off big time. In this word of Internet, social media, and text, CONNECTION seems to be everywhere, and yet how meaningful are our CONNECTIONS? How much do your CONNECTIONS effect your life? Sure many of us have 1000 followers on this platform or that. However, how close, and meaningful are they really? Clarissa would perhaps argue that those same 1000 friends really didn't make that much difference that day. In fact they were worthless. Still, her brief encounter with a total stranger was intimate, powerful and life threatening. Even the bystanders were more help than her bestie who later “liked” and shared Clarissa's experience from the parking lot that day. Life is about CONNECTIONS. None of us would even be here without CONNECTION, and our survival each day depends on it. That being said, how meaningful are our CONNECTIONS? In self defense Clarissa's CONNECTION was meaningful, and powerful. Powerful enough to save her life, and the life of her daughter. However brief her encounter, the “double elbow trap” required her focused CONNECTION, and nothing less would have worked. How often do we focus and CONNECT deeply with someone? A few deep, intimate, and powerful CONNECTIONS in life and Life Defense can transform everything. CONNECT… Allen Hughes Life Defense Coach #lifedefense #connect #allenhughes --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

Dana was known as a bully in the school, and Riley knew it. However, she was in the middle of science class. Maybe it was the noise and confusion around the room, or maybe the teacher was preoccupied. Either way, Dana had set her sights on Riley, and was ready to put her in her place. As Dana's words brought Riley's attention to the danger as she turned, and stood facing Dana just as the attempted tackle was in full motion. Riley was surprisingly unafraid, and shot her legs back, while dropping her forearms on Dana's shoulders, ALLOWING her forward momentum to dissipate. Try as she might, Dana could not grab hold of her legs, or waist to complete her tackle, and the weight of Riley's body pushed down on her back, neutralizing her forward motion. Backing off, Dana smirked and visibly was considering a second attack. Riley's response was calm and non-threatening, “Are you sure you want to do this?” Dana laughed it off and went back to her table. Although the scrimmage was brief, and probably non-lethal, still Riley's response of ALLOWING and controlling damage was highly effective. So many times in life we respond with force against force, the very definition of fighting. Fights cause damage, pain, and loss of energy. The PRINCIPLE of ALLOWING and controlling the damage, or potential harm, is powerful. However, “no response” in a conflict is by definition a response. ALLOWING someone's actions, or words to occur, without direct confrontation, and controlling the damage that they can do is powerful. ALLOWING is not actually giving up, or giving in. Instead, non resistance, and damage control actually directs the outcome of most the situations. Fighting mostly leads to more fighting, creating enemies and battles in the future. ALLOWING is a strategy of motion and energy to control the outcome through controlling what really needs to be controlled. The outcome. In life and Life Defense learn to control what needs control and ALLOW all that doesn't. ALLOW… Allen Hughes Life Defense Coach #lifedefense #allow #allenhughes --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

The “face-off” was happening, and even though George didn't want anything to do with Doug he was right there all of a sudden in his space, standing almost nose to nose. “Did his breath always smell this bad or was it just today?” Then it happened. Doug brought his arms out wide and away from his body, half shouted and half spit out the words, “common you f*****g…!” and all at once Doug went for the shove. George had been waiting for this typical macho display, and expected a shove before anything actually happened. From the shove, George stepped off-line, hooked Doug's elbow and REPLACED Doug's center and momentum for where he'd just been standing, looking like some sort of powerful square dance move. George had been a wrestler since he could remember, and the ‘arm drag' was just something he did, and had done thousands of times. With Doug helplessly past him, George circled around, locked Doug's arms, and REPLACED his center of balance with his own, basically sitting down backwards, and driving Doug's face into the grass. Within a few seconds, security had been alerted and George just held Doug in place, face down until they came. Of course the campus police were confused and cuffed them both till it was all sorted out. REPLACING center, balance, and position is common in wrestling, judo and jujitsu. In life, and Life Defense, the PRINCIPLE of REPLACE also applies. When there is conflict, pressure, or force being exerted, and we REPLACE, balance in motion is established by REPLACING the “nothing” with something. In life there are no vacuums. Emptiness is filled. A “bad habit” eliminated is REPLACED by something. A harmful relationship is eliminated only to be REPLACED by another of a similar kind if nothing else REPLACES it. Just as the wrestler must REPLACE the position, weight and balance of their opponent to maintain control of themselves, so it occurs in life. Always. When something, someone or some activity in a conflict threatens, REPLACE it with something that works, otherwise it will be replaced with something… REPLACE! Allen Hughes Life Defense Coach #lifedefense #replace #allenhughes --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

Today is a little different…The story I tell is about me. Tomorrow I go in for surgery. It's a routine hip replacement, and from what I've heard, is streamlined, and has a high rate of success. Being very active in self-defense throughout the years I have sustained many bumps, bruises, dislocations, abrasions and bleeding, so this is just another one of those. I was thrown, “judo style” 20 years ago, and took a bad fall. Several months ago, my slight discomfort turned into a limp, and very suddenly my hip literally blew up. Don't get me wrong, I am excited and look forward to this long awaited surgery after hobbling around for 9 months. However, after my track record of having an aortic dissection 6 years ago, and a pulmonary embolism just a few years ago, and then surviving COVID twice… this surgery has me thinking. How much CONTROL do we have? In essence I CONTROL me and nothing else, and that may be enough. In recent attempts Marxists, Globalists, and even our own government, seems to have CONTROL at their center purpose. They have, and will continue to fail. No one CONTROLS you! Even in the most severe circumstances ultimately we have CONTROL over ourselves, nothing more, and nothing less. Examples abound in both recent and ancient history from people such as Nelson Mandela, Corrie Ten Boom, Galileo Galilei, Rosa Louise McCauley, William Wallace, Joan of Arc, and Jesus the Christ, all had forces, and people that attempted to COTROL them, and yet in the end they CONTROLLED their destiny. This surgery is relatively minor, it's still surgery. Therefore, I have been meeting with many of my loved ones and expressing my love for them. Just in case… A few years ago, maybe 13 to be more precise, a woman came to my office. She sat down, went through the usual courtesies, and then related that she would be going through surgery next week. Brain surgery. Although a minor operation, I actually don't know how minor any brain surgery could be, but she wanted to make sure her teen age son would continue to train, and eventually have an opportunity to earn his black belt. She was positive, upbeat and I was confident in her survival. She died on the operating table that following week. She CONTROLLED her life. She stood for her family, and her son did in fact earn his black belt the following year. Powerful! In life, and LIFE DEFENSE know this, “You CONTROL you, nothing more, and nothing less.” What happens to us, happens for us, and we choose what that means to us. We are in CONTROL. Never consider anything else, because nothing else matters… Allen Hughes Life Defense Coach #lifedefense #control #allenhughes --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

He fell hard, and tripped backwards to the grass. Brian was a former latchkey kid and had spent the better part of his grade school years at a local Jiujitsu school on the mat, just a couple of blocks from his dad's apartment. His dad almost always worked late, and ever since his mother had died, his default caregiver was the Jiujitsu school. As he looked up at Jerome rushing in he decided to stay there, on his back, and in his current POSITION, on the cool grass feeling very comfortable on his back. Brian wasn't afraid, in fact he was calm and almost whimsical. In a word he was safe. Jerome was surprised that he didn't jump up right away. In fact, Brian just stayed there on the cool, wet grass as Jerome shouted insults and rushed around him obviously trying to jump on him, and pound him into submission. To maintain his POSITION, which was unusually comfortable, and familiar, Brian just lazily lifted a foot and blocked Jerome over and over again, spinning to thwart Jerome's attempts at circumvention as he busily ran around this way and that. Simply put, Brian had what appeared to be a superior POSITION and was content right where he was at the moment. Frustrated, Jerome kept at it and Brian just held his POSITION. This just frustrated Jerome more. Eventually Jerome could see he wasn't getting anywhere and muttered another insult under his breath as he walked off. In self-defense, POSITION could be viewed as one of the great advantages. In life and Life Defense it is the same. POSITION allows different leverage points, different perspective and different advantage, or disadvantage. What is your POSITION in any conflict? Are you comfortable, relaxed and calm? Is your perspective and POSITION leveraged? If not, consider changing your POSITION. POSITION… Allen Hughes Life Defense #allenhughes #position #lifedefense Photo by Haste LeArt V. from Pexels --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

It was getting late and the people at the party were getting a little too drunk, a little too touchy, and a little too temperamental in that weird party way that Sarah had seen all too often. That's when she decided to go. Sarah was saying her goodbyes to her more sober friends when she sensed someone was coming up behind her. Maybe it was the way her friend's eyes darted up from contact during conversation, or the smell of him, and it was all of a sudden too late. His massive arms wrapped around her body, encompassing her arms. That's when she made her move. Luckily her self defense instructor had drilled, and drilled this response into her hundreds of times, “Drop, circle and UNIFY!” Sarah stepped out, dropped her level and raised her arms simultaneously, while yelling, “I don't think so!” Sarah was out in a second, and every eye was on them, followed by tirades of reprimands in the form of expletives, the room was suddenly turned on her attacker. Perhaps a joke, maybe harmless, whatever the case a couple of guys grabbed him and threw him out. UNITY of Sarah's body with the earth, generated through her “dropping” her weight all at once freed her. Without that extreme use of UNITY who knows what would have happened. UNITY is the use of the many, compared to the strength of the few. In life and Life Defense there is overwhelming, multiple examples of humans UNIFYING and accomplishing seemingly impossible tasks. The question is, “Will you UNIFY your life?” Whether it's UNIFICATION of yourself, or UNIFICATION with others, UNITY transforms everything. UNIFY! #allenhughes #unify #lifedefense Photo by fauxels from Pexels --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

SYNERGIZE! She came out of nowhere screaming something incoherent and Anna could feel the larger woman's momentum as she rushed into her grabbing with both hands at her blouse. Anna had luckily done this before in her HAPKIDO training. She audibly said, “SYNERGIZE ,” as she moved with her new friend in what might have appeared to be a new age dance move. The motion itself was enough, and her new found “dance partner from hell” swung right past her. Perhaps she was less upset than she thought, she recognized her mistake, or maybe knew instinctually that Anna was not someone to mess with as she calmed down almost immediately. Within seconds Anna was actually consoling the obviously upset woman with her soothing voice, as the distraught woman sobbed into her hands, and the world was right again. SYNERGY is sometimes overused as a pop, business success, team term. You know, the kind of stuff you hear just before your business team does the “fall back and trust catch” exercise. In self-defense and in life, or Life Defense, SYNERGY is a very real thing. In fact if you don't SYNERGIZE with a larger, stronger, or faster opponent, you'll probably suffer assault, injury and perhaps death. Energy is just energy. In the simplest of HAPKIDO and Aikido terms, “Use the energy that is given you.” In life look for ways to use even the energy of your opponent, or opposition to multiply your power and improve your outcome…. Allen Hughes #synergize #lifedefense --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

W piątek, 21 stycznia, odbył się 49. Marsz w obronie Życia w stolicy USA, Waszyngtonie. Manifestacja zorganizowana została pod hasłem "Równość zaczyna się w łonie matki" i zgromadziła kilkadziesiąt tysięcy osób z całego kraju - osoby te sprzeciwiają się aborcji. Data przemarszu ustalana jest w okolicach 22 stycznia, czyli dnia w którym w 1973 roku, podjęta została decyzja w sprawie Roe vs. Wade - decyzja na mocy której, poszczególne stany nie mogą zakazać aborcji poniżej 22 tygodnia ciąży, czyli momentu kiedy płód staje się zdolny do życia.Wśród manifestujących obecnych było kilkudziesięciu przedstawicieli amerykańskiej Polonii - przybyli oni z sanktuarium w Amerykańskiej Częstochowie, a także, wraz z grupą Polonia Pro-Life z New Jersey. Wielu maszerujących miało nadzieję, że był to ostatni Marsz Życia - w amerykańskim Sądzie Najwyższym, ważą sie losy ustawy Roe vs. Wade - maszerujący wierzą w to, że ustawa zostanie obalona w formie w jakiej obowiązuje. W tym roku wśród osób, które zaadresowały tłum byli Jeanne Mancini, prezes March for Life Defense and Education Fund; Rev. Mike Schmitz; . W latach poprzednich, do maszerujących przemawiał m.in. wiceprezydent Mike Pence oraz Prezydent USA Donald Trump. Na antenie Radio RAMPA 620 AM, gościł o. Tymoteusz Tarnacki z Amerykańskiej Częstochowy - opowiedział o przebiegu marszu, oraz jego znaczeniu. Ojciec Tymoteusz Tarnacki mówi również o pomocyu dostępnej dla osób, które borykają się z problemem aborcji - jak mówi Ojciec Tymoteusz, z doświadczenia z pracy z osobami po aborcji wie, że jest to przeżycie, które pozostawia piętno na życiu rodziców. Pierwszy Marsz Życia zorganizowany został w 1974 roku.Posłuchajcie rozmowy:

Officer Sarah Jones just froze. The masked woman was in her face screaming obscenities and leaning in, obviously attempting to elicit a response from the young officer. She could almost feel the spit coming through the lady's black bloc. Sarah's supervising officer quickly stepped between her, and her assailant to attract attention away from Sarah. This gave the young officer an opportunity to create space and gather herself. Officer Cruise, Sarah's supervisor, immediately took control and firmly said, “I'm going to need you to back away mam.” As she said those words she stepped OFFLINE slightly, stepping her leg back in a slight semi circle, hands up and open, the universal sign for stop. Just then the woman lunged forward, because officer Cruise was OFFLINE she was not taken off balance, and easily redirected the assailant to the ground where she proceeded to cuff her and read her her rights. Sarah was surprised at the calm, and speed with which she accomplished this. Back at the station there was just one thing Sarah heard, “Sarah, when something like this happens you've got to get OFFLINE, just don't stand there!” Sarah shook her head in agreement, and bit her lip. “Yes mam.” In self-defense we always get OFFLINE. When the attacker gets big, raising arms and gets loud, the defender steps OFFLINE. A skilled defender, or fighter never voluntarily stands with feet parallel, in full presentment. This position makes the defender vulnerable and weak, subject to multiple attacks with almost no defense. In life, and as a Life Defense, when things get intense get OFFLINE, just don't stand there. Take a moment, clear your schedule, allow another person to assist in your project, or take a day off. Remember to get OFFLINE, don't just stand there. #lifedefense #offline #allenhughes --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

Featuring: Raul Ayala, Deputy Federal Public Defender at Office of the Federal Public Defender in the Central District of California and the collaborative court supervising attorney.Ellen Yaroshefsky, The Howard Lichtenstein Distinguished Professor in Legal Ethics and Professor of Law.Raul and Ellen join us to share what a day in the life is like for them as a public defender and an academic, respectively. Each shares their daily activities in addition to reflections on pivotal career moments that got them to where they are. Finally, they reflect on what they wish they would have known before working in their respective roles.Enroll in a CJS CommitteeWant to get involved with the Criminal Justice Section? Join us! https://www.americanbar.org/membership/join-now

The woman walked up boldly to Mary in an attempt to intimidate the young mother of 3 after the community meeting. She stepped rapidly toward her with raised hands, gesturing in a threatening manner, and ear pricing screams to match. Mary had been willing to discuss, debate and listen to what she had to say inside, even after she was shouted down on the steps of her own city hall on the way out. Suddenly she was a little surprised by all the strange faces that were out on the streets of her town tonight. Mary's 3 little girls were at home with their father, and she was thankful for that. Mary was also thankful for her Hapkido/self-defense classes and really wasn't intimidated by this strange woman's shout downs, wild accusations and threats. All at once the woman's arms went wide, and her head dropped low as she rushed the final few steps toward her target. Mary had never turned her back, and saw the attack coming from small visual clues the larger woman had given seconds before the attack was initiated. As initial contact was made, intent on driving Mary to the lawn, she embraced her attacker's head and arm and DIVERTED all the woman's forward tackling motion by turning in a half circle, with her attacker's head and arm in tow, at the last moment to face the exact direction this strangely aggressive woman was facing. All at once she saw what her attacker saw, and what was directly behind her only seconds before. More strangers, and angry signs. They had been slowly closing in and were now stepping back as the larger woman's body hit city hall's lawn with a dull thud, silencing the threats immediately as her attacker gasped for air. The small crowd of strangers seemed confused and angry all at the same time. Suddenly it all made sense. Her attacker's emboldened actions were part of a larger group of strangers and their agenda. Her attention in fact had been DIVERTED, and Mary hadn't seen this attack as part of the larger group and their agenda... ...In our LIFE DEFENSE scenario Mary had indeed DIVERTED the tackle of her attacker. However, if she hadn't turned fully in the direction of her attacker's vision, she wouldn't have seen the DIVERSION being created directly in her blind spot, or recognized the larger DIVERSION that was happening right in her own little town. In this scenario DIVERTING an attacker requires “shared vision.” Until Mary turned and “shared vision” with her attacker she truly didn't see. To DIVERT energy, self- defense experts turn fully, engaging their whole being, mind body and energy to “see what their attacker's see!” This simple concept is where the positioning for powerful throws actually happen. What are you missing by not “sharing vision,” even with people, or persons you identify as opponents? The buzz word, “shared-vision” is used a lot in business, teams and partnerships. However, sharing an attacker, or opponents vision requires looking to really see what they see, and then see DIVERSIONS as what they are. DIVERSIONS. Look for “shared vision,” from teams you trust, and people you don't trust. It is only then that you will truly “share vision,” and if you must, DIVERT any and all harm from your life. DIVERT, is a shared vision. DIVERT! Allen Hughes Warrior Way Life Defense #lifedefense #divert #allenhughes. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

The man yelled something from across the dark street as I was leaving the bar in an older area of downtown Columbus Georgia. As the interim CEO/ consultant for a multi million dollar property company, I had just inspected the business, and met with the bar's owner, and it was later than I had thought evidenced by the almost empty, dark street. As I stepped off the curb toward my parked car a stranger yelled some friendly greeting obviously meant to get my attention from across the street. At the same time coincidentally another man slowly circled just inside my peripheral vision around toward my rear, essentially flanking me quietly. My mind went to all the possibilities and immediately my self-defense instincts kicked in. These guys were planning on confronting me, cutting me off from the safety of the crowded bar and possibly assaulting, robbing or harassing me, and that was not going to happen. I could fight them, and probably survive, after all they had vastly underestimated my background and training. However, tonight that wouldn't be my choice. I turned back on my heels, retracing my steps, and re-entered the bar to wait them out. Like clockwork they came in looking for me, hung around for a few minutes, and after they saw I was settled in for as long as it took, left soon after. Being AWARE had saved me, and evaded a possibly violent encounter, bumps, bruises contusions, and injury, or death at least for someone. Reviewing back to my probable violent encounter what actually happened? After taking visual assessment my heart started pounding, my breath was deep, my vision focused and fight or flight chemicals flowed into my blood stream. In short, I was preparing for battle. This preparation cleared my mind and resulted in a plan of safety to preserve my life. Just as easily, I can look back, and just as easily list the above mental, emotional and body reactions, and label it “anxiety.” Some would. The reality is that people interpret the physiological, and psychological events differently according to their perception, experience and training. Think about it… If you've ever paid to ride a roller-coaster, hang-glided, or watched a thriller movie you probably experienced the same. Fully AWARE that your heart will pound, your sensations will become intensified, and you will love it! Being AWARE that these sensations are natural and work to benefit us is a distinct advantage in life, and Life Defense. Since the days our ancestors fled from sabertooth tigers, killed grizzlies for food, or defended their villages, we have had these same physiological and psychological reactions. The difference is AWARENESS. What if our AWARENESS can be turned to our advantage, and create something different? Consider that the next time you are asked to give a presentation, lead a discussion, go somewhere new and unfamiliar or take on a task where you are in the spotlight. AWARENESS that these responses work for us to make us better, faster, stronger and more focused, allows us to set aside the narrative that stress and conflict is bad and must be avoided. Rather embrace the experience, and enjoy all the added energy, given off naturally, to benefit your life fully and powerfully AWARE! Be AWARE. Allen Hughes Warrior Way Life Defense #lifedefense #aware #allenhughes --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

...UTILIZING time as a weapon of self-defense is a new concept to most. The reality is that time arguably doesn't exist, and is a construct invented by our emerging country the 1800's, to standardize arrivals and departures at America's new railway stations. Before this, time was more or less relative. Time varied from town to town, county to county, and country to country, and was more general, more fluid, less exact, and less exacting. Consider that time has been used UTILIZED as a weapon against us for years, controlling our lives hour by hour, and minute by minute each day. It is omni-present in everything that we do. The seemingly harmless clock and calendar on our parent's, or grandparent's walls that tracked general time for special events like birthdays and holidays has been fully weaponized using smart phones and calendars that drive our day complete with alarms, minute by minute digital phone calendars, and schedules of meetings that populate literally into eternity, and now zooms potentially enslaving us and every aspect of our lives 24 hours per day, and 365 1/4 days per year forever! However, when we recognize that time is a weapon, our UTILIZATION of it makes perfect sense. In self-defense we consider weapons as extensions of our body that assist us in saving life. To clarify, any weapon can be used to take, or save life. The study of Life Defense is all about “saving life.” Ever watch the fluid motion of a true master of anything? They might play the piano, hit a tennis ball, or run through a self-defense drill, and they all have one thing in common…There is no rush, there is no hesitancy, there is no wasted motion and “time” seems to stand still. For masters of any endeavor, true mastery is all about practice. Life Defense participants know that breathing, efficient motion, and PRINCIPLES of Life Defense all exist to “save life” as a quantity, and recognize that time is a weapon, and that weapons both take life and save life. However, knowing something has never made any difference. It is in the “doing” that everything occurs. Mastering the UTILIZATION of time as a graceful and powerful weapon will save life and starts first by “doing” or practice! The result of practice you've seen before in Hollywood fight scenes, and you've actually experienced it yourself in very stressful events like slipping and falling, car wrecks, or snatching your child from the street just as an approaching car swooshed by. Everything just slowed down, it seemed like and eternity, and at that moment time didn't exist, or didn't exist in the same way it did just seconds before. If you're like most people, you just shrugged it off and thought, “That was cool,” as you continued on your way. That being said, exactly what happened? Your mind, and body UTILIZED your past training, or experience and anticipated what was going to happen before it happened. Truth is you may have you forgotten those specific events. Until now! Practice UtILIZING time as your personal self-defense weapon instead of fighting it off every day. Navy SEALS say, “Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast.” So practice slowing down, and UTILIZE time as your Life Defense weapon to “save your life” each and every day. One thing is for sure…Time isn't what we think it is. Because in reality, you have all the time in the world. Allen Hughes Warrior Way Life Defense #lifedefense #utilize #allenhughes # --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

The dark corner seemed extra dark tonight as the moon was new and the sky very, very cloudy. It didn't help to have the overhead street light burned out as well. “Great,” the middle aged executive muttered under his breath as he approached his hotel. Reaching out to swipe his room key into the after hours, rear hallway door, Mickey suddenly felt weird, like someone was watching, and so he hurried to slide it and get safely inside. His intuition was spot on, someone had been watching from just around the corner and was approaching rapidly, and just as he pulled on the door handle he felt it…Too close, too fast…DANGER! Suddenly it was too late. The arm circled around the right side of his neck in attempt to choke him out. However, as suddenly as it did his hands instinctively came up to protect his throat, cupping his nose, thumbs tight to his now “turtling” head, DROPPING so quickly it threw the assailant over his shoulder and into the glass. Thump! The tell tale sound of a skull hitting the thick, tempered glass, as Mickey's head circled under the offending arm, and his footwork moved him out of death's grip and safely inside. He could hear the man cursing as he dialed 911, and saw the now would-be attacker running off. Feeling all to lucky, and thankful for taking his weekly Hapkido training, Mickey silently said a prayer, “Thank you God from Sabumnim Kim,” and “They're never going to believe this back at the dojang…” Along with a few great moves, even this “past prime” middle-aged man had connected to something really, really powerful when he DROPPED ever so slightly by bending his knees and guess what…It worked! … DROPPING obviously works in self-defense and in fact multiple sports use DROPPING as a power enhancing PRINCIPLE to multiply power by connecting to the largest, most powerful body on Earth. The Earth! In life, and in Life Defense how often do we connect powerfully with anything or anyone? Could we be mostly too loud, too opinionated, or just don't listen, or really get what the other person is actually saying? Through connection everything is possible. We are just a simple DROP from connecting. Think about it…when we DROP our volume we hear, when we DROP our agenda we listen, when we DROP our tone we harmonize more often, and much faster. DROP, and connect not some day, rather today, immediately because we are much more powerful when we DROP! DROP. Allen Hughes Warrior Way Life Defense #lifedefense #drop #allenhughes # --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

It was 12:20pm as Bobby, an 8 year old boy at Cherry Hill Elementary, peered through the glass at the clock on the wall. Could he avoid humiliation and pain 10 more minutes by hiding from Victor and his gang until the bell that signaled the end of lunch break? Then all at once it was too late, “Hey Bobby! We've been looking for you everywhere…. Where's that money you promised me? Don't tell me you spent it on lunch. You don't need lunch. You're too fat anyway. Fatty!” As Bobby turned to the sound of his #1 nemesis, and his all too familiar mocking tone, he realized it was too late. Victor's hands were heading straight for his throat, aggressively moving forward with the obvious intent of shoving him against the lockers directly behind him. Just as quickly Bobby's body went into motion. It was totally reactionary as he had practiced this reflective footwork all last week in his Hapkido class. Stepping back with no resistance Bobby's body turned 180 degrees and Victor slammed face first into the lockers with a loud bang. Fully DISRUPTED, Victor turned and Bobby almost regretted his instincts as he saw his attacker turn toward him red faced, and cursing. At that moment he saw Ms. Jones stepping in and grabbing Victor hurrying him toward the Principals office in a tirade of, “This is the last time, you've had warnings before and you will be expelled from this school forever young man! No bullying means NO…!” Bobby instinctively DISRUPTED Victor, and Ms. Jones DISRUPTED the retaliation. Within a few moments the principal would DISRUPT Victor's bullying career, and DISRUPT his gang breaking them up forever, by expelling Victor from public education. Fast forward12 years, Victor had graduated high in his class from the military school his parents were encouraged to register him in. Victor's military career of discipline and future successful completion of B.U.D.S. (Basic Underwater Demolition/ SEAL training) was completed a few years later. Victor ended up saving hostages in the Middle East and raising a great family. Bobby pursued the high tech industry and became a very wealthy, very well adjusted father and husband. You may not know about his success, or even understand what his technology does. However, his surveillance tech made Bobby's rescue of the hostages possible. Unlikely yes, and still this series of DISRUPTIONS changed everything. In your life what is it that you will DISRUPT? Consider that unless sufficient DISRUPTION happens, nothing moves. DISRUPTION is the impetus of all motion in self-defense, in life or Life Defense, and in fact all motion of the universe. If you want something to change in your world… DISRUPT it! Allen Hughes Warrior Way Life Defense #lifedefense #disrupt #allenhughes --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

NEUTRALIZE Life Threats The young woman had been taken to a secondary location by the would-be killer intent on her torture, and pre-planned death. Opening the trunk of the car parked in a desolate area miles from any help he pulled her up to carry her down to the basement of the old abandoned house. Unexpectedly she used his force to propel her upward and outward as she swung the rusty tire iron squarely across his head knocking him backwards as she landed atop his massive body. Still conscious he reached up to pull her down into his massive bear hug and subdue her. Using the power generated by his tree trunk sized arms she swung the heavy tool again and again till he lay silent his body limp and lifeless. The survivor rolled away and seeing no motion, backed carefully to the driver's door, saw the keys still in the ignition, jumped in and sped off. Later police and ambulance came as she directed to where the alleged, possible serial killer still lay NEUTRALIZED from the powerful blows. The coroner pronounced his findings, and later the court dismissed the case as purely self-defense. A solemn victory for sure. A man is dead, would she ever be able to accept her actions, in the heat of battle fighting for her life? Was NEUTRALIZATION her best choice? If she had to do it again would she? NEUTRALIZATION is a PRINCIPLE of self-defense and when used in life a PRINCIPE of Life Defense…. NEUTRALIZATION is simply: to make (something) ineffective; counteract; or nullify: dictionary.com In life we may believe that NEUTRALIZATION has no practical application. However, what in our lives, and yes even who in our lives, might be killing off our future, and all of our possibilities…? Let's look at those things in our life that threaten our existence and our future POSSIBILITIES. These would-be “attackers” could be “things” not people and might not be as obvious as our potential serial killer. And yet, they may be just as deadly in stealing “life” day in and day out. Whether it's a quick and painless death, or a long and painful one, or anything in between… when it comes to life, life is life and when we are not living life to its fullest, enjoying every moment it is not life. That's right, I am saying it! When you are not living the life you love you are not really living. Attackers could be the way we eat, sleep, or, play. They could be the substances we consume, the friends we hang with, or what we choose for entertainment. Let's take a look… Is “life” actually pain, torture, frustration and stagnation or is “life” truly living the life you love in every moment, in every way, in pure joy? If the later is so what will you NEUTRALIZE with the efficiency and accuracy of a trained sniper, taking the threat out swiftly and without hesitation? If you are not prepared to NEUTRALIZE those “life” killers, when will you…? The longer you wait the more “life” is lost. How much life are you willing to waste before taking action? Remember, you may have second thoughts about NEUTRALIZING your next binge watching event, and for a second you may regret it, if even for a minute. If you do, just look at what the cost has been and what it could have been in the future and NEUTRALIZE “life-killers” on the spot! Allen Hughes Warrior Way Life Defense #lifedefense #neutralize #allenhughes # --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

The man was standing in line at the stadium to get a hot dog, and a cold beverage. The younger man approached, drunk and aggressive. For whatever reason he came in hard and strong for a tackle at waist level. The older defender reacted from his wrestling days by RESPONDING with a sprawl feet and legs shooting back out of reach as his forearms shoved hard against shoulders of the younger attacker stopping his intended progression. Surprised the drunk attacker struggled to keep his balance and could nether progress by reaching the defender's legs for a tackle or even stand straight back up as his older, more sober, intended victim held him there calling out for security, which arrived 3- 5 minutes later to find an exhausted, young man drunk and throwing up into the bleachers… RESPONSE is what we train for in self-defense and in life, or Life Defense. How will we RESPOND? Will we be successful or not? Who knows, however RESPONSE in self-defense training is a practiced art. What happens in a tackle? What if the attacker comes high, shoots low or just grabs around your waist in attempt to tackle? Practice, practice, practice…RESPONSES to different self-defense scenarios are usually practiced. This practice, if done right can mean the difference between life and death, injury or safety, or just protection from bruised egos. In life there are many, nay infinite, RESPONSES to any given scenario, and some are better than others. It could be said that the same RESPONSE practiced in Life Defense could also save your life, your job, your family or your relationship with your kid. In Life Defense we speak of PRINCIPLES, and in fact RESPONSE is a PRINCIPLE of Life Defense. Just the thought that PRINCIPLES like RESPONSE, and the practice of these life saving PRINCIPLES might be a good thing is enough for me. Think about it…What if you could say, not memorize but rather RESPOND with ease and comfort to any situation at work, home, or on the job? How much easier, safer, and productive life would become… It's time we RESPOND, and remember, no RESPONSE is a RESPONSE, and any way you show up is a great start! RESPOND. Allen Hughes Warrior Way Life Defense #lifedefense #respond #allenhughes # --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

ENGAGE Yourself in Life To ENGAGE is to live in self-defense and Life Defense. In a real sense of the word ENGAGEMENT is commitment to live. By ENGAGING we say that we are here, and we are relevant, and we are not going away. In the struggle for life in a self-defense scenarios the very act of ENGAGEMENT says this. In life and Life Defense the same is true… The kick boxer moves in for the attack, as he kicks his hips turn powerfully in an attempt to break the balance and damage the opponents ability to stand. His kick rises up gaining speed, and devastating force from the ground. The defender ENGAGES by clenching the attacker's head, and parries the leg with his own in a circular motion that renders it harmless. Where a second before his position, balance, and leg itself was in jeopardy he is now safe. In life we see this all the time. What are you committed to and willing to ENGAGE in, sometimes to the point of being uncomfortable, in order to live. Face it, we are either ENGAGED in life or not. Disengagement to the nth degree is however a death sentence. Those that ENGAGE are alive, committing to the uncomfortable, and the difficult, and even sometimes seemingly impossible. ENGAGEMENT is where life happens. How do we begin? Speak it! Without speaking things are not created, and have no ability to come into being. Then act on it, without action nothing happens, and the creation dies. This action is ENGAGEMENT, and is access to joy, sorrow, pleasure, pain and by definition life. ENGAGE in life and live. ENGAGE! Allen Hughes Warrior Way Life Defense #lifedefense #warriorway # engage --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

Another inspiring conversation on the Zero to 5000 Podcast today. We were joined by Nick Groat, the owner and CEO of Safe Life Defense. We discussed: - Doing something that really makes you happy. - How challenges help both the owner and the company grow. - "We learn from our mistakes and failures and it makes us stronger". Thanks for Listening. Be sure to join our monthly email. One life-changing email to help you with your mindset, your methods, and your mission each month.

Consider that looking for a GLOBAL MINDSET is achieved through looking at common PRINCIPLES that we as humans share. Many would label this an impossible task referencing PRINCIPLES as subjective and culturally specific. Our premise is that certain PRINCIPLES are shared and are not subjective. This common ground actually is the genesis of creating a GLOBAL MINDSET. One PRINCIPLE borrowed from physics is the PRINCIPLE of GRAVITY. GRAVITY is the force that attracts a body toward the center of the earth, or toward any other physical body having mass. Google Defy gravity at 50,000.' By jumping out of an airplane without a parachute we see that all people everywhere would have a similar experience. GRAVITY is a shared PRINCIPLE. A GLOBAL MINDSET starting with what we share in common is powerful and can build an understanding that we are in fact very much alike in more ways than we are different. Yet, how? Where can we look for anything similar that we can start from? The answer to bringing us together we propose might be found inside the world of conflict, struggle and even battle! Successful Warriors share a GLOBAL MINDSET. Application in battle either works or it doesn't. Success is accomplished in any conflict through application of PRINCIPLES, and we are living proof that these PRINCIPLES work. Think about it…If we are living and breathing on this earth today it's because our ancestors survived long enough to have offspring and in turn they had children and so on. Our skills at dealing with conflict in the real, physical world are proof the PRINCIPLES our ancestors used worked. Period. The word PRINCIPLE may conjure up visions of morality, viewpoints of differing cultures, or even spiritual beliefs of what is good and what is bad. To have a GLOBAL MINDSET using PRINCIPLES is to recognize that shared PRINCIPLES of dealing with conflict do in fact exist, and have nothing to do with subjective viewpoints. Therefore, by their very nature these PRINCIPLES are GLOBAL... What if I said you could live an extra 10 years of life by learning how to escape a choke hold? What we are saying is exactly that. The time available to be saved is real. The time wasted in conflict is real and each moment we use the PRINCIPLES of Life Defense we add minutes, hours and days to our lives ! This is a GLOBAL MINDSET that actually works in the real world saving life each day! In closing, we acknowledge that we are all different in many ways, and might never understand each other fully. However, a GLOBAL MINDSET based on PRINCIPLES of conflict and a common language of Life Defense creates the possibility of everything. Including life! Allen Hughes #lifedefense #warriorway #globalmindset --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

SPACE, Your SPACE A young girl no more than 12 years of age is alone in a park starring dreamily at the dimming sky as the sun sets. She has remained a few minutes longer than her friends, fixated on the beautiful sunset. Suddenly she senses the predator's gaze, and before he can approach CREATES SPACE, a PRINCIPLE of self-defense and Life Defense, by running across the street into a cell phone store, alerting the staff and borrowing a phone to call her parents… In Life Defense we are a little obsessed with SPACE, creating it, diminishing it and management it…Obviously, we have a thing about SPACE! In life what is killing you, disrupting you, or choking you out? Consider that you control SPACE. “All right Allen, so what about my 2 year old throwing a major tantrum? How do I CREATE SPACE when I've got to be there watching him? I cannot escape his tantrums, he screams so loud until I give him what he wants, a toy, a treat, a video…” In life and Life Defense you control SPACE. Two year old, or 13 year old. It's your SPACE and what will you do with it? When I married my current wife she had 4 kids. They were all pre-teen or teen aged, and hadn't had a dad for 12 years. The three redheaded boys, that's right, you can't make this stuff up, were loud, opinionated and full of energy. I'd seen them run circles around other adults playing off each other in variations of fighting, joking, manipulating and defiance. One evening the teen aged girl spent the entire night in a room next to ours pounding on the wall in response to some perceived unfair treatment over something…She pounded a hour after hour on our adjacent wall through the night. We chose to turn on a movie and enjoy the added sound effects. In the early morning the pounding was gone. We controlled the SPACE. Agreed that ignoring the incessant wall pounding wouldn't work in every circumstance. It's really more about the meaning we gave it, we didn't get upset, and we slept (eventually). What it really came down to for us was what it meant and how would we respond to it? CREATE SPACE or just control it. At some level, your SPACE is yours and even in extreme abuse and assault all there is sometimes is your ability to control your space and survive. Allen Hughes Life Defense #lifedefense #warriorway #createspace --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

LEVERAGE is all about, maintaining position, of vital points to move virtual mountains in self-defense and life or Life Defense… The attacker circled round and round looking for an opportunity to pounce and drive fists into the defenders head. Then all at once the defender allows him into his guard, and just when the attacker thinks he will dominate the conflict, he is completely controlled and becomes harmless. How? The attacker misunderstood the LEVERAGE that the ground is, while the defender understood the LEVERAGE afforded by position, and vital-points of contact. In life how often do we find ourselves on our back thinking we have lost, and submit all too quickly? This position in the world of self-defense is called the guard, and ground fighters sometimes prefer it to standing toe to toe. The distinct advantage is legendary and yet most people prefer standing toe to toe in battles full of jumping kicks and showy spinning techniques. Especially in the movies. We do not. Think of the surprise one might have when they literally “jump into the arms of a controlling technique, “screaming in pain as their shoulder is stressed to the point of breaking. And yet, LEVERAGE is always available with the right positioning in every situation with the right mindset. In our self-defense example the planet is our LEVERAGE! In life the LEVERAGE is also the planet, meaning everyone and everything in the right position, even a person with malice in mind can become the ultimate LEVERAGE themselves. In life it might look like, “I don't have enough time in the day, people I can count on, or money!” What's missing…? LEVERAGE. There is always enough time with people that are willing to assist you. There are always people you can count on when you are that person, and there is always enough money when enough people coordinate their power together. All these and hundreds more are examples of LEVERAGE! So look around, and see that LEVERAGE is a Life Defense tool just waiting to be used. LEVERAGE your life… LEVERAGE! Allen Hughes - Warrior Way Life Defense #warriorway #lifedefense #allenhughes #leverage --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

REINFORCE Your Life! In the world of Self Defense we multiply our power by connecting or REINFORCING our hands to ourselves, or to the opponent. Often we REINFORCE our efforts using multiple techniques, and PRINCIPLES simultaneously. We purposefully gather other people to our cause REINFORCING our efforts in defending our lives. In life we do this by sheer chance sometimes, REINFORCING things that make our lives work better, or to be more productive, and yet, the PRINCIPLE of Life Defense gains its power from purposeful training and implementation… The attacker throws a hay maker punch toward the jaw of the unsuspecting young woman's head with a quick knock out in mind. As the powerful fist comes round it gains speed toward the smaller defender. The young woman moves slightly to the inside, removing herself from the trajectory, utilizing every once of his speed, and power creating a new opportunity, by REINFORCING. The dynamic momentum results in throwing the attacker easily to the ground in a head and arm “scarf hold.” Her hands REINFORCE his motion, connecting to pivotal points, and suddenly she is safe. Onlookers gasp in amazement that she avoided the ferocious impact, and actually took control. Someone in the crowd shouts that they are dialing 911 obviously to REINFORCE her defensive position. In life, training in self-defense is a distinct advantage first by even understanding PRINCIPLES of self-defense. After all, most of us might never be attacked by a raging lunatic. Hence, most people don't train. Secondly, knowing what to do if an attack actually happens by training for even the most unlikely conflict. It stands to reason, just like in self-defense, those that actually train do much better than those that don't. Period. The same is true in life. In life, conflict happens on almost a daily basis in one form, or another and those that train in Life Defense are far better prepared when it does. To be a top performer in any realm of life you've got to train to deal with that conflict before it happens. Perhaps you might not run out and register the first Krav Maga class in your area. Yet, some form of conflict is all around us, all the time. Although it's not always immediately fatal, it will take your life in small bits and pieces for sure. A lost opportunity here, a lost friendship there, not to mention the lost time, and effort when any small conflict happens. It's time to REINFORCE what you already know about life, conflict happens, and prepare for what certainly will occur in your life. REINFORCE by training in Life Defense! Allen Hughes #lifedefense #stressredirection #reinforce --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

Nothing is accomplished without STRESS! Ask anyone, on any day of the week, and they might say STRESS is bad, must be avoided or managed and they get STRESSED out. And yet, ask them what STRESS is and they will most likely go off on a tangent of all the things they are doing, and what's happening in their lives. In fact mostly they will say almost nothing of what STRESS actually is. Instead, they will talk “about it.” This black box of STRESS is a poison, and even further this drama that surrounds it is created and simply not true. The main contributor and default inventor of STRESS is Hans Selye, and was based on extreme lab experiments on rats in 1929. We will go no further in this discussion on this line topic. However, his experiments were funded by the tobacco industry and virtually invented the smoke break. Instead we will state simple facts. STRESS is how everything is accomplished, STRESS is necessary, and is the load or energy that makes everything possible in Life and Life Defense! In self-defense STRESS is access to accomplishing anything and everything. First physically nothing can be accomplished without STRESSING a muscle, joint, or bone. Additionally, the act of learning requires this also. STRESS is a “load or energy” and how it is applied, how we deal with it and what is accomplished by it is all there really is. In fact it is our “relationship” with STRESS that makes all the difference. STRESS does not have the ability of being bad or good. It is just STRESS and how we deal with that “load or energy” determines the effect it has on our lives. This outcome is by far positive and in fact negative experiences of STRESS really have to do with perceived not real outcome. What something means to us will determine if sore muscles are a bad thing or a good thing. STRESS! #allenhughes #lifedefense #stress --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

FOCUS Your Life! In the world of self-defense we talk about FOCUS, and especially the different kinds of FOCUS. In Life Defense those different FOCUSES powerfully effect our lives! The sniper is stationed rooftop eyes looking for hours on a small pinpointed spot between two tall buildings. This will be where his people will be most vulnerable, and his job is to protect them. NARROW FOCUS. The tourist enters the crowded plaza just at dusk. She has lost her tour group somehow, and scans the crowd of strange faces till all at once she sees a familiar face, and smiling gestures from a group at the far end of the square. WIDE FOCUS. Something just doesn't seem right. The concert has been over for an hour and people are mostly out of the venue. The two tweens see a group of men standing at one of the exits. Something doesn't seem right and they turn around and head to a busier exit away from the men's gaze. EMOTIONAL FOCUS or “weirdo meter.” These FOCUSES save our lives, the lives of others, and are recognized as viable self-defense techniques. However, SAVING LIFE is not theoretical. It's measurable and tangible as the hand in front of your face. Life Defense training is the skill set to do just that. In life, how often do we ignore that conflict exists? After all it's how everything is accomplished. NARROW, WIDE and EMOTIONAL FOCUS can actually be used all the time, and just like most conflict based PRINCIPLES is available to us in every part of our life with training. Although we may claim to use these naturally. What really occurs most to the time, in the beautiful chaos of life, is emergency centric, corrections, and triage. The more we are present to the conflict around us the higher level of performance is available in our lives. What is your FOCUS today? FOCUS. Allen Hughes Life Defense #allenhughes #lifedefense #focus --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

CONNECT is a powerful PRINCIPLE of self-defense and Life Defense… Out of the dark the attacker comes with threatening gestures and angry tones. His arms fly out from his body demonstrating his intent of violence. All of a sudden he grabs the defender by the throat and shoves her hard toward the red brick, graffiti laden wall just 3 steps to her rear. With ease the young woman steps backward, and with one graceful motion, CONNECTS her forearms over the top of the attackers hands, pinning his wrists to her upper chest. The attacker's aggressive, forward shove creates momentum and his posture drops from her body weight as all 120 pounds of her small, yet agile frame CONNECTS on his pinned wrists, hurling himself headlong into the brick wall. In self-defense CONNECTION is literally power. In application, or Life Defense the same PRINCIPLE of CONNECTION is true in every conflict and every action of life. What, and with whom will you CONNECT? The answer may be a question… “How much power do you really want in your life?” Everyone, and everything is CONNECTED…and the only difference is some recognize CONNECTION and learn to use it in every part of their life, and others don't. Even when people are trying to kill them, self-defense experts know their best chance at survival is to CONNECT to that energy and use it! The 120 lb. woman stood very little chance of survival alone, however with CONNECTION to her attackers weight, strength and momentum was able to harness his force and use it to perhaps throw him off balance, slam his face into the red brick wall and escape. CONNECTION is access to unlimited power and it's all around us. That's right, unlimited power is all around us! It's really very simple, some recognize it, CONNECT to it, and use it. Others don't. Period. Think about it…the very company you work for has learned to CONNECT enough people and resources together and that CONNECTION makes millions or billions through those vast CONNECTIONS. CONNECT and power up your life. CONNECT! Allen Hughes Life Defense #allenhughes #lifedefense #connect --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

EXPAND, and Take Control of Your Life! In the world of self-defense we use the PRINCIPLE of EXPAND when holding someone down in a MOUNT position. We like to reference a “drunk uncle” showing up at your daughter's wedding reception and knocking over the punch bowl, insulting the guests and maybe taking a swing at the best man. Although most likely not a tremendous threat, he might appear greatly menacing to your friends, neighbors, and Aunt Martha, and could actually hurt himself or others in his altered state. Consequently, perhaps you struggle with him, taking him to the ground and end up holding him, while calling for assistance. As he turns this way and that in an attempt to overturn you, and once again gain access to the wedding party, you EXPAND arms and legs out on either side and whisper something like, “Whoa big fella, I got you, just settle down, it's okay…” In the world of Life Defense true, powerful control of your life might call for EXPANSION. In place of legs and arms “posting” from side to side,” EXPANSION of relationships, skills and coaching might be called for. After all, there is a direct correlation between success, failure and coaching. In fact in the world of success, a common theme or mantra might sound something like, “Every top performer has a coach, mentor or life-improvement program going on at any given time. So invest in yourself. “ In fact the more successful one is the more likely it is that they had help getting there. EXPANDING in the context of Life Defense then is essential. Reach out and take control of life. Your life. EXPAND. Allen Hughes Life Defense #allenhughes #lifedefense #expand --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

ALLOW Powerfully! ALLOW is by default a type of permission. In self-defense ALLOW has a physical aspect of ALLOWING an attackers energy to continue, without impeding. This simple non-resistance may prove to overextend an attack and create an off-balancing effect as in a push, or painful consequence as in ALLOWING in response to a tackle, slamming the attacker to the ground face first. Today in our discussion of Life Defense we will examine how the PRINCIPLE of ALLOWING is a powerful choice in both deed and discussion. Let's look... What actually happens when a person, with differing opinions is freely ALLOWED to voice them unrestrained, and offered no resistance? In a seemingly endless tirade, the angry, accusatory, even violent tones and volumes may eventually soften, spoken to a confident, listening ear, reason begins to turn as no commentary of resistance is present. Perhaps your own opposing view point might begin to emerge spoken from their own lips, as the aggressor offers supposed counter points when none are offered. Eventually, they may either walk off in feigned disgust, or begin to quiet, and even ask your thoughts. You see ALLOWING is just that, ALLOWING an attacker's energy to do all the work. Without resistance, aggression tends to eventually fall on its face, as long as ALLOWING is accomplished in the powerful silence of listening as an opening. This is contrary to non-response which may seem passively aggressive. Remember, just because someone is attacking doesn't mean anything is required until it is required. The PRINCIPLE here is that ALLOWING dissipates energy, and ALLOWING what needs to be said, said. It is when people do not feel heard that situations escalate. Morihei Ueshiba was known as the master of the “empty jacket.” ALLOWING is like that. Someone pulls and pushes and the empty jacket ALLOWS the defender to succeed through non-resistance. We must note that in some cases mobs support an attack offering echoed counterpoint as an accelerated frenzy to act, emboldened by their own chants and purposeful agenda. Mob scenarios therefore require an alternate solution and the defender must adapt. However, by nature a single angry individual needs resistance to justify continuation of forward motion. Resistance breeds more aggression while ALLOWING not running, becomes a powerful force for transformation! In life look at what you might ALLOW today, and powerfully, actively, quietly observe the outcome offering no resistance until powerful action is required. ALLOW. Allen Hughes Life Defense #allenhughes #lifedefense #allow --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

REPLACE is a PRINCIPLE of Self-Defense and Life Defense. Today in our discussion of Life Defense we speak of REPLACING weakness with power, to accomplish anything! In Self-Defense, REPLACING an attacker's lethal center and power is highly effective in throws and grappling. Additionally our very motion is most powerful when replacing the strength of our arms and shoulders with that of our center and legs. An example would be driving a strike all the way from mother earth, through your, legs and center delivered by your fist, vs relying on what can be generated by the arm alone… REPLACE as a PRINCIPLE of Life Defense REPLACES the weak, unsupported, lethal excuses of life with being a series of powerful, connected, decisions, actions and results. On the mat of life, bad things do not happen seemingly “to us,” rather we choose our actions and take responsibility for all results as part of our experience of life itself. Take for instance an obsession that I and my wife have for watching Netflix series, snacking, or the weight gain and lack of fitness that comes as a result from both. Yes, we both know that up to 2 hours a day of watching and snacking could be REPLACED by something powerful in our life that promotes strength, agility and overall health. However, until we actually go into action, just talking about it will not make a difference. REPLACEMENT is an action. When we actually choose this action, powerfully many things in our lives can and probably would be replaced with something eminently more productive. For me I am taking responsibility for my actions and I am REPLACING at least one weak, unproductive, or unhealthy thing a day to empower my life. When will I start? Today! And you…? REPLACE weakness with POWER! REPLACE! Allen Hughes Life Defense #allenhughes #lifedefense #replace --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

In self-defense an ELEVATION of level, as in a throw, changes an opponents attack from a grounded, powerful push, pull or grab into a compromised, unstable and fully redirected catapult of the attacker's body to the hard earth. Additionally in battle, ELEVATION gives high ground perspective in a firefight putting lower level opponents at a severe disadvantage as ELEVATED positions of shooters have access to rein down deadly accurate shots on unprotected positions. Today in our examination of Life Defense we will see how ELEVATION of thought gives defenders an extreme advantage in the battle of life. Perspective can make all the difference. When I only see tall buildings or rocky cliffs around me, the danger crouched atop these positions can end in deadly, unprotected chaos. However, switch the position either physically, or in my mind and this ELEVATED position reverses the outcome. When I spend my days wrapped in what the media tells me to believe, or social media friends directed by that media, filtered by the platform management, and fueled by unseen agendas tells me to believe, I have no ELEVATED vision and my perspective is compromised. I am at risk. When distracted by my work, my family issues, or life itself, I loose the high ground I cannot hope to see the ambush awaiting me from above. It is at this time that an ELEVATED perspective refocuses my vision and I oversee the true battle laid out before me. How do I attain and maintain this position? First I must disrupt my thinking, take a cold shower, fast for a day or change my environment. Then look, listen and feel what is actually happening and immediately put myself into action. Truth be told there is an extreme pull toward not seeing and maintaining a simple lower level perspective. It takes effort to climb up the rock face, and wait, and more effort to maintain that vantage point. However, it's worth it! ELEVATE! Allen Hughes Life Defense #lifedefense #warriorway #elevate --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

In the world of self-defense CONTROL is a central, powerful PRINCIPLE. CONTROLLING environments, fear, exposures, and even attackers themselves results in success to live another day. In Life Defense the same is true in every part of life. We talk a lot about environments, exposures and others when discussing potential conflicts that might need CONTROLLING. However today we will focus on ourselves. In self-defense the fear that escalates to nearly incapacitating levels is a real thing. Many of my participants have related to being forced, or assaulted physically, emotionally or mentally in different situations. Although on the mat we simulate this by bringing ourselves to physical, heart pounding stress and sparing, at less than full contact levels, we never really achieve the complete fear that permeates a truly violent attack. I can remember my short lived experiences in full contact fighting and although there was an anticipation, there was very little fear. As I put on protective gear, and learned the rules that govern all full contact fighting, in one arena or another, what little fear existed disappeared. In the end the “full contact” experience had very little actual fear involved with it. I can remember one sparing match where my opponent was a really fast kicker. Time and time again he landed kicks to my head, and blurred my vision putting me in a fog wondering how he could kick so fast. However, was I in fear? No, if anything I was a little irritated, and in a different time and place would have easily taken him down to the mat. Fear then is something that is created by us and therefore can be CONTROLLED by us. In Life Defense as we go through a job interview, a potential loss in the stock market, or a near brush with death accident, we experience this fear. What then is the difference between my sparing match and a job interview or even near brush with death? Rewinding my sparing and event fighting experiences I knew the rules, I knew there was protective gear in place and a referee. It was to a certain extent “knowable.” Job interviews, and subsequent outcomes might not be. Or even more extreme, a sudden brush with death isn't as knowable. Since I have experienced both I can honestly say that the more I trained for an event, practiced a scenario and walked through the possible outcomes the less fear was actually involved.The difference in our participants of Life Defense that actually step on the matt, and those that don't is knowing and knowing comes through training or practice. How do I train for things that happen once every 5 years or maybe once in a lifetime in the case of death…? The answer is the same as preparing for a full contact event. Practice, walk though, visualize and “know” the possible outcomes. Life Defense is about training. There are no secrets. If you seek to CONTROL your fear…Train! Allen Hughes Life Defense #allenhughes #lifedefense #control --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

A mantra of Life Defense is, “What we PREVENT never happens…” We will explore PREVENT in the world of self-defense and Life Defense this week and how this simple yet effective PRINCIPLE of Life Defense works. In self-defense much is said and trained as PREVENTION. In fact, one of the most effective techniques of self-defense is to PREVENT something before it happens. Hence the saying, “What we PREVENT never happens.” If you stay close to well lit, well patrolled areas of town, hanging with sober, long time, trusted friends, in groups, returning home before 10pm, to sleep behind dead-bolted doors, in a security enhanced neighborhood, activating your alarm system before retiring to bed with Rover (a 130 lb. Rottweiler) sleeping at your side you may have PREVENTED much of what could happen in the way of attack. And sweet dreams of choke holds you will be working on in Jiujitsu class in the morning flood your peaceful dreams to wake another day. This all makes sense right? However, in this segment of Life Defense we will address the other side of PREVENTION. What do we PREVENT form happening that enhances our life? “I can't do X, I'm never going to try Y and Z is something I've always wanted to learn but…” In a life full of possibility what do you PREVENT, that you actually desire, from ever happening? The first words that come out of your mouth may be, “I would but…” In these 3 fatal words possibility comes to a screeching stop and life is lost. We actually first create our future by speaking it into existence. “I've always wanted to play the guitar, but I don't have the time, money or a guitar to even start.” When I hear that I hand my trusty six string to the unsuspecting PREVENTION machine and say, “Strum… run your hands across the stings and strum!” Once they get past about 10 more objections they finally relent and “K-BONG!” they are playing. Now, I say to the unsuspecting future guitar hero, all you need to do is practice! In life we speak, or don't speak everything into existence. So speak, and do. It's truly that simple. Say “Yes” much more than “No” and then act, do and be. Because what we PREVENT in life never happens. PREVENT. Allen Hughes Life Defense #allenhughes #lifedefense #position --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

POSITION really has everything to do with success vs failure, leverage vs non-leveraged and life vs death. In this installation of Life Defense we will look at POSITION making all the difference in self-defense, and life, or Life Defense. Many years ago, my wife told me about our son running away from her too fast, and too young to have any sense. This little runner was maybe 3 years old and an escape artist. Anthony had learned to work the latch of the backyard gate, and was headed at a full run for the busy road when his mother lurched out of the house door and saw him defiantly laughing and daring her to take another step forward. His mother had to restrain herself as she saw a huge truck approaching his curbside position. One more step and he would be lost. As she stood her ground the huge truck sped only a few inches from him. I'm sure she prayed he would freeze because one more step would have meant certain death. As the truck roared on by his hair flew up from the warm breeze and he froze and cried. This little boy's POSITION saved his life. Now Anthony's a grown up with four of his own, a beautiful wife, a PhD. He brings joy to all of us each day. In retrospect the little boy held his position, and mom held her POSITION. Their relationship continued even though even slight adjustment would have been fatal. POSITION determines outcomes in war, business and all relationships. In fact the very word relationship defines a POSITION. In self-defense we speak of triangulation, off-lining and dropping our position exhaustively. Why? Because modifying POSITION works, just a little different angle on a hold in self-defense puts enormous pressure in just the right place to cause compliance. In Life Defense of course the same is true. Let's look at POSITION in the realm of problem solving. Head on a task may seem impossible yet even in math, a subject I am not fond of, solving for “X” is always related to “Y," and changing variables makes all the difference. Change the the number ever so slightly and a new solution applies. A fraction off and a moon shot is missed by thousands of miles. Then why in life do we see problems as straight on, limited, or no variables as options. We easily adopt terms like “black or white, there is only one way…my way…” In a self-defense scenario the survivor is the one that sees possibilities and takes them. If we perhaps would take from this podcast just on thing, it might be that there is always unlimited choice. Now that's a POSITION I can live with. POSITION. Allen Hughes Life Defense #allenhughes #lifedefense #position --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

What happens when you find yourself grabbed, controlled or restrained? In self-defense an attacker will grab you and pull you into what might be a struggle for life itself. Let's look at how REMOVING this death grip both in self-defense and in life or Life Defense is the key to living another day! In self-defense REMOVAL from a grab is essential and is practiced over and over again. The attacker grabs the wrist of a weaker defender, as in abduction, and pulls them away as the defender typically fights against the much stronger attacker in vain. This struggle is short lived as force meets force, and when force is applied to force the strong prevails. However, years of training pay off and instead of resisting the “would be victim” moves in harmony with the pull thereby multiplying the power of the attacker with their own power, while circling their much stronger arm against the attacker's thumb. The thumb, being the weakest point, allows the defender to REMOVE themselves from potential harm. This REMOVING technique is based on a couple of PRINCIPLES and works quite well as demonstrated by some of our young participants using it against their parents. For example, not wanting to accompany mom home from the playground. This sometimes gets us into trouble, and consequently we end up having discussions about using their super powers against their parents. Yet, there is a smile of satisfaction on parents faces as they realize their kid is no easy target for a would be kidnapper. The same is true in life. When someone, or something grabs you and pulls you in like a harmful substance, a bad relationship, or binge-watching season after season of some knock off vampire show, it's time to REMOVE yourself by not resisting, rather looking at where you are actually at, using the energy that is pulling you toward dark holes to catapult you to safety, while circle your focus, activities or attention on the weakest point that holds you while vocalizing, “You're not good to consume, you're not the one for me, or this show will just leave me 10 lb. heavier, depressed and steal a week of my life never to be raised from the dead! Life Defense is about REMOVING yourself, your mind and your spirit to a better place, or circumstance of life! REMOVE when? ASAP! Why? Because you know certain situations will not end well…REMOVE! Allen Hughes Life Defense #allenhughes #lifedefense #remove --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

The Beatles classic song “Come Together” ends in a refrain of “come together” repeated over and over again. I remember listening to the warm crackle of the needle on vinyl…Ahh such sweet sounds…and why shouldn't they emphasis this PRINCIPLE of Life Defense. It works! …today in this cool, almost Spring morning we will be looking at the PRINCIPLE of UNIFY in self-defense and in Life, or Life Defense and how it works in your life. UNIFY in self-defense is sometimes applied against a rear bear hug. The attacker comes from behind wraps his arms around his unsuspecting potential victim's arms, and waist, and lifts. In abduction of a child, or weaker smaller person this could be the last time they are ever heard from again as the child is carried to a car and sped off to almost certain death. In case of assaults on adults the same attacker drives the defender to the ground head first, arms trapped, slamming their head and neck into the road or sidewalk. Ouch! In either case, the defense is to first UNIFY, by dropping all your weight down toward mother earth, while UNIFYING your arms up against the attackers arms, and yelling. In the case of a child they would also, UNIFY or hook their legs around the attacker's legs, while screaming as the attacker hobbles, limping one legged, slowly to his car, attracting attention, as onlookers alerted begin responding. In either case it's the UNIFICATION that brings release and safety. Why? The magic is in the UNIFICATION of self and attacker. That's right. We not only UNIFY our body's strength, timing and focus, in the case of the child hooking legs we UNIFY with the attacker, and the onlookers! UNIFICATION, works in self-defense and in life, or Life Defense. When we UNIFY with the earth, or the attacker, we are gaining their mass and strength by UNIFYING, or joining it to ours. We are now one, if only for a brief moment, and as one we are ultimately more powerful. What, or who are you UNIFYING with at work, or at home? If UNIFICATION works one on one, what does it look like to UNIFY with “many to the many?” What can be accomplished? Look around you. You are either UNIFYING, or not, and the potential, and reality of connectedness exits whether we recognize it or not. Those that see it, and UNIFTY in thought, action or purpose accomplish everything. It's not actually that we are disconnected. Everyone and everything is connected. It is rather that we don't recognize the real connection that already exists, and we don't do it well. The end result is that we waste energy, or power and are weaker by definition. So the day to day secret of success, and survival itself is UNIFICATION! Those that recognize that we are connected, and UNIFY, succeed. UNIFY! Allen Hughes Life Defense #allenhughes #lifedefense #unify --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

SYNERGY is a common term used in self-defense and Life Defense. Basically SYNERGY becomes available as soon as we stop fighting and start using the potential, great multiplier. Every time we work together in any fashion with something, or someone else, we have potential SYNERGY. Described in self-defense it might look like an attacker pushing a smaller defender, when at the last moment the defender SYNERGIZES motion with the much larger, stronger attacker and the attacker in essence stumbles on by. Perhaps the attacker then decides to laugh at themselves and they both go on their way chuckling about the situation… Think of all that potential power… In the world of Life Defense we might consider all energy a gift just waiting to be unwrapped like a box of chocolates. Think about it…even an attacker has a gift for us. Recognizing this “gift” might be all that is needed. In fact, ultimate SYNERGY could be the solution to many of the world's problems. In fact with SYNERGY all around us, why wouldn't it be the solution to all the world's problems? Did you know two oxen pull more weight together than each can pull alone? Also, 2 2X4 boards together are stronger than each separately. SYNERGY! What if you could look at any person, situation or even conflict and see a multiple of potential power. Why wouldn't you SYNERGIZE? Allen Hughes Life Defense #allenhughes #lifedefense #synergy --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

In the world of self-defense we constantly look at, or ANTICIPATE potential threats, create training scenarios, and make future decisions based on this ANTICIPATION. Let's look at the comparison between how we ANTICIPATE conflict, in self-defense to create a safe outcome, and how we might ANTICIPATE creating productive outcomes in every part of our life using Life Defense. The attacker rushes toward you lunging with a huge push meant to off-balance, surprise and intimidate you with almost certain fists to follow. Yet you have ANTICIPATED this common attack many, many times before and practiced this thousands of times in slow motion, building the myelin sheath around nerves that have increased your speed in response 500 times to that of an untrained defender. Time slows down, calm, even, conflict breathing kicks in, and you step aside moving offline as the attacker stumbles headlong into a brick wall raising alarm as your voice alerts a group of onlookers who simultaneously start video and calling 911. As the attacker regains his balance he notices several of the crowd moving in behind you and scurries off to find an easier target to assault. In essence the ANTICIPATION, followed by training has created an outcome of safety. What you ANTICIPATED, and then put you into action, created your future. In life we too may ANTICIPATE scenarios such as the loss of a job, the death of a loved one, or a career path opportunity that may come available. However, ANTICIPATION is just that, ANTICIPATION. Without the action, or training, there is predictable outcome also. It works both ways…Just like our defender we can predict, or ANTICIPATE the future outcome by the training focus or lack thereof. We create our future. ANTICIPATION, with the action of training, is where we decide what that future will be. ANTICIPATE, and train! Allen Hughes Life Defense #allenhughes #lifedefense --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

In this discussion we will consider DISSIPATION as a Life Defense PRINCIPLE to be used in lessening the effects of an attack in self-defense, and inevitable, daily attacks in Life using Life Defense. First let's look at a self-defense example. In self-defense when one person attacks with a tackle they are charging at the defender, wrapping their arms around their waist or legs, and driving them to the ground. One of the most effective self-defenses against a tackle is to block the charge by placing forearms on either side of the attackers shoulders, while “sprawling” (driving your legs backward out of arms reach). This DISSIPATES the forward charge using body weight, and gravity. The result is either DISSIPATING their charge, or slamming them to the pavement face first. Either way, attack DISSIPATED. In self-defense the attack is fully committed and meant to take someone down as in an assault. In Life Defense daily attacks may come from co-workers, competitors or nowadays even friends in the form of comments made or actions taken that are meant to “take you out” in one form or another. A common battle ground is social media. Recently a “friend” on Facebook made a political comment to a post I had made on Facebook censoring. I said something like, “If Facebook censors us why are we still here?” His response, and others responses to the question began to escalate and each post in turn was more aggressive. My post, meant as a discussion, was now a full out battle and since I wasn't checking into my posts often, when I came back to it my face flushed, my emotions flared, and I began constructing counter attacks in response. However, my the Life Defense training kicked in and I instead began to DISSIPATE the conversation. I asked questions, made simple concise statements of belief and DISSIPATED the situation. Eventually everyone went back to their corners with no one to fight. The opposite of DISSIPATE is to accelerate, or to intensify a situation. Seldom in self-defense, or life, does acceleration or intensification have a positive outcome. DISSIPATION slows responses, deescalates and makes discussion more available. Consider DISSIPATION, and who knows maybe you'll keep more friends and have more constructive discussions on what you care about most. Allen Hughes Life Defense #allenhughes #lifedefense --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

All life ADAPTS. In self-defense and in Life Defense ADAPTATION defines who lives and who dies. In self-defense if one defense doesn't work we move to a different one. Example: someone grabs us in a bear hug from behind. We drop our weight and begin unifying our body. This usually will break us free from the hold as we move through our hips and circle out. However, if the attacker is much larger as in a man kidnapping a youth, and begins to lift the child off the ground, they must ADAPT, or be taken to a secondary location where the chance of survival is very, very low. An ADAPTATION could be made by trapping one leg with both of the youth's legs, shrugging their shoulders, like when they don't want to go home after playing with friends and throw a fit, screaming, "Your not my daddy…help, or fire!” This makes the kidnapping more difficult as the attacker limps slowly with one leg obstructed, loosing grip as the child slides through his arms. This all happens as nearby spectators are alerted to intervene, videos start rolling, and people are calling for help. ADAPTATION in this case defines the defenders ability to live. Since one defense didn't work ADAPTATION made survival possible. ADAPTATION in animals is another example of Life Defense. Certain species of wolves are endangered and will not long be roaming free, however dogs are everywhere. Long ago, perhaps by chance, dogs became “our best friend” and now unlike their ancestor they are coddled, fed and bred to assure survival seemingly forever. In life we find ourselves in changing circumstances of survival always. How will you survive? ADAPT! Allen Hughes Life Defense #allenhughes #lifedefense --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

OFFLINE is a little different word for most of us. OFFLINE in regular terms might mean to shut off a computer and hit the hay. OFFLINE in a real sense is super powerful and even by the foregoing definition is a redirection of power and a TRIANGULATION that creates new possibilities. You see even when a switch is switched off on your computer the power is actually diverted back to the grid and becomes available for a light or mixer to be used. When we “hit the hay” we are actually redirecting our body and functions to rest and rejuvenate ourselves which makes that power available for use not only to heal during our sleep it makes it available for use the next day. OFFLINING is powerful! In self-defense when an attacker comes straight in for a strike, push, grab or kick smart defenders step OFFLINE so the energy is not absorbed directly and is redirected into a throw or take down. However, there is another perspective that immediately becomes available through TRIANGULATION. As we OFFLINE we not only get out of the way of an oncoming force we gain an advantage in position to the attacker as they step by and expose their vulnerable vital points. What fractions of a second ago were fists, yells and feet are now kidneys, spine and neck all exposed. These are superior targets and have powerful consequences when made available to the defender. In Life Defense the same is true both in OFFLINING forceful energy that comes rushing toward us and TRIANGULATING after the vital points are exposed. In both self-defense and Life Defense getting offline preserves a weaker, smaller defender from the raging bull style attack, it also exposes vital points that can be exploited into victory and another day of living. What will you OFFLINE today? Allen Hughes Life Defense #lifedefense #allenhughes #offline --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

The fate of a nation, our nation, has always been in our hands. We must as FREEDOM SEEKING TRUE WARRIORS accept this to be a fact. If we abandon this gift it is because of our acts. No other country can have power over us unless we give up. DEVOTION is a PRINCIPLE of Life Defense. Without DEVOTION to TRUTH we become a nation of lies. We start fresh today and have an opportunity to DEVOTE ourselves and right this country once again, or not. It is up to us. We create our future. I promise to treasure each moment of FREEDOM and DEVOTE each moment I live to TRUTH. I will treat FREEDOM as precious not wasting minutes as they turn to hours, days, and years in standing for it! Allen Hughes Life Defense The Civil War for FREEDOM! #lifedefense #allenhughes #civlwarfreedom --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

Using the PRINCIPLE of DISRUPTION is different than disagreement, argument, or making people wrong. DISRUPTION is a PRINCIPLE of Life Defense. In self-defense this would be either a strike, kick, push, or bump to breaking balance. DISRUPTION immediately causes off-balancing, refocusing and clarity. If you want to get someone's attention you punch them in the nose (DISRUPTION), and immediately they are off-balanced, forced to re-focus and gain clarity! Instead of punching someone in the nose, in Life Defense a simple word can DISRUPT people enough to create results. Since everything is created in word, we will change our words.... It is simple, people that act like terrorists should be called terrorists. This is not a derogatory term, it just is what they are. If they steal FREEDOM, burn flags, use forceful violence with no regard for human life to accomplish their desires they are terrorists. Simple. We might also DISRUPT the term for media. Media carries a neutral, or even official context, and legitimizes organizations that have obviously been compromised. Opinion is one thing, presenting only one side as news is not. President Trump has been using DISRUPTION for years. He uses DISRUPTIONS all the time. Some may say he is the master. Recognizing that the media has been compromised he popularized the term fake news. They have hated him for it, yet it accomplished a DISRUPTION that almost everyone recognizes today! Our point is to understand that organizations that act a certain way should be called out. If the swamp is a good description of old time politicians serving their own interests call them on it. The point here is DISRUPTIONS off-balance, force refocus, and bring clarity. One last thought…with the recent discovery of Russia hacking our defense system, Chinese troops training on the US/ Canadian border, and a candidate that hopes to take office compromised to foreign powers, perhaps we are not in a CIVIL WAR now…Instead, could we actually be in WWIII and not even know it! More on that. For now: “Today I promise to stop legitimizing media, news and social media platforms and persons, by calling them what they actually are, and if something, or someone acts like a terrorist that's what I will call them until they change, fire their corrupt leadership, or until they go out of business.” Allen Hughes Life Defense Evangelist lifedefense.net --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

Chapter 5 Day 5 CIVIL WAR! What's Your Plan? “No battle plan survives contact with the enemy.” This quote by Helmuth von Moltke the Elder, Cheif of Staff of the Prussian army before WWII, sums up where FREEDOM SEEKERS may find themselves today. Look to your left, and look to your right, not politically rather actually, and this group of 3 will make a difference. The difference in this civil war could be made by not doing anything. No-action has made the difference as many times as action in the world we live in today. Let's begin with a simple premise. All the big changes in the world have been made by small groups of people. We sometimes believe that there are huge numbers of people that all agree, think exactly one way, and act in some sort of Star Trekkie version of the Borg. Some younger people may not be familiar with Star Trek or know that the Borg, “…are cybernetic organisms linked in a hive mind called "the Collective". The Borg co-opt the technology and knowledge of other alien species to the Collective through the process of "assimilation": forcibly transforming individual beings into "drones" by injecting nanoprobes into their bodies and surgically augmenting them with cybernetic components.” Wikipedia Although we would love to attribute that characteristic to some groups of people today, in this discussion, for now, we'll call it fiction. No one really believes exactly the same way and therefore this effect for the most part does not exist. What happens with humans is sort of the opposite. A few thought leaders enroll a small group of people that believe in a similar way and they create plans, work together and move society, governments and transform the world for good, or not so good. This civil war would be the same. Thought leaders on both sides are planning, enrolling and moving larger groups of people with their ultimate goal in mind. Again, one side is interested in taking freedom, promising to get stuff from the ones that have stuff, or are in the process of getting stuff, and giving it to “the people that want it.” Simple. What we need is a simple actionable plan and take action. Although our plan will not survive first contact with the enemy, we still need a starting place and then take action. That's where PRINCIPLES come into usefulness. Tomorrow we will get back to applying PRINCIPLES of Life Defense! Allen Hughes Life Defense Evangelist --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

How to Defend Freedom Using TRUE PRINCIPLES! We are in CIVIL WAR and it's a different kind of war. At this time, thankfully, we are not shooting muskets in the streets, for the most part. That being said, the conflict is just as real and to win and preserve FREEDOM the conflict must be: Fought with the end goal of maintaining FREEDOM for all in mind. Fought by TRUE WARRIORS that defend the rights and FREEDOMS of us all. Fought using TRUE PRINCIPLES of Life Defense. PRINCIPLES in this case do not refer to good or bad ways of being. PRINCIPLES have to do with winning. Because in the end, PRINCIPLES win! Conflict and the PRINCIPLES of dealing with conflict never change. They just are. We have a saying, “Rules were meant to be broken, and PRINCIPLES never change.” You might say, “Allen, how can you say that?” My PRINCIPLES might be different than yours, and nothing is 100% effective, and we must always follow rules, and obey the law!” My answer is a simple story, I have a friend. His wife was 9 months pregnant and she went into labor. As they drove off from their house to the hospital she informed my friend that she wouldn't make it to the hospital and the baby was coming NOW! They live in a mountainous area in Utah and my friend put pedal to metal and sped his way to the hospital. The baby was derived in the parking lot and all was well. Analysis: My friend broke the law speeding his wife to the hospital, and the PRINCIPLE was to PRESERVE the LIFE of his wife and unborn child. PRINCIPLES just are, rules were meant to be broken. PRESERVING LIFE is a basic PRINCIPLE of life! Since we have some who will give odd, outlying examples of how PRINCIPLES don't work we will use this simple rule, It's called the 90% RULE: “PRINCIPLES are things that apply and work 90% of the time, in 90% of circumstances, for 90% of the people, when applied to 90% of conflicts.” Simple. All Life Defense PRINCIPLES are based on PRINCIPLES of conflict as practiced, and proven in self-defense. The following is an example: If a 390 pound MMA fighter is running straight toward you, and you brace all 165 pounds of your full frame against his impact by standing your ground. What will happen? You will be knocked to the ground, your head will bounce off the sidewalk and if you are still conscious, he will jump on top of you, in full mount position, and precede to ground and pound your face until you do lose consciousness. In this example the PRINCIPLE of OFF-LINING becomes very useful. What if instead of bracing and hoping for the best as this highly trained, powerful force of nature is charging like a freight train toward you. Why not step back, circling OFF-LINE and allow the 390 pound MMA fighter to pass on by? For the moment, you're safe. All his force and mass pass on by by simply “stepping OFF-LINE. You may say, “Allen, that doesn't work, prove it!” If you miss the significance of this PRINCIPLE picture instead a matador and a 2000 pound bull with 3 ft horns instead. I was recently in Spain and it looked as though the bull fights were not being held. However, in the days of active bull fighting this maneuver happened all the time and in the end most of the time the poor bull's life was ended. The scene was an unscathed matador and a frustrated, exhausted, foam soaked, powerful beast being ended by the matador, after all matador translated means “killer.” The scene was the same almost every time as the matador got OFF-LINE over and over again with each charge weakening the powerful beast until he couldn't go on… We must learn, and employ these PRINCIPLES of conflict, or Life Defense to win, and winning this CIVIL WAR for FREEDOM is essential. Because without FREEDOM there is no America, and frankly there is no other place to go. America is the FREE world. Allen Hughes Life Defense Evangelist --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

Questions to ask, and answer yourself... 1. What is Life Defense? We say, "Life Defense is the self-defense for life…" 2. What does that mean? 3. What or what attacks you? 4. How does that effect your life? 5. Is there ever a time that you are not in opposition, stress, challenge, growth, work, achievement, pleasure or even fun without opposition or conflict, and why? 7. Can you achieve anything without opposition or conflict, and if you could, would you want it? 8. How much then is opposition or conflict worth to you in you life? 9. What happens when you fail? 10. What happens when you succeed? Last week we discussed RE-SOLVING 2020, or your life. This week we ask what are you willing to create for 2021 and the rest of your life and ask... 11. Will opposition or conflict be a key factor in the creating and realization of it? Our premise is that: Everyone lives and dies by PRINCIPLES, and it's only the WARRIORS that actually prepare for and train in the PRINCIPLES of conflict. By definition that's what a TRUE WARRIOR does. After all returning from the battle is the only way to measure living PRINCIPLES of Life Defense. 12. Will you take on the being of a TRUE WARRIOR by training in PRINCIPLES of opposition or conflict? Allen Hughes Life Defense Evangelist --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

The concept of battle is not a new concept, and in fact it most battles happen for the same reasons since in the beginning of time. Someone has something someone else wants and decides to take it. Our current civil war, and I will attempt to enroll you that that is exactly what this is, is no different. Americans have freedom and about half of us would like to keep it and the other half would like to take it away. We will let you decide on which side is which. However, this is not a diatribe on who is right, and who is wrong. Throughout this book we will focus on what is actually happening based on the principles of FREEDOM this Country was founded on and let the reader decide. In the first section we will look at what is going on, and let you see if we are truly in civil war, or just a national difference of opinion. We will refer to communities of people, political organizations and actions on both sides and let you judge for yourself if we are truly in The Civil War for FREEDOM! In the second section of this book we will focus on what you might do to take peaceful action to maintain your FREEDOM. That's right, because we will focus on the defensive aspects of battle that maintain life, family and inherent rights as humans to survive and maintain this FREEDOM that has made America so great. Throughout this book we will inject Life Defense PRINCIPLES and how reality based strategies of battle proven over millennia, not in theory, rather in actual combat with your very existence as proof that they work. We will give strategies you can implement today that will Save Life, your life and maybe your FREEDOM today. Another thing that makes this book highly applicable to the current situation we are experiencing in the US, and around the world, is that it is being written in real time. This book is not only based on what is happening now, it is happening in real time! You, are a part of history and we want your input! You will receive overviews, ideas and full chapters as they are produced each day and discussion about how they effect your life at that moment and how Life Defense may be applied in the moment, discussed, criticized, scrutinized, blocked and “fact checked” to death all the way along. How you ask…? Because we will release this book one chapter each day to the public for consumption and gut wrenching critique though a blog, vlog, podcast and posts. So feel free to like it, hate it, disagree with it and rip it to shreds. Because all the way along it will keep improving through your input to be published on January 20th, 2021. Thats right US Presidential Inauguration Day! Yes! This book will discuss the real time Civil War for FREEDOM in the USA, and how each one of us we fought to keep it within 40 days! It will be accompanied by the “40 Day and 40 Night Challenge” Do something to keep your FREEDOM in AMERICA today! Who am I and what are my lengthy credentials to write this book? How many PhDs to I hold? What special government office have I held? How many books have I published…? My credentials are that I am an American, a father, a grandfather, a believer in God, and have had 36 years of experience teaching people how to defend themselves. I believe in TRUE PRINCIPLES and believe that we are what makes America great! Period. If this is the last thing I do I pray that God finds this book we write together worthy, and if we save just one life, it will make my life worth being lived! Allen A Hughes Life Defense Evangelist 12.11.20 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

RESOLVE or RE-SOLVE could easily be separated into RE-SOLVE. RE as in redo, re wind, re figure means to do again. SOLVE is to find an answer to, explanation for, or means of effectively dealing with (a problem or mystery). In self-defense we RE-SOLVE, and in fact our complete purpose and industry is all about RE-SOLVING, by effectively dealing with problems. The problem being someone attacking us and our RE-SOLVE is by definition how we deal with the obvious problem of flying fists, choke holds, knives and guns. In my life I've had countless RE-SOLVING moments. In most people's lives, daily conflicts, dealing with this deadline, that manager, the kids, and of course COVID is obvious. In fact our minds are constantly RESOLVING issues in navigating traffic, walking across icy surfaces, and even getting out of bed upright and maintaining balance throughout the day. All essential, and all RE-SOLVING. RESOLVING my life is another matter. Now there is a problem or mystery. Personally, being adopted which meant changing mothers at 18 months, riding the train across the country from California to Virginia and being given a new set of parents and a new way of life. RESOLVING my rebellious teen years, raising 4 kids and RESOLVING a divorce only to raise 4 more step kids and RE-SOLVE another marriage and several business failures, a near death aortic dissection, 2 suicide attempts by family with one success, and now 19 grandkids at 61 years old in December! What's next? RESOLVING this upcoming year. Just as warriors gain experience from each battle, improve their skills and pass them to the next generation, we too as Life Defense WARRIORS must RESOLVE our lives after countless battles of life. As does each human on planet earth. However, the real difference between regular people and TRUE WARRIORS is their commitment to train, to enter the battle again and be unafraid of injury or even death in the face of challenges and battles yet to fight. This is where we make our plans, and determine how we will be victorious in 2021. However, “No plan survives first contact with the enemy.” Nineteenth-century Prussian military commander Helmuth van Moltke Still, in 2021 you have training, training brought about by life itself, and additional training in Life Defense. So make plans, and they might succeed, or they may fail. Fight battles and you may win, or not. To me, both are possible and prerequisite to life. It them is the RESOLVE you have that makes all the difference. RESOLVE to train, practice, fail and do it all again. As you enter 2021 RESOLVE to always RE-SOLVE your life. RESOLVE. Allen Hughes Life Defense Coach --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

MAINTAIN in self-defense is all about MAINTAINING position, balance, safety, and center. When someone attacks us what we MAINTAIN is what we keep. We keep our position and the rushing attacker cannot take us down. We MAINTAIN our balance and we do not trip or fall. We MAINTAIN our safety and bad stuff doesn't happen to us. We MAINTAIN our center and we can move powerfully! MAINTAIN in Life Defense is the same: What we MAINTAIN we keep. MAINTAINING our position can be translated to MAINTAINING our rights as citizens, community members or even our voice through freedom of speech. We can MAINTAIN our balance as changes in government positioning of agendas and changes in policy effect our personal lives. MAINTAINING our safety can be as simple as preparation for changing times, and anticipating shortages, restrictions, lockdowns etc…and MAINTAINING our center in the middle of global change, travel restrictions and policies so that our “movement” is powerful and remains intact amidst social differences and change. FREEDOM is MAINTAINED by us personally, not given to us, and not granted to us. Viktor Frankl a survivor of the holocaust, and author wrote in Man's Search for Meaning, “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way.” If this is the ultimate FREEDOM, then we MAINTAIN it, it is ours. FREEDOM is ours to MAINTAIN. If we lose it, it is ours to lose. Allen Hughes Life Defense Coach --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

CREATE in self-defense is always actively happening. In the first place, we create our environment by the choices we make. If one chooses to go into a risky environment, staying out late at night, attending parties where people are possibly under the influence, venturing there alone, without telling anyone where they've gone and when to expect to return, that person has literally CREATED an environment that includes the possibility of danger, injury and even death. Aside from the environment we are CREATING at any given moment we also CREATE what an attack means. Meaning a defender doesn't choose to be attacked most of the time. However, the defender does get to choose what it means to them. Do they CREATE fault or blame and do they CREATE themselves as a victim, or powerful survivor? What we CREATE is always 100% our own choice and that is the most powerful choice of all. In Life Defense we CREATE also. What environment do we choose to enter? Do we CREATE a team huddle, or zoom as we are now accustomed, into a complaint gauntlet, or a Monday morning drudgery even before it starts? For that matter do we CREATE the people with which we interact as competent team members with super powers, or slackers and gossips? In the realms of self-defense, and Life Defense, it is pristinely obvious that we not only CREATE outcomes through choices and set up survival possibilities through those choices, we also CREATE the ultimate outcomes by CREATING meaning after an event has occurred. Always! This ream of CREATION is powerfully, misunderstood and seldom implemented. Consider this, if we took on the CREATION of every environment we entered, CREATED the meaning actively, and CREATED the people we interact with in every situation, what would our life look like? Perhaps our life would look more intentional, more productive, and possibly occurring with more ease. It's time to view our lives as a CREATION we decide on, and CREATE our lives each day. CREATE. Allen Hughes Life Defense Coach --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

DISCERN in self-defense comes in many forms. We DISCERN a circumstance when an attack is imminent, such as a sideways glance and aggressive movement. We DISCERN when, and how we need to react when someone else is being attacked. We DISCERN when our weirdo meter goes off and when someone, or something just doesn't seem right. DISCERN can be a life saver in almost any situation of self-defense and it has of course a parallel application in LIFE DEFENSE. How do we DISCEN between a joke and harassment? What is the difference between a well meaning suggestion and dark criticism? Who is out to get you and who can be trusted? Our mind does weird stuff conjuring up outside demons lurking in the shadows and yet perhaps it is the things we do, the choices we make, and the lack of DISCERNMENT we actually incorporate in our lives that make the biggest difference. That's right, we can be our own worst enemy and many times we are! Who I am as a person and what my life experience is for the most part determined by me. “But Allen, what about all the bad people who are out to do me wrong?” Yes people do bad things, we grow up in less than desirable circumstances, we are attacked, harassed, cheated and ridiculed by others form time to time, as any kid will tell you. Just he act of growing up can be tough, and still we create our world every minute of everyday. So it is this DISCERNMENT that makes the biggest difference. What we choose to think about ourselves, our life and our circumstance will always be the biggest factor, not what others say, or do to us. Therefore we must always choose, or DISCERN what things mean to us! What does it mean when my boss smiles in a funny way? Is he getting ready to fire me, could it be true he just doesn't like me, or does he just have gas? All of the above fall in the realm of DISCERNMENT. So maybe, it would be better to observe what our boss and people around us are actually doing before taking them down in and arm lock, and slamming their face into the sidewalk. DISCERNMENT should not be confused with what we think someone is thinking, rather observation of what they are actually doing, before acting. DISCERNMENT is ours alone and exists in our mind. DISCERNMENT is our choice, and responsibility. When it comes to our life, DISCERNMENT creates the reality we live into. DISCERN! Allen Hughes Life Defense Evangelist --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

RECOVER in self-defense is essential in several different ways. The deliberate act of RECOVERING is obvious to anyone who has been through a physical attack. Boxers, and MMA fighters take weeks off to recover in between fights. RECOVERING within the conflict/ battle is also highly important. A Jiujitsu fighter will sometimes seem as if they are resting for long periods of time when pinning, or maintaining position in a match. They are. The great Brazilian professors teach this easy, relaxed pace to their students for that very purpose. RECOVERING in Life Defense of course parallels these situations in everyday life. Without rest and deliberate disengagement from the battle, the average person will “tap out” to the constant pressure of daily life, let alone major projects and tasks. I myself am working on a presentation right at this moment. My eyes keep blurring, my yuans come frequently, and I am ready for a power nap. Why? Am I just Old? Maybe, hang on I'll be back in 20 minutes… That's better! Why? Because I was up at 5:45am following several hours of coaching last night, and I needed to RECOVER! When we work or play to the point of exhaustion it might be too late….RECOVER before, during and after the battle. Without RECOVERY we waste time and effort, we do things over multiple times, we make mistakes, and it actually takes us much longer to do what we need to do, so nothing is gained by working to exhaustion. Think of the fighters. To be at top level of performance is so important that without it they might not only loose their title to a much more rested opponent, they could die. So isn't this the point? We work so hard to create a safe, profitable life and yet it is all on the line when we don't give ourselves time to RECOVER. Plan your RECOVERY to be before, during and after the battle and…RECOVER! Allen Hughes Life Defense Evangelist --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

DEFLECTION in self-defense is actually to avert something from happening. If a fist swings wildly toward your head the DEFLECTION keeps it from landing. This term is a synonym of DIVERT and yet has a slightly different meaning. DEFLECTION redirects, and yet in the sense of useable energy the redirected threat may not be practically reclaimed. An example that comes to mind is a bullet. Yes the bullet is “redirected” by the steel barrier yet it actually occurs as a DEFLECTION. This DEFLECTION in Life Defense may be mental, emotional, or verbal bullets headed for vital organs of your time or goals , and the damage that results is lost time, lost focus, lost productivity in things that really matter in life. If DEFLECTION is then a matter of DEFLECTING the dangerous or even unnecessary in life then it follows advise given from icons such as Steve Jobs, or Bruce Lee. Bruce Lee said, “It is not daily increase but daily decrease, hack away the unessential. The closer to the source, the less wastage there is.” In our definition it could also be said as the “DEFLECTION of the unessential.” A Life Defense mantra then would be to DEFLECT those things that could damage us like deadly penetrating “bullets,” aimed at vital points of our body. DEFLECTING those little daily bullets, keeps us on track in life! These distractions may come dressed in the innocent garb of doing good by attending a benefit event, watching the well deserved entire season of Game of Thrones, or allowing a friend to vent their frustrations at the current policies or actions of the media or government for hours on end. This is where you must decide. What do you really stand for and what needs to be DEFLECTED. DEFLECT! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

CIRCLE is a fascinating principle of Life Defense! In self-defense no motion occurs without it. The very way we move our joints requires CIRCLING. In fact, it could be argued no linear motion occurs without CIRCLES. CIRCLES allow us to get out of the way of an oncoming attack and puts us into a superior position as we CIRCLE around an opponent to neutralize a fist, kick or body coming toward us. In Life Defense the same is true. Head on conflict resolution always, always gives away energy and sometimes causes harm to the defender. Imagine going straight into flying fists or not stepping offline and CIRCLING as an oncoming strike heads for your nose. In self- defense if an initial large CIRCLE doesn't work a series of small ones effects great change. It is truly these small things that make a difference. Consider, great change then is brought about by small CIRCULAR motions repeated again and again. In the application of CIRCLING we also include more than one dimensional flat CIRCLES. The term CIRCLE also evolves into expansive spheres and spirals giving infinite dimension and possibility. The wedding ring is a forever symbol as is the infinity sign to represent ongoing relationship. This Eternal aspect brings us into application in Life. Where in self-defense we CIRCLE to infinite possibility of motion. In Life Defense the very nature of our lives is represented and lived in CIRCULAR learning, viewing new perspectives and insight from each interaction of conflict. In life we experience disease, limited health, loss of income or even other people attacking us straight on more and more everyday. Consider, instead of going toe to toe, CIRCLING takes us out of dangerous paths and into another position and another point of view. In my life I've had a serious near death health condition hit me straight on. I found myself in an ICU recovering and thinking there is no way to power though, there is nothing to meet head on, I am here after the battle with a 12 inch scar down my chest and barely able to stay conscious. Time to CIRCLE and CIRCLE I did. I had to learn how to stay awake, focus and consider what my life would be like from that point on. For a year or so I couldn't even do things I had previously done. Being a Life Defense expert was all of a sudden, different! The doctor said, no more 350 lb. guys jumping on my chest. CrossFit was probably out, and all self-defense programs would have to start over again. Turns out I had to CIRCLE get out of the way of the oncoming attack, and look at it from another angle. You see when you CIRCLE an opponent or in this case my life threatening condition, a new angle emerges from the new viewpoint and the possibilities are endless. Looking at it from this new viewpoint brought me to the conclusion what I was experiencing was battle. I had gotten bludgeoned by a 350 lb. MMA monster, so to speak and I was still alive! When you have a 350 lb. attacker running straight for you, it's not brave to stand toe to toe, it's just stupid. Instead, CIRCLE, which takes you out of the way, and get a new perspective, a new angle, a new vision for how to deal with any monster that comes running toward you in life. In my life, that's actually where Life Defense came from. CIRCLING… Every circle has a beginning and the end brings us around to discover another perspective of truth, living, learning and the CIRCLE of life again! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

OFF-BALANCE is the way redirection happens, motion happens, and new possibilities arise! OFF-BALANCE in self-defense is the way throws are accomplished. Professor Jigoro Kano the founder of Judo sometimes is best known for the colored belt system in martial arts. He also is known for his demonstrations of Kazushi or breaking balance, to accomplish the powerful throws found in Judo. He taught that literal OFF-BALANCING of an opponent creates motion and allows for redirection or throws. This is done by pushing, pulling, bumping or using a small circular motion to achieve a step, or OFF-BALANCING motion to redirect or throw an opponent. After OFF-BALANCING, a larger circular body motion takes control of the opponents center and down they go! This principle of OFF-BALANCING relates to Newton's third law of motion which states, An object in motion tends to stay in motion, and an object at rest tends to stay at rest, unless acted on by an unbalanced force. This simple scientific law has Life Defense application too. In life if I do not OFF-BALANCE or break balance I cannot move an opinion, a goal, or an unproductive habit or way of being in myself or others. OFF-BALANCING then becomes the genesis of change and transformation in others, and in self. In the world right now we see OFF-BALANCING in the form of riots, political stratification, pandemic response, and the very way we interact and live our lives. This is OFF-BALANCING is deliberate and will cause redirection into a new existence. Don't be fooled, OFF-BALANCING is always present. When we notice our balance being broken, it is already too late. It is literally the throw we are sensing and as our world is redirected we are actually being thrown into another existence. As an example of application, in my life if I really want to change my mindset from victim to warrior I've got to OFF-BALANCE something in my life. Whether that is shocking myself with a cold shower at 5am, putting myself into a rigorous coaching program, or creating a non-profit to end world hunger. I've got to OFF-BALANCE to redirect and throw myself into a new existence. Remember, without OFF-BALANCING nothing really moves. Even the steps we take to walk across the lawn require us to literally loose our balance as weight is transferred into falling forward, or what we call walking. Some say the only constant is change. Change is the result of OFF-BALANCING. The question is what new existence are you being thrown into today? --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

Nick has a unique story. He crowdunded 15k for his business and everything took off after that. Listen to find out how.

NEUTRALIZATION in Life Defense is actually more likely to save your life than self-defense. That's right, the likelihood of being killed by an assailant, terrorist, or war is about 10Xs less likely than heart issues. Said a different way, it takes 10 years of conflicts like, war, assault and terrorism to amount to one year of deaths caused by heart conditions. The principle of NEUTRALIZE used in Life Defense then actually has a better chance of saving your life than self-defense! Allen Hughes talks about his favorite subject of Life Defense and how just NEUTRALIZING simple things like computers and media, sleep depravation or triggers can save your life! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

Allen Hughes talks about the parallel universe of self-defense, specifically grappling, and how close CONNECTIONS, to pivotal points, reinforce and increase our power and control over an opponent. Life Defense translates easily to life! Make CONNECTIONS, to pivotal people, reinforce those relationships and increase power and control over stress, conflict and life! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

Allen Hughes describes EXPANSION of close relationships of trust as being a self-defense as well as a Life Defense principle. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

In life things that are EXPANDING are growing and creating new freedom and life. If they are decreasing they are dying. Allen Hughes talks about the parallel between self-defense and Life Defense and asks the question are you living and dying? --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

REPLACE broken or workability is Allen Hughes' topic for this evening. It's really easy to see what doesn't work in real life self-defense. Likewise, Life Defense mirrors the same philosophy. What's not working in your life? REPLACE it for something that does. Simple. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

Stop blindness! In addition to seeing, hearing, smelling, touching and feeling there are at least 3 different "types of vision." Focused vision, wide vision and feeling vision." In this episode Allen Hughes will discuss how self-defense vision directly transfers to Life Defense vision. Open your eyes and let's get started! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

RELATIONSHIPS of TRUTH are found in the Principles of Life Defense and are evident in self-defense. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

Rules were meant to be broken. In this episode Allen Hughes discusses our RELATIONSHIP with rules and with principles. Life Defense is based on PRINCIPLES! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

PREVENT in self-defense creates the future of safety from not allowing anything to start. Hear how PREVENT in Life Defense works. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

In this episode Allen talks about the Life Defense principle of REMOVE, and how we sometimes add to an already VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex with ambiguity) environment. Instead of adding stress, by adding danger, we should practice REMOVING elements, like controlled substances, uncertain dating situations... from our lives. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

Life Defense is the self defense of life. In this episode Allen Hughes talks about UNIFY and how it empowers people. Experience UNIFY through the eyes of a self defense expert. Life Defense is the self defense of life! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/allen-hughes/message

This podcast focuses on the importance of the 2nd amendment, firearms safety, education, training and mindset. Our mission statement: Gun ownership is YOUR RIGHT, Safety and Education are YOUR RESPONSIBILITY I'm your host Baraka Ulrich James, along with my  co-host Allen Sams You the viewers make this program possible. You can contribute to the show … Continue reading "Civilian Carry Radio 123 – Varg Freeborn, Author and owner of One Life Defense"

Welcome to Civilian Carry Radio show, this show is brought to you by the Firearms Radio Network and presented by MASF. This podcast focuses on firearms safety, education, training and mindset. Your host, Baraka Ulrich James, President and Founder of MASF. My co-host is Allen Sams, Vice President of MASF and Karie Thomas MASF board … Continue reading "Civilian Carry Radio 033 – Varg Freeborn One Life Defense"