The main reason why everyone needs to learn how to defend themselves:

My good friend, Guro Jon with his  student at the UP Lagoon.

About five years ago, I was studying Chen family style Tai Chi with an old friend at the University of the Philippines Diliman campus. This class, we called “Sunday School”. While practicing, I couldn’t help but notice that my friend - Jon, had a largish gauze covering his right shoulder. I decided I wouldn’t be shy and asked him about it.

Jon was obviously uncomfortable about it at first, then he decided to spill the beans. He said that he’d just survived a mugging incident. I was shocked.

My friend Jon had been a martial artist for over twenty years. He had studied Northern Fist Kung Fu (Chang Chuan), and Wu Tang in his youth. Further studies lead him to the study of Chen Tai Chi, Capoiera, Chin na, Wrestling, and Lema Lightning style Arnis. Of the latter, Jon is one of the five inheritors of this style, and often sits at the head of gatherings for this martial art. In short, this man is highly skilled.

Jon related the events that transpired during the mugging incident. Apparently, he was at a bus stop. He had just assisted a lady friend in boarding the bus. Just as she climbed up the bus’ steps, he received a text message. So he pulled his cellphone out of his pocket. He was reading the message when all of a sudden, someone grabbed the cellular from his hand.

He quickly turned towards the thief, and was about to run after him when… another fellow blocked his path. Jon immediately saw that he was armed with a butterfly knife (locally known as “Balisong”).

Faster than he could react, the man lunged forward and stabbed him. It was too late to execute a block or parry. Rather than get hit in the neck, Jon managed to raise his shoulders. The knife pierced him on the shoulder, right above the biceps.  Jon’s training saved him.

Even while in pain from the stab wound, Jon became even more surprised at his assailant’s skill. The way alone that he pulled the knife out, cocked it on his side & executed yet another stabbing lunge… it was all too familiar. It was reflective of another Arnis style, practiced in nearby Quezon Memorial Circle.

The second lunge was so good, plus the fact that Jon had already been stabbed - a second hit was inevitable. This time tho, Jon was able to pull his body further out. The knife pierced the skin of his right shoulder a second time, but only lightly.

Jon entered into a fighting stance. Seeing this, his assailant drew back. Hesitated for a moment. Then turned around and ran like a jackrabbit.

Jon and I discussed the technique used by his assailant. I even made a special trip to Quezon Memorial Circle, where the specific Arnis school that taught that kind of lunge practiced. Indeed, I saw that the instructor was showing a student a specific maneuver which matched Jon’s description.

Again, refusing to be shy - I interviewed the instructor. To my horror, I learned that he charges only twenty pesos (0.38 USD) per one hour session. At this news, I realized that martial arts lessons here had become so cheap, literally anyone could afford it… including muggers.

I came to the conclusion that Jon’s mugger had obtained training - if not here, then someplace similar.

After hearing that story, I began to train even more furiously.  If thieves train… how much more should we?