PRINCIPLES OF KALAH SELF DEFENSE

THE KALAH COMBAT SYSTEM IS OFTEN PRAISED FOR VARIOUS REASONS, BUT I TRULY BELIEVE THAT ONE OF THE CHIEF REASONS THIS SYSTEM IS SO ELEGANT AND SO EFFECTIVE IS IT'S SIMPLICITY. ONE OF OUR SOUTH AFRICAN INSTRUCTORS WHO TRAINED AT HQ BROKE THE SYSTEM DOWN INTO 5 INDIVIDUAL PRINCIPLES THAT MADE IT SO EASY FOR STUDENTS TO UNDERSTAND.

WHILE UNDER THREAT, AND EVENTUALLY UNDER ATTACK REMEMBERING THESE 5 PRINCIPLES HAS OFTEN PROVEN TO BE AN INCREDIBLY EFFECTIVE TOOL TO CALM THE DEFENDANT AND FOCUS THEIR MINDS. BEYOND THAT IT TRULY DEFINES THE ELEGANCE OF THE SYSTEM THAT I SPOKE ABOUT EARLIER. 

THE FIRST 3 PRINCIPLES ARE ACTUALLY WHAT TRUE SELF DEFENCE IS: SUBMIT, COMMUNICATE AND OBSERVE. THE FINAL 2 PRINCIPLES ARE NO LONGER SELF DEFENCE, THESE BECOME CLOSE QUARTER COMBAT: MOVING FORWARD OUT OF THE LINE OF FIRE, AND DAMAGE AND CONTROL/CONTROL AND DAMAGE.

PRINCIPLE 1: SUBMIT

SUBMISSION IS ONE OF THE TRADEMARKS OF THE KALAH SYSTEM. WE FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT A FIGHT THAT IS NEVER FOUGHT IS THE BEST FIGHT OF ALL. OUR ENCOURAGEMENT TO ALL STUDENTS IS THAT, WHENEVER CONFRONTED WITH A THREAT, WHERE TIME IS PERMITTED, TO SUBMIT TO YOUR ATTACKER.

WHAT DO WE MEAN BY THIS?

FIRST OF ALL, SUBMISSION IS LARGELY COMMUNICATED THROUGH BODY LANGUAGE. THE BODY LANGUAGE OF THE DEFENDER, AS DISPLAYED ABOVE, SHOULD CONVEY WEAKNESS, NOT MAKING EYE CONTACT AND MAKING ONE SELF SMALLER COMPARED TO YOUR ATTACKER. THE PURPOSE OF THIS BODY LANGUAGE STRETCHES MUCH FURTHER THAN JUST "LOOKING" WEAK, IT IS ALSO A VERY PROTECTIVE STANCE. EYES LOWERED TO THE CHEST TO INCREASE OUR FIELD OF VISION, SHOULDERS RAISED TO PROTECT VITAL ARTERIES, ARMS AND HANDS PULLED CLOSE TO THE TORSO TO SHIELD VITAL ORGANS AND THE FACE. THE LEGS ARE ALSO SLIGHTLY BENT, KNEES KNOCKED AND TOES POINTING INWARD, IN ORDER TO INCREASE BALANCE AND PREVENT GROIN STRIKES.

SECONDLY, SUBMISSION IS A TONE OF VOICE, WHEN WE SPEAK WITH OUR ATTACKER WE SPEAK IN AN APOLOGETIC AND FEARFUL TONE, TO CONVEY EVEN FURTHER THAT WE HAVE NO DESIRE TO ENGAGE PHYSICALLY WITH OUR ATTACKER, THAT WE ARE AFRAID AND THAT WE WILL COMPLY.

PRINCIPLE 2: COMMUNICATION

ONE OF THE LARGEST STRUGGLES I FIND WITH ESPECIALLY FEMALE STUDENTS IS THE ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE UNDER PRESSURE. THEIR FIRST INSTINCT WHEN SOMEONE BEGINS TO SHOUT AT THEM AND BELITTLE THEM, PERHAPS EVEN STRIKE THEM, IS TO FREEZE AND KEEP QUIET. THIS IS POSSIBLY THE SINGLE WORST REACTION ONE COULD HAVE DURING A CONFRONTATION AS IT OFTEN ANGERS AND FRUSTRATES THE ATTACKER.

OUR SECOND PRINCIPLE TEACHES COMMUNICATION UNDER PRESSURE. WE COMMUNICATE WITH OUR ATTACKER TO CONVEY OUR FEAR AND DESIRE NOT TO FIGHT. WE ALSO COMMUNICATE WITH OUR ATTACKER TO FIND OUT WHAT THEIR MOTIVE IS, WHAT THEIR END OBJECTIVE IS. WE TEACH OUR STUDENTS THAT NO PROPERTY IS WORTH THEIR LIVES, IF YOUR ATTACKER SIMPLY WANTS YOUR WALLET OR PHONE THEN IT IS BEST TO GIVE IT TO THEM AND PREVENT INJURY OR LOSS OF LIFE. 

WE ALSO COMMUNICATE IN ORDER TO GATHER FURTHER INTELLIGENCE ON OUR SITUATION, PERHAPS WE ARE UNDER ATTACK IN OUR HOME AND THROUGH CALM AND TARGETED COMMUNICATION WITH OUR ATTACKER WE CAN ASCERTAIN THE NUMBER OF ATTACKERS IN OUR HOME.

FINALLY, WE COMMUNICATE IN ORDER TO BUY TIME. IN SELF DEFENCE WE BUY LIFE SECOND BY SECOND. PERHAPS THROUGH COMMUNICATION WE CAN DRAW OUR ATTACKER CLOSER TO US TO PROVIDE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE EFFECTIVELY IN COMBAT, OR PERHAPS JUST TO BUY TIME FOR BACK UP TO ARRIVE.

PRINCIPE 3: OBSERVATION

OBSERVATION IS THE BACKBONE OF MOST SELF DEFENCE SYSTEMS, AND RIGHTLY SO, THROUGH EFFECTIVE OBSERVATION WE CAN AVOID THREATENING SITUATIONS FOR THE MOST PART. UNFORTUNATELY THE REALITY OF LIFE DICTATES THAT THERE WILL INEVITABLY BE TIMES WHEN WE ARE DISTRACTED AND THOSE TIMES ARE WHEN MOST PREDATORS STRIKE. OBSERVATION PRIOR TO AN ATTACK IS IMPORTANT, YES, BUT WHEN THAT OBSERVATION HAS FAILED WE MUST BE EVEN MORE INTENTIONAL ABOUT OBSERVING OUR SURROUNDINGS WHILE UNDER THREAT.

WHEN WE OBSERVE WE LOOK OUT FOR OUR SURROUNDINGS, WHAT THE TERRAIN AROUND US LOOKS LIKE IN CASE WE NEED TO ENGAGE, HOW MANY ATTACKERS ARE AROUND US AND WHAT WEAPONS THEY ARE CARRYING, ARE OUR FAMILY MEMBERS OR LOVED ONES IN DANGER AROUND US AS WELL? EVEN ONCE WE ENGAGE IN COMBAT WE MUST CONTINUE TO PRACTICE KEEN OBSERVATION FOR ALL THE ABOVE REASONS, BUT ALSO EVEN MORE INTENTIONALLY TO BE AWARE IF OUR ATTACKER PULLS OUT ADDITIONAL WEAPONS.

PRINCIPLE 4: MOVING FORWARD OUT OF THE LINE OF FIRE

THIS PRINCIPLE IS TRULY WHERE THE KALAH SYSTEM DIFFERENTIATES ITSELF FROM COMMERCIAL SELF DEFENCE SCHOOLS. FOR WHERE MOST COMBAT SYSTEMS ADVOCATE FOR CREATING DISTANCE BETWEEN YOURSELF AND YOUR ATTACKER, KALAH HAS REALISED THAT THE OPPOSITE IS NECESSARY. WHEN WE ARE CLOSEST TO OUR ATTACKER WE ARE THE SAFEST. IN KALAH WE TRY TO STICK TO OUR ATTACKERS LIKE VELCRO, THE CLOSER WE ARE THE LESS LETHAL THEIR STRIKES BECOME. THE CLOSER WE ARE THE GREATER OUR CHANCES OF INTERCEDING WHEN A WEAPON IS DRAWN, AND THE CLOSER WE ARE THE MORE EFFECTIVELY WE CAN STRIKE BACK.

HOWEVER, GETTING CLOSE TO OUR ATTACKERS IS UTTERLY MEANINGLESS IF WE DO NOT MOVE OUT OF THE LINE OF FIRE FIRST. WHAT DO I MEAN BY THIS?

IMAGINE A KNIFE BEING HELD TO YOUR THROAT, IF THE ATTACKER IS A HALF, OR FULL ARMS LENGTH AWAY WE WOULD LITERALLY KILL OURSELVES IN THE PURSUIT OF CLOSING THE DISTANCE BETWEEN OURSELVES AND OUR ATTACKERS. FIRST WE MUST MOVE EITHER OURSELVES, OR THE WEAPON OUT OF THE WAY. SIMILARLY, IF A GUN IS HELD TO OUR HEAD, SIMPLY MOVING TOWARDS YOUR ATTACKER WHILE THE GUN IS STILL POINTED TOWARDS YOU WOULD JUST END WITH A BULLET TO THE BRAIN, FIRST WE MUST ATTEMPT TO MOVE OUT OF THE BULLET'S LINE OF FIRE, AND THEN MOVE FORWARD. MOST OF THE TIME THERE IS A SPLIT SECOND BETWEEN MOVING FORWARD AND MOVING OUT OF THE LINE OF FIRE, BUT BOTH IN UNISON IS VITAL.

PRINCIPLE 5: DAMAGE AND CONTROL/CONTROL AND DAMAGE

THE FINAL PRINCIPLE IS WHAT MOST PEOPLE HOLD IN THEIR HEADS WHEN THEY IMAGINE SELF DEFENCE, OR MARTIAL ARTS. THIS IS THE "FIGHTING" PART OF COMBAT, BUT WITH KALAH WE DON'T FIGHT BEAUTIFULLY AND WE DON'T FIGHT FAIRLY EITHER. WE TEACH OUR STUDENTS SIMPLE AND EFFECTIVE STRIKES THAT DELIVER THE GREATEST DEVASTATION IN THE SHORTEST AMOUNT OF TIME POSSIBLE. EVEN THOUGH DAMAGE IS WHAT MOST PEOPLE FIND THRILLING TO LEARN, WHAT IS OF ABSOLUTELY VITAL IMPORTANCE IS THAT CONTROL IS MAINTAINED AT ALL TIMES. THIS IS, AFTER ALL, WHAT DEFINES KALAH FOR MANY PEOPLE.

WE BELIEVE THAT MAINTAINING SOME FORM OF CONTROL OVER OUR ATTACKER, WHETHER IT BE OVER THE ARM, HEAD/NECK OR BODY, WE STAND THE GREATEST CHANCE OF SURVIVAL AND WE ARE IN THE BEST POSITION TO DELIVER DAMAGE.

IN CONCLUSION, THE KALAH SYSTEM HAS PROVEN ITSELF TO BE AN EFFECTIVE SYSTEM IN REAL LIFE SITUATIONS AND I TRULY BELIEVE THAT THESE PRINCIPLES ENCOMPASS THE HEART OF IT ALL. SIMPLICITY IS THE KEY TO SURVIVAL IN MANY INSTANCES.

GOD BLESS

KALAH SYSTEM

KALAH™ INDIA PROVIDES GROUP AND PRIVATE SELF DEFENSE TRAINING FOR CIVILIANS, SECURITY, AND WE WISH TO TEACH LAW ENFORCEMENT MAY BE IN NEAR FUTURE.  

• ABSOLUTELY NO ROOM FOR EGO HERE, AND WE ALL CAN WORK TOGETHER  AND GROW

• WE  CAN TRAIN KICKBOXING IN A SEPERATE BATCH, WE DON'T MIX KALAH WITH KICKBOXING IT CAN BE ONLINE/OFFLINE.

NOTE: WE ONLY INTEND TO TEACH KALAH™ SYSTEM TO "GOOD PEOPLE".