The hulking attacker stepped aggressively toward Sue. He had a threatening grimace on his face as he bellowed out profanities describing what he was planning on doing to her in the next few moments.
A well practiced Judo enthusiast, Sue had one goal in mind, to throw this guy on his head. However, in order to get him to move she knew there was one thing she had to do first… OFF-BALANCE him!
His step was deep and aggressive, just what she needed, as Sue side stepped she could feel his over commitment and stepping behind the over committed leg she brought her hand to his throat.
As she swept his foot he was totally OFF-BALANCED, and with her full weight behind this simple technique her OFF-BALANCING of this the very large, and very angry attacker threw him straight to the ground head first. As his head bounced off the sidewalk, the last thing he saw was the blue sky at the end of a beautiful Summer day suddenly turn black. The next thing he saw was the inside of the ambulance as he felt his arms and legs strapped to a gurney.
OFF-BALANCING is where everything starts. Without OFF-BALANCING nothing moves. This OFF-BALANCING term was coined by Jigoro Kano the founder of Judo in 1882. The story is Professor Kano held an exhibition for a large group of Jiujitsu Masters stating he that he could throw them all, and he did. The “secret” of his throwing was Kazushi or BREAKING-BALANCE, and Judo was born.
Professor Kano’s secret was actually applicable in all motion. You see, without OFF-BALANCING, nothing moves. In fact all motion starts with OFF-BALANCING. Even the very act of walking uses OFF-BALANCING to propel us forward.
In life it is the same. Without OFF-BALANCING nothing moves. Want a project to start? It starts with a push and suddenly… it’s moving. You want you kid to do chores? Unplug the video game and see what happens. OFF-BALANCING is the genesis of all motion!
We hear all too often that “balance” is the key to life. “Get your life in balance…Life is a balancing act…” Our premise is in fact, that perfect balance is found only within motion. Nothing can stand still, and in fact there is a term for living things that don’t move. It’s called dead.
So let’s let go of our obsession to “balance” everything, and instead embrace the “beautiful chaos of life” by OFF-BALANCING, and being comfortable with the motion that follows.
It could be said that the only true balance is OFF-BALANCE because OFF-BALANCING is what we all need to get moving. How OFF-BALANCED are you…?
Allen Hughes
Warrior Way Life Defense
#lifedefense #offbalance #allenhughes #
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