Here at Elite Defense Tactics, our motto is “Training for Life,” because Life is exactly what we train and prepare for. As unpleasant a thought as it is, we all must face the reality of the troubled times we live in and overcome the “It won’t happen to me” mentality. According to the FBI’s website, over 1,000,000 violent crimes took place in 2015 and the preliminary report for 2016 shows an increase in those numbers (“FBI Releases 2015 Crime Statistics.”) Now for those of you who have already done the math, that comes out to about a .003% chance that you will be one of the unfortunate people to experience a violent crime in our great nation. While it’s true this number seems small and insignificant, this is the national level. In our city of Atlanta, violent crime accounted for 10.8% of the crimes committed in 2015 (Keenan, 2015 Summary Report, UCR). While most of us may feel the likelihood of us being the victim is nonexistent, we have to come to terms with the fact that one day we may become the victim.
Our instructors bring their real-life experience – gathered from their professions – to the table, and do everything necessary to make sure you not only have the knowledge to protect yourself and your loved ones, but also have the mentality and fortitude to do so. Our training is unique in that we focus solely on self-defense and survival, instead of competing and getting ready for tournaments with rules and scoring systems designed to protect the other participants. Here we teach the quickest way to get out of a bad situation, whether that be verbal de-escalation, or taking physical action. Some people have trouble with the idea of such training, hoping for a peaceful resolution. We train in such a way that violent interventions are a last resort if at all possible. If given the choice, we always choose peace; however, we recognize that sometimes that option is taken away from us, not by our own choices and actions, but by the choices and actions of others.
A young apprentice once asked his master, “You teach me violence but speak of peace, and tranquility. Would it not make more sense to become a gardener and tend to the plants?” “Tending to the garden,” the master replied, “is a relaxing pastime, but it does not prepare one for the inevitable battles and hardships of life. It is easy to be calm in a serene setting. To be calm and serene in chaos is much more difficult; therefore, I tell you that it is far better to be a warrior tending to a garden rather than a gardener at war.”
While we all strive for peace and tranquility, we recognize that sometimes we do not get to choose what situation we are in, and that we are chosen by others to be thrown into the fray. Like in the story, we hope to be warriors in our gardens, tending to it peacefully and willfully. But should the need arise, we train to keep our heads clear, and our minds sharp in times of chaos.
In conclusion, whenever you join Elite Defense Tactics, you not only join a self-defense program, you join a family who supports, uplifts, and trains you to get home safely, while hoping for your peaceful success in tending to your proverbial garden.
-Jesse Presley, CMA/EDT Instructor
Citations
- “FBI Releases 2015 Crime Statistics.” FBI.gov. FBI National Press Office, 26 Sept. 2016. Web. 23 Jan. 2017. <https://www.fbi.gov/news/pressrel/press-releases/fbi-releases-2015-crime-statistics>.
- “2015 Crime Statistics Summary Report.” Georgia.gov. GBI, n.d. Web. 23 Jan. 2017. <https://gbi.georgia.gov/sites/gbi.georgia.gov/files/related_files/site_page/2015%20Crime%20Statistics%20Summary%20Report.pdf>.