Registered as a deadly weapon?

Friday Knight News

 "A dojo without a makiwara is just a glorified dancing studio." Masutatsu Oyama

Are your hands registered as deadly weapons, do you have the power to cause traumatic shock with your skills or do you rely on the accuracy of your strikes, and your ability to move by the use of flexibility or sensitivity to overcome your attackers assault. Some schools rely on natural movement, and others use powerful application of force to achieve victory. The skillful manipulation of the opponent's body impacting with the ground is also very effective. Breaking bricks with your hands, and feet was a easy way to convey the image of power on TV and movies as well as in martial art demonstrations. When I was a kid all of the TV and movie stars that studied martial arts usually inform their adversary of the danger of entering into physical combat with them, it was used as a fair warning.  The warning was almost always the same, no matter what style the actor was portraying from judo, karate, or jujitsu.  This was years before kung fu had ever been mentioned over the airwaves.



The scene usually started with the adversary approaching the actor with the obvious intention of getting into a physical altercation.  Just before fisticuffs began, the actor would state, "I have to warn you of my hands are registered as deadly weapons."  The reaction of the adversary would vary depending upon the underlying mood the director was trying to capture.  If he was trying to achieve a comic element, the adversary would fain fright, and usually run away.  If on the other hand they were trying to develop suspense the aggressor would ignore the warning, and proceed.  This wasn't always the procedure as often there was some combination of the two elements together.


Most schools of martial arts approach training individuals by teaching them how to turn their bodies into weapons or by teaching them how to wield weapons.  The latter of these two schools will often teach its practitioners how they can transform ordinary objects into facsimile defensive tools. Similarly some martial art traditions work on transforming the body into a weapon. They will often augment their training with some form of weapon work. This generally involves classical weapon, (classical meaning the weapon was used during a certain time period).

I generally use traditional weapons to describe progressive, and innovative weapons, not being tied to ancient weapon when it's more modern adaptation is readily available.  Some schools utilize a combination approach where the martial artist is both the weapon, and or the user of either classical or traditional weapons.
By the time I was a teenager I had occasionally used this warning strategy to try to dissuade individuals from getting into a round of fisticuffs with me.  Surprisingly enough it worked reasonably well but on occasion it did not.  Any kid that was new to the district or any kids that moved from one building to the next as in grade school to junior high or high school had to deal with this situation at one time or another.  When you're the new kid at school you get used to these circumstances.  Generally it only took one incident before the general populace of the campus was made aware if your abilities were genuine or not.

I'm sure every martial artist reading this has had someone ask them at one time or another; after they found out about your martial art background if their hands were indeed registered as deadly weapons.  I am unaware of any place in the United States that actually does this but I know attorneys that would have a field day in court with a martial artist that defended themselves over zealously.

My sensei has been called as a expert witness for the state on several occasions.  More often than not it has been for determining if a officer used excessive force during an arrest.  As a rule of thumb, everyone must use the minimum amount of force necessary for protection, as anything above this places the defender in the role of the aggressor.  As to what the law allows for reasonable force can vary wildly from place to place, so it is wise to stay abreast of legal issues wherever you reside. Remember that no matter which method you subscribe to in the eyes of the court or a jury they may consider your hands to be deadly weapons, no matter if you can break bricks or not.

My stories are about martial arts adventures that are intertwined with paranormal or supernatural events. The following links are to the Kindle version books from the "Dream Walker” series. Our adventurers find themselves on a quest where they are confronted with both conspiracy and mystery. Their challenge is to unite their mind and body skills together utilizing what they have learned in the martial arts with the transcendental power of dream mediation. They attempt to do this while they are trying to make a life for themselves and elude those that seek to use and control them.

Conversations with a Sage (Book 1 of the Dream-Walker)

Conversations with a Sage: This explores Xander Davidson's early encounters with the mysterious fog like Dream Walking martial art sages. He ponders if they are real or if they are only remnants of his dreams. He mainly keeps this secret world to himself as he tries to copes with abuse, growing up without support or guidance and the mystery of his family's past. 

Xander and the Assassins Gift (Book 2 of the Dream-Walker)

The Assassins Gift: Xander Davidson struggles with the conspiracy of his family and the group that is actively trying to manipulate him to join them or die. The young Dream Walkers learns an early lesson to be careful about whom they let into their circle.


Warriors of Perception (Book 3 of the Dream-Walker)

Warriors of Perception: Xander Davidson and his band of friends embark on a mission to free themselves from their oppressors. They bravely face the challenge all the while vying for the right moment to turn the tables.

Jace Lee The Shift (Book 4 of the Dream-Walker)

Jace Lee The Shift: We find a new apprentice, Adam, that is fighting for his life. He is struggling to understand the amazing skills of his mentor, Jace Lee; a younger man that has trained under Xander Davidson. All the while his mentor attempts to reconcile the fact that his skills do not match up with the other Dream Walkers.


Jace Lee No Agenda (Dream Walker Book 5)

Jace Lee No Agenda: Jace Lee attempts to find himself on a self-imposed vision quest of sorts. Instead he finds himself being stalked by the same group that had previously sought after his teacher, (Xander Davidson). Instead of mastering his odd Dream Walking skills he finds love and the potential loss of his powers.

Jace Lee and the Tutelage of Ming Wu: Dream Walker 6 

Jace Lee The Tutelage of Ming Wu: Jace Lee rejoins his teacher Xander Davidson as they cope with a possible combined threat (the mysterious), Ming Wu and the Council that has continuously monitored the Dream Walkers.