Taking Martial Arts into professional work?

[jks9199122]

Lots of martial artists are also in various professions that make direct or indirect use of their skills, like security or law enforcement. So, based on that, what was your biggest surprise about working in those fields? How did you find your martial arts skills really applied... or didnt?

 

[Xue Sheng144 16]

From my security days: Taijiquan redirection.
A person in the ER, brought in on a mental health warrant.
He came out of his room and said he was leaving, and that there was nothing I could do to stop him.
He charged at me, i put my hands out a bit, when he touched them I redirected his force into the wall behind me.
He slid down the wall and I then restrained him
He said.... "OK. I'll go back to my room now"
I said.... "I already know that."
He got up and walked back to his room
had no more problems with him the rest of the night

I was rather surprised that it work and came as naturally as it did. I used no force at all. Just redirected his.

Most of the rest of the issues I had when working there were handled by qinna, and that was really not all that surprising...

 

[philwhite2 1]

Martial arts got me into teaching and talking in front of groups which helps me in my tech role. Its not just physical skills that come out of it. I aslo started a martial arts school but thats another story.

 

[Kung Fu Wang154 184]

Help teaching police how to take people down without hurting him.

 

[blindsage16 3]

The last couple of years I started working with adults with intellectual disabilities. There's a wide range of personalities and behavioral issues, and I don't work with the highest need population, but sometimes my people get escalated and I have found it surprising how calm and easy I deal with it. My Taijiquan/Baguazhang tools have come in extremely handy both in not being moved by people when they try to get past me, as well as moving them without grabbing or hurting them when necessary. How simple it is, and how little effort I have to expend is incredibly useful, and helps keep the rest of the staff calmer in those situations as well.