Bullying

I was walking through my daughter’s elementary school and was looking at the art on the walls of the hallway. I came across one artifact on the wall; it was a chart about Bullying. I was studying the components, and the roles each circle represented. The diagram is listed below:

It occurred to me that this just does not happen in school; additionally it happens everyday in our life. With everyone competing with each other in the workforce and in life, this kind of behavior happens daily, we just call it Tactics.

The Bully Circle above is a great picture of what can happen anywhere. 

Bullying charts should be posted in the workplace, public buildings etc. Not only does this behavior effect children, it effects adults in professional settings, the damaging effects are the same. Conflict leads to hostility, hostility leads to bullying, and bullying leads to lost productivity, higher costs and legal risk.

In the strategy and philosophy of the martial arts there are strategic techniques that teach you how to deal with these types of behaviors and tactics. Children can learn these strategies and tactics early in life, and adults can start learning and applying them in their life as well. Martial Arts provide these strategies and tactics through physical training. When a martial artist practices these techniques through physical training, they are able to transition these strategies and tactics to their professional life. Let me give you one example: When being verbally or physically attacked, the person with the trained mind will know how to control their emotions under stress (Emotional Intelligence) . By keeping emotions under control will allow one to handle each verbal attack in a strategic manner, by responding to the attack effectively. 

First you create off balance, by using your opponents force against them; you can apply this by using effective words. Each word is a technique that is applied that will change the direction and outcome of each verbal attack. By showing no fear, calming one’s mind, and keeping emotional balance.
In Judo we pull when being pushed, and push when we are being pulled before we go for a throw.

Example:

“PUSH” ABUSER: ‘You and your weird friends don’t contribute a damn thing around here!’

“PULL” MY REPLY: ‘You’re right, my friends and I could contribute more than we do.’

“PUSH” ABUSER: ‘And none of your worthless friends are getting promoted unless they shape up.’

“PULL MY REPLY: ‘You’re right; we will all have to work hard to get promoted.’

This is what I call verbal judo. Within a few seconds they are off balance, and do not know how to respond. 

Here is an example of the Push Pull method in real application. 

http://youtu.be/P73mcY3g5ZE

Verbal abusers have a game plan in mind: they attack, expecting you to counterattack or to fight fire with fire.  Pull when being pushed, and push when being pulled, and then flip them to create disorientation, It will shut them down.

This is an example how the martial arts philosophy can be incorporated into daily life, to control bullying. So it is important for children and others to learn these strategies, tactics, and learn inner balance through the study of the martial arts. Martial Arts is more than just fighting, it is about using the mind to overcome conflict, adversity, and risk, that Is why we train, study, and apply the ways of the martial arts.

Darin Boismier...........