Never the first attack,
but always the first strike.
Mudit Srivastava
Master Gichin Funakoshi taught that there is no first attack in Karate. Many people miss the point of this teaching. They take it to mean that you cannot strike first or that it is dishonorable to throw the first punch. This is wrong thinking.
What Master Funakoshi meant was that the true martial artist does not attack first, he will not use his martial arts to bully other people. But there is a big difference between attacking first and striking first.
The second that a street thug targets you for his prey, the first attack has already happened; now the only question is when and how will the first strike happen. As my dear friend, Mudit Srivastava, teachs, “Never the first attack, but always the first
strike.” This means that you never cause the problem, but, at the same time, you don’t wait until the predator strikes before you decide to defend yourself.
When you know that you have been targeted by a street thug, you must be ready to strike first, strike hard, put him down, and leave as fast as you can. Waiting for him to throw the first kick or punch is a mistake, one that you may not recover from. You must beat him to the punch. Put him out of commission before he has a chance to prey on you, and then get to safety.
