Shugoshin 守護心 (Japanese for “protector ethic”) Protectives Training (SPT) is high-intensity martial arts conditioning for the essential mindset and physical habits for defense of self and others. It is geared toward folks who want capable and reliable ability, but do not have the time to dedicate years to refining skill sets in traditional and commercial systems. SPT is the creation of James Morga
nelli, who has more than 35 years of training experience and more than 25 years of teaching others in the martial way. Popular and commercial martial arts often attempt to mold student reactions to fit a stylized set of predetermined movements – an approach that has little to do with application across variable threats. Protectives are trained in the opposite manner, using threat contexts of “Escape, Resist, Extract, Intercede” to indicate clarity of action and naturalize counters in defensive movements. As fundamentals training, Protectives concentrate on vital mental, physical, and spiritual aspects of the martial way:
PHYSICAL
Body flexibility and resiliency
Warm ups and stretching
Tumbling and breaking falls
Striking and kicking
Maneuvering drills for principle-based responses
Punching
Kicking
Grabbing
Throwing
Counter-maneuvering
Escape
Resistance and escape
Extraction of others
Interceding for others
Scenario-based training
Defense of self
Defense of others
MENTAL
Recognizing and clarifying universal values
Empowering oneself as a “protector”
Critical thinking for ethical problem solving
SPIRITUAL
Ethical value stories
Ethical use of martial ability
Protectives cultivates one’s resolve to persevere, where instinct supersedes technique and is sharpened with a set of principles outside the realm of pure physical might. By cultivating natural responses during initial training, larger, stronger, even multiple opponents can be defeated without reliance on brute force, speed, or strength. Instead, the student’s instincts of positioning, leverage, and initiative are sharpened as tools capable of outwitting even the largest adversary at a time of their greatest disadvantage. Protectives replaces static, imitation of techniques – a hallmark of commercial martial arts – with a direct connection to the ebb and flow of martial principles in constant flux. This acuity fosters tactical awareness and creative adaptability, the necessary skills to claim ownership of one’s ability to “be” skilled today, instead of always training to “become” skilled. For more information contact the instructor, James Morganelli: [email protected]
