Martial Signing: Using American Sign Language for Self-Defense

Seminars intended for martial artists are available. It does not matter what style of martial arts practiced. Any martial art that uses the upper extremities shares a close bond with ASL. In a seminar, participants gain meaningful insight into traditional martial arts movements. Martial Signing is a unique method for understanding physical body motion and how it can be used for fighting. In many cases, common techniques already familiar to the participant are covered. Simply recognizing a familiar technique as an ASL phrase can help to improve its effectiveness !

Martial Signing offers several unique benefits for the seasoned practitioner. For example, intent becomes an understandable and obtainable concept. Intent is defined as the state of mind with which an attack is done and is an important aspect of performance that every martial artist strives to achieve in his/her training. Integrating the vocabulary of ASL into performance of coordinated upper extremity movements allows even the novice to become adept at incorporating honest and meaningful intent with every technique!

Another advantage of Martial Signing has to do with remembering techniques. Movement without emotional content fails to become internalized. When under stress from a violent encounter, fear causes the fight or flight response to kick in. Action must be instantaneous and there is little to no time for conscious thought. A typical traditional martial arts curriculum may include dozens of techniques that handle a variety of attacks. In the heat of battle, the adrenaline response will make recall of a curriculum-taught technique for a specified attack very difficult.

Martial Signing™ offers an easy method for remembering techniques. Emotional, physical, and mental state contribute to an individuals reaction of a violent attack. In general, the dojo setting teaches martial arts practitioners to react to a physical state. For example, a cross-hand wrist grab defensive maneuver is practiced repeatedly until the practitioner responds to this attack on cue. However, Martial Signing™ takes this concept of conditioning a step further. The physical movements further serve the defender by allowing for the expression of honest thought and feeling to an attacker, thus reflecting the true emotional and mental state of the defender. Associating martial movements with ASL phrases allow for physical actions to become internalized and more likely accessible under stress.

Most traditional martial arts practice forms (kata/poomse). Many Martial Signs turn out to be movements that are performed in traditional forms from virtually every style of martial arts, including Tae Kwon Do, Goju Ryu, Issin Ryu, Shorin Ryu, Ryukyu Kempo, Hung Gar Kung Fu, Chinese Kempo, and Tai Chi Chuan. This means martial signs learned in a seminar can be easily remembered and practiced long after the seminar is over.

Seminars are available for adults and children. They can be planned for a two or three hour time slot, or as a full day event. Please feel free to contact Matt Hayat at info@martialsigning.com to discuss options for hosting a Martial Signing seminar!

This section describes the different types of Martial Signing™ hands-on workshops available. To host one or more seminars, please contact Matt Hayat at info@martialsigning.com.

Attending a Martial Signing™ seminar can change the way one thinks about self-defense. In an afternoon workshop, participants are exposed to principles of Martial Signing™ which are easy to understand and realistic to apply. Seminars are available for people of any age, physical ability, and disability. Background in ASL is not needed. Seminars are available for martial arts practitioners and for non-martial artists.

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The Deaf community has reacted positively to this concept of using ASL for self-defense. Martial artists spend years performing repetitive movements, hoping to internalize them so that they can be relied on under stress if ever attacked. Persosn who sign are essentially practicing the same types of coordinated movements every time they talk. For this reason, persons that sign in general possess phenomenal coordination, the same coordination that is used in performing traditional martial arts movements. In a two-hour seminar, persons that sign have been able to perform movements and techniques that take the average novice martial arts practitioner up to six months to perform!

Workshops are available for Deaf/HH adults, Deaf/HH children, and ASL Interpreters. Self-defense is easily learned with use of ASL skills and grammar. Martial Signing™ is specially taylored to meet the needs of the Deaf community. This is specialized self-defense for Deaf people!

Wisconsin Association of the Deaf hosted a Martial Signing™ workshop during its bi-annual conference in the summer of 2001. It was largely successful, as all of the participants had a good time and learned about self-defense. Wisconsin School for the Deaf has also hosted several workshops. The kids enjoyed using ASL for self-defense were able to use the principles to come up with their own martial signs.

Conferences for the Deaf/HH offer an excellent opportunity for participants to receive this type of training. Hopefully, each state association will consider educating its members on self-defense at its biannual conference by offering a Martial Signing™ workshop! Likewise, for the state school for the Deaf in each state! Matt Hayat is available to present one or more Martial Signing™ workshops at your conference or school. E-mail him at info@martialsigning.com to talk about the possibilities!

The Deaf community has a right to this knowledge. Host a seminar and help spread the word on Martial Signing™ !

Everybody has a right to know self-defense. Martial Signing™ is an easy and fun way to learn it. Learning a few ASL phrases can one day save your life. In a two-hour Martial Signing™ workshop, fundamentals are shared that allow a small person to gain mechanical advantage over a larger and stronger person. Using just a handful of principles, non-martial artists can walk away from a seminar with enough knowledge to begin figuring out techniques that work for them.

Realistic self-defense training should include an element of self-awareness training. This component of self-defense usually focuses on conscious thought to one's surroundings, avoidance of situations that may pose a risk of danger, and methods for de-escalating an aggressive or angry person. Effective de-escalation is accomplished spatially as well as verbally. A nice advantage of using ASL for self-defense is that the physical movements expressed to an attacker work to achieve this same outcome, even in the event that a physical threat becomes a reality. Communicating honestly and assertively to an aggressor is the desired response. Using ASL, it becomes easy to follow through with this plan, both as a means of de-escalation, and as a method for actual defense against a physical attack.

Specialized Martial Signing™ workshops are available for adults, women-only, children, and senior citizens. For non-martial artist seminars, a recommended length of time for a seminar is two-hours. Groups that have a strong interest may host a series of workshops, progressing from introductory material to advanced concepts. Please feel free to contact Matt Hayat at info@martialsigning.com to discuss options for hosting a Martial Signing seminar !