The Life-Saving Power of Situational Awareness

A True Story from a CTL Student

At the Christian Taekwondo League, we train our students to be strong—not just physically, but mentally and spiritually. We teach them that martial arts isn’t just about punching and kicking. It’s about knowing how to stay safe, when to act, and how to be prepared—especially when danger shows up unexpectedly.

Today, I received a call from a parent of one of my former students. His son is now a young adult in his mid-twenties. What he shared with me shook me—but it also confirmed something I teach every day at CTL:

Situational awareness saves lives.And the goal is always the same:Get home safe.

The Story

This former student had gotten into a conflict in the past. Time passed, but the issue wasn’t over. Today, the same person showed up again—this time with a knife.

But my student didn’t panic. He didn’t freeze.He remembered what he learned on the mat.

He stayed aware of his surroundings. He stayed calm.He remembered one important lesson I teach all my students:

“You might get cut in a knife attack, but you can decide where. Getting cut is better than not making it home.”

Thanks to his training in situational awareness and knife defense, he was able to move, defend, and redirect the blade.He walked away with only a minor slash on his arm and managed to disarm the attacker—no other injuries, no panic, just clear-headed action.

His father called to tell me:

“Master Ram, my son is alive today because of what you taught him.”

Why We Train the Way We Do

I always tell my students:

“Your job isn’t to win a fight. Your job is to get home safe.”

And that starts before a fight ever happens—with awareness.If you’re alert, if you know what’s happening around you, you’re already a step ahead.

I teach my students that being prepared doesn’t mean being paranoid.It means:

• Keeping your head up

• Noticing things that feel “off”

• Knowing when it’s time to leave

• And if needed—knowing how to survive

What Is Situational Awareness?

It’s the habit of being in tune with your environment.Not distracted. Not zoned out.Just aware.

At CTL, we train students to:

• Read their surroundings

• Stay mentally alert

• Avoid conflict when possible

• Defend themselves wisely when there’s no other option

It’s not just about defending a punch. It’s about preventing a tragedy.

The Mission: Get Home Safe

That’s what we teach. That’s what matters most.You don’t train just to earn belts or impress others.You train to be ready when it matters most—because the real test could come without warning.

Today, one of our own faced that test.And he’s alive because he listened, trained, and stayed aware.That’s the power of martial arts done right.That’s why we do what we do at CTL.

📍 4165 Naco Perrin Blvd, San Antonio, Texas 78217📞 210-548-2928🌐 www.christianbasedmartialarts.com✉️ sachristiantkd@gmail.com