No one knows exactly how they will respond in a dangerous situation, but Joseph Morris can help stack the deck that anyone will know what to do and why to do it.

Morris is an Ashland, Ky. based instructor of the martial arts discipline Budo Taijustsu. He teaches a free self-defense training class at LifeSong Church in Ashland, every week.

A key component of what Morris teaches is having a plan of action already in place in case you or a loved one is ever attacked or in a situation where you are facing bodily harm. For Morris, this plan includes martial arts but could also include other devices like pepper spray, a stun gun, a Taser or a firearm.

This doesn’t mean every citizen should start arming his or herself and preparing for confrontations. The message is simply that we never know what is going to happen and it pays to be prepared.

Self-defense classes, like the ones that Morris teaches or others focusing on various techniques, are a good starting point because they bring a variety of other benefits including increased confidence, cardiovascular workout and strengthening of muscles with increased flexibility.

The key in any emergency situation is being prepared and staying calm. Those are keys that come with having an action plan.

Hopefully, this is the type of thing you will never need but far better to have one that goes to waste than to waste a chance to be proactive.