Pain vs. Damage

Pain does not equal damage. I have experienced damage, minor in comparison to predatory damage, and that damage never provided pain when it occurred, only after - long after.

In training, seminars, and kumite I have found many inferences that a person "believes" some applied tactic and technique "must work" because they felt pain. I can strike you, you will feel pain, and you will not receive damage. Pain is not damage.

I was reading a post on a demonstration of kata bunkai. The recipient spoke of how well it worked and how horrible it sounded when described. The mere fact they were able to describe that they felt something that said to them it works merely speaks of the pain and discomfort they felt in the domonstration. If that particular technique actually worked they would not have felt the pain until long after. They would have received damage that stopped any attempt to react/respond, etc.

In my early days as a Sensei there were many instances where I applied a technique that caused pain and discomfort. The recipient's mind said, "Oh, crap, that hurts like hell." When this occurred they simply stopped. At that point the game was over.

Hear me and hear me loudly. In violent encounters it does not stop when you feel pain or your attacker feels pain. In most cases both parties will feel nothing as to pain until the damage is done and your either in the hospital or dead. Don't take my meager, inexperienced, word for it - talk to the experts who do this stuff for a living.

Today, my efforts are to instill in the minds of those who participate or read my stuff to consider that the real goal in martial arts, self defense, protection is to avoid - avoid the conflict, avoid the threat, and avoid the damage - screw the pain.

Pain does not last but a short period of time. You will get past the pain. You may even get past the damage. Damage is something you will have to deal with after the pain is gone. Damage to the body. Damage to the mind. Damage to your life. Damage to your financial status. Damage to your freedom.

Finally, just experiencing pain does not mean the technique will do damage - it does not mean it will work.