This would actually apply to martial systems but I use karate in the title because that is what I practice. It came to my mind today regarding self-defense and karate and you can couple this with the majority of practices - sport martial arts.
The question I asked myself was this, does karate actually provide you the techniques you need in self-defense or is it more of an influence as to how one would handle self-defense? This is assuming what is practiced is actually geared toward self-defense rather than competition and/or self-improvement.
I tend to lean toward the martial systems being a strong influence toward what you actually use in self-defense and/or competitions in sport. I rarely observed in the training halls of which I participated people actually using karate or martial techniques when the spar. Yes, they use kicks and yes they use punching but rarely would I see actual karate or martial techniques. I remember when full contact karate first came on the circuit and what I saw was boxing with kicks or kickboxing. In my view I scoffed at it and said that ain't karate.
So, if my observation and theories are correct what good is karate or the martial arts? First and foremost, if taught and practiced correctly with as much reality as to violence and self-defense the fundamental principles of martial systems contribute a lot toward how you will defend yourself in a conflict. When the chemical dump occurs (adrenaline, etc.) your lizard brain will go back to what works and what is closer to survival instincts along with what you trained in properly and mostly to overcome some hinderances from those ancient survival instincts. The influences of the fundamentals the the rhythm, patterns and practices of marital arts when coupled strongly with those fundamental principles may prevail so therefore contribute a strong influence in your training toward self-defense.
I observed a video of a ku-dan sparring for a young persons sho-dan testing and what I saw was not much different from what I observed of this person many years ago when they were a lower grade/level black belt. Granted, what he used he used very well because his long experience made it good for him. What I am amazed at as I could not detect any changes or influences as to actual martial arts techniques. It was more or less kicking from naihanchi stances, back fists and straight punches and a lot of bouncing and moving in back and forward directions when fighting and a little circular moves left and right, not complete circles but ten to twenty degree moves back and forth. In other words it was strictly sport oriented sparring. Nothing wrong with that but they were also promoting the practice as self-defense.
When I trained I worked hard to overcome those natural tendencies toward boxing and kicking and to work in all the principles as well as the tactics and strategies that come from the more combative as applied to principles aspects of my karate. I would work with a senpai-kohai/tori-uke relationship to use actual karate techniques against karate techniques. I also tried hard to use more street violent attacks to see if I could make the actual karate techniques work in defense. I still have not had to prove their worth in a real altercation, at least not in these last two decades. I am pretty good at avoidance and some occasions deescalation but as to the physical fight I have avoided it except in training and practice on the training hall floor.
Like most, will it work when I need it. I believe that is a matter of experiences and mind-set along with long, hard and realism in training and practice. How do I know if I did the training and practice correctly. Mostly from what I have learned over the years as to personal experiences, although not plentiful, and those expressed experiences of professionals who work in environment where they use this stuff frequently.
Karate or martial influences are more of an underneath type thing where one hopes that what they practice and train will overcome natural instincts to do things like freeze or curl up in a ball hoping to weather the storm or to, and I feel this one a good one if you are able to do it, run baby run till you are back to a safe zone. You don't want to rely on running because in a lot of cases you may not get the chance and defending would or is necessary before running. That is the point that your training for self-defense has the appropriate INFLUENCE on what you do when the rubber hits the road. Do you have the opportunity to avoid it altogether? Do you have the ability to deescalate it so as to avoid the actual fight? Finally, when all else fails, do you have the ability to make it work in real life defense?
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