Blog Article/Post Caveat (Read First Please: Click the Link)
It came to me today, not for the first time, that many, if not all, karate techniques when applied in practice are always against other (like) karate techniques. First, the example video I am providing is not about criticizing that video or the method of training therein but to show how the drills demonstrated are always against a karate-ka who uses karate techniques.
Please note, this is not to criticize the instructors, participants or the karate methods in the drill, it is just to show the drills being utilized and taught against karate techniques over something else. This is merely an exercise in thinking, thought as well as a process of “Analysis and Synthesis.” It is also not saying that the techniques demonstrated will not work against someone attacking who is using techniques not karate or martial arts. The effectiveness of any techniques regardless of its source is dependent upon factors of the individual and the training models and methods involved. So, on with the article/post!
My question here is this, “Baring other factors, etc., are drills consisting of karate techniques against karate techniques actually of benefit for self-defense?” Add in that often times the actual SD techniques, be they karate or something else, are often those derived from no experience in self-defense, fighting in the street or combatives as in military hand-to-hand (or Police and Corrections professions, etc.). Those techniques are sometimes ineffective regardless of what they are practiced against being karate or some other form of SD.
I often wonder why those same karate self-defense professionals and courses don’t actually expose students to the use of karate techniques against actual predatory, or even social situationally fights, attack methodologies especially when they are NOT karate or martial arts oriented. Why don’t they have the more reality based adrenal stress-conditioned training regimens vs. the patterned and predictable drill patterns taught in karate?
It comes down to the proverbial canned self-defense situation taught as a self-defense technique where an adversary approaches you directly and then facing you directly grabs a wrist where you then perform a complex set of movements that are supposed to stop the attack and allow you to counter, etc. Hmmmm, kind of NOT how attacks happen I think.
As I have quoted before, “What about the surprise attack (how it happens a lot) that causes you to be frozen in the OO bounce due to surprise and a flurry of damaging blows, etc., all causing you to lose balance and structure and placing you into a position rarely overcome by even training professionals?” The guy attacked you from behind, hit you behind the ear or at the carotid artery causing your brain to go ga-ga, then taking you down to the ground where your position disrupts your structure, and ability to apply any force what so ever, crowds you so you cannot maneuver and removes any ability to attain balance, etc. so what do you do and what karate techniques from those most awesome drills do you use?
Remember, this isn’t personal and those karate drills are awesome teaching tools and remember also that those drills teach us a lot about principles but are they the defacto self-defense methodologies you will actually deploy in such circumstances? These and other considerations are what I use to convey a need to take self-defense way beyond the mere technique based defenses/offenses and use awareness along with avoidance and even deescalation as self-fense long before the use of techniques or methodologies or force levels to stop an attack.
Awareness, once again stressed, is the absolute best defense you can use because adequate training toward awareness and violence will allow you to perceive and act long before you are surprised, down and out while waking at the ER. I believe that wholehearted and is why I come back around time and again to articles and posts of similarity - yet different perspectives. It isn’t glorious, it doesn’t trip our warrior like egoistic feelings of adequacy and it does not come across and cool karate for the movies but it does lead you to less danger, greater safety and security while avoiding time in the ER and even jail - ain’t that better?
It won’t impress the guys; it won’t provide for great stories at the next pub gathering; it won’t appear cool to most BUT the another gender will be impressed and glad you took this road vs. the cool awesome gymnastic pleasing dazzling karate and martial tricks seen in movies type shit.
Bibliography (Click the link)
“In order for any life to matter, we all have to matter.” - Marcus Luttrell, Navy Seal (ret)
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