“Remember, fighting skills aren’t the key to self-protection: fighting is what happens when self-protection goes bad.” – Iain Abernethy 7th dan
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Self-protection, martial arts, and fighting, are NOT the same, they are related, but they are most definitely not the same. There remains so many teachers / instructors that still do not understand this, believing the sparring they teach in the dojo is self-defense…… You just can not tell students to ‘gear up’ and fight, without any guidance or understanding of what they are doing.
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However keen you may be to teach, before you venture on to the mat and attempt to teach any of the basic (or advanced) techniques to students, it is necessary to know something of the combative principles they contain.
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When not in the dojo, be aware that there are people who will distract you, spit in your face, throw dirt in your eyes, while their friend hits you from behind with a baseball bat. So standing in front of someone with your hands held high in your perfectly executed high guard, waiting for an exchange of dojo sparring techniques, isn’t going to help you very much. Remember that the karate you practice in the dojo is the same karate you will defend your life with.
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Every attacker is unpredictable so make sure your skills are reliable in unpredictable situations.
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Resolving a conflict without using any violence is preferable. While it is certainly true that certain cases may call for combat, this must always be viewed as a last resort. If you are looking to stand up to someone, martial arts should teach you to do so in an assertive yet respectful manner. Most fights aren’t started with fists, but with words.
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When it comes to your self protection, it is not about memorizing techniques, but first understanding when violence would ever be the proper response, and how to properly use those tools of violence.
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Defend yourself when you’re in danger, not when your pride has been wounded. ??
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? Photo Credit: Devon Photography – with thanks to Iain Abernethy
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