“Self-protection, martial arts, and fighting, are not the same, they are related, but they are most definitely not the same.” ??
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Iain Abernethy 7th Dan British Combat Association
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As martial artists we need to understand the difference between these three concepts. They are distinctly different, but also overlap one another.
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Many martial arts instructors see martial arts, fighting and self-protection as being one and the same. They view ‘toe-to-toe’ dojo fights, with several opponents, one after the other in a timed bout, as effective self-defense. It is NOT. Personally I think this lack of clarity to be highly problematic and it is arguably one of the biggest problems we face today.
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We train most effectively when we clearly define the objective of that training. However, it is my view that most practitioners, and instructors, are unclear what they are training for, and are often misleading themselves into believing that their training is effective in ALL scenarios.
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You must understand the differences, train for each objective, recognize any overlap, and focus on the skills required for each situation.
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? Picture courtesy of, and with thanks to Iain Abernethy