So you don’t compete in tournaments yet you teach tournament techniques….. as self-defense?
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In self-defense there are NO RULES. If you’re in danger, in trouble, or in anyway threatened, you do anything and everything you can to ESCAPE, to get away and get to safety.
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The idea behind karate for self-defense is that you may literally be fighting to save your life. The mind set is that you want to escape, or if you have no choice, to hit, incapacitate an attacker to give you enough time… to escape. The adrenaline is pumping. Emotions are running high. Consequences are dire. If you make a mistake, or if you hesitate, you’re going to be beaten, maimed, raped, kidnapped and/or even murdered.
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In terms of technique, you want to use the most devastating techniques as quickly as possible. You don’t have time to dance around your attacker, with your hands held high in your best karate guard. In fact you’re probably going to be in a small space like an alley, an elevator or in between cars.
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There will be jabbing fingers to the eyes and strikes to the throat. Elbows and knees are going to be used because of the close distance. Biting, spitting, grabbing, clawing, gouging will most likely occur. Techniques will be flying at full speed. It won’t be pretty and it will be messy.
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In reality, using tournament fighting techniques in a real situation can even put you in more danger than you’re already in.
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Do NOT teach tournament karate techniques as self-defense. Do NOT allow your students to become ill-equipped and overconfident believing they will be able to defend themselves adequately, when in reality they possess little or no self-defense skills and knowledge.
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People really need to keep in mind that the majority of Karate McDojos have been watered down to the point of stupidity and total inefficiency, making their Karate worthless against much of anything except a wooden board, ultimately putting the safety of students in jeopardy. Authentic original Karate consists of strategies and self-defense techniques and principles focussed towards life protection in the real world, facing lethal or non-lethal attack. Not winning a medal, or series of consensual fights in a dojo.
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Students deserve better. Teach the truth. ??
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Inspired by Martin Jutras.