(Approx 2 minute 10 second read)

It seems that self-defense is a topic people just can’t get their heads around, if my recent articles are anything to go by.
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Instructors in particular often seem convinced that you have to fight first. Yet, many tell me they understand the importance of avoiding the fight, but there’s always the caveat: “But……….”
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Someone said to me: “What happens when it goes wrong? You have to fight.”
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Well, yes – you may have to. That’s exactly why we train. I say this clearly in most of my articles. I wonder sometimes – are people really reading them? Or just picking out what suits them?
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Another said: “While I understand there are other options first, what about when you have no option but to fight? If you’ve figured it out, please enlighten the rest of us.”
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It’s instructors like this I want to challenge to think deeper. I’m not claiming I have every answer – but I do have a lot of experience, both in the martial arts and my previous professions. And common sense says that jumping straight to fighting, every time, when there are clear ways to protect yourself and others better, is lazy at best and reckless at worst.
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I suspect many people don’t even read the whole piece anyway – they skim a few lines, pick what suits them, and fill in the gaps with whatever they assume I must have meant. It’s a perfect example of confirmation bias – twisting what’s actually written just to stay comfortable.
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Yet someone else wrote this: “I can’t understand why this is such a touchy subject. One of the major things a police officer is trained in is de-escalation. It works. Police forces the world over train people in the art of calming things down. Sure, sometimes you have to fight – but if you really look at many situations, the confrontation could have been avoided if it was handled differently. Use words. Avoid bad places. Avoid bad situations. Yes, sometimes you’re just attacked out of nowhere – it happens. That’s why we need self-defense. But there’s so much more to self-defense than simply fighting.”
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You see how clear that is?
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Self-defense is about safeguarding your well-being – maybe that of others too – not proving how tough you are or how sharp your step-kumite looks. Safety comes first, legally and physically. The goal is to avoid the fight if you can – and if you can’t, then do what you must and get out. You do not want to fight toe-to-toe.
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Is that really so hard to accept? Maybe some people just don’t want to hear it. But for those who do – that’s who I write for.
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Karate is fun – no question about that. In the dojo, when we’re practicing the ‘traditional’ stuff, working through drills and bunkai, it’s almost cleansing, even meditative.
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But the main thing to remember is that you must keep context as your guide. As long as you do that, whatever you practice is worthwhile.
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Just understand the differences. It’s really not that difficult – and it might be the most valuable part of your training.
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Written by Adam Carter