subject: Self Defense Training - 3 Critical Differences Between Martial Arts Training And A Real Attack! [print this page] Do you have martial arts experience? Have you taken a self defense training program or two, but know that there is a difference between what you've learned and a real fight?
I understand completely. Because, before I got this area of my life figured out, I was in the exact same place.
When I was a police officer, I and my fellow officers would joke that, when it came to our self-defense training, we were "graduates of Thursday's class at 3 o'clock!" And, police officer or not, we need to know that what we're getting from our self defense training will give us the necessary tools, and maybe more importantly - the confidence - for actually succeeding in a real-life violent attack!
Here's a self defense tip that I used to get what I needed: I looked at what I was learning and compared that with what I actually experienced in a self defense situation against real attackers. Then, and here's what you have to do as well...
I found teachers that could give me what I needed to survive!
But, how do you know if the self defense training you're getting is right?
Here are several differences between conventional martial arts training and most so-called self defense programs. If the self defense training that you're getting overly focuses on these elements... run!
1. Pre-staged training. Technique training is important, but if everything you're doing involves step-by-step, memorized strings of moves with no allowance for variations or drills for creative response and decision-making under pressure, then you are not developing the critical skills you'll need to survive! If you aren't learning to apply the skills your getting in a chaotic, free-response, and stressful way, then what you're doing is really not self defense training!
2. Coddling. While your self defense training should be relatively safe, your instructor should not be coddling you and telling you how great you are. He should also not have to deal with whining, complaining, or other nonsense about you're not wanting to do certain skills for whatever reason. You either want to be able to defend yourself against a brutal attacker who doesn't care about you, or you want to look good and show off!
3. Emotionally-sterile. One of the most important missing elements from most martial arts and self defense training courses is emotion. The reality is that, a self defense situation is a highly-charged - highly emotional experience. It is one of the most emotional situations you could ever find yourself in.
And yet, the majority of time in most training is spent on step-by-step training and theory - not learning how to operate under certain types of psycho-emotional stress - each type limiting your body in very specific ways!
If you really want to survive a real-life attack, then you must find a self defense training program that will give you the tools you will need! You must learn things you never wanted to know, do things most people don't want to have to do, and experience things that will scare you, unnerve you, and make you feel uncomfortable!
But then, you know what your other choice is, right? And he's waiting out there for you!
