subject: Karate-style Punching Or Street Attack - Can You Really Defend Yourself Against A Real Attacker? [print this page] One of the most common statements that I hear from both Ninjutsu students, as-well-as those training in other 'traditional' forms of martial arts is, "I'm not looking for modern self defense techniques. I'll just stick to the classical approach." This article addresses several flaws in this approach to real-world self defense training in the 21st century.
After you've finished reading this article, your job will be to assess, with a critical eye, your current training, and more importantly, your understanding of that training, to see whether or not you are really prepared to protect yourself against a real attack, from a real attacker, in today's real world - and NOT 16th century Japan, Korea, China, or wherever your art originated!
Please know that I am not criticizing any style of martial arts, or approach to self defense. What I am driving at, is the need to see beyond the "models" that were passed down from ancient times, and be able to see how the lessons - the principles and concepts - that the models are teaching, would, should, and could be applied today.
It's one thing to be able to execute your art's snapping, front punch, or in the case of the modern Ninjutsu student's so-called "classical" tsuki (pronounced: 'ski'), which was originally designed to be effective while wearing, or while dealing with an opponent who was wearing ancient armor...
...and being able to quickly, easily, and effectively punch a modern-day street thug who doesn't care one iota about where you train, the art or style that you have a Black Belt in, or where that style came from. Not one bit!
The same thing goes for your defense tactics against a punch.
To illustrate this point, let me ask you a question. Okay?
The question is: "What kind of punch are you most likely to deal with - to have thrown at you - during a street fighting or street self defense situation?"
A karate front punch?
A ninpo-taijutsu "tsuki?"
A White Crane Kung-fu finger-tip strike?
Nope.
A good old right-cross!
That's not my opinion. That's the cold, hard reality of today's world!
And, this isn't an argument over me telling you that you should train in my system - an ego-based idea that says that, "If I do it, then it's right, and you should be doing the same thing" - but rather a lesson that comes from experience knowing what happens on the street. Because, if you don't know what it's really like inside of a real attack - not a sport or competition setting that's loaded with rules and safety measures - then you can never know if what you're learning will actually work outside of the dojo, dojang, or self defense class!
Do you understand?
Do you get the significance of this apparently simple, little lesson?
I hope so. Because, the question IS NOT: "Are you learning self defense?"
The REAL question is...
"While you're practicing against the "official," "classical," and "proper" strikes from your martial arts' style...
...are you learning how to not get your lights turned off by the guy who doesn't punch like they do in class?!"
