Martial arts training is not necessarily self defense training, and this may surprise a few devout martial arts trainees. Martial arts that focus on striking the air and mastering techniques through patterns training and no contact fighting have strayed far from the path. And I feel fully qualified to make this criticism because I was brought up in a martial arts school just like that.
I don't mean to attack formal and traditional martial arts schools, because they offer a great deal in terms of personal development. My techniques would never have become what they are today without that approach. On the other hand, it's important to distinguish that kind of training from effective self defense training. You see, martial arts training, if it doesn't incorporate full contact training and simple gross motor skills is little more than aggressive ballet with a bit of shouting thrown in.
The biggest hurdle to transitioning from traditional martial arts training to self defense training is in understanding the way our bodies function under extreme stress. Our bodies have a natural self defense mechanism called the fight or flight response. In this state our body is flooded with adrenaline, our limbs shake, our vision narrows, we become faster and stronger and less susceptible to pain, and our ability to perform fine and complex motor movements diminishes.
Most martial arts techniques are fine and complex motor movements, which means most of these skills will prove ineffective for someone in a life or death situation, as you'll likely lose that cool and calm state and be operating in a state of fear. What does improve however are gross motor movements, or compound basic movements like pushing, pulling, lifting, and squatting. In order for a self defense system to be effective, one must minimize reliance on fine and complex motor skills and maximize techniques which are enhanced by the fight or flight response. These are very basic striking movements that look like pushes or swings.
The other hurdle to applying martial arts techniques in self defense situations is a lack of awareness and experience with hard physical contact. This is why football players and rugby players stand a much better chance in a fight than most martial artists. They are used to and not afraid of hard physical contact. They way to bypass this is to practice basic techniques in a full contact fashion on moving focus mitts held by a trained partner. Every technique should be executed at 100 percent speed and power while maintaining balance and posture. Along with this, one should practice absorbing and blocking full power swings with those pads to get used to hard impact, and then quickly countering to develop strong reactionary reflexes.
So train hard and keep your mind on practicality as well as tradition. Because the martial aspect of martial arts is what truly makes it special and not simply another form of dance.
