Nic Gregoriades: Self defense training isn't necessary.

[Buka]

If sparring/rolling is part of your daily diet, "self defense training" might not be necessary. If sparring/rolling isn't part of your diet, in my opinion, no amount of self defense training will prepare you to fight. Also, as has been said, fighting itself isn't the only part of self defense, crime prevention or what-have-you.

In order to actually know how to fight, you have to train fighting. Constantly.

 

[drop bear]

I think he is describing self defense classes as fight back classes and not as self defense. Self-defense is much more than fighting back. It is more mindset and lifestyle than learning to fight although fighting back can be a part of self-defense.

Well not really he is basically saying that he avoids conflict just by not being a duchebag you shouldn't need training in that.

 

[RTKDCMB]

Well do you think a pro boxer would need SD training to fend for themselves in a street fight?

Against Russian Grandmothers Yes:

 

[kuniggety]

Here's another "ex-boxer"... You win some, you lose some.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10153417053976600

 

[RTKDCMB]

Here's another "ex-boxer"... You win some, you lose some.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10153417053976600

He was fortunate to not face any Russian Grandmothers.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

To be fair, learning how to defend against Russian grandmothers is pretty advanced material. I don't usually start teaching my students how to handle that scenario until they reach purple belt.

 

[Steve]

If sparring/rolling is part of your daily diet, "self defense training" might not be necessary. If sparring/rolling isn't part of your diet, in my opinion, no amount of self defense training will prepare you to fight. Also, as has been said, fighting itself isn't the only part of self defense, crime prevention or what-have-you.

In order to actually know how to fight, you have to train fighting. Constantly.

Buka, I completely agree. And to take it one step further, my opinion is that it is more dangerous for someone to think he can fight, but who can't than to be someone who knows he can't fight.

 

[kuniggety]

To be fair, learning how to defend against Russian grandmothers is pretty advanced material. I don't usually start teaching my students how to handle that scenario until they reach purple belt.

One day I hope to be worthy of the secret Russian grandmother defense techniques.

 

[Steve]

Eat lots of boiled cabbage. It makes you strong like bull!

 

[JowGaWolf]

Against Russian Grandmothers Yes:

That's pretty much self-defense in a nutshell. In a "real world" situation you don't know the fighting skill set of your opponent. That guy approached her as if she couldn't harm him and paid the price.

 

[Koshiki]

To be fair, learning how to defend against Russian grandmothers is pretty advanced material.

Hey, anyone who can live long enough to have two generations of offspring in Siberia is a force to be reckoned with. They have tigers up there...

From within a Karate-esque TKD framework, I'm inclined to agree with the original mindset. For example, my school supposedly practices kata, studies bunkai, trains applications, and yet all the way through the first few black belt ranks, we also practice these "self-defense" sets of proscribed techniques against pre-defined attacks (chokes, tackles, striking combinations, etc) with a more or less compliant partner. (They resist, but after their initial attack, they don't fight back.)

I'm not sure why, and I'm pretty opposed to the sets as a training methodology. One of my Black Belt buddies recently tested for her third degree a couple years back. She refused to do the self-defense sets. She basically said, "I know them, you know I know them, but I refuse to pretend they're worthwhile just to get a new number tacked on to my belt. If you want someone to attack me randomly, I'll defend myself that way instead." They said Ok, she did, and she is now third degree.

The point being that, even if you're style is not a supposed "Self-Defense" system, you're learning to fight and win. Honestly, fighting and winning is all that "self-defense" is, so why bother with a separate curriculum to teach it? Especially since most SD curricula seem to be proscribed responses to specified offensive maneuvers, rather than principles and adaptive, responsive training in a less defensive manner...

 

[Koshiki]

In order to actually know how to fight, you have to train fighting.

But basically, this. Yeah. Self Defense in the sense of faring well in violent encounters is a politic way of saying "learning to win fights efficiently and effectively."

Also, as has been said, fighting itself isn't the only part of self defense, crime prevention or what-have-you.

I always say that my wife, with no martial arts training, at 110 pounds, is probably ten times more fit to teach a "Self Defense" course than I am, having far more knowledge and experience of everything to do with violence and avoidance than me, with the exception of actual fighting.

But in that mindset, looking before you cross the street is better self-defense than training in the martial arts. Heck, in that sense, sunscreen, kale, annual medical check-ups, cancer-screenings, and especially careful maintenance of your cardiovascular health are more effective self-defense.

-------------------------------------------------

I think a lot of times, what we as martial artists love is fighting, it's not knowing we have an effective self-defense system. I mean, I love martial arts, but really, I don't practice because I feel the need for it for my own personal safety. Until two years ago, we lived in one of the cruddiest neighborhoods in a small city with what is apparently considered a "High" violent crime rate. I never felt unsafe. I knew my neighbors, we helped each other out, and you could pretty much tell there was nothing in our apartment worth breaking in to steal, plus everyone nearby knew that if they needed blankets or a shovel or something, asking was easier...

Just saying, for the average person, if you're not a moronic jerk with testosterone poisoning, a violent encounter is not going to be what ends your life, so why are we practicing martial art? Because we just want to, that's why. I mean, in a sense, it's all sport martial arts, the only difference is whether you practice your sport for competition or just for the sake of the sport...

 

[Buka]

"testosterone poisoning" What a great term, bro.

 

[drop bear]

He was fortunate to not face any Russian Grandmothers.

Most people are fortunate not to face Russian grandmother's.

 

[Buka]

And to take it one step further, my opinion is that it is more dangerous for someone to think he can fight, but who can't than to be someone who knows he can't fight.

You must have known me when I was a brown belt.

That's a great point, Steve. When I was a young Karate man, I KNEW I could fight, I mean I really, really knew. Then I trained in a boxing gym. Well, harumph, harumph, I'm all set now. So I went into kickboxing. Yup, I finally did know how to fight. Watch out world! Then I met this Jits guy with a funny name. Hey, what the hell are we doing down here on the floor? Let me up, damn it, or I'll punch your lights out! Wait, where's my arm? What the hell are you doing? What's this around my nec....zzzzzzzzz.

I worry about the youngsters. I hope they train hard. I hope they train honest. This Martial Arts stuff is hard. Sometimes it takes a while, too.

 

[Koshiki]

"testosterone poisoning" What a great term, bro.

I can't take credit, that one's all my mom's. Used to hear it a lot as a teen...