Application of the Self defense

[terryl965]

What are some of the more prominant applications in your daily Self defense routine?

What helps you when adding this to your daily life?

What are the best way for you to add them to your daily routine?

Why did you choose these application over others that you have learned?

Looking for some great decussion here.

 

[dancingalone]

This is likely not an answer you expect, but I condition my punching hands daily with a striking target or makiwara. Over time, my main knuckles have calcified additional bone, building them up and making them stronger. I can break 4 wooden boards easily with what I consider a half-strength punch.

I'm confident if I ever punched someone in a fight and connected with my target, the fighter would be over instantly. Obviously, there is much else to my daily practice, but I firmly believe weapon conditioning is a big part of making self-defense work.

 

[Decker]

That's some nice "weapon conditioning" you've got there, dancingalone. How long did it take you to get there?

For me, I believe self-defence is of the mind as much as, if not more, than of the body. Avoiding suspicious characters, alertness and awareness of surroundings (I stay in an apartment; the first floor has a lot of pillars before the lift area), and finally knowledge of weak points on the human body (no matter how big someone is, they will have these weaknesses), as well as physical conditioning and training to be able to hit those places accurately and powerfully enough when the situation calls for it.

 

[newGuy12]

I agree with dancingalone -- to develop power with breaking is good! TKD should level much power in one strike. Also, to just go to the target and break it! Now!

To be desensitized to contact -- that is good too. Contact is not a stranger, you are accustomed to it. Good freesparring gives you this, of course. And if someone wishes to harm you, you strike to break the target -- this is full contact!

 

[dancingalone]

How long did it take you to get there?

Probably a couple of years. I intentionally took a slow time in building up repetitions and level of force since I didn't want to risk damaging my hands or wrists either immediately or in my old age. I was always careful to let my knuckles heal over after a strong session before taking the level of contact against the makiwara to the same intensity or higher. Use of a good dit da jow is essential to reducing swelling and pain and healing much faster.

If another person want to be more aggressive in his workout plan, I'm sure it could be done. Like I said, I took it slow.