You start with the dead training like this - a single attack, then wait for the response. This is how nearly all training starts. This only becomes a problem when it never progresses past that point. There should be a progression. One option is something like this:How do you train in a self defense like this so it feels real without one guy having to be the "play along" dummy on the receiving end?
- Single attack ("feeding" the drill)
- Single attack with progressive resistance (moving to some natural "next action", which could be nothing more than stepping back, straightening up, etc.)
- Series of attacks, starting with the single attack used previously (the objective is to use the technique to end after the first attack)
- Use the technique in the flow of free grappling/sparring/randori