Is Martial Arts Effective For The Streets?

The topic of how effective traditional martial arts is in today's world as a way of protecting oneself is still a very sensitive issue to a lot of martial artists. What is even more sensitive is the issue of how realistic and street effective is the newer styles that have come out since companies such as UFC have come into the picture. I am a Registered Black Belt but I love Jeet Kune Do, Krav Maga; as well as the "sport' of MMA.

I know that the techniques I have learned in the dojo/kwan (school) should stay in the dojo/kwan because most of those techniques will only work there.  That also goes with styles such as the; modern day or reality based systems; they are for sport only.  I've had a few competitive, sport oriented fights, but I also teach tactical self defense. Many of my students are black belts or have trained under reality based systems & have learned the hard way that what they learned in the ring or dojo/kwan is not street effective.

Their common question is why didn't their system work? Part of the reason is that if a rule or law is applied to a system it will subconsciously hinder you when your adrenaline takes over in combat. There are no rules in the streets ... your mind should not have to sensor or think can I do this to beat this person? We respond exactly the same way that we train.  Thus, train as close to a real fight as you can.

There is no time to switch gears from sport to tactical. If you are training and your coach or sensei says: "You can't hit there or no contact to the eyes" your mind will remember that and store it for future reference. Your self defense system should take into account your environment as well. Can you kick your attacker in the small space your in? Can you balance yourself while performing a technique on the icy sidewalk?  If you grapple with him what if he has friends coming around, what do you do then?

Street fighting or tactical self-defense should be in the simplest form of fighting. You don't have time to play a chess game, like you would see in a UFC match. Time is not on your side in a street confrontation nor are rules or morals. What we can learn from the UFC or mixed martial arts events when it comes to reality fighting is if it has rules of what not to do, do those things in a street fight because it must be effective.

How You Train Is How You Respond

How you train is how you will respond and react in the real deal. Self-defense is about survival and nothing else.

It is not about fighting fair, clean or being honorable. It’s about doing what you have to do to go home and see your loved ones once again.

You don’t know how a thug is going to react when you connect your first blow to him so make sure you mean it when you attack. He could back off (flight) or become enraged (fight), plain and simple combat is about doing whatever needs to be done so you get out alive. Lie, con, manipulate so you can catch him off guard and administer a tactic.
 
Release the idea from your mind the image of a “DIRTY FIGHTER” there is now such thing!  He is actually a smart fighter who knows how to use violence to his advantage.  Free your mind of that idea, could mean the difference between life and death, it will subconsciously hamper your actions. You have the right to protect yourself and kill when your life is in jeopardy.

When in combative mode your thoughts and actions should be as vile, vicious and violent as possible. Thoughts of legal or moral consequences of your actions should not even cross or enter your mind. If they do it will subconsciously hold you back in giving 100% in your attack and that could mean your kids or loved ones not seeing you again. The importance of training realistically or condition stimulus training could mean the difference between life and death. Training the mind to be accustomed to stimuli that is violent and vile you mean not freezing in violent situations

Here are some tips and dirty tricks

·         HIT FIRST, HIT HARD, KEEP HITTING

·         Always attack in mid-word or sentence i.e.; I will do anything you say, please don’t hurt (ATTACK NOW). The element of surprise is on your side, he is not expecting you to do anything.

·         Practice saying your trigger sentence or word and cueing yourself to attack when you say it. Make sure your speech is smooth and that you are not telegraphing your words or actions before attacking.

·         If you are a woman use the power of sweet talk; get him to believe that you will do as he says, then turn the tables when he least expects it.

·         When speaking use your hands to help you speak, set them up to deflect or to position them closer to the target area you want to attack.