How practical and realistic are you?

Question

This question is often asked "how practical is (enter any martial art style or name you want)"like the style is some magic spell or potion you cast at an attacker or on seeing your ninja kung fu bjj mma super killer stance he faints and falls down in front of you.

There are all kinds of robots and smart bombs in the military but in the end it comes down boots on the ground.MA is the same in the end it comes down to you .So don't tell me how practical and realistic your style is because that doesn't mean you are.

Answer 1

In the question it made reference to boots on the ground. I don't know how practical or realistic any martial art is anymore. I just think that like in the military you try to make things as simple as possible to allow it to be easy for most people to learn the task. Perhaps something that is geared toward self defense in general would be best. Many arts that people talk about are big in competitions. If you have to use it in real life it will help you, but you may fight like it is a competition and not a fight for survival. An art that touches on everything and every excersice ends in a sprint away from the sparring "attacker" (except in the military). That is the way a real confrontation for your life should be anyway right. You just want to live to see the next day and you don't know if they are hiding something or have some pals nearby, so get the h**l out of there.

Answer 2

Although I know that it is unlikely that I'll be involved in a real attack where the attacker has as much training as I have, I train as if they do.  If fact I figure that if I train for the worst possible situation I will be better prepared.  I like to assume that the attacker is faster, stronger, younger, and better trained than I am.  I also assume that if a real attack happens I may not function at my best (say 50% of my abilities).  I'm not paranoid, but I am always aware of my surroundings. If I see something that I think can turn into a dangerous situation , I leave the area.  If threatened, I tend to leave or talk my way out of the situation. If it is clear that that is not possible then my mind set changes totally.   In that situation I will use any means necessary to survive. It is my belief that hesitation has gotten many people hurt or killed. As humans when we are suddenly and unexpectedly put into a dangerous situation our mind may not function as it should. Most people are saying to themselves that this can't be happening. Then they may assess the danger level  as being less than  what it really is. When in a bad situation I automatically assume that my life is at risk. I'm ready and willing to kill the attacker. In the process of defending myself, I may see that the situation is under my control or is less of a threat than I first thought. I can then bring my level of response down to the proper level. It is easier for the mind to shift from assuming a deadly threat, than it is to shift from an assumption of a low threat to a high level quickly. An example I use with my students is this:  Lets say you are in the process of punching with the intention of killing someone. If in that fraction of a second before contact you realize that killing is not necessary, it is easy to pull the punch in time to not do serious injury. Let say you are punching to only stun the attacker. However in the split second before the punch lands you realize that your life is at risk, it is much harder to increase the effectiveness of the punch.

NOTE: I have had a number of women and men come to me to learn how to defend themselves. Many have already been a victim of an attack.  I first ask them if they could bite off someones nose, put out their eye, crush a throat, ...etc.   A few will say that they don't think that they could do that.   I tell them that if they can't find it in themselves to do that, nothing I can teach them would be of any use to them.  I impress no them that having self-defense skills is not enough. You must be willing to use them with no hesitation. If not you are very likely to get seriously hurt of killed.   Furthermore I go on to tell them that they need to make that decision now. To wait until you are threatened is to late.

Edit: I follow and teach these to all my students:

1) Avoid  (meaning to leave if you think something bad is going to happen)

2) Evade (If an attack is already in progress)

3) Never hit a person with your hands, feet, elbows, or fist (jointed parts of your body) if you can find something harder to hit them with.

4) If a person is six inches taller or 30 pounds heavier, drop back to rule #2.

5) What ever you start, be sure that you finish it. (Many defend an attack only to allow the attacker a second chance).

Answer 3

BJJ: ideal for the ring and the street/school playground

Answer 4

It has less to do with the art's style than it does with the person who's using it. And you're exactly right - people using what is considered the most practical style in the world doesn't gaurantee they'll be practical in using it. Kung Fu is just as practical as Krav Maga or Hapkido and Karate if you use and are trained in any of the above properly. What it comes down to is spirit, training, mental acuity, focus, and will, all of which are dependant on the person, not the style.

This is what I've come to find through my years and continue training in several styles.

Never know, though. There's always someone that'll come along and surprise you. Gotta be ready for that as well.

Train hard, keep your mind clear and focused, ane always form your resolve and be prepared.

Peace and Respect

Answer 5

I'm very practical and realistic and never say my art is the best as I believe all martial arts are tools to be used and its down to the individual person to make them work I have been in enough situations in the past to know what must be done,but believe that if you are not allowed by your aggressor/s to walk away then you have no choice but to fight and I've always treated every situation I've been involved in with the mindset of every fight may end my life survival mode kicks in instantly pugpaws2 answer is excellent and I totally agree that if people are unable to use they're training and do what is required then perhaps a rethink is in order ,I hate violence but have been put in situations where I've had to use violence to survive and win yes I have regrets about some things I've had to do,but I don't reproach myself as I've only ever defended myself,and yes I've made the first blow/strikes as I believe that attack is better than defence.

But sadly most aggressors/bullies only understand violence and are too stupid to let people walk away as they see it as backing down and it usually makes them continue to force a situation, although some do learn the hard way eventually .

Answer 6

I am with pugpaws, I tend to train for the worst case scenario I can imagine. Thus when i talk about an attacker with a weapon or multiple attackers, that is what I train for, and why i don't focus a lot of energy on being attacked by a good Judo ka or BJJ person, becaue theya re not the ones you normally have to wory about.

I really try to to get to complicated with my self defense, and focus on simple basic effective motions.

Answer 7

I used to worry about only practicality and realism. But I then realized I was training hours each day for a situation that may or may never come. I was, in fact, increasing my odds that I would need the skills I was training for by my energy (I was more likely to see a threat where there was none and thus increase the threat level in the area).

I still try to train for realism, but I have come to understand the need for more balance in my life and my art. These days I believe awareness and good character will solve more situations than techniques. But for the "rare" potential case (I have been in many situations as I have worked in security, I lived in some bad areas, etc) I still try to train hard and think about my techniques. But this is for me.

Answer 8

I am surprised there are not more answers, everyone seems to think their art is the best.

Personally, I believe my art is the most practical - for me.  I strongly believe that not every art is the most practical for every person.  It depends on their nature, body type, strength, skill, etc.

I study an art devoted to self-defense and the philosophy that  I will walk away from an envcounter, but I really don't care if you do or not.  We do not teach/learn individual scenarios (If you grab me this way, I will do this) as much as we focus on principles applicable in any situation.

Self-defense means using your eyes and brains to avoid unnecessary trouble, responding immediately, adjusting  to the situation as it changes, and getting out.  There are no smart bombs or sure fire techniques.  Neither are their rules.

Rearrange the attacker's priorities.  Attack the eyes, bust an ear drum or two,  take away his ability to breathe,  take out a knee.  When he has something to think about more important than you, chances are the attack will stop.  That said, hurting people is easy, respond appropiately to the situation and exercise control.

Answer 9

I have a very simple philosophy, survive and move on.  As a soldier, I agree, it is boots on the ground that win battles,

Any way my philosophy is very simple, encounter, overcome and survive, do what you have to do and move on, for that is how to survive on a battlefield.

Answer 10

I disagree, if 2 people of equal skill do different styles, for instance a traditional style like aikido and a fighting style like jiu-jitsu, one will have an advantage.

Yes, if a 98 lb weakling tries jiu-jitsu on stephen segal he will lose but that doesn't mean styles have no practicaltiy variables whatsoever

Answer 11

In combat, self defense, whatever you want to call it...

the bottom line is

1. Awareness if you aren't aware you're going to get hurt.

2. Inteligence, If some one has longer arms, or is faster, you need to be smart enough to change your technique.

3. Adaptability - similar to number 2,

Randy Courte for example realized he needed to change his fighting style and he did. He went to a stand up, grappling style where he could be most effective. And he has been.

Ken Shamrock on the other hand thinks he can out power his opponents which as we all know is false. He has forgotten about his submission style.

When some people discuss the style of an art, that is all that they are doing discussing the practicality of that art, and hopefully they are not trying to brag about themselves.