To believe that your martial art self defence techniques can be done without being hit back, at the same time, is something that students need to be made far more aware of. This is even more so the case if facing your attacker who may themselves have been trained in the combat arts to a more advanced level or who have somewhat more experience of fighting in the street.
Many adverts, and instructors, will highlight the benefits of the martial arts in many various ways, and for sure there are benefits to be had for those that stay with it over the years. Many martial arts instructors will tell you that the study and practice of the combat arts will help to keep you fit and strong and that it will benefit you with regard to discipline and all sorts of things, and for sure that really is the case for those who take their training in the martial arts in a somewhat serious way. However there is one specific item that many instructors will not fully highlight, that specific subject is being hit and hurt when it comes to what many call a street fight. Some instructors fail to mention this subject maybe because they forget at times or maybe even take that subject somewhat for granted and think everyone knows that is the case anyway? Some fail to highlight this subject because they often automatically assume that their students already know in other words? When it comes to learning knife defence most instructors will highlight the dangers of being cut during such a physical conflict. A knife does tend to make everyone far more aware when it comes to what could be a deadly situation, but often this does not tend to be the case if it is only a hand to hand situation? And yet, a hand to hand fight is just as deadly as any weapon being involved. In any physical conflict situation there is more than a good chance that you will get hit, and even hurt more than a bit, but it does seem to be overlooked when I see martial arts instructors demonstrating, and giving technical instruction, on this subject and making it all look so effective and even giving the illusion that you will walk away unharmed after such a situation. Unfortunately it is more than somewhat vital highlighting the fact that getting hit and hurt is also very much needed and very much part of any fight situation. Sadly some instructors fail to make their students understand this and that, in many situations, they will also have to endure pain and shock from being hit at the same time. More often than not new and the more advanced students will be taught how to stop a kick or a punch and counter strike will all sorts of techniques that range from a simple punch to the assailant's face to some very gruesome, almost killer in nature, methods that are far more brutal than needed at times. This image however fails to prepare the student for what can often be a big shock when it comes to taking some painful hits during such an attack. A perfect example of this situation was when a student was indeed attacked in the street in a somewhat brutal way and he found himself fighting back with the methods shown by his instructors but he was unfortunately totally unprepared for the kicks and punches he received in the process. He openly admitted that he knew that a fair bit of luck was involved, in such a situation, and that it was all down to him regarding his fighting skills, but the experience made him realise that learning all those fighting techniques was not as effective as his instructors made him think they would be, so he stopped attending classes as a result. Sadly many in the martial arts do tend to stop learning the combat arts when they experience a situation of that nature, partly due to instructors highlighting the benefits and the image that such impressive fighting techniques portray, but often not highlighting the shock of it all when it comes to the real thing. In other words they feel let down by what they have been taught and can no longer see the point in learning such things anymore. In all fairness most martial art teachers are not going to highlight the problem of getting hit, and sometimes very badly hurt, in a street fight even with all those impressive fighting methods taught to them as that would be a negative thing to do, more so when it comes to attracting paying new customers to their classes, but it should be a focus of attention on a regular basis when it comes to such classes that say they teach practical self defence. At this point I do hasten to add that many martial arts classes these days do not teach street self defence but the sport side of competition events, or as a hobby based session, in the combat arts even if they do say that they teach traditional or modern street unarmed combat. Is getting hit and hurt in a street fight, regardless of learning all those impressive combat skills in class, a ‘big martial art secret’ that some instructors knowingly avoid or are martial arts instructors simply failing to highlight this very important subject enough? For a wide range of articles on the martial arts click >HERE< For a wide range of articles on topical and thought provoking subjects click >HERE< |