The primary focus of martial arts has never been self defense. Even though self defense is listed as a benefit of all martial arts, and you can use some martial arts to defend yourself, there are more efficient means to get better results from systems designed specifically for self defense.
First you need to look at martial arts as a business and a brand.
Most people think the reason for the difference in martial art styles is because of different culture’s solution to self defense or combat. This is only true when you talk about weaponry, but when it comes to man on man violence..in its raw form it all looks the same.
After all there are only so many natural weapons on the human body and so many vulnerable target areas to attack. All human physiology is the same so your ability and the way you generate power is finite and there are only so many ways to beat, bludgeon, strangle, gouge and bite your fellow human.
So why are there so many styles of martial arts?
Simple: nationalism, sport entertainment and business.
Martial arts can be categorized into two primary subsets – combat sport and cultural fighting art. While every culture and civilization has had methods of fighting since the dawn of man, the modern concept of martial arts really isn’t that old.
The first modern martial art was JUDO founded in 1882. It was developed with the purpose of fitness. It’s founder, Kano, was an educator and felt the need to develop a national fitness program – however he also believed calisthenics to be boring and because of his experience in Jujutsu and political connections he and a team of experts developed Judo to exemplify the spirit of bushido. The purpose was to develop national pride based on Japan’s warrior culture.
Judo was also the first to develop dan ranking system and use of belts to identify levels of proficiency. He used the KYU and DAN ranking system that was used by GO practitioners (Go is a Japanese strategy board game where the object is to occupy more territory than your opponent). Kano’s reasoning for the belt ranking system was so you could immediately know where to line up and with whom you should practice with. One thing’s for certain, the black belt didn’t evolve from a white belt getting dirty over time.
Think I’m wrong? I challenge you to find references to the term BLACK BELT in books published before 1882. Books will use “expert” and “master” but not black belt. It wasn’t until will into the 20th century that the black belt became a widely accepted term.
Japan began exporting Judo in an effort to connect with the outside world. You will commonly see any Japanese martial art at the time referred to as Jujutsu (spelling varies) but for the most part, it was Judo.
In the beginning Judo had a robust curriculum of atemi waza (striking techniques) and a complete ground fighting system (look up Kosen Judo) however, Kano wanted to focus on Tachi Waza (standing technique) and not Ne Waza( ground technique) because he felt it best embodied the samurai spirit of ending the fight with one fatal strike, of in this case, a throw. This is why Olympic Judo, what you see mostly today, is primarily standing and most Judokas don’t strike…ever.
Judo was never developed for SELF DEFENSE – it was created for national pride, fitness, culture and sport. You can see how it has evolved over the years because of aesthetics and symbolism NOT self defense. It became a BRAND.
The Martial Arts Brand
When you think of Karate, Akido, Kung Fu, Tae Kwon Do, Brazilian Jiujitsu, Boxing, Wrestling, Sambo, Judo, MMA specific types of techniques and uniforms should come to mind. You certainly wouldn’t confuse a Tae Kwon Do practitioner with a BJJ expert, nor would to confuse a Kung Fu stylist with a Karateka.
Most of the stylization came about in the last 150 years or so. When countries were at war, similar today – the used technology to kill the enemy as quickly and efficiently as possible. The soldier of the Ming Dynasty didn’t care about style – he just wanted to kill the enemy. It was only later that styles were developed loosely based on training methods and weapons of the time. After all, training was still largely passed by word of mouth so most of what you see was literally developed in the early to mid 1900’s.
Martial artists love revisionist history and urban legend.
Do you want to make your martial art look good? Tell a story of someone using your style to kill someone from the other style. In Tae Kwon Do I was told the flying sidekick was used to knock the samurai of his horse and in Bando, the Burmese soldier used the khukri to kill samurai at will – BOTH are not substantiated but told as fact to students.
Even today, BJJ will NEVER admit that it comes from JUDO. Even when we know Meada taught JUDO to Helio Gracie and when he fought Kimura the Brazilian paper referred to him as a 6th Dan in JUDO.
And as great as I think Helio was they keep making that fight closer and closer every time they retell it… the Japanese are no better…but in Kimura’s book My Judo he says that the mat was so soft, he couldn’t hurt Helio when he threw him. He finally got him in ude garami and (to Helio’s credit) Helio would not tap…tough SOB. and Kimura broke his arm…and then Helio’s corner threw in the towel.
Another popular example is Shotokan Karate and Tae Kwon Do. The founder of Tae Kwon Do, General Choi Hong Hi studied indigenous martial arts as a child, but it was when he was enlisted in the Japanese Army that he learned Karate and Shotokan under Gichin Funakoshi. Choi earned a 2nd Dan rank before he returned to Korea. There are basic forms (kata) in Shotokan and Tae Kwon Do that are pretty much the same.
Modern martial arts are brands developed to promote a sport, nation and or culture. We are told they were developed to be “the best” and are better than others for specific reasons…but that’s just marketing. The truth is, the martial arts are incenstious, when you look into their history, you’ll see the connections.
Martial artists have a rich history of well…bullshit.
There’s really nothing documented or substantiated. Sure, someone is going to pull up a cave painting or a dead sea scroll and attach some elaborate story to it…but it’s just that, a story. Most martial arts use “creative” origin stories to promote their systems and legitimize them with myths and folklore.
That story your sensei told you…never happened.
The Martial Arts Business
How to martial arts businesses make their money? Through tuitions and promotions. The longer you train the more you pay. The higher you advance the more you pay. So it is clearly in their best interest to keep you training LONGER.
Fact it’s a lot easier to teach an advanced student than it is a beginner. Yet test fees escalate the higher you advance. Instructors will tell you it’s because you’re getting more knowledge and using more resources, but coming from a guy who owned three schools – that’s not true.
Some extra time during a promotion test and a few bucks more for pine boards isn’t a lot. Advanced students are great – they know what to do, where to line up and they can tech for you! Yet you still crush them come exam and tuition time!!!
Truth is, every school owner wants you there for YEARS. So they have no incentive to get you trained up in a few weeks. It’s NOT IN THEIR BEST INTEREST.
This is the reason martial arts have become so complicated and a place a value on how long you took to achieve a certain level. Boasting that it took several years to attain a black belt starts to take on a different tone when you compare it to education.
Imagine if you bragged about how long it took for you to get your college or high school diploma. “It took me 8 years to graduate Glen Rock High School…man it was a tough school…best school around.”
The fact is, if martial arts are TRULY evolving, they should be training you FASTER and MORE EFFICIENTLY.
I believe my job as an instructor and a coach is to get you BETTER in less time than it took me.
However the martial arts fight this concept every step of the way.
This is why does the Self Defense Training System works so fast.
- We eliminate all the sport and ceremony.
- We have a progressive learning system based on foundation techniques and principles.
- We use VIDEO and live coaching to help you.
These are modern learning techniques – yet when you mention video and books, martial artists go NUTS and actually claim that you can learn anything from videos and books…NO KIDDING. We should probably just burn them.
Fact is – in the martial arts you never know what you’re getting and there are a lot more CRAPPY teachers than there are good teachers. And in a completely unregulated industry – anyone can open a school.
Most martial arts teachers barely have a curriculum.
They “show up and throw up” as we like to say. They think of something that day and teach it that night in class with no regard as to where it fits into the grand scheme of things or even who’s in class.
You hardly ever know what’s going to be taught or sometimes who’s going to be teaching. This is why SDC Instructors have a strict curriculum and students use the SDTS video programs to preview and review class. I WISH I HAD THIS when I was training. It would have taken me a fraction of the time to get my first black belt.
Martial arts are still taught by word of mouth…it’s crazy.
In all of the American sports I have played and coached we use film EXTENSIVELY to learn drills, break down situations and create game plans. I mean if you don’t look at film, you’re in the stone age…but still, martial artists refuse.
Part of the resistance is that instructors need to have students dependent on them in order for them to stay longer. They don’t want them to train on their own. They hold the knowledge hostage and make you pay.
Look – I know there are a lot of good people out there teaching – and martial arts has its place, but the model is flawed and when it comes to self defense…it’s just not that complicated. It can’t be.
Train Honestly,
Damian
Well written and accurate insight again Damian. Thanks for always keeping it real. I have trained in both traditional martial arts and of course the SDTS and there really is no comparison. Martial Arts are not necessarily a bad thing, however, they are not Reality Based Self Defense.
Well said Damian I totally agree, I used to like martial arts until I woke up the truths you just mentioned so clearly. I would rather train in the SDTS now as its far better more logical far more practical and effective for self defence and I’m getting far better quality instruction from the SDC than I ever have in all my years of interest in the martial arts in fact since I’ve been a member of SDTS I’ve totally lost all interest in martial arts and now I’m just going to concentrate on the proven methods of the SDTS I’ve finally found the system for me i just wish i would of found SDTS years ago because it would of saved me a lot of time effort and money that i wasted on classical traditional oriental martial arts that ultimately were all bullshit when it comes down to real street fighting self defence. I thank you Damian for showing me the Truth about real self defence and how to train honestly you’ve changed my life for the better.
Well said Damian, I remember learning about self defense more in 10 minutes than 5 years of Tae Kwon Do when I walked into a reality-based system called Senshido at the time… Boy I was shocked that I had been fed all that bullshit about self-defense for years
Damian,,Great Article! So many points-u hitvright on the money. Lots of stories,lots of bs..and keep junior coming..I need a new sports car.Hope I can train with u and your guys again,,meantime,ordering that dummy today.Train Honest..a Whole New Outlook on Preparation/BRAVO!
Bravo! Been a career player for 52 years now in a panoply of styles (Japanese, Maphilindo, Chinese, Israeli, Krav, DNA)
For me, martial arts as defensive tactics is a mixed bag. I use the JKD methodology (take what is useful, shitcãñ the rest). What has been lost in the West vis-a-vis traditional MA is that martial arts is a *lifestyle*. Western kids and some adults do MA as an *activity* like soccer, Little League, weekend warrior stuff.
I do Qigong to start, hit the rowing machine for a half-hour and then work out scenarios on the heavy bag (or with friends if their wives let them off the ball and chain). Cool down with some taichi or bagua walking.
I’m 62+ now and have had to modify some of the more strenuous aspects of fighting techniques…I don’t fight now like I did when I was 30-40 so you have to adjust and train smarter.
As I got older, I think about Steinbeck’s Dictum a lot, “Don’t fight an old man…he’s too old to *fight* and will just kill you instead.”
Sure, I can do pretty bagua changes doing circle walking or Indonesian jurus but if things get nasty, I go pretty basic like ripping out your eyes, eating them and then crushing your nutsack with a blackjack.
Interesting and well written, do you know of any books or bibliography for further reading?
thanks
The history of the martial arts I learned by training in it and studying. You can find the origins of martial arts on their own websites and (dare I say) wikipedia!!!!
But check out Donn Draeger Koryu Jujutsu (guy’s a rock star) and one of my idols.
Also, Fairbairn’s DEFENDU and GET TOUGH – you can find get tough in the SDC library.
Kawaishi’s My Method of Judo and Kimura’s MY JUDO are good places to start.
Exactly! As a former United States Marine and a police officer, combat should be simple, basic quick techniques to end the fight. The military doesnt take years to train up a guy before he goes into real life combat. Yes I believe time is great overall because you only get better, but the basics of real life combat should be fairly simple and quick to arm up the student.
That’s it!
AMEN TO ALL OF YOU GUYS THANK YOU FOR KEEPIN IT REAL – After the first of 5 black belts I began to intensively gear my life and practice toward self defense – growing up in Brooklyn NY and Trenton NJ was very inspiring to that end LOL but 4-real ! You guys are great I really enjoyed the article and the comments
Yup! On point again Damien!
God article. Traditional (post secondary) education is also a business–don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
Good article. Traditional (post secondary) education is also a business–don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
a truth on thisartical ….well writen
@damiansdc I’m looking for some good combatives or self defence books stuff that’s essential to the history of combatives and self defence if you get the time Damian could you recommend some of the essential classics for me stuff that ties in SDTS
Great post with some great history. Agree on all points. Nothing wrong with learning a cultural arts, but lying to students to make them think they can defend themselves is just awful.
It always should and be a simple application with a realistic scenario in every time you train. Fight like you train and train in a realistic situation so you can develop how your body reacts in realistic environment. Thank you.Damien for another great.article.
I was in TaeKwonDo for many years and I learned all the one steps and forms. It was a great work out each time we sparred and practiced. But Damian is correct. I could do very limited moves at first to possibly defend myself. This program teaches you better, more efficient and effective ways to send yourself in a life or death situation.
Spot on Brother! I always said belt’s hold up your pants, Martial Arts is all about muscle memory and kata’s . Ill pass Thank You!
In confrontations, (I have had a few) is the quick and real life straight forward taking control that works best. No crazy stance or yells. Just see, think move and adjust. Finished. Very simple and with the military training and experiences. These really work best. What we learn and teach now, is many steps above what I learned and is even quicker and more effective! Love it!
I would look up American Nihon Jiu-jitsu. Chief Grand Master Matt Willing has developed a system that is 100 % defensive.
It’s a devastating street martial art that revolves around physics. As real as it gets !!!
Yes, most systems have a lot of BS that isnt geared for real battle. This is battle tested. Google ANJ in Huntington , NY….
Bravo! Been a career player for 52 years now in a panoply of styles (Japanese, Maphilindo, Chinese, Israeli, Krav, DNA)
For me, martial arts as defensive tactics is a mixed bag. I use the JKD methodology (take what is useful, shitcãñ the rest). What has been lost in the West vis-a-vis traditional MA is that martial arts is a *lifestyle*. Western kids and some adults do MA as an *activity* like soccer, Little League, weekend warrior stuff.
I do Qigong to start, hit the rowing machine for a half-hour and then work out scenarios on the heavy bag (or with friends if their wives let them off the ball and chain). Cool down with some taichi or bagua walking.
I’m 62+ now and have had to modify some of the more strenuous aspects of fighting techniques…I don’t fight now like I did when I was 30-40 so you have to adjust and train smarter.
As I got older, I think about Steinbeck’s Dictum a lot, “Don’t fight an old man…he’s too old to *fight* and will just kill you instead.”
Sure, I can do pretty bagua changes doing circle walking or Indonesian jurus but if things get nasty, I go pretty basic like ripping out your eyes, eating them and then crushing your nutsack with a blackjack.
This is preposterous. The only thing that was “well written” was your very own self flagellation. Using minimal anecdotes from your own life without providing any sources sans a couple of books. You touch on the belt systems which any martial artist worth his salt would tell you is simply a way for higher belts to know what lower belts should be capable of.
It’s all about making yourself look better. Like you have all of the answers. That’s the number one thing I tell people after my self defesne programs; “Never trust someone who thinks they have all of the answers.”
Frankly, the only “bullshit” artist is you.
Yes, I liked my time learning m Arts, but do feel that those Kara’s/forms are a waste of time And having to take 3 years to earn a Black belt is “overdone”. I could teach someone competent kickboxing and jitsu joint lock skills within one month
Let me reply to you using your own words . . .
“…using minimal anecdotes from your own life without providing any sources sans a couple of books…” What are your MA disciplines? How long? Combat history?
Tell us what ranking you claim to have so we can “…know what lower belts should be capable of…”
“Never trust someone who thinks they have all of the answers.”
and finally
“Frankly, the only “bullshit” artist is you.”
Thanks for illustrating your comment so thoroughly.
Nidan Kodakan Judo
Rokudan Nikyu Jujitsu
Sandan Shotokan Karate
Level Five Instructor SDTS
James,
Let me reply to you using your own words . . .
“…using minimal anecdotes from your own life without providing any sources sans a couple of books…” What are your MA disciplines? How long? Combat history?
Tell us what ranking you claim to have so we can “…know what lower belts should be capable of…”
“Never trust someone who thinks they have all of the answers.”
and finally
“Frankly, the only “bullshit” artist is you.”
Thanks for illustrating your comment so thoroughly.
Nidan Kodakan Judo
Rokudan Nikyu Jujitsu
Sandan Shotokan Karate
Level Five Instructor SDTS
and 35+ years in Law Enforcement
In the business to protect people, not to make money. Which is a good thing since I do more pro bono work than (I bet) you do?
You know, I’d be inclined to give this whole precursor to self aggrandizment a little credibility, if you weren’t trying to sell something. Maybe.
Mostly it just reads like the rantings of one of those guys who thinks way too highly of himself.
Donovan,
Your reply was less aggressive, so I will say, thank you for replying. You are making an assumption. If you study, even a little, you will learn that most of us have spent our lives protecting people that cannot protect themselves against predators they may not know or acknowledge. We have paid our dues, and most of us have the physical and emotional scars to prove it. Think about it.
Nidan Kodakan Judo
Rokudan Nikyu Jujitsu
Sandan Shotokan Karate
Level Five Instructor SDTS
and 35+ years in Law Enforcement
In the business to protect people, not to make money. Which is a good thing since I do more pro bono work than (I bet) you do?
I’m only commenting on this because it came up on my feed. This also reads like a rant and it hurt to read as well. You guys come off as snake oil salesman. I hope people see through your smokescreen and don’t fall into the tactical nerd, out of shape, no alive training trap.
Sorry we “hurt” you.
Always makes me laugh when I see morons who know nothing about Self Protection and/or Combatives responding to an article because they didn’t like the way it was written. You claim “no live training”. Id be happy to have you at my location and show you exactly how we live train. My suggestion would be educate yourself on something before voicing an opinion. Sitting behind your keyboard responding to something because “it came across your feed” certainly doesn’t make you an expert or even slightly qualified. My friend. An opinion is just like an asshole. Everyone’s got one and most people’s stink lol.
Very well article on martial arts and self defense. I took lots of knowledge from this article.
Dear Damian Sir,you wrote mid of article,
sidekick was used to knock the samurai of his horse and in Bando, the Burmese soldier used the khukri to kill samurai at will – BOTH are not substantiated but told as fact to students.
The Khukri is National weapon of Nepal and The Bravest soldiers of the world Gurkha soldiers used it. Burmese soldiers never used it.
So please correct your article. Yes our Grandpa’s fought in Burma against Japanese forces.
Thank you very much for your understanding
I want to read your more n more article dear
Sincerely yours
Dan Gurung
9th Dan
World International Martial Arts Society.
8th Dan
Martial arts university.
6th Dan
Aikido
Shodan
Judo
Chief Instructor
Nepal Aikido
Certified Aikido Instructor from Aikido Nippon kan USA and Aikikai Kobayashi Aikido Dojo Japan
Creator of GKMA.
Dan, I was told those stories.
3rd Bando Nationals Sparring, Black Belt Division (I don’t post all my credentials…it looks tacky).
Thanks Damian for another well written and very informative article.
I read above that other members are interested in “Combative” books so may I recommend the following:-
Mikinosuke Kawaishi – “My method of self defence” – available as a free download.
Bruce Tegner – “The complete book of Jukado self defence”
Best regards,
Steve (Italy)
Excellent article. My experiences have led me to the same conclusions.
One thing I didn’t know when I first started my martial arts journey was that martial arts academies really do make you pay (money) for every stripe/belt earned.
Also, in my experience I have found that the common man believes all black belts to be the same as though there is a standard to which all black belts attain and keep. Nothing could be further from the truth, there is no regulation, buyer be where.
I’ve trained in different styles, I’m currently enjoying bjj as a hobby, but one needs to acknowledge all martial arts have their limitations as do their practitioners.
One of the best movies that highlights what life is like for practitioners of martial arts is, “The Foot Fist Way” watch it, learn and laugh.
Damian,
very good point.
I will have to say that your courses are karate (etc..) without the BS…
There are things you can get from karate and kata but you have to do alot of research to find out what some of the movements mean… when you do, then you see that your course material already had it covered and I didn’t have to do bunkai to figure it out… :-)…
YES!!!!!
Look – we didn’t invent this…we just distilled it.
Hello SDTS team,
I see lots of comments were written about this article :-) I’ve spent 7 years to get my black belt and should admit, that Damian is absolutely right about marketing and branding sides of martial arts business. It is very profitable business.
BUT, at the same time, attending martial arts classes creates the character of an attend, gives him/her power to get what you want in life, not to stop in front of obstacles, builds your core and does many other good physiological things. Therefore, from this point of view I am very thankful to my senseis who taught me all those years while I was their student. But from practical point of view, it is nothing comparing to SDTS, for example, and I have to admit it, because it’s the truth.
Thank you for this article. It makes sense.
Agreed Konstantin, I love the discipline, respect, work ethic and physical training of martial arts. Let’s be honest, they are FUN. This training is also fun, but has real world application and, most importantly, it WORKS!
Martial arts is choreography. But if you like dancing, I think actual dancing would better build your balance and ability to move around.
For example, boxing is the “sweet science.” Because it’s choreography. If a guy throws that punch then you counter with this punch. On and on.
Think about it: There’s no such thing as a jab, right cross, left hook, etc. These are nonsensical concepts. In real life, I have to hit whatever’s open from wherever a convenient tool is at. There are a million types of punches and strikes. But you see how boxers and martial artists can’t see the forest for the trees. The forest is that I have to be able to strike to anywhere from anywhere. It might visually look like a left jabhookcross.
Martial arts is literally choreography. And that’s what professional fighting is. Professionals dancing with each other for money.
Violence is unbelievably simple. Literally, you can learn it in minutes. The real skill development needs to be in increasing your mobility and vision and awareness and mindset.
Sports – generally ANY sports – have all but one of those; they lack the mindset.
Sports are excellent for building your mobility/balance, your vision and peripheral awareness, etc. But mentally the problem is that you have a sport mindset WHILE utilizing these incredibly valuable skill sets.
Classic example: Any time you see professional basketball players fight, it looks pretty bad. Clumsy punches from gangly limbs swingin all over the place.
Why?
Because even though pro ball players ALREADY have the physical mobility and coordination to really wreak havoc and quite proficiently, when they get into a fight their MIND switches to this phantom boxing or martial arts mode. And they don’t practice boxing — they practice basketball — so they look stupid trying to box.
I see this with pretty much all pro athletes. These people should fuck others up WITH EASE! Why not? Because their BRAINS switch to this phantom fighting mode, which they’ve completely COMPARTMENTALIZED from their incredible physical skill sets, thereby negating ALL of their physical assets.
I mean, I personally find basketball footwork to be incredibly useful to the arena of violence. It’s basically a million drop steps. A good defender has incredible balance and grace and footwork. Likewise, a good ball handler. Look at The Professor on Youtube.
Now, all you gotta do if you’re a ball player in a fight is MOVE EXACTLY THE SAME WAY and strike a vital target. A good defender is always swatting at the ball. Trying to poke it out, intercept, etc. This is like striking at a really fast moving head!
I mean, for Christ’s sake, a pro ball player is like 98 percent of the way to extremely dangerous, but for a shift in their mindset.
This kind of shift is really what Jesus meant when He said, “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” In other words, change your perspective, because it’s staring you right in the face.
People have literally been programmed into incompetence with respect to violence, through TV and movies and fake, horseshit fighting leagues full of circus acts.
Think about a soccer player. They spend a good deal of time in grappling range with other players, kicking the shit out of a little ball. A minor shift in mindset — do you really want a soccer player kicking you anywhere? And soccer players have mastered the most effective form of close combat kicking anyway. I’d rather risk getting kicked by a Muay Thai fighter.
Except that the Muay Thai fighter at least is thinking in terms of a fight. A soccer player has completely sequestered a VERY DEVASTATING skill set in the tight confines of…sport.
But kicking is kicking. And soccer players are incredibly mobile. Just imagine a multiple attacker scenario where a psycho soccer player is shaking and baking like they’re on a soccer field, and breaking legs right and left. Totally possible.
Basically any sport that requires you to violently run around and have to change direction on a dime is INCREDIBLY relevant to the field of violence. This is like 95 percent of the skill and ability that you need.
I mean, if you can fake someone out so bad with a basketball that they fall on their ass, it would be CHILD’S PLAY to intentionally murder them with your bare hands while moving the EXACT SAME WAY.
As you may know, the assumptions from the system here regarding your potential attacker are that he (she or it) has intent to seriously harm you, has friends, and has a weapon.
Knowing nice techniques for hurting someone is like 5 percent of violence. Is there ANYONE who doesn’t know hitting someone in the throat is unpleasant…at best?
Mobility and balance and vision and awareness are the things that require DISCIPLINE and TRAINING. Knowing that I can hit you in the throat requires NO TRAINING.
But if I’m a lazy, unmotivated asshat, it’s probably going to be tough to pull that off under real stress, against multiple people. Who are shooting at me. With grenade launchers.
So, I think sports are great for training purposes if you think of them that way. And they also provide you a way to build real life fitness and mobility while having fun.
I would also add two more assumptions about your would be attacker(s): That they can feel no pain, and that they can read your mind.
Those might sound bizarre but they will greatly streamline your approach. To recap:
The bad guy…
Wants to hurt you real bad or kill you
Has a bunch of associates also with ill intent
Has weapons (and a drone overhead)
Can feel no pain
Can read your mind
Those last two are not jokes. If the guy can feel no pain, then you MUST do structural damage or worse. Structural damage I would identify as damage which IMMEDIATELY destroys balance. Or consciousness.
Second, you must remove conscious thought as much as possible from your actions and reactions. Another benefit to sport. The benefit of sport is MOVEMENT. Movement is 99 percent of the battle. The one percent is the throat strike. Or whatever.
But conscious thought is too slow, too open to doubt, too telegraphing…on and on.
This is why martial arts are choreography. Under stress and pressure, you can’t even consciously remember most of that shit, or pull it off effectively.
What you want to end up looking like is an unbelievably violent baby throwing a temper tantrum. I’m sure everyone has been accidentally poked in the eye at least once by a baby, or momentarily stunned in some other way.
Violence is easy. What’s really lacking from people is the will to do it, and the mindset to apply it. Because a lot of people — and definitely athletes — already possess 99 percent of the equation. But they’ve compartmentalized their physical assets in the realm of recreation, and they have this stereotypical-Hollywood-professional wrestling I mean UFC-martial arts concept of combat.
Combat is me hitting you in the fuckin head with a brick. And because I’m so gotdamn fast and agile there ain’t shit you can do to stop me. I could’ve been fakin you out with a basketball, but instead I decided to hit you with a brick. What if The Professor thought that?
Literally, all this requires is a shift of perspective. A lot of people have UNBELIEVABLY dangerous skill sets. The ultimate skill is balance and mobility, with respect to physical violence.
Especially in the context of multiple attackers. Because think: You want multiple attackers stackin up like a SWAT entry team. If the SWAT team is comin for you, you don’t want a firing squad — you want a shooting gallery.
If you’re not mobile, you’re fucked. If you got multiple guys, you gotta violently sprint at one of them on the end, going for the eyes or throat. You want to keep moving in such a way so that as they keep having to chase you they keep lining up as much as possible in a line, or running into each other changing direction.
A simple illustration: Ten guys come at you. You take off at a sprint. They chase but they’re not all equally fast. You string em out, then you turn around and sprint back directly at them at full speed.
That’s the basic idea of moving against multiple attackers. And the inferior force absolutely must attack the superior force first with extreme violence and speed. How are you going to do that if you’re just a fat fuck who watches videos? But a great basketball defender or soccer player or football player could absolutely do this. If they didn’t have this fake fuckin martial arts/boxing archetype in their head.
There is no magic to any of this. Just carefully honed psychosis. And great balance and mobility.
So, learn a few strikes. Great. But play a sport for fun and fitness. Workout and develop your balance and mobility.
Like, how many gun owners only practice shooting at a piece of paper that never moves? Wouldn’t you like to practice rolling across floors, and falling down the stairs and shit? That’s real life, baby.
By the way, another pet peeve of mine in addition to martial arts and MMA is anything involving the words “tactical” or “special forces.” Or “Navy SEALS,” who, for whatever reason, have been turned into a platoon of carnival barkers. Is there anything NOT endorsed by a Navy SEAL? Thanks asshole, I’ve already got the pushup down pretty good. Maybe next product. What are we up to now, like 28 Navy SEAL movies. I’m pretty much sick of these clowns.
And anything with the word tactical attached to it is for wannabes and losers. Want tactical? How about a fuckin hammer, or an axe? Will that suffice? Great.
Aside from the fact that a lot of these assholes are considered “special” and yet apparently train in MMA and Jujitsu for “combat” training (what planet are we living on here?) just because a team of spec-ops guys does things a certain way, doesn’t mean that you should. You need to think for yourself, because sadly a lot of these characters even if legit are still actors.
As an example, a team of guys is clearing a house. They go in and basically a team operates like a defensive line in football. That is, everybody’s got a lane and an assignment. So maybe each guy’s covering like 45 degrees of vision, depending on the space. Basically, it’s an assassination squad. Easy to keep looking thru your sights like that. It’s fuckin three in the morning, and you’re about to shoot a guy who’s sleeping cuz someone ordered you to. Great reason to kill.
But, see, I think, what if I’m the guy they’re comin for? I certainly can’t use their tactics. I can’t walk around like an idiot lookin thru a sight like that. I’ve got 360 degrees to cover — in a fuckin sphere no less. Up, down, everywhere.
I recently read some pro-shooter guy’s summary of how to clear your house like a SWAT team. Unbelievably nonsensical horseshit. All the usual “tactical” gibber blabber bullshit terms. Slicing the pie. Blah, blah…I finished reading it holding a brick for some reason.
Look, if there’s a guy hiding in your house WITH A GUN, and you go looking for him — YOU’RE GOING TO DIE! There is NO way to clear your house in such a manner as to avoid a guy with a gun who’s waiting for you from shooting you dead at his leisure.
I’ve about had it with the clown circus that is tactical special forces Navy SEAL Spetsnaz bloobedy blah. I run from anything remotely associated with this horeshit. I don’t even want to use ACTUAL special forces tactics. Because I’m me and not them, and they’re professional wind up toys and I think for myself. A whole helluva lot better.
Again, though, what they are is guys who are fit and mobile. And who can shoot accurately and play with high tech shit. Not impressed. If all you do every day is shoot and play with high tech shit and run and workout, then you’d better be in shape and competent. That’s not an achievement. That’s called doing your fuckin job. Don’t expect congratulations.
This idol worship is over the fuckin top. But it’s right in the same vein as martial arts and MMA, etc, etc. I accidentally typed “marital arts.” More appropriate actually.
Anyway, to finish the one brief example: If there’s a guy – or worse, multiple guys – waiting in your house with a gun, or guns, it would be suicide to try to clear your house in ANY manner. And let’s not forget that you’d be trying to clear a house made out of fuckin BALSA WOOD! There is NO cover ANYWHERE! Jesus Christ.
But even if you’re in an old 1920s bunker like we got here in Detroit and outside Detroit in some areas — back when they built real houses — you still face the same problem, although you have more options.
What you’re going to need in that situation is patience and deception. What makes a clearing attempt suicidal for YOU……also makes an EXIT attempt suicidal for THEM! See where this is going.
Instead of walking into their trap, you have to reverse it and set your own. Patience is one of the greatest attributes you will ever master. And you’ll never master it.
Also highly beneficial in a fight. Because sometimes you want to stop moving completely to better time a move. Great running backs sometimes come to a complete stop — WHILE being chased. Patience requires mental…balance. Physical and mental balance are the real skill sets to never stop improving. Ever.
So, just a hodge podge of examples illustrating how many people have a really fucked up concept of violence and they have this cartoon archetype in their head of a fancy martial artist, and they think they have to throw out all common sense and turn into this mythical creature to deal with or to deal out violence.
Action movies are basically like police state and CIA propaganda flicks. Got it? The requirement for joining the CIA is extreme narcissism, not crazy hand to hand skills. Jason Bourne would get brutally murdered in real life. This is all horse shit.
Violence is incredibly simple, direct, and uncomplicated. What separates the practitioners is their will to employ it, their mental and physical balance, and their vision. You don’t need to learn more techniques. A handful will do. Balance and vision can ALWAYS improve, and so I think people should work on these in different ways that they enjoy and can maintain.
Movement is movement. Whether you’re playin ball or striking someone. Basically, sports ARE martial arts. ALL sports are martial arts.
Cuz the original sport was WAR! But you know…there’s a body count involved… So they basically just started compartmentalizing the idea of moving around and called that sports.
It’s all just moving around. Moving here..OH…now I’ll move there. OOPS…I think I’ll move neither here nor there… Where then? Maybe in a cage!