The biggest problem with martial arts and self defense

Martial arts and self defense as taught today is about fighting when it should be about surviving.

Why is it that way? The reason is simple - the majority of self defense is derived from martial arts. Martial arts are about fighting.
Also, all competitive martial sports are about fighting.
These two things encompass (almost) the entire world of self defense and martial arts today.

If we are serious about the goal most people have with studying self defense - survival - then we must rethink everything we are teaching.

Which martial art do I recommend to people?

I get a lot of emails asking "what martial art should I take?". I kind of answered (in a long winded way) in my post about ALL sorts of martial arts you could study. Thing is, the people who end up on my blog are generally looking for the arts that *I* would study and want to study something similar.

Currently, Krav Maga is always the first one I recommend to people who have never taken a class before or have very limited experience. Krav Maga is the best thing you will find for every day self defense. Even the seasoned practitioner can learn something here.

To those who want to learn weapons or have experience I always recommend Kali/Escrima/Arnis. It's great for anyone who is well-experienced in an art already and is comfortable with themselves self-defense-wise.


Personally I think both of them are still significantly lacking in many respects (which is why this blog exists). Unfortunately, I have yet to find a style that I would recommend over either of them.

Escape and distance creation

The first concept for components for a new martial art. This relates directly with goal-based martial arts.

I very unscientifically estimate that around 99% of personal assault should be met with the goal of escape. Distance creation is directly related to escape. What can it give you?

• The ability to completely avoid a fight
• Time to survive, yell or people to see you
• Space
• Time to think
• Time to find a weapon

Escape and distance creation doesn't necessarily mean getting out of a hold. It doesn't mean pushing away even. It can be as simple as stepping backwards or giving a verbal warning.

Typically, modern martial arts teach us to restrain, attack, defend and escape all at equal levels of importance.

Rare are the cases for the average person in which you would need to do something other than escape or create distance. Generally, if nothing else is at risk other thank your own life and safety, you should not consider doing anything but escaping.


Some will argue that modern martial arts teach escape "too". The real question is not whether or not they teach it, but why, since it is the 95-99% case, it is not trained 95-99% of the time.

Status update and an overview of this site's past and future

I haven't written in awhile, but I haven't abandoned this blog. Got a new job semi-recently and it has been consuming (happily for me) a large portion of my time.

The future

The main point of most of what I have produced so far is that the way we teach martial arts traditionally and competitively is nonsensical for the average person's requirements as far as everyday self defense goes.

The future of this blog will be dedicated more to the ways we can improve on current methods. Most of it will center around the hierarchy of defense. Much will be experimental and theoretical. I am prepared to be completely wrong in my hypotheses and welcome everyone to break them down and destroy them. Stay tuned.

The best martial art

The best gun is the one that you will carry and shoot. (not the one that is the most expensive, the one that is the most powerful or even has the 'best' caliber)
The best career is the one you will enjoy doing. (not the one that pays the most, makes you the most influential or makes you famous)

The best martial art is the one that you will enjoy, study and use. (not the one that everyone says is the best, looks the coolest or is even the most [somehow quantifiably] practical)

Don't go to the ground on the street video examples

Mainly meant to be humorous, but this is a fine example of why you don't want to go to the ground when there are multiple attackers.



Edit!

Yet another example during training (video starts where it happens):

(thanks to KittyofcomBATON from combaton players forum for this last video)