Do you have a dumb question that you're kind of embarrassed to ask in the main thread? Is there something you're just not sure about?
This is your opportunity to ask questions. No question too simple or too silly.
Culture war topics are accepted, and proposals for a better intro post are appreciated.
Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
Notes -
Totally agree. Unless you’re in fairly regular training and hard full resistance sparring alongside a fairly heavy training program, you’ll be more likely to get into trouble with “self defense” than to get out of it. Not because the arts are bad, but because they cannot cover things that are likely to happen (weapons, especially guns, multiple attackers, obstacles, fighting on concrete), and because again most people don’t train seriously enough to pull off their moves in an emergency situation against a fully prepared opponent. It mostly leads (especially for women) to people not being weary enough to avoid sketchy situations and not being aware enough to notice that Theres danger around. Women are probably better off knowing less because if they start thinking they know self defense, they’ll be more likely to stay out too late, or go to bad neighborhoods, or get too drunk in public. Then they end up in a situation where they’re alone trying to defend themselves from a guy who has 120 pounds on them using a technique they practiced one time at the YMCA in a class taught by a black belt guy who hasn’t been in tournaments in 5 years and has never been in an actual fight. It will obviously fail, and the woman will be pretty much screwed at that point.
I think (to your point) self-defense stuff is probably really good from the perspective of "learning how to take a hit" but no sane martial arts program will let you practice some of the most effective offensive moves (for instance, biting and snapping fingers - which I would guess are probably even more effective than the famed crotch grab, particularly if you're dealing with a rape attempt). I met a guy who was in the deeply unfortunate position of being in a grappling fight against someone with a gun once and he won by biting, which convinced his assailant that it was no longer worth continuing his wicked endeavors that day.
If you're actually in a self-defense scenario, you should be trying your darndest to cheat in a way that will plausibly cripple someone. I don't train for this sort of thing, but if I did I'd hope that if I ever had to actually do something (in a self-defense situation specifically) I wouldn't let my wicked right hook or whatever get in the way of something smarter.
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link