Martial-arts:NOT for Self DefenseHome > Personal Security > Martial Arts
Martial-arts: are they adequate for Personal Defense? There is apparently confusion and misunderstanding concerning the purpose and the usefulness of Martial Arts in the context of Personal Defense. It should be understood loud and clear that Self Defense is almost never to be achieved by applying Martial-arts. See our page on Self Defense. Martial Arts are a whole set of bare hands (and feet) combat disciplines, mostly originating from East Asia, that encourage and promote body fitness and development, through practices of concentration and self-improvement, and through exhausting physical exercise using well defined techniques. Martial-arts should be properly described as sporting activities. There is a measure of individual prowess to be achieved by personal application, and a competitive side, usually displayed through a match, performed under strict rules, where opponents confront each other to develop skill and swiftness. The results of the confrontation, to be performed gradually from the simplest exercises to the more complex ones, permit to demonstrate and to grade the personal capability of every competitor according to established rules. The passage from one level of fitness to a higher one is celebrated by rituals and attested by external signs, like a belt of a given color that only those having passed the test and its challenges are allowed to wear. Apart from the bodily physical improvement achieved by those practicing the Martial-arts, there is a common consent that by submitting to the required discipline of training, coordination between mind and body is enhanced, personality and moral characters are improved, resulting in deeper self-confidence and in better exploitation of one's talents. This contention can be partially true, depending on details of personality traits of the individual athletes. The motives that may induce somebody to undertake training in Martial-arts can be various and licit. They should not be ill conceived, though, to presume that training in Martial-arts will make them invincible in any street fight. It would be a pity to engage in the Martial-arts sport for the wrong motives. The description of Martial-arts as a sport permits to dispel any illusions relative to their merits as suitable tools to apply in street fights for Personal Defense.
The reason that this argument has to be mentioned in the first place is because a few Martial-arts trainers, because of ignorance or because of commercial pressure, may be convinced that the Personal Defense aspect is a strong selling point for their courses, and they should not omit to point it out, either explicitly or tacitly. Unfortunately this point of view involving misconceptions, if adopted by the trainees, unconsciously or purposefully, far from saving them from accidents, may get them involved in useless and dangerous confrontations especially if their confidence in being able to manage violent clashes is in fact not justified. For one thing, with their preparation, they may feel quite sure of themselves, and too proud to leave the stage without a combat, especially if under social pressure from their reference group. Their urge to stand up and fight may be catastrophic to their survival if their occasional opponent, who might be a criminal, is not bound to use fair play. On the contrary, if they are quite capable, they may be carried away by the enthusiasm of the fight and inflict irreversible harm to their enemy even if they could escape the danger without doing so. Their actions will then have to be defended in court, in case their excuses claiming self-defense are not accepted and they may be forced to bear (in jail) the consequences of their confusion. Summing up, one can agree that engaging in Martial-arts as a sport and social activity may be a healthy way to exploit one's exuberance, while addressing physical benefits and moral improvements. What cannot be justified is the false argument that an expert in Martial-arts is better equipped to engage in Self Defense. This untrue contention, if permitted to influence one's choices, far from rescuing somebody, might cause irreversible damage and anguish. See also our new page on Personal Security. For any Questions, Comments or Feedback, please write us by e-mail. Use the Form reached by clicking on the Contact Us button in the NavBar, at top left of every page of this Website.
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