I've had one occasion to use my martial arts training for self defense. The parts that worked were - maintaining a calm disposition, maintaining distance and guarding my face. My attacker eventually left, since I did not fall apart in fear, let him hit me or grab me. I had learned TKD when I was young and later aikido and kenjutsu. It was the aikido skills that mostly mattered then, enabling me to move the conflict leftward on your scale rather than escalating with return strikes.
This is why I don't worry about self defense anymore. I always thought the goal of practicing martial art is to find peace of mind. When you don't have to prove anything to anyone.
To really be able to defend yourself definitively, you probably have to be a pro. Just the unarmed skills alone are pretty extensive and you'd have to have some level of athleticism to use them effectively. Then if you add knife, stick, etc. defenses to that, is a whole new thing. I haven't said anything about firearms training, which requires a lot of range time and tactical training to be able to shoot effectively without hitting an innocent bystander. And none of this is a guarantee of safety for yourself or those you might need to protect. A lot of people just don't get it.
I started doing Judo three months ago and I came into it knowing full well it's not really for self-defense, since you need a gi to do a lot of the stuff. I don't really care about that though, I practice Judo for the sake of Judo.
The only challenge with a grappling martial arts in self defense is closing the distance. Whether it's wrestling, jiujitsu, judo etc. Once you grab hold of your attacker he's in your world now. You can take him down with a simple hips toss and under hooks. Because he's untrained.
Judo is probably the best single discipline for practical self-defence. You learn, balance, how to fall or be thrown safely, you build core strength. Then there's about three or four simple, infallible, takedown technique, joint manipulation and one or two basic forms of striking Job is done, Grasshopper. Give it two years and you'll see.
re gi: I think I have a 'gi' equivalent amount of purchase on my clothing 6-8 months of the year, when I'm out. I guess this will vary with climate, but mine is not even particularly cold. In a simulation of actual assault, as opposed to of a essentially consensual streetfight, I'd wanna train in a gi vs an opponent w no gi, as they get to choose to have less purchase on their body before initiating a fight. They're even likely bald, and I'd have hair that could be pulled, as they can choose that advantage too, and I won't for such a remote scenario where I live - but I guess no rules would ever allow using that anyhow.
Look at real life situations. How does a bouncer work? Keep your back safe, situational awareness, talk talk talk, if physical is necessary: be the first hit (to jaw/liver/nose). But most important know who is in front of you and have backup.
Let me explain something. First I'm 53. When I was young I wrestled and boxed. I also trained in the military. Never thought much of it because I stayed in shape. Now I'm 5'6 around 150. I was small enough people wanted to fight me. I was big enough it didn't look like they was picking on the little guy. Also I can be a bit of a asshole. I did ok in bars lost a few, an thought I won some. Now as I got older out of shape I had a home invasion. 5 maybe 6 people broke my arm pistol whipped me. It changed everything wrestling is great before knee injuries boxing works until your hurt. After that, I wanted to be good with both hands. I also wanted a training that older man and small woman could use. I was looking for hapkido because I trained in that 25 years ago (only for a few months). Instead I found Filipino martial arts kali,arnis, fcs,ptk. All are basically the same. I love it an train in it 3-4 times a week. What kali did was introduce me to small circle jujitsu which is exactly what I've been looking for. Every art uses some of professor Wally Jay's techniques. So why learn others interpretations. I went straight to the masters program. My advice as a person that has lived through more violence then most. I lived 20+ years in Baltimores ghettos. A funny thing my instructor said after training in aikido for 10 years he found small circle which is aikido but in a more functional way. Nobody can doubt locks work it's how you get to them. Also how to flow when a lock doesn't work on a certain person or certain position. Most of all small circle doesn't follow bjj faults. Going to the ground will get your head stomped. Rules are for the ring self-defense is for your life.
@@ChuShinTani it would be nice if there were more open, frank discussions about this type of thing in martial arts, but people often don't want to see the truth, even when it is staring them in the face. There are 3 Siblings; Martial Arts, Match Fighting, and Self-Defence. They come from the same family, and there is some overlap, but they are three different things.
Most martial arts schools don't teach most aspects of self defense. They don't teach situational awareness. They don't teach de-escalation. Developing that presence that makes you less of a target, may happen as a biproduct, but its something that can be focused on. These can be taught to students who aren't as athletic or are older than your typical competitive sport fighter and are likely more valuable. Instead most martial arts schools focus on the "sexy" part which is techniques/sparring.
Humans have been defending themselves without training since the dawn of our species. It's an oddity of civilisation that it has in the last few decades made most of us worse at defending ourselves. You don't need a huge amoutt of skill or strength to maim or kill in self defence. You will need good skills to convince the legal system that it was a lawful use of force though. What if you can't defend yourself? Welcoome to the world that most severely disabled people live in. How do disabled people socialise their self defence? It's as simple as not getting isolated. Good self defence starts with getting rid of the idea that you are an isolated indivdual and that you have to do everything on your own.
Great video. I listen to your podcast, good stuff. Have you guys ever thought of consistently posting a supplementary UA-cam video to go with the podcast? Thanks for all that you share. Osu.
Glad you enjoyed the video! We have thought about doing a video to go along with the podcast- but honestly it's just too much work at this point- the editing of the podcast and my videos already takes up a lot of time, one more video a week sounds pretty overwhelming to me right now. Maybe one day we'll find the money or time- it is a good idea. thanks for listening!
I’ve had people over the years ask me to teach them self defense. My answer has been that I’m a martial arts instructor, but if they want to learn true self defense to go to your local police station and ask how do people get in situations in the first place. The Wild West no law days are long gone. Self defense is knowing the law.
Contact sports don't teach you how to fight they teach you how to compete. A sport is not combat, at least not true street combat anyway. I've had the benefit of Art (dojo) martial arts / Sport Combat (mma) and street fights. Truly the only real reality-based training for street is, well, street. The Art aspect is useless the Sport aspects gets you too programed for rules but the street aspects is the only way to actual be close to ready for a street aspect fight. I've been at martial arts, one way or the other, for the last 44 years and will never stop.
I've had one occasion to use my martial arts training for self defense. The parts that worked were - maintaining a calm disposition, maintaining distance and guarding my face. My attacker eventually left, since I did not fall apart in fear, let him hit me or grab me. I had learned TKD when I was young and later aikido and kenjutsu. It was the aikido skills that mostly mattered then, enabling me to move the conflict leftward on your scale rather than escalating with return strikes.
This is why I don't worry about self defense anymore. I always thought the goal of practicing martial art is to find peace of mind. When you don't have to prove anything to anyone.
To really be able to defend yourself definitively, you probably have to be a pro. Just the unarmed skills alone are pretty extensive and you'd have to have some level of athleticism to use them effectively. Then if you add knife, stick, etc. defenses to that, is a whole new thing. I haven't said anything about firearms training, which requires a lot of range time and tactical training to be able to shoot effectively without hitting an innocent bystander. And none of this is a guarantee of safety for yourself or those you might need to protect. A lot of people just don't get it.
mma fighter, and practicioner of boxing, bjj, etc, i agree 100 percent.
I started doing Judo three months ago and I came into it knowing full well it's not really for self-defense, since you need a gi to do a lot of the stuff.
I don't really care about that though, I practice Judo for the sake of Judo.
The only challenge with a grappling martial arts in self defense is closing the distance. Whether it's wrestling, jiujitsu, judo etc. Once you grab hold of your attacker he's in your world now. You can take him down with a simple hips toss and under hooks. Because he's untrained.
Judo is probably the best single discipline for practical self-defence. You learn, balance, how to fall or be thrown safely, you build core strength. Then there's about three or four simple, infallible, takedown technique, joint manipulation and one or two basic forms of striking Job is done, Grasshopper. Give it two years and you'll see.
re gi: I think I have a 'gi' equivalent amount of purchase on my clothing 6-8 months of the year, when I'm out. I guess this will vary with climate, but mine is not even particularly cold.
In a simulation of actual assault, as opposed to of a essentially consensual streetfight, I'd wanna train in a gi vs an opponent w no gi, as they get to choose to have less purchase on their body before initiating a fight. They're even likely bald, and I'd have hair that could be pulled, as they can choose that advantage too, and I won't for such a remote scenario where I live - but I guess no rules would ever allow using that anyhow.
If you study self-defence and go to pugilism in conflict it means that you missed self-defence part already and had to rely on your pugilism skills.
Look at real life situations. How does a bouncer work? Keep your back safe, situational awareness, talk talk talk, if physical is necessary: be the first hit (to jaw/liver/nose).
But most important know who is in front of you and have backup.
Let me explain something. First I'm 53. When I was young I wrestled and boxed. I also trained in the military.
Never thought much of it because I stayed in shape. Now I'm 5'6 around 150. I was small enough people wanted to fight me. I was big enough it didn't look like they was picking on the little guy. Also I can be a bit of a asshole.
I did ok in bars lost a few, an thought I won some.
Now as I got older out of shape I had a home invasion. 5 maybe 6 people broke my arm pistol whipped me.
It changed everything wrestling is great before knee injuries boxing works until your hurt.
After that, I wanted to be good with both hands. I also wanted a training that older man and small woman could use.
I was looking for hapkido because I trained in that 25 years ago (only for a few months). Instead I found Filipino martial arts kali,arnis, fcs,ptk. All are basically the same.
I love it an train in it 3-4 times a week.
What kali did was introduce me to small circle jujitsu which is exactly what I've been looking for. Every art uses some of professor Wally Jay's techniques. So why learn others interpretations. I went straight to the masters program.
My advice as a person that has lived through more violence then most. I lived 20+ years in Baltimores ghettos.
A funny thing my instructor said after training in aikido for 10 years he found small circle which is aikido but in a more functional way.
Nobody can doubt locks work it's how you get to them. Also how to flow when a lock doesn't work on a certain person or certain position.
Most of all small circle doesn't follow bjj faults. Going to the ground will get your head stomped. Rules are for the ring self-defense is for your life.
Thanks for sharing your ideas. I always find it interesting to explore my thoughts surrounding the topics you present. ✌️
You're the right Man to teach this in my humble opinion. Great video.
clever thoughts and actions: keep posting about them
Kindred spirit, buddy.
Glad to hear it!
@@ChuShinTani it would be nice if there were more open, frank discussions about this type of thing in martial arts, but people often don't want to see the truth, even when it is staring them in the face. There are 3 Siblings; Martial Arts, Match Fighting, and Self-Defence. They come from the same family, and there is some overlap, but they are three different things.
This is a little different than where I have been going, and I like it. :)
Great explanation. I think for actual physical combat, BJJ does have a lot of street cred.
Most martial arts schools don't teach most aspects of self defense. They don't teach situational awareness. They don't teach de-escalation. Developing that presence that makes you less of a target, may happen as a biproduct, but its something that can be focused on. These can be taught to students who aren't as athletic or are older than your typical competitive sport fighter and are likely more valuable.
Instead most martial arts schools focus on the "sexy" part which is techniques/sparring.
Nice job/well put
Thank you!
Humans have been defending themselves without training since the dawn of our species. It's an oddity of civilisation that it has in the last few decades made most of us worse at defending ourselves.
You don't need a huge amoutt of skill or strength to maim or kill in self defence. You will need good skills to convince the legal system that it was a lawful use of force though.
What if you can't defend yourself? Welcoome to the world that most severely disabled people live in. How do disabled people socialise their self defence? It's as simple as not getting isolated. Good self defence starts with getting rid of the idea that you are an isolated indivdual and that you have to do everything on your own.
Good arguments.
Great video. I listen to your podcast, good stuff. Have you guys ever thought of consistently posting a supplementary UA-cam video to go with the podcast? Thanks for all that you share. Osu.
Glad you enjoyed the video! We have thought about doing a video to go along with the podcast- but honestly it's just too much work at this point- the editing of the podcast and my videos already takes up a lot of time, one more video a week sounds pretty overwhelming to me right now. Maybe one day we'll find the money or time- it is a good idea.
thanks for listening!
What is the podcast called?
"Aikido Discussed"
@@ChuShinTani thank you!
Quite good angle mate.
Thanks!
Where is the next video? 😅
I’ve had people over the years ask me to teach them self defense. My answer has been that I’m a martial arts instructor, but if they want to learn true self defense to go to your local police station and ask how do people get in situations in the first place.
The Wild West no law days are long gone. Self defense is knowing the law.
Link to your Patreon page?
Patreon.com/christopherhein
Contact sports don't teach you how to fight they teach you how to compete. A sport is not combat, at least not true street combat anyway. I've had the benefit of Art (dojo) martial arts / Sport Combat (mma) and street fights. Truly the only real reality-based training for street is, well, street. The Art aspect is useless the Sport aspects gets you too programed for rules but the street aspects is the only way to actual be close to ready for a street aspect fight. I've been at martial arts, one way or the other, for the last 44 years and will never stop.