So, self defense?

There are a lot of misconceptions about self defense. And, of course, in true fashion of the Internet Age, there are hundreds, thousands of people – sensei’s, masters, grandmasters (a lot self-appointed) – who will brag that they’ve got the best system, the best techniques, the quickest way to subdue an opponent.

Sure, fine.

But what is self defense? Because apart from the weekend warriors, the 22-year old 6^th Dan Grandmasters and the MMA squad, there are also a lot of people who think self defense is for girls (in the derogatory sense). It’s for sissies. It’s for wimps and pushovers. Real men do kick boxing. If you really want to hurt someone, you do MMA. All self defense is is how to use your safety whistle, apparently.

Self defense is defined as “a countermeasure that involves defending the health and well-being of oneself from harm” by Wikipedia. Collins Dictionary says it is “…the use of force to protect yourself against someone who is attacking” and Dictionary.com defines it as “the use of reasonable force to protect oneself or members of the family from bodily harm from the attack of an aggressor, if the defender has reason to believe he/she/they is/are in danger”.

So self defense is definitely a forcible action. But it isn’t just blindly punching someone in the face (sorry) or kicking in the groin (which is actually quite predictable). Self defense means you will use whatever is at hand to protect yourself. That should include using your mind first.

There are a lot of obvious self defense tips being touted about on the Internet, and not walking down a dark alley alone at night should be common sense by now. But some situations change in the blink of an eye and most people don’t walk around expecting trouble around every corner.

True self defense will teach you how to go into defense and survival mode in a split second – so you don’t have to walk around expecting trouble, but you’re ready when it happens. It teaches you awareness of your surroundings – a thing you’d think is obvious but really isn’t. Most people aren’t aware of their surroundings at all, especially if they’ve got a smartphone in hand. Self defense teaches you critical thinking – what is happening, why is it happening, what is the appropriate response – and empowers you to take action and control.

There’s a lot of psychology behind self defense, and if you’re not being taught the theory and the legal aspects, it’s not self defense, it’s just another sport.

And let’s get to the force. A lot of these systems being flouted as self defense is little more than a sport in big boots. Self defense means being able to defend yourself in any situation without having to go through a kata, a set of poses, or rigid techniques taught in a specific order and learned like a parrot. It adapts, and flows, and changes. Because the attacker isn’t going to take a martial arts stance. He’s going to stab you like a gangster and that fancy martial art didn’t teach you how to defend against that. (FYI, throwing up your arms against a knife attack gives your attacker even more places to cut you.)

So self defense isn’t just for the wimps and the girls. It’s for the tough guys, the guys who can adapt and fight back, the guys who will put their attackers down and out in 3 seconds, and walk away unscathed.

It’s a system, yes, like water is a system. It will hurt, and it will make you stronger and tougher. And you’ll walk away not only stronger and fitter but more balanced and focused. And that sounds like something we could all use.

So, self defense? Hell yes.