A major reason people begin training at Martial Arts classes is to be trained self defence skills; with the amount of coverage of violence on the streets it's not surprising. Whether you are concerned enough about the safety of yourself or a family member to want to do something about it, Martial Arts classes clearly spring to mind.
The difficulty comes in deciding which Martial Arts class to pick as there are a wide range of options available. Firstly, it needs to be said that ALL Martial Arts classes offer some form of self defence protection. These vary in effectiveness and emphasis across the range of Martial Arts styles.
Many traditional styles emphasise historical accuracy above all else, conforming to the training methods of the old Masters. This has its advantages and disadvantages, some of these training methods are out of date while there are some gems hidden in the old school training. For example, while the regimented sparring drills tend to be pretty poor some of the sneaky techniques are great and the ancient training equipment is fundamentally the same as some used in modern fitness fads; fundamentally the chi'ishi are the same as the clubbell. Besides, there are many sneaky, nasty techniques that are timeless and are formidable today while there is always a sparring component.
In contrast, combat sports, like MMA and Thai boxing are all about beating the opponent and pay limited attention to the history of Martial Arts. As such, training involves a lot sparring and partner work drilling techniques designed to win the bout, by KO or submission. Many of these are directly transferable to self defence applications yet the nature of the training is possibly more important. The full contact and competing allow students to develop fighiting spirit and a never say die attitude which are important.
Disinterested in tradition or competing, self defence systems are only training for self defence scenarios. At first glance, these are the classes that would appeal the most to those wanting to protect themselves or their family, but some caution is required before signing up. While these styles often atest to being used by various military institutions it should be noted that attending these classes will not make you a proficient killing machine in a few lessons.
Training has to be watered down for safety reasons. This means that skills learned against a compliant partner may not stand up against the violent thug, as they are two very different situations. Getting a handle on this is essential and is something better learnt from combat sports.
In conclusion, while self defence skills are offered by ALL of the described Martial Arts classes each has it's drawbacks. An interested student should research clubs and ask the instructor about the suitability of the training for self defence.
The difficulty comes in deciding which Martial Arts class to pick as there are a wide range of options available. Firstly, it needs to be said that ALL Martial Arts classes offer some form of self defence protection. These vary in effectiveness and emphasis across the range of Martial Arts styles.
Many traditional styles emphasise historical accuracy above all else, conforming to the training methods of the old Masters. This has its advantages and disadvantages, some of these training methods are out of date while there are some gems hidden in the old school training. For example, while the regimented sparring drills tend to be pretty poor some of the sneaky techniques are great and the ancient training equipment is fundamentally the same as some used in modern fitness fads; fundamentally the chi'ishi are the same as the clubbell. Besides, there are many sneaky, nasty techniques that are timeless and are formidable today while there is always a sparring component.
In contrast, combat sports, like MMA and Thai boxing are all about beating the opponent and pay limited attention to the history of Martial Arts. As such, training involves a lot sparring and partner work drilling techniques designed to win the bout, by KO or submission. Many of these are directly transferable to self defence applications yet the nature of the training is possibly more important. The full contact and competing allow students to develop fighiting spirit and a never say die attitude which are important.
Disinterested in tradition or competing, self defence systems are only training for self defence scenarios. At first glance, these are the classes that would appeal the most to those wanting to protect themselves or their family, but some caution is required before signing up. While these styles often atest to being used by various military institutions it should be noted that attending these classes will not make you a proficient killing machine in a few lessons.
Training has to be watered down for safety reasons. This means that skills learned against a compliant partner may not stand up against the violent thug, as they are two very different situations. Getting a handle on this is essential and is something better learnt from combat sports.
In conclusion, while self defence skills are offered by ALL of the described Martial Arts classes each has it's drawbacks. An interested student should research clubs and ask the instructor about the suitability of the training for self defence.
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