Self-Defense Domains

Blog Article/Post Caveat (Read First Please: Click the Link)

The Cornered Cat wrote an outstanding piece today (read it HERE ) on different domains as they effect firearm self-defense and that inspired me to add in that even general self-defense of empty hands, etc., also suffers from the various domains used to promote and sell self-defense where military inferences seem highest to my perception. 

She states, in short and out of context to her article,  “ … an effective and good military mindset might in fact be a dangerous and perhaps illegal mindset for a civilian … “

It really does come down to the distinctions behind the intent of an individual training for self-defense. Our mind-set has such a huge effect on how we apply such disciplines that to not distinguish the sources of self-defense in the same way seems - bad. Sensei from the military in the late fifties and especially the early sixties had a strong influence on how the systems and styles were taught setting us all off on the wrong foot. 

In her article she then compares the same quote above but replaces military with law enforcement and she hits that on the head as well, both the military and law enforcement have totally different perspectives toward training, practice and application of force not for self-defense but more toward a defense/offense way of handling bad situations in the line of duty. Military have a totally different mind-set for combat, war, and their Rules of Engagement, etc.

In fact, mostly due to its popularity, many of the military services adopted karate and martial arts for their hand-to-hand training programs, i.e., like the USMCMAP or United States Marine Corps Martial Arts Program. Even there, it was once stated that the nature of that program was more about training the Marines mind-set to overcome the more normal and human resistance toward facing others in combat, especially up and close. 

I am not a law enforcement officer but many of the trainers and programs researched take a completely different side to training officers to handle conflict and violence in the streets. First, they are mandated by law to act while civilians in self-defense are not mandated to act and are judges accordingly (note: it is more complex than this so do the research). 

Self-Defense has domains created by the instructors/teachers according to their backgrounds and experiences such as Krav Maga, a system promoted as a deadly Israeli martial art for self-defense - kind of an oxymoronic selling point but since most are conditioned by movies, etc., not to far a stretch to gain members. 

Then there are those who compete in the sports side of karate and martial arts. As I have learned and understand from my study of professionals who teach and write on violence, sports is not self-defense and even tho it is very cool some of the best competitors endure some seemingly tough and rough competitions that is NOT self-defense. 

Last is the domain of a more philosophical way of training and practice more toward self-development, etc., where teachers put in self-defense as an after thought that is based on movies, television, games, sports and military/law enforcement influences both experienced and stolen from references materials on the Internet and in publications, etc.

Self-Defense Domains are also important, important to a critical level for those who truly and actually need self-defense. A self-defense that covers all aspects of the discipline from knowledge to actual physical applications and all the levels between (read Marc MacYoung’s, In the Name of Self-Defense for a prerequisite to this subject). 

I first studied karate and martial arts as a Marine, military service from 02/72 - 12-81, and I can tell you that a lot of what is actually self-defense was NOT taught to me and a lot of what was is not self-defense and would have resulted in my going to jail if I had used it inappropriately. It wasn’t till about ten or so years ago that I finally got exposed to what self-defense is and how to study, learn and train for it while a lot out there in SD land still have no idea the depth and breadth self-defense encompasses. We truly do live on our LUCK in this discipline!

Bibliography (Click the link)