Psychological -n- Physical Game Changers

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Which would cause you to give up and how the physical can affect the psychological causing a person to quit or give up. If your body, the physical, stops because of some physical obstacle, i.e., for instance if the central nervous system is disrupted from say enough blood loss, etc., than that is a physical game ender for the person whose CNS was disrupted, etc. (Even then some can still continue until the body just stops too)

The spots that would result in this type of game ender are not easy to attack. If the attacker does not suffer from those physical game enders and they stop the attack then that is most likely a psychological decision, i.e., they changed their minds and stopped attacking or you hit on some psychological issue that made them stop. 

When humans are in the fight regardless of social or asocial they suffer from the adrenal stress conditions that make targeting such physical targets that will stop the threat very difficult. It also makes application of methodologies used in a fight to stop a threat also very difficult to apply. We don’t have that much control and even with adrenal stress conditioning reality-based training scenarios we don’t really overcome those obstacles, we just become capable of handling them a bit better than being untrained, etc.

It reminds me of the difficulty the striking arts has when applying strikes and punches with force and power. There are many principles involved to achieve maximum effect that also if not applied exactly bleed of that same power and force resulting in strikes and punches being less effective. This is one reason why professionals teach that it takes a combination of fight methodologies to stop a threat and striking/punching is one and not one that is high on the effective techniques list. 

A professional wrote in one book that a lot of fights end because one or the other combatant “Quit” vs. actually suffering from some physical game ending application or combination of applications. It reminds me of when it was written that in social encounters it isn’t the fight itself that cause grave bodily harm or even death but actually, for instance, the fall of one or the other combatants where gravity takes over and, for instance, their head hits a very hard object, say a cement curb, where the head injury results in death. 

This brings us back to the all important, and I feel critical, mind-set and mind-state where the practitioner trains to create a mind-set and mind-state removing as many mental/psychological road blocks that would result in quitting. This type of mind-set and mind-state leads to one that when various levels and types of pain are involved the practitioner can pretty much ignore that and continue until the threat is stopped. It is a “Do or Die” type mentality, mind-set/mind-state, one gains from involvement in such disciplines. 

It involves exposing yourself to as many psychological obstacles as you can, exposing yourself to pain and exposing yourself to the adrenal stress conditions so that you build up that confidence when pain hits, you keep right on going and so on. 

Look at it this way, “If you are attacked you WILL reach your goal of survival, you WILL reach your goal of stopping the threat, and YOU WILL remain within the self-defense square regardless!” Regardless of the pain, the injury(ies) or any perceptions of physical fight ending damage. There is nothing that will stop you from your goals. Pain is nothing. Fear is noting, use it to your advantage along with the adrenal stress conditions. 

I remember a lecture by a Marine Drill Instructor one day after a long, hard, difficult run in combat gear. He asked everyone what they would do if they got tired having sex, would they stop? Then he asked why getting a bit of laughter (although short lived after all this was boot camp and recruits don’t laugh without permission). You don’t even let fatigue, tiredness or any other physical or mental obstacle stand in your way to achieve that goal, right? It is the same with discarding fatigue, tiredness and both physical and mental obstacles in a run, in a obstacle course and in the combat training field operations, right? (Hey, it made sense then and sounded right then and yea, we were all testerone filled young males back then and sex was everyone’s goal regardless of fatigue, tiredness or any kind of mental or physical obstacle, right? Hey, mind-set and mind-state, right? It all comes down to how you look at things, how you perceive things and how you react to things - train the mind. 

Bibliography (Click the link)

Skill -n- Critical Thinking/Skill OR Critical Thinking

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Martial Arts self-defense almost exclusively teaches the physical technique drill form or model of self-defense. Rarely, if ever, do they take into consideration the additional teaching requirements of self-defense, “The Critical Thinking of Self-Defense.” 

MA-SD has a narrow focus of repetitive practices toward the development of what many refer to as, “Muscle Memory.” We fail completely to teach, train and practice those mental/psychological necessities toward the seriousness and gravity of the defend/don’t defend, the action/stop action decisions that keep MA-SD applications within the self-defense square. It appears that MA-SD falls prey to the easier repetitive muscle-memory training and practice for more economical needs over the needs of that person when confronted, on the street, with conflict and violence. This deficiency exists in society as a whole but becomes critical when involving self-defense. 

MA-SD seems focuses on what will get them promoted, what will get them the win in a tournament and what will get the training hall more students and greater economic gains. The critical thinking process as to training then applying in the adrenal stress conditions of violence is difficult, not fun per se and means humans have to see and accept the nature of humans toward the use of violence and conflict. They fail to recognize that self-defense processes are both intellectual (first and foremost) and physical in nature. The models in MA-SD need to provide those intellectual and emotional tools and training for appropriate application before, and when no other choice is left, the physical applications of violence in self-defense. 

It is why I believe wholeheartedly in the model of training the whole, the mind, body and spirit. I mean that we teach a philosophy appropriate to the discipline, the psychological appropriate to the discipline, and the mental critical thinking and decision making processes to apply self-defense according to all the rules, laws and social necessities. In other words, to remain steadfast and legally within the self-defense square. 

Lets just say that humans tend to go the easiest and safest route to a goal. There is nothing wrong with that as long as that decisions is made with a complete picture of the situation. When we go looking for SD we tend to look for something, “Tangible.” Applications based on physical combinations of techniques is a tangible things we can feel, see and understand directly but the intangible teaching of the philosophical and psychological critical thinking process can’t be seen or felt visually or tactilely. Look at it as software in the hardware, i.e., critical thinking software in the physical body manifestations of hardware like hands, feet, elbows, etc. 

The intangible has always been the most difficult product to sell while a bird in the hand is easier. Trying to sell both as a pair tends to make people uncomfortable and that often leads to them leaving and looking for the easier answer route. 

Critical thinking in self-defense be it martial oriented or some other form is absolutely critical to applying it in real life, not just playing in the club-dojo.

Bibliography (Click the link)

Spectrum of Self-Defense

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The spectrum involves self-awareness, awareness, avoidance then those methods or methodologies that result in proficiency with applying impacts, drives (pushes), pulls, twists, takedowns, throws and compression to achieve your self-defense goals. It is NOT about technique training or even those physical teachings found in most self-defense martial arts programs. It also involved such things as, “Conflict communications; Emotional Intelligence; Lines/square/circle of SD, Three brains (human, monkey, lizard), JAM/AOJ and five stages, Adrenal stress (stress induced reality based), Violence (Social and Asocial), Pre-Attack indicators, Weapons, Predator process and predator resource, Force levels, Repercussions (medical, legal, civil, personal), Go-NoGo, Win-Loss Ratio, etc. (still working on the core sub-principles for this one)”Attitude, Socio-emotional, Diplomacy, Speed [get-er done fast], Redirected aggression, Dual Time Clocks, Awareness, Initiative, Permission, etc.”

Lets focus on the first part. 

Self-awareness begins with each person’s perception and perspectives of their beliefs and abilities along with a strong view of how they interact with the world at large. Self-awareness also encompasses how you see yourself and what you are willing or not willing to accept, understand and do about life’s little curves and obstacles especially when it involves conflict and violence. 

Self-awareness continues on with our being aware of our abilities and our commitments toward self-protection/defense. It is that awareness of our mind-set and mind-state from understanding the world, accepting both the good and bad and then giving ourselves the permissions necessary to do what is needed to achieve goals, i.e., stopping the threat in violence for instance. 

Self-awareness is also about knowing what we don’t know so that less and less obstacles of the mind will result in our failure to protect and defend. Being aware that there is more than just physical answers to issues, problems and obstacles in life’s ways. 

Awareness begins with the awareness spectrum that provides each and every person the tools, knowledge and abilities to embrace the path that leads to conflict, violence and violent conflict that will allow us to become aware of the danger life presents in all its forms thus allowing time and distance to come up with an appropriate response to any given situation so that one can avoid, deescalate or apply the mental and/or physical actions necessary to achieve a goal, especially in self-defense. Think environmental awareness, situational awareness, physical/body awareness (yours and your adversary’s), dynamics awareness such as attack indicators or pre-assault indicators, etc., criminal and legal awareness, danger awareness, and mindful awareness to name just a few. 

Avoidance begins with awareness and awareness is all about avoidance, avoiding conflict and violence and all the surrounding things that result in the type of repercussions that enhance the damage one might endure in any physical defense process. Avoiding the monkey in all of us so that it does not take over and drive us faster and further down that road toward physical damaging violence. Those things that allow us to choose to take the first and best exit off that highway resulting in avoiding the more damaging aspects of the self-defense spectrum. 

Then we, as a last resort, have to fully understand, be aware of and apply those various physical aspects in self-defense toward ending the violence fast and remaining within the self-defense square. No one system or style of martial self-defense is adequate by and of itself to achieve the goals of self-defense.

Developing those tactics and strategies that use the fundamental principles of martial disciplines that span a range far and above any one system or style to achieve the proficiency and application of tactics for the use of attack methodologies such as those that produce impacts, drives (pushes), pulls, twists, takedowns/throws and compression, etc. built upon one another in no specific order or need that are best for stopping a threat. Those that allow you to work a threat from a distance to mid-range to close to hands on skin-to-skin that can go to the ground and so on. Those methodologies and principles that will allow you to end it quickly and decisively while maintaining the ability to articulate your needs and actions in self-defense - remaining within the self-defense square. 

Note: I doubt I actually covered the full spectrum simply because I know there are a lot of books out there on the subject meaning the full spectrum of self-defense is actually an encyclopedia britannica set of volumes on the discipline that still don’t cover it all. So let me have my fun, k? Note II: Just check out the bibliography if you don’t believe me :-) Hey, I am still trying to work it all out for me!

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“Truth is a Matter of Perception.” - King Tut’s Advisor :-)

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Our perception is a matter of our memories. Memories are a matter of a constructive process. Memory constructions is a matter of what we succeed or fail to encode and what we forget over time. Memories are about what we record over time as to what we encounter through the “Lens of” our motivations, our beliefs, our expectations, and our experiences.

Memory construction is a process likened to the creation of a collage: we piece together fragments of memory that are retrievable and tend to fill in the missing components, patching, with background knowledge, desires, emotions, and beliefs until it forms something that is complete, usable and acceptable to our way of thinking, thinking that is biased. 

Memories are about searching and arranging to form a preconceived image of what we want. It is our biased presentation of an event where we may actually include things that we never experienced or saw but were created like one creates fictional things. 

Memories of a false nature can be highly specific feeding the mind to think what is not reality is reality. It makes them believable to ourselves and to others. False memories can be composed of things we expected to happen or “Want” to happen leaving out facts and logic. 

Memories are perceptions and perceptions are memories making them questionable. This only touches on a very narrow spectrum of perception and memory, it becomes even more complicated and convoluted. When you consider such things it makes it interesting when we rely on memory and perceptions to seeing, hearing and feeling truth. Truth often derived from emotions over facts and sometimes pushing facts out of perception leaving the subjectiveness of emotionally charged perceptions in making memories.

Think of this like, “The Matrix.” Is it memory or is it the matrix?

Bibliography (Click the link)

Reputation

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Hyoban [評判] the characters mean, “Fame; reputation; popularity; rumor; talk.” The first character means, “Evaluate; criticism; comment,” the second character means, “judgement; signature; stamp; seal.” 

To have a reputation, rep as a movie based dramatic term used by street professionals, is a belief or opinion held by someone or some group of people that becomes widespread that the someone of some group has a particular characteristic that causes a widespread beleif. Synonyms that help to describe reputation are, “A good name; character; standing, stature, STATUS, position, esteem and prestige to name a few.” 

Then it comes down to what it is that denotes the overall quality or character as seen or judged by others that awards such a status to a person or persons. What is it that makes the belief system of one or more persons to recognize another to have some characteristic or ability whereby they create within themselves a belief that the person’s reputation denotes some knowledge, ability or both toward some particular characteristic that would give them the level of status or reputation, etc.?

I believe that first their must be some trait or discipline or some belief that is accepted by a  group of humans whereby they look up to another for leadership, guidance and as a mentor to achieve some higher level of esteem often leading toward the increased status or reputation of that group of humans where either economically, psychologically or physically the benefit under the heading of group survival. 

When I think and contemplate martial arts or self-defense or martial arts self-defense toward proper survival of conflict, violence or violent conflict the important of the substance behind a reputation of subject matter professionalism I think and contemplate their level of knowledge, understanding and experience in that discipline important or even critical. 

No where else do I see the importance of verifiable, validated and authentic experiences than in a discipline toward handling conflict, violence and violent conflict where its members may have to put their health, well-being and lives up on the line in a critical status as to reputation, i.e., status in that field - professionalism. 

When a person or persons of true status with a reputation that is true toward the discipline speaks, writes or teaches I tend to listen. It does not mean that I accept blindly if for no other reason than I understand that what works for one, even a respected professional, may not actually work for another, as a unique human, is also critical in conflicts, violence and violent conflicts. 

This is the essence in finding a reality-based adrenal stress conditions training for martial arts self-defense. As each professional puts forth information one has to be wiling to commit, accept, evaluate and apply said information and teachings with full heart and soul toward making it work, making it your own and then applying it in each unique moment for each unique situation. 

Why it is critically important to have sources of respect and good reputation especially when the person and persons learning have not experience in conflict, violence and violent conflict(s). 

Note: As long as the individual with said reputation does not let that go to their heads ;-) 

Where reputation becomes a bit muddy is when no one can perceive, determine or make distinctions between reality and those beliefs based on emotions, ego, pride and a huge amount of inexperience in the actual discipline. In MA-SD that permeates most of the schools and teachings. Assumptions are made based on perceptions and feelings from sources that appear, feel and seem true but are often about how we perceive things like power and force as displayed by observations without a basis of reality that seem, feel and appear forceful and powerful when in truly the bleed off real force and power. 

Many persons with considerable reputations are found to be truly lacking once reality is presented with valid information and experiences, etc. Then again, there are some with stellar reputations in this discipline that are often scoffed at and slammed by those whose belief systems come under attack, as they perceive it, and close scrutiny not to mention “Time tells all” as over time the truth and fallacies of some reputations bring the falsehoods to the top for time tells all, over time.

Example: I came across what I perceived as a person of high valued reputation in the study, practice and teaching of a specific system of Okinawan karate. Over time that reputation held up for me until I began my exposure to actual self-defense (those proficient and experienced in conflict, violence, violent conflict and self-defense of same) professionals. I also found another person of perceived reputation as an expert in principles, i.e., fundamental principles of martial disciplines that was later validated by those professionals in self-defense, etc. Over time and by accumulation of many sources and materials I began to find that many aspects of the person of high valued reputation in the study, practice and teaching of that specific system was actually deficient in the area’s regarding self-defense. In its very essence in regard to a more cultural study along with a distinctly health, well-being and philosophical/historical study was present and held in a higher status building on that smaller part of the overall reputation. His or Her teachings, studies and applications were less viable in a true self defense conflict and violence oriented and more applicable in the “Historical, philosophical and self-improving” way. 

This cannot be emphasized enough that the “Distinctions” as they relate to the actual application must inter-connect appropriately in order to sustain a high level reputation toward that understanding, teaching and application in a reality-based way or model. Any missing component diminishes that effort and without the appropriate labeling, etc. can lead to dangerous misunderstanding and therefore dangerous beliefs. 

In the MD-SD communities it is imperative that a reputation be based on reality-based experiences and/or training methods where all of the components are present and all the teachings cover a wider range or spectrum of conflict, violence, violent conflict and self-defense. Giving the illusion of things like warrior-hood, self-defense physical applications and the mind-set and mind-state necessary would be dangerous. 

Once you find a professional source with the appropriate reputation you mind-set must maintain that for that source things can change at any time as further research, study and practice are done. It is on ongoing process where failure to continually assess sources such as describes can lead practitioners further away from the actuality of such training and practice toward that which is based on assumptions and conjecture of a dangerous kind. It can lead to a type of group mystique placing its leadership high on a pedestal type belief that can be - bad. 

Bibliography (Click the link)

Various Disciplined Professionals

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First there is the guy who actually lives with violence then goes to work handling that violence in professions like “Bouncer.” Second there is a guy who works closely with criminals in a very close, controlled and restrictive environment. Third there is a guy who gained experience wearing a uniform and becoming someone with special skills above and beyond the normal combative soldier, etc.

The one common denominator in all these various and diverse professions is they all present and teach pretty much the same things in handling conflict, violence and violent conflict. There perspectives are different due to the disciplines, professions, they worked. They see a variety of violence and give a unique perception of it and how to handle it but it still drills down to the very same fundamental principles where “Mind-Set” stands supreme. 

In the self-defense world where it goes physical you must be physically fit to handle the onslaught. Your mind must be set toward goals and commitment to get the job done, stop the threat. In the self-defense world you have to have certain skills to supplement that mind-set such as handling various forms like distance to mid-range to close-in to on-the-ground abilities maintaining balance and structure and so on.

Then they all have to know, understand and handle the various types of violence involved in their particular professions utilizing the same principles alluded to in the previous paragraphs. You just can’t expect to get the job done with just striking; you just can’t expect to get the job done with just joint manipulation and you can’t ever expect to get the job done using just ground techniques. You really have to work a full spectrum to get the job done.

Regarding martial arts it was once thought that one had to dedicate themselves to one style or system to achieve mastery or even proficiency but the recent efforts of such diverse professionals has proven through actions and experience that it takes a lot more than just that one thing. It has even come to light that in some systems the classic practice and training once included these variations in handling violence and are just now coming to light as a necessity. A good example is karate, a striking system or art but it now has come to light that originally karate or te/ti actually encompassed striking, joint manipulations, grappling, ground work and so on making its origins more appropriate to defense. 

The greatest challenge with the modern mixture of these types of disciplines is distinguishing between play, competition and actual real life violence. Then add in adrenal stress conditioning along with a fully and more comprehensive knowledge and understanding of self-defense in a modern legal and litigious world. 

Therefore for self-defense it is best to gain a wider range of knowledge, training and experience to achieve a good defense and thereby remain well within the self-defense square. 

The idea, the required study and training, therefore must come from experienced professionals with a diverse background handling conflict and violence because in self-defense you never truly know what you will encounter until you encounter it. Doing one thing and trying to spread that over the many things of self-defense will fail. 

What say ye? 

Note: Although not set it stone I still believe that a practitioner of martial arts, with or without the self-defense aspect, should focus on one system until they achieve a certain level of proficiency. Reasoning is each practitioner must have a strong foundation in the principles and if you are jumping from one system to another your focus will be on the external stuff in lieu of the fundamental principles of martial disciplines. Once a solid base is established then branch out to encompass those other aspects that teach things like, “Actual tactics and attack methodologies of impacts, drives (pushes), pulls, twists, takedowns/throws and compression, etc. are best for stopping a threat.”

Bibliography (Click the link)

Fair, Fair - There Ain’t no Stikin Fair in a Fight

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Add in attacks as well, if attacked you can pretty much bet that the guy already knows he is going to win before you are attacked. Don’t take my word for it, see my bibliography.

If you are saying things like, “If he had fought fair I would have beaten the crap out of him,” type things then you are fighting in a sport contest because in a real street oriented fight, especially social violence types that are most fights, there are no rules and fairness doesn’t even rate even the most limited considerations. 

Fair is ok for games and even then most humans will naturally cheat if they perceive they can get away with it. Yes, human nature regarding cheating is more about, “Can I get away with it,” and “Will the consequences be acceptable,” type thing. Fairness is one of those subjective things when it comes to humans and their interactions. 

Fair ain’t exactly fair in a fight. When most self-defense professionals teach they address that mind-set and that mind-set is not about fairness. It is about survival and there is no other or better defense than avoidance. 

Remember, arguing about “Fairness” in legal terms is not going to support your self-defense claims. When I hear about fairness complaints often it is from a mutual form of fighting. In other words, both parties participated and therefore both broke the law, fighting is illegal. It was a person-to-person socially driven violence, mostly. 

Life ain’t fair, there is nothing fair about it and that brings us back to fair being subjective. Humans will actually break the law if they feel that the repercussions will be acceptable. If they don’t get caught, they have not broken any laws. A bit like the old adage, “If a tree falls in the woods, does it make a sound?” If there is no one there to hear it …..

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A Good Strike; A Good Punch

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A strike/punch needs certain principles in order to achieve a goal of striking/hitting with power and force. First, your body mass. Your mass moving in the right direction along with the effects of gravity creates the mainstay of your power and force. Second, your velocity contributes or enhances the power and force that comes from movement of body mass, i.e., the speed and direction of that force and power. 

Now, there are other principles that are involved that are under the heading of, “Physiokinetics,” such as structure, alignment and so on. Another enhancing set of principles are the twitch of your hip girdle and shoulder girdle of just a few degrees of rotation. 

Now, since this is a strike we have to address the arm, i.e., the shoulder, the elbow, the wrist and the fist. Remember, if you are relying on the musculature and skeletal system of the arm for power and force alone you are muscling it and the results will be disappointing. The term chinkuchi, an Okinawan dialect term, translates into bone, sinew, and muscle or what I use, “Ligaments, muscles, bones, joints, tendons.” All of those act more effectively when properly structured and aligned with the muscles, tendons and ligaments along with properly aligned skeletal structure as a stabilizer so that power and force don’t bleed off. 

Then there is the principle of, “Timing.” This is the ability to bring about proper application of principles through the movement of mass moving forward and using that rotation along with the arm where they coordinate according to certain physics so that they all arrive at the target - at the SAME TIME.

Remember, in karate they often teach and practice to apply a technique where they step forward, stop, root, then rotate and strike. The stop itself breaks the power chain and if any other principle and factor misses such as improperly aligned elbow, etc., will bleed off a lot of power and force making for a bad strike or punch. 

So many karate dojo lose site of what actually makes for a powerful and forceful strike and/or punch. One way to overcome so many variables that could, may or might not get the job done is to remove the strike and punch themselves and use either the open hand form of strike or, better yet, the elbow strike. The dynamics of application take out some of the potential bleed off aspects. 

The power chain is critical to achieving a solid, forceful and powerful strike and/or punch. These principles described along with proper application of the physiokinetic principles will achieve that goal except for one more very small yet very important, critical actually, aspect - doing all of this under the stress and chemical dump you will be experiencing when attacked in a predatory way. 

“When attacked on the street at its very worse you will be completely and totally surprised, you will be experiencing pain and fear, it will be hard and fast and close from a direction least expected such as the back or back-side, and it will be a flurry of techniques that will result in your freeze and/or the OO bounce of OODA along with the loss of your balance and your structure being totally disrupted.”

Another important factor to striking/punching with power and force is the, “Optimal Effective Zone.” Even when all things come together in the power/force chain the absolute best zone to apply maximum force and power may span a mere two to three inches. This zone can be described using a auto engine power stroke metaphor. The stroke of any piston in that auto chamber at one point along that cycle produces the greatest amount of power. The arm, i.e., the shoulder, upper arm, elbow, forearm, wrist and hand as they cycle from the start to a finish there is this zone where maximum power and force is achieved when it reaches, penetrates and retracts rapidly. Each of us as to body configuration has a different zone. Each of us dependent on the application at any given moment to any given situation will have a unique zone of power and force. This, of course, adds to the complexities and helps explain, with all the other principles, etc., why striking/punching is not the end all that many karate proponents lead us to believe. Remember it is the coordinated build up of things that get the job done, not just striking and punching or even kicking, etc.

“In the midst of a chaotic two-way fight it is really difficult to keep these elements and principles of a good strike in control and hit with great force. This is why fights seldom result in injury and can go on for a long time.” - Marc MacYoung, Getting Hit and Hitting

OH yea, I almost forgot, another enhancer to power and force is also under timing, i.e., Time. Time as in the transfer of energy for to transfer that energy in the shortest amount of time creates a greater, “Impulse” and the greater the damage. Longer time = less impact = less damage and it makes it hard to stop the threat as well as articulate how you were not engaging in a mutual fight, i.e., the longer it goes on the more it is perceived as a mutual fight. 

The TIME issue equates how the strike arrives, i.e., it reaches the target, passes into the target a certain distance then snaps back as fast as reached its target. You want your adversary to stop, i.e., he collapse instantly, folds and falls or collapses a bit - staggers some trying to recover. You just gained time, time to stop and leave to safety, etc. or whatever is required for that specific situation. This type of strike/punch is called the “Snap Punch” in karate communities. Look toward “Coordinated Actions” that build like a crescendo, i.e., a snow ball rolling down a hill building upon more snow as it passes. One action that builds on a previous action until the threat is stopped - then you stop, right?

Bibliography (Click the link)

Karate is not Effective Enough

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My reasoning here is because karate, as a striking system, does not meet the criteria necessary to achieve true self-defense. One of the hallmarks of a good karate-ka is performing with perfect form. The kata looks good, it appears to have proper form and yet …

“Form does not mean function. Just because it has the external form does not mean it has the internal mechanics that make it work.” - Marc MacYoung, Getting Hit and Hitting

It means that without the underlying principles of a fighting system it looks good but holds no substance when applied in a fight for self-defense. I have written other articles on the subject of karate, as a striking system, being more a social communications tool in groups for survival, etc. but is not adequate, without enhancements, etc., in actually defending against attacks. 

Kihon are taught to achieve a certain form that looks good to the observer. It also provides a means to critique and evaluate for promotions as well as progress. But, progress of what kind?

Note: I am talking about karate in general and readily admit that in today’s martial communities there is a concerted effort to bring back those enhancements, etc., that make karate a good self-defense system. 

In order to make it work for self-defense you first have to learn how to apply fundamental principles whether in a martial form like karate or any other form like boxing, etc., to achieve force and power to stop a threat. Then there are a huge lot of other neat stuff that must be implemented, trained and applied to achieve self-defense within the self-defense square. 

Sport karate is especially guilty along with the more commercial forms. Not to say that one cannot earn money teaching self-defense and karate but often they take short cuts when the level of income to their economic needs has issues. Like anything worth doing, doing it well takes a great deal of effort, dedication and intestinal fortitude. It is easier to take shortcuts, it just is.

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The Striking Arts

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“Striking and punching is a multipoint process. A good or perfect strike is as rare as hen’s  teeth.” - Marc MacYoung, Getting Hit and Hitting

Karate is a striking system that comes from a more educational form that did not encompass other aspects of fighting such as, “Spiraling, twisting, unbalancing, etc. (impacts, drives [pushes], pulls, twists, takedowns/throws and compression)”. The karate that I began to study in the 1970’s taught and depended on striking, kicking, etc., to stop  a threat but in now seems that the form of karate taught to me then is more about the social fighting most humans deal with, i.e., the kind used for group communications. Group communications deal with survival, the survival of the group by its hierarchal make up where every member has a position, status and duties that are about group, therefore individual, survival.

Beatings, i.e., the striking and punching of karate, are used to enforce the groups rules, rules about survival. Strikes can injure and sometimes it is about injuring, sometimes about dominating, sometimes about punishment, sometimes about one’s status and testing for greater status and position within the group, etc.

Striking alone is ineffective and therefore karate as a striking system is ineffective except for the socially acceptable means of communications simply because one does not want to injure gravely or kill a group member. A gravely injured or dead member reduces the groups capability to survive thus endangering everyone so using a striking system that is ineffectual in self-defense, fighting others or combatives, etc., is useful for group survival enforcement and communications.

Read the quote again, the process of a perfect strike/punch is truly rare. How many fights, not attacks of a predatory nature, but fights in the school yard, the socially driven fights in bars and clubs and the fights seen in groups have you seen or participated in where the two combatants end the fight exhausted, in pain, some minor injuries and with ego’s intact actually suffer grave bodily harm (except by accident) or death?

Marc MacYoung’s eBook on writing violence: getting hit and hitting explains not just how to write fiction about hitting and getting hit but his reality based goals in the book explain the reality of hitting and getting hit that we encounter in the fight and self-defense.

Back to the topic, karate seems to me as it was taught in my early years as more a socially acceptable form of communications that come from social encounters where humans have reasons, i.e., I want something, and display patters or warning signs of why one is about to strike another and so on.

When you witness such encounters you will see two humans “Squaring off” while using threats, i.e., “Yelling, shouting, facial expressions and body language displays, etc.,” to get what they want be it dominance, ego boosting, status validation, etc. They will use things like, “Threat displays, pre-attack indicators, they will set up an attack,” just to communicate to the other guy that if they don’t give what the other wants there can be violence, the strike or punch, etc. Give them what they want and it will not escalate to violence.

The violence, in these socially driven monkey dancing incidents, is not the kind that results in deliberate grave bodily harm or possibly death but simply a means to communicate their seriousness toward getting what they want. Since strikes and punches, the essence of karate, tend to be the most ineffective form of violence in that to  achieve a correctly applied powerful and forceful strike and/or punch means bringing together many factors that more often than not will lose power and force due to bad structure, alignment, etc. than actually apply such force that will cause grave bodily harm or even death.

Granted, karate as a striking system, can be that system of self-defense we need to accomplish the goal of stopping a threat but it needs other aspects to supplement striking and punching. Striking and punching are effective when used with other principles of fighting and self-defense, i.e., “Spiraling, twisting, unbalancing, etc. (impacts, drives [pushes], pulls, twists, takedowns/throws and compression)” Striking and punching work best in this form and in accomplishing a goal of stopping a threat.

Karate today is changing, changing because of the effort to get out information, knowledge, understanding and experience in conflict, violence and violent conflict so that it now encompasses such things as joint locks, etc., through adding back in principles such as “Spiraling, twisting, unbalancing, etc. (impacts, drives [pushes], pulls, twists, takedowns/throws and compression)” to enhance and support striking and punching to self-defense martial disciplines.

“When all the components, variables, factors, mechanics, and time are correctly combined tend to generate and deliver increased power. It is all this that also contribute to loss of power as well.” - Marc MacYoung, Getting Hit and Hitting

In closing, karate as it was once taught was about striking and it was, is and still referred to as a “Striking system.” In truth, it may be a striking system but it may also be a social communications tool as explained. Only when it encompasses other principles of defense against violence does it take on a more combative form. Alone, not so much.

Karate may not be the end all striking self-defense art everyone thinks it is and yet thinking about it, it may be arguable and articulable to say the use of karate in self-defense as to force levels and use may actually explain a perceived application as less level of force than originally thought, i.e., the age old adage and lie that “one strike kills” or “one’s karate hands are deadly” or “karate hands must be registered as deadly weapons.”

Another thought, the explanations that Getting Hit and Hitting convey is proof that karate hands are not deadly. Something to think about and most will scoff at this idea but ….

Bibliography (Click the link)

p.s. Ok, let me tell you that I didn’t write this to belittle karate. I practice karate, I love karate and I find karate like martial arts in general have a huge benefit to the practitioner but I do not want to attribute false things to its study and practice. I feel that such analysis by each of us helps to realize our “glitches” both in our selves and our practices. Think about this seriously!