rucass

"Still, it's better to lose your wallet and phone than your life. No reputable instructor recommends going up against a gun or knife unless you suspect they're not satisfied with your belongings. of course, good on him, good that it worked out, but in general? What's the point of practicing self defense then if you are just going to lay down? My guess is that he had faith in his training.

How do you practice the worst case sceanrio? Everyone is a champ(and a survivor) in a dojo. there is no finality. But when you are set upon un knowingly, can you absorb an attack? You're under attack, getting hit. How do you practice that? When some one is on top of you about to pound your face, or is in the process, what in your practice prepares you for that?

So what in anyones training prepares you for the random chaos of an attack?

You are at least being honest and doing your students a great service. I took this new found knowledge and went back and re examined the katas(Isshinryu) and started all over again, but with a completely different product than what is currently being peddled. I also feel that just taking one kata and being able to absorb its fight methodology is all one person should honestly be expected to do. Or just pick movement from various katas that fit ones "tool box".

I spent a lot of my training preparing for fights that were never to happen, or that were avoidable at worst. The ones you see coming should be avoided. Its when you don't see it coming that essence of training is called on. If you both are out of striking range, its not a fight. You are in no danger, simply put. You can circle each other, just stand there whatever, no one is getting hurt. But when the distance is closed and the opponent is on you, now its a battle. There are only three directions at this point that a fighter should consider. in and out, in and down, and in and thru. The first, in and out, usually occurs when the attacker is less than committed for any number of reasons and the defender is able to get in, counter and neutralize the attack and get back out. The second, in and down, is when the attack is countered but in the process is going to the ground. For most if not all, this is a worst case scenario as it finishes for one here. The last, in and thru, is a combination of the two in that the defender enters with a counter, recounter, etc. stopping the attack and moves thru and out of the immediate conflict to either run, or face another attacker. Movement is what decides whether you survive or not. its not stance, sorry stance folks. Stance is where you are when you are not moving, and if you are not moving you are a sitting target and will not survive. Now I will change the term from stance to base, and say you need to have a strong base, but only in that you can effectively deliver your attacks and counter attacks. Footwork puts you in those positions to counter and to avoid attacks. Fast footwork is the best technique you have, period. Practicing stances in place of footwork will get you killed. Statues have stances. This leads to blocking. You might get luck and make the first block, but the numbers are against you making any more after. sitting in a stance you will have to rely on blocking to survive. Doesn't work, not against a true committed attacker. The best "defense" against an attack is a counter attack. Just playing defense is a losing proposition. There is only attack, counter attack, recounter, a and re re counter. Missing the first chance to counter puts you in the hole right away. These are just some truisms I have learned from experiences with people who live and survive by these rules thru their individual methods and styles. None of this was taught to me in my initial martial arts experience, though it applies to each and every style. This alone would have changed the way I trained. Thoughts?

I feel that I would've preferred to learn to actually apply any of the kata techniques to an actual random attack. I do feel its the styles approach to teach for fights that could be avoided and not really preparing students for the fights they can't walk away from. Kumite is great for exercise and sport, and some may find it useful , but in a dog fight it is useless, no kata technique is used in ti so what is the point? I have learned actual applications to scenarios thur fellow fighters who have practiced the foundational styles(Kuntao) and recognizing movements reinterpreted in the katas, but seemingly misunderstood system wide. i am probably getting off topic so maybe this is for another thread. I'll search and see. I have a few thoughts and observations on this... John

Yes. After 12 yrs in isshinryu, a room full of trophies for kata and kumite, i moved and stumbled upon a reality based self defense group and realized i had wasted the entire time. I am only speaking of Isshinryu, but as a fighting style what is taught is mostly useless and unrealisitic. Bunkai, kumite no use outside of the doors of the gym. The katas and their applications are ridiculous and has led me to believe that a great hoax was played upon everyone by Shimabuku. This is not to say that many of the techniques are not themselves valid. in their original form they are, but they are not being taught as such. I happened to fall in with people who were knowledgeable of the foundations of this style and of real, stress tested technique application, and even more the knowledge of the theory of combat. The ridiculousness of the idea of learning multiple katas, and then expecting to instinctively pull out the appropriate technique form a particular kata, in a moment of extreme duress, was a revelation and a release from a false dogma of this particular style. I will cut it short to save you all from my droning on. But you get my drift....