enbu

[Shizentai]

I've been out in the forest again for a month, and just when I get back to town this week I find out that one of my kohai has volunteered me to do a self defense demo at a festival this weekend without me knowing about it. Said kohai has also volunteered himself as my uke, so I forgive him. I think it should be fun, but now I'm brainstorming, since time is short. This got me thinking:

What makes a self defense demo good in your opinion?

What makes for a bad self defense demo ?

[Spartacus Maximus]

Good=simple and direct with an emphasis on maximum results with minimum effort. Everything in a way that shows situations as close as reasonably feasible to reality or based on true experiences if at all possible.

A bad demo is one where it would appear obvious that the aim was to impress an audience rather than be instructive by showing off instead of teaching something useful.

This of course is from a strict traditional defense oriented point of view. The final word on what is good or bad will depend on the demonstrators intentions and purpose.

[bushido_man96]

I agree with Spartacus Maximus. If its a self-defense demo, then doing practical self-defense against attacks that the viewers will understand as common or oft done attacks will be the best way to go. Don't worry about flash, but focus on effectiveness. The best way you will be able to reach someone in the audience is by them believing that they could perform the techniques that you are doing.

[Wastelander]

The trouble with public demonstrations is that you have to make it look interesting/fun to try to entice the most people. A completely practical, no-nonsense self defense demo will showcase the effectiveness and realism of the art, but it tends to be ugly, hard to see, and not all that interesting to the untrained observer. Of course, a flashy, entertaining demo will also not get the real point across. In my experience with demos, you have to have a bit of flash/entertainment to grab people's attention, along with the realism and practicality for them to see how it works. Of course, that's if you are doing the demo to try to get people to start training. If you're doing a demo for people who already train, there is generally no need for the flash/entertainment factor.

[DWx]

The trouble with public demonstrations is that you have to make it look interesting/fun to try to entice the most people. A completely practical, no-nonsense self defense demo will showcase the effectiveness and realism of the art, but it tends to be ugly, hard to see, and not all that interesting to the untrained observer. Of course, a flashy, entertaining demo will also not get the real point across. In my experience with demos, you have to have a bit of flash/entertainment to grab people's attention, along with the realism and practicality for them to see how it works. Of course, that's if you are doing the demo to try to get people to start training. If you're doing a demo for people who already train, there is generally no need for the flash/entertainment factor.

I was just about to post the same. It really does depend on who your audience is: general public or fellow martial artists?

Intricate wrist locks and joint manipulations aren't going to interest the average Joe.

Some of the best demos I've seen, even as a Martial Artist, tend to have an element of flash or acting, they tell a story. I've seen TKD demos with "helpless" female defending herself against the bad guys, Aikido demos where the kids take on a group of thugs etc. Got to capture the imagination especially if it's at a festival and there's a lot of other stuff that can grab their attention. I know some on the forum might not like this for the theatrics, but this self-defense demo is one of my favorite to watch for the entertainment factor:

They pulled one of the non-TKD audience members out to particpate and tell a story with the fight.

[sensei8]

Oh here I go again...

Good = Resisting!!

Bad = Non-resist!!

You want to bore the tar out of me, then put on a demo where one always wins, and one always losses...guess who always wins, no matter what?!!?

[MatsuShinshii]

Unfortunately what makes a good self defense demo to the laymen compared to experienced MAists are very different things.

To get those with no or little experience excited about it it has to be spectacular. Choreographed to the n'th degree with lots of excitement like throws, spinning kicks, etc.

To me a good self defense demo is one that incorporates good old fashioned common sense and 100% realism. But again that will not impress the masses.

[sensei8]

Impression!!

Whether the initial or the long lasting impression favors the good or the bad, it starts with the MAist. One chance to begin the building a wall of trust or a wall of discontent...one chance!!

Impressions can be manipulated verbally and/or physically; the fine line becomes the proponent of concern as to what's effective and what's not effective.

A MAist with a plethora of knowledge and experience can tear down those walls for a selfish agenda or strengthen the wall for the betterment of the MA. My mandate that "Proof Is On The Floor" far outreaches some cleaver, well thought out words that I started spouting out decades ago because it sounded and/or made me appear important. NO!! I started chiming "Proof Is On The Floor" because I ripped the blinders off my big fat head because I saw with my own eyes one MAist after another promote themselves as a brand of their own; far fetched self-importance at the expenses of others, MAist or not. A MAist doesn't have to try to impress me with a grocery list of accolades and the like...NO...the unseen witness...the floor...will do one of two things...acknowledge or deny!!

Impressions not impress me at all!! HONESTY...now that impresses me!!

Demo or not, the true MAist is spotted quickly within an ocean of MAist, and without all of the bells and whistles, and as the tides wash away the grime, all that remains will be that true MAist who just executed an effective demo!!

[Shizentai]

I didn't get much chance to speak with my uke before we got called up in class to demonstrate, so I just went with whatever made sense at the time. In general it worked out nicely, but I got told that what I was doing looked too much like other maritial arts. Sorry! They have so much in common!!! In reality, I was just doing select kata bunkai that I find very practical. Apparently enpi is aikido, and bassai dai is judo. My senpai wanted more hair pulling and groin striking. Poor uke. I will make it look realistic, but will be extremely careful.

It looks like we will be performing both Saturday and Sunday. It should be fun.

In general though, getting back into the dojo after 1+ month alone is always interesting. A lot of good habbits get forgotten, but some bad ones too. Someone asked me to do unsu and I actually landed the jump without a problem for the first time. This was entirely unexpected. I guess I did lose 10 lbs carrying batteries up the sides of mountains for the past month. Maybe I just needed to lighten the load a bit to get the right lift.

[sensei8]

I didn't get much chance to speak with my uke before we got called up in class to demonstrate, so I just went with whatever made sense at the time. In general it worked out nicely, but I got told that what I was doing looked too much like other maritial arts. Sorry! They have so much in common!!! In reality, I was just doing select kata bunkai that I find very practical. Apparently enpi is aikido, and bassai dai is judo. My senpai wanted more hair pulling and groin striking. Poor uke. I will make it look realistic, but will be extremely careful.

It looks like we will be performing both Saturday and Sunday. It should be fun.

In general though, getting back into the dojo after 1+ month alone is always interesting. A lot of good habbits get forgotten, but some bad ones too. Someone asked me to do unsu and I actually landed the jump without a problem for the first time. This was entirely unexpected. I guess I did lose 10 lbs carrying batteries up the sides of mountains for the past month. Maybe I just needed to lighten the load a bit to get the right lift.

To the bold type above...

Be careful what you ask for...and yes, I'd be careful...hehehehehehehehehe