What's the Difference Between Martial Arts Training and Learning Self Defense Techniques? - Health

Many people do not realise that there are many aspects to a martial art other than self defense. A martial art really is that - an art just like painting, playing a musical instrument or sculpting. To succeed you need to constantly push yourself to perfecting your self defense technique. This is why the greatest martial artists like Bruce Lee and Morihei Ueshiba dedicated a lifetime to their arts. Ueshiba put this concept into one of his poems -

'Ceaselessly polish the sacred sword and bring forth its divinity'

A true martial artist's training goes far beyond learning how to fight. They look to perfect self defense techniques of their art, to develop new moves, to study their art and those of others. This seems extreme to those outside but they fail to see the pleasure and personal satisfaction derived. Their goal may go beyond learning how to become a black belt and may be to run their own school or even to develop their own style. The benefits of martial arts training include improvement of health and wellbeing, developing self discipline and the social element of mixing with new people with a common interest. These are of great value from everyone from the young to the elderly.

Self defense training is much more simplistic and is the right path for some people. If you are simply looking for the easiest ways to defend yourself in a street fight or assault then I would advise this type of training. You may not have the time or interest to consider regular classes on an ongoing basis and may simply want to learn practical combat techniques.

In reality to deal with street fighting and real world situations we only need to know a small number of effective self defense techniques. There are only so many ways you need to know to defend against a punch or escape from a strangle. Learning too many different moves and techniques can be self defeating. If you are attacked you need your response to be automatic and to come from what we may call 'body memory.' If you pause to consider which of the ten moves you have learnt to use to defend against an incoming punch your delay could mean you react too late.

Also consider that to become familiar with a technique does require regular practise. The more you know the more you need to practise which defeats the object for those wanting to learn simple ways to defend yourself. As Bruce Lee once said -

'It is a canoe to get you across the river. Once you reach land leave it there and don't carry it round on your back'

Over the years I have trained in various styles of aikido, Ju Jitsu and Tae Kwon Do and I am often asked which if these is the best martial art for street fight. There is no easy answer and of course eventually they begin to interweave and what at first were differences between each art begin to move closer. I do not believe there is one combat system which is best for all situations we may face.

Automatic blog by iAutoblog