True .... False .... Yes ..... No or rather "it depends." It depends on the mind-set reality based training your getting or not getting to name just one of many, many, many variables involved in violent encounters. This is why there are many books, articles, video's and training halls out there. It is a complex issue and there are and will be many "strong opinions" on this question.
It depends on the person who seeks to apply their sport oriented strategies and tactics toward self-defense. There are many, many, many considerations one must address and accept to make anything work for self-defense regardless if it is sport oriented or combat oriented or fight oriented. You have to know of these things, accept them and give yourself permission to use them for self-defense.
There are many aspects to the sport arena that are helpful in attaining the mind-set and abilities to use self-defense in a fight, conflict and violent encounter. I have witnessed the dedication, mind-set and willingness to believe in their abilities even if on the surface it may appear what they do may not actually work in the streets. Sometimes, not often, the mind-set will carry the ball even if the technique, tactic and strategy are weak or perceived as ineffective. I have also been exposed to folks who trained exclusively in self-defense, good self-defense, who failed because their mind-set failed to carry the day. It all depends.
One reason why training the mind openly, actively and obviously is as important as the physical training, it makes a huge difference. This all begins with data-mining, finding out all the knowledge, encoding it to the mind and then using it in training and practice to achieve a holistic well-rounded self-defense model for you, the individual.
It might just be that it depends on you, the individual, on how effective you are in a fight. Intensity in training, hitting something, being hit by something or someone, etc. all affect the mind-set and mind-set can achieve great things whether sport or fight self-defense oriented. It depends :-) ..... everything goes in the street, it is your life isn't it?
For more read:
Bibliography:
Christensen, Loren W. and DeMeer, Wim. "Timing in the Fighting Arts." Sante Fe New Mexico. Turtle Press. 2004.
Being in shape improves your odds. So does having developed some coordination, a sense of distance and timing, and the ability to generate some power. It helps to have been hit and to know that at you can absorb some blows. It also helps to realize that your opponent isn't going to disappear in a puff of smoke if you touch him.
ReplyDeleteAll of this helps to improve your odds, but there are no guarantees.
Martial art is really good, not only for the body, self-confidence, but also for self-defense, especially these days, when nothing is safe.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I'm thinking to follow traditional kung fu at http://www.bambamboo.com, because I've heard that it's interesting and that I will learn great things about this kind of sport.
Now, I can't wait to start it and hopefully I will love it.