Does Self-defence really work?
Does Self-Defence really work?
I’ve decided to write on the topic of self-defence because I believe many people do not understand or give much thought to what self-defence is. Hence, they do not understand the importance of learning basic self-defence principles and most people’s minds learning self-defence is often equated to learning a martial art.
People believe that learning martial arts will lead them to being capable of defending themselves and in some cases, this may possibly be true but it’s not because training in the martial art itself automatically leads to the student become proficient in self-defence.
As I have talked about in a previous blog self-defence taught in martial arts schools is not a priority. That aspect of training is placed way down the list of things taught and it is often preceded by forms or katas and perfection of techniques geared to developing the student into a proficient practitioner not a self-defender - while in addition self-defence taught in a training hall or dojo does not have practical application in the real world. Reasons vary, but most importantly the student is practicing the technique albeit in a safe environment with a polite and compliant training partner whose movements are predictable and executed with safety as a foremost consideration. Now contrast that to the street where those attackers are non-compliant, the attack is violent while being very unpredictable. In other words - these people have not read the play nice script.
In a previous blog post ‘The Violent Assault Part 1’ talked about the effect that a cascade of hormones initiated by fear has on our body where we will most likely revert to the last thing we trained in as our default response: - or maybe we have nothing to default to so therefore do nothing. If we do do something it is usually simple uncontrolled complex motor skills and while in the absence of learned and practiced simple motor skills our physical response reaction will most likely use simple ineffective motor skill techniques.
Meanwhile there is usually a NO fear response invoked when undertaking self-defence training IN the safety of a training hall or dojo. The techniques taught in those facilities often require learning complex motor skills and the student is comfortable as it is a safe space and therefore able to learn/perform these skills.
Assault victims, under the stress of a violent attack, are seeking to react with the solution they learned in training. They will most likely choose the wrong technique as a response to the attacker’s assault, or react using ineffective coarse movements, as mentioned above because they have not been taught appropriate self-defence during their training. While in contrast with effective self-defence training the emphasis is on principles and not technique. Some techniques are taught using simple but effective base motor skill solutions for a violent attack and these few techniques need to be practiced repeatedly.
An Important thought process is understanding our fear and the response this creates for us. Consistent primary self-defence training gives us some chance of controlling ourselves, not give into the fear (which creates panic) and if trained properly in self-defence, those thought processes will respond naturally and practically - initiating what is needed in the correct response.
Self-defence training is all about reducing the risk and it is not guaranteed that self-defence training will result in you being the victor in a violent encounter - unlike those Hollywood movies - the good guy / girl doesn’t always win. Let’s just say that with appropriate and regular self-defence training the risk can be reduced.
Good self-defence training focusses on pillars:
De-escalation
Self-protection
Principles, that are simple and easily learned
So let us look more closely at these three pillars.
De-escalation:
De-escalation is an intervention for use with people who are at risk of aggression. It is a process aimed at reducing tension, hostility or conflict in a situation.
De-escalation involves employing verbal and non-verbal techniques (body language) to defuse or decrease the intensity of potentially volatile or dangerous situations.
The primary goal of de-escalation is to promote calmness, understanding and peaceful resolution by encouraging open communication – while listening for the other person’s core message with empathy using non-confrontational behaviour.
The deployment of de-escalation techniques promoting safety and cooperation aims to prevent and or minimise the escalation of conflicts to physical violence - resulting in a positive outcome for all involved.
If you are able it is always desirable to talk our way out of a situation that could escalate from verbal abuse to physical violence.
Running away is the best option but not always practical.
Self-protection:
Self-protection encompasses a range of measures that we can take to safeguard ourselves physically, emotionally, and psychologically.
Self-protection includes strategies like being attuned to our surroundings, setting personal boundaries, recognising potential risks and taking preventive actions.
Self-protection focuses on minimising harm to our-selves (and others) by being proactive and taking steps to avoid dangerous situations.
Self-protection can also incorporate self-defence techniques.
In summary it means being aware of what’s going on around us.
Principles:
If we look at the human brain as a computer, when under stress facing another person or persons intent on doing us harm, our computer (brain) searches its hard drive for an appropriate response. The brain will find the last response to that primary threat (imaginary) burned on to our ‘hard drive’. While this could be nothing, it could also be a strike, or a kick learned in martial arts training. More likely the brain will initiate the wrong response to the attackers’ action…
UNLESS we can control our ‘emotional thinking, move from our emotional brain (Amygdala) to our rational or thinking brain (Pre-frontal cortex).
Remember - this takes time and is not easy to do.
As a reaction will always be slower than an action, we need to respond immediately.
Training is a few simple responses based on principles, not techniques, require only gross or simple motor skills to perform, and may save our life.
Question: So, if I train regularly in self-defence, why wouldn’t I always prevail in an encounter with an aggressive untrained person assaulting me?
Answer: This depends on several factors:
the fitness and age difference between the attacker and the victim
the number of attackers
the proficiency in self-defence of the person defending themself
the size and or strength difference between the victim and attacker
the environment in which the assault takes place
whether or not you are ambushed or have some warning of the pending attack
the aggression and skill level of the other person. (Let’s say the attacker attacks you at a level 10 intensity. You need to react immediately and jump to a responding aggression level of 11 or 12).
Finally, the number one consideration is that if attacked and we react, our Re-action is ALWAYS SLOWER than their Action.
In summary unprovoked assaults can be extremely violent and unpredictable.
To have any chance of surviving, a person must undertake self-defence training designed for the real world that mimics closely as possible aspects of the fear response to be effective, not ineffectual in an actual violent encounter.
Andrew Viney
Andrew has extensive experience in the security industry in which he still works. He is the founder/Principal of ATSD (Advanced Tactical Self-Defence) a Tasmanian based self-defence school.
Andrew started his Martial Arts journey at the age of 11. Throughout his life he has trained in Judo, Karate and boxing and achieved high ranks in Tae Kwon Do and Krav Maga.
ATSD specialises in self-defence training for use in the ‘real world’.