Iain is even more impressive in person.. someone with bags of skills, self-effacing and modest, who is clearly a born teacher...and a really nice guy to boot. Having been in the Martial arts a long long time, I have met many who claim the former, fake the latter and wouldn't know how to teach sitting to an arse.
@@practicalkatabunkai My pleasure Iain, it has been a long time since I trained with you on one of your seminars.. but have always been a long-time fan. keep up the good work :-)
@@R0nge He seems to see what many don't. It's been a long road for me as well, So many out there with so little experience expounding non-sense, even before the internet. ;-) I keep a low profile because of that, and rarely comment....this brought me out. A close friend is a Karateka and follower of Iain who shared this with me. Nice to see at least someone with sense who is willing to take to this medium. Realistic Mindset + Realistic Training=Realistic Results. Regardless of what style you do.
R0nge Iain is a great teacher. I just wouldn't call him a born teacher for the simple fact that it massively undermines the amount of effort he puts into it on a regular basis. I envy you for having trained with him in person. Someday I'd like to do the same. OSU!!
Over many years I learned that what Iain is saying here is 1000% correct. I’ve been teaching martial arts for over 35 years, and when people join my class I explain to them that I am NOT teaching self protection, that self protection is a specialized subject, and that if a student is interested I can refer them to good sources. It’s very important because if you don’t understand this and be honest with your students, your students can wind up hurt or worse. Thank you Iain.
So true I've had instructors spout live or die scenarios many times, being an ex trained doorman I was taught the law the criminal mind and to utilise verbal postural and finally physical control rather than striking.
I've been a martial artist for years, and have an interest in the self protection aspect. After much research into different styles, I actually came to the conclusion that I should find myself a security / doorman course.
As an old git who has been training for 55 years, I agree 100%!!! It took me a long time to realise this stuff but eventually it kicked in - no pun intended ;)
All good points: I totally agree: We need to recognise the context and the limitations of things we know, and be honest with ourselves about which things we don't know enough about.
Valuable information! Most people don’t think about the term “street fight” and what that actually means. Touching on the topic of law is also great for people to conceptualize too.
I'm part of a federated Shotokan School (JKS affiliated), I'm under no illusion of what I practice. People I work with often ask "so you can kick some ass" ... Nope, not the way we practice ,it's a sport.
Of course you can kick someone's arse. Anyone can. And any physical training will improve your ability to do that. A better but less interesting question might be, does shotokan specifically give you the ability to kick the arse of anyone, trained in anything or not trained at all, of any age or ability or size or fitness level. The answer to that question is of course no.
Outstanding video! You touched on several areas that most people dont! I have been training since the 80's, combat veteran and I have worked with law enforcement over the years. I will be sharing this video!
Awesome points,well explained. I think a big aspect of this,especially points 2,3,and 4,is the "warrior" mindset that runs through martial arts culture. Teachers and students very much embrace this,the sense of honor and decency. The mistake is making assumptions about a criminal responding a certain way to this,but crucially that others (witnesses etc) recognize this being in play as well. The place where I've seen this fit most comfortably is door work,where it's acknowledged by all involved that the martial artist is applying their skills as part of their job. Not saying they're not still legally bound,but it seems to frame the situations a certain way that's more forgiving on the bouncer. As for the first point,one of my favorite arts is Shinkendo,a Japanese sword art. Not applicable to defense at all but I loved the training. Great for the mind and body, no impact injuries (a big deal as I'm approaching 50)...it just scratches a certain itch for me, but if I was to read comments on Quora,I'd get the impression that it's a complete waste of time and I should be doing MMA.
Sensei, your channel definetely deserves more views, I'll restart my Karate training soon and your videos always came / will come handy. A deep bow from Malaga, Spain...Oss!
When you first start it is a paramount in your mind after a few years I didn't even give self defence a thought.if you're not a violent criminal you never will be. Great candid video.
Thanks for having open my eyes on points 1 and 3, and to have stress point 2 once again, wich I had already found by myself but tend to forgett it ! I would really be glad to attend to one of your seminars, even if it's not adapted to the land and location where i live, I'm sure I would learn so much about self-defence or karate, depending of the theme and program !
Regarding your points 1.) I agree completely; it's not merely about self-defense. That being said, a lot of schools go too far and have little to no self-defense at all, and yet still give the impression that they are teaching self-defense. There should be SOME level of practical street application for a martial art, otherwise it's not really a martial art. I can live with the art having aspects that fit into other categories, as you said. I simply want self- defense to be a REAL and USEFUL category as well. 2.) You hit the nail on the head with the problem with self-defense training. Too many martial arts do not train against a non-trained attack (the John Wayne sucker punch, for example). Self-defense should be as realistic as possible 3.) I agree for the most part, and being aware of legalities should be a part of training (some schools actually do a lecture on it, sometimes bringing in an expert like a policeman or a lawyer). You use the force necessary and reasonable, if necessary, and you STOP when the attacker is neutralized. That being said, I'm willing to go to jail if it means I know my family or friends will live to see another day. 4.) Agreed. If you can walk away without trading blows, do it. Mature martial artists who see what their skills can do when properly applied know this best. They don't want to get into a fight if they can avoid it, not because they're afraid, but because they don't want to harm others if possible. Nonviolent resolution should be priority one; the fighting techniques are there as a backup, when the walking away DOESN'T work. 5.) Yes, yes, a thousand times yes! Criminals are generally turned off by people who are paying attention to their surroundings and aware of what's around them. Preemptive mindfulness reduces a lot of conflicts.
Refering to your 2nd item: yes, definitely! Since I began watching Iain's channel and others, I stopped thinking of bunkai vs. oi zuki karate punches! Mostly wild hooks and haymaker punches, and sometimes boxing like jabs and cross punches
Thanks for this highly informative video Iain. I support victims if domestic abuse, so I was very pleased to hear you point out that women are most likely to be attacked in their home. The organisation I work for have asked me to explore the possibility of running self defence classes for clients who want the information - because I am a Shotokan Karate student. Luckily I have a Sensei who is extremely knowledgable in this area, and stopped me in my tracks, by illuminating the many different aspects of self protection which you have touched on here. Thank goodness I didn't head off in the wrong direction, potentially causing more harm than good. I am still exploring the subject of self protection, as it enhances my daily work with my clients, and there is still the prospect of running courses once we have all the right tools to do the job. If you would like to share any useful resources with me, I would be really grateful. Thank you. Oss
Delighted that you liked it! The law obviously varies as we move around the globe. I therefore cannot make a video that will be universally relevant. All I can recommend is that people seek to ensure that they understand the law of the land for where they live, and then ensure that is integrated into all self-protection training.
Thank you for posting this. Your comments about teaching how to identify the signs of an abusive relationship have inspired me to go find out more about that for my own teaching. Thank you for your work teaching Bunkai as well.
Great video, topics we try to cover at our club where we can especially the legality side, it probably helps that the instructor and his son have a legal background and students from the police etc.
Very true One of the traditional karate schools I train at is great and brutal and really in depth with the bunkai but thats it. Brutal as fuck and I can barely train these full power let alone use it in public cos I could really badly damage someone if not kill them. The words self defence MUST not be thrown around unless the teacher knows EXACTLY what it is
Practical-use-guy: Why do anything that will not work on THE STREET? Sane-Person: Do you wipe your ass? Because - and correct me here if I'm wrong - wiping has NEVER been proven on THE STREET!
What!? Wiping your arse works regardless of where you take a dump. Be it the woods, a bardesk or the most feared STREETS in the world, wiping your arse after a dump is always the right thing to do.
Very well-said. I think we also have to address methods for defusing situations before they escalate to violence, as well. The only fight you truly win is the one you avoid. What you say, where you go or don't go, how you carry yourself, body positioning, and even the look on your face can determine whether a situation escalates to one requiring the use of violence.
Bravo, sir. The only thing I can throw in is assuming that landing a solid kick to someone's groin is automatically 'game over' - drunk and drugged up nutters will often keep flailing away regardless. Unfortunately that brings us back to your point re the law - rendering one of these berserkers unconscious leaves you in the position where you have to ensure they are still breathing (not something many would concern themselves with at 3am). We've had dozens of cases where the pavement was the final arbiter of whether someone survived, but the guy who threw the punch was charged with murder or manslaughter. Thanks for the vid.
To your first point, I agree there are more benefits than self defense but if it has little or no combat application should it even be considered a martial art?
I think Iain was saying that self protection is a different thing from martial arts or combat applications. He gave the example of teaching self protection to older ladies, which didn't include any combat applications. So it's like combat is what you're left resorting to if your self protection strategies haven't worked.
This is one thing I struggle with in being a guy starting BJJ at 39 (and I'm now 41). I'm still young enough to not break my hip trying everything. But I'm old enough that going full on and rolling hard for every class leaves me a wreck for weeks. A lot of my BJJ peers are like "You can't know if you can win a fight unless we're putting you in sparring all the time." But I feel like outside sparring at the BJJ gym, I have virtually no chance of getting in a one-on-one fight in "the street". Cause I'm a grown up. I just want to be fit, get my body to learn some new movements, and also understand better what I'm seeing when I watch combat sports like MMA. Winning a fight in real life is actually not a very high priority for me.
@Mm Mm I'm not saying that I'm uninterested in full contact grappling nor that I don't enjoy it. Just saying that saying "The lesson has to involve being smashed because that's what it's like on 'the street'." isn't necessarily as applicable as its ubiquity in BJJ circles would suggest.
This is an excellent video Ian. You are a voice of reason and practicality in this subject matter discussion that is often filled with too many egos. I will incorporate the points you have made into my personal and group self defense training. 🥋
Very wise and clever advises. Self defense is more than 95% self and surrounding awareness and prevention. Physical defense is the last resort. But anyway, I think you'll agree that a well rounded martial arts practitioner can get great benefit from his training that can help very much in self defense situations, not only in actual physically fighting , but also related to awareness, alertness, general fitness, etc. Resuming the issue, a martial arts practitioner can be way best prepared for self defense than a common person, given he takes into account all the points you mentioned. Thank you!
I always enjoy these types of videos, I've used my "Verbal Judo" many times to diffuse an situation that could have ended in a physical altercation. These points should be part of everyone tool-box.
I call "escape" tactical withdrawal. Escape sounds like running away. Tactical withdrawal is a winning move. This is a winning video. Two thumbs up. My motto "live to fight another day". And all those bodies I left behind, that was the bad guys that tripped over themselves trying to catch up to me.
One of the many contradictions in martial art is the notion that we should not let our egos control our behaviour. Usually proudly proclaimed by senior grades to lower grades, in a 'I have my black belt so that proves I have more ego control than you' sort of way. What am I getting at here? There is no shame in 'running away'. If that is a viable option, then it may well be the best option. Dressing it up is just avoiding the truth. When a military force makes a tactical withdrawal, they have determined that the most effective way that they can serve their side is to stay alive, regroup, and redeploy. When an individual walking down the street runs away from the crack head that wants to stab them for a fiver, that individual is not going to regroup then go back to engage in another fight. They are just going to escape, maybe report it to the police, and hopefully get on with their lives.
I’d agree … and also check what the law defines as “reasonable” as opposed to relying on dictionary definitions. For the UK is it found in section 76 of the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008 and it not what most people assume: www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2008/4/section/76 It is based on your honestly held belief (even if mistaken, providing the mistaken belief does not result from voluntary intoxication). It is acknowledges that we “may not be able to weigh to a nicety the exact measure of any necessary action” and “having only done what the person honestly and instinctively thought was necessary for a legitimate purpose constitutes strong evidence that only reasonable action was taken by that person for that purpose.” It’s not as dogmatic as people assume.
All good stuff, as usual. The disappointing thing is reading the comments section where people “Still” seem to need validation of their own thoughts from a recognised name in the business. Not a smite on the clip,, but an observation in general. FFKS, the 90’s are well gone, get real...
This is a great video! I do martial arts for my mental health, keep fit and self defence. But I’m interested in the legalities point. The last page on my karate licence says I can use to uphold the law and protect loved ones, are we saying that’s a load of tosh?
It depends on where you are based. In England and Wales, Section 3 of the Criminal Law Act 1967 states that: “A person may use such force as is reasonable in the circumstances in the prevention of crime, or in effecting or assisting in the lawful arrest of offenders or suspected offenders or of persons unlawfully at large.” That applies to both crimes perpetrated against us and others. Karate’s ethical guidance should not be confused with the law of the land though. If you are based in England or Wales, then this is a useful primer: www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/self-defence-and-prevention-crime
Idea: at the start of a self-defense seminar ask the participants to make a short list of the notoriously dangerous places in their city. Then present Lesson #1 of the seminar: DON'T GO THERE. :)
Speak to the royal marines, they do much better. All of what you say is true. I do it for many reasons, interest, history, culture, socially, loosing weight and keeping my hand in, keeping fit to I guess. I do ninpo and Jujutsu, but also served with RM and RN commandos
I strongly agree with points 2 to 5 but disagree with point 1 (more on that later). Point 2: the odds of you being attacked by someone who does the exact same art as you, with the same skill level, with the same physicality as you is like winning the lottery. It's highly unlikely! It's best to not only assume that your attacker will be using an unknown style to you, but also assume that they are your superior. Stronger, faster and better skilled than yourself. If you're going to assume that your attacker isn't better then you then why train? It doesn't take much skill to fight an inferior opponent. The true art lies in surviving a fight against a superior foe. Point 3: absolutely true. Also if you're going to hesitate due to being unsure about the legality of your techniques then you're less likely to even use them in a real fight, which thus makes the training arguably useless. This is also why a lot of people prefer more passive techniques like grappling etc. as they are typically easier to legally justify. Point 4: Yes, self-defence is a SURVIVAL skill. You fight to survive, not to win. Point 5: Awareness of one's surroundings and situational awareness is absolutely an important element of self defence. One reason why many martial arts schools get students to practise forms in groups is to train students' sense of peripheral awareness. How many times, especially as beginners, are we doing a technique in a group, and being unsure, peek out the corner of our eyes at what others are doing to see if we're doing it correctly or not. I would also say that fights are more psychological than physical, and psychological warfare is something that's long been understood by combatants. I disagree with point number 1. This is not a misunderstanding of self defence, it's a misunderstanding of the contemporary meaning of martial arts. As you said so yourself, self defence and martial arts are no longer the same thing. They used to be, but nowadays not necessarily. Having said that, I think if a martial arts school uses the words "self defence" in their advertising or marketing, then they damn well be willing to deliver on that promise. If self defence isn't the focus of their teaching then DON'T promise it. I once trained at a Judo school that never used the words "self-defence" in their marketing, and when I asked them about self-defence they openly admitted that they don't teach it and that their Judo teaching was purely as a sport. That's fine and I have absolutely no problem with this, but what I have issue with are schools who DO explicitly state that they teach self defence but don't. That's false advertising. facebook.com/groups/FunctionalMartialArts/
YOU WROTE: “Point 2 …. doesn't take much skill to fight an inferior opponent.” I think you’ve missed the point I was making there. Criminal violence (non-consensual violence) is different from ALL forms of consentual violence. Criminals act like criminals; it’s not about what style they may be trained in or to what level. A criminal is an expert when it comes to criminal action. It’s a mistake to assume the criminal wants a “fight”. As I say in the video, there are far better ways for criminals to get that they want than to try to “fight” (i.e. deception, surprise, numbers, weapons, etc). Martial artists fail to grasp the criminal is not playing the “same game” as they are. As one of my instructors states, martial artists are like chess players who sits down for a game and then are shocked when the “other side” throws the pieces at them and tries to smash their head in with the board. The martial artist remains the best “chess player” (fighter), but the other side was not playing chess. That’s the point I’m making. YOU WROTE: “Point 4: Yes, self-defence is a SURVIVAL skill. You fight to survive, not to win.” I was clear that the term “survival” is one I thoroughly dislike: ruclips.net/video/m7fJ9ZlzWfQ/видео.html By saying “Yes” it suggests you are agreeing with what I said. I specifically said that “survival” was term I disliked, so I need to clarify that for readers. If you end up on life support or in jail then you survived, but that’s not a good outcome. As I said in point 4, the aim is to AVOID HARM. YOU WROTE: I think if a martial arts school uses the words "self defence" in their advertising or marketing, then they damn well be willing to deliver on that promise.” I agree, but by the same token if that martial arts school says they are purely self-protection focused then they are also being misleading. If it takes more than a few weeks to learn, then you’ve moved into other areas. Self-protection can be thought of as being like First Aid; it’s a life skill that does not take years to learn, that is open to all, but it does not make you a medical professional. We can move onto become highly trained in a given aspect of combat i.e. be a “brain surgeon” of grappling, a “heart surgeon” of punching, etc. However, when First Aid is needed, even the brain surgeon will use their First Aid skills. Martial Arts is not Self-Protection. Anything that takes more than a few weeks to learn isn’t self-protection; it’s martial arts. That was the point I was making in Point 1 and in the conclusion: Martial artists feel a need to push everything into the “self-protection” box, and hence don’t teach either particularly well. All the best, Iain
practicalkatabunkai RE: Point 2 Yeah mate, that's the same point that I was trying to make. A game of chess involves players competing under equal conditions. Although players may have different skill levels, they are both restricted to equal rules, which is what it's like when you only ever train with people who practise the same art as you, and yes, if you cross-train with martial artists who also play by sets of rules then you fall under the same problem (I guess it's like playing different versions of Chess - different sets of rules but you're still both equally bound). I totally agree that in a real fight that there are no rules, and this is the sort of fight scenario that martial arts traditionally trained for, and IMO, ought to be how training should be geared towards. I personally think that beyond rules that need to exist for legal and safety reasons (as all martial arts and sports coaches have a legal duty of care towards their students), there ought to be as few restrictions as possible. I think that the training should try to be as close to a real fight as appropriate. And the same happens in the actual military; combat training is never completely realistic (e.g. soldiers don't fire at each other with live ammunition), but they make it as close as reasonably possible. Same with when you learn first aid. You don't practise mouth-to-mouth or chest compressions on a live person, you practise on a dummy. Practising chest compressions on a person would likely break their sternum/ribs! RE: Point 4 Your view of "survival" is not necessarily incorrect, but it as narrowed down to an extreme point. I don't think that harm avoidance and survival are mutually exclusive concepts. I think that harm avoidance is a key part of survival - the more ideal end of the survival spectrum if you will. Ending up in prison or in hospital may still be survival, but the far less ideal end of that spectrum. But it can also depend on the context of the fight. YOU SAID: "Martial Arts is not Self-Protection. Anything that takes more than a few weeks to learn isn’t self-protection; it’s martial arts." I guess this depends on how you choose to define "martial arts," but going by its semantic meaning, martial arts should absolutely be about harm avoidance and self defence - because it is literally the art of war (Martial = "pertaining to war). In Chinese and Japanese the word for martial arts is 武術 ("bujutsu); 武 (bu) meaning "war" and 術 (jutsu) meaning "art" (or 'skill'). Martial arts practised for purposes beyond practical/functional combat is a deviation of its original intention or meaning. So I personally don't see martial arts as being _inherently_ separate from self-defence, but rather I think that in the past century or so, martial arts has become divorced from self-protection, which was its original function. I totally agree that self-defence should not take a long time to learn. And traditionally martial arts didn't take as long to learn as it does now; with many styles taking approximately 2 years to master (give or take a few months - also depends on frequency/intensity of training). Taking a lifetime to master a martial art is ridiculously impractical because you don't want your village militia or army to spend a whole lifetime to gain basic competency! Your town or nation would likely be plundered or conquered by invading enemies. Armies need combat ready soldiers as quickly as possible, especially in pre-modern times when most societies didn't have professional warriors or soldiers. Often they were commoners who would be called to arms when the need arose; even early Samurai were often just farmers who were like part time army reservists - it wasn't until Tokugawa when the samurai became the exclusive warrior class that they're more renowned for (and even earlier Samurai weren't even fighters; they were bureacratic clerks :p). And the samurai were scrapped by the Meiji Restoration because the introduction of more modern firearms made them even more redundant than they'd already become during 'Sakoku.' It is the advent of Late Modern firearms that allows for people to become proficient fighters in only months instead of years. I find it bizarre when I meet people who have been training in a martial art for say 5 years or more and they still can't really fight. There are people who have spent more time learning a martial art than it takes other people to get a PhD at university... that's ridiculous. It's just pugilism, it's not rocket science. Obviously you can still improve and learn new things after your initial training, but your initial training should give you basic competency in a fight. You don't have to be an unbeatable fighter, because that's not what self-protection is about, but you should be reasonably competent at harm avoidance. But I have met people who have trained at a martial art (where they claim to be teaching/learning self-protection) for years, sometimes over a decade, and they really cannot fight to protect themselves. :/ It's like learning to drive; at the end of your course you should be a competent driver. You won't necessarily be a fantastic driver or a master driver, but you ought to be competent (otherwise you have no business being on the road). Similarly after say 2 odd years of training in a martial art, you ought to be competent. Not necessarily the best, but just competent. I've personally never taught any same student for more than 3 years tops, because what's the point of that? I don't practise or teach martial arts for any purpose other than self-defence, so yeah, I don't retain students for any longer than that. My students train for free, so I'm not in it for making any money so I have no interest in keeping my students for years and years to milk more dollars out of them (we have no special uniforms, no belts, no gradings etc.) - we just train for self-defence. Granted I can only run my classes once a week (not now though for obvious reasons), which is why it would take longer than other schools who can run lessons 2 or 3 times a week; under those circumstances I would certainly expect a faster rate of learning. But yeah, I totally agree that martial arts training shouldn't take very long - traditional/historical martial arts training never took as long as some people may think it did. The whole belt/grading system is a very modern thing (Stan Lee was already a teenager when Karate started using it in the mid 1930s; the escalator is older than the belt/grading thing!).
@@goktimusprime I’m not recognising how much of your response relates to what I said in the video. For example, YOU WROTE: “I totally agree that in a real fight that there are no rules …” I SAID: ruclips.net/video/m7fJ9ZlzWfQ/видео.html You are therefore both agreeing with things I never said and disagreeing with things I never said. It’s impossible talk in any meaningful way when that happens. All I can ask readers of this to do is ensure they watch the actual video.
Oh yes, I get so tired of those people who say that BJJ is def the best for self defence because it beats every other style in MMA. I mean for one thing, I would much rather avoid being on the ground in such a situation, I don't think it's good to train for self defence by only fighting on the ground. For another.... well we could argue about how historically MMA rules have tended to suit BBJ best, although I suspect some would not agree. I watched a video about self defence the other day and the man was interviewing a man who only used weapons FFS! And they are English! They should know that most weapons you would train with in MA are not legal to carry around, and how can anyone expect to defend themselves with no weapons if they only learn weapons! Some of this stuff drives me nuts.
Fighting for me is always a last resort as someone who is in security you get all kinds in your face especially at football matches (soccer) and other events abusing threatning you who are aggressive and constantly rude racally abusive Not to mention shoplifters who when caught would pull out a weapon on you etc.. but it seems communication and conflict management was the best solution for all of the issues i have faced. also as standard for myself i always do some research on the location i have to go to for work and or other social reasons gives me a little idea what the area is like and who to watch out for and the threats. Etc for example a lot of gang crimes in the uk happens at takeaways at least tge ladt i looked and i do love my chicken and chips and my bargain buckets...😆😅🤣😂😂🤣😅😆
the physical skills are what everyone is looking for the rest of "self protection" skills are learned from others not martial arts. If you take such skills on to teach others you open urself up to law suits and your insurance company will not cover you if you teach something you are not certified in to teach. Becareful about going out of line of what you are able to teach.
Thanks for beating the horse Iain. It's almost dead, but not nearly close enough. This is why I'm very honest about the fact that I train martial arts because I love fighting, and not for self defense.
Thanks for the video. I teach all of this in my Karate class. I would add to benefits is philosophy of non violence rooted in Zen Buddhism, morality and ethics such as Bushido code, 8 virtues of the Samurai. Self protection is at least 90% mental not physical, our brain is our most powerful weapon and the reason humans are the dominate species on Earth. Always try to avoid trouble in the first place with things like situational awareness. Escape without injury is the primary goal and again over 90% mental. Legality yes I always tell my students USA is both gun happy and lawsuit happy and if you go to far that is called assault. Don't depend on witnesses they are historical very unreliable just ask any judge, attorney or police officer. Threats can include multiple attackers and weapons again USA is a gun happy culture sadly.
I really don't equate martial arts with self defense anymore as it seems to have moved mainly in a conceptual, theoretical, historical and artistic direction. It seems that Modern martial arts and self defense are two entirely different disciplines and I feel that what we mainly get wrong is thinking they are related. While I do agree that most martial arts programs don't address the needed awareness and understanding of self protection practices, I also feel that in gives practitioners an unrealistic perspective of what it takes to physically defend themselves if the need should arise. We can train together and have an enjoyable time, get more physically fit, become friends and "family" but get our behinds handed to us in a real life encounter. Honesty and reality is what I believe to be the true starting point of any actual SD training. I would value your opinion on the matter. 👍I always appreciate your enthusiasm and insight!!
The key thing is people are aware of the law for their part of the world. That would be important for those who live in the USA i.e. they will need to know if and how their state recognises “imperfect self-defence” and the impact that may have. Here in the UK (specifically England and Wales) the law is a different such that one is entitled to rely on an unreasonable belief so long as it is honestly held and not the result of voluntary intoxication (see Section 76 (subsections 3, 4 and 5) of the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act). There is therefore not the same “honest but unreasonable belief” category related to “imperfect self-defence” because here in England and Wales, by legal definition, the level of force used is judged on “whether the degree of force used was reasonable in the circumstances is to be decided by reference to the circumstances as D believed them to be”. This is whether or not the belief was a mistaken ((4)(i)) or an unreasonable belief ((4)(ii)); all that matters is that it was honestly held. Sometimes people get confused by how the laws change from country to country. I see this sometimes when people in the UK have read books written by people from the USA, writing for an American audience, who, having read the book, mistakenly believe the exact same legal principles apply in the UK. As I say, the key thing is people are aware of the law for their part of the world.
Good advice, but don't say "the law is what it is." The law is what we allow it to be. For example, Brits allowed the government to confiscate their guns. Citizens have the same rights around the World. Exercise those rights.
This is a political point and not something I really want to get into. I appreciate that Gun Ownership / 2nd Amendment is a topic that evokes a lot of passion in the US, but not so much here. I therefore just want to correct a point of fact in that you are wrong when you say, “Brits allowed the government to confiscate their guns”. No one “confiscated” anything. The laws over here are made by our elected officials. We are a democracy and the gun ownership laws over here are widely supported by the population. Nothing was forced upon us. The UK has simply chosen to a different approach the USA. I’m not a citizen of the US, so I don’t feel I have the knowledge or the right to comment on the whys and wherefores of what you guys do. Your rules are your business. As a UK citizen, I can say that you have misunderstood the situation over here.
@@practicalkatabunkai Thanks for the feedback. I am a simple and studious black belt and you have become a great reference for me. My English is very bad and the sensei speaks quickly. Thank you. Oss. 
Valuable information! Most people don’t think about the term “street fight” and what that actually means. Touching on the topic of law is also great for people to conceptualize too.
This is the first time I have watched an internet video that echo's EVERYTHING I have learned, and teach in my school. Impressed.
Iain is even more impressive in person.. someone with bags of skills, self-effacing and modest, who is clearly a born teacher...and a really nice guy to boot. Having been in the Martial arts a long long time, I have met many who claim the former, fake the latter and wouldn't know how to teach sitting to an arse.
@@R0nge Thanks! I'm delighted what I do, and how I do it, resonates with you!
@@practicalkatabunkai My pleasure Iain, it has been a long time since I trained with you on one of your seminars.. but have always been a long-time fan. keep up the good work :-)
@@R0nge He seems to see what many don't. It's been a long road for me as well, So many out there with so little experience expounding non-sense, even before the internet. ;-) I keep a low profile because of that, and rarely comment....this brought me out. A close friend is a Karateka and follower of Iain who shared this with me. Nice to see at least someone with sense who is willing to take to this medium. Realistic Mindset + Realistic Training=Realistic Results. Regardless of what style you do.
R0nge Iain is a great teacher. I just wouldn't call him a born teacher for the simple fact that it massively undermines the amount of effort he puts into it on a regular basis. I envy you for having trained with him in person. Someday I'd like to do the same. OSU!!
Over many years I learned that what Iain is saying here is 1000% correct. I’ve been teaching martial arts for over 35 years, and when people join my class I explain to them that I am NOT teaching self protection, that self protection is a specialized subject, and that if a student is interested I can refer them to good sources. It’s very important because if you don’t understand this and be honest with your students, your students can wind up hurt or worse. Thank you Iain.
So true I've had instructors spout live or die scenarios many times, being an ex trained doorman I was taught the law the criminal mind and to utilise verbal postural and finally physical control rather than striking.
I've been a martial artist for years, and have an interest in the self protection aspect. After much research into different styles, I actually came to the conclusion that I should find myself a security / doorman course.
As an old git who has been training for 55 years, I agree 100%!!! It took me a long time to realise this stuff but eventually it kicked in - no pun intended ;)
So glad I found this video. Especially the part about legality of self defence. This an issue that I intend to find out what exactly the law is.
All good points: I totally agree:
We need to recognise the context and the limitations of things we know, and be honest with ourselves about which things we don't know enough about.
Valuable information! Most people don’t think about the term “street fight” and what that actually means. Touching on the topic of law is also great for people to conceptualize too.
I lost track of your podcast somehow. So happy to find this. Subscribed.
This is beyond a doubt some of the best advice on self defense, period.
I'm part of a federated Shotokan School (JKS affiliated), I'm under no illusion of what I practice. People I work with often ask "so you can kick some ass" ... Nope, not the way we practice ,it's a sport.
Of course you can kick someone's arse. Anyone can. And any physical training will improve your ability to do that. A better but less interesting question might be, does shotokan specifically give you the ability to kick the arse of anyone, trained in anything or not trained at all, of any age or ability or size or fitness level. The answer to that question is of course no.
I like what yoshimitsu Onaga said:
"You don't have to win, you just have to not lose"
Point-by-point, this is staggeringly great. Bookmarking this. Very important stuff.
Outstanding video! You touched on several areas that most people dont! I have been training since the 80's, combat veteran and I have worked with law enforcement over the years. I will be sharing this video!
A fantastic post and something that really needs to be said. I'm sharing this everywhere!
Awesome points,well explained. I think a big aspect of this,especially points 2,3,and 4,is the "warrior" mindset that runs through martial arts culture. Teachers and students very much embrace this,the sense of honor and decency. The mistake is making assumptions about a criminal responding a certain way to this,but crucially that others (witnesses etc) recognize this being in play as well. The place where I've seen this fit most comfortably is door work,where it's acknowledged by all involved that the martial artist is applying their skills as part of their job. Not saying they're not still legally bound,but it seems to frame the situations a certain way that's more forgiving on the bouncer.
As for the first point,one of my favorite arts is Shinkendo,a Japanese sword art. Not applicable to defense at all but I loved the training. Great for the mind and body, no impact injuries (a big deal as I'm approaching 50)...it just scratches a certain itch for me, but if I was to read comments on Quora,I'd get the impression that it's a complete waste of time and I should be doing MMA.
This was right on. I've been saying some of these things for years. But you've added a lot of information I've not considered. Awesome video!
Sensei, your channel definetely deserves more views, I'll restart my Karate training soon and your videos always came / will come handy. A deep bow from Malaga, Spain...Oss!
This may sound like too much praise, but his really is one of the most important pieces of content on this topic, and well spoken as well.Thank you.
When you first start it is a paramount in your mind after a few years I didn't even give self defence a thought.if you're not a violent criminal you never will be. Great candid video.
Iain Sensei. Discussions like this one price you are a master, not just a guy who teaches people how to punch.
Iain, great presentation sir. Thanks.
Thanks for having open my eyes on points 1 and 3, and to have stress point 2 once again, wich I had already found by myself but tend to forgett it ! I would really be glad to attend to one of your seminars, even if it's not adapted to the land and location where i live, I'm sure I would learn so much about self-defence or karate, depending of the theme and program !
Well done Iain, excellent presentation, valuable, informative clearly and passionately delivered.
Regarding your points
1.) I agree completely; it's not merely about self-defense. That being said, a lot of schools go too far and have little to no self-defense at all, and yet still give the impression that they are teaching self-defense. There should be SOME level of practical street application for a martial art, otherwise it's not really a martial art. I can live with the art having aspects that fit into other categories, as you said. I simply want self- defense to be a REAL and USEFUL category as well.
2.) You hit the nail on the head with the problem with self-defense training. Too many martial arts do not train against a non-trained attack (the John Wayne sucker punch, for example). Self-defense should be as realistic as possible
3.) I agree for the most part, and being aware of legalities should be a part of training (some schools actually do a lecture on it, sometimes bringing in an expert like a policeman or a lawyer). You use the force necessary and reasonable, if necessary, and you STOP when the attacker is neutralized. That being said, I'm willing to go to jail if it means I know my family or friends will live to see another day.
4.) Agreed. If you can walk away without trading blows, do it. Mature martial artists who see what their skills can do when properly applied know this best. They don't want to get into a fight if they can avoid it, not because they're afraid, but because they don't want to harm others if possible. Nonviolent resolution should be priority one; the fighting techniques are there as a backup, when the walking away DOESN'T work.
5.) Yes, yes, a thousand times yes! Criminals are generally turned off by people who are paying attention to their surroundings and aware of what's around them. Preemptive mindfulness reduces a lot of conflicts.
Refering to your 2nd item: yes, definitely! Since I began watching Iain's channel and others, I stopped thinking of bunkai vs. oi zuki karate punches! Mostly wild hooks and haymaker punches, and sometimes boxing like jabs and cross punches
"personal security behaviors" I really like that phrase.
Thanks for cutting thru all the social media fog that's out there, with the sword of truth Sensei. Oss!
This video is full of wisdom! Impeccable work sir.
I thought that was great - Subscribed!
Wow! I really appreciate how you explained everything here. I've subscribed.
This is an amazing video all martial artists should watch.
After 12 years in law enforcement I would agree with many of the points here. Vids on my channel follow a similar thread at times. Great stuff.
Thanks Iain. Another excellent and fascinating video!!!
Thanks for this highly informative video Iain. I support victims if domestic abuse, so I was very pleased to hear you point out that women are most likely to be attacked in their home.
The organisation I work for have asked me to explore the possibility of running self defence classes for clients who want the information - because I am a Shotokan Karate student. Luckily I have a Sensei who is extremely knowledgable in this area, and stopped me in my tracks, by illuminating the many different aspects of self protection which you have touched on here. Thank goodness I didn't head off in the wrong direction, potentially causing more harm than good.
I am still exploring the subject of self protection, as it enhances my daily work with my clients, and there is still the prospect of running courses once we have all the right tools to do the job.
If you would like to share any useful resources with me, I would be really grateful. Thank you. Oss
Thank you. I am so fed up with "traditional martial arts don't work" crap. Like you say, there's so much more to it.
@Mm Mm Did you even watch the video?
@@ambulocetusnatans I did. What don't you understand?
Wise Man. Great commentary.
Very useful, thank you!
Iain Sensei, another great posting. Thank you.
Yes, it WAS thought- provoking, especially the legal implications. Please make another video on the same subject with examples.
Delighted that you liked it! The law obviously varies as we move around the globe. I therefore cannot make a video that will be universally relevant. All I can recommend is that people seek to ensure that they understand the law of the land for where they live, and then ensure that is integrated into all self-protection training.
Thank you for posting this. Your comments about teaching how to identify the signs of an abusive relationship have inspired me to go find out more about that for my own teaching. Thank you for your work teaching Bunkai as well.
Love your videos and this one is no exception! Thank you!!
Great video, topics we try to cover at our club where we can especially the legality side, it probably helps that the instructor and his son have a legal background and students from the police etc.
Great advice as always!
Martial Arts commonly derive from war arts. They have different focus than self defense
Great video. Always a wealth of knowledge and learning from your videos. Agree whole heartedly with your message.
Cheers,
Ryan
Very true
One of the traditional karate schools I train at is great and brutal and really in depth with the bunkai but thats it. Brutal as fuck and I can barely train these full power let alone use it in public cos I could really badly damage someone if not kill them. The words self defence MUST not be thrown around unless the teacher knows EXACTLY what it is
Practical-use-guy: Why do anything that will not work on THE STREET?
Sane-Person: Do you wipe your ass? Because - and correct me here if I'm wrong - wiping has NEVER been proven on THE STREET!
What!? Wiping your arse works regardless of where you take a dump. Be it the woods, a bardesk or the most feared STREETS in the world, wiping your arse after a dump is always the right thing to do.
Very well-said. I think we also have to address methods for defusing situations before they escalate to violence, as well. The only fight you truly win is the one you avoid. What you say, where you go or don't go, how you carry yourself, body positioning, and even the look on your face can determine whether a situation escalates to one requiring the use of violence.
Bravo, sir. The only thing I can throw in is assuming that landing a solid kick to someone's groin is automatically 'game over' - drunk and drugged up nutters will often keep flailing away regardless. Unfortunately that brings us back to your point re the law - rendering one of these berserkers unconscious leaves you in the position where you have to ensure they are still breathing (not something many would concern themselves with at 3am). We've had dozens of cases where the pavement was the final arbiter of whether someone survived, but the guy who threw the punch was charged with murder or manslaughter. Thanks for the vid.
To your first point, I agree there are more benefits than self defense but if it has little or no combat application should it even be considered a martial art?
I think Iain was saying that self protection is a different thing from martial arts or combat applications. He gave the example of teaching self protection to older ladies, which didn't include any combat applications. So it's like combat is what you're left resorting to if your self protection strategies haven't worked.
@@stephena1196 that makes sense.
@@captainbeaver_man903 thank you.
Great information! Thank you! 👊🏻
This is one thing I struggle with in being a guy starting BJJ at 39 (and I'm now 41). I'm still young enough to not break my hip trying everything. But I'm old enough that going full on and rolling hard for every class leaves me a wreck for weeks. A lot of my BJJ peers are like "You can't know if you can win a fight unless we're putting you in sparring all the time." But I feel like outside sparring at the BJJ gym, I have virtually no chance of getting in a one-on-one fight in "the street". Cause I'm a grown up. I just want to be fit, get my body to learn some new movements, and also understand better what I'm seeing when I watch combat sports like MMA. Winning a fight in real life is actually not a very high priority for me.
@Mm Mm I'm not saying that I'm uninterested in full contact grappling nor that I don't enjoy it. Just saying that saying "The lesson has to involve being smashed because that's what it's like on 'the street'." isn't necessarily as applicable as its ubiquity in BJJ circles would suggest.
As always .. sound advice ... well presented .. really love your work
Sensible, sound, practical advice from someone who clearly knows what he is talking about.
This is an excellent video Ian. You are a voice of reason and practicality in this subject matter discussion that is often filled with too many egos.
I will incorporate the points you have made into my personal and group self defense training. 🥋
Well done Ian! Thank you!
Well said Iain, especially on the criminal mind section as you elaborated in copious details.
Very wise and clever advises. Self defense is more than 95% self and surrounding awareness and prevention. Physical defense is the last resort. But anyway, I think you'll agree that a well rounded martial arts practitioner can get great benefit from his training that can help very much in self defense situations, not only in actual physically fighting , but also related to awareness, alertness, general fitness, etc. Resuming the issue, a martial arts practitioner can be way best prepared for self defense than a common person, given he takes into account all the points you mentioned. Thank you!
I always enjoy these types of videos, I've used my "Verbal Judo" many times to diffuse an situation that could have ended in a physical altercation. These points should be part of everyone tool-box.
Well said Iain spot on.
Great video!
I call "escape" tactical withdrawal. Escape sounds like running away. Tactical withdrawal is a winning move. This is a winning video. Two thumbs up. My motto "live to fight another day". And all those bodies I left behind, that was the bad guys that tripped over themselves trying to catch up to me.
One of the many contradictions in martial art is the notion that we should not let our egos control our behaviour. Usually proudly proclaimed by senior grades to lower grades, in a 'I have my black belt so that proves I have more ego control than you' sort of way. What am I getting at here? There is no shame in 'running away'. If that is a viable option, then it may well be the best option. Dressing it up is just avoiding the truth. When a military force makes a tactical withdrawal, they have determined that the most effective way that they can serve their side is to stay alive, regroup, and redeploy. When an individual walking down the street runs away from the crack head that wants to stab them for a fiver, that individual is not going to regroup then go back to engage in another fight. They are just going to escape, maybe report it to the police, and hopefully get on with their lives.
always useful info sir thank you
Well said and absolutely spot on!
Nailed it!
He knows his stuff. A lot of shite out there so its refreshing to here the truth.
Excellent!
Always good, thank you
true use the amount of force necessary for the situation
I’d agree … and also check what the law defines as “reasonable” as opposed to relying on dictionary definitions. For the UK is it found in section 76 of the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008 and it not what most people assume: www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2008/4/section/76 It is based on your honestly held belief (even if mistaken, providing the mistaken belief does not result from voluntary intoxication). It is acknowledges that we “may not be able to weigh to a nicety the exact measure of any necessary action” and “having only done what the person honestly and instinctively thought was necessary for a legitimate purpose constitutes strong evidence that only reasonable action was taken by that person for that purpose.” It’s not as dogmatic as people assume.
All good stuff, as usual. The disappointing thing is reading the comments section where people “Still” seem to need validation of their own thoughts from a recognised name in the business. Not a smite on the clip,, but an observation in general. FFKS, the 90’s are well gone, get real...
Respect!
Excelent video
Great video again!
Super informative.
This is a great video! I do martial arts for my mental health, keep fit and self defence. But I’m interested in the legalities point. The last page on my karate licence says I can use to uphold the law and protect loved ones, are we saying that’s a load of tosh?
It depends on where you are based. In England and Wales, Section 3 of the Criminal Law Act 1967 states that: “A person may use such force as is reasonable in the circumstances in the prevention of crime, or in effecting or assisting in the lawful arrest of offenders or suspected offenders or of persons unlawfully at large.” That applies to both crimes perpetrated against us and others. Karate’s ethical guidance should not be confused with the law of the land though. If you are based in England or Wales, then this is a useful primer: www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/self-defence-and-prevention-crime
Idea: at the start of a self-defense seminar ask the participants to make a short list of the notoriously dangerous places in their city. Then present Lesson #1 of the seminar: DON'T GO THERE. :)
Only 14 thumbs down in Dec 2020. That's pretty good, not too many butts hurting. That means this video makes a lot of sense.
Brilliant!
Speak to the royal marines, they do much better. All of what you say is true. I do it for many reasons, interest, history, culture, socially, loosing weight and keeping my hand in, keeping fit to I guess.
I do ninpo and Jujutsu, but also served with RM and RN commandos
I strongly agree with points 2 to 5 but disagree with point 1 (more on that later).
Point 2: the odds of you being attacked by someone who does the exact same art as you, with the same skill level, with the same physicality as you is like winning the lottery. It's highly unlikely! It's best to not only assume that your attacker will be using an unknown style to you, but also assume that they are your superior. Stronger, faster and better skilled than yourself. If you're going to assume that your attacker isn't better then you then why train? It doesn't take much skill to fight an inferior opponent. The true art lies in surviving a fight against a superior foe.
Point 3: absolutely true. Also if you're going to hesitate due to being unsure about the legality of your techniques then you're less likely to even use them in a real fight, which thus makes the training arguably useless. This is also why a lot of people prefer more passive techniques like grappling etc. as they are typically easier to legally justify.
Point 4: Yes, self-defence is a SURVIVAL skill. You fight to survive, not to win.
Point 5: Awareness of one's surroundings and situational awareness is absolutely an important element of self defence. One reason why many martial arts schools get students to practise forms in groups is to train students' sense of peripheral awareness. How many times, especially as beginners, are we doing a technique in a group, and being unsure, peek out the corner of our eyes at what others are doing to see if we're doing it correctly or not. I would also say that fights are more psychological than physical, and psychological warfare is something that's long been understood by combatants.
I disagree with point number 1. This is not a misunderstanding of self defence, it's a misunderstanding of the contemporary meaning of martial arts. As you said so yourself, self defence and martial arts are no longer the same thing. They used to be, but nowadays not necessarily. Having said that, I think if a martial arts school uses the words "self defence" in their advertising or marketing, then they damn well be willing to deliver on that promise. If self defence isn't the focus of their teaching then DON'T promise it. I once trained at a Judo school that never used the words "self-defence" in their marketing, and when I asked them about self-defence they openly admitted that they don't teach it and that their Judo teaching was purely as a sport. That's fine and I have absolutely no problem with this, but what I have issue with are schools who DO explicitly state that they teach self defence but don't. That's false advertising.
facebook.com/groups/FunctionalMartialArts/
YOU WROTE: “Point 2 …. doesn't take much skill to fight an inferior opponent.”
I think you’ve missed the point I was making there. Criminal violence (non-consensual violence) is different from ALL forms of consentual violence. Criminals act like criminals; it’s not about what style they may be trained in or to what level. A criminal is an expert when it comes to criminal action. It’s a mistake to assume the criminal wants a “fight”. As I say in the video, there are far better ways for criminals to get that they want than to try to “fight” (i.e. deception, surprise, numbers, weapons, etc). Martial artists fail to grasp the criminal is not playing the “same game” as they are. As one of my instructors states, martial artists are like chess players who sits down for a game and then are shocked when the “other side” throws the pieces at them and tries to smash their head in with the board. The martial artist remains the best “chess player” (fighter), but the other side was not playing chess. That’s the point I’m making.
YOU WROTE: “Point 4: Yes, self-defence is a SURVIVAL skill. You fight to survive, not to win.”
I was clear that the term “survival” is one I thoroughly dislike: ruclips.net/video/m7fJ9ZlzWfQ/видео.html By saying “Yes” it suggests you are agreeing with what I said. I specifically said that “survival” was term I disliked, so I need to clarify that for readers. If you end up on life support or in jail then you survived, but that’s not a good outcome. As I said in point 4, the aim is to AVOID HARM.
YOU WROTE: I think if a martial arts school uses the words "self defence" in their advertising or marketing, then they damn well be willing to deliver on that promise.”
I agree, but by the same token if that martial arts school says they are purely self-protection focused then they are also being misleading. If it takes more than a few weeks to learn, then you’ve moved into other areas. Self-protection can be thought of as being like First Aid; it’s a life skill that does not take years to learn, that is open to all, but it does not make you a medical professional. We can move onto become highly trained in a given aspect of combat i.e. be a “brain surgeon” of grappling, a “heart surgeon” of punching, etc. However, when First Aid is needed, even the brain surgeon will use their First Aid skills. Martial Arts is not Self-Protection. Anything that takes more than a few weeks to learn isn’t self-protection; it’s martial arts. That was the point I was making in Point 1 and in the conclusion: Martial artists feel a need to push everything into the “self-protection” box, and hence don’t teach either particularly well.
All the best,
Iain
practicalkatabunkai
RE: Point 2
Yeah mate, that's the same point that I was trying to make. A game of chess involves players competing under equal conditions. Although players may have different skill levels, they are both restricted to equal rules, which is what it's like when you only ever train with people who practise the same art as you, and yes, if you cross-train with martial artists who also play by sets of rules then you fall under the same problem (I guess it's like playing different versions of Chess - different sets of rules but you're still both equally bound). I totally agree that in a real fight that there are no rules, and this is the sort of fight scenario that martial arts traditionally trained for, and IMO, ought to be how training should be geared towards. I personally think that beyond rules that need to exist for legal and safety reasons (as all martial arts and sports coaches have a legal duty of care towards their students), there ought to be as few restrictions as possible. I think that the training should try to be as close to a real fight as appropriate. And the same happens in the actual military; combat training is never completely realistic (e.g. soldiers don't fire at each other with live ammunition), but they make it as close as reasonably possible. Same with when you learn first aid. You don't practise mouth-to-mouth or chest compressions on a live person, you practise on a dummy. Practising chest compressions on a person would likely break their sternum/ribs!
RE: Point 4
Your view of "survival" is not necessarily incorrect, but it as narrowed down to an extreme point. I don't think that harm avoidance and survival are mutually exclusive concepts. I think that harm avoidance is a key part of survival - the more ideal end of the survival spectrum if you will. Ending up in prison or in hospital may still be survival, but the far less ideal end of that spectrum. But it can also depend on the context of the fight.
YOU SAID: "Martial Arts is not Self-Protection. Anything that takes more than a few weeks to learn isn’t self-protection; it’s martial arts."
I guess this depends on how you choose to define "martial arts," but going by its semantic meaning, martial arts should absolutely be about harm avoidance and self defence - because it is literally the art of war (Martial = "pertaining to war). In Chinese and Japanese the word for martial arts is 武術 ("bujutsu); 武 (bu) meaning "war" and 術 (jutsu) meaning "art" (or 'skill'). Martial arts practised for purposes beyond practical/functional combat is a deviation of its original intention or meaning. So I personally don't see martial arts as being _inherently_ separate from self-defence, but rather I think that in the past century or so, martial arts has become divorced from self-protection, which was its original function. I totally agree that self-defence should not take a long time to learn. And traditionally martial arts didn't take as long to learn as it does now; with many styles taking approximately 2 years to master (give or take a few months - also depends on frequency/intensity of training). Taking a lifetime to master a martial art is ridiculously impractical because you don't want your village militia or army to spend a whole lifetime to gain basic competency! Your town or nation would likely be plundered or conquered by invading enemies. Armies need combat ready soldiers as quickly as possible, especially in pre-modern times when most societies didn't have professional warriors or soldiers. Often they were commoners who would be called to arms when the need arose; even early Samurai were often just farmers who were like part time army reservists - it wasn't until Tokugawa when the samurai became the exclusive warrior class that they're more renowned for (and even earlier Samurai weren't even fighters; they were bureacratic clerks :p). And the samurai were scrapped by the Meiji Restoration because the introduction of more modern firearms made them even more redundant than they'd already become during 'Sakoku.' It is the advent of Late Modern firearms that allows for people to become proficient fighters in only months instead of years. I find it bizarre when I meet people who have been training in a martial art for say 5 years or more and they still can't really fight. There are people who have spent more time learning a martial art than it takes other people to get a PhD at university... that's ridiculous. It's just pugilism, it's not rocket science. Obviously you can still improve and learn new things after your initial training, but your initial training should give you basic competency in a fight. You don't have to be an unbeatable fighter, because that's not what self-protection is about, but you should be reasonably competent at harm avoidance. But I have met people who have trained at a martial art (where they claim to be teaching/learning self-protection) for years, sometimes over a decade, and they really cannot fight to protect themselves. :/ It's like learning to drive; at the end of your course you should be a competent driver. You won't necessarily be a fantastic driver or a master driver, but you ought to be competent (otherwise you have no business being on the road). Similarly after say 2 odd years of training in a martial art, you ought to be competent. Not necessarily the best, but just competent. I've personally never taught any same student for more than 3 years tops, because what's the point of that? I don't practise or teach martial arts for any purpose other than self-defence, so yeah, I don't retain students for any longer than that. My students train for free, so I'm not in it for making any money so I have no interest in keeping my students for years and years to milk more dollars out of them (we have no special uniforms, no belts, no gradings etc.) - we just train for self-defence. Granted I can only run my classes once a week (not now though for obvious reasons), which is why it would take longer than other schools who can run lessons 2 or 3 times a week; under those circumstances I would certainly expect a faster rate of learning. But yeah, I totally agree that martial arts training shouldn't take very long - traditional/historical martial arts training never took as long as some people may think it did. The whole belt/grading system is a very modern thing (Stan Lee was already a teenager when Karate started using it in the mid 1930s; the escalator is older than the belt/grading thing!).
@@goktimusprime I’m not recognising how much of your response relates to what I said in the video. For example,
YOU WROTE: “I totally agree that in a real fight that there are no rules …”
I SAID: ruclips.net/video/m7fJ9ZlzWfQ/видео.html
You are therefore both agreeing with things I never said and disagreeing with things I never said. It’s impossible talk in any meaningful way when that happens.
All I can ask readers of this to do is ensure they watch the actual video.
Well,oss sensei thanks🙏
Oh yes, I get so tired of those people who say that BJJ is def the best for self defence because it beats every other style in MMA. I mean for one thing, I would much rather avoid being on the ground in such a situation, I don't think it's good to train for self defence by only fighting on the ground. For another.... well we could argue about how historically MMA rules have tended to suit BBJ best, although I suspect some would not agree.
I watched a video about self defence the other day and the man was interviewing a man who only used weapons FFS! And they are English! They should know that most weapons you would train with in MA are not legal to carry around, and how can anyone expect to defend themselves with no weapons if they only learn weapons! Some of this stuff drives me nuts.
Thanks Iain 👍
Sehr gut!
Yes this ☝️
Fighting for me is always a last resort as someone who is in security you get all kinds in your face especially at football matches (soccer) and other events abusing threatning you who are aggressive and constantly rude racally abusive Not to mention shoplifters who when caught would pull out a weapon on you etc.. but it seems communication and conflict management was the best solution for all of the issues i have faced. also as standard for myself i always do some research on the location i have to go to for work and or other social reasons gives me a little idea what the area is like and who to watch out for and the threats. Etc for example a lot of gang crimes in the uk happens at takeaways at least tge ladt i looked and i do love my chicken and chips and my bargain buckets...😆😅🤣😂😂🤣😅😆
the physical skills are what everyone is looking for the rest of "self protection" skills are learned from others not martial arts. If you take such skills on to teach others you open urself up to law suits and your insurance company will not cover you if you teach something you are not certified in to teach. Becareful about going out of line of what you are able to teach.
I agree what he stated . Multi arts are taught SS trainingis different.
I do it because I love the injuries.
Very funny! :-)
Thanks for beating the horse Iain. It's almost dead, but not nearly close enough.
This is why I'm very honest about the fact that I train martial arts because I love fighting, and not for self defense.
Thanks for the video. I teach all of this in my Karate class. I would add to benefits is philosophy of non violence rooted in Zen Buddhism, morality and ethics such as Bushido code, 8 virtues of the Samurai. Self protection is at least 90% mental not physical, our brain is our most powerful weapon and the reason humans are the dominate species on Earth. Always try to avoid trouble in the first place with things like situational awareness. Escape without injury is the primary goal and again over 90% mental. Legality yes I always tell my students USA is both gun happy and lawsuit happy and if you go to far that is called assault. Don't depend on witnesses they are historical very unreliable just ask any judge, attorney or police officer. Threats can include multiple attackers and weapons again USA is a gun happy culture sadly.
I really don't equate martial arts with self defense anymore as it seems to have moved mainly in a conceptual, theoretical, historical and artistic direction. It seems that Modern martial arts and self defense are two entirely different disciplines and I feel that what we mainly get wrong is thinking they are related. While I do agree that most martial arts programs don't address the needed awareness and understanding of self protection practices, I also feel that in gives practitioners an unrealistic perspective of what it takes to physically defend themselves if the need should arise. We can train together and have an enjoyable time, get more physically fit, become friends and "family" but get our behinds handed to us in a real life encounter. Honesty and reality is what I believe to be the true starting point of any actual SD training. I would value your opinion on the matter. 👍I always appreciate your enthusiasm and insight!!
Yea but... does your karate work for self defence though? 😂 I joke.
Under American common law, learn what “imperfect self-defense” is…
The key thing is people are aware of the law for their part of the world. That would be important for those who live in the USA i.e. they will need to know if and how their state recognises “imperfect self-defence” and the impact that may have. Here in the UK (specifically England and Wales) the law is a different such that one is entitled to rely on an unreasonable belief so long as it is honestly held and not the result of voluntary intoxication (see Section 76 (subsections 3, 4 and 5) of the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act). There is therefore not the same “honest but unreasonable belief” category related to “imperfect self-defence” because here in England and Wales, by legal definition, the level of force used is judged on “whether the degree of force used was reasonable in the circumstances is to be decided by reference to the circumstances as D believed them to be”. This is whether or not the belief was a mistaken ((4)(i)) or an unreasonable belief ((4)(ii)); all that matters is that it was honestly held. Sometimes people get confused by how the laws change from country to country. I see this sometimes when people in the UK have read books written by people from the USA, writing for an American audience, who, having read the book, mistakenly believe the exact same legal principles apply in the UK. As I say, the key thing is people are aware of the law for their part of the world.
@@practicalkatabunkai Methinks you sound like a barrister, sir! Thanks for the reply, I am honored.
Good advice, but don't say "the law is what it is." The law is what we allow it to be. For example, Brits allowed the government to confiscate their guns. Citizens have the same rights around the World. Exercise those rights.
This is a political point and not something I really want to get into. I appreciate that Gun Ownership / 2nd Amendment is a topic that evokes a lot of passion in the US, but not so much here. I therefore just want to correct a point of fact in that you are wrong when you say, “Brits allowed the government to confiscate their guns”. No one “confiscated” anything. The laws over here are made by our elected officials. We are a democracy and the gun ownership laws over here are widely supported by the population. Nothing was forced upon us. The UK has simply chosen to a different approach the USA. I’m not a citizen of the US, so I don’t feel I have the knowledge or the right to comment on the whys and wherefores of what you guys do. Your rules are your business. As a UK citizen, I can say that you have misunderstood the situation over here.
Translate to portuguese please!
As a monolingual Brit, English is the only language I speak. I’m pleased you like the video, but I am unable to translate.
@@practicalkatabunkai Thanks for the feedback. I am a simple and studious black belt and you have become a great reference for me. My English is very bad and the sensei speaks quickly. Thank you. Oss.

If possible someone could put a Portuguese subtitle option.
καρατε is self defence
@mehamed محمد karate written with the greek alphabet :)
karate hasnt moves from the groynd
Valuable information! Most people don’t think about the term “street fight” and what that actually means. Touching on the topic of law is also great for people to conceptualize too.