The topic of how effective traditional martial arts in today's world as a way of protecting oneself is still a very sensitive issue to a lot of martial artists. What is even more sensitive is the issue of how realistic and street effective is the newer styles that have come out since UFC/PRIDE have come into the picture. I work as a bouncer and bodyguard I know what fighting is about. I have nothing against the martial arts I love the values and discipline it has taught me. I am also a Registered Black Belt and have studied styles such as Pankration. I just know that the techniques I have learned in the dojo should stay in the dojo, that also goes with styles such as the ?modern day or reality based styles? if I want to defend myself. I also teach tactical self defense and have many students with standing and grappling skills trained under reality based systems learn the hard way that what they learn is sport no different than what is learned in a traditional dojo. If a rule or law is applied to a system than it is a sport and not street effect, there are no rules in the streets your mind should not have to sensor or think can I do this to beat this person? If there is no biting, eye gouging, kicks or groin pulls than it is to civilized and is a sport because there are those rules for the opponents safety so no one gets seriously hurt or killed. Does that sound like a street fight?
How you train is how you will react in a high adrenaline stressed level. There is no time to switch gears from sport to tactical if you are training and your coach or sensei says can't hit there or no contact to the face or eyes your mind will remember that and store it for future reference. Training should be based not only on physical techniques but your environment as well.
Can you kick your attacker in the small space your in? Can you balance yourself while performing a technique on the icy sidewalk? If you grapple with him what if he has friends coming around, what do you do then? Street fighting or tactical self-defense should be in a simplest form of fighting, you don't have time to play a chess game, like you would see in a UFC match. Time is not on your side in a street confrontation nor are rules or morals. Bring kicked with a boot has a total different effect than being kicked by a bare foot, it will give you time to follow through or get away.
What we can learn from the UFC or mixed martial arts events when it comes to reality fighting is if it has rules of what not to do in the ring do it in the streets it's got to hurt.
Norm Bettencourt is the founder of TACT Self Defense which specializes in crime prevention, self defense education & combat tactics for the mind, body & spirit. For more information go to http://www.tactselfdefense.com
