The Street is a Hard Place.

The martial arts industry yes, I did say industry has many faces as well as different arts all trying to turn their students into the ultimate killing machine.

But far from turning them into the above a simple study will reveal that few of the so-called deadly techniques will be helpful in actual combat. Some arts may look good in a Hollywood film but in reality on the street they will not. Hence, few arts taught today are forged with life survival in mind. So what does this all mean?

Most of what you have read or been taught about self defence is just plain rubbish. If you're looking for real self protection skills tough, because you won't get it at most martial arts schools. The bad news is you will get a false sense of security.

After over 30 years of studying and training in the martial arts I am convinced that 90% of what is being shown in videos, books, seminars and schools just will not work in a sudden blood and snot unprovoked violent attack situation on your person.

The result is that many martial artists who think they have had the right training and they can defeat anyone who dared to attack them are plain wrong. Why, because most of them are clueless about how the street robber and violent thug operate and what deceptive techniques they use to ply their trade.

It's a myth to think that criminals don't train on the techniques they are going to use on you they do. Myth No2 you have to be fit to fight. Wrong,Wrong, Wrong.

An overweight thug with no training what so ever is just as capable of blind siding you while his mate engages you in conversation and smashes you in the face or on the jaw thus, knocking you out or stabbing you before you even know what has happened. He doesn't keep fit or train in a dojo for hours on end because he doesn't have to. His tactics still work on his unsuspecting victims despite this.

For many years we all thought that the martial arts techniques worked. Well they did in the training hall. But time and again I would hear of so called high-ranking black belts in one martial arts or another being beaten senseless by some unknown and untrained street thug.

How could this be so? These people had trained for many years trained abroad etc. Over the past 20 years or so opinions have changed. People now challenge if something works or not they don't just blindly follow what they have been told by some 10th Dan master or other so thinking it must be right.

Also the type of crimes and the violence used has also changed dramatically.To the couldn't care less drug induced street criminal your life or the pain he is about to inflict on you means nothing to him. You see, he couldn't give a damn about the consequences.

Therefore, you would think that the type of training used would adjust accordingly. But unfortunately in a lot of martial arts schools it has not.This left a void that is being filled with reality based self-protection clubs and instructors many who have switched over from traditional based martial arts to the modern day combative type training.

These new schools and the many excellent instructors now out there have turned to using simple gross motor skill type techniques just like the military realistic moves you can easily learn and remember combined with scenario pressure testing during the training session.

Why? Simply put it works. Best of all it works when you most need to use it to protect yourself and you do not have to spend years and years training and marching up and down in lines to military type commands.

When I was invited by an acquaintance of mine to train with him in a realistic type system of street self-defence it wasn't to long before I soon realised how good the system was. After only one session he proved to me without doubt that what is being taught in most martial schools wouldn't work under the duress of a real street attack.

Here are just a few things that I learned.

1.The adrenaline dump is a natural effect the body goes through when you are under stress-induced fear. It's a high shot of adrenaline surging through the body a natural effect that cannot be stopped by anyone. It can be devastating if you do not know how to deal with it.

2. Main problem with traditional martial arts is that too many techniques are taught, too tricky and complicated for the average person to use under stress.

3. Complicated techniques tend not to be executed properly if at all under stress.

4. Using joint locks and pressure points takes years of dedicated training in order to perform correctly. And on some people with high resistance to pain they still don't work when applied.

5. A high percentage of attacks can be avoided using good verbal and special skills. For instance: Awareness, understanding the tactics and body signals being given of by your potential attacker, not forgetting avoidance.

6. Many schools teach kicking techniques that are great for the dojo/studio or sport competition but useless on the street. In reality if they use these techniques they will get themselves into trouble very quickly.

7. A lot of what is being taught is pure fluff and wouldn't stand a chance in a real fight.

How to deal with these symptoms are for another article however, the following is what myself and other self-protection instructors are trying to achieve.

After searching masses of information changes have been slowly made in what is now being taught. I'm constantly modifying, perfecting and refining what works and what doesn't. I've looked at all the possible attacks and eliminated any response that did not fit into reality.

I use simple, direct and extremely effective strikes and techniques that can be learned easily by anyone. And, doesn't take years to learn.

The latest combative type systems aim to teach you quickly and easily regardless of your athletic ability. Most are done in a way that is fun and exciting to practice.

If you are worried about the fear of being attacked but want to feel more confident in the future I advise you seek out one of the combative instructors teaching realistic type training in your area and train with him/her rather than a traditional type school. As an introduction see my manual.

http://www.simpleselfdefencetactics.com/

Remember, Make your first strike your best, as

you might not get a second chance!