# Self Defense Thoughts



## Daikenen (Aug 26, 2012)

At the end of class a couple years back, a student asked if he could film me explaining some common things that were overlooked in the hype of mma being real combat. I like mma, but like everything, it needs to be kept in perspective. A lot of gyms out there will teach mma self defense classes, although some techniques are transferable a combat sport is not a course in self defense. Self defense is less about technique and more about your attitude and a mindset

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XanMQsExOpE&list=FLlkWoHgkCmwDTQWNb6Lr3zQ&fmindseteature=mh_lolz

Please feel free too comment and critique.

P.S. The video was unedited, do out is a little lengthy. I apologize for that in advance. Happy viewing.


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## Tony Dismukes (Aug 26, 2012)

I thought this was going to be looking at the different tactical needs in self-defense as opposed to the "dueling" scenario that is a MMA match.  However this seems to be just some techniques for one-on-one fighting, which is rather different.

Taking it for what it is, let me offer some thoughts on the techniques in the order shown.

1) elbow break against the punching arm: This is totally legal in MMa competition, but no one uses it.  The reason that no one uses it is that it is a precision technique, but there is no way to safely practice it in the way you would need to develop the skill necessary to reliably pull it off in real time against a competent opponent.  If you don't have that skill, then attempting it in a fight will just cost you the opportunity to apply more reliable techniques, such as slipping the punch and counter-punching.

2) attacking with eye gouges or throat pokes from the tie-up: valid techniques, but secondary to developing the attributes (sensitivity, balance, positional awareness, etc) necessary to control the tie-up in the first place.  If you don't have those, then a skilled grappler will snap you into a bad place while you're still trying to get your hands on their throat. If you do have them, then you can apply the eye gouges or throat pokes at your leisure.  I do recommend that grapplers or MMA folks who care about street applicability experiment with these techniques occasionally just to make sure you aren't caught by surprise if someone uses them against you.

3) attacking the brachial nerve on the punching arm:  another technique that is perfectly legal in MMA, but is never used.  This one can be practiced safely (if painfully).  The limitation is that it is another precision technique that really requires you be much more skilled than your opponent if you are going to pull it off in a real fight.  If you don't manage it successfully then you are leaving yourself somewhat open for the next punch of a combination.  If you are a master of a style that uses this sort of technique, then it may be effective in a fight against an unskilled opponent.  I wouldn't put it near the top of my list of go-to techniques.

4) striking from within the guard: here we're getting away from even the pretense of looking at self-defense.  When was the last time you heard of someone being attacked by a mugger who pulled guard against them?  What you don't address is that striking from within the guard is really built on establishing posture and controlling space.  If you can posture up within someone's guard and make the correct distance then you can land knockout blows.  Otherwise it's going to be a slow grind.  The downwards elbow strike you show is okay, but not as effective as an elbow delivered with proper space.  Also you need to be careful about the opportunity you are giving a skilled guard player to take your side or back.  The way your student demonstrated it, I would have been out to the side in a heartbeat.

5) pressuring the nose to control the head of the bottom person in guard:  valid and sometimes used in MMA, but generally you want to be careful about extending your arm while doing it.

6) attacking the eyes or throat of the bottom person in guard: valid, although you need to be careful of counters.  As I mentioned for the tie-up, the most important thing is to be able to control the position.  Then you can easily attack the vulnerable spots without worrying about getting into trouble.  I do recommend that anyone who trains the guard for self-defense practice defending against those sorts of attacks.

7) finger locks from the top of the mount: valid, if you have spent the time training finger locks.  (If you haven't trained them enough to do them instinctively, then you run the risk of being distracted from the task of maintaining your dominant position.)  Personally, I think that raining down punches from the top of the mount is quicker to learn, but to each their own.


Thanks for sharing!


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## K-man (Aug 26, 2012)

Daikenen said:


> At the end of class a couple years back, a student asked if he could film me explaining some common things that were overlooked in the hype of mma being real combat. I like mma, but like everything, it needs to be kept in perspective. A lot of gyms out there will teach mma self defense classes, although some techniques are transferable a combat sport is not a course in self defense. Self defense is less about technique and more about your attitude and a mindset
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XanMQsExOpE&list=FLlkWoHgkCmwDTQWNb6Lr3zQ&fmindseteature=mh_lolz
> 
> ...


I might be wrong but I thought the point here was, in MMA, like in most other MAs that are used as sport, we tend to forget the small, nasty techniques that could make all the difference in a real self defence situation.

Thanks for posting.


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