A Short Time

[MJS]

Do you feel that its possible to be effecient in an art in a short period of time, such as a few months, or do you feel that it takes longer? An art that makes the claim of being effective in a short amount of time is Krav Maga. Now, before I go on, this is not intended to turn into a bash session on KM. I used this art as an example because this is what they claim.

IMO, yes, I feel that the student should be able to pick up some good self defense skills within a months time. Granted, if they are new to the arts, they're not going to be crisp but I don't think that someone should have to train 10 yrs. before they're capable of defending themselves.

So, lets here your thoughts!

 

[mrhnau]

Do you feel that its possible to be effecient in an art in a short period of time, such as a few months, or do you feel that it takes longer? An art that makes the claim of being effective in a short amount of time is Krav Maga. Now, before I go on, this is not intended to turn into a bash session on KM. I used this art as an example because this is what they claim.

IMO, yes, I feel that the student should be able to pick up some good self defense skills within a months time. Granted, if they are new to the arts, they're not going to be crisp but I don't think that someone should have to train 10 yrs. before they're capable of defending themselves.

So, lets here your thoughts!

I think you can pick up some basic SD skills in a short time. You can learn how to throw a punch or two, defend a few different things, etc.. You won't get anything comprehensive, but I don't think most "street" attacks come in a wide variety. You won't become a master or anything, but might be a bit more skilled in protecting yourself from common attacks.

I think if a system is pretty close to one you have studied in the past, you can gain profeciency fairly quickly.

I've looked at KM recently. If there were someone teaching locally, I'd go take a look. I don't know how good you can be in a short time, but it does look promising...

 

[MBuzzy]

No disrespect to anyone to anyone or their organizations intended, but I believe that most organizations' time restrictions are too strict. Some organizations will only teach informations and techniques commensurate with a person's rank. I believe that this stifles the learning process in a great many cases. It is true that people need a solid base, but some people learn faster than others.

While I don't believe that someone can become a black belt in 3 months, I do believe that if they work hard enough, learn fast enough, and the teaching is unrestricted, a person can become very proficient in an art in a very short period of time - especially if they are only looking to get a solid base in self defense.

With that said, I understand why these time restrictions exist and why they are necessary in some cases. But I don't believe that every martial artist is created equally......so to answer your question in short - it depends on the person! If they train hard and pick things up quickly enough, then a resounding yes.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

I think you can get some basic self defense skills pretty quickly and definately change your mind set and up your awareness level in just a few months. However to have real proficiency at anything you have to put the time and sweat into it.

 

[Adept]

You should absolutely be able to pick up practical self defense skills, right from the very first class!

Obviously, the more time and effort invested into training will yield a more ingrained response. A person just out of their first MA class might 'know' the technique, but put under pressure they are more likely to panic and forget it than someone who has been training for years.

 

[Grenadier]

So that I don't hijack this thread, I'll restrict my answer to one's fighting abilities, and won't go into details regarding the art aspect.

It's really difficult to say, since the old saying of "different strokes for different folks" and everyone's uniqueness play a huge role. Keep in mind, that this is from a traditional Karate point of view, since that's what I'm most familiar with, when it comes to the arts:

When it comes to someone with no previous experience in the martial arts, but with good talent, I could *probably* turn them into a decent fighter in a matter of months, since they would know how to punch more efficiently, with greater power, and have the fundamentals of stancework, footwork, etc., along with a basic understanding of a decent defense.

Someone with lesser talent may very well take many months, or yes, even years, before I'd give them the "OK fighter" designation.

Someone who listens and works hard, can reduce the amount of time needed to become an "OK fighter" while those with lesser motivations will take longer.

 

[jks9199]

I think it is very possible, with committed and dedicated training, to develop high proficiency in a short time. The scope of proficiency would likely be limited -- but skill in basic skills can definitely be acquired quickly. Some very good boxers have their first amateur bout with only a few months training, and my instructors developed their initial proficiency in 6 months or less, and were competing in tournaments and winning at that time. (Their instructor would hand out a black belt before the tournament, then collect them afterwards!)

Again -- you're not going to develop a wide range of skill; you'll be a fighter. If you learn a form or two, it'll only be to pass muster to get to the fight. The training will have to be almost brutal, and you'll have to be very committed and dedicated in practice.

 

[Jade Tigress]

IMO, yes, I feel that the student should be able to pick up some good self defense skills within a months time. Granted, if they are new to the arts, they're not going to be crisp but I don't think that someone should have to train 10 yrs. before they're capable of defending themselves.

I agree. Depending on the art you should be able to have a few things in your arsenal for self-defense in a relatively short period of time, say a few months. Of course, this is not mastery, merely some simple techiques the average joe wouldn't have that would give you an advantage if attacked.

 

[Flying Crane]

I felt that after a few months of training Wing Chun, definitely less than a year, I was finding it useful. It's a simple system, straight forward, and useful. I already had close to 20 years martial arts experience when I started, so I expect that had an effect on it. But it still struck me as something that fell into place fairly quickly.

 

[thardey]

I think it can be possible to learn the physical aspects of self defense in a short amount of time. I mean, it doesn't take long to learn to throw an effective punch or kick. (A technically correct kick, on the other hand. . .)

However, the mental aspect of self defense and fighting takes years to develop. There's a toughness that has to be formed, and set of strategies and combinations that have to be done without hesitation, and a philosophical set of beliefs that have to be consistent with your purpose of fighting.

If you are not okay with the idea of hurting another person, then you have to either come to terms with that, or learn a style of defense that relies on alternative ways of stopping people. Either one of those options could take a lifetime.

Krav Maga, for instance, is almost completely about the physical defense. It's based on the philosophical beliefs of a culture that has already had the concept of "do what it takes" ingrained into them for decades, in their daily lives. (I've been to Israel, they are no-nonsense folks when it comes to fighting -- Remember Warsaw? They do.)

Japanese Sword Arts, on the other hand, can take years to teach how to draw properly, but you are learning much about respect for the sword as a lethal weapon, and therefore respect for the human life it could end, in the meantime.

 

[Andrew Green]

IMO, yes, I feel that the student should be able to pick up some good self defense skills within a months time. Granted, if they are new to the arts, they're not going to be crisp but I don't think that someone should have to train 10 yrs. before they're capable of defending themselves.

So, lets here your thoughts!

Definately yes, but it depends on the person.

If a person starts training in relatively good shape, within a few months they should have enough technique to dominate over the brand new people for the most part.

And it also depends on your focus. If they are training basics and kata to form, then they will be a fair bit better at those. If they are sparring from day one, every day, with that as the focus, they will be a lot better at that then the new people.

But if a person is out of shape, they will make progress, but until they get into decent condition the athletic guys will run circles around them for a while.

 

[bushidomartialarts]

My answer is yes and no.

Yes, you can learn how to throw a solid punch, launch a good kick, perform the basics of self-defense in a relatively short time (even just a weekend of very intense training with a skilled instructor).

But to ingrain the techniques into your muscle memory so they fire accurately with power while you're terrified.....that takes rather longer.

 

[Steel Tiger]

Do you feel that its possible to be effecient in an art in a short period of time, such as a few months, or do you feel that it takes longer? An art that makes the claim of being effective in a short amount of time is Krav Maga. Now, before I go on, this is not intended to turn into a bash session on KM. I used this art as an example because this is what they claim.

IMO, yes, I feel that the student should be able to pick up some good self defense skills within a months time. Granted, if they are new to the arts, they're not going to be crisp but I don't think that someone should have to train 10 yrs. before they're capable of defending themselves.

So, lets here your thoughts!

This is a very interesting subject that I have thought about for a long time. There is an old Chinese saying, "100 days for the hand, 1000 days for the spear, 10000 days for the sword". Now this was originally formulated to show that proficiency with the sword was difficult, but it does show that, to the Chinese mindset anyway, unarmed fighting proficiency could be earned quite quickly. Remembering that the days considered in the saying are fulltime, ten hour days. Still, I think that it suggests a good working knowledge can be acquired quite quickly.

 

[HKphooey]

Definately yes, but it depends on the person.

If a person starts training in relatively good shape, within a few months they should have enough technique to dominate over the brand new people for the most part.

And it also depends on your focus. If they are training basics and kata to form, then they will be a fair bit better at those. If they are sparring from day one, every day, with that as the focus, they will be a lot better at that then the new people.

But if a person is out of shape, they will make progress, but until they get into decent condition the athletic guys will run circles around them for a while.

Well said.

 

[stickarts]

It takes awhile to develop the skills although I think many people can use them within a short time period if they are already in decent shape and are coachable.

I think you can start to apply the principles learned into your life very quickly.

 

[jim777]

I think you can get some basic self defense skills pretty quickly and definately change your mind set and up your awareness level in just a few months. However to have real proficiency at anything you have to put the time and sweat into it.

And there you have it.

 

[exile]

Amen, most heartily, to all of the above—I agree with every single post so far—this is a record of some kind!

I would just add that it's not solely time on the floor, but probably at least as important, the kind of time involved. How closely are you able to simulate real SD conditions? The most successful programs for instilling industrial-strength survivability via H2H training are almost certainly going to have to be those that get you as close as possible to maximum-danger street conditions as early as possible and force you to develop your technical skills in that extreme-discomfort zone. Crucially, they are going to be those which break down your resistance to applying all-out destructive violence to your opponent. As long as that resistance is there, there's a good chance that it will kick in and inhibit your trained responses in the event of a real assault on you.

And that's not a variable which depends on the martial art itself, but on the school—the instructor(s) and the culture of the place. The instructors, in my view, have to have the willingness to train students just this side of the edge of real violence, and a curriculum which structures that training in a progressive and well-thought-out manner, so students aren't simply dropped in at the deep end of the pool, but, on the other hand, aren't trained through scenarios so idealized that they fail to trigger the instinctive survival response that powers to completion whatever techs are involved.

My impression is, at the moment not many schools teach their MA that close to the line (I suspect Brian v.C's school does, and there are a few in the UK that are famous for it). So it's going to take longer in most schools than it would otherwise...

 

[IWishToLearn]

Well, just to post something for Ex to disagree with - can't have everything in sync after all - it'll make his world come crashing down and give him nothing to talk about....

so...


*Ahem.*

Ex ... the world is flat. The sky is light mauve. And the African Swallow flies backwards when it is in the midst of it's tri-annual mating season.

*/ahem*

This has been a Public Service Announcement for the Benefit of Ex. You may all now return to your regularly scheduled posting.

 

[jdinca]

Do you feel that its possible to be effecient in an art in a short period of time, such as a few months, or do you feel that it takes longer? An art that makes the claim of being effective in a short amount of time is Krav Maga. Now, before I go on, this is not intended to turn into a bash session on KM. I used this art as an example because this is what they claim.

IMO, yes, I feel that the student should be able to pick up some good self defense skills within a months time. Granted, if they are new to the arts, they're not going to be crisp but I don't think that someone should have to train 10 yrs. before they're capable of defending themselves.

So, lets here your thoughts!

Depends. Keep it short, sweet and to the point and yes, a student can gain some efficiency in self defense. I do not feel that a person can become a proficient martial artist in that time frame, however.