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mandirigma
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- #21
Black Bear said:
I believe this hits the nail right on the head. I would add: The overwhelming majority of MA schools don't understand what comprises SD.
(Of course, some do understand what SD is, and they don't teach SD, and they still put SD on the door and in their yellow pages ad. There will always be charlatans when money is involved.)
Personally, I think many schools say they teach SD b/c they honestly think they do. They are wrong, of course, but they are not dishonest. They are simply ignorant.
The majority of "SD" teachers don't understand that SD stems from topics such as awareness, OODA, legal ramifications (ability, opportunity, manifest intent, preclusion), verbal tape loops "Stop fighting me!," etc.
If you're not practicing these and other similar topics, you are not practicing self-defense. You might be able to fight like heck, but you are missing the point if you say you're practicing SD. It would be like a student who only practices piano scales claiming to be a concert musician.
Indulge me and let me share a recent incident from my first instructor:
"12 Mar 04
This is from one of my students....This young lad was probably selected for victimization because of his age:
"The first incident happened just a block way from the restaurant. ...I had just gotten in the far right lane to make a right turn at the light, when a car came rapidly around my front and pulled directly in front of me. It was 9:00pm. In my mirror, I then see a man get out of the driver's seat of a Ford Explorer two cars behind me. The man walks to the car right behind my truck and taps that car's driver-side window. I could see the driver nod to the man at his window. The man then hunched over and walked toward my truck. In his hand, I could see what looked like a pistol.
I was boxed in...The light turned green, but the car in front of me did not move. I honked at him, and he finally pulled forward. I was out of there in a flash. I made a fast right, then a left into the hospital parking lot. They were not able to follow me.
I arrived home a few minutes later, badly shaken but okay....As I exited my truck, I heard leaves crackling behind me. I turned around and saw a man walking straight toward me in my own driveway (I don't know if is was the same man). I went into my interview stance and said, ‘May I help you, sir?' He hesitated but made no response. I said, ‘Stop right there, sir. How may I help you?'
He stopped abruptly and just looked at me. I could see that he was palming something in his right hand. I glanced behind me. I made one last verbal challenge, ‘Do not move. How may I help you?' My right hand was on the butt of my pistol, although he probably couldn't see it well.
Abruptly, the color drained from his face. He started to pitch left to right, finally stuttering, ‘I'm . . . I'm . . . I'm looking uh . . . uh! . . . for uh . . . my dog.' I replied, ‘There are no dogs here. Turn around and walk away now, sir.' He compliantly took a few backward steps and then turned around and walked away, disappearing into the night....."
Lesson: Here is another crime prevented by a competent and practiced defensive routine, fast thinking, and fearlessness. Such challenges should not be thrown at teenagers, but my student did just fine anyway. Good show!..."
I don't know if the young man has ever taken a "martial arts" class in his life, but he's certainly capable of discouraging an attack after he's already been selected for victimization, and he was ready to attempt to repel the attack with force if left with no other option.
Self defense is usually misunderstood by martial artists b/c, IMHO, martial artists don't understand the context of their martial skills. Actual fighting is a sliver of the overall continuum of SD. SD practitioners practice the "before" and "after" of an altercation.
Again, many "SD" teachers are simply ignorant. It's up to us lucky enough to be in-the-know to politely guide these teachers to look at themselves strictly and dispel their ignorance.
Be safe! :asian:
