Right. Now, self-defense. Tonight I’ll be showing you how to defend yourselves against anyone who attacks you armed with a piece of fresh fruit. - Monty Python

 

Posted by ADAM CARTER on OCT 18, 2024

Right. Now, self-defense. Tonight I’ll be showing you how to defend yourselves against anyone who attacks you armed with a piece of fresh fruit. - Monty Python

(Approx 2 minute 50 second read)

“In order to know how good you are at something, it requires exactly the same skills as it does to be good at that thing in the first place. Which means that if you’re absolutely no good at something at all, then you lack exactly the skills that you need to know that you’re absolutely no good at it.” – John Cleese

I’m sure many of you are aware of the Dunning-Kruger effect – I’ve written about it before. Without the ability to recognize your shortcomings, how can you hope to improve?

There are many instructors who advertise their martial arts as self-defense. Yet the reality is, it’s karate-ka vs karate-ka sparring and step-kumite. Why is it, so many instructors don’t seem to realize that they are not teaching true self-defense? Yet they continue to promote it as such.

You wonder: How can so many people miss the mark? The answer, is they genuinely don’t know. They can’t see the flaws in their thinking because they lack the understanding to believe that something’s wrong.

Many schools claim that they teach self-defense, but they often fall short of real-world applicability. There’s a gap between what is taught and what would actually work in an unpredictable confrontation. Yet, these instructors, believe that they are fully equipped to handle such situations.

Self-defense is a different animal compared to the typical block, counter punch practiced in traditional karate. Chaos, stress, weapons, aggression, multiple attackers – without realistic training and pressure testing, your skills won’t translate into practical self-defense. And yet, due to overconfidence, practitioners don’t even realize it.

Here lies the dilemma: How can someone improve if they don’t know they’re lacking? This is the paradox. The very people who are most in need of reevaluating their skills are often the ones least capable of recognizing that fact. This often applies to experienced instructors. And the more confident you are in your knowledge, the less likely you are to question it.

The martial arts teaches you to face adversity, right? And at times the greatest adversary is your overconfidence.

It’s hard to confront the possibility that you’re not as knowledgeable as you think.

The key to breaking through this trap is to train in conditions that mimic the unpredictability of real life, or get as close to it as you can: resistance, aggression, not knowing exactly what will happen next. Only through realistic training can you start to see the gaps in your abilities and correct them.

This isn’t easy. It requires a willingness to admit that what you’ve been practicing might not be as effective as you thought. But it’s necessary.

Now, some of you might be thinking, “This doesn’t apply to me”. The thing is, there are many instructors who think their karate will work when needed. But, if the Dunning-Kruger effect teaches us anything, it’s that we’re often blind to our own weaknesses. It isn’t just about critiquing others; it’s about encouraging all of us – myself included – to constantly evaluate where we stand.

I’ve fallen into this trap myself. But by regularly questioning my own skills, I was forced to re-evaluate what I thought I knew. This ongoing process of self-reflection and testing is essential to understanding that what you’re doing may not cover everything after all.

So how do we reach the people who need to learn the most, who are often the ones least aware of it? We can’t force anyone to recognize their own blind spots.

I encourage everyone to dig deeper. Ask yourself tough questions, even if it’s been taught by a respected instructor: ‘Is what I’m practicing truly preparing me for real-world self-defense, and when was the last time I really tested my skills?’ The fact that you’re asking these questions is a sign of awareness.

No one is above the need to grow – and the first step is recognizing that you might not be as good as you think you are.

Written by Adam Carter – Shuri Dojo.

 Photo Credit: Photo Credit: Monty Python