Practical Self-Defense: Ditch the Drama and Embrace Reality. Sitting Pretty or Prepared?

 

Posted by ADAM CARTER on OCT 31, 2024

Practical Self-Defense: Ditch the Drama and Embrace Reality. Sitting Pretty or Prepared?

(Approx 2 minute 10 second read)

It’s astonishing to me that I need to clarify this further, something as straightforward as practical self-defense, yet here we are. Once again, the armchair enthusiasts seem unable to grasp the situation with any common sense.

To set the record straight: regarding the article where I was asked to sit in on a ‘nidan’ test, where the candidate voluntarily dropped to his knees when asked to perform a self-defense technique – the choice to drop to his knees was entirely his own, not a prompt from his instructor overseeing the test.

Here’s the actual instruction: “I want you to demonstrate a self-defense technique.” That’s it. No mention of a specific scenario, such as being on the ground, seated at a picnic, in a park, on a train, in a restaurant, or kneeling in any other context.

While traditional techniques like iai, idori, and suwariwaza exist for defending from seated or kneeling positions, they serve specific purposes in training contexts – but this wasn’t one of those cases. He was simply asked to demonstrate a self-defense technique.

After his grading examination, I asked him why he did this. He said he wanted to showcase a particular throw, focusing on demonstrating a specific technique. He chose a throw from judo rather than addressing the realism and practicality that self-defense requires, admitting there was no reason to adopt such a position.

In my opinion, it was impractical and left him in a highly vulnerable state – something that goes against the core principles of self-defense.

For those arguing that it could be a likely scenario – really? Let’s be realistic.

For those who advocate ground techniques: Yes, you may end up on the ground – my dojo and other pragmatic instructors such as myself teach ground techniques – but from our point of view, it’s imperative to try to regain a standing position. We don’t want a wrestling match. For self-defense, escape is our priority. Come on, please – it’s just common sense. Do I really have to spoon-feed people with this?

Self-defense is about addressing immediate threats effectively, staying balanced, mobile, and responsive. Dropping to your knees without prompting or necessity, only limits mobility, exposes vulnerabilities, and rarely reflects real-world need. Furthermore, waiting for an attack from behind presumes control in situations where unpredictability is the norm, potentially misleading students about realistic response priorities.

In short, this type of display may serve well in technical training drills to explore body mechanics or to teach a particular throw, but it’s not a pragmatic approach for self-defense, where situational adaptability and readiness are essential. This awareness needed to be displayed by the candidate for the grading.

To be clear: self-defense is about fast, effective action to neutralize immediate threats, which may or may not be physical. When realism is sacrificed for demonstration, it undermines the core purpose of self-defense training.

Yes of course, training from varied positions has its value, especially in situations where you are forced into a compromised state. But dropping to your knees when it’s neither necessary nor practical isn’t something anyone should realistically consider.

Self-defense is about staying in reality, not theatrics. Let’s stick with common sense.

Written by Adam Carter – Shuri Dojo.