Reality Self-Defence, Training

The importance of a training dummy as part of learning self-defence.

Before I explain why self-defence training has to include a training dummy, lets go over a few fundamentals of REALITY self-defence.

• The act of self-defence comes down to one thing - Your ability to strike first with speed, following through with power and continuing to strike until your attacker is no longer a threat.
• Self-defence IS NOT A SPARRING MATCH, there are no rules and there will be no referee to stop the attack when you've had enough. Anyone who is about to strike you or force you to another location must be treated in an act of self-defence as described above to give you the best chance of surviving and escaping.

REALITY CHECK - KNIFE ATTACK; Practising blocking and trapping of a knife with a standing still compliant training partner may look cool, especially in the controlled environment of an indoor self-defence class. But the evidence and history of actual knife assaults clearly shows that to fight over a bladed weapon only increases your percentage of being stabbed to death. An attacker in a violent rage or mindset to plunge a knife into you will have no regard for any B.S. moves of blocking and trapping that is being taught by people who have never actually had someone try to stab them in this way. We see it all the times in their training videos. They practise blocking of the knife with wide and slow plunging pre planned role playing with a huge training knife that's easy to see. Now take a look at actual knife assaults on website such as LiveLeak.com, the attack NEVER happens this way. It always comes with fast plunges into the victims body and it most cases it's never just one stab but many multiples of 5. To prove the point, ask someone to attack you in a surprise attack FOR REAL, add in the element of a violent rage - Now try to block or trap the knife without being stabbed. It doesn't work! You will get stabbed.

Self-defence IS NOT A SPORT; It is someone attempting to do physical harm to you, possible manslaughter or even premeditated murder. Waiting for someone to initiate the attack during any confrontation is not going to give you the highest chance of surviving it. Again, as with trying to block a knife attack, the percentage of survival is massively reduced when you try any form of martial art and sporting MMA type of blocking. It doesn't work and it's NOT NEEDED. It is only taught in martial arts as the tradition of fighting in a sporting environment.

O.k, so MAYBE a master of martial arts who has been practising almost DAILY for 20 years or more may be able to successfully pull off this type of defence, but that is not you! If you are reading this because you are looking to learn self-defence, you will most likely train once or twice a week for a couple of hours. When you are then suddenly faced with a REAL and VIOLENT attacker, FEAR mixed with a massive dump of ADRENALINE will leave you capable at best of only very basic gross motor skills and very limited decision making. You may even freeze altogether and be cable of nothing. Don't underestimate just how different a real life attack will be compared to the play acting slow motion attacks that is being taught as self-defence.

SOLUTION - If you feel that your life or that of a family member is about to be attacked, you will need to strike FIRST and keep striking until the threat has been diminished. Weapon or no weapon, YOUR DEFENCE NEEDS TO BE THE SAME. History from the millions of lives that survived such attacks during World War II shows clearly the evidence of what actually works, it always came down to your ability to attack the man (or woman) first.

Your ability to strike first and to keep up the fight with speed and POWER using your trained striking methods must be practised for real as often as possibly. This will perfect your reflexes and striking techniques, build your endurance, power and speed and allow you to continue the attack no matter how big your assailant is. This type of REAL SELF DEFENCE training cannot be practised on a live training partner (or you will be sending them to the hospital afterwards). The only way you can practice your full-on offence without holding anything back, is on a pro quality training dummy like the ones we use at V1 FITNESS. Anything else is just training for sports - And you now know, self-defence has nothing to do with sports.

Until next time, stay alert, stay safe and train for REALITY SELF DEFENCE.