Is Martial Arts Effective For The Streets?

Is Martial Arts Effective For The Streets?
By Norm Bettencourt

The topic of how effective traditional martial arts is in
today’s world as a way of protecting oneself is still a very
sensitive issue to a lot of martial artists. What is even more
sensitive is the issue of how realistic and street effective is
the newer styles that have come out since UFC/PRIDE have come
into the picture. I am a Registered Black Belt & have nothing
against the martial arts and have also studied styles such as
Pankration. I know that the techniques I have learned in the
dojo should stay in the dojo because they will only work there,
that also goes with styles such as the “modern day or reality
based systems” they are for sport only.

I work as a bouncer/bodyguard & also teach tactical self
defense. Many of my students are black belts or have trained
under reality based systems & have learned the hard way that
what they learned in the ring or dojo is not street effective.
Their common question is why didn’t their system work? Part of
the reason is that if a rule or law is applied to a system it
will subconsciously hinder you when your adrenaline takes over
in combat. There are no rules in the streets your mind should
not have to sensor or think can I do this to beat this person?
We respond exactly the same way that we train.

There is no time to switch gears from sport to tactical. If you
are training and your coach or sensei says can’t hit their or no
contact to the eyes your mind will remember that and store it
for future reference. Your self defense system should take into
account your environment as well. Can you kick your attacker in
the small space your in? Can you balance yourself while
performing a technique on the icy sidewalk? If you grapple with
him what if he has friends coming around, what do you do then?
Street fighting or tactical self-defense should be in the
simplest form of fighting. You don’t have time to play a chess
game, like you would see in a UFC match. Time is not on your
side in a street confrontation nor are rules or morals. What we
can learn from the UFC or mixed martial arts events when it
comes to reality fighting is if it has rules of what not to do,
do those things in a street fight because its got to be
effective.

About the Author: Norm Bettencourt is the creator of TACT Self
Defense which specializes in combat management tactics for
mind, body & spirit. Visit http://www.tactselfdefense.com

Source: http://www.isnare.com