It’s also important to note that there are as many interpretations of the martial arts styles as there are instructors.  Students also interpret the class differently than other students in the same class, so other people’s opinions are not always the best determiner of what style you should pursue.  While you are trying to find the martial art that’s right for you, it is helpful to also try a few classes to get a feel for the style, instructor and school.

KARATE

History

Karate can be translated as “empty hand” which means that it is a martial art performed without weapons.  While the history of Karate is somewhat vague, its ancient roots have been traced back to China in the 5th century B.C.  The more modern form of Karate began in Okinawa, Japan during the late 1700s.  There was a weapon ban in Okinawa at this time, so people had to come up with system of self defense that used empty hands – they combined aspects of Chinese martial arts with the Te traditional to Okinawa.  By the early 1900s it began spreading throughout Japan.  In 1964, the Federation of Karate Organizations was formed as a means to create some continuity for Karate world-wide. Even so, there are many different styles and variations of Karate today.

Techniques

Karate is a linear martial art.  It uses a wide variety of movements: kicks, punches, blocks, strikes, evasions and throws.  Training focuses on having a strong offense and puts equal importance on the three areas of the art: basics, sparring and forms.

Features

•    People who practice Karate use their hips to generate power.
•    Ranks, values and styles differ from organization to organization.
•    Karate, which can be hard and straight line, is very disciplined and some traditional schools might seem very harsh.

AIKIDO

History

Using the influences of the traditional art of Daito Ryo Aikijo-Jitsu, Japanese fencing, spear fighting and Omotokyo, Moriehie Usehiba developed the martial art of Aikido (“the peaceful art”).  He first used this name for it in 1942.  The basis of this art is to live in a spirit of protection instead of physical domination.  The art of Aikido is ruled by the International Aikido Federation in Tokyo, Japan.

Techniques

Aikido is a circular martial art.  Instead of winning a fight with physical domination, Aikido teaches its participants to control and redirect the negative energy.  This leads to a commitment to both peaceful resolutions of conflict as well as self-improvement through training.  People who practice Aikido learn to use throws and pins as well as how to immobilize their attackers. They don’t use punches and kicks, except as a distraction.  The basis of the art is to learn how to stay out of the line of attack and gain control of the attacker’s balance in order to stop the attacker.

Features

•    Aikido does use weapons: jo (a 4-5 foot long staff), Bokken (a wooden sword) and a Tanto (a wooden knife).
•    Aikido is a non-violent method of self-defense.
•    The quality of the belt ranks is strictly regulated.
•    Aikido lacks many of the kicks and strikes common to other martial arts.

JUDO

History

Dr. Jigro Kano developed Judo after he was enrolled at Tenjin Shinyo ryo School of Ju-Jitsu because he was frustrated with all of the student injuries.  Judo is a gentle martial art that helps its participants strive to perfect themselves and to be a value to society.  Judo, which means “the gentle way”, improves physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health.

Techniques

Judo uses throwing, grappling, pins, holds, locks and choking.  However, the training focuses on safety – participants need to work towards top conditioning and Judo is always practiced on mats.  Judo participants learn the art through a series of forms that consist of throwing and sparring – there are no strikes in competitive Judo.

Features

•    Judo has a strict set of rules and a clear instructional sequence.
•    Judo rules, training and ranks are fairly standardized throughout the world.
•    Judo helps develop complete body control, fine balance and fast reflexes.
•    Judo uses a lot of grappling, throws, grabbing and ground work. Because of this, it often reminds people of wrestling.

TAEKWONDO

History

While the beginnings of Taekwondo can be traced as far back as 30 B.C., modern Taekwondo began after Korea was liberated in 1945.  Koreans wanted to eradicate all Japanese influence on martial arts, so they began connecting the Korean martial arts schools and styles to create a national sport.  The name Taekwondo (“the way of the hand and foot”) was chosen in 1965.  1973 marks the beginning of the World Taekwondo Federation.  It became a part of the Olympics in 2000.

Techniques

Taekwondo consists of four disciplines including patterns, sparring, self-defense and a break test.  Taekwondo is primarily a kicking art and there is a large emphasis on sport.  People who train Taekwondo need to combine philosophy, mental and physical discipline and ability to their training.

Features

•    Taekwondo is recognizable by its high kicks.
•    Taekwondo black belts exams require a break test.
•    Taekwondo training can include the use of vital points to attack an enemy.
•    Taekwondo schools are often kid- and sport- oriented.
•    Taekwondo students often are expected to compete in many tournaments.

T’AI CHI

History

The development of T’ai Chi (translated as “the supreme ultimate”) is credited to Chang San-feng, but Wang Chung-yueh and Chiang Fa elaborated on the original art.  They took San-feng’s 13 postures and devised continuous sequences that linked them together.  T’ai Chi used to be a greatly defensive art – even deadly.  So much so, that the families who knew it guarded it fiercely.  Now, T’ai Chi is less violent and is used to get rid of more figurative enemies such as stress and fatigue.

Techniques

People who practice T’ai Chi may use weapons, but the underlying theory is that the art is used to unify the mind, body and spirit.  It is often now used to guide negative energy away from oneself.  There are two ways to practice T’ai Chi.  The long form can take 30 minutes or more while the short form can take less than 10 minutes.  The forms focus on continuous movement that leads to relaxation and solid stances.  In T’ai Chi, each arm is used to protect half of the body and the hands never reach past the toes.  T’ai Chi can be done alone (forms) or with a partner (self-defense training).

Features

•    T’ai Chi teaches awareness of balance and what affects it in oneself and in others.
•    T’ai Chi has five major styles, but there are always new ones developing.
•    The basis of T’ai Chi’s self defense is to meet force and stick with it until can be redirected instead of resisting it.
•    T’ai Chi focuses on slow movements, so people who like vigorous exercise often find this martial art to be boring and slow.

KUNG FU

History

Kung Fu (translated as “skill and effort”) actually refers to over 200 styles of martial arts (most of which stem from Chinese martial arts).  Kung fu can be traced back to the shoalin temples where the monks used it for health and spiritual developments as well as a method of self defense.  During the early 1900s, Kung Fu, also called Wu Shu, spread throughout China when fighting arts became very popular.  In the 1960s and ‘70s Kung Fu’s popularity grew due to the Bruce Lee movies.

Techniques

Kung Fu is central to the Chinese culture and is used both for physical wellness and artistic expressions.   Within the many different styles of Kung Fu, there are variations from hard and linear to soft and circular in technique.  Some use weapons (including the common sword, saber, spear and cudgel) and others do not.  The seemingly common thread through them all, however, is to teach the students to respect the teacher and other Kung Fu styles.  Kung Fu also requires (as well as builds) mental strength in addition to physical strength to be successfully practiced.  Kung Fu students also often practice some techniques individually and others with groups.  In many schools, beginning training starts with what is called the Southern Fist style.  It involves footwork, kicks and hand combat techniques.

Features

•    Kung Fu refers to the hundreds of different styles of martial arts in China.
•    People who practice Kung Fu learn many different fighting techniques including fist fighting, weapon fighting, routines and combats.
•    Many Kung Fu styles use similar principals such as, proper diet, and breathing, concentration and meditation exercises.
•    Some Kung Fu styles use weapons while others do not.
•    Kung Fu training improves physical conditioning through strengthening of the joints and increases speed and reactions.
•    Kung Fu’s major difference over other martial arts is that it not only focuses on outer, physical power, but also involves training the mind and inner power through breathing exercises and meditation.

That is a very high percentage and considering many people still believe in these systems, thinking they are effective, this also includes “reality based systems” or “no holds barred” people need to be educated. It is amazing what is being taught out there in self defense schools, joint locks, cross legged arm bars which require you to go on the ground. I have seen self defense instructors teach students to kick to the head or grapple with an attacker, step here, turn this way, twist his wrist that way. Bottom line to many movements to remember, which are to complicated to work for ANYONE in a high stress situation of a violent street attack.

You are being lied to, ripped off of your hard-earned money and given a false sense of security. What is being taught is to complicated to even work for a seasoned martial artist. It’s like going to culinary school and your instructor has never cooked or even turned on an oven before, how is he supposed to know how to make the meal, let alone teach you. Unfortunately people who have trained in these self-defense programs learn in horror after being assaulted the hard truth. Most self-defense instructors also do not understand the effects of adrenaline and how it affects the mind, or motor skill performance.  Top it off most instructors have not even been in a violent street confrontation so how would they know what to do?

Many systems use joint locks and pressure points that require years of training to properly execute. Some techniques even when applied properly to someone who has an unusual amount of joint flexibility or high pain tolerance such as someone high on drugs will not work. A lot of self defense techniques also have to be altered to work if environments change such as being in a small space or if there is snow on the ground causing slippery conditions. Think someone is going to remember all that while they are being attacked. I don’t think so.

Here are some tips on finding a realistic self defense program

 Pick an instructor who is average or small in build they will focus on leverage techniques not on there strength, that is important if you are small or a woman.
 Make sure you check your instructor’s credentials, ask to see his black belt certificate it will state what federation he is under and when he got it. If the instructor says he doesn’t have one than he’s a fake. There are a lot of people who will watch self defense instructional tapes or train in the martial arts get an orange belt and start up a school. Anyone can go to a store a buy a black belt.
 Do you wear loose clothing and are barefoot when you train and wear protective gear? Conditions completely different from the streets. If you answered yes find a new self-defense program. Training should be as real as possible or be condition stimulus training. While training wear clothing that you wear when you go out, not gym pants, this includes shoes or boots. This will give you a realistic feel on how to move.
 Do you train under situation specific scenarios, do they have to change if your attacker does something different or if he does this than do that? And then you ask what if he does this question making everything to hard to remember and confusing
 Do methods consider every type of enviroment? Street, bus, rain, living room in confined spaces.
 Can you perform these techniques even if you are injured?
 Do these self defense methods require constant practice and you have to separate techniques for empty hand, weapons or multiple attackers. Bottom line techniques should be quick and easy to remember.
 Training should be focused equally in physical techniques and mindset conditioning.

How you train is how you will respond in the real world, training should be as real as possible so you can get out alive.

Condition stimulus training is about making your training as real as possible so when your instincts take over in a high adrenaline stressed situation you are ready to use your environment to your advantage and not be hindered by it. Your mind will also be familiar with the stimulus and you will not freeze. Many martial artists and practitioners of self defense programs become overwhelmed when their environment changes from a dojo setting to a small confined area. Being in a room filled with furniture gives a martial artist the feeling of being closed in on and makes them feel that they can not move, so they stiffen. Being in this type of environment changes the way you are going to move or perform a tactic. It is completely different from movement in a dojo where you a vast amount of space.

When you are threatened and your adrenaline kicks in you now unknowingly give 100% faith and trust to your self defense system that it will get you out of harms way. Remember you fight like how you trained if you have trained in traditional systems you will most likely not use your environment to your advantage to defend yourself instead you will be hindered. You will focus on how you can not move and get tied up with objects in a room such as furniture because your training hasn’t prepared you for that type of stimulus. What you wear while training is also a big factor when it comes to be prepared to move in the streets. Many self defense training systems get practitioners to wear loose fitting clothing when they practice tactics for the obvious reason of being able to move freely. The downside of this is that when you move on the street wearing boots, jeans and form fitting clothing your range of motion is restricted. You will move much slower and if you are a female wearing heels will be off balance performing tactics because you have not trained yourself to move with heels on

The benefit with training this way is obvious, you give yourself more options, weapons and exits. Your mind is prepared and conditioned for the stimulus that comes its way when violence is presented to it. The more the mind is shown a stimulus the more it is accustomed to it and unfazed it becomes “normal” just like any other everyday event it has experienced.