When looking inside the dojo one might see a martial arts practitioner working on his or her kata or acrobatic dance forms. These dance forms are quite impressive, and they can really please a crowd of spectators, but their effectiveness and applicability in an actual combat situation are questionable. In the dojo a student is among his or her peers and friendly instructors. The student is in a reassuring, comfortable atmosphere, there is no real threat of physical danger.
Reality is the street; your house, going to your car, being in a shopping mall, etc. The streets is a different ball game than being in the dojo. In this dan and time, the streets are unfair, unpredictable and dangerous. When involved in a self-defense situation on the streets you will most likely be alone. If one must defend against harm, a martial artist must use techniques that are effective, efficient and nothing-but-destructive to the attacker.
When I say that a martial artist's technique should be effective, I mean that it should instantly stop an attacker in his tracks.
When I say that a martial artist's technique should be efficient, I mean that it should be direct and straightforward. There should not be any wasted or unnecessary motions. Conserving energy in a self-defense situation is vital.
The prepared martial artist is nothing less than an efficacious fighting machine that is physically and mentally prepared for a life or death encounter. His or her combat techniques are delivered in a methodical and strategic fashion. When the actual physical fighting takes place, he or she becomes a brutal, violent, controlled madman or madwoman who has no feeling of remorse for the attacker. There is only one goal --- The destruction of the attacker
Students should not get confused; the martial artist is not for the destruction of a human being, rather he or she is for the preservation of life. But I believe that for one to be proficient at protecting ones self, he or she must be able to be more ruthless and aggressive than the attacker. One's mental attitude in combat is extremely important.
The martial artist must develop and train his or her offensive techniques until maximum accuracy, speed and power are achieved.
Defensive skills are based on economy; they are not fancy or spectacular.
Self-defence is 90% mental and 10% physical. One without the other is nothing.
By: Professor Ron Bradbury, Sr., Soke, 10th Degree
Black Belt, American Kenpo Bu-Jutsu Karate