How to effectively train for self defense:
Self defense is the science of taking measures to protect one's own health and life. The problem with many self defense instructors is that they are too accustomed to teaching techniques and drills that are useless in the streets. You can practice techniques but if you fail to condition yourself to survive and adapt when they fail, you will get seriously hurt or killed. Effective self defense relies on fundamental principles more than techniques. That being said, i hope that my tips will help you in creating effective training.* Learn unarmed combat - Whether it's martial arts or other unarmed combat systems, you will want to learn the fighting art that you are most comfortable with. To gain a better understanding of how armed combat works, it's helpful to understand how to defend yourself unarmed. There is no "one size fits all" to self defense. If you managed to throw a punch that your self defense instructor taught you and you ward off your attacker then good but what if you miss? By learning hand-to-hand combat, you will know how to deal with those situations.
* Work out with purpose - Don't just get muscular or physically fit, have a purpose for why you want to get physically fit and build muscles. Muscles may actually hinder your self defense training. Instead, focus on learning which muscles and physical abilities are useful in self defense. Learn which muscles are responsible for improving punching and kicking power then work those out. Work on balance, speed, agility, strength, stamina, and other essentials to self defense using various exercises.
* Choose quality practice over quantity - When i was a boy, i used to practice Karate high kicks but could never do them right because i didn't understand them. Don't just practice a technique without understanding. Understand what your practicing and why. Focus on using proper form and techniques as you incorporate it in your muscle memory rather than winning a sparring session. Push hard but not too hard. Train smarter not harder.
* Absorb what is useful and discard what isn't - As Bruce Lee said "absorb what is useful and discard what is useless. Add what is uniquely your own." There are many self defense "how to" guides teaching you how to defend yourself of a particular situation such as a gun disarm. While there are great techniques, there are also ones that are completely ineffective. There are many martial art techniques used in sports such as MMA which work well in those situations but when applied in self defense, they are useless. For example, using a Brazilian Jiu Jutsu armbar would work well in a competition but wouldn't work well in the street because you leave your whole body exposed to attack. As a student of self defense, you must have discernment. What techniques are best suited for self defense vs sport or training? You can pay a self defense instructor to teach you techniques but the questions you ought to be asking are - Is it simple? How simple? Are these techniques effective? How effective? Are they practical? How practical? Are they efficient? How efficient? Are they realistic? How realistic? Question the authority. Credentials won't mean much if you end up killed for using impractical techniques in a lethal circumstances. Therefore it is best to figure out for yourself as a fighter which techniques are practical and which aren't.
* Adapt to various situations - While you can learn techniques and practice sparring drills for many hours, you won't be able to apply them in self defense if you do not adapt. There are many variables that could alter the outcome of an attack on the street thus it's important to train in various situations without rehearsals. For example, if you've learned to disarm a gunman at close range then how would you respond to a gunman who pulled out his gun and fired from a longer distance? Adapting to every situation is crucial in self defense and you must be conditioned to it in training. If you practiced sparring with one partner then practice sparring with multiple attackers. Train sparring opponents with practice guns, knives, bats, etc. Spar with boxers and other types of fighters. Practice mock scenarios where you are forced to expect the unexpected and remember to keep certain principles in mind.
* Learn how to avoid conflict - Many self defense instructors teach the physical aspects of self defense but self defense can also be verbal, psychological, emotional, and mental. People will insult you and provoke you to attack so you must practice self control while not allowing your enemy to harm you with words. There are also cues and signs indicating a potential threat. Learning to diffuse a situation before it gets violent is more skilled than fighting itself.
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