Zyaga Writing about whatever the hell I want, cuz it's the Interwebz!

Think Simple

Simplicity is the key to success for more than just Martial Arts, but I believe people even tend to forget about it in their own training. The problem is that we get so involved in moving forward, that we actually end up taking steps backward. Fancy tricks and moves can look great, especially if they’re done on the big screen, but in a real life threatening situation they are not always the most efficient moves to be pulling off.

Jackie Chan and Jet Li in the movie Forbidden Kingdom

For instance, I’ve seen a lot of Martial Arts show how to defend yourself if someone were to grab a hold of your shirt, shoulder, or neck, etc and break free from it. This is a common issue that happens all the time. Whether it’s in a bar fight, a random drunk, a school bully, etc one of the most seen tactics is for the aggressor to grab a hold of their victim. The usual method is some sort of lock or joint manipulation to remove their hand from you and gain control over it. While I believe this to be an invaluable tool, I also think we need to be reminded of the obvious simple methods that we may be better off using sometimes, that always seem to slip our minds. Instead of taking the time to apply a joint hold or lock(which can still be very fast), why not simply send one of your free hands to their throat or face? This option may not be viable depending on the situation you get yourself in, or even more so if you’re an officer or someone who wants to end the fight with as little damage to either person as possible(maybe like an Aikidoka?), then a joint lock or hold that can more gracefully force your opponent to remove himself from you would be a good choice.

Another tendency is that we like to try/use special moves. Moves that we see on TV, in Movies, etc that are all very appealing to the eyes, but may or may not have any real place in an actual fight. While the most efficient fighting might not be the most entertaining, it serves its purpose and that’s what actually matters. Remember to keep in mind the efficiently of a movement when considering the usefulness of its application.

Then again, if you’ve got the moves and can handle the situation, why not add a little flare to your style?