Rodion

Your martial arts instructor did a good thing - by bringing in an outside specialist to explain the intensity of real violence. Naturally, we all hope that we never have to protect ourselves in this way. But a real encounter with violent criminals - or people intent on cold blooded murder - is a highly difficult and dangerous encounter.

Several books ... all by authors with excellent qualifications ... have recently tried to highlight why "normal" martial arts training may not provide enough protection in a violent street encounter. The following books all try to get the message across in their own way:

Attack Proof by John Perkins et al.
Meditations On Violence by Sgt. Rory Miller
The Dirty Dozen by Larry Jordan

All of these books are written by people who not only have extensive training with martial arts, but also direct experience with cold-blooded violence through their jobs as policemen, corrections officers, and special forces soldiers. It is worth reading all three books - to get a better understanding of the true difficulties involved.

The essential point is that martial arts students are being misled if they think that their experience inside the training gym is enough to give them superiority in a violent fight. This applies across a wide variety of training styles, including MMA (mixed martial arts). Personally, I don't believe this is a failing of traditional martial arts disciplines. It's just that normal training within the USA (and the West) tends to water down the intensity of the training techniques. How many students would return to class - if they came home with a bloody nose, severe bruises, or a kick to the groin? In the old days, students did receive these kinds of injuries. But because we are now more "civilized" (and constrained by legal implications), this type of training cannot be provided today.

Train for the worst and hope it never comes. The old adage is still the best. The above books will help to get people started. There is NEVER a substitute for actual hands-on training though - a book can never replace a good instructor.

"The best way to get out of trouble - is never to get into it in the first place.".

Pete

P.S. And yes, quite commonly fights can wind up on the ground.