I have been in the fitness and self defense “game” for many years, and like many other people who have spent decades exposed to a particular arena, I believe I have seen a lot, and almostHeard everyone. When I first became interested in these fields, and in unarmed combat in particular, I was constantly moved by those instructors who declared that anyone could beat another in a physical altercation, as long as they knew the correct techniques. When I was young, in my teens, I wasn’t short, but I was skinny… what would no doubt be called thin…so I was neither the biggest nor the strongest of the young men. He was well liked, in general, so I didn’t have a lot of run-ins with other guys in the past, but I remember thinking during that time that if I were going to get brutalized by someone much bigger, I would probably have a really hard time defending myself. I didn’t like the feeling at all, and early on in my journeys down the paths of fitness and self-defense I decided that I would spend as much time getting bigger and stronger as I did training in actual martial sports and self-defense.
The plain fact is that anyone who tells you that any given person can defeat any other person with the “proper” training… is trying to sell you a list of goods. Whenever you see martial arts demonstrations in which a much smaller person is neutralizing an attack from a large person, you will usually find, if you look closely, that the reason for the smaller person’s success has a lot to do with the fact that what you Re witness is, in fact, a demonstration, which means it is highly choreographed.
On occasions when I instruct someone in these areas, I make sure to present them as symbiotic components of one another. That is, if you are all physical, with no technique, you will be less than a fully prepared fighter, and likewise, if you are proficient in self defense or martial arts techniques, but not quite as well rounded for combat. -No matter how conditioned you are, you will continue to be something less than what you could be, as a fighter. However…and I say this as someone who has been around martial arts and artists for decades…if I had to choose mastery in one area over another, I would would do choosing to be physically imposing instead of being technically sharp.
That being said, it would be a serious mistake to misinterpret what I just said to conclude that proficiency in self-defense techniques is inconsequential compared to physical strength and power. However, if one truly wishes to become a formidable opponent to anyone wishing to harm them, it is important to recognize the importance of physical progress in achieving that end. The simple and “resulting” reality is that even without special combat training, a person who possesses great strength and speed can often defeat a smaller and/or weaker person who is technically excellent, that’s the reality.
So what does this mean for women? After all, women are generally more disadvantaged in the realm of natural physique than men, right? It means two things: women should strive to improve their own physical abilities…strength, speed…as much as they can, but they should also accept that they will be well served to maintain any particularity. advantage they can. For example, if legally carrying a firearm is an option where you live (and you shouldn’t live anywhere you It is not), then it would be smart to take advantage of the proper training and do it. One of my favorite slang terms for a gun is “equalizer,” because that’s precisely what the gun can do: level (and more) the playing field between a small person and a big person.
While your height is really the only part of your physical frame that cannot be improved through training, you can getting thicker, stronger (which is usually a function of getting thicker) and faster through fitness, so it’s smart to focus on achieving the highest and best results you can in those areas. The point is that while you seek to be as capable as possible in self-defense, don’t be fooled by the idea that another’s physical superiority is unimportant as long as you have cultivated combat skills; pay close attention to your own conditioning and physical development, and spend time becoming a true physical specimen; in the end, that will be as important a component of your physical security as anything else, included sharp combat skills.
The information contained here is for general information purposes only. Bob Yetman disclaims any liability or loss incurred as a result of the use or application, whether directly or indirectly, of any information presented in this document.