Self-defense - it is not a separate type of martial arts, because any kind of martial arts can be used for personal safety.
However, self-defense is aimed exclusively for using in real life situations. The main goal of self-defense is to teach people martial arts skills that can be used not only in the gym, but also mainly in the street. Self-defense is a countermeasure that involves defending oneself, one's property, or the well-being of another from harm. The use of the right of self-defense as a legal justification for the use of force in times of danger is available in many jurisdictions, but the interpretation varies widely. Next we will guide you through the most important aspects of self-defense:
Keep in mind that multiple people can attack you and they may be armed.
There are no rules in reality (in the street). Be aware that you can be attacked suddenly, even when the attackers are distracting you with conversation.
Be aware that you can appear behind the bars if you do something stupid before thinking about it. We live in 21 century, where we have hidden cameras everywhere, where the witnesses could appear from the middle of nowhere and you can easily get arrested and charged especially if you are a mixed martial artist. That is why it is so important to think before you do, to think how to use the techniques you know so they look like the techniques of the self-defense.
While Combat sports have serious limitations in the rules, in real life the consequences can lead to death of a human/humans. That is why it is important to act calmly and decisively, to be psychologically ready to defend yourself till the end.
o you think the self-defense contradicting the principles of combat sports such as MMA, combat sambo, boxing, and karate? The modern approach to self-defense is that while learning the self-defense we learn the same methods as when we learn the art of martial arts. So you learn the technique of mixed fights, muay thai, etc. BUT (!) the goal of self-defense itself differs a lot! You do not learn how to score points or to win by decisions. You would rather learn how to use those techniques in real combat situations!
Specifics of preparation
During preparation and training you are trying to imagine that you are in a real street situation. At the same time you should comply with safety measures during your training. The same should be occurring during the sparrings, but again, try to simulate a situation where multiple people are attacking you, or when the person who is attacking you is armed or when you are getting distracted while somebody is attacking you and so on.
