DISCUSSION

Why self-defense or fighting arts can be a lifetime journey

Our bodies are made up of many muscles and joints. With so many possible combinations, tasks can often be accomplished in more than one way. During our session, we also observed that a person’s intent can affect how a movement is executed. Add to that the external variables—your opponent’s dimensions, body weight, speed, thoughts, knowledge, intent, and more—and it becomes clear that success isn’t about fixed formulas. What matters most are the relative factors: your strengths and weaknesses compared to this specific individual.

Additionally, your ability to adapt and respond improves over time as you face different stressful situations—much like the difference between a seasoned lawyer and a rookie. That is the reason why training with different partners is important. Experience shapes not just what you do, but how effectively and confidently you do it under pressure.

In a video game, if a move doesn’t work, you usually have more chances—and in the worst case, you can just restart the game. But in self-defense, the stakes are much higher. Sometimes, you only get one chance—and you must capitalize on it when it comes.

SCENARIOS

Two hands crossed over – low

You begin to understand why it’s so important to adapt a technique to the situation at hand. Blindly repeating a skill without considering context can actually get you into deeper trouble. In order to make effective adaptations, you must truly understand both the mechanics of the technique and the specific situation you’re facing. Only then can you choose the method that is most efficient and effective for you in that moment.

Necessity of Follow up

Despite our good intentions, there are rare moments when the aggressor simply won’t stop—and in those situations, you must inflict pain or damage to force them to cease their aggression. This is what I mean by follow-up.

When you complete a technique, you’re not pausing for a picture-perfect moment—you’re actively repositioning yourself to limit your opponent’s ability to continue the attack. If they keep resisting, you must be prepared to cause pain. This isn’t a game—it could be a matter of life and death. At that point, you cannot hesitate.

We introduced the 3/4 turn and demonstrated how it can be used as a follow-up after escaping a grip. It’s crucial to keep your opponent engaged throughout the movement. A common mistake is to reposition each body part sequentially without affecting your opponent—this gives them opportunities to recover or counter.

EXERCISES

3/4 Turn adhoc notes

• When learning a new skill, it’s important to start by practicing on just one side.
• I usually recommend starting with your dominant side, as it tends to make the learning process smoother. However, once you’ve learned both sides, shift your focus to the side you struggle with the most—this will help build confidence and improve overall ability.
• Use a fixed reference point for your starting position and another for your end position. This helps avoid confusion, especially when learning turns, where it’s easy to lose track of how many degrees you’ve rotated.
• For the 3/4 turn, your back foot must step past the front foot from behind to complete the turn in a balanced stance.
• Throughout the turn, maintaining your balance is essential—you should not be wobbly or unstable at any point.
• Use a rubber band to add resistance during practice—this helps train your body not to falter when encountering real-world resistance.