Quote Originally Posted by Grumblegeezer View Post
On another thread there was a post noting the difference between the more limited physical training required for self-defense application and what was necessary to succeed in sport competition. YouKnowWho responded with the post below:



On one hand, I definitely see his point. There's no reason to think that less will be demanded of you when fighting for your life in a self-defense situation than in sport competition. If you can't knock down an opponent in a ring, what makes you think it'll be easier in a back ally? If you want to be good at self defense, I agree that you need some sparring to realize what you have to be able to dish out, and what you need to be able to take in a fight.

On the other hand, self-defense is never a "fair fight" between equals. You use whatever deception and dirty tricks you can. For example, I remember a seminar given by a old boxing/fma instructor I've known for years. During one demo segment, he told the young, fit BJJ instructor at his gym to attack him full on. "Tai", the BJJ guy, obliged by taking the FMA guy to the mat, mounting him, and proceeding with the old "ground and pound".

The FMA guy (on the bottom) tapped out with his left hand, and asked everybody watching to give their opinion as to who would walk away from this encounter. We all said "Tai", the guy on top, of course. Then the FMA guy he asked Tai to open his gi top. Inside was the FMA guy's right hand with a metal training knife that he had been working across Tai's gut and chest.. Tai's eyes bugged out in surprise. "I never even knew that was there" he blurted. "If this had been for real, I'd be like ...so dead."

This is the difference between self defense and sport. In self defense, it is assumed that the other guy is bigger, stronger, or better than you are, so you have to find other ways to win.

...Maybe that means you don't slam your fist against "your opponent's face exactly the same way in both environments." Maybe in self-defense, you do something like feign submission and hit 'em with a brick ...then run away.
Grumblegeezer , when you talk about sports competition ? Are you talking about MMA ? Sports Competition has rules and regulations right ? Self Defense it ' s either your attacker or you . In a sports competition if either you or your opponent severly hurting eachother , can be banned from the competition .

In a self defense situation , weapons can be involved too , it can be dirty and mean too , so we all have to deal with whatever may result out of it . To me if you can knock the opponent out or hurt the person , then that ' s good . Other than that doing anything to avoid the risk of what the opponent may do to us . It works both ways to me . If you can avoid it or get away then that ' s good , but other than that we'll just have to deal with the situation .