Does Technique Matter In Self-Defense?
Self-Defense | Written By: Andre Vatke
I heard an instructor of a popular "reality based” fighting system tell his students that technique isn’t all that important. He went on to say that aggression was the number one technique, that it was the only thing that would keep you safe in the real world.
But this line of thinking is not only flawed, it can be very dangerous.
First, power - perhaps what some call aggression - is important. The goal in a serious situation is to shut down the attacker. That takes 100% intent and the ability to move your body weight through a target.
But technique can make or break your efforts.
The best demonstration of technique vs. raw power is in board breaks. I’ve seen 240 pound men bounce off of double 12 inch boards because they landed a side kick with the ball of their foot while a 125 pound woman broke the same boards because she landed with her heel. Clearly technique matters.
Granted that in the flux of a multi-attacker environment you may not land every technique as you have trained, but if you don’t train proper technique the reality is you NEVER will. Aggression only makes up so much. It’s like saying that to win a race you simply run fast... without regard to coaching or the mechanics involved. It’s a crude way to get the job done, but it far from ideal.
The other factor that practicing technique brings to the table is in safety. When you work with others you have to be able to trust them. Simply having someone spazz out on you is a situation that's rife for injury to both people involved. Learning control is something that takes a bit of time and must ramp up over time.
At DSD we train proper technique in our "shadow boxing” style combinations. We also focus on our techniques when working stationary strikes and kicks on the heavy bag and airshields, only with full power. We work on aggression when working with various airshield and focus mitt drills, including multiple attacker scenarios. Other drills focus on targeting - which is knowing what to strike, what happens when you do and how to track those targets in the chaos of a violent encounter. And we work on it while on our feet and when face down in the dirt.
DSD is a balanced way to learn self-defense for everyone - not just commandos. Set up a time to stop by and watch a class for yourself. Then try out a whole month of training for just $49 - no commitment - no pressure. I'm positive you'll love it!