e may not be techniques that are allowed under the rules of a particular style. Remember in a street fight or attack, anything goes.

For a moment, picture two athletes in a tournament facing each other. They have prepared for weeks or even months, physically they are in great shape. Keep looking and f

I would never disrespect one fighting art over another. I would recommend that you look into the various types available to you and ensure the one that you choose satisfies your criteria, whether you want to be more involved in a traditional art, a competitive sport, keep fit, a family recreation or purely for self defense. Go and watch a few classes and see what you think for yourself, talk to the instructor and if it's Self defense that you are interested in and then ensure that they dedicate a large portion of their instruction specifically to self defense training.

The Martial Arts of the Far East have become systems of Sport or have become an art consisting of pre – arranged moves and one step sparring techniques. This is far removed from their Martial beginnings. Traditional martial arts often dedicate a great deal of time to Kata, which are sequences of moves and techniques, simulating a person taking on one or more opponents. Often they involve speed, power, great poise and flexibility. These can be a good training aid but offer little assistance when it comes to practical modern self defense. Many arts do not prepare you for when an attacker comes in close contact or takes you to the ground as these may not be techniques that are allowed under the rules of a particular style. Remember in a street fight or attack, anything goes.

For a moment, picture two athletes in a tournament facing each other. They have prepared for weeks or even months, physically they are in great shape. Keep looking and f

for self defense. Go and watch a few classes and see what you think for yourself, talk to the instructor and if it's Self defense that you are interested in and then ensure that they dedicate a large portion of their instruction specifically to self defense training.

The Martial Arts of the Far East have become systems of Sport or have become an art consisting of pre – arranged moves and one step sparring techniques. This is far removed from their Martial beginnings. Traditional martial arts often dedicate a great deal of time to Kata, which are sequences of moves and techniques, simulating a person taking on one or more opponents. Often they involve speed, power, great poise and flexibility. These can be a good training aid but offer little assistance when it comes to practical modern self defense. Many arts do not prepare you for when an attacker comes in close contact or takes you to the ground as these may not be techniques that are allowed under the rules of a particular style. Remember in a street fight or attack, anything goes.

For a moment, picture two athletes in a tournament facing each other. They have prepared for weeks or even months, physically they are in great shape. Keep looking and f

ave become systems of Sport or have become an art consisting of pre – arranged moves and one step sparring techniques. This is far removed from their Martial beginnings. Traditional martial arts often dedicate a great deal of time to Kata, which are sequences of moves and techniques, simulating a person taking on one or more opponents. Often they involve speed, power, great poise and flexibility. These can be a good training aid but offer little assistance when it comes to practical modern self defense. Many arts do not prepare you for when an attacker comes in close contact or takes you to the ground as these may not be techniques that are allowed under the rules of a particular style. Remember in a street fight or attack, anything goes.

For a moment, picture two athletes in a tournament facing each other. They have prepared for weeks or even months, physically they are in great shape. Keep looking and f

ing on one or more opponents. Often they involve speed, power, great poise and flexibility. These can be a good training aid but offer little assistance when it comes to practical modern self defense. Many arts do not prepare you for when an attacker comes in close contact or takes you to the ground as these may not be techniques that are allowed under the rules of a particular style. Remember in a street fight or attack, anything goes.

For a moment, picture two athletes in a tournament facing each other. They have prepared for weeks or even months, physically they are in great shape. Keep looking and f

e may not be techniques that are allowed under the rules of a particular style. Remember in a street fight or attack, anything goes.

For a moment, picture two athletes in a tournament facing each other. They have prepared for weeks or even months, physically they are in great shape. Keep looking and first let's take away the referee together with the rules that he was there to enforce, now anything goes, they're not restricted to the same variety of moves that they are both accustomed to. Take away the gloves, the foot pads, padded head gear, groin protector and mouth guard. Take away the matting and replace it with concrete, let’s add some brick walls and remove the lighting. Take away the crowd and anyone else there who may have been ready to jump in and break them apart as one guy is beat beyond unconscious. In fact let's change the environment to a back alley, a back lane, maybe a kitchen, a bedroom or even a lounge and let's make available all the weapons in each of these environments: glass, steel bars, screw drivers, knives and other items that you may not even recognize as a weapon. There is a different type of mind set required for a street encounter that is not necessarily covered by the average Martial Arts class.

In most cases it may not even be such an organized stand off but most likely be initiated with a blind sided attack, a mugging or even an attempted rape. Change the odds and replace one of the fighters with another who is fifty pounds lighter so it’s no longer a match fight, change