There have been quite a few threads and interest concerning how practical TKD can be in the self defence realm. I think now would be a good time to tap into some of the vast experience found on this site (TKD or not) and present some practical tips on how you (or your school) trains self defence. In this way, we can share and actually do something about the self defence in the schools beyond just pointing it out. Here's a few of my tips: (1) TKD has lots of kicks. When you train or teach kicks, make sure stduents practice them against all heights. The low roundhouse kick should be practiced as much (if not more) than the high ones. Practice them often on paddles, the bags, and against opponents in sparring. (2) Practice the hand techniques in a similar way. Open up sparring to allow more hand technqiues. (3) Vary up the sparring rules. Allow more hand combinations and low strikes. Allow sweeps and throws. Allow tackles and takedowns. You don't have to allow everything at once but you can allow some sometimes and all sometimes. (4) Make sure you teach all of the ranges. If you hear "I don't need grappling because I'll just stay out of range and kick", then you need to get a sparring match going that allows takedowns. Teachable moment: when the kicker gets taken down... stop the class and teach some techniques to deal with it. (5) After teaching joint locks or one-steps, let the students try them out against a very resisting opponent. If it doesn't work for them, the either re-teach it or drop it. Teach the escapes from joint locks and allow students to respond. (6) Allow sparring of 2 on 1, 3 on 1, 4 on 1 and so on. Keep adding people until the defenders gets overwhelmed. Then teach techniques for dealing with multiple attackers and practice them. (Practice both striking, grabbing, and takedowns... and weapons if the time is right) That's just a few ideas. If the thread generates some interest, we can have a nice list... Let's hear what you can do to improve the level of self defence training in the local TKD school.
I think that TKD instructors should go on extensive reality-SD courses (of the Geoff Thompson genre) and learn all the techniques, concepts and so on. Then introduce the learning wholesale into TKD as the SD element. That's my personal view. But on a practical note, I would think that first base is for the instructors to build up a common-sense understanding in the student. This can only be done if the instructors are honest with themselves and their pupils about the limitations of what they are teaching. The taught technique of a style should not be treated as sacred or unquestionable. Tradition or established norms shouldn't be used as an excuse to do it one way if other more straightforward effective ways are possible. It's hard to decry the pre-emptive strike methods popular in RBSD. Practice hitting someone hard without warning from a conversational (confrontation) position and then following up in a robust manner.
Nice post (the entire post, that is) The exerpt above reminded me of another tip I would recommend: * When teaching self defence, teach all levels of response and the legality involved. Students must practice escaping by non-physical means and how to avoid conflicts. They also must practice techniques that will allow them to protect themselves without maiming their opponent and they must also learn the deadly techniques for use in life or death situations. Side note: I do understand that this view may be in conflict with some "reality based" instructors... but my personal view is that one should not use needless violence and needlessly destructive techniques. Students do need to be prepared for using deadly force, but only when it's needed, and not for just any occasion. Breaking a guy's arm and neck because he grabbed you (and left no marks) will not sit well with the local judge!
I'm a bit shy of the term deadly force. But I agree that both aspects are complementry. Many RBSD instructors seperate this into self-protection and self-defence. The latter is the insurance policy on the first primary means of safety. It's better top have the tools but never (have to) resort to them than to need them and find you left them in the textbook.
Some more tips Here's more tips I believe in: *Teach breakfalls and practice them. Students need them for practicing being thrown and for normal falling down opportunities. Once students have the basics down and are comfortable with breakfalls, practice them in the contexts of being pushed down or being swept or thrown. *Teach weapons defences and awareness. Bring in some training weapons (and I love the idea of the red marker as a knife)... let students try to defend against them. Work on practical techniques that work when the attack comes at you with intent and force. (Start slow and build up speed). Vary the attacks and as stduents get more comfortable, make the attacks come from an unknown means (not just a thrust everytime... let the attacker vary the strikes). * Train with street clothes and shoes on sometimes to get a feel for dealing in your normal clothes.
After a broad base in techniques is established, change the emphasis of the one-step. Stop the attacker from metrely being a 'dumb' attacker. Task the attacker with actually beating (in a safe context) the defender. The defender still has to defend. In this way it is half-way to sparring but with the SD reportiore. This is a middle rung of the pressure testing ladder. Thomas, maybe we're alone on this touchy issue? Maybe we're the only TKDer's whose self-defence syllabus isn't invincible?
Nice posts guys, especially on the practicality issue (low kicks, grappling, street clothes). This kind of defense is probably the most important. However, a big deal is attacking vs. multiple attackers. How do you train against that? Multiple persons sparring? And you have to keep in mind that these guys dont play fair (or you'd see them in a sanctioned fight).
Let's hear what you can do to improve the level of self defence training in the local TKD school. i would let all students practice kicking and hand techniques against all heights. i would let all students spar beyond there age. i would teach the tkd students a couple of falls to prevent them from getting thrown on the ground by an attacker. when the students are doing form let the master watch each student individually and point out wut needs to be worked on. let the first 5-10 mins of class be all review of kicks, and striking techniques. most important let colored belts work with black belts for example in sparring. i like thomas's first post! read that it contains alot of info!
It is widely regarded that claims that any MA will is effective against multiple attackers are dubious. There are a few tricks which can sometimes work but overall it’s a low % game. I’ve only had one multiple attackers real experience and I didn’t know much about reality MA. And my Karate training was naff in that scenario though. So I haven’t put any of this into practice. But I can regurgitate other’s advice: 1.) If practical try to get all your attackers to your front where you can see them. This isn’t always possible. 1a) Even better is when they get in each other’s way. This limits the number of attackers that you are dealing with at any one time. If practical, get one in a rear chokehold and use them as a human shield. 1b) Frontal choke-holds, such as standing guillotine, can also be used but are less reliable and afford less upper-level cover. 2) Most reality SD instructors teach that you can only fight one opponent at a time. So if you are confronted by ten opponents, prioritise and fight them as and when but don’t try to divide your attention too much. One at a time. 3) In some circumstances it may be viable to deck the ‘ringleader’ and this may deter the others. But it is hardly a reliable tactic. But better that than nothing? 4) Backing up against a wall can reduce escape lines but also reduce the need to watch your back for attackers. But sparring multiple attackers helps awareness and is excellent ‘pressure’ training. It requires good fitness too. Do it but be realistic about the reliability in the street.
Good luck with the testing tomorrow, TigerAnsTKDLove. (Think it's tomorrow, it's the 20th here..) Anyhoo, The master at the school I will be attending soon is a good one. And most of the moves I saw them doing were low kicks. I can't say much more on the subject, and there is lots of good information here. Keep it up, guys. If only I could remember all of this for when I actually start, lol. :woo:
I thought this was already the "norm". Our school does all this. Actually only red belts and above are allowed to punch to the head in regular sparring, but we do have sessions where we are allowed to. We practice break falls, ground fighting (though not as often as i'd like), stick fighting/defending against, defense against knife( and if the rubber blade gets us, have to do pushups). Only problem is i think we should do it on a weekly basis. Seems we only do it every once in a while. Need it much more often to become instinctive.
i feel another thing is to expose the student to competition and more sparring against a variety of opponents. this way the can learn to control their fear of fighting as not all students are born fighters. this will also help them get used to taking hits. on the streets you may be hit first and should be able to recover fast enough to react.
the main idea for multiple opponents is to try to use one of the attackers as a shield or a barrier against the others.. allowing you to deal with as few at a time as possible. and it will be to your advantage if you can bring the attackers down as fast as possible so you can deal with the others
I think that this is largely dependant on the style of sparring you do. You can make sparring more realistic by increasing contact levels and reducing rules. Typical TKD sparring is very abstract. Not particularly relevant to real fighting IMO.
#1 Most important lesson. Ensure you also train against non-TKD techniques. All very good learning to defen against a knifehand but when someone is shooting in it's a different barrel of fish. Test against all techinques from every style.....even "no style"
Good point. TKD (like most styles) tend to teach you to fight TKD fighters. Your mugger or aggressor isn't likely to fight like a TKD fighter.
Let the students get hit to the head and learn to be comfortable with it. A lot of times when an individual is hit for the first time there is a lot of shock. For example, it used to be the case that when I got hit I would shutdown and be praying not to get hit again. Essentially, I was easy target- to frightened to throw a technique and just dreading the next hit. Things have changed. Depending on the situation I believe that I would now be more composed and have greater presence of mind in the street. I think (because it has not happened so I can’t say for sure) I wouldn’t suffer as much shock as another individual who is not use to getting hit. But, of conditions/circumstances dictate actions and plans can change upon contact.
Incorporate verble abuse and confrontations into the SD drills. Explore clinches and grips. A simple awareness drill if for two exponents to stand facing in a clinch position (vary clinches/grips but Thai style neck (head) clinch is a good starter). Then get them to 'spar' with the aim being to unbalance the other and not go down when the other does. This builds up a practical awareness of clinching, to which techniques can be added. Another similar drill is 'sumo' where the two opponents try to push the other out of a designated area.
Wow... what a bunch of great posts from everyone! And, Kickcatcher, I especially liked the post on multiple attackers. Any other tips or ideas out there? What do you do in class or what do you wish you did?
