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In the majority of martial arts training today the focus is mainly on the sports aspect and tournament style competition. While most schools emphasize self-defense as a byproduct of training, little if any time is devoted to learning true street fighting skills. Tournament competitions must abide by rules. The student is instructed and trains to pull a martial arts technique just prior to contact to prevent injuring an opponent. In this article I will discuss why this type of training will get one seriously injured in a life-threatening situation.

There are no rules in the street. Survival without being seriously injured is the only option. A martial arts practitioner will only be able to defend themselves by practicing a fighting defense that assures they can disable the attacker and escape. Going through the motions or "air guitar syndrome" training gives one a false sense of confidence in their abilities. Following completely through the intended target with self-defense techniques, such as a punch or kick, with full force is the only way to injure an assailant.

Biting, hair pulling, eye gouging, dislocating joints, pressure point manipulation, etc. is not allowed in competitions for obvious reasons. On the street any or all of these, and more, may be necessary to survive. There may be obstacles, people or things, to avoid. Or to use to your advantage as a self-defense weapon. Even if a single martial arts tactic has rendered the attacker unable to continue, there may be others to contend with.

Not understanding the pain that accompanies a real life self-defense encounter is also detrimental. If one has never been injured in the dojo they will not be able to know their pain threshold. Boxers prepare for a fight with several hours a day of full contact sparring. Without feeling the pain associated with a punch to various parts of their body they would never be able to handle the pain physically or mentally in a real match.

Many if not most martial arts instructors have never needed to use their skills in a life-threatening scenario. Most have been in competitions and may be very skilled and have won many trophies. Nevertheless, they may not be skilled in a street confrontation. Dojo training consists of partners going through the motions of a real attack. While this is very good exercise and training it will not mentally or physically prepare one for an attack without warning.

Self-defense training must prepare one for contact in a real-life situation. Proper breathing techniques can help focus on the situation and not on the pain. Conditioning with bare hands on heavy bags, focus mitts and other apparatus, using full force and striking through can give one a sense of the feeling of striking a living target. One may dislocate or break a bone in the hand, fingers or wrist when striking an apparatus hard. But then again, many times a bone is broken when defending yourself in the street. If one has never experienced pain while training the outcome could be disastrous in a life-threatening situation.