Comments on: Thoughts on Judo, Self Defense, and what it means to stand up for yourself http://www.utahjudo.com/2008/05/29/thoughts-on-judo-self-defense-and-what-it-means-to-stand-up-for-yourself/ My Experiences from my Utah Judo Class Sun, 25 Dec 2011 13:45:15 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Steve Spencer http://www.utahjudo.com/2008/05/29/thoughts-on-judo-self-defense-and-what-it-means-to-stand-up-for-yourself/comment-page-1/#comment-73 Steve Spencer Mon, 09 Jun 2008 14:01:52 +0000 http://www.utahjudo.com/?p=45#comment-73 Matt, I really tend to agree with you that Martial arts are technique, but that there has to be something more, something almost just instinct, or it is just so much useless theory. I was just commenting last night over dinner with my wife, that I used to be in a self defense class... this class got people to black belt in about two and a half years. Funny thing is though, that I am pretty confident that in a non-controlled environment I could have kicked the hell out of any of the black or brown belts coming out of that class. I also appreciate you chiming in on the subject of swallowing my pride and realizing that my first priority is to be level headed, and problem solving (and alive) for my family. Thank you also for your comments to that end Tom. Tom, I noticed you are training in Judo, and have had other training in combat, etc. I would love to get your input on a post I did a while back (http://www.utahjudo.com/2008/02/11/utah-judo-class-this-week-and-some-thoughts/) regarding Judo, and why I think it is a good style to choose for self defense. Thanks again guys, great to see your here!!! Matt,

I really tend to agree with you that Martial arts are technique, but that there has to be something more, something almost just instinct, or it is just so much useless theory. I was just commenting last night over dinner with my wife, that I used to be in a self defense class… this class got people to black belt in about two and a half years. Funny thing is though, that I am pretty confident that in a non-controlled environment I could have kicked the hell out of any of the black or brown belts coming out of that class.

I also appreciate you chiming in on the subject of swallowing my pride and realizing that my first priority is to be level headed, and problem solving (and alive) for my family. Thank you also for your comments to that end Tom.

Tom, I noticed you are training in Judo, and have had other training in combat, etc. I would love to get your input on a post I did a while back (http://www.utahjudo.com/2008/02/11/utah-judo-class-this-week-and-some-thoughts/) regarding Judo, and why I think it is a good style to choose for self defense.

Thanks again guys, great to see your here!!!

]]> By: Matt http://www.utahjudo.com/2008/05/29/thoughts-on-judo-self-defense-and-what-it-means-to-stand-up-for-yourself/comment-page-1/#comment-72 Matt Sun, 08 Jun 2008 00:23:59 +0000 http://www.utahjudo.com/?p=45#comment-72 You definitely did the right thing, mate. Like you said, in your old days you would have given them hell. But you have more than yourself to think about. Your wife and kids need someone with a level head to think out of situations like that. What would have happened if you had stood up to them like a tough guy and gotten cut or shot? Your family would be in a world of trouble. Self defense is a tricky subject. I honestly think that no martial art training can prepare you for being attacked on the street. I think it is 99% mental, your own frame of mind, what kind of person you are regardless of your martial arts training. All these self defence courses and classes just prey on people's insecurity and use it as a marketing tool. I was learning wing chun and they constantly brainwashed me into thinking that I could handle myself in a self defence situation, without ever actually exposing me to anything like the intensity of a real confrontation. When one actually happened, I all but froze, unable to do any of my "devestating" techniques. On that night, though, I did have the wherewithall to drag my friends out of the fight and throw them into a taxi. I felt like a coward but was later told that it was better I had the presence of mind to create an escape rather than to have gone headfirst into the fight and probably got all of our asses kicked. I think you did the right thing, anyway. You definitely did the right thing, mate.
Like you said, in your old days you would have given them hell. But you have more than yourself to think about. Your wife and kids need someone with a level head to think out of situations like that. What would have happened if you had stood up to them like a tough guy and gotten cut or shot? Your family would be in a world of trouble.
Self defense is a tricky subject. I honestly think that no martial art training can prepare you for being attacked on the street. I think it is 99% mental, your own frame of mind, what kind of person you are regardless of your martial arts training.
All these self defence courses and classes just prey on people’s insecurity and use it as a marketing tool.
I was learning wing chun and they constantly brainwashed me into thinking that I could handle myself in a self defence situation, without ever actually exposing me to anything like the intensity of a real confrontation. When one actually happened, I all but froze, unable to do any of my “devestating” techniques. On that night, though, I did have the wherewithall to drag my friends out of the fight and throw them into a taxi. I felt like a coward but was later told that it was better I had the presence of mind to create an escape rather than to have gone headfirst into the fight and probably got all of our asses kicked.
I think you did the right thing, anyway.

]]> By: Tom Pentzer http://www.utahjudo.com/2008/05/29/thoughts-on-judo-self-defense-and-what-it-means-to-stand-up-for-yourself/comment-page-1/#comment-71 Tom Pentzer Thu, 05 Jun 2008 23:47:45 +0000 http://www.utahjudo.com/?p=45#comment-71 Hey, living to fight another day is a win in my book. I'm new to Judo, but have had lots of training in use of deadly force and concealed weapons. The number one thing stressed was that the life of myself and my wife is worth more than anything else, including my pride. I'm with you, tho. It does suck to turn away from such affronts. However, as you pointed out, things are different nowadays, and there's no such thing as a fair fight. Preventing a conflict is the highest form of self defence, in my book. Just my opinion. Tom Hey, living to fight another day is a win in my book. I’m new to Judo, but have had lots of training in use of deadly force and concealed weapons. The number one thing stressed was that the life of myself and my wife is worth more than anything else, including my pride. I’m with you, tho. It does suck to turn away from such affronts.
However, as you pointed out, things are different nowadays, and there’s no such thing as a fair fight. Preventing a conflict is the highest form of self defence, in my book.
Just my opinion.

Tom

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