Why it didn't work in real situation?

Question

I have learn martial art since i was very young, and i can do it very well in dojo, yes.. very well. One day when I walk back from school, a drunken big guy suddenly get angry and without any reason try to beat me till death. I fainted and cannot fight back. If not because other people around to help, I was surely get beaten to death.

Untill now, I'm still shocked with the incident. I wonder, how if there are no other people around? and why everthing I learn didin't work? is it because i'm a girl that the technique didin't work?

Answer 1

It is perfectly normal to be in fear for your safety when confronted by an attacker or being threatened. The fact tha you fainted doesn't mean you are a coward it just means that your body responded as it saw fit. If you tell yourself you are a poor martial artist or weak person for it you will only cause yourself more problems.
Alot of us have been training for a long time and feel confident that our skills are good and some of us are very tough people. Cut the majority us like that have not been in a fght since we were 10 or 12 years old, and everyone of us has been threatened many times since then. It is our dicipline and wisdom that keeps us safe and out of trouble not our ability to beat up someone.
Yes you can't always anticipate an attack but sometimes it is the best thing to tak and walk/run away from it.
And don't be embarrased or ashamed of runnin away or being scared...

Answer 2

One thing that I don't know concerning this question is two parts. First, how long have you trained in the martial arts? Second, what style of martial arts are you training in? I can tell you from my own experience having trained and studied various martial arts for over 29years now that your story isn't that entire rare let me tell why. Depending on your experience level, your dedication to study, and your dedication to physical fitness and 'martial mind set' can clearly impact the finality of a confrontation. Keep this in mind when I explain the 'keys' to what makes a martial artist. Dedication to all factors that make up what I will call the 'Extreme Martial Artist'. Experience is a key factor to surviving a confrontation. The more experience a martial artist has in his or her chosen martial art the more likely a person is to overcoming a conflict. The only difference between a street fighter and a martial artist is the tools that are used in a confrontation. The advantages are more likely given to the extreme martial artist. Given the circumstances, your typical thug lacks the necessary physical and mental training that goes into extreme training. Anyone can pick up a crowbar, a stick, or even a bottle and use it to attack someone, but what good are those objects against an extreme martialite, not very good at all. I know, as I've been subject to confrontations just like the one that you've described and have always walked away. Don't be hard on yourself thinking back on the confrontation. You must re-think everything that you've learned. First, I would tell my instructor, teacher, master what does this mean? Listen to what your teacher has to say about the confrontation. If for any reason your heart doesn't feel satisfied with the answer then you need to seek out a new martial art school. Also, look inside yourself and be totally honest with yourself. Are you where you should be in your training on every level? Extreme training in the martial arts is necessary to reach your ultimate potential. If the martial arts is just a hobby and or for exercise then that is all it will be for you, at the same time, if martial arts is your passion and your love in life then you will always find new mountains to conquer.

Answer 3

My first reaction to your story is that you didn't learn anything worthwhile at your dojo. I would examine the dojo for it's failings.

Did you ever train with resistance at your dojo?

Do you train under a specific ruleset that is more geared towards point sparring?

If the only sparring you have ever done is point sparring, make contact and break, then of course you will get your *** kicked in a real fight. Point sparring is like touch football rather than real football, sure it may resemble the real thing on some level, but when you look at it it is really just a hyped up game of tag.

Your fainting is likely also the result of your lack of comfort with real fighting. Sure you might be nervous or afraid, because you haven't gone all out before.

The factor that you are a girl is a possiblility depending on your size and his size, but that holds true for guys as well, it isn't so much your gender as it is your size and build, men are however on average bigger than girls. Stregth and size are a factor but good technique, proper training can overcome it, but it is a natural advantage, the bigger the difference the more training you need, possibly to the point where we are talking professional fighter level (you just aren't likely to be a match for bob sapp no matter how much he sucks technique wise).

The most likely reason it didn't work in a real situation is because you either didn't train realistically or weren't taught realistically.

Check out this article:
http://www.bullshido.net/modules.php?name=Reviews&file=viewarticle&id=3

Sound familiar?

then I suggest looking around the website www.bullshido.net

Ask this question, be polite.

EDIT: D'oh, ninedemon beat me to it with the articles.

Answer 4

It has nothing to do with your sex.
You fainted. You internally shut down.
Why? Was it from fear?
One thing I heard said and I find very true is that criminals have a lot of practice while victims usually have none. This statement is very profound to me. Criminals can go out out and be an actual criminal in the real world every night if they wish. ( Sure they may get to jail but that is like a Criminal University for them and they come out a more skilled criminal). Victims can never truly simulate what their situation is like. Certainly they are not victims very often. Training in the dojo is one thing, real self defense situations are another. Funakoshi himself said this.

Everyone envisions a self defense situation as a Hollywood choreographed fight. But that is not how they go down. Most attackers have some sort of an advantage like size, numbers, weapons or surprise. The real situations are very dirty, sloppy, cruel, fast and rarely end well for the attacked.

I am not sure how to tell you to not feint. I believe more sparring and self defense practice will boost your confidence. I also believe meditation after a hard workout may help you. Envision self defense scenarios in your head. Think out what you would do. Not like a choreographed fight but rather with the attitude of not getting hurt and getting out harms way.

Sorry I am so long with this answer but I feel for you. You were very lucky others were around. Not being by yourself with this attacker was a wise move, intentional or otherwise. Keep your chin up and keep training hard!!!!

Answer 5

This may not be a problem with training or instruction at all- it may be physiological. Everyone has a naturally wired reflex action to deal with a sudden confrontation called the "fight or flight reflex". Some people naturally want to run away or get away somehow, and some people naturally want to stay and confront it. Fainting is not one of those things, however.
You might have gotten so suddenly scared or excited that your body simply produced too much adrenaline for you to handle. Some poeple, however, have a problem with actually BREATHING when they get too overly excited (as from a sudden danger or difficult situation). This might be something to check out with your doctor.
Finally, if something like this ever happens again, remember that people who go out looking for trouble are not so much of a problem for people who are trained to handle it. You ARE trained to handle it...have confidence.
Hope this helps...
Sensei Cox

Answer 6

it's because you had a pissant instructor who taught you wrong.it's typical of a lot of so called ma experts,they have all these ranks and titles.But the first time they get hit or hurt in a real situation they go into shock.(and a lot do faint-male and female)And my pet hate is so called ma experts and instructors say kick/knee/punch in the groin.any one who says that does not have a single clue what there talking about.(of cause it works in the dojo all you dumbnuts)chances are all you will do is make that person angry.you need to find someone with real experience to train under.someone who gives advice with their training thats from the heart not the cheque book.And if you where taught properley you would have seen the situation long before it even happened.Think you can find one?I doubt.most ma experts(hahahaha)are to busy blowing there own trumpets to realise how full of crap they really are.they dont stop to think about the ppl that get hurt from their bad training and advice.
PS.and all you ppl i'm talking about truth hurts,but put down that trumpet and think about it before you decide i'm wrong.

Answer 7

no no...don't think of it like that.

Let me give oyu an example: driving a go kart vs. driving a car.

Go Kart:
established boundaries
Everyone has the same go kart
the Go Karts were designed for fun

Car:
people cross over boundaries
People have different cars, event eh same model may be modified
Cars are designed for speed and power

Basically, learning martial arts in a dojo is a clean and safe environment, where you were already mentally preapared. The other students you sparred with were roughly the same level, or were going easy on you. There was a sensei who enforces the rules and there was always an element of fun to it all.

In a street fight, it's compeltely different, the guy attacked you suddenly, he was probably digger than you, there were no rules, and he probably wanted to hurt you, not teach you.

YOu can't blame yourself for reacting that way, and feel your 3 years of investment were worthless. Most people won't be able to react at all, you reacted as expected of a normal person... afterall, even though you've had 3 years of martial arts, you're sitll human.

If you want to be more prepared for this type of situation, you can either switch to Jujitsu (extra violent style), or review the most basics of your martial arts... always keeping them in mind... because the basics are what will save you in that type of situation... higher level martial arts is just for you to take out other martial artists, basic defense training will be enough in most on the street situations.... I mean, are you really going to reember to put one foot back and bend your knees about 3/4 of the way to prepare for a flying crecent kick? nah, unless you're a pro... a gut reaction flying front kick or cross should be what pops out.

PS: don't let the worse happen... stay in crowded areas, have a friend with you, make sure someone knows where you are, etc.

PSS: carry mace.. or a tazer... even if you're confident in your skills, having extra 'confidence' in your handbag would couldn't hurt... right?

Answer 8

Sorry to hear you have to go through this. Hope you're ok.

I think the problem is your gym doesn't train realistic, so you never got hit hard for real or have to spar against someone who try to go after you full power. I believe your instructor install fake sense of secure in everyone. The biggest problem with that is no one know what would happen, so when they have to use their skill for real, they're usually lost and don't know what have to do.

So I suggest you to change place you train at. That way you'll learn something more realistic and be able to learn better techniques. That's exactly why I keep tell people they have to be realistic about what the're learning. Unfortunately many people doesn't want to see the truth and perfer to live under false sense of secure. However I'm glad you are really looking at this whole situtation because that show you're smart. Hopefully you find other gym that will be able to train you better.

Here's a couple good article:
http://www.bullshido.net/modules.php?name=Reviews&file=viewarticle&id=3&page=1
http://www.bullshido.net/modules.php?name=Reviews&file=viewarticle&id=22
http://www.bullshido.net/modules.php?name=Reviews&file=viewarticle&id=18

Answer 9

I agree with Sifu Shaun and several of the other posters here, the fear is what caused you to faint and you just weren't ready for what happened.

just because you're a female has nothing to do with why or why not the techniques you've learned worked.

in the class, it's a controlled environment, but out on the street; it's a totally different story and you have to be aware of everything around you.

perhaps you might want to talk to your instructor about adding more realistic situations other than just the standard criteria so that you and your classmates can be better prepared for such circumstances.

I am truly sorry to hear that though and I hope you're ok.

Answer 10

i'm no longer preserving this to be recommend because you sound surely puzzled. yet who's taking care of your little ones once you're spending a lot time with your pal? you're playing a unfavorable sport the following (even even with the reality that no longer on purpose) yet you're also no longer the biggest individual - your little ones are. From the way you position it, it sounds like your "pal" is pushing this more effective than you. end and picture what this says about him. he's intruding on a LTR with youthful ones, that's particularly like a relations. He agreed to be a groom in a wedding ceremony he's curiously attempting to ward off. If it replaced into me, i'd tell the "pal" he's out of your existence til you artwork this out. Then stumble on a thanks to inform your BF why you probably did this - I recommend, tell the reality. tell him you want to artwork on seeing in case you may have a dedicated relationship. or you're virtually sneaking round on the harmful slob before you're even married! imagine this by very careful and in no way ignore those 2 youthful ones. they don't deserve a revolving door of dad figures of their existence and that is precisely the path you're initiating them on.