You are more likely to kill yourself than to be killed in the UK.
Murder rates this year 619. Suicide rates, 5,700.
So thats roughly 10 times more likely.
Sobering thought isnt it?
In the UK you are far more likely to be attacked by depression and anxiety and to engage in self destructive behaviour or actual self harm than you are of being attacked physically by another person.
The likelihood of you being attacked drops significantly again if you are not a male aged between 18 and 30 who doesnt binge drink in economically deprived town centres.
Most muggings actually target 14 to 21 year olds.
The demographic for streetfightsecrets customers is 30 to 45, usually with two or more years of martial arts training.
This means they have an “above average” level of awareness and healthy paranoia of being mugged/ attacked, which means they (and by “they” I mean “you”) have a really good chance of never being mugged/ attacked.
Consider this:
1 in 4 people suffer mental health problems.
61% of adults in the UK are overweight or obese – heart disease is the biggest killer in the UK affecting 1 in 5 people.
140,000 hospital A+E admissions are due to self harm every year in England and Wales.
Violent crime in America and UK is at record lows (despite the economic downturn) and mental health related problems are at record highs.
So the question I ask is:
Is training for a potential attack that exists in some dark distant potential future that is statistically very unlikely to happen as relevant as dealing with the very real threats to your personal mental and physical well being in the here and now?
I have run the streetfightsecrets youtube channel for 5 years now. Sometimes I like to check which videos rank for popularity by user ratings just to see what people are enjoying and to decide which direction to take in the future.
You might be surprised to know, I was, that of all the videos I have on the channel that feature fight techniques the following video is the highest ranked of all of them.
Its a short simple video talking about natural alternatives to anti depressants to help deal with depression.
Not logged in
I agree with your post. I think there was a huge shift towards ‘reality based self protection’ in the 80s and 90s but think its all become a bit jaded really. Learning RBSD as its taught is limiting for members of the public – once you get past the novelty screaming, shouting, chin jabs, groin strikes, bullet men etc it becomes boring. I think its useful to be taught to supplement particular arts but the thoughts of going to learn a ‘RBSD’ system stand alone would not motivate me at all. I think people got a bit cheesed off with guys telling them their system is useless and won’t work in ‘reality’. But their focus was flawed also. Just physical responses no avoidance – why do you find yourself down that dark alley on your own surrounded by attackers? I think people are ‘going back’ to sport/traditional systems to ‘lighten up’ and not train like the next Jack Bauer when in reality as your post suggests thats a bit redundant.
Yes I agree. The reason why I started questioning myself, and then others, on this point is because I found myself thoroughly sick of the whole thing to the point of wondering if the training is not in itself “fraudulent”. You used the word “jaded”, yes it is. We see people developing more into sportive or tma “for the pleasure of it” or even naffing off fighting all together and getting into crossfit/ weights/ kettlebells etc which seems more relevant and somehow psychologically “healthier”. Is regular RBSD/ street training a bit neurotic? What you said about the “Novelty” of shouting, swearing and palm strikes rings true – it is a bit of a dead end. I don’t have any conclusions on this subject, its great to hear peoples thoughts and get a breath of fresh air into the concept. Thanks Bill.
Hi Richie, you ask a very good question.One could define self protection in a broader sense so as to include lifestyle choices and reviewing all our behaviors and their impact upon upon us.However since the question is more geared to the physical side of things, I would say this.
I can understand that after many years of teaching how to smash another person in a few seconds,one can become saturated with thinking about violence,in fact I would say this is a good sign!!What keeps it fresh for me is the look in new studensts eyes when they realise that “yes you can also defend yourself , although you had convinced yourself you couldnt”Many people rightly or wrongly feel oppressed with fear about their percieved inability to defend themselves, and it is a great gift to give someone,in an honest and realistic fashion,that they too can defend themselves.I stay away from teaching “meat heads” and “yobs” I usually weed them out right away by saying “often the best self defence is running away so start jogging!!
Also while it is true that statistically their might be greater dangers, there is far more casual and psychopathic violence in the streets now than their was when I was growing up.It is of course a personal choice, however ever since I was teenager I made a committment to my self defence.In fact being confident of the fact that I could defend myself makes me a much calmer and less fearfull person in general.
And perhaps most importantly of all, for the person who should find themselves in an actual self defence situation, realistic and honest training of the type you offer is priceless.Therefore I think honest instructors like yourself have a very important contribution to make to the well being of people and society in general.I hope you will keep going and making a difference.Thanks Richie!
Great post Louis – and I liked the point you made about confidence. Being more confident in your ability to fight physically does lend you a greater confidence in handling confrontation in a secure, not-needlessly-violent-to-prove-a-point way and this type of confidence will surely pass over into every area of life.
Thankyou.
Hello Richie , sounds like you are having a reflective period with regards to the lessons you will be providing in 2012….
I have always thought that Self Protection and Combatives etc was always a niche market largely due to how its marketed. Your average joe that lives inside his bubble of invincability will never relate to your material cos “it will never happen to me” etc.
I struggle to see how you can relate the murder statistics to anything you are teaching. I do not leave the house thinking.. ” I hope no one murders me” instead I do sometimes leave the house thinking, dont carry too much stuff in my pockets .. ie make myself an easy target or wear shoes that I am comfortable to run in etc. The biggest threat out there is not murderers but theives, and drunken idiots that are looking for excuses to fight.
If you found stats for personal theft or any forms of assault. You will most likely find that they swing in your favour. In 2011 I have seem more than my fare share of random acts of theft and violence and from what I see on TV, UK isnt doing much better either ( Some one stabbed on Oxford Road on Boxing day ?).
Self protection is needed more than ever but its not just about how to kick the crap out of someone if it looks like its gonna go off. People need to learn how to stay switched on when they are out, not “looking” like a victim and being aware of their surroundings. Examples below :
Our friend Sander, got mugged very recently by a gang of kids on scooters. They were after his phone. He has a nice scar as a reminder now that regardless of where you are, you need to be wary of whats around you…
In Singapore, I was in a bar with a couple of friends when one of they “cleverly” decided to chat to a girl who’s boyf was lurking in the background, before I could intervene.. fighting had begun and spewed outside which in advertanlty attracted doorman. My clear objective was to get 2 of them out of Dodge ASAP whereas they wanted to stay and fight. Thankfully I managed to get them into a cab just as the all the doorman came looking for us. Their naivity in this situation nearly got us all whooped. Its this kind of training and awareness that people need as well as how to handle yourself.
These are just my own thoughts based on what I know and what i see quite frequently… Do not shut up shop, but repackage what you do make it accessible and real for people that dont want to practise “fighting”. People need to be aware that Self Protection is like a compass of some sort… different parts that make up the whole thing. Physical , mental , emotional , skill etc .. U know what i mean…
If i dont speak to you before …HAPPY NEW YEAR !
Raj
Great post mate. Sorry to hear about Sander, it really couldnt have happened to a nicer man.
Statistics aside, It seems to me that the majority of fights and altercations do not get reported. Some people just do not want guv’t interfering into every aspect of their lives. So, here in the US, you have a fight, you brush yourself off, assess the damage, then go about your business (or the ER if you have to). Of course you should consider the intent of the attacker to decide if law enforcement should be called upon as you do not want that person attacking someone else (just in case they didn’t learn a lesson from those “mild-mannered” streetfightsecrets graduates ;@).
As for me, I was never really interested in hurting anyone so I never thought about learning martial arts or any fighting techniques. But, since there seems to be more and more of the younger generation on mind altering drugs (legal and illegal) willing to hurt you just because you “looked their way” for more than a second or two, then yes, I believe it is good and necessary to learn how to handle yourself in any situation.
Keep up the good work, Richie. You really are an excellent teacher.
Peace,
Anthony
Interesting point about not desiring govmt level interference and maintaining self reliance and sovereignity – this issue does seem to be becoming more relevant day by day.
Thankyou.
Hi Richie,
I’d just like to throw my two cents into this discussion and say that I agree with what many of the commentators on this article have had to say, especially your nameless long-time client.
I believe (and have found from my own study and experience) that learning to protect oneself and others is a vital life skill – I firmly believe it to be one of the keys to ensuring one’s personal sovereignty. Good training (training that looks at dealing with single and multiple opponents, both armed and unarmed, and does not solely focus on the physical side of a fight) gives practitioners confidence, fitness, health, respect (for self and others) and more clarity about themselves and the world they live in. It challenges us and helps give us a sense of purpose. All of these things are proven to help combat depression and other forms of mental illness.
Depending on a number of factors (where you live, your gender, sexual orientation, race, religion, etc.), your chances of facing physical violence may be very small. But the fact of the matter is that whatever your circumstances, it CAN happen. If we fail to prepare for the possibility, we are (at least partly) responsible for the consequences. And conversely, I do feel that the better equipped we are to deal with violence, the less likely we are to need to do so – criminal predators are notoriously skilled at picking out likely victims, and avoiding “hard targets”.
I don’t think it’s something we need to approach with fear – we needn’t be terrified of the possibility of violence. We do, however, need to accept that it is a reality (especially for women), wherever we live, and prepare accordingly.
In response to Bill’s point, I think all self protection or martial arts training needs to focus on reality – but it needs to be more than just “screaming, shouting, chin jabs, etc.” It’s important (critical, actually) to learn about avoidance, the psychology and sociology of violence and those who perpetrate it, and to learn about ourselves in the process. As he said, “what were you doing down that dark alley on your own?”. The best form of self protection is to never put yourself in a situation where you need to protect yourself.
Conversely, to paraphrase Tim Larkin “Violence is rarely the answer. But when it is, it’s the ONLY answer.” I have found that my solution to Bill’s conundrum is to focus on developing attributes – to emphasize technique less, and getting stronger, faster, better balanced, and meaner instead. (Technique is still important, of course!) Also, most of the people I know (especially women and older folks) aren’t interested in martial arts for fun – these are people who need something simple, effective and quickly learned, not to spend 5 or more years in a dojo before they can protect themselves.
Now don’t get me wrong, I love traditional martial arts – I’ve been practicing various styles of kung fu for a over decade – but my focus lately has been on application.
So, after all that rambling on (sorry folks), I guess my point comes back to something you talked about in a previous article, Richie: what is the goal of your training? Sport? Fun? Fitness? Culture and community? Self protection? Different styles (and different schools and instructors within those styles) will do some of these things better than others. If you know what it is you’re looking for, you can find the training that works best for you.
great post Juan
“I believe (and have found from my own study and experience) that learning to protect oneself and others is a vital life skill – I firmly believe it to be one of the keys to ensuring one’s personal sovereignty. Good training (training that looks at dealing with single and multiple opponents, both armed and unarmed, and does not solely focus on the physical side of a fight) gives practitioners confidence, fitness, health, respect (for self and others) and more clarity about themselves and the world they live in. It challenges us and helps give us a sense of purpose. All of these things are proven to help combat depression and other forms of mental illness.”
I do believe it reinforces self reliance and personal sovereignity – seeing as you mentioned the importance of “attributes” over techniques – these two attributes are surely more important now than ever before. Thankyou.
That same question was presented to me back in high school by one of friends when I asked him to work out on the heavy bag with me. He said, “why train for a fight that will never happen?” I’ll break the question down even further, why train for a fight that will only, on average, last 6 seconds. My answer was then as it is now. It’s what could happen in that 6 seconds…there’s no reason to make a list but some very serious and permanent things can happen to your well being in that small time frame. And it really comes down to whether or not you want to be a victim of violence or not. So, I don’t think training is redundant as long as you seek out realistic training resources and information, and then training as if your life and well being depends on it. The by product of the physical workouts, the gaining of confidense, seeing your skills improve is in itself an antidepresent.
Alot of fights and violence are ego based,where one or both of the parties feels a need to prove themselves, or not “back down”out of fear of how they will feel about themselves etc etc.If one has trained in a realistic fashion, which should include at some point full speed action with considerable force applied,then many of these questions are answered in the training hall.If one sees that ones training really does work under real conditions, then the next time some stupid yob moron gets in your face etc, you can smile to yourself with the knoledge that the foolo was mouthing off to you with his hands down while your were in a fence, which means you could have demolished him in a few seconds.Enjoy the thought and move along!!
That however can only come from proper training and from having already proved oneself to oneself and to peers you respect.
Sorry for the spelling mistakes, didnt see how to correct the post.!!
thanks Louis
Some very interesting points here Richie. I do think a lot of what’s marketed as RBSD is at worse downright fradulent and at best, just Walter Mitty bullshit. I groan whenever I see the word “system” associated with self-defence/self protection. Given the enormous number of variables in real life situations, those teaching anything more than handful of very basic principles/gross motor moves are just padding things out to make a few more quid. I used to run courses over six weeks, but took a long, hard look at how much of that was fluff that made people feel like they possessed some special skill, rather than actually equipping them with something that might work. In the end I dumped a load of the more technical/fancy shite and cut instruction time by weeks. Awareness/avoidance and de-escalation skills are all useful elements of training though and the confidence that some people develop through learning how they might survive a violent encounter (as rare as those might actually be) is a positive thing too. Think there’s still a need and demand for training, but there’s also a need for instructors to be brutally honest with themselves about the potential value of what they teach. Weeding out the knobheads and wannabe Jason Bourne’s has always been a requirment, but there are still vulnerable or frightened people out there who have maybe been victims of violence/abuse/bullying and it’s those folk who I want to help.
Beyond those with a genuine need for training, it all comes down to fashion. Traditional arts boomed on the back of Bruce Lee films in the seventies, then RBSD/”military” hand to hand systems took off in the eighties and nineties. Now, with the rise of MMA, everyone’s wanting to do Muay Thai and BJJ. None of that’s a bad thing in terms of fitness and confidence, but it’s all still a world apart from what actually happens on the street. As an instructor, there is a danger of becoming hyper vigilant and you can find yourself thinking about violence to a potentially unhealthy degree, so it’s important to keep it all in perspective. As a former doorman, I find it completely impossible to switch off in a bar or club at the best of times, but I don’t think there’s anything wrong with staying switched on in environments that have the potential to kick off. Equally, I don’t want to have my head revolving like a steely-eyed eagle when I’m sat with my family in a cinema or something, or visualising how I can permanently disable old people who push in front of me in queues. Being involved in this field can make you neurotic and I’ve also seen students who’ve become even more afraid of the real world after undertaking training, which is fucking pointless. It’s all about balance. Understand the violent mindset, spot the indicators, avoid potentially dangerous situations/environments if you can, but know what to do if it does all kick off and don’t spend every waking moment thinking about it.
Think the work you’ve done Richie has been extremely valuable and has stood out in a world full of arseholes and losers in combat trousers.
“Weeding out the knobheads and wannabe Jason Bourne’s has always been a requirment, but there are still vulnerable or frightened people out there who have maybe been victims of violence/abuse/bullying and it’s those folk who I want to help.”
Well Put.
“Equally, I don’t want to have my head revolving like a steely-eyed eagle when I’m sat with my family in a cinema or something, or visualising how I can permanently disable old people who push in front of me in queues.”
Hahaha! Excellent.
Hi Richie, self defence training will probably always be valid. It is nothing new as I am sure you are aware, there is evidence of martial arts training in Ancient Rome, Greece, Japan, China,etc. Yet it is not truly a part of our culture now, in the modern world, particularly in the western world. It tends to be a response to a fear of something happening, like being attacked and beaten up, possibly hospitalised, or simply made to look foolish! Constantly training for an event with such negative connotations becomes tiresome, unless it becomes part of your life style it may serve only to reinforce negative outlooks and result in the kind of statistics you have outlined. Your advice on confidence training and building on positive attitudes is a great complement to the physical training, possibly more important. Changing our cultural values is a big ask and beyond the scope of one person or even one organisation, but we have to begin somewhere. I have found your site/advice helpful, though I don’t train as hard as I should.