Monday, July 15, 2013

Koushinkai Self-Defense Strategy

Koushinkai utilizes a simple, yet effective, strategy in its self-defense training. This six point plan focuses on street survival rather than detaining or defeating your attacker(s). The first three steps in the strategy focus on avoiding violent situations. They include:

1. Avoidance – Simply avoiding potential dangerous situations
2. Persuasion – Verbally defusing the conflict
3. Escape – Fleeing the attacker(s)

If it is practical to turn and run, you should not stay and fight. Even if physical violence is unavoidable, you should look for the first opportunity to escape. Our goal is not to defeat our attacker(s) but to survive the attack with as little damage as possible. If you are forced to defend yourself, the last three steps include:

4. Strike and Flee – Strike and escape by delivering a well-executed attack or combination of strikes
5. Clinch Fighting and Direct Grappling – Fight while being grabbed and avoid being overpowered
6. Avoid Ground fighting – Defend against takedowns and escape from the ground

Koushinkai acknowledges there will be flaws in any training scenario. We are constantly addressing the need to fill gaps in our drills to counter the unavoidable flaws of training. Rather than focusing our attention to one fighting system, we supplement our regular kumite (sparring) training with additional drills known as yakusoku kumite (conditional sparring). These drills allow students to become more experienced in the different areas of the strategy as they advance in rank.

Osu!