Why It’s Important to Use Self-Defense Techniques Responsibly

Let’s assume you’ve been enrolled in martial arts training for some time now.

After your first year, you started to fit in with your class as a real team player.

While your classmates are reasonably decent, you appear to catch on quickly and are even excelling through the ranks.

However, one area where you could use a little work involves your own self-discipline.

It’s important to review some of the reasons why you need to use the self-defense techniques you have learned responsibly.

Your Body Is a Weapon

When you learn self-defense, it doesn’t give you a license to go out and start picking fights with people out on the street.

The idea behind self-defense is exactly that: martial-arts-style techniques are meant to be used in situations where self-defense is required to repel an attacker and to get out of the situation.

However, if you go out and start picking fights, this can put you in one sticky legal situation after another.

A crucial part of martial-arts training is to learn to improve your self-control. Only use your self-defense techniques for what they were intended for in the first place, and stay out of trouble with the law.

It’s important to also be aware of what constitutes self-defense, as sometimes the lines in legal cases can get a bit blurred.

Abusive Relationship Tendencies

You need to be well-trained with your knowledge of discipline and self-defense in your relationships, too.

If you have a temper and find yourself lashing out, you could end up hurting someone you love. The consequences can be expensive, both financially and emotionally, and they can last for years – or even a lifetime.

You could lose your job, your loved ones may distrust or fear you, and depending on the severity of your actions, a whole load of other troubles could come your way – and some can take years to dig yourself out of.

You may end up harming someone and then find yourself filled with regret later.

If you have been arrested for domestic abuse or any form of family violence following an argument, the district attorney’s office takes over prosecution of the charges, whether the victim decides to press them or not.

The whole point behind attending a martial arts class is to learn self-control and discipline to avoid these kinds of problems, not to be the cause of them.

Stepping into a Dispute

When you see people fighting, you have an instinct that drives you to jump in with both fists flying.

Unfortunately, such an intervention may not be wanted or appreciated by either party.

It is sometimes best to jump in only if it is necessary to prevent someone from getting hurt too much.

If you must get involved, you want to do so with a cool head and take advantage of the best opportunity that presents itself to bring a quick resolution to the conflict.

Rushing in in a blind fury could get you or someone else seriously hurt. This is where training and practice in restraint and self-control really pay off. You know how to properly pick your battles.

Conclusion

The self-defense techniques you learn can be used in a wide variety of applications, and they can be extremely beneficial for you and other people (like children, for example) .

But there is always a risk of legal action if you use these techniques on another person without the situation warranting such a reaction from you.

By keeping a cool head and practicing self-control, you will be able to judge situations better and avoid getting into trouble.