| These days it seems that every traditional martial | | | | ground and control him. However, because he's |
| artist or combat sport champion is trying to sell a | | | | spent all of his time preparing for the sport of |
| watered-down version of his training to the | | | | judo, the rules have taught him to ignore the |
| unsuspecting as a be all and end all answer to the | | | | possibility of having his eyes gouged out, being |
| question: "How can I effectively defend myself on | | | | headbutted, his opponent secretly pulling and using |
| the street?" | | | | a knife or gun, being struck in the groin or kicked |
| Maybe some of these self-proclaimed street | | | | in the knee joint. |
| fighting instructors truly do believe that they can | | | | Let's say that the fight did, in fact go so far that |
| help others protect themselves, but I also believe | | | | the judo athlete was able to get his opponent to |
| that most of them are just hoping that the self | | | | the ground. Instead of kicking him on the ground, |
| defense market is broader than that for their | | | | what would be in direct violation of the rules of |
| sport and they could make more money by | | | | judo, he decides to try and pin his opponent, |
| selling to a larger group of customers. | | | | controlling him in some sort of restraining hold. |
| Either way, it is a sad state of affairs that a | | | | Going to the ground with your opponent was |
| coach or combat athlete would try to sell his | | | | never a problem in his judo matches, because the |
| expertise in competing in a sport with rules of fair | | | | rules of judo clearly state that you will only fight |
| conduct to someone whose only interest is | | | | against one opponent. The problem is that the |
| surviving the anything goes environment of a | | | | five friends of the street fighter have never |
| mugging or rape attempt. | | | | learned judo rules, so they spontaneously decide |
| Don't get me wrong, I truly respect anyone who | | | | to kick the laying or crouching judo athlete hard |
| has risen to the pinnacle of his sport, regardless | | | | and often in the groin, kidneys, head and spine |
| of which sport it is. I don't, however recommend | | | | until he collapses to the ground and stops moving. |
| using the teachings of, for instance, a judo | | | | Like I said before, I respect every champion of |
| champion as a means of rape defense any more | | | | every sport and don't want to degrade anyone. I |
| than I would recommend replacing a general in an | | | | just want to receive the same respect from |
| army with a chess champion, regardless of how | | | | those experts that I reserve for them. |
| many strategically perfect chess matches he has | | | | Just like I would never proclaim myself an |
| won. | | | | Olympic judo, wrestling or boxing coach, because |
| Using the example of the judo champion gone self | | | | I don't have the training and experience to be |
| defense instructor, I'll briefly outline the | | | | successful, I don't appreciate it when an athlete or |
| shortcomings of combat sport training when | | | | coach claims to have similar skills or training in my |
| applied to street combat: | | | | area of expertise--providing men and women with |
| A judo fighter, when attacked on the street, | | | | the skills necessary to fight and win on the |
| would close the distance and clinch with his | | | | streets, when winning means surviving and losing |
| attacker, where his superior grappling skills could | | | | means dying. |
| theoretically be used to take the aggressor to the | | | | |