When we look at a violent encounter we can generally categorize them into one of two categories. The first is what is commonly referred to as the "ambush". This is a surprise attack that you did not see coming. Perhaps your general awareness was lacking or perhaps it was just unavoidable, but in this scenario the attacker got the jump on you and initiated the violent attack. The second type of attack is what I would call a "confrontation gone wrong". A confrontation could start with a accidental bump or some type of eye contact but it almost always leads to dialogues between both parties. An argument at a bar that eventually leads to a fight, is a simple example of what we are talking about. When the attempts at diplomacy fail and the dialogue breaks down, the violence begins. This is how a very large percentage of fights start.
Many schools of self-defense train a variety of techniques ranging from striking to grappling. Some schools even include training to deal with armed assailants or multiple bad guys, but very few schools incorporate dialogue into their training. Simulating the conversation that often takes place prior to the violence is a necessary component in self-defense training. It is during that conversation that we can pick up on pre attack indicators or cues that let us know danger is imminent. It is also during that conversation that we can work on utilizing our "fence" and controlling the space between us and the adversary. These are just two examples of things that we can work on in this type of scenario based training. Without the dialogue or the scenario we are just working isolated techniques. Techniques that are out of context and thus difficult for us to properly employ when the time comes. Context is everything when talking about self-defense. Context often dictates why we do what we do and how we justify it. Physical skills are important and should be a large part of any self-defense system, but the system is not comprehensive if it does not include scenario based training and dialogue. This key component is often overlooked by instructors who do not have life experience in violence. If you are training somewhere and have learned physical skills but still don't understand exactly how and where they fit into the big picture then come try a class with us.