Pedagogy is an art that is hard to master in any kind of teaching.
However, before discussing pedagogy, the content of a course must be adapted to the purposes of the teaching!
Furthermore, in self defense, it seems fundamental to me to prioritize the teaching of concepts. Of course, techniques are necessary in self defense but we must not lose sight of the reason why these techniques exist, that is their spirit!
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Concepts VS techniques in self defense: what’s the difference?
Situation X = response Y, with variant Z
Let’s consider the example of a right hook to the face. You could either react to such an attack with a cover (protection) with a simultaneous strike to the face (variant 1), or with a double block on the forearm and shoulder (variant 2).
Now let’s change the angle of the strike, and the hook turns into an uppercut: block X, variant Y.
These are some examples of techniques. Each situation can require a technique, and each technique has one or several variations. This is quite a lot to remember, in the end!
However, when I mention concepts, I mean that one should not focus on a particular technical sequence but rather think about a way to protect oneself as efficiently as possible, with minimal forethought. Try to keep in mind what the techniques will potentially be performed under stress.
To apply these concepts properly, there is no mystery: you must assimilate the basics of biomechanics, be aware of the major sensitive points of the human body, be able to estimate how much power you need to put into a blow to inflict decisive damage, and above all you shall be able to appraise your environment (spot the loopholes, the confined areas to avoid, the number of potential attackers, the potential obstacles, etc.).
Why should you prioritize concepts?
My teaching is mostly oriented around the notions of adaptation and improvisation, because in the street nothing ever happens as we would have wished. 99% of the time, it’s chaos, and one simply cannot prepare for chaos in any other way than by working on the capacity to adapt and improvise.
However, and it is even more the case when we are under pressure, our ability to adapt and improvise depends on our experience. Indeed, it’s hardly possible to come up with a technique that we’ve never thought of before!
Furthermore, it will be particularly difficult to pick and choose from our technical panel when stressed out.
By “concepts”, I refer to the range of common sense principles that allow you to limit the damage and escape from danger in the very shortest time possible, taking as little risk as possible.
Knowing how to protect your vital zones, being able to identify and hit your opponent’s zones first, pulling your head in when you are hustled, fleeing whenever there is an opening, etc. These examples are concepts among others, they are not techniques.
They are extremely simple, they do not require our memory beyond the minimum necessary, and still it is vital to master them.
I strongly believe that concepts should be assimilated in the first place for they are the simplest, the most useful and the quickest to master.
It is only once the foundations have been built and the concepts mastered that the techniques should be integrated into the topic of the day which must take place in a second phase.
Indeed, techniques underpin the concepts, adding a layer of “optimization”. They open up new lines of thought, they enhance your initial reflexes and they offer new ways of handling a situation while limiting your exposition to dangers.
These techniques are the result of a synthesis of different disciplines and different backgrounds (military, law enforcement, security guards, etc.), but remember: they are essentially based on concepts!
In other words, you have to learn how to walk before you can run.
As you may have understood, you have to prioritize concepts over techniques.
