Why Self-Defence Isn’t Just Martial Arts: Rethinking Personal Safety Training

Beyond the Black Belt – What Real-World Self-Defence Should Teach

It’s a common sight: self-defence classes led by martial artists. As a martial arts instructor myself, I understand the attraction. Disciplines like kickboxing, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu or aikido each offer valuable techniques—whether it’s striking, escaping joint locks, or learning takedowns. Training in these arts certainly has its benefits, and I would be the first to shout about their ability to boost fitness, strength, flexibility, body control and confidence - and sometimes, that inner self-assurance is quite enough to deter a potential threat.

The Limits of Traditional Martial Arts

But here’s the rub: martial arts, for all their daring and mystique, are ultimately sporting activities. They follow strict rules, have defined targets, and often involve years of technical mastery. We learn blocks for different strikes, but only if they come from in front of us. Grappling techniques are great fun for learning how to get out of particular holds, but only if I follow the ‘no-striking’ rule. And let’s be honest – who has the time to endlessly repeat these movements until they become ingrained?

Real-life self-defence is anything but orderly. There are no rules, no perfect attacks, and certainly no guarantees your aggressor will square up like an opponent in a ring. In moments of fear, complicated moves will vanish from memory—what’s needed are simple, gross motor skills that work under pressure.

Think of it this way: where martial arts might condition you to score points with high kicks, self-defence is about using what works with minimal effort—targeting the groin, knee, or shin, and employing techniques like elbow strikes that are all too often forbidden in sport because of their effectiveness. Self-defence throws the rulebook out the window.

Awareness and Prevention: The First Line of Defence

Yet, the most important lessons in self-defence aren’t physical at all. Awareness is key—being alert to your environment, recognising risk, and understanding the signals you send and receive. Avoiding danger is always preferable to fighting it, and as women, we have a unique understanding of the dangers that we are more likely to encounter.

These threats are not always physical; verbal harassment and everyday sexism are a reality for many women, and handling these situations calls for skills that aren’t necessarily physical or taught in the dojang. (Even though the urge to strike might be tempting in the face of verbal abuse, there are safer and more effective approaches to manage such incidents!)

The Power of Communication and Role-Play

Many martial arts traditions recognise the power of the voice—whether it’s the use of ‘chi’, ‘kihups’, controlled breathing, or a sharp shout—to maximise the impact of a technique. However, the voice can serve an even greater purpose by preventing situations from escalating to physical confrontation in the first place. Whether it’s shouting for help, setting boundaries, or de-escalating a situation, assertive communication is vital.

Like any skill, it needs practice—role-playing situations can help build the confidence to use your voice effectively under stress. Perhaps it’s understanding how to deal with unwanted flirtation that turns aggressive; perhaps it’s being able to say ‘no’ when you duty-bound to act on someone’s request; perhaps it’s being able to set acceptable boundaries in an intimate relationship – all of these rely upon effective and clear communication strategies to nip unwanted and damaging behaviour in the bud.

Trauma-Informed Self-Defence: Supporting Healing

Finally, it’s essential to acknowledge that many individuals turn to self-defence training as a result of past trauma. Conventional martial arts and most self-defence courses often fail to address the emotional toll that can come with revisiting distressing memories through activities like pad work, sparring, or close-quarter drills.

To be truly effective, self-defence instructors must be able to identify common trauma responses of hyper- and hypo- arousal, such as freezing, dissociation, or heightened anxiety. They need to foster a secure, supportive environment that empowers rather than re-traumatises participants. This could involve incorporating grounding exercises into sessions, sharing course content in advance, or simply providing a safe space where participants can step out for a breather.

Beyond Fighting: Building Confidence and Safety

Learning a martial art can be transformative. It teaches so much more than physical techniques and I have seen first-hand in my own students the increased confidence and self-esteem that comes with overcoming the challenges set in martial arts. However, self-defence isn’t just about learning to fight—it’s about anticipating and avoiding risk, staying safe, feeling confident, and supporting healing. That’s why it’s so important for trainers to go beyond martial arts techniques, focusing on simple techniques that are easy to recall, situational and self awareness, communication skills, and trauma-informed teaching.

Tamsin Davis is the lead facilitator and instructor at Defence4Women, which specialises in teaching evidence-based and trauma-informed self-protection skills encompassing the broad spectrum of gender-based violence.