I’ve been reading a lot about martial arts and self-defense lately.  So much out there related to one martial arts being better for self-defense versus another.   Sometimes it seems like we’re back in the 60’s and 70’s when schools used to challenge each other over who is better, except that now we’re doing it over blog posts and videos.   But here’s the thing, I don’t practice martial arts for self-defense.   Self-defense is definitely a benefit, but at my age, I don’t plan on being in a situation where I would need to defend myself.  Even if I am, my first instinct is going to be to resolve it through talking, walk away or run if needed.Statistically, being in a situation where it is a life and death choice and I have no option but to defend myself, are fairly slim.  If self-defense is the only reason I’m taking martial arts, I’ve spent a lot of time and money on something that may never be utilized.   Odds are significantly more in the favor that I’ll die from heart disease or a car accident than I will from another person.

So why do I practice martial arts?  I still believe there are many benefits to martial arts besides self-defense.  It keeps your mind and body sharp.  Kind of like doing math for your brain, but this exercises both.   An incident last week underscores that.  I was running in the icy streets in my neighborhood and jumped over some piled show, landing on an icy spot with my right leg slipping sideways past my left.    I have heard horror stories about people breaking their hips from fall while running or suffering concussions.  I walked away with a skinned knee and finished the last 5 miles of my run.  Was I lucky?  Possible.  But I’d like to think that all those years of doing side-falls helped.

Another incident from a few years back also emphasizes the benefits of martial arts beyond self-defense.  I was walking home from the train past a woman with her dog.  As I walked past them, I felf sometime move and instinctively I moved my leg.  Her dog had lunged and ripped out the back of my pants at the knee.  Had I been even a second slower, that would have been the ligaments behind my knee in the dog’s mouth.  Again maybe I was just lucky, but I’d like to believe that my martials arts training had something to do with it.

That’s two incidences in the past few years, whereas since I started taking martial arts over 17 years ago, I’ve not been in one situation where I’ve had to defend myself using martial arts.  If I am ever in need to physically defend myself, what I have learned will definitely be a benefit.  But there are so many mind, body and possibly even socials benefits to martial arts that will impact your life more than just the self-defense aspect.