Curriculum Introduction
The only goal of teaching self-defense is how we can help our students make it home safe. Every other consideration is secondary.
In that light, the purpose of this self-defense curriculum is not to add yet another set of memorized choreography to our Belt requirements but to set up a practical framework for our students to be able to defend themselves in a real-life situation.
There are many valid approaches to self-defense and techniques for any given situation. Besides effectiveness, the techniques presented below are chosen based on:
Their simplicity and the ability of a practitioner of moderate skill, size and athletic ability to perform them under a pressure situation.
Motions and movement based on Tang Soo Do that student has already performed multiple times during his/her regular training. In other words, we are not reinventing the Tang Soo Do wheel.
While uniformity is important when dealing with the formal curriculum (e.g. forms) it should not be a priority when dealing with self-defense.
One size does not fit all. No real-life self-defense technique is performed the exact same way twice, nor should it be taught that way. Otherwise, any real-life deviation from the routine will cause confusion in the practitioner.
While at the lower belts level, or when introducing a new technique, a specific structure should be taught, as a student increases his/her skill and/or knowledge of the technique, deviations can and should be allowed, as long as they are reasonable, and are following the basic self-defense principle of the situation.
Students have different bodies, abilities, injuries, preferred biomechanics and potentially even different martial arts backgrounds. Our focus should be on what will work for THIS student to increase his/her odds to make it home safe.
There are two parts of any self-defense situation:
The initial reaction (technique), which is going to be somewhat standard and specific to the attack (notwithstanding the comments on point 4 above). I recommend teaching this first.
The continuation, which is going to depend on how the attacker reacts afterwards (e.g. does he/she retreat, attack, pull, push etc) where there are many options (e.g. do I retreat, keep striking, circle around, engage, disengage etc). I recommend teaching this after the student has mastered the initial reaction part so it. Note: same “continuations” can (and should) be used for different techniques.
Obviously, initially the techniques can and should be learned in a static step-by-step manner, for both technical and safety purposes. However, once the student is familiar with the technique, it should be practiced in a dynamic, less controlled setting, where the attacker is manipulating and unbalancing the defender so he/she can react in something close to a realistic setting.
This is a live curriculum and should be constantly revised, updated and improved.
Self Defense options
There are a number of self-defense approaches available to us.
De-escalation / Disengagement
Always preferred as main option
Appropriate starting from white belt level
Striking
As karate practitioners, this will be our bread and butter, and the preferred choice when we cannot disengage or de-escalate
Appropriate starting from white belt level
Control
Should only be applicable when the opponent is significantly smaller in size, or the threat level is very low (e.g. the drunken cousin at thanksgiving).
Appropriate starting at Red Belt Level
Could also be appropriate for third party defense and advanced weapon techniques starting at Black belt level
Takedowns
While they are aesthetically impressive, takedowns are not generally effective self-defense techniques for a karate practitioner (a lot can go wrong while taking an opponent down and we do not excel in ground fighting) and should only be applied in very specific situations.
Only appropriate starting at Black Belt Level