“Be careful what you practice; you might get really good at the wrong thing.”
Tony Blauer
Here are some tips on how to gain valuable experience before someone else forces it on you.
A Hard Lesson in the Wrong Practice
One of my students, Gary, was obsessed with high kicks and practicing the splits. Even though our school exclusively focused on practical street defense, Gary was always practicing head kicks before and after class. I couldn’t shake him from his fixation on achieving the splits and mastering high kicks—he idolized Jean-Claude Van Damme’s signature moves. I warned him repeatedly, explaining that he was building neural patterns and creating an unconscious bias that could betray him in a high-stress situation. Gary would always smile, thank me, and then go right back to his obsession.
He hadn’t yet learned the maxim: “Experience is something you get shortly after you need it.” And real life was about to teach him two hard lessons: real violence doesn’t care about your high kicks, and you should listen to your coach!
One night, Gary was jumped by two muggers. His first reaction was to kick the closest attacker as he closed the gap. Unfortunately, his well-rehearsed neural pattern triggered a kick aimed at the attacker’s head! This gave the assailant time to flinch and cover. Had Gary aimed for the closest leg, he likely would’ve dropped the first guy, turning a 2-on-1 into a 1-on-1. Instead, Gary was overpowered and beaten pretty badly.
The lesson? Be careful what you practice because you might get really good at the wrong thing.
Two Phases of Physical Training for Street Confidence
The key to appreciating this philosophy is understanding that there are two phases of physical training that are essential for street confidence:
1. Attack-Specific Training
This focuses on the type of attack—whether it’s a choke, hair grab, sucker punch, or gun grab.
2. Scenario-Specific Training
This relates to the actual situation: location, time, who’s present (friends or enemies), weapons involved, escape routes, and who the opponent is.
It’s dangerous to look at a fight as purely a physical dilemma. You need to assess the full situation.
Ask the Right Questions
You need to ask questions like:
“What is the specific situation?”
“Do I need to be on my feet?”
“Does my opponent have backup?”
“Am I in a ring or a dark alley?”
Notice that none of these questions mentioned the specific attack or tactics. But each one creates an image, a scenario, and might even suggest a strategy.
Read the Situation
Before you throw a headbutt or break an elbow with an armbar, read the situation. Remember: force must parallel danger.
By analyzing the attack within the scenario, you can uncover gaps in your preparation. It’s better to know these gaps ahead of time than to discover them during a real violent encounter. This strategy doesn’t just apply to street confrontations—it works in sport fighting as well.
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