The acronym K.I.S.S. stands for keep it simple stupid and it states that things shouldn't be overly complex and kept simple so you can achieve your goal effectively. The KISS principal can be applied to any number of tasks to make them easier, and when it comes to self defense you need things to be simple and effective.

In the world we live in today nothing is simple; cars have their own computers and if you apply for a job digging ditches you need an engineering degree. While some changes have been positive others have made things to complex. In the beginning martial arts training was all about being prepared for real combat, but the sport aspect has taken over and people are learning complex and difficult moves that aren't practical for street fighting. Well, if want to survive on the street you have to forget all that complex crap and get back to the basics.

Now, it might offend your sensitive side, but real martial arts are all about learning how to employ violence correctly during the right situation. Your ethics are what separate you from the scum so don't think learning how to fight and kill makes you a bad person. Sometimes the only option left is to hurt someone, but before you can act you need to know what to do. Nobody is born a fighter so you need to train so you know what to do when the time comes.

When it comes to martial arts there are a lot of choices out there, but if you want an effective style for self defense the list gets a lot shorter. Most martial arts styles that are being practiced today are combat sports. They look like hand to hand combat, but they aren't. They have been made safe so you can compete in friendly matches without causing permanent injury to your opponent. This type of training won't do you any good in a real fight though, because your attackers don't play fair.

Real self defense is all about doing whatever works at to survive; it's that simple. When you're in a fight everything happens quickly and often times you only have seconds to react. If you get caught up trying to make a complicated move work or simply think for a second longer you will get hurt or even killed. You need to be proactive in your defense and it needs to be so simple that you don't even have to think about it. In the heat of the moment you need to respond to a threat with a simple but effective action.

When you apply the KISS principal to martial arts you immediately eliminate of all the excess baggage that's keeping you from being effective in combat. You won't be slowed down by rituals and limited by complicated techniques and stances. If you're in a real fight you shouldn't have to worry about doing a move correctly, but rather getting the best results. The enemies of society won't wait for you to be ready and it will take years for you to master a style of martial arts, but self defense training can be learned much quicker.

When it is a matter of life and death you don't have time to look for answers and debate the ethics involved. When you train in a real self defense system you will learn all you need to know to respond quickly with all the force you need. It's all about striking first with real power so you can take your attacker out and keep yourself and those around you safe. Unlike many styles of martial arts being taught the self defense training system only has practical moves and will enable you deal with the situation as it develops. No system is perfect, but one you have the skills that work, you can adapt them to any situation regardless of what is going on around you. Train in any martial arts style you like, but when it comes to self defense keep things simple.

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This article is courtesy of the Self Defense Network featuring Martial Arts in Renton Washington, Martial Arts in Houston Texas and Martial Arts in Alberta Canada.